The food tastes GREAT here. A much better chain restaurant then Olive Garden. I still prefer the no name mom and pop Italian joints, but if i had to pick a popular one, Carrabba's is the way to go. Every wednesday's all day is $10 off Wine bottles! Hell yea! Came here for a celebration work/dept dinner and we went nuts with the bottles. I recommend the Pinot noir they had. The house red kinda sucked, avoid it. 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour got us started on the right foot. The calmari is breaded differently, and thats a good thing. Still light, but something kinda like panko bread crumby. The mussels in white wine is awesome. Dip your warm yumm bread in the juice! Do it! Don't let the waitress steal my sweet Uncle Mussels juice!!! Had a group of 12 and the two servers kept us happy. Oh, the veal marsala was delicious. i also tried the lobster ravioli....good, but not really THAT good. very underwhelming. Reheated one leftover ravioli at 2 in the morn actually tasted better then the fresh order! (i'm sure drunk induced enjoyment though.) If it weren't for a work function, i'd dip my face in that wine mussel juice. DO IT!
(4)
Carla L.
If Yelp had 1/2 stars this would have 3 1/2 .. I was debating long and hard between 3 and 4. Lets start off with service 5 stars for service! Patti was our server, she was friendly and we were out on the patio so when we asked not to be forgotten (which often happens when you are the only people outside) she made SURE we weren't. Plus there was another girl coming in and out doing other things but told us that if we needed ANYTHING to let her know. Excellent. Our Tomato Basil soup was truly delicious. Just amazing. Our main dishes however, all were good.. not bad .. just not great. Two of us ordered the coal fired pizzas, they were OK that was it. Not enough toppings, the dough just ok. The pasta ordered by my daughter the same. Just OK. Next time I will try the other dishes recommended by Geno and others. So for a place with so many great reviews, we expected more. Its not bad, just not awesome. Will I come back? Sure, why not?
(3)
Derek S.
Food was excellent! The Chicken Bryan was amazing.
(4)
Robert P.
Host non verbal, host that sat us threw the kids menus because she could not reach. The server had no finesse, placed the drinks next to the napkins.
(1)
J R.
Great waiter + good food = great night!
(4)
Rhea P.
I have only used curb side service at this particular restaurant, but I'm always really impressed. There is someone waiting by the door for you when you arrive and they are ready to take your order. The food is always fresh, even with curbside. Bread, olive oil, seasoning, everything is included with the take out order. The staff is wonderful every time I go. I especially enjoy the rosa dessert in the shot glass--just enough for a treat, the bread and olive oil, and the minestrone soup. Yummers !!!
(4)
Michael C.
This is a wonderful Italian restaurant. Part of a chain. The food we had in my group of 6 was wonderful. Sit at the bar where you can see them cooking the food. A lot of fun. If you love good food, you will enjoy this resturant
(4)
Stefanie F.
I'm still full from lunch. Just sitting here with my out of town family while they eat their food. Customer service is decent. Their food came out fast. They love their bread and oil experience.
(3)
H C.
Dear Carrabbas, Take out food requires utensils. Napkins would be nice too. Love, NOT Happy
(1)
Hieu L.
Came here around 9pm figured things would died down and get our food faster. This was not the case. Overall service was great. Amber had to juggle multiple tables I could tell they just cut a whole section. We ordered 2 appetizers the chicken bacon flat bred and calamari. Both items were delicuous and came out fast. Then the kitchen mishaps took over. I didn't receive my meal til about 10 minutes after everyone elses. The pizza we ordered were made wrong. And our soups and salads never came out. Which I had to wait to eat my soup before my entree. Amber was nice on replenishing our breadsticks. And recovered the pizza mishap with bringing another half pizza out. Overall food was and service was great. I will def assume spending more time out on our next visit.
(3)
Ariel D.
We come to this place often specifically for the calamari because it's just that good.and we've tried it in many other restaurants and it doesn't beat carabbas. The food and service has been great. Our server Donovan was very attentive and provided awesome service.
(5)
Justin K.
I hope the other restaurants in this chain aren't managed like this one. The food was okay, but the customer service was terrible. Our server didn't seem like he wanted to help us, although he would help the other tables with higher tabs. He past by our table without saying a word, and we didn't get our bread until we were halfway done with our food. They were vacuuming while we were eating which was something I've never seen before. I would take my business somewhere else if I were you.
(2)
Carol F.
We had the lasagna which was a large portion. But, it needed more sauce and tasted dry. The ravioli were tender but needs more flavor. The service was great ! The sound system is too loud for dining. Loved the dessert Rosa!
(3)
Rhea P.
I have only used curb side service at this particular restaurant, but I'm always really impressed. There is someone waiting by the door for you when you arrive and they are ready to take your order. The food is always fresh, even with curbside. Bread, olive oil, seasoning, everything is included with the take out order. The staff is wonderful every time I go. I especially enjoy the rosa dessert in the shot glass--just enough for a treat, the bread and olive oil, and the minestrone soup. Yummers !!!
(4)
Michael C.
This is a wonderful Italian restaurant. Part of a chain. The food we had in my group of 6 was wonderful. Sit at the bar where you can see them cooking the food. A lot of fun. If you love good food, you will enjoy this resturant
(4)
R P.
What a find in the land of the superficial... We arrived hungry and had an unexpected treat. Generally, I order soup to test the chef or fill a hungry tummy. I ordered for the latter and was astonished to find it was very good. The rest of the meal was quality Italian food. The warm bread and congenial service made for a most pleasant experience. If looking for a descent meal, put this on the short list.
(4)
Brigitte B.
Had not been to Carrabba's in sometime but cam eater works with a friend. The service was impeccable. The young lady waited on us with a smile and was very pleasant. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and m friend ordered the pizza. The spaghetti was good but not the best i have had. I asked for more sauce. My friend said her pizza was excellent. The bread was fresh, warm and good. My cocktail was tasty! i know people think this is supposed to be a step above Olive Garden but I prefer Olive Garden. Carrabba's is good just not my fav!
(3)
Rick S.
For this reason only our waitress was awful named Erin K. absolutely no personality absolutely no help with our meal never asked us once how our food was.. it went downhill as soon as we did not order any spirits. It wasn't just us we noticed she was acting that way with all the guests. Every time we asked something or say thank you for bringing us something there was no response to even acknowledge we spoke to her. We have been going there for over 5 years and love that place but not going back for quite a while now. Notified the hostess that we had a bad experience and basically just replied OK.
(2)
Jon W.
The family came here after a day at Universal Studios. I called ahead at about 8:30 pm on a Friday night and was told there was no wait. (Another nearby Italian place quoted me at least an hour). We got here and true to their word were seated right away. Our server (William J) was personable and quite attentive. Drink orders were taken and arrived promptly. We were very hungry and it seemed like food took forever to come out but in real time it was less than 10 min for apps and soup. Another 10 for entrees. All the food was great and our server stopped back several times to see if all was ok. We were all too full for dessert so can't vouch for that but we were all fully satisfied by the service and the food. I had read a few negative reviews and none of the criticisms had any merit.
(5)
Vincent B.
