Insider Pages Reviews for Olive Garden

5 Stars: Olive Garden is looking better in my eyes... (by James T.)

James T. — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 05:24:00 GMT

I went to the Olive Garden in Kirkland recently with my family to celebrate our 9 year old daughters birthday and the place was extremely busy which was frustrating at first.
But once we were sat our table our server was excellent. His name was Marcus and had an 'interesting' hair style which my wife and little girl absolutely loved. He did an amazing job of making sure everyone was happy and there drinks were refilled and the most amazing part was that he remembered 6 customers drinks and food without writing anything down.
Now not to say that the Olive Garden is the best restuarant in the area, but they have done very well when it comes to hiring the right people.

Loved the service!!

1 Stars: Watch your overcharged bill (by mris)

mris — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:00:00 GMT

Friday (8/21/09) was our first time visting Olive Garden, for a dinner.
Food quality is average, prices seem ok. We tried the neverending pasta bowl, $8.99 according to their list price. However, our final bill arrived for $11.99 each, although we didn't have any additional choices. We ended up paying it (plus tax, plus tip), as we trusted our server and didn't verify right away. A small price for a lesson well learned.

5 Stars: It's good food... (by mabes32)

mabes32 — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:00:00 GMT

I'm so sick of all you yuppies ripping on olive garden and any chain that you label "non authentic" Of course it's not authentic. Who cares... The obvious truth is, the majority likes the food they serve better than if it were truly authentic italian. It's good consistent food at a great price. I've been all over Italy, and would take olive garden before 90% of the places I've eaten at over there. If you're looking for a good meal at a great price, choose Olive garden. If you're one of those that cant distinguish between authentic and good food, go somewhere else and quit clogging up review boards with your negative comments.

1 Stars: An Example of Poor Quality (by cutebirdie)

cutebirdie — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:00:00 GMT

This was our first visit to the Olive Garden. A garden it is! Full of bad food and high prices cultivated over time by poor management.

Our meals were mediocre at best. The chicken parmigiana was very average, the salad was drenched in dressing (cough, sputter), and my nephew's spaghetti with plain sauce was swimming in water--imagine that--not being able to get something as simple as spaghetti with sauce correct! We had to drain his dish of the extra sauce that was obviously diluted with water (sauce was barely the color of tomatoes, and very thin) during preparation. My nephew had said, "Look at me! I am eating spaghetti soup." I would not recommend anyone patronize this chain of restaurants.

3 Stars: too crowded (by sdsungoddess)

sdsungoddess — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 09:00:00 GMT

I love Olive Garden but this location is alwys packed. No matter what night we go or at what time there is always a line out the door. If you are really craving those yummy breadsticks pull up a seat at the bar. You get great service and do not have to wait 40 minutes.

1 Stars: Hot Food Bad Wine Bad Service Bad Value (by jimadcock)

jimadcock — Thu, 29 Dec 2005 09:00:00 GMT

There was some confusion about where to seat our party of seven, so they sat us in front of the kitchen door. The tables and chairs from a defunct Denny's. The table location was impossibly noisy. $7 corked wine, my wife insisted I make them take back, except all of a sudden all the waiters and waitresses who were streaming past our table turned deaf, dumb and blind. I finally walked back to the hostess to send a floor manager to our table to assist us, and it still took five minutes for him to arrive. Food was hot, which rates a coup in Seattle. Seafood Portofino was served hot (good) thick white sauce (good not great) and vanishingly small quantities of mussels (6 tiny), shrimp (2 tiny) and scallops (2 teeny tiny). One ounce of seafood in total. $100 for four adults, and three kids who basically didn't eat.

1 Stars: the restaurant is getting worse (by lusien)

lusien — Mon, 05 Dec 2005 09:00:00 GMT

Last time my friends and I went there it was a disaster. My friends were wearing jeans, sweaters, T-shirts. We probably did not look that fancy and/or "time worth spending". We were seated in a back room with many tables, zero privacy. Our waiter offered a cheap terrible wine (He said "this wine is very good, it is only 5 dollars"). It seemed that the food was cooked that morning and then was warmed (we came at 8 pm).
The free salad bowl was the only delicious food. It is difficult to ruin a salad.
It is better to save some money and go to a real Italian place.
Unfortunately, the restaurant's rating is getting worse. 5 years ago I would definitely recommend it.

2 Stars: Its Ridiculous! (by kacimae)

kacimae — Thu, 01 Dec 2005 09:00:00 GMT

They don't take reservations not even for big parties. It's just ridiculous!

4 Stars: Good (by Baxter B.)

Baxter B. — Tue, 07 Jun 2005 17:40:00 GMT

I like this Olive Garden although not one of my favorites by far, its still very good. Not all Olive Gardens aer exactly the same. The staff plays a major role in service. This one tries hard, its usually always crowded unless you go during the day.

4 Stars: i like this place (by Yvonne B.)

Yvonne B. — Fri, 04 Mar 2005 17:00:00 GMT

Olive Garden, yeah it's a chain, yeah it's sometimes corwded, but the food is good, the portions are bigger than most, plus you get to color on the placemat! I know they got smart lunch deals, all you can eat breadsticks (a little plain tasting), salad and soup. Plus they cater. They hooked up my friends wedding with some pasta and veggie lasagna, breadsticks, and professional service.

