Olive Garden

I have been to plenty of Olive Gardens throughout the United States. While there doesn't seem to be any mentionable difference in the degree of food quality, in my opinion, there was, this time, a definite degree in quality of service. This particular location in downtown Salt Lake City has staff that seem to actually care about the customers. When asked, our server gave us her favorite sauces [for the "unending bowl of pasta" meal] and also stopped by the table a few times to make sure that we had everything we needed and that the food was meeting our expectations. I always love the zuppa toscana and the breadsticks. If you are concerned, however, about calories, this might not be the choice of restaurant for you. Overall, a very good eating experience.

Pros: Great service, good food, great portions

Cons: lots of calories

Posted 10/15/09

Ok well i just recently visited olive garden....OMG that unlitmited pasta was amazing... except our waitress was abnormaly large.... when i mean large im talkin 900 pounder... i mean wow... to be that large you would have to eat at Arbys every day for like 30 years breakfast lunch and dinner.... so i asked for a new waiter.... and he turned out to be gay... i thought he was just being nice.... until he asked me out on a date to the movies... thats when i got scared... i assumed at that i should have stuck with mrs.arby 900 pound... its called nutrisystem you know.... havent you ever seen those commercials with chuck norris and the bowflex.. everyone wants be chuck norris...... or jackie chan.... or mr.hunter.... our very own librabry manager he is awesome.... we all love him... NOT.... joking your the best we lob you... YEAH!!! we lob you.... should i tell my life story again.. mr.hunter give me a sign.... YES!! thank you! ummmm.....ummmmm.... ummm.... go EAGLES!!! YEAH AND MCCHUNKYSOUP!!! YEAH!!!! AND BY THE WAY! MCDONALDS is just as good as this dump olive garden..... oh yes...and tarri i still love you...even though i have been UPMHED by to many homeless people... i still love UPHMING you...and mr.hunter.........and kessler and jake....Kessler is a total fagle...yeah EVIL!!! i love it when people say EVIL not like evil more like EVIL....and cooper... he has no soul.. and no friends... he is dating mr.hunter also.... its a three-way deal... no more like a 4 way connection.. giggidy.... havent you ever seen that movie 21?? let me tell you tarri loved it....I MISS HER!! even though she said it should havebeen called 96..... but anyways back to the OG!! (olive garden) this gay waiter and morirbly obese waitress they ganged up on me and threw me in the back of a hummer... you also have no soul if you drive a hummmer... you gas guzziling fiend....but anyways.....im not UPHM.... i swear.... i love tarri.... which is a women cross-dressing doesnt count. buttshaft.

Pros: No UPHING dog

Cons: gay waiter/ obses waitress kessler= fagle

Posted 04/21/08

I loved Olive Garden, the service was great. I am a teenager and I felt they didn't take advantage of me. I would recommend Olive Garden over any other place!

Pros: great service, inexpensive, great parking

Cons: none

Posted 03/13/06

I lived in Italy and the Olive Garden does a pretty good job of providing fresh authentic meals. You can't expect a major chain to be the absolute best Italian restaurant but OG does a good job.
Some of my favorite dishes are tortelloni di fizzano, the mushroom-filled ravioli, and the chicken vino bianco. The salad is really good too.

In short, you can't expect OG to be as authentic as say, La Dolce Vita or Dal Fornello (both in Provo) but it is a good place for a group of people to have some tasty Italian food. It's a lot better than Tucci's in my opinion.

Pros: menu selection, good value, salad

Cons: inconsistent service, inconsistent food

Posted 12/11/02

The Olive Garden is, in one word, Mediocre. It is just another chain restaurant with so so food. The salad is good....yes. Can I make salad at home? Yes. The sauces are not fresh tasting. The Capellini Pomodoro always has 1/2 ripe tomatoes, and very little flavor. Do yourself a favor and discover some of the great locally owned businesses that serve Italian. Al Forno's is my #1 recommendation. Support your local businesses and get better food than any CHAIN restaurant could provide.

Pros: Many Locations

Cons: Chain restaurant, Low Quality

Posted 12/09/02

I ORDERED A STEAK AND IT TOOK UNTIL EVERY ONE ELSES DESERT, THE MANAGER SAID THEY DONT MAKE GOOD STEAKS I LAUGHED AND AGREED THEY ARE HORRIBLE AND THEIR OTHER STUFF HAS GONE DOWN HILL GO SOMEWHERE NICE AND GOOD NOT HERE

Posted 12/05/02

What is this???? Okay, so the ambience is pretty Italian, the wine is pretty Italian, but the pasta?? Overcooked, over-sauced, and the saucves all taste pre-packaged. I can tell you what Nona would say... "Disgraccioso!"

Pros: Easy freeway access, ambience

Cons: food, crowd

Posted 10/26/02

When you want food you know is going to be good the Olive Garden is the place to go. Their soup and salad are always the best.

Posted 10/03/02

Salad and bread sticks are good....the meals are just mass produced sorta kinda Italian

Posted 10/01/02

Good for large groups and work lunches. Good for take out. Kind of like an Italian Marie Callenders. Lots of families/kids, if you like this.

Posted 09/24/02

To say that the Olive Gardin is good Italian is like saying that Taco Bell is good Mexican. I as an Italian, find Olive Garden disgusting and a poor excuse of Italian Food. I'd rather go to the "Village Idiot" and have their pasta dishes than go to O.G.

Pros: Leaving, Not Going

Cons: Italian Food?

Posted 09/03/02

Olive Garden may not be the most authentic Italian around, and it may not be the best, but I know everytime I eat there, I will leave satisfied. CRITICS: The masses are going to like what the masses eat. If everyone knew about your favorite little hole in the wall, it wouldn't be much of a hole in the wall, would it? Go home if you are going to criticize the wonderful people of this fantastic state! We are not all as cultured and sophisticated as yourselves.

Posted 09/02/02

I love it! Every bit of it! The food and servise is always great.

Posted 08/24/02

This is by far my(and all of my friends') favorite place to eat. The atmosphere is romantic and beautiful. They have delicious salad and breadsticks, and my favorite dish is cheese ravioli. The food isn't exactly true authentic Italian food, but it takes great to me.

Pros: big portions, well priced

Cons: crowded

Posted 08/22/02

Great pasta! Fettucine Alfredo with Chicken is the best! Olive Garden is very consistent with good food and good service.

Posted 08/21/02

The only place that I ever go when given the opportunity to eat out is to The Olive Garden. They have THE ABSOLUTE BEST Fettuccini Alfredo!

Posted 08/19/02

We really enjoy Olive Gardens value. Good food at great prices.

Posted 08/14/02

The fact that any Utahn believes Olive garden is a best of anything, only shows the culinary ignorance of this silly silly state. Try some good italian at Grappa's in Park city

Posted 08/07/02

Always a great place to go for good food and a great tiramisu, could use a little more privacy at the tables though.

Pros: Inexpensive, Great food, Great service

Cons: Crowded, Loud

Posted 08/06/02