Loved this place! Will be going back. Our server was very knowledgable but seemed to rush us a bit. That is why I am only giving 4 stars. But overall excellent food:)
(4)
Paul C.
We dined on a Friday night at 6:00.. Almost 90 minute wait for a table! The food was good and service was good, but I wouldn't wait that long again. We were able to have drinks and appetizer at the bar. The crab cakes appetizer was excellent. I also liked the glassware that my beer was served in.
(3)
Scotty L.
Solid, great food every time. I literally know every time I eat here it will be amazing. Favorite dish is the chicken Bryan. You must come and eat here!
(5)
Marisa G.
I am currently sitting at our table waiting for the check, but I feel the need to tell everyone to stay away from this restaurant immediately. The service has been deplorable. We opted for a bar table since the restaurant had a wait list and the bar seemed much less busy... What a mistake. After 15 minutes we asked someone if they could find us a server. After 5 more minutes someone finally showed up and unapologetically asked for our drink order. We ordered a pitcher of sangria, waters, and also asked for bread since we realized that it may take a while. Fifteen minutes later we got our drinks. We put our orders in and continued our waiting game. After 10 more minutes (we're up to 45 minutes now) we asked for our bread again. While we ate our bread and waited for our soups/salads we watched others around us get up and leave because they were tired of waiting for someone to wait on them. We thought about leaving as well, but by now we were already committed. One hour and five minutes after we sat down, our entrees came. BEFORE our soups/salads, which we had to remind our waiter about. One of the dishes at our table was missing the chicken that was supposed to come on top of it. It seems like our waiter forgot about returning to the kitchen to fix this issue because it wasn't brought out until 20 minutes later... after she finished her pasta. I have to say, the food was excellent. If this had been a positive experience, this could have easily been a 5 star review. I have worked in a restaurant. I realize that issues arise and that sometimes things go wrong. However, I cannot excuse this train wreck of a meal. There are 50+ other restaurants in the area. Go anywhere else. TL;DR- Horrible service. Had an issue with just about everything and took us an hour and five min to get our food. Do not eat here.
(1)
Lauren G.
Ate dinner here last night and should have walked out when the hostess told me it was a 20 minute wait with many open tables. We ended up sitting at the bar, I ordered the fettuccine. When the meal came it was a little cold and the sauce was dried at the bottom so I asked for a side of extra sauce. When we got the bill they had charged me 6$ for a little cup of Alfredo sauce that still didn't doctor up my pasta. Stay away.
(1)
Clay N.
Long wait, which is to be expected on a Saturday night at 9:30. After 30 minutes we were seated in the back of the restaurant and forgotten about. After 20 minutes I approached the hostess and asked if we had been forgotten. The service was horrible, the place was dirty and body cared. The good was ok, as always. I would recommend you find another place to eat.
(1)
Chad S.
Best filet in town order it filet spiendino get it with two shrimp two scallops in butter citrus Parmesan crumbs AWESOME.
(5)
Ashley D.
Wrong food wrong temperatures poor execution. Bad experience Ordered the filet that was ruined by the kitchen. Appetizers were bad, soup was terribly salty while simple orders were ignored. We were told the canned beans had been soaked in salt water for 24 hours for the soup. Are they serious to soak canned Beans? It's sad to see the management apologizing for disasters the back line causes. My meal was delivered after everyone had completely finished their meals. I declined the food & realized how much of a train wreck this location has become. I'm not going to waste either my time or money with Carrabba's again.
(2)
Brian C.
Extremely disappointing overall. Visited on a Sunday for lunch. There wasn't a crowd at all and also no hostess for the first few mins from the time we walked in. We were seated in a few mins though. The wait for drinks was a little long considering the place was literally half empty. We ordered and this is where everything else went way down hill. Neither salad was good. My wife's house salad was drenched in dressing she barely touched it. My Caesar had limp lettuce and stale croutons. It was clearly pulled out of fridge from previous day. When our food arrived my wife's seemed fine but my lasagne was chilled. Like it was also pulled from fridge and not even warmed to room temp. The finely grated Parmesan they added at the table didn't even soften one bit. I told the waitress and she apologized and took it back to kitchen. She came back while I was waiting another 10+ mins to let me know they would cover my entree and offered us a dessert on them. It was a nice gesture to make amends and we weren't upset by any means mostly disappointed by lack of overall quality and service for the price. We finished our lunch and the waitress again offered us dessert but we politely refused since we didn't want it anyway. When she brought the check. I slipped my card into the folder and when she came to pick it up she said "woops sorry I put wrong one in" and slipped a different ticket in there. I should have paid more attention before she took it and ran my card, but when she brought it back for me to sign, they didn't comp my entree at all. We should have taken free dessert, but they might have charged us for that too. We were confused but ready to go so we paid and still left a 15% tip for a disappointing and over priced lunch of lunchroom quality. I regret leaving that much tip now. Don't bother trying this sad excuse of a chain restaurant with so many better options. The experience we had explains the lack of any type of lunch crowd. Our fault for trying something different.