This was an exceptional experience! Brian was our server and he served us well and made us completely satisfied! I had the chicken Parmesan with a salad and it was delectable! I would come here again
(4)
Michael F.
Lasagna on Amore Monday was excellent, along with the soup, bread, and John Cole dessert. add a friendly staff, good waitress, and count me as pleased. most of the other Carrabba's have been pretty good too.
(5)
Roger H.
Extremely unprofessional. On Saturday, February 21st, I called ahead for a party of 9 at 4:30. They said they are currently on a 25 minute wait. I told them my name and everything, just like you do with a call-ahead. When we got there at 5, they said that the manager said no more call aheads and now there was an hour wait. We have a 4 year old in our party and could not wait an hour. We apparently were not the only party that called ahead. Many other people were leaving discouraged. Carrabba's is my favorite restaurant and we do not have any in Vermont. Very disappointed.
(1)
Andy Z.
dinner food: ordered the tuscan grilled skewers. comes with some cherry tomatoes and onions as well. nice char to the meat and pretty tender. it was a bit overcooked for my taste. but nothing too bad. however, my friend ordered the pork prosciutto tenderloin, which was amazing was at this place. the seasoning was great and it was cooked just right. it may seem a bit raw to some people, but it was perfect to me. disappointed that i didnt order it. it was super tender and flavorful. ***4/5 service: it didnt look that busy and we were seated quickly. our server was great. orders were taken promptly and water was filled needed. it was easy to grab attention and some things were done without being said. extra olive oil dip was provided even though we didnt ask for more. ***5/5 ambiance: the place looks big. we sat on the other side with the bar. looks nice. nothing too fancy. ***4/5 price: the pricing is actually quite reasonable. the entree comes with a soup or salad. theres the complimentary bread. very easy to be filled up. ***5/5
(4)
Kelly P.
Went here with 4 people and 2 of us got serious food poisoning. The common item was house salad so obviously there is a cross contamination problem. I had one of the only vegetarian options which was pasta shells and cheese, I would have rather had it from a box it was so bland. I saw at least the chicken version came with peas, but not mine. Peas were obviously frozen, but they would have added welcome flavor for both directions. The others with me didn't mind the food so much, at least going in, that is. For the price we should have bought a cheap microwave and 4 frozen dinners. Or use the same advise when I go to other 3rd-world countries, don't eat anything not well cooked.
(1)
Heidy P.
Way too busy so the service wasn't very good. Couldn't get my second margarita on time so they gave it to me for free :D only positive note. Food was alright nothing to die for.
(3)
P L.
This is the first time dining at Carrabba's. Waiter had all my orders right, and messed up on all my husbands orders. Which I find that kind of funny. But all in all, food came hot, and the waiter was kind. Not a bad first time experiences, and the bonus part was the food is good too.
(4)
Kevin D.
We came back from a day at Universal Studios and we were craving Italian. The hotel front desk staff member recommended us Carraba's Italian Grill down the road so we took our car and off we went. When we arrived we were seated immediately and our server Hannah came to take our order a few moments later. Since this was our first time eating out as tourists in the USA we knew little about the customs in restaurants such as ordering or payment. Our server was very helpful in assisting us throughout the whole eating out experience and was very friendly altogether! We (3 ppl) ordered spaghetti's, with one salad & two chicken soups. We didn't have to wait very long for our drinks & bread, and our soup followed shortly. Our spaghetti came very quick when we were still eating our soup/salad but I don't find this a reason to complain. The food in general was really, really good. The chicken soup was nicely filled with vegetables and big pieces of tender chicken. The spaghetti was cooked as it should be and the sauce/meat was very tasty. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone who stays in this part of Orlando, it's a great Italian restaurant. If we come back to Orlando, we will come here again.
(5)
Sharon L.
fist time been here ï¼totally change my mind about itlian food 。it was very good ， very decent 。and pizza The waiter attitude is very good and nice 。
(5)
Natalie L.
This is my boyfriend and I's go-to restaurant. We both adore the mozzarella sticks and Italian herb sauce for the warm bread, all of which are perfect for an appetizer to curb our appetite. We order our usual the majority of the time (pollo rosa Maria, which just explodes with flavor and almost tastes like steak, and a side of Sicilian chicken soup which tastes like how my grandma would make it---NOT from a can.) We always leave feeling totally satisfied and full. The food is phenomenal, and servers always seem happy to be working there.
(5)
Dianna B.
I've been here before and the food is good, This particular location is really busy, and the night I went with my Scot was no different. I wanted to show him what Caraba's was like because there's nothing quite like it in Scotland. We were sat at the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen, and he enjoyed being able to see them cooking the food. What we didn't appreciate was the overly solicitious attitude of the waiter. Yes, good service is ONE thing, but a waiter who -RAVES- about everything you order, proclaiming it his favorite? Too much. Almost like the fake smile plastered on his face. When the food was delivered, the sauce on the pasta was .. well as the Scot proclaimed it, nasty. He stated it tasted like vomit to him. I tasted it, and it wasn't palatable at all to me. My own had redsauce on it and I didn't much care for it either. The bread, the drinks, our actual mains of Chicken Bryan was delicious.
(3)
Judge D.
On January 1, 2015 myself and my wife visited the restaurant and we were very disappointed at the lack of service and the food. Our waitress Diana was very inattentive and seemed to be more focused on other tables. To start off the salads were not very filling all it had was carrots and lettuce. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and my wife ordered the Carrabba's Italian classics, the portions were not very big for the money that we spent. Diana never refilled our drinks and when she brought us the desert menu it looked like a crumpled piece of paper, she left it on the table and went to wait on other tables then when she came back to our table she asked us if we wanted desert. This was our first time at any Carrabba's and I must say we will never return.
(1)
Darin R.
Crappy service. Crappy service. And, oh - did I mention the crappy service? Food was fair at best. Although they are awfully proud of it based on their prices. They must also be running low on good also. Since they give you so little of it. Everyone at the table had half a plate if food. Nothing like dropping $25 a person and having to stop at the Wendy's drive through on the way home.
(1)
Roberto T.
Can anyone say anything bad about Carrabas if they legitimately enjoy Italian fare? Abso-friggen-lutely NOT! If you do, count yourself among the jive turkey population. They can be on the pricey side but I say its worth the slight gouge. The wine selection is quite respectable as well. I always take family here when they visit. For me its Mezzaluna every time. I also recently tried the Trio di Italia which allowed the addition of menu items for a sampler style eating experience. Sadly its in a bit of a sketchy area of town, but I still visit it and keep my eyes open in the parking lot. In my book, this place comes highly recommended for Italian fare.
(5)
Rose S.
Veal Marsala was very delicious, and Chicken Bryan was divine! I'd recommend this place to anybody visiting Orlando, FL.
(4)
Laura G.
