This is my first yelp review and with my experience today, I feel compelled to write it! What started out as a bunch of corporate nonsense, was salvaged by the fantastic bartender Alex M. We walk in with a very hungry group of 4 and teenager with autism and very high anxiety. I'm a mom doing my best to keep total control of the situation, feed my family, get my ASD kiddo the lasagna she's been asking for since we left Dallas 1000 miles ago. We were told there would be a wait of 15 minutes. Ok. Then I saw the bar area had many tables and booths empty. I asked if the bar served the same menu as the restaurant. "Yes, but you can only sit at the tables to get served. You can't sit in the booths. They belong to the bartender and he's too busy to take any more customers.", said the host. ? Huh? Ok? The booth is the only place I can safely contain my kiddo with autism. It's a closed space, which lessens her anxiety. For anyone who has kiddos who have a hard time staying seated, you can feel me! The booth is right in between the tables! Not 3 feet away. It was obvious the situation was tense. My kiddo with autism kept repeating over and over that she wanted to eat lasagna and was becoming more by the second. I asked the host if we could take the booth and a server assigned the tables could attend to us. "No, I'm sorry. I don't make the rules. It's a corporate decision." :/ Really guy? I asked if he could call the manager. Totally keeping a smile on my face because my kiddo can feel the tension and she will only get more anxious. The manager listened to the tiny problem I explained of possibly asking a server to tend to us in the booth, since the bartender was so busy. "Sorry ma'am, that's not possible." Meanwhile, my daughter is grabbing the manager's hands repeating, "lasagna, lasagna with meat sauce." Lol. I asked him if he could understand and make an exception? That it would only take the server an extra 3 steps to make this happen. (Inside I'm thinking, "Is he serious?") The manager says we can take the booth and he'll see what he can do about getting us served. Very bothered and put out, was the impression he gave us. We took the booth. It was dirty. Husband is tense, kiddo is on verge of meltdown, other kiddo, hungry and me, I just wanted to get through this without all the customers being inconvenienced and dying of shame. Then, Mr. Alex M., bartender mixologist extraordinaire, calmly comes to our booth and asks if he could clean off our table. I thank him for his prompt attention and tell him how appreciative we are (background is my daughter with autism repeating lasagna with meat sauce over and over in a "not so inside voice" like a scratched vinyl). Le sigh :/ Alex M., while cleaning off the table says, with such compassion, "I have a family member very similar." All my tension melted away. He served us and provided excellent service, established rapport with us, suggested appetizers, described their soup of the day. He saved the day!! We enjoyed our visit so much!!! Thank you, Alex M. Carrabba's Corporate, I hope you're listening. These are the skills of a great manager. Right under you nose!! Signed, Satisfied Customer :))
(4)
Tom K.
Love Carrabbas! Great food & hospitality. Never disappoints. Love that they will still make the linguini pescatore even though its been off the menu for years. House salad is the best anywhere and a great addition to any meal. Only issue on this visit was: Nothing!
(5)
Brooke G.
Actually went in here for the first time because of gift cards. Had no idea what the hubbub was about the place. Loved it! Wonderful service throughout the meal. Our appetizers, soup, drinks, and main course were delicious! Absolutely no complaints!
(5)
Stephen B.
Food is consistently excellent and the service is usually quite good. I have eaten at this restaurant over 30 times. There are chain restaurant snobs like my sister who once she ate here thought it was more than acceptable. This is one of the better restaurants in town .Its not without the occasional service snafu but generally its very well run. Its miles ahead of Olive Garden and just one rung below a fine Gourmet Italian restaurant. I am glad its here.
(4)
Dr Michael J L.
We actually sat outside and the bartender served us on the patio. We were able to keep our dog with us outside and have her sit by us during lunch. Speaking of lunch, they are open for lunch now, or have been for about a year. I attempted to order their shrimp scampi appetizer for a meal, but they no longer carry that menu item. Instead, they let me customize a pasta dish. Nice place, clean bathrooms. We had a nice meal outside watching the cars go by.