(1)
Jason S.
It's OK...not great by any stretch. The eggplant parm, chicken marsala, and lobster ravioli are pretty good. Everything else...not so much. It will get you by if you need an Italian fix. Overpriced.
(3)
Joe R.
For a national chain, this place is off the chain! I grew up in Houston eating at the original location and have been in love ever since. I've never had a bad experience in the last 20 years, and have loved every meal I've ordered. The staff is always warm and welcoming and willing to go the extra mile to make your visit a special one. Their chicken Parmesan is to die for, along with their array of luscious deserts. My favorite thing about my visit though, is always having fresh bread to dip in the olive oil and herbs they make at the table. If you're in the mood for some Italian food and want to venture away from that old nasty olive garden down the street, this is the place to come. Prices are around what olive garden would charge, however the quality of food and service is ten times better.
(5)
Ee Vonn Y.
Portion sizes are easily shareable. Order their spaghetti. I'm not going to try and compare a chain restaurant's spaghetti to your mom's homemade spaghetti but it hits the spaghetti craving. Service here is great as always.
(4)
Taii W.
This place was great. The food was hot and delish. Didn't take long to get seated or receive the food. The menu isn't big, that's my only complaint.
(4)
Danielle G.
Food is soooo good! The place is always busy so get there early! The portion sizes were good. The shrimp scampi is amazing! relaxed atmosphere. It is a bit more pricey for some ppl, but worth it! Love this place! A must go!
(5)
Rick C.
Carrabba's is a great Italian restraint. I had their Italian Chicken Pizza earlier and it was delicious. It didn't take long to be seated despite it being Sunday afternoon in a southern city. Likewise the food came out quickly as well. All in all a great place to eat.
(4)
Michelle S.
Today I decided to have Carrabba's for carry-out. I ordered it online and then picked it up at 6:15... My order was almost ready when I got there... I was a couple minutes early. I had requested silverware or should I say plasticware online, but they forgot but still asked so that the deliverer went back and got some. The food was hot which I loved, including the bread. The lasagna was a small portion, hard and kinda burnt. The chicken parmigiana was good though. I'd go back there for carry-out, but not dine in on a weekend as the parking lot was packed.
(4)
Demarcus K.
Carrabbas has excellent food, hosts, and servers. However, the managers are horrible. While they are sometimes nice to customers they treat their staff in a manor that is unexceptional. Despite this the staff is very cheerful and welcoming. Go for the good but avoid the managers if possible.
(1)
Keith C.
My review of Carrabba's... well, so I don't get blasted for the rest of this review, most of thoughts/opinions have a lot to do with my experiences at Johnny Carino's, which closed some time ago. So take this review for what it's worth, based on that... My wife and I decided to give Carrabba's a chance finally, after years of talking about it. (Some time after it opened, we visited and upon walking in the door, the place had a crazy, funky smell that I can only describe as maybe fresh-paint-from-a-can meets stale marinara meets raw, days-old catfish. That was enough to make us grab our noses and the door on the way back out.) (Johnny) Carino's at Patton Creek happened to be one of our favorite Italian cuisine offerers, but since they closed down, and we were in the mood, we gave it another go. This time walking in, the smell was not quite as nerve-damaging, but there's no hiding the food being served, that's for sure. Apparently that doesn't bother the masses, though, b/c the place was packed (Fri night, 7:30p). After a bit of a wait (half an hour or so), we got a booth and sat down for some grub. The bread brought to the table was good I guess, but I was a little disappointed due to it tasting like that you'd get at Cheesecake Factory, instead of being focaccia. (See? Nitpicky... Carino's brought out the latter.) Still, with a little olive oil and seasonings it tasted just fine. Once we had a chance to order, my wife got the Italian Classics (Chicken Parmesan and Lasagna) while I opted for the large order of Chicken Parmesan. I didn't have the opportunity to try the lasagna, but the Chicken Parmesan was pretty tasty. The large portion size was more than enough to fill my belly and still have plenty for take-home. (My wife ended up taking food home as well.) One thing that we were a bit baffled about, though, is that with the Chicken Parm, pasta doesn't come with it. So basically it's just seasoned, coated chicken, flattened to schnitzel size/depth, all by its lonesome. Now every entree comes with a side, so you're more than welcome to select any pasta for the side; but still, just seemed a bit odd for an Italian restaurant that you'd have to specifically ask for pasta as a side for any dish. We didn't opt for dessert as the entrees (and soup for me/salad for the wife) were enough to swell our stomachs substantially, so I can't comment on those. So, my experience at Carrabba's I think is worth three stars. The atmosphere was nice/busy, and the wait staff was very polite and attentive, which is definitely worth 5, or at the very least 4, stars. However, the food was tasty but not exactly so memorable that I'd long to revisit the place the next chance I got. In fact, I think the next time we crave Italy's best, we'll head to Joe's Italian in Alabaster. And it's that thinking which leads to the 3 star review - for me, the experience, the food, was just average.