I am pretty torn tonight writing my review because while the other 2 people in my party had quiet tastey meals, mine was not so enjoyable. :( I expected better after having read through the Yelp reviews... Tonight I ordered lasagna with a cesar side salad after a long day of driving in to Orlando from Pensacola. I am VERY picky with my salads and I can say nothing negative other than it was a bit on the smaller side. BUT, it was cold, fresh and crisp and I loved the creamy cesar dressing. And now this brings me to the lasagna.... The tomato sauce looked like PASTE it was so dry. The once melted cheese was now hardened to a chewy consistency. The crunchy, dried edges of my sad dish were none to pleasurable to eat. Actually, I mostly ate through the softer middle of my lasagna and left the crunchy edges in my bowl. It tasted about like it looked... Pitiful and like a vague memory of what lasagna tastes like. The dry, thick mess in my mouth I tried to hungrily scarf almost stuck in my throat and without swigs of water chasers I doubt I would have finished the portion in my bowl. I have seen microwave frozen dinners that looked better. Seriously! So, sadly I leave my 3 star review because while my meal was not anything to rave about I DO have hope that there may be a better dish at a better location. I sampled the other dishes ordered in my party and they were tastey. This encourages me to not write Carrabba's off completly!
(3)
Elodie T.
Warning: lengthy review. TL;DR- my family did not leave happy, and my sister didn't get a good birthday dinner. My family and I went on New Year's- my sister's birthday. We had set out looking for a Chinese place because it's a Chinese tradition to eat noodles on your birthday, but the nearby restaurants were understaffed and slow so we decided to play it safe and go to a chain restaurant. We thought, 'well, a chain restaurant usually has an acceptable service and acceptable food' so we went to Carrabba's. Yep. We thought wrong. We get there at 8:15-ish, are told that it's a 35-40 minute wait. We get seated around 8:40, so I'll give points for that. At 8:45, a waiter stopped by to say that our waiter would be with us shortly, and that he could take our drink orders. We asked for water around the table, a peach sangria for myself and the wine tasting menu for my Mom (2oz of 3 different wines for $8). We get our waters at 8:55, and our actual waiter arrives at 9:05 with our drinks. I'm not too impressed with either the sangria or the wine tasting menu. The peach sangria tasted more peach and less wine. I kind of turn my nose down at sangria that doesn't come pre-mixed with the fruits. If it's not pre-mixed to allow the fruity flavors to blend with the wine, then I think I can assume that the peach flavoring isn't from peach, but rather from artificial flavoring. No peach pieces in the sangria, only a strawberry and lemon piece set separately. I will say that it's not a bad price for the wine tasting menu, but I just think of the possibility of having ordered more than one wine tasting menu and getting multiples of three wine cups cluttering around the table until the end of the meal, and shudder. I lose track of time at this point, but we eventually get our appetizer, the Cozze in Bianco. I will say that this was one of the highlights of the meal. Sister didn't like it, but the mussels were well cooked and the flavor was there. What the appetizer brought into focus, though, is that while the table next to us had received 2 servings of complementary bread AND refills, we had not received any. At this time, it is past 9pm (possibly quite close to 9:15, over half an hour after being seated), and none of us had much to eat since lunch. No complementary bread. We had to ask for it because we wanted to dip more substantial food into the appetizer's sauce. Once we did get it, we devoured it within minutes. That's how hungry we were. We asked for a refill. If the table next to us gets a total of 4 baskets for 6-8 people, then it should be no problem for us to have a 2nd. While we were waiting for our main course, I also took time to observe the kitchen/serving area. The kitchen is viewable over a counter, and the serving area is completely open, because some people really like seeing that. You'd think that they'd be more mindful that people could be looking in. I look up and a waiter has knocked over a wastebasket of crumped paper and is picking them up by hand to throw them back in. The next second, he grabs a bowl to presumably serve it to some unknowing customer. Ugh! I assume that he did wash his hands right after, because he was wiping his hands on a paper towel when he got back, but still. Gross. When we get our main dishes, it's been another lengthy wait and we've snacked on bread. Our appetites have been lost a bit. The pasta was overly salted and I don't know why I was surprised, as I'd seen waiters shake different spices, salt, or pepper liberally over plates in the serving area. Unlike Macaroni Grill, Carrabba's fairly successful in making their dishes lighter on the stomach while not giving up quality. Overall, acceptable. My dad really liked his lobster ravioli. Most of our plates were left unfinished. Because it WAS my sister's birthday, she did get a free dessert and she, predictably, got the Chocolate dream. She... ultimately didn't like it. The cake itself was denser than she liked (than I liked, and I'm more flexible than her). The fudge was warm and tasty, and there was a smooth whipped cream cover over the cake that she didn't like but I very much appreciated. Overall, not a very happy or good dinner for New Year's and, more importantly, for my sister's birthday. We didn't leave (at 10:30pm) happy, that's for sure. Our waiter came around a lot more later to check in on us near the end, but probably only because she didn't have as many tables to work with. We gave normal tip when we would've given less for the service, but only because it was New Year's day and we did get free cake.
(1)
Jose C.
this location has more laid back atmosphere... the tables are simple without the tablecloths... same great food without the upscale look... the veal marsala was great... the veal was soft and tender while the marsala sauce was nice w an added touch of ground pepper and chili flakes... the service was ok... expected more... caution: btw, if planning to take advantage of the $100 gc offer, the $20 promotion cannot be used until later date! ample parking and it's free... dining area is pretty big so unless it is a big party, reservations not necessary... enjoy!
The service at this chain restaurant is always good. The mood and quality of the food is so much better than the other Italian chains. The bread with olive oil and herbs is a good snack while waiting for the entree. Of course the soup is just awesome. I've tried the various selections and tried to recreate with no success. Its very good. The pasta selections is teriffic. The chicken marsella is just awesome. I'm still trying to figure out how the grilled chicken remains so moist. For the amount of money it is just a great option compared to the other chains
(3)
Carl G.
I've never been a big fan of chain Italian as a kid who grew up working in Italian restaurants. I've eaten at this chain before and found it over priced for portion size. Always found there quality to be better than similar family dining chain Italian eateries That said it was close to universal and our hotel so we went for dinner as i wanted a place to eat fish. They've changed their menu since last time I visited which is at least 3 years ago and I noticed they lowered prices on some items making it more reasonable and a better value. I was very happy with my salmon entree. Fish was delicious. No fishy taste, nice size piece of fish. The small amount of green beans on the side was disappointing but they were good. Entire family enjoyed their meal. One kid pizza which is tiny and designed for a small kid that's probably 7 and under. Oldest kid for a bowl of soup and this bowl was largest soup bowl I've ever seen served. The minestrone was delicious. Loaded with vegetables it made a great meal. Wife ordered tomato mozzarella appetizer. She loved it. I didn't like it. She had the lasagna for dinner and it isn't something she normally orders. She said it was very good So carrabas you've earned yourself a trip back in the future.
(4)
Geno K.
I am an addict. When I lived in California, anytime I traveled to Orlando, Boston, Vegas... Carrabba's was always a must on the to do list. The shrimp scampi sauce is like CRACK... except its more addictive. And the chicken bryan is amazing. The tangy cheese mixed in with the sundried tomatoes, juicy grilled chicken. And the garlic mashed potatoes. God I love Carrabbas. And don't ever compare it to Olive Garden. OG is frozen TV dinner type junk.
(5)
Elle H.