(4)
Jennifer H.
I absolutely love this place. They have awesome food and a very nice atmosphere. The only negative thing I have to say is our waiter was way too chatty. It was like he tried too hard and talked about his personal life. My husband and I were there for our 13 year anniversary and we just wanted to concentrate on us..even though we had the kids. lol Otherwise we loved it!
(5)
Karina A.
Great portions of food. I had the Chicken Marsala. The food was nice and hot. The Calamari was my favorite. Great service and good prices.
(4)
Kimberly D.
I love Carrabba's because you always know that you will get good food...they are very consistent. The Chicken Marsala is so good I would lick the plate clean if I wasn't in public! THe smell of wood burning as you walk up to the restaurant tells you that you are in the right place. Prices have gone up recently, but then what hasn't!?!?!
(4)
MITCHELL S.
Always enjoy carrabbas. We go 2/3 times a month. Start with 2for 1 cocktails until 7pm including all top shelf. I have grey goose cosmos the app are very good , mussels, calamari, ravioli. Main courses are plenty of food with pricing around 16.00 I order the fish,veal, or pork chops. Marsala sauce on the meat, wolf sauce on the fish. Best Italian in town hands down
(4)
Anonymous P.
Carrabba's offers consistently good food at reasonable prices at all its restaurants. This Carrabba's may be the best place to have dinner in Ocala. Sometimes they err by, say, overcooking fish, but usually I'm very happy with a meal here.
(4)
Nikki D.
The food here is TERRIBLE. Even The Olive Garden is better. But what's worse than the food is the service. I have never had good service here. Once a server yapped on and on about how her boyfriend beat her dog. I am not even kidding. It was like a nightmare. I don't know why I ever went back. The last time I went with Mom it took THREE TRIES to get her dish to not have MUSHY pasta. I mean, if it's an Italian place and they cannot even cook pasta? AIIIIEEEEE! The manager gave her the dish for free but I still had to pay for mine even though our dining experience was RUINED since I ate alone while Mom sat there like a chooch. We will NEVER go there again.
(1)
Ben B.
we normally like good Italian food, but ordered veal marsala and found it to be awful. The veal was tough and the Marsala sauce was thick with a taste of flour! YUK!
(2)
Sharon C.
Went for lunch with mom and sister yesterday had soup and sandwiches food fair Service was good but not what I expected Sandwiches were skimpy not enough fillings soup however was excellent
(3)
Michael L.
We eat her often and it has never fell below expectations. The food is always prepared quickly with no lack of attention. And I would rate the servers 8.5 out of 10. Favorite's here are the Calamari and Apple-tini!
(5)
Humberto G.
I love the lighting, very low smooth light, keeps you relaxed. Best pastas in town, Olive Garden does not compare to menu of pastas, very Italian. No where else can you get that Calamari.
(5)
Raul P.
Great food nice ambiance Waitresses prompt and attentive. but be can be a long wait on the weekends starting Friday night. but nice bar so if not in a hurry a good all around place.
(4)
William K.
Carrabbas is an upscale Italian 'grill' with an open kitchen concept. I find that as chains go, they do pretty well. The mussels are always good. The creamy broth is garlicky and delicious. The bread is really excellent too. Portions are huge, and so you can probably order less and be fine. I am a fan of the Chicken Bryan, which you can order as a side (great if you are having an appetizer and don't need all the extras) and not on the menu is the Steak Bryan, but you can get that too. The Ceasar is good and garlicky too -- you'll taste it tomorrow! The garlic, that is. This particular location is always busy; expect a wait. I always enjoy going to this one because it means I'm in town to do some mountain biking... and is a great break from camping food.
(3)
Antonio R.
Carrabbas ids one of my favorite chain restaurants, and this location is one of the best. The food and service is always great.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
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.