(3)
LL C.
I've had a great time every time I've been here. I know it's a 'chain' Italian restaurant but every dish I've had there had major flavor and great taste. I'm a fan of "The Johnny", which is a combo with sirloin Marsala and the chicken Bryan...a grilled chicken breast topped in a creamy lemon sauce with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes. Perfectly seasoned! Wooooo my mouth is watering right now thinking about it! You get a side with an entree plus your choice of a salad or soup. Add to that complimentary bread with olive oil & spices for dipping and you gotta get somebody to roll you out tha door belly first!! My last trip I tried the chicken trio with is the chicken Bryan (as described above), chicken Marsala and pollo Maria, which is a light butter sauce with mushrooms. For my side I got green beans but those weren't your ordinary green beans all waxy out of the can. No ma'am! These beans had a buttery taste seasoned with garlic and pepper. My boyfriend had the lobster ravioli which was very tasty but could have used just a bit more sauce. He didn't have a side, but he did have the lentil & sausage soup with he said had great spices and was really good for 'pea soup'...his words not mine. For our appetizer we had the baked fontina cheese & chunky marinara dip served with toasted buttered bread cut in lil' triangles. That was some good stuff! Oh my goodness. It sounds like a simple lil dish and it is actually, but the marinara was perfect and the melted fontina was the best cheese for it. My only complaint is that there weren't enough toasted bread pieces for the dip. I like Carrabba's better than Olive Garden. OG seems ol' school and kinda stale in terms of the experience and the food. If you haven't been to Carrabba's in a while, take some time and check them out...you might be pleasantly surprised.
(4)
Maxwell W.
First off I have to say I'm a little low rent when it comes to food that is even a little upscale. I like my spaghetti ragu and sandwiches bolonie. Having said that... Pros: Nice atmosphere that really plays into the "fire roasted" grill theme. The waitress was very informative about the menu and items at the bar. I had the spaghetti with meat sauce where the noodles were cooked perfectly and sauce, while a bit thick, was very tasty. It was served in a bowl instead of a plate. It was appreciated so I didn't have to chase it around. Cons: They bring you a loaf of bread that is very yeasty and hard. I think it is supposed to be that way, but I wasn't a fan. Bottom Line: This is a date restaurant. The atmosphere is dark and comfortable and the help do not wear shorts and tie their shirts in the back to get bigger tips. I have had more familiar Italian food, but this was nice as a change.
(3)
Angelica B.
Husband and I went there for Valentine's Day..the wait was quoted as 2 to 2 1/2 hours but we were seated in 45 minutes! Cyrus was our server and he was wonderful! The food was fabulous, the wine was amazing and we even got to take home the remaining wine we didn't finish (we ordered a bottle for the table)! Definitely would recommend the Chicken Bryan, the Zonin Regions Moscato and the fried Rosotto balls!
(5)
Peter L.