Honestly, sometimes a girl just wants a plate of pasta and a big ass glass of (happy hour) wine. Sometimes you want a place to bring the folks when they visit. (Sometimes those times are the same times). Good thing this Carrabba's fits both bills. It's a cheesy place to bring a first date - come on people get creative. The food is your basic American/Italian for the masses - about 4 steps up from the Olive Garden. The bread is fabulous! (Take some home, toast it, butter & honey or jam it, thank me.) Comforting soups, BUT the salads have recently (last few years) started to suck. Gone are the fresh(er) dressings & slices of carrot, replaced with bagged, dried out shavings of carrots and saltier dressings. You all really need to fix that. Also, I've noticed A LOT MORE SALT in your foods lately - CUT IT OUT! The service is almost always great! We have had a few 'regular' servers and even requested a few from time to time. The bartenders always send out a lovely pour or mix. That said, the hostesses are clueless. The last 4-6 times we have gone in and asked to be seated in a booth in the bar area (we're not fans of kids & their 'lenient' parents in restaurants) we have been met with one or more of the following: blank stares a feeling I had some new & offensive facial abnormality spontaneously erupt a look that says 'you people are jerks!' It is, however, humorous to watch them whisper to each other as though discussing the most recent launch codes. They always eventually show us to a desired area but rather in a manner suggesting our names have been taken. Steaks tend to be ever so slightly over cooked. The pasta has just left al dente behind. Neither is to the level of unappetizing or requiring of a return. We often call in for curbside service if a day at work is nuts & we don't want to cook or go out or have Chinese or pizza delivered. We have remembered this great service when we travel and just want to pick up a good meal and get to the hotel, eat, and go to bed.
(3)
Delilah N.
I been going here for 4 years now. Great food and great service. Never disappointed. I love the blackberry sangria. The chicken bryan, the sirloin Marsala ( meat so tender) I have tried almost every plate on the menu and honestly I can recommend them all. Well I love Italian food!
(5)
Arynn I.
Coming back to Florida for Thanksgiving, my parents and I were looking for a restaurant near their hotel. Carrabba's just so happened to be across the street. We got here at about 9:00pm and I was worried that we were too late to be seated. But we were ok and were seated right away. I hadn't been to Carrabba's in a long time. We figured it was a good place to eat at the last minute. I got the Margherita pizza - you can never go wrong with pizza. And i had some of the fresh bread that was brought to the table. They serve it with herbs and garlic and other spices with olive oil. My pizza was just right in terms of size and taste. It was actually a slice too much. But I did have to say I enjoyed the flavor and 'done-ness" of the pizza crust. It was different from other margherita pizzas I've had because there was some pepper on top so that changes the flavor of the pizza. I do like the large slices of mozzarella cheese that made up the pizza and the large sizes of the tomatoes. Other than pizza and a couple of the salads, I'm not sure I would really want anything else but I'm sure I will probably end up trying a different dish should I return! #Yelp 365 Challenge - 113/365
(4)
Kelly H.
Even though this is a chain, this is one of my favorite Italian places to go to. They have a large selection on their menu and their prices are very reasonable. If you go before 7:00, they have happy hour where you get a quartino of wine for the price of a glass, which I always take advantage of. The service is always great and friendly from my experience, and the food comes fairly quick, but at a good pace for you to finish your appetizer and/or salad/soup before your entree comes out. Some of my top picks: caesar salad, sausage and lentil soup, fried mozarella, pollo rosa maria, fettucini alfredo, chicken parm, and the mezzaluna. This was the first place I ever tried fried mozarella, and I have not found a place that even comes close to being comparable. It's by far the best I've had.
(5)
Steven D.
Liz is amazing! The food was incredible!
(4)
Maria V.
We had dinner here on our first night on vacation since we were staying at a hotel across the street and it was great! I wish I could remember the name of our server but he was amazing! He was very attentive and was very nice.I would recommend this restaurant to anyone on vacation.
(5)
Joe S.
Service was great as were the salads and bread. One friend had the Champagne Shrimp and Scallops Pasta special and enjoyed it. They weren't stingy with the seafood. However, two of us got dishes that includes chicken: Chicken Bryan and The Johnny. Stay away from any dish that contains chicken. While the garlic mashed potatoes on both dishes were adequate (where's the garlic?), and the sirloin on The Johnny was well cooked at medium and seasoned adequately, the chicken on both dishes was clearly processed. The chicken was presented as if it were a grilled breast. However, one bite made it clear that the chicken (all of which looked remarkably the same size and shape) was processed more than McNuggets. The grilled look and smoky taste were likely chemically manufactured, and the rubbery texture made it feel like we were chewing undercooked real chicken. Stay away from chicken dishes and stick to the steak, salads and pastas if you don't want to be disappointed.
(2)
Gustavo A. L.
On a busy cool night we opted for an outside table. The service was very good, they checked on us often and always made sure we were ok. We opted for Pizzas, and they were pretty dismal- they might get a better star rating when we return and try other items in the menu. The place is reasonably priced, and the portions are good as well -
(4)
San N.
Service - Friendly Reservations - None needed. Food - 1. Crab Cakes - Soggy and a lot of fillers. 2. Spinach/Goat Cheese Flatbread - Salty and too much garlic. 3. Caesar Salad - Drowning in dressing.
(1)
Alyssa M.
Kayla is the BEST waitress I had while on vacation in Orlando. The food was brought out as soon as it was ready and our drinks were never below half empty. The food was good as well... But really the service is what will have me going back next time I'm in the area.
(5)
Liz Z.
I was vacationing in the Walt Disney World Resort last wknd and we wanted to try Italian food for one night. I suggested CaRRabba's since my boyfriend had never been to one and i had fond memories of going to several and enjoying it immensely. Being pasta fiends, we headed over to the closest one to our hotel...and OMG, i was sooooo disappointed. I'm sure the dinner was scrumptious. But didn't get to eat, since 1.5 hr later, we still hadn't received it, although all the tables around us (who had seated after us) received their meals and check already. our waitress was sloppy, turning from this table to ours and back and forth, delivering her best of "diner table service" (you know the type, spilling alittle bit of the water from the cup, after slamming it on your table). she never refilled our ordered drinks, and only did one refill for my water glass. she never cleared our table from our appetizer and bread. so another waitress from another table actually saw our crowded table of empty dishes and did it herself. i have eaten out ALOT in different settings and countries, and this was about the best of the worst waitresses. when she FINALLY came around, my date requested for our dinners to be take-out (since it had not yet arrived) and the check. all flustered, she contacted her manager who then came by our table to express his apologies and that the dinners packaged would be on-the-house. ONLY good thing about this Carrabba's experience: if the food is slow, maybe they'll give it to you for free. but for the service, i hope to God, NO ONE gets that bleached-blonde chick as their waitress, b/c while looking around as we waited for our food & service, the other waiters seemed pretty extraordinary. The other Carrabba's franchises I've been to have been great. i don't know why experience had to suck. :-(
(2)
Anika B.
The best Italian food ever! There is no place better than Carrabba's. Always delicious and seasoned and flavorful! I will eat here again. Thanks Carrabba's for such a wonderful experience and serving quality from scratch food.