Zahra D.
This is my first yelp review and with my experience today, I feel compelled to write it! What started out as a bunch of corporate nonsense, was salvaged by the fantastic bartender Alex M. We walk in with a very hungry group of 4 and teenager with autism and very high anxiety. I'm a mom doing my best to keep total control of the situation, feed my family, get my ASD kiddo the lasagna she's been asking for since we left Dallas 1000 miles ago. We were told there would be a wait of 15 minutes. Ok. Then I saw the bar area had many tables and booths empty. I asked if the bar served the same menu as the restaurant. "Yes, but you can only sit at the tables to get served. You can't sit in the booths. They belong to the bartender and he's too busy to take any more customers.", said the host. ? Huh? Ok? The booth is the only place I can safely contain my kiddo with autism. It's a closed space, which lessens her anxiety. For anyone who has kiddos who have a hard time staying seated, you can feel me! The booth is right in between the tables! Not 3 feet away. It was obvious the situation was tense. My kiddo with autism kept repeating over and over that she wanted to eat lasagna and was becoming more by the second. I asked the host if we could take the booth and a server assigned the tables could attend to us. "No, I'm sorry. I don't make the rules. It's a corporate decision." :/ Really guy? I asked if he could call the manager. Totally keeping a smile on my face because my kiddo can feel the tension and she will only get more anxious. The manager listened to the tiny problem I explained of possibly asking a server to tend to us in the booth, since the bartender was so busy. "Sorry ma'am, that's not possible." Meanwhile, my daughter is grabbing the manager's hands repeating, "lasagna, lasagna with meat sauce." Lol. I asked him if he could understand and make an exception? That it would only take the server an extra 3 steps to make this happen. (Inside I'm thinking, "Is he serious?") The manager says we can take the booth and he'll see what he can do about getting us served. Very bothered and put out, was the impression he gave us. We took the booth. It was dirty. Husband is tense, kiddo is on verge of meltdown, other kiddo, hungry and me, I just wanted to get through this without all the customers being inconvenienced and dying of shame. Then, Mr. Alex M., bartender mixologist extraordinaire, calmly comes to our booth and asks if he could clean off our table. I thank him for his prompt attention and tell him how appreciative we are (background is my daughter with autism repeating lasagna with meat sauce over and over in a "not so inside voice" like a scratched vinyl). Le sigh :/ Alex M., while cleaning off the table says, with such compassion, "I have a family member very similar." All my tension melted away. He served us and provided excellent service, established rapport with us, suggested appetizers, described their soup of the day. He saved the day!! We enjoyed our visit so much!!! Thank you, Alex M. Carrabba's Corporate, I hope you're listening. These are the skills of a great manager. Right under you nose!! Signed, Satisfied Customer :))
(4)Tom K.
Love Carrabbas! Great food & hospitality. Never disappoints. Love that they will still make the linguini pescatore even though its been off the menu for years. House salad is the best anywhere and a great addition to any meal. Only issue on this visit was: Nothing!
(5)Brooke G.
Actually went in here for the first time because of gift cards. Had no idea what the hubbub was about the place. Loved it! Wonderful service throughout the meal. Our appetizers, soup, drinks, and main course were delicious! Absolutely no complaints!
(5)Stephen B.
Food is consistently excellent and the service is usually quite good. I have eaten at this restaurant over 30 times. There are chain restaurant snobs like my sister who once she ate here thought it was more than acceptable. This is one of the better restaurants in town .Its not without the occasional service snafu but generally its very well run. Its miles ahead of Olive Garden and just one rung below a fine Gourmet Italian restaurant. I am glad its here.
(4)Dr Michael J L.
We actually sat outside and the bartender served us on the patio. We were able to keep our dog with us outside and have her sit by us during lunch. Speaking of lunch, they are open for lunch now, or have been for about a year. I attempted to order their shrimp scampi appetizer for a meal, but they no longer carry that menu item. Instead, they let me customize a pasta dish. Nice place, clean bathrooms. We had a nice meal outside watching the cars go by.