1 Stars: Olive Garden?!? (by chills1956)

chills1956 — Fri, 07 Mar 2003 09:00:00 GMT

This is NOT Italian food! Please, don't even waste our time by rating this with Assagio, Café Juanita, Isabella, etc. It should be in the same category with McDonald's/Taco Bell, in fact, they could probably drum up more biz if they installed drive-thru's!

3 Stars: top ten best Italian ? (by The_Big_Ragu)

The_Big_Ragu — Tue, 07 Jan 2003 09:00:00 GMT

Seattle must be lacking Italian residents. I mean the Olive Garden is OK but, cmon ! Top Ten ? I don't think so. People from New York would laugh themselves into fits if they read this.

Olive Garden has good soups, breadsticks and salads but this does not make them a good Italian restaurant.

2 Stars: Non piacere!!! (by aja2003)

aja2003 — Tue, 31 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Are serious?? The Olive Garden? Dare I look at the best mexican ratings lest it says Taco Bell? Ugh. Come on Seattle, get a clue. Olive Garden could open up a franchise in Italy and it still wouldnt be Italian. Try Vicino or Mamma Melinas for god sakes!

1 Stars: It's a Chain (by jlundquist)

jlundquist — Tue, 10 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

It's a chain, Need I say more! Find something a little more tasteful that this. If this is how you like your Italian, you WONT like Italy

1 Stars: garbage (by europete)

europete — Wed, 04 Dec 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Olive Garden restaurant is no more proper Italian food and cooking that the man in the moon. All they offer is lots of advertising and bad food to back it up.
Most people do not know real Italian cooking, so they get away with fooling people, making them think that what they are getting is real Italian cooking.

1 Stars: The biggest joke in Seattle!!! (by adamg9)

adamg9 — Fri, 29 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

As an Italian-American, and having lived in Italy and studied the cuisine I would consider myself a good critic of Italian food. The olive garden is a horrible place where for $5.95 you can get all you can eat sewer waste. This place is a joke that thinks they are serving Italian food. I can assure you they are not. Their commercials insinuate that it's the place where Italian-Americans take their Italian relatives. I can assure you that the relatives would be thoroughly insulted if they were taken to the olive garden, and would never be heard from again.

2 Stars: This is fast food! (by rachelfro)

rachelfro — Sat, 16 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Good grief what about Freemont Classic or Pasta Bella or the Pink Door. I'll have to remember to vote next time :).

1 Stars: gentrified and corporate (by ProfessionalServer)

ProfessionalServer — Sun, 10 Nov 2002 09:00:00 GMT

price? imagine what they could charge if you they didn't spend millions on TV, radio and billboard ads, and opening more and more restaraunts. Good Italian food is easy. Do the right thing and stay at home and make fettucini alfredo if you can't go to the neighborhood place near you.

1 Stars: Dumbed down food (by keefily)

keefily — Fri, 25 Oct 2002 09:00:00 GMT

The McDonalds of Italian food. Absolutely awful. Completely unauthentic. Italian food for people that don't know what Italian food tastes like.

4 Stars: Satisfies an Italian craving (by cakelly)

cakelly — Sun, 13 Oct 2002 09:00:00 GMT

When I am in the mood for pasta and salad, I go to the Olive Garden. The salad is excellent...I could eat bowls and bowls of it. The pasta is 'okay' but satsifies a craving when I have it. I usually order the cheese stuffed ravioli. Nothing special, and a small portion, but with the unlimited salad it is worth it. The ambience is a little cheesy and "cheap" complete with plastic breadbaskets.

1 Stars: Blender Italian Food (by srl542000)

srl542000 — Mon, 02 Sep 2002 09:00:00 GMT

"Track Style Restaurants" that pour over cooked pasta from plastic bags for the masses!! It's the "Frosted Flakes" of chain Italian restaurants. You always know where the bathroom is located at whether your in Las Vegas, to Tacoma, or Orlando. Bad food which would make any good Italian crawl under the bed and never come out! I guess if your on a bad road trip and need to eat pasta, it fits the need. Your always family, but, honestly I would divorce your self from this one!!!! Find a real Italian eatery. There's lot's of family run Italian restaurants that even on a bad day out shine the Olive Garden...Come on Seattle, you know there out there...even in Tacoma!

5 Stars: good value for the buck (by nkford)

nkford — Wed, 14 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Depending on the time and day of the week, seating can be a wait. However, the food, service, and kid friendly servers make up for the inconvenience. The food is always served hot and is always flavorful and delicious.

5 Stars: Yummy (by bafischer)

bafischer — Tue, 13 Aug 2002 09:00:00 GMT

Let me just say, yummy. How can you describe the atmosphere and the food? Delicious.

3 Stars: A typical chain (by TaraJacobs)

TaraJacobs — Mon, 22 Jul 2002 09:00:00 GMT

There is nothing great or unique about Olive Garden. It's a typical restaurant chain with no character, nothing that stands out above the rest. My husband likes the place because it's got a parking lot. Their menu has Italian dishes, but the pasta tends to be overcooked. Even the salad that comes with your meal is mediocre. The dressing tastes like something that came out of a bottle, and I'm SURE it did. Nothing tastes homemade; it just tastes like it was bought in bulk!