(5)
Viviana F.
Note to Carrabba's....Customers like round tables when there's a party of 5 or 6. Please remember this next time you have a meeting consisting of just 3 employees hogging the only round table in the restaurant at dinnertime. Other than the kid buser ogling my 15 year old sister, the food was excellent as usual. The chicken soup was perfect as was the chicken trio. I will be back but beware, if the round table is not available again due to an employee meeting, I'm going to go hover until you all move;o)
(4)
Jamison E.
I had a great experience here while dining at the bar. The host was most gracious and made the experience very pleasant. Ive been to many Carrabba' s but this one stood out for the people and experience. Thanks!
(4)
Rebecca C.
We ate here last night after a long day @ Universal Studios. Our server was very attentive and sharp. The kids enjoyed their spaghetti and my husband liked the ribs he ordered. I ordered the pasta fiortina (sp?) that was on their 'specials' menu. It came later than everyone else's for some reason. When it arrived , I realized it was missing the prosciutto that the dish was supposed to include. I told the server and she took it back to the kitchen. When she brought it back, there was a little bit added but hardly any. I was very disappointed that they didn't add more. I also would have expected the server to comp me the meal or offer a free dessert - no dice. Even w/o the prosciutto debacle, I think the food is average for the price you pay.
(3)
Gilbert L.
Definitely no comparison to the Olive Garden. We never felt rushed through our dinner the way OG makes you feel. The service was great! Super friendly and quick. We were there at dinner time on a Wednesday and only and a 10 minute wait. We had Sangria with our dinner, pretty good, a little too much on the cinnamon side. My partner had the soup of the day which was a spicy chicken. Very good! For dinner he had the lasagna which was excellent! I had the Chicken Bryan which was so flavorful, that my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. Looking forward to my next trip that has a Carrabba's near by.
(4)
Shawn S.
I've tried many places for a simple spaghetti and meatballs, and every place has their own taste (particularly with the sauce and meatballs). I think this is the best deal for good quality, made fresh food and price. I get the well prepared spicy chicken soup (or salad) and a small loaf of fresh bread and olive oil which is included in the price of the meal. Definitely better than other chain restaurants like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. I've also tried Bravo Cucina and Brio Tuscan which serves the items separately and therefore more costly, and not any better food than Carrabbas.
(5)
Claire Y.
Pretty solid food and drinks for a chain restaurant. I had the large mussels from the app menu and a side salad and was quite surprised at the large portions given they weren't entrees. The chicken "Bryan" dish is also excellent. Our server was a friendly lad who couldn't be more excited to show and convince us to get a dessert. We felt bad for the poor guy's hard trying, so we ended up each getting one of those shot-glass desserts (e.g. "tiramisu") which were just OK - nothing spectacular. I'm not sure how many "good" options of dining Orlando has, but for tourists like we were, I think this place fits the bill b/c there really isn't much risk-taking involved when you go to a well-recognized chain restaurant (instead of a hm-that-looks-decent-from-the-exterior random place). And, trust me --- we've been to some really disappointing (yet expensive for no reason) places during our stay in Orlando.
(3)
Excellent Italian Restaurant chain in the US. This one is very close to Universal Studios and I-Drive. We have good italians in the UK but this surpasses them all. The restaurant is always busy so making a reservation is advised or get there early so that you are not disappointed. The decor is very modern and the food is exquisite. Prices may seem higher than you would expect to pay but the portion sizes are good and we have never had a bad meal. You can even see in to the kitchens which can be quite the experience. The staff are very attentive and nothing is too much of a problem. Prior to your meal being served you get brought some bread and some herbs and olive oil to dip it in. This is truly one of the best taste sensations that I have experienced at an Italian restaurant. If you choose to go then you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Roland S.
For a chain, this place had amazing service and very good food. Americanized Italian fare and full bar, but short list of draft beers and no hard cider. We came in with a large party and were very well treated, even when we had to be reseated (last minute add-ons to our party). Solid cavatappi with just enough spice and the appetizers were great. People around the table were satisfied with their entrees but no one raved. Considering all the food we ordered, plus drinks, plus the generous tip, I feel like we got great value for our money, which is rare at a chain place. I'd go here again, especially if they keep the same quality of service.
(4)
Evan G.
About 3 years ago I was in Orlando staying across the street from this hotel, so the person I was there with and me decided to walk across the street and check it out. We had never heard of it before and were shocked to learn that they were owned by the same people as Outback. The food quality was great and the service we had was amazing. The prices aren't too bad especially considering the size of the portions were decent (we both had left overs). I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(5)
Bill S.
The food was great - as expected - but the service and manager were phenomenal. We visited this restaurant while in town to got to Disney World. Despite the fact that our daughter was so tired that she wasn't on her best behavior, the staff went out of their way to make her feel welcome. Our waitress was very pleasant - and very patient as we made a couple trips outside for "time outs.". Once things were settled down, we ate quickly and left. In our hurry, we didn't realize we left behind her special set of Minnie Mouse ears that she's worn every time she's visited the park. We searched everywhere for them, but it wasn't until we returned home to Knoxville that we realized where we must have left them. We called the restaurant and the staff cheerfully told us they found them! Doug, the manager, said he'd mail them to us here in Tennessee. Thanks for a great dinner, and for saving our little girl's special keepsake!
(5)
Lisa D.
I am not a chain fan! The food was really good, especially for the price. Portions were huge, not really a plus for me. Atmosphere was nice. Wait staff was very nice. Ate pizza, calamari, and chicken marsala. All was good. Kids loved it too!
(5)
Michael D.
Carrabba's is a fantastic Italian chain restaurant. If you've only ever eaten at Olive Garden, you seriously need to give Carrabba's a try. The pasta is always fresh and cooked to perfection. The drink specials are good. And the service is usually acceptable. Personal favorites are the Calamari and the Steamed Mussels for appetizers. The calamari is almost always crispy and fresh tasting, served hot with a delicious and flavorful marinara sauce. The Steamed Mussels are served in a large bowl tossed in a lemon-garlic-basil sauce which is AMAZING. For entrees, try the Chicken Marsala or the Pasta Weesie, which are both regularly ordered in my family. The Chicken Marsala is always cooked in a way that the chicken is flavorful and juicy. If you plan to go on a typically busy night [i.e. Friday / Saturday night], try calling ahead for Call Ahead Seating; it MIGHT save you a little bit of time. Wait times can easy pass one hour.
(4)
Tom A.
Went out for dinner tonight and was in the mood for Italian food and decided to go to Carrabba's. We started off with the Mozzarella Mariana appetizer and I decided to have the "Pasta Carrabba" which was Fettuccini Alfredo with cut up pieces of chicken. The meal was great the best part about Carrabba's is the bread with the oil and seasoning. I give this five starts it's been a while since I had a great Italian meal and this hit the spot and I have some leftover for lunch tomorrow.
(5)
Steven Q.