(4)Jennifer H.
I absolutely love this place. They have awesome food and a very nice atmosphere. The only negative thing I have to say is our waiter was way too chatty. It was like he tried too hard and talked about his personal life. My husband and I were there for our 13 year anniversary and we just wanted to concentrate on us..even though we had the kids. lol Otherwise we loved it!
(5)Karina A.
Great portions of food. I had the Chicken Marsala. The food was nice and hot. The Calamari was my favorite. Great service and good prices.
(4)Kimberly D.
I love Carrabba's because you always know that you will get good food...they are very consistent. The Chicken Marsala is so good I would lick the plate clean if I wasn't in public! THe smell of wood burning as you walk up to the restaurant tells you that you are in the right place. Prices have gone up recently, but then what hasn't!?!?!
(4)MITCHELL S.
Always enjoy carrabbas. We go 2/3 times a month. Start with 2for 1 cocktails until 7pm including all top shelf. I have grey goose cosmos the app are very good , mussels, calamari, ravioli. Main courses are plenty of food with pricing around 16.00 I order the fish,veal, or pork chops. Marsala sauce on the meat, wolf sauce on the fish. Best Italian in town hands down
(4)Anonymous P.
Carrabba's offers consistently good food at reasonable prices at all its restaurants. This Carrabba's may be the best place to have dinner in Ocala. Sometimes they err by, say, overcooking fish, but usually I'm very happy with a meal here.
(4)Nikki D.
The food here is TERRIBLE. Even The Olive Garden is better. But what's worse than the food is the service. I have never had good service here. Once a server yapped on and on about how her boyfriend beat her dog. I am not even kidding. It was like a nightmare. I don't know why I ever went back. The last time I went with Mom it took THREE TRIES to get her dish to not have MUSHY pasta. I mean, if it's an Italian place and they cannot even cook pasta? AIIIIEEEEE! The manager gave her the dish for free but I still had to pay for mine even though our dining experience was RUINED since I ate alone while Mom sat there like a chooch. We will NEVER go there again.
(1)Ben B.
we normally like good Italian food, but ordered veal marsala and found it to be awful. The veal was tough and the Marsala sauce was thick with a taste of flour! YUK!
(2)Sharon C.
Went for lunch with mom and sister yesterday had soup and sandwiches food fair Service was good but not what I expected Sandwiches were skimpy not enough fillings soup however was excellent
(3)Michael L.
We eat her often and it has never fell below expectations. The food is always prepared quickly with no lack of attention. And I would rate the servers 8.5 out of 10. Favorite's here are the Calamari and Apple-tini!
(5)Humberto G.
I love the lighting, very low smooth light, keeps you relaxed. Best pastas in town, Olive Garden does not compare to menu of pastas, very Italian. No where else can you get that Calamari.
(5)Raul P.
Great food nice ambiance Waitresses prompt and attentive. but be can be a long wait on the weekends starting Friday night. but nice bar so if not in a hurry a good all around place.
(4)William K.
Carrabbas is an upscale Italian 'grill' with an open kitchen concept. I find that as chains go, they do pretty well. The mussels are always good. The creamy broth is garlicky and delicious. The bread is really excellent too. Portions are huge, and so you can probably order less and be fine. I am a fan of the Chicken Bryan, which you can order as a side (great if you are having an appetizer and don't need all the extras) and not on the menu is the Steak Bryan, but you can get that too. The Ceasar is good and garlicky too -- you'll taste it tomorrow! The garlic, that is. This particular location is always busy; expect a wait. I always enjoy going to this one because it means I'm in town to do some mountain biking... and is a great break from camping food.
(3)Antonio R.
Carrabbas ids one of my favorite chain restaurants, and this location is one of the best. The food and service is always great.
(4)