I try to avoid chain restaurants. It's not that they have bad food. I just prefer to support the local mom and pop places and I like their inventive individuality. That being said, O'Charley's was ok. The shrimp cheese dip with boring nachos was boring, bland and swimming in grease. The salad was fresh and greens instead of iceberg. The baked potato was ok... Hard to mess that up. The steak was grisley and undercooked. Steak shouldn't jiggle!! The wait staff was very nice and professional. The decor was warm and inviting....and clean. It renewed my conviction to support the mom and pops. Next time someone says O'Charley's...I'll say O' Crap.
(2)
Emily B.
I have spent the majority of my life in the northern part of the United States, and had never come across an o'charleys before my trip to alabama. I was on my way to the gulf and I wanted a sit down restaurant and I thought I had chosen a non-chain restaurant. Lol I realized how wrong I was after continuing on my road trip. We were lucky enough to get the bartender as our waiter. He totally fulfilled the "southern hospitality" expectations and was very sweet. I think that if we would have had any other waitress or waiter, however, my experience would have been completely different. During our time here, we saw two couples leave after being seated due to their waitress taking more than 10 mins to greet and take drink orders. It was painful to watch. One couple even asked to be re-seated as their booth was demolished due to food from the night before (we came here right when they opened). One couple kept asking our waiter/bartender where their waitress disappeared to. Lol, what are you doing!!! It's slow and you only have one table. Sketchy. My salad was awesome and very filling. Green romaine and freshly grilled chicken. Bathrooms smelled like port-o-potties, but that's a different story :)
(3)
Matt H.
Had a good experience here. Great place for families and while I agree that supporting locally owned is great, you have to mix it up some. Big chains after all do employ the local and give back just as much as any other. Consistent food and plenty of options.
(4)
Ashley R.
I cannot give them any stars due to mass incompetence and having food poured on me by staff. Manager comped one diners meal for the mistake. I guess that's fair. Maybe they will be closed like all their other stores within a month. Sorry, Saginaw and Alabaster diners that you have so few other options.
(1)
Danny E.
Consistently Inconsistent! Like most chain restaurants, it all depends on the management of the individual store to see a difference. My family and I have had both good and bad experiences at this location. My credit card was charged twice on one occasion, I had a great prime rib on another, I had a dreadful prime rib on yet another, and the kids have a great time every time. We used to go more frequently when kids ate free, but now it doesn't include weekends (something they put in the fine print now). You have to keep in mind that with chains, you are going to get a lot of pre-packaged foods and have to be careful what to order. A good rule of thumb is that the more menu items a place carries, the less quality that place will have. Stick with what they are known to cook well. This location in Alabaster is no different. There are some good things on the menu and some dreadful things. It all depends on what day you go as to the quality of both food and service. I would say always have a backup plan in case you have send your food back, or just skip it and go to Longhorn down the street ( a much better, more consistent chain restaurant).
(2)
Amanda E.
Hat tip to Lee S. for saying what I didn't want to. My brother and I are in town visiting family and needed refueling after a day of running around. Service was fast and friendly. Beer cheap and cold, so I can't complain on that front. Apparently Bud Selects are $1.99 all day every day. Quite the steal. The menu makes your mouth water but at first bite I realized we'd need to find another place to eat afterwards. Started with the loaded spiral potato chips. True, they were spiral cut possibly even in the back which is nice. I couldn't tell whether or not the cheese was supposed to be "smokey" or had just been sitting out for a while. We hardly touched the appetizer, including my salad with wilted lettuce. BBQ Ribs were OK. Sauce was a nice flavor but ribs a little dry. The broccoli casserole is actually broccoli mush, rice and cheese. So yeah. The beer was good.
(1)
Clifford B.
Arrived around 6:00 Saturday night and the place was busy, but we were only 4th on the list. The hostess said we would be seated in about 10 minutes, but she quickly began telling new arrivals that the wait would be up to an hour, hour and a half - the kitchen was "slammed." 30 minutes later, we were seated. I ordered a limoncello martini and a burger, medium well, with asparagus. The $6.49 martini had no liquor. It was just Kool-Aid. The burger was raw, med. rare at best, and the asparagus was dried up and tough. The hamburger bun was sticky and gooey. Sure, they made me another burger, but the $10 coupon that enticed us back into that place wasn't enough. We're not going back.
(1)
Hal D.