I was in Orlando for a tradeshow and this restaurant was recommended by the staff at our hotel (motel). The food was very good for a chain restaurant but it was not authentic Italian. The wood fired pizza was good, but the bottom of the pizza was a little bit charred. The service was good and we were seated quickly which is nice after standing all day at a show. If you are staying near the convention center the location is about a $40 cab ride away.
(4)
George M.
I went to Orlando for a conference and extended the trip for a Disney World vacation. My wife wanted italian so I looked up a place on Yelp and found good reviews for this restaurant. The restaurant was pretty busy but we only had to wait a few minutes. Our server was friendly and provided prompt service. The food was really good and our kids really liked it. We liked it so much that we went twice during our one week stay. If you want a reasonably priced kid-friendly Italian meal near Disney World or Premium Outlet Mall then this is a great place to go.
(5)
Excellent Italian Restaurant chain in the US. This one is very close to Universal Studios and I-Drive. We have good italians in the UK but this surpasses them all. The restaurant is always busy so making a reservation is advised or get there early so that you are not disappointed. The decor is very modern and the food is exquisite. Prices may seem higher than you would expect to pay but the portion sizes are good and we have never had a bad meal. You can even see in to the kitchens which can be quite the experience. The staff are very attentive and nothing is too much of a problem. Prior to your meal being served you get brought some bread and some herbs and olive oil to dip it in. This is truly one of the best taste sensations that I have experienced at an Italian restaurant. If you choose to go then you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Roland S.
For a chain, this place had amazing service and very good food. Americanized Italian fare and full bar, but short list of draft beers and no hard cider. We came in with a large party and were very well treated, even when we had to be reseated (last minute add-ons to our party). Solid cavatappi with just enough spice and the appetizers were great. People around the table were satisfied with their entrees but no one raved. Considering all the food we ordered, plus drinks, plus the generous tip, I feel like we got great value for our money, which is rare at a chain place. I'd go here again, especially if they keep the same quality of service.
(4)
Evan G.
About 3 years ago I was in Orlando staying across the street from this hotel, so the person I was there with and me decided to walk across the street and check it out. We had never heard of it before and were shocked to learn that they were owned by the same people as Outback. The food quality was great and the service we had was amazing. The prices aren't too bad especially considering the size of the portions were decent (we both had left overs). I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(5)
Jamison E.
I had a great experience here while dining at the bar. The host was most gracious and made the experience very pleasant. Ive been to many Carrabba' s but this one stood out for the people and experience. Thanks!
(4)
Rebecca C.
We ate here last night after a long day @ Universal Studios. Our server was very attentive and sharp. The kids enjoyed their spaghetti and my husband liked the ribs he ordered. I ordered the pasta fiortina (sp?) that was on their 'specials' menu. It came later than everyone else's for some reason. When it arrived , I realized it was missing the prosciutto that the dish was supposed to include. I told the server and she took it back to the kitchen. When she brought it back, there was a little bit added but hardly any. I was very disappointed that they didn't add more. I also would have expected the server to comp me the meal or offer a free dessert - no dice. Even w/o the prosciutto debacle, I think the food is average for the price you pay.
(3)
Gilbert L.
Definitely no comparison to the Olive Garden. We never felt rushed through our dinner the way OG makes you feel. The service was great! Super friendly and quick. We were there at dinner time on a Wednesday and only and a 10 minute wait. We had Sangria with our dinner, pretty good, a little too much on the cinnamon side. My partner had the soup of the day which was a spicy chicken. Very good! For dinner he had the lasagna which was excellent! I had the Chicken Bryan which was so flavorful, that my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. Looking forward to my next trip that has a Carrabba's near by.
(4)
Shawn S.
I've tried many places for a simple spaghetti and meatballs, and every place has their own taste (particularly with the sauce and meatballs). I think this is the best deal for good quality, made fresh food and price. I get the well prepared spicy chicken soup (or salad) and a small loaf of fresh bread and olive oil which is included in the price of the meal. Definitely better than other chain restaurants like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. I've also tried Bravo Cucina and Brio Tuscan which serves the items separately and therefore more costly, and not any better food than Carrabbas.
(5)
Bill S.
The food was great - as expected - but the service and manager were phenomenal. We visited this restaurant while in town to got to Disney World. Despite the fact that our daughter was so tired that she wasn't on her best behavior, the staff went out of their way to make her feel welcome. Our waitress was very pleasant - and very patient as we made a couple trips outside for "time outs.". Once things were settled down, we ate quickly and left. In our hurry, we didn't realize we left behind her special set of Minnie Mouse ears that she's worn every time she's visited the park. We searched everywhere for them, but it wasn't until we returned home to Knoxville that we realized where we must have left them. We called the restaurant and the staff cheerfully told us they found them! Doug, the manager, said he'd mail them to us here in Tennessee. Thanks for a great dinner, and for saving our little girl's special keepsake!
(5)
Lisa D.
I am not a chain fan! The food was really good, especially for the price. Portions were huge, not really a plus for me. Atmosphere was nice. Wait staff was very nice. Ate pizza, calamari, and chicken marsala. All was good. Kids loved it too!
(5)
Michael D.
Carrabba's is a fantastic Italian chain restaurant. If you've only ever eaten at Olive Garden, you seriously need to give Carrabba's a try. The pasta is always fresh and cooked to perfection. The drink specials are good. And the service is usually acceptable. Personal favorites are the Calamari and the Steamed Mussels for appetizers. The calamari is almost always crispy and fresh tasting, served hot with a delicious and flavorful marinara sauce. The Steamed Mussels are served in a large bowl tossed in a lemon-garlic-basil sauce which is AMAZING. For entrees, try the Chicken Marsala or the Pasta Weesie, which are both regularly ordered in my family. The Chicken Marsala is always cooked in a way that the chicken is flavorful and juicy. If you plan to go on a typically busy night [i.e. Friday / Saturday night], try calling ahead for Call Ahead Seating; it MIGHT save you a little bit of time. Wait times can easy pass one hour.
(4)
Tom A.
Went out for dinner tonight and was in the mood for Italian food and decided to go to Carrabba's. We started off with the Mozzarella Mariana appetizer and I decided to have the "Pasta Carrabba" which was Fettuccini Alfredo with cut up pieces of chicken. The meal was great the best part about Carrabba's is the bread with the oil and seasoning. I give this five starts it's been a while since I had a great Italian meal and this hit the spot and I have some leftover for lunch tomorrow.
(5)
Steven Q.
I was in Orlando for a tradeshow and this restaurant was recommended by the staff at our hotel (motel). The food was very good for a chain restaurant but it was not authentic Italian. The wood fired pizza was good, but the bottom of the pizza was a little bit charred. The service was good and we were seated quickly which is nice after standing all day at a show. If you are staying near the convention center the location is about a $40 cab ride away.
(4)
Geno K.
I am an addict. When I lived in California, anytime I traveled to Orlando, Boston, Vegas... Carrabba's was always a must on the to do list. The shrimp scampi sauce is like CRACK... except its more addictive. And the chicken bryan is amazing. The tangy cheese mixed in with the sundried tomatoes, juicy grilled chicken. And the garlic mashed potatoes. God I love Carrabbas. And don't ever compare it to Olive Garden. OG is frozen TV dinner type junk.
