Olive Garden is just awful

[RS]

For some bizarre reason, my office ordered this in for a lunch meeting. I was not expecting much but it was so weak. Sauce that tastes like Prego. Plisbury bread sticks. All iceberg lettuce salad. And an hour later, I feel totally gross.

[MatticusMania]

Hmm, I went to Olive Garden on fathers day and our food was delicious...

[jmattbassplaya]

I`ve never had a good experience there. I find the food to be sub par for the price you pay in comparison to other sit-down Italian establishments. IMHO, Macaroni Grill is where it`s at for these kinds of chains, although I still believe the best Italian can only be found at hole-in-wall mom and pop restaurants.

[mpm32]

Ban chains, I try to never eat at them.

[RS]

I know a lot of people rave about OG, which doesn't make sense to me if you've ever eaten real Italian food.

[Burnttwaffle]

I stopped eating there after I dropped a meatball and it bounced up a few times. Olive garden is disgusting.

[bassteban]

They're just Denny's in Italian, but the one in my hometown is slightly above awful- & there are 2 or 3 passable waitresses on a given night. Of course, by *passable* I mean Maki's done worse.

[cheezewiz]

OG is OK. I grew up eating authentic Italian, so I know the difference. Plus my stepdaughter works there.

[Valerus]

It's decent.

[Phalex]

I can do Olive Garden, but I wholeheartedly agree with this!

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

I still believe the best Italian can only be found at hole-in-wall mom and pop restaurants.

[karrot-x]

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

OG is OK. I grew up eating authentic Italian, so I know the difference. Plus my stepdaughter works there.

+1

I like to get the soup and salad combo.

Don't go there with high expectations and you'll enjoy your meal.

[MatticusMania]

I dont have high expectations of any chain restaurants. None of them can compare to my own cooking.

[Staccato]

I gave up on them when the Hostess promised to hook up my very large buddy and myself meeting for lunch. My table was far left from the door, and they seated him far right at some point. I had searched the place before being seated. After about 25 minutes, he was eating and I found him - what a deal...
I'm still miffed. I should have waited by the door? Please!

Matticus, we'd like to take turns trying your special dishes...

[SoonerMatt]

When I was an undergrad someone in my frat worked at OG so we'd all get discounted food and free wine. That was the only reason I'd eat there.

[MatticusMania]

I'm not sure how good my Margherita pizza tastes after spending a few days with FedEx...

you'll all have to come down to SoCal and load my up with some ingredients!

[joeyl]

Most chains go from decent to awful, but sometimes that's all people have in their hometown. I've been spoiled because I live in NOLA but before that I lived in rural Arkansas, where I would have welcomed an Olive Garden or Red Lobster anytime

[MatticusMania]

I might be accepted to compete on some cooking show about home chefs who have no culinary training. If so you'll get to see my delicious bacon wrapped shrimp on television!

[Joey3313]

Been there and it was good, been there and it's been crap.


Quite frankly though, to go in there and expect a delicious authentic meal means you're an idiot.

I don't go to Wendy's expecting the greatest burger on the planet.

[shadowtippy]

There is an OG about 2 minutes from my hiuse and an Italian restaurant about the same distance the other way. No question which one I pick. Also, the price is about the same.

[PasdaBeer]

Olive garden.......bleh

Its crap italian.

Sad thing, my girlfriend is italian, her aunt and grandma make awesome authentic food, yet she would rather go to OG. Everytime I eat there I spend most the night either out in the yard puking ( I live on 3 aceres to its not bad ), or in the bathroom.