TL;DR--Received our order quickly and had a satisfactory experience overall at O'Charley's of Alabaster, Alabama. We placed our order at 5:20 on a Friday evening, and received our food twelve minutes later, which I consider about as speedy as a casual-dining restaurant is going to get. Our server was Rob, who was personable; if I ever work as a server, I will try to emulate Rob's suaveness. On a Friday late-afternoon/early evening, O'Charley's of Alabaster was not crowded, which kept noise levels down, nor so empty as to suggest locals are avoiding it. Noise levels were reasonable, and background music wasn't so loud as to be annoying (the bane of my experience at so many casual-diners). I believe the Alabaster location of O'Charley's is either relatively new or recently remodeled; the building and decor were in good condition. My father was pleased with his cob salad (as he has at other locations), and I with my $9.99 entree. Our only complaint: Staff was a little slow in getting our bill back so we could depart. Personally, this wasn't a biggie with me, though it was more so with my father. So overall, O'Charley's of Alabaster was at least as good as other O'Charley's locations we've eaten at, and certainly better than some other dining experiences I've had. I've decided not to give five-star reviews based on a single dining experience, but they certainly deserved at least four stars and possibly more.
(4)
Cari W.
SERVICE SUCKED! The food really wasn't that great either. The only thing that was good was the bread. Will not be going back anytime soon.
(2)
Paul C.
Reviews were up and down here so we avoided it for the first six months we've lived here. Recently, after running out of / getting bored with local food options, we decided to try it. Our first experience was so good I thought it might have been a fluke, so I waited for a second trip to do a review. The second trip was a little better than the first because we showed up on Wednesday night which is 'free pie night' (not sure how long this promo lasts)! They have apple, peach, french silk, caramel and maybe one or two other pie choices. Yes it is a chain in the vein of Applebees, Chili's or TGIFridays, but none of these are close to us. Chili's has been the only one of the three to consistently improve their food and not switch to lower meat quality or smother everything in Jack Daniel's sauce. Plus it had been years since we'd been to an O'Charley's. We didn't get food dumped on us, either. Hate when that happens. However, it does appear the management took the negative feedback and reacted well to it. The food is really pretty good. The staff is attentive. The place is clean. During both trips the manager stopped by at least twice to check on us. Our group has tried several entrees and none have been disappointments. They have a large selection of $9.99 dinner meals; most with one side (some meals allow you to choose the side, some don't). Included in these choices are a 6 oz. steak, grilled tilapia, several chicken dishes and a shrimp and pasta dish. They dole out free rolls that remind me of Western Sizzlin (the most awesome budget steakhouse ever). They're really close to five stars but more like four and a half. A little more time and attention to detail and they'll get there. For one, their steak is just a little too intensely peppered; good, tender, juicy and all but just strongly seasoned. Our waitress was better the first trip. The waitress on our second trip was fine but there were a few awkward moments. Maybe she was new and needed a little more people experience. Not enough to hurt our overall experience. If you tried them once and decided not to come back, you should try them again. At least on Wednesday so you can get a free slice of their awesome pie!
(4)
Ashley J.
I haven't yet to eat in as we are always on the go. But their curb side pick up is always great. Everytime I have called In an order the people are always just wonderful. I just pull up to their curb side pickup and they bring every thing out without ever getting out. Their food has always been well prepared even for food that's Togo. Hopefully one day I can sit down and eat inside to check out their atmosphere.
(5)
Kaye L.
My experiences have been quite different from the other reviews. I visit this location quite often and I've always been pretty satisfied with my food and the service. I usually get one of the half priced appetizers (chicken fingers) or the Cedar Planked Salmon. I don't care for their Atlantic Salmon as much. Most people wouldn't order seafood at O'Charley's but when people see mine, they comment about how good it looks. I do like my salmon cooked a little longer than what I think is normal and the one time that I've sent it back they were very accomodating and extremely nice about it. The manager even followed up once I got it back just to make sure it was to my liking. They have chicken tortilla soup on some nights and it is really good! Sometimes I go just for that.
(4)
Frank H.
Well we come pretty often to this restaurant. I ordered the catfish, which is my favorite and they were out! Really! This spoiled my trip. Salads did not come until after the meal was served! This was a bad idea for dinner today. Our drinks didn't get a refill. Don't know if I will be back.