(5)
J R.
Great waiter + good food = great night!
(4)
Elle H.
Honestly, sometimes a girl just wants a plate of pasta and a big ass glass of (happy hour) wine. Sometimes you want a place to bring the folks when they visit. (Sometimes those times are the same times). Good thing this Carrabba's fits both bills. It's a cheesy place to bring a first date - come on people get creative. The food is your basic American/Italian for the masses - about 4 steps up from the Olive Garden. The bread is fabulous! (Take some home, toast it, butter & honey or jam it, thank me.) Comforting soups, BUT the salads have recently (last few years) started to suck. Gone are the fresh(er) dressings & slices of carrot, replaced with bagged, dried out shavings of carrots and saltier dressings. You all really need to fix that. Also, I've noticed A LOT MORE SALT in your foods lately - CUT IT OUT! The service is almost always great! We have had a few 'regular' servers and even requested a few from time to time. The bartenders always send out a lovely pour or mix. That said, the hostesses are clueless. The last 4-6 times we have gone in and asked to be seated in a booth in the bar area (we're not fans of kids & their 'lenient' parents in restaurants) we have been met with one or more of the following: blank stares a feeling I had some new & offensive facial abnormality spontaneously erupt a look that says 'you people are jerks!' It is, however, humorous to watch them whisper to each other as though discussing the most recent launch codes. They always eventually show us to a desired area but rather in a manner suggesting our names have been taken. Steaks tend to be ever so slightly over cooked. The pasta has just left al dente behind. Neither is to the level of unappetizing or requiring of a return. We often call in for curbside service if a day at work is nuts & we don't want to cook or go out or have Chinese or pizza delivered. We have remembered this great service when we travel and just want to pick up a good meal and get to the hotel, eat, and go to bed.
(3)
Delilah N.
I been going here for 4 years now. Great food and great service. Never disappointed. I love the blackberry sangria. The chicken bryan, the sirloin Marsala ( meat so tender) I have tried almost every plate on the menu and honestly I can recommend them all. Well I love Italian food!
(5)
Arynn I.
Coming back to Florida for Thanksgiving, my parents and I were looking for a restaurant near their hotel. Carrabba's just so happened to be across the street. We got here at about 9:00pm and I was worried that we were too late to be seated. But we were ok and were seated right away. I hadn't been to Carrabba's in a long time. We figured it was a good place to eat at the last minute. I got the Margherita pizza - you can never go wrong with pizza. And i had some of the fresh bread that was brought to the table. They serve it with herbs and garlic and other spices with olive oil. My pizza was just right in terms of size and taste. It was actually a slice too much. But I did have to say I enjoyed the flavor and 'done-ness" of the pizza crust. It was different from other margherita pizzas I've had because there was some pepper on top so that changes the flavor of the pizza. I do like the large slices of mozzarella cheese that made up the pizza and the large sizes of the tomatoes. Other than pizza and a couple of the salads, I'm not sure I would really want anything else but I'm sure I will probably end up trying a different dish should I return! #Yelp 365 Challenge - 113/365
(4)
Kelly H.
Even though this is a chain, this is one of my favorite Italian places to go to. They have a large selection on their menu and their prices are very reasonable. If you go before 7:00, they have happy hour where you get a quartino of wine for the price of a glass, which I always take advantage of. The service is always great and friendly from my experience, and the food comes fairly quick, but at a good pace for you to finish your appetizer and/or salad/soup before your entree comes out. Some of my top picks: caesar salad, sausage and lentil soup, fried mozarella, pollo rosa maria, fettucini alfredo, chicken parm, and the mezzaluna. This was the first place I ever tried fried mozarella, and I have not found a place that even comes close to being comparable. It's by far the best I've had.
(5)
Steven D.
Liz is amazing! The food was incredible!
(4)
Maria V.
We had dinner here on our first night on vacation since we were staying at a hotel across the street and it was great! I wish I could remember the name of our server but he was amazing! He was very attentive and was very nice.I would recommend this restaurant to anyone on vacation.
(5)
Joe S.
Service was great as were the salads and bread. One friend had the Champagne Shrimp and Scallops Pasta special and enjoyed it. They weren't stingy with the seafood. However, two of us got dishes that includes chicken: Chicken Bryan and The Johnny. Stay away from any dish that contains chicken. While the garlic mashed potatoes on both dishes were adequate (where's the garlic?), and the sirloin on The Johnny was well cooked at medium and seasoned adequately, the chicken on both dishes was clearly processed. The chicken was presented as if it were a grilled breast. However, one bite made it clear that the chicken (all of which looked remarkably the same size and shape) was processed more than McNuggets. The grilled look and smoky taste were likely chemically manufactured, and the rubbery texture made it feel like we were chewing undercooked real chicken. Stay away from chicken dishes and stick to the steak, salads and pastas if you don't want to be disappointed.
(2)
Gustavo A. L.
On a busy cool night we opted for an outside table. The service was very good, they checked on us often and always made sure we were ok. We opted for Pizzas, and they were pretty dismal- they might get a better star rating when we return and try other items in the menu. The place is reasonably priced, and the portions are good as well -
(4)
San N.
Service - Friendly Reservations - None needed. Food - 1. Crab Cakes - Soggy and a lot of fillers. 2. Spinach/Goat Cheese Flatbread - Salty and too much garlic. 3. Caesar Salad - Drowning in dressing.
(1)
Alyssa M.
Kayla is the BEST waitress I had while on vacation in Orlando. The food was brought out as soon as it was ready and our drinks were never below half empty. The food was good as well... But really the service is what will have me going back next time I'm in the area.
(5)
Mike S.
The food tastes GREAT here. A much better chain restaurant then Olive Garden. I still prefer the no name mom and pop Italian joints, but if i had to pick a popular one, Carrabba's is the way to go. Every wednesday's all day is $10 off Wine bottles! Hell yea! Came here for a celebration work/dept dinner and we went nuts with the bottles. I recommend the Pinot noir they had. The house red kinda sucked, avoid it. 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour got us started on the right foot. The calmari is breaded differently, and thats a good thing. Still light, but something kinda like panko bread crumby. The mussels in white wine is awesome. Dip your warm yumm bread in the juice! Do it! Don't let the waitress steal my sweet Uncle Mussels juice!!! Had a group of 12 and the two servers kept us happy. Oh, the veal marsala was delicious. i also tried the lobster ravioli....good, but not really THAT good. very underwhelming. Reheated one leftover ravioli at 2 in the morn actually tasted better then the fresh order! (i'm sure drunk induced enjoyment though.) If it weren't for a work function, i'd dip my face in that wine mussel juice. DO IT!
(4)
Carla L.
If Yelp had 1/2 stars this would have 3 1/2 .. I was debating long and hard between 3 and 4. Lets start off with service 5 stars for service! Patti was our server, she was friendly and we were out on the patio so when we asked not to be forgotten (which often happens when you are the only people outside) she made SURE we weren't. Plus there was another girl coming in and out doing other things but told us that if we needed ANYTHING to let her know. Excellent. Our Tomato Basil soup was truly delicious. Just amazing. Our main dishes however, all were good.. not bad .. just not great. Two of us ordered the coal fired pizzas, they were OK that was it. Not enough toppings, the dough just ok. The pasta ordered by my daughter the same. Just OK. Next time I will try the other dishes recommended by Geno and others. So for a place with so many great reviews, we expected more. Its not bad, just not awesome. Will I come back? Sure, why not?