I was here with a party of 9 for celebrating a special occasion. Food was pretty good. I got the chicken parm which came with a side salad, 2 chicken breasts, and a big thing of mashed taters. It didn't look like that much food and I was really hungry when I sat down but I guess between the fried calamari, bruschette appetizers, and breadI filled up (must have been the mashed potatoes). The bread service was pretty authentic complete with a seasoning mix and EVOO. Waiter claimed they make most of their stuff inhouse and made fun of Olive Garden along the way. Some of the pasta dishes looked pretty good. We had a little kid with us and they made him a fusilli and alfredo sauce version of mac and cheese which looked really good and he liked. The people who ordered soup instead of salad got a really giant bowl of minestrone. Would have given 4 stars but I even though I wasn't paying, I still wasn't too impressed by the prices ($17 for the chicken parm), when this place is basically still an upper scale Olive Garden. I'd rather have the endless soup/salad/pasta/breadsticks for $15 or whatever.
(3)
Justin W.
My wife and I came here to celebrate Valentine's. The food is delicious. We had a filet and chicken marsala. The wait situation was a bit crazy since so many people were there, and the service was pretty good. I just enjoy the food so much, that the rest does not seem to be quite as much of an issue. The waiter provided plenty of bread at our request.
(4)
Melody H.
I have eaten at this Carrabba's a few times (I've also eaten at one in Atlanta) and the food has always been excellent. The salad is served on chilled plates and is very tasty as is the bread. The entrees are the real treat though. I've had the chicken parmesan, which was quite good, but my favorite is the Pasta Carrabba, which is basically a fettuccine alfredo with chicken, peas and mushrooms (though I get mine without mushrooms). The reason the place gets 3 stars is because of the service. Every time I went, it was lacking. One time in particular I went with my boss and a coworker on our lunch break, which was around 7:30pm on a week night (not Friday). We were seated quickly and the place was not even full. We told the waiter specifically that we only had an hour for lunch and asked if that was a problem. He promised us that it wouldn't be an issue. We were there for nearly two hours. Why? Because said waiter was more interested in the larger, wealthier looking table behind us. We hardly saw him after that. He got about a 5 cent tip from the table for his troubles. Another factor weighing on the rating is the price. This definitely isn't somewhere you go often. Like another review mentioned, it's great for dates. I just hope their wait staff is better now!
(3)
Tommy E.
wait over 1.2 hours, tables not being work ,seen over six tables, seats five= server and bar did all they could,when you or over work, how much can be done,food was cool, i will think twice, own my on business ,you will run off every one
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Classy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Kristi R.
Loved this place! Will be going back. Our server was very knowledgable but seemed to rush us a bit. That is why I am only giving 4 stars. But overall excellent food:)
(4)Paul C.
We dined on a Friday night at 6:00.. Almost 90 minute wait for a table! The food was good and service was good, but I wouldn't wait that long again. We were able to have drinks and appetizer at the bar. The crab cakes appetizer was excellent. I also liked the glassware that my beer was served in.
(3)Scotty L.
Solid, great food every time. I literally know every time I eat here it will be amazing. Favorite dish is the chicken Bryan. You must come and eat here!
(5)Marisa G.
I am currently sitting at our table waiting for the check, but I feel the need to tell everyone to stay away from this restaurant immediately. The service has been deplorable. We opted for a bar table since the restaurant had a wait list and the bar seemed much less busy... What a mistake. After 15 minutes we asked someone if they could find us a server. After 5 more minutes someone finally showed up and unapologetically asked for our drink order. We ordered a pitcher of sangria, waters, and also asked for bread since we realized that it may take a while. Fifteen minutes later we got our drinks. We put our orders in and continued our waiting game. After 10 more minutes (we're up to 45 minutes now) we asked for our bread again. While we ate our bread and waited for our soups/salads we watched others around us get up and leave because they were tired of waiting for someone to wait on them. We thought about leaving as well, but by now we were already committed. One hour and five minutes after we sat down, our entrees came. BEFORE our soups/salads, which we had to remind our waiter about. One of the dishes at our table was missing the chicken that was supposed to come on top of it. It seems like our waiter forgot about returning to the kitchen to fix this issue because it wasn't brought out until 20 minutes later... after she finished her pasta. I have to say, the food was excellent. If this had been a positive experience, this could have easily been a 5 star review. I have worked in a restaurant. I realize that issues arise and that sometimes things go wrong. However, I cannot excuse this train wreck of a meal. There are 50+ other restaurants in the area. Go anywhere else. TL;DR- Horrible service. Had an issue with just about everything and took us an hour and five min to get our food. Do not eat here.
(1)Lauren G.