(2)
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Address :285 S Colonial Promenade
Alabaster, AL, 35007
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Lee S.
I try to avoid chain restaurants. It's not that they have bad food. I just prefer to support the local mom and pop places and I like their inventive individuality. That being said, O'Charley's was ok. The shrimp cheese dip with boring nachos was boring, bland and swimming in grease. The salad was fresh and greens instead of iceberg. The baked potato was ok... Hard to mess that up. The steak was grisley and undercooked. Steak shouldn't jiggle!! The wait staff was very nice and professional. The decor was warm and inviting....and clean. It renewed my conviction to support the mom and pops. Next time someone says O'Charley's...I'll say O' Crap.
(2)Emily B.
I have spent the majority of my life in the northern part of the United States, and had never come across an o'charleys before my trip to alabama. I was on my way to the gulf and I wanted a sit down restaurant and I thought I had chosen a non-chain restaurant. Lol I realized how wrong I was after continuing on my road trip. We were lucky enough to get the bartender as our waiter. He totally fulfilled the "southern hospitality" expectations and was very sweet. I think that if we would have had any other waitress or waiter, however, my experience would have been completely different. During our time here, we saw two couples leave after being seated due to their waitress taking more than 10 mins to greet and take drink orders. It was painful to watch. One couple even asked to be re-seated as their booth was demolished due to food from the night before (we came here right when they opened). One couple kept asking our waiter/bartender where their waitress disappeared to. Lol, what are you doing!!! It's slow and you only have one table. Sketchy. My salad was awesome and very filling. Green romaine and freshly grilled chicken. Bathrooms smelled like port-o-potties, but that's a different story :)
(3)Matt H.
Had a good experience here. Great place for families and while I agree that supporting locally owned is great, you have to mix it up some. Big chains after all do employ the local and give back just as much as any other. Consistent food and plenty of options.
(4)Ashley R.
I cannot give them any stars due to mass incompetence and having food poured on me by staff. Manager comped one diners meal for the mistake. I guess that's fair. Maybe they will be closed like all their other stores within a month. Sorry, Saginaw and Alabaster diners that you have so few other options.
(1)Danny E.
Consistently Inconsistent! Like most chain restaurants, it all depends on the management of the individual store to see a difference. My family and I have had both good and bad experiences at this location. My credit card was charged twice on one occasion, I had a great prime rib on another, I had a dreadful prime rib on yet another, and the kids have a great time every time. We used to go more frequently when kids ate free, but now it doesn't include weekends (something they put in the fine print now). You have to keep in mind that with chains, you are going to get a lot of pre-packaged foods and have to be careful what to order. A good rule of thumb is that the more menu items a place carries, the less quality that place will have. Stick with what they are known to cook well. This location in Alabaster is no different. There are some good things on the menu and some dreadful things. It all depends on what day you go as to the quality of both food and service. I would say always have a backup plan in case you have send your food back, or just skip it and go to Longhorn down the street ( a much better, more consistent chain restaurant).
(2)Amanda E.
Hat tip to Lee S. for saying what I didn't want to. My brother and I are in town visiting family and needed refueling after a day of running around. Service was fast and friendly. Beer cheap and cold, so I can't complain on that front. Apparently Bud Selects are $1.99 all day every day. Quite the steal. The menu makes your mouth water but at first bite I realized we'd need to find another place to eat afterwards. Started with the loaded spiral potato chips. True, they were spiral cut possibly even in the back which is nice. I couldn't tell whether or not the cheese was supposed to be "smokey" or had just been sitting out for a while. We hardly touched the appetizer, including my salad with wilted lettuce. BBQ Ribs were OK. Sauce was a nice flavor but ribs a little dry. The broccoli casserole is actually broccoli mush, rice and cheese. So yeah. The beer was good.
(1)Clifford B.
Arrived around 6:00 Saturday night and the place was busy, but we were only 4th on the list. The hostess said we would be seated in about 10 minutes, but she quickly began telling new arrivals that the wait would be up to an hour, hour and a half - the kitchen was "slammed." 30 minutes later, we were seated. I ordered a limoncello martini and a burger, medium well, with asparagus. The $6.49 martini had no liquor. It was just Kool-Aid. The burger was raw, med. rare at best, and the asparagus was dried up and tough. The hamburger bun was sticky and gooey. Sure, they made me another burger, but the $10 coupon that enticed us back into that place wasn't enough. We're not going back.