Ate dinner here last night and should have walked out when the hostess told me it was a 20 minute wait with many open tables. We ended up sitting at the bar, I ordered the fettuccine. When the meal came it was a little cold and the sauce was dried at the bottom so I asked for a side of extra sauce. When we got the bill they had charged me 6$ for a little cup of Alfredo sauce that still didn't doctor up my pasta. Stay away.
(1)Clay N.
Long wait, which is to be expected on a Saturday night at 9:30. After 30 minutes we were seated in the back of the restaurant and forgotten about. After 20 minutes I approached the hostess and asked if we had been forgotten. The service was horrible, the place was dirty and body cared. The good was ok, as always. I would recommend you find another place to eat.
(1)Chad S.
Best filet in town order it filet spiendino get it with two shrimp two scallops in butter citrus Parmesan crumbs AWESOME.
(5)Ashley D.
Wrong food wrong temperatures poor execution. Bad experience Ordered the filet that was ruined by the kitchen. Appetizers were bad, soup was terribly salty while simple orders were ignored. We were told the canned beans had been soaked in salt water for 24 hours for the soup. Are they serious to soak canned Beans? It's sad to see the management apologizing for disasters the back line causes. My meal was delivered after everyone had completely finished their meals. I declined the food & realized how much of a train wreck this location has become. I'm not going to waste either my time or money with Carrabba's again.
(2)Brian C.
Extremely disappointing overall. Visited on a Sunday for lunch. There wasn't a crowd at all and also no hostess for the first few mins from the time we walked in. We were seated in a few mins though. The wait for drinks was a little long considering the place was literally half empty. We ordered and this is where everything else went way down hill. Neither salad was good. My wife's house salad was drenched in dressing she barely touched it. My Caesar had limp lettuce and stale croutons. It was clearly pulled out of fridge from previous day. When our food arrived my wife's seemed fine but my lasagne was chilled. Like it was also pulled from fridge and not even warmed to room temp. The finely grated Parmesan they added at the table didn't even soften one bit. I told the waitress and she apologized and took it back to kitchen. She came back while I was waiting another 10+ mins to let me know they would cover my entree and offered us a dessert on them. It was a nice gesture to make amends and we weren't upset by any means mostly disappointed by lack of overall quality and service for the price. We finished our lunch and the waitress again offered us dessert but we politely refused since we didn't want it anyway. When she brought the check. I slipped my card into the folder and when she came to pick it up she said "woops sorry I put wrong one in" and slipped a different ticket in there. I should have paid more attention before she took it and ran my card, but when she brought it back for me to sign, they didn't comp my entree at all. We should have taken free dessert, but they might have charged us for that too. We were confused but ready to go so we paid and still left a 15% tip for a disappointing and over priced lunch of lunchroom quality. I regret leaving that much tip now. Don't bother trying this sad excuse of a chain restaurant with so many better options. The experience we had explains the lack of any type of lunch crowd. Our fault for trying something different.
(1)Jason S.
It's OK...not great by any stretch. The eggplant parm, chicken marsala, and lobster ravioli are pretty good. Everything else...not so much. It will get you by if you need an Italian fix. Overpriced.
(3)Joe R.
For a national chain, this place is off the chain! I grew up in Houston eating at the original location and have been in love ever since. I've never had a bad experience in the last 20 years, and have loved every meal I've ordered. The staff is always warm and welcoming and willing to go the extra mile to make your visit a special one. Their chicken Parmesan is to die for, along with their array of luscious deserts. My favorite thing about my visit though, is always having fresh bread to dip in the olive oil and herbs they make at the table. If you're in the mood for some Italian food and want to venture away from that old nasty olive garden down the street, this is the place to come. Prices are around what olive garden would charge, however the quality of food and service is ten times better.
(5)Ee Vonn Y.
Portion sizes are easily shareable. Order their spaghetti. I'm not going to try and compare a chain restaurant's spaghetti to your mom's homemade spaghetti but it hits the spaghetti craving. Service here is great as always.
(4)Taii W.
This place was great. The food was hot and delish. Didn't take long to get seated or receive the food. The menu isn't big, that's my only complaint.
(4)Danielle G.
Food is soooo good! The place is always busy so get there early! The portion sizes were good. The shrimp scampi is amazing! relaxed atmosphere. It is a bit more pricey for some ppl, but worth it! Love this place! A must go!
(5)Rick C.
Carrabba's is a great Italian restraint. I had their Italian Chicken Pizza earlier and it was delicious. It didn't take long to be seated despite it being Sunday afternoon in a southern city. Likewise the food came out quickly as well. All in all a great place to eat.
(4)Michelle S.
Today I decided to have Carrabba's for carry-out. I ordered it online and then picked it up at 6:15... My order was almost ready when I got there... I was a couple minutes early. I had requested silverware or should I say plasticware online, but they forgot but still asked so that the deliverer went back and got some. The food was hot which I loved, including the bread. The lasagna was a small portion, hard and kinda burnt. The chicken parmigiana was good though. I'd go back there for carry-out, but not dine in on a weekend as the parking lot was packed.
(4)Demarcus K.
Carrabbas has excellent food, hosts, and servers. However, the managers are horrible. While they are sometimes nice to customers they treat their staff in a manor that is unexceptional. Despite this the staff is very cheerful and welcoming. Go for the good but avoid the managers if possible.
(1)Keith C.
My review of Carrabba's... well, so I don't get blasted for the rest of this review, most of thoughts/opinions have a lot to do with my experiences at Johnny Carino's, which closed some time ago. So take this review for what it's worth, based on that... My wife and I decided to give Carrabba's a chance finally, after years of talking about it. (Some time after it opened, we visited and upon walking in the door, the place had a crazy, funky smell that I can only describe as maybe fresh-paint-from-a-can meets stale marinara meets raw, days-old catfish. That was enough to make us grab our noses and the door on the way back out.) (Johnny) Carino's at Patton Creek happened to be one of our favorite Italian cuisine offerers, but since they closed down, and we were in the mood, we gave it another go. This time walking in, the smell was not quite as nerve-damaging, but there's no hiding the food being served, that's for sure. Apparently that doesn't bother the masses, though, b/c the place was packed (Fri night, 7:30p). After a bit of a wait (half an hour or so), we got a booth and sat down for some grub. The bread brought to the table was good I guess, but I was a little disappointed due to it tasting like that you'd get at Cheesecake Factory, instead of being focaccia. (See? Nitpicky... Carino's brought out the latter.) Still, with a little olive oil and seasonings it tasted just fine. Once we had a chance to order, my wife got the Italian Classics (Chicken Parmesan and Lasagna) while I opted for the large order of Chicken Parmesan. I didn't have the opportunity to try the lasagna, but the Chicken Parmesan was pretty tasty. The large portion size was more than enough to fill my belly and still have plenty for take-home. (My wife ended up taking food home as well.) One thing that we were a bit baffled about, though, is that with the Chicken Parm, pasta doesn't come with it. So basically it's just seasoned, coated chicken, flattened to schnitzel size/depth, all by its lonesome. Now every entree comes with a side, so you're more than welcome to select any pasta for the side; but still, just seemed a bit odd for an Italian restaurant that you'd have to specifically ask for pasta as a side for any dish. We didn't opt for dessert as the entrees (and soup for me/salad for the wife) were enough to swell our stomachs substantially, so I can't comment on those. So, my experience at Carrabba's I think is worth three stars. The atmosphere was nice/busy, and the wait staff was very polite and attentive, which is definitely worth 5, or at the very least 4, stars. However, the food was tasty but not exactly so memorable that I'd long to revisit the place the next chance I got. In fact, I think the next time we crave Italy's best, we'll head to Joe's Italian in Alabaster. And it's that thinking which leads to the 3 star review - for me, the experience, the food, was just average.
(3)LL C.
I've had a great time every time I've been here. I know it's a 'chain' Italian restaurant but every dish I've had there had major flavor and great taste. I'm a fan of "The Johnny", which is a combo with sirloin Marsala and the chicken Bryan...a grilled chicken breast topped in a creamy lemon sauce with goat cheese and sundried tomatoes. Perfectly seasoned! Wooooo my mouth is watering right now thinking about it! You get a side with an entree plus your choice of a salad or soup. Add to that complimentary bread with olive oil & spices for dipping and you gotta get somebody to roll you out tha door belly first!! My last trip I tried the chicken trio with is the chicken Bryan (as described above), chicken Marsala and pollo Maria, which is a light butter sauce with mushrooms. For my side I got green beans but those weren't your ordinary green beans all waxy out of the can. No ma'am! These beans had a buttery taste seasoned with garlic and pepper. My boyfriend had the lobster ravioli which was very tasty but could have used just a bit more sauce. He didn't have a side, but he did have the lentil & sausage soup with he said had great spices and was really good for 'pea soup'...his words not mine. For our appetizer we had the baked fontina cheese & chunky marinara dip served with toasted buttered bread cut in lil' triangles. That was some good stuff! Oh my goodness. It sounds like a simple lil dish and it is actually, but the marinara was perfect and the melted fontina was the best cheese for it. My only complaint is that there weren't enough toasted bread pieces for the dip. I like Carrabba's better than Olive Garden. OG seems ol' school and kinda stale in terms of the experience and the food. If you haven't been to Carrabba's in a while, take some time and check them out...you might be pleasantly surprised.