(1)Hal D.
TL;DR--Received our order quickly and had a satisfactory experience overall at O'Charley's of Alabaster, Alabama. We placed our order at 5:20 on a Friday evening, and received our food twelve minutes later, which I consider about as speedy as a casual-dining restaurant is going to get. Our server was Rob, who was personable; if I ever work as a server, I will try to emulate Rob's suaveness. On a Friday late-afternoon/early evening, O'Charley's of Alabaster was not crowded, which kept noise levels down, nor so empty as to suggest locals are avoiding it. Noise levels were reasonable, and background music wasn't so loud as to be annoying (the bane of my experience at so many casual-diners). I believe the Alabaster location of O'Charley's is either relatively new or recently remodeled; the building and decor were in good condition. My father was pleased with his cob salad (as he has at other locations), and I with my $9.99 entree. Our only complaint: Staff was a little slow in getting our bill back so we could depart. Personally, this wasn't a biggie with me, though it was more so with my father. So overall, O'Charley's of Alabaster was at least as good as other O'Charley's locations we've eaten at, and certainly better than some other dining experiences I've had. I've decided not to give five-star reviews based on a single dining experience, but they certainly deserved at least four stars and possibly more.
(4)Cari W.
SERVICE SUCKED! The food really wasn't that great either. The only thing that was good was the bread. Will not be going back anytime soon.
(2)Paul C.
Reviews were up and down here so we avoided it for the first six months we've lived here. Recently, after running out of / getting bored with local food options, we decided to try it. Our first experience was so good I thought it might have been a fluke, so I waited for a second trip to do a review. The second trip was a little better than the first because we showed up on Wednesday night which is 'free pie night' (not sure how long this promo lasts)! They have apple, peach, french silk, caramel and maybe one or two other pie choices. Yes it is a chain in the vein of Applebees, Chili's or TGIFridays, but none of these are close to us. Chili's has been the only one of the three to consistently improve their food and not switch to lower meat quality or smother everything in Jack Daniel's sauce. Plus it had been years since we'd been to an O'Charley's. We didn't get food dumped on us, either. Hate when that happens. However, it does appear the management took the negative feedback and reacted well to it. The food is really pretty good. The staff is attentive. The place is clean. During both trips the manager stopped by at least twice to check on us. Our group has tried several entrees and none have been disappointments. They have a large selection of $9.99 dinner meals; most with one side (some meals allow you to choose the side, some don't). Included in these choices are a 6 oz. steak, grilled tilapia, several chicken dishes and a shrimp and pasta dish. They dole out free rolls that remind me of Western Sizzlin (the most awesome budget steakhouse ever). They're really close to five stars but more like four and a half. A little more time and attention to detail and they'll get there. For one, their steak is just a little too intensely peppered; good, tender, juicy and all but just strongly seasoned. Our waitress was better the first trip. The waitress on our second trip was fine but there were a few awkward moments. Maybe she was new and needed a little more people experience. Not enough to hurt our overall experience. If you tried them once and decided not to come back, you should try them again. At least on Wednesday so you can get a free slice of their awesome pie!
(4)Ashley J.
I haven't yet to eat in as we are always on the go. But their curb side pick up is always great. Everytime I have called In an order the people are always just wonderful. I just pull up to their curb side pickup and they bring every thing out without ever getting out. Their food has always been well prepared even for food that's Togo. Hopefully one day I can sit down and eat inside to check out their atmosphere.
(5)Kaye L.
My experiences have been quite different from the other reviews. I visit this location quite often and I've always been pretty satisfied with my food and the service. I usually get one of the half priced appetizers (chicken fingers) or the Cedar Planked Salmon. I don't care for their Atlantic Salmon as much. Most people wouldn't order seafood at O'Charley's but when people see mine, they comment about how good it looks. I do like my salmon cooked a little longer than what I think is normal and the one time that I've sent it back they were very accomodating and extremely nice about it. The manager even followed up once I got it back just to make sure it was to my liking. They have chicken tortilla soup on some nights and it is really good! Sometimes I go just for that.
(4)Frank H.
Well we come pretty often to this restaurant. I ordered the catfish, which is my favorite and they were out! Really! This spoiled my trip. Salads did not come until after the meal was served! This was a bad idea for dinner today. Our drinks didn't get a refill. Don't know if I will be back.
(2)