(4)Maxwell W.
First off I have to say I'm a little low rent when it comes to food that is even a little upscale. I like my spaghetti ragu and sandwiches bolonie. Having said that... Pros: Nice atmosphere that really plays into the "fire roasted" grill theme. The waitress was very informative about the menu and items at the bar. I had the spaghetti with meat sauce where the noodles were cooked perfectly and sauce, while a bit thick, was very tasty. It was served in a bowl instead of a plate. It was appreciated so I didn't have to chase it around. Cons: They bring you a loaf of bread that is very yeasty and hard. I think it is supposed to be that way, but I wasn't a fan. Bottom Line: This is a date restaurant. The atmosphere is dark and comfortable and the help do not wear shorts and tie their shirts in the back to get bigger tips. I have had more familiar Italian food, but this was nice as a change.
(3)Angelica B.
Husband and I went there for Valentine's Day..the wait was quoted as 2 to 2 1/2 hours but we were seated in 45 minutes! Cyrus was our server and he was wonderful! The food was fabulous, the wine was amazing and we even got to take home the remaining wine we didn't finish (we ordered a bottle for the table)! Definitely would recommend the Chicken Bryan, the Zonin Regions Moscato and the fried Rosotto balls!
(5)Peter L.
I was here with a party of 9 for celebrating a special occasion. Food was pretty good. I got the chicken parm which came with a side salad, 2 chicken breasts, and a big thing of mashed taters. It didn't look like that much food and I was really hungry when I sat down but I guess between the fried calamari, bruschette appetizers, and breadI filled up (must have been the mashed potatoes). The bread service was pretty authentic complete with a seasoning mix and EVOO. Waiter claimed they make most of their stuff inhouse and made fun of Olive Garden along the way. Some of the pasta dishes looked pretty good. We had a little kid with us and they made him a fusilli and alfredo sauce version of mac and cheese which looked really good and he liked. The people who ordered soup instead of salad got a really giant bowl of minestrone. Would have given 4 stars but I even though I wasn't paying, I still wasn't too impressed by the prices ($17 for the chicken parm), when this place is basically still an upper scale Olive Garden. I'd rather have the endless soup/salad/pasta/breadsticks for $15 or whatever.
(3)Justin W.
My wife and I came here to celebrate Valentine's. The food is delicious. We had a filet and chicken marsala. The wait situation was a bit crazy since so many people were there, and the service was pretty good. I just enjoy the food so much, that the rest does not seem to be quite as much of an issue. The waiter provided plenty of bread at our request.
(4)Melody H.
I have eaten at this Carrabba's a few times (I've also eaten at one in Atlanta) and the food has always been excellent. The salad is served on chilled plates and is very tasty as is the bread. The entrees are the real treat though. I've had the chicken parmesan, which was quite good, but my favorite is the Pasta Carrabba, which is basically a fettuccine alfredo with chicken, peas and mushrooms (though I get mine without mushrooms). The reason the place gets 3 stars is because of the service. Every time I went, it was lacking. One time in particular I went with my boss and a coworker on our lunch break, which was around 7:30pm on a week night (not Friday). We were seated quickly and the place was not even full. We told the waiter specifically that we only had an hour for lunch and asked if that was a problem. He promised us that it wouldn't be an issue. We were there for nearly two hours. Why? Because said waiter was more interested in the larger, wealthier looking table behind us. We hardly saw him after that. He got about a 5 cent tip from the table for his troubles. Another factor weighing on the rating is the price. This definitely isn't somewhere you go often. Like another review mentioned, it's great for dates. I just hope their wait staff is better now!
(3)Tommy E.
wait over 1.2 hours, tables not being work ,seen over six tables, seats five= server and bar did all they could,when you or over work, how much can be done,food was cool, i will think twice, own my on business ,you will run off every one
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