(3)
Derek S.
Food was excellent! The Chicken Bryan was amazing.
(4)
Robert P.
Host non verbal, host that sat us threw the kids menus because she could not reach. The server had no finesse, placed the drinks next to the napkins.
(1)
Claire Y.
Pretty solid food and drinks for a chain restaurant. I had the large mussels from the app menu and a side salad and was quite surprised at the large portions given they weren't entrees. The chicken "Bryan" dish is also excellent. Our server was a friendly lad who couldn't be more excited to show and convince us to get a dessert. We felt bad for the poor guy's hard trying, so we ended up each getting one of those shot-glass desserts (e.g. "tiramisu") which were just OK - nothing spectacular. I'm not sure how many "good" options of dining Orlando has, but for tourists like we were, I think this place fits the bill b/c there really isn't much risk-taking involved when you go to a well-recognized chain restaurant (instead of a hm-that-looks-decent-from-the-exterior random place). And, trust me --- we've been to some really disappointing (yet expensive for no reason) places during our stay in Orlando.
(3)
Liz Z.
I was vacationing in the Walt Disney World Resort last wknd and we wanted to try Italian food for one night. I suggested CaRRabba's since my boyfriend had never been to one and i had fond memories of going to several and enjoying it immensely. Being pasta fiends, we headed over to the closest one to our hotel...and OMG, i was sooooo disappointed. I'm sure the dinner was scrumptious. But didn't get to eat, since 1.5 hr later, we still hadn't received it, although all the tables around us (who had seated after us) received their meals and check already. our waitress was sloppy, turning from this table to ours and back and forth, delivering her best of "diner table service" (you know the type, spilling alittle bit of the water from the cup, after slamming it on your table). she never refilled our ordered drinks, and only did one refill for my water glass. she never cleared our table from our appetizer and bread. so another waitress from another table actually saw our crowded table of empty dishes and did it herself. i have eaten out ALOT in different settings and countries, and this was about the best of the worst waitresses. when she FINALLY came around, my date requested for our dinners to be take-out (since it had not yet arrived) and the check. all flustered, she contacted her manager who then came by our table to express his apologies and that the dinners packaged would be on-the-house. ONLY good thing about this Carrabba's experience: if the food is slow, maybe they'll give it to you for free. but for the service, i hope to God, NO ONE gets that bleached-blonde chick as their waitress, b/c while looking around as we waited for our food & service, the other waiters seemed pretty extraordinary. The other Carrabba's franchises I've been to have been great. i don't know why experience had to suck. :-(
(2)
Anika B.
The best Italian food ever! There is no place better than Carrabba's. Always delicious and seasoned and flavorful! I will eat here again. Thanks Carrabba's for such a wonderful experience and serving quality from scratch food.
(5)
Viviana F.
Note to Carrabba's....Customers like round tables when there's a party of 5 or 6. Please remember this next time you have a meeting consisting of just 3 employees hogging the only round table in the restaurant at dinnertime. Other than the kid buser ogling my 15 year old sister, the food was excellent as usual. The chicken soup was perfect as was the chicken trio. I will be back but beware, if the round table is not available again due to an employee meeting, I'm going to go hover until you all move;o)
(4)
Kyle K.
The only reason this wasn't one star was because the food was good. Service was terrible. From the unprofessionalism of the hosts (texting in direct sight, cursing) to the terrible waiter. At one point we had three waiters/waitresses helping us at one time (8 top). No apologies for mistakes and when the final checks came out (once they finally decided to come pick them up) we were fed up with waiting. 2 hour dinner that could have been much happier and quicker if there was a little more attention. And no, it wasn't busy. There were a total of 8 tables.
(2)
Edna R.
It's so good! The services was excellent, very friendly staff. The day a go was very full but I don't have to wait a lot. I recommend this place. The price for the food are ok
(4)
Carolina M.
I've been to the one in Miami and now this one twice. The staff is friendly and attentive. I love when they have their special deals. The food is good but I have had better Italian food. Sometimes depending on the dish I feel its priced highly for the amount you receive, but then again they include soup or salad and i guess that's where they get you. But overall I like it and I will return.
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 : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No 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.
Mike S.
The food tastes GREAT here. A much better chain restaurant then Olive Garden. I still prefer the no name mom and pop Italian joints, but if i had to pick a popular one, Carrabba's is the way to go. Every wednesday's all day is $10 off Wine bottles! Hell yea! Came here for a celebration work/dept dinner and we went nuts with the bottles. I recommend the Pinot noir they had. The house red kinda sucked, avoid it. 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour got us started on the right foot. The calmari is breaded differently, and thats a good thing. Still light, but something kinda like panko bread crumby. The mussels in white wine is awesome. Dip your warm yumm bread in the juice! Do it! Don't let the waitress steal my sweet Uncle Mussels juice!!! Had a group of 12 and the two servers kept us happy. Oh, the veal marsala was delicious. i also tried the lobster ravioli....good, but not really THAT good. very underwhelming. Reheated one leftover ravioli at 2 in the morn actually tasted better then the fresh order! (i'm sure drunk induced enjoyment though.) If it weren't for a work function, i'd dip my face in that wine mussel juice. DO IT!
(4)Carla L.
If Yelp had 1/2 stars this would have 3 1/2 .. I was debating long and hard between 3 and 4. Lets start off with service 5 stars for service! Patti was our server, she was friendly and we were out on the patio so when we asked not to be forgotten (which often happens when you are the only people outside) she made SURE we weren't. Plus there was another girl coming in and out doing other things but told us that if we needed ANYTHING to let her know. Excellent. Our Tomato Basil soup was truly delicious. Just amazing. Our main dishes however, all were good.. not bad .. just not great. Two of us ordered the coal fired pizzas, they were OK that was it. Not enough toppings, the dough just ok. The pasta ordered by my daughter the same. Just OK. Next time I will try the other dishes recommended by Geno and others. So for a place with so many great reviews, we expected more. Its not bad, just not awesome. Will I come back? Sure, why not?
(3)Derek S.
Food was excellent! The Chicken Bryan was amazing.
(4)Robert P.
Host non verbal, host that sat us threw the kids menus because she could not reach. The server had no finesse, placed the drinks next to the napkins.
(1)J R.
Great waiter + good food = great night!
(4)Rhea P.
I have only used curb side service at this particular restaurant, but I'm always really impressed. There is someone waiting by the door for you when you arrive and they are ready to take your order. The food is always fresh, even with curbside. Bread, olive oil, seasoning, everything is included with the take out order. The staff is wonderful every time I go. I especially enjoy the rosa dessert in the shot glass--just enough for a treat, the bread and olive oil, and the minestrone soup. Yummers !!!
(4)Michael C.
This is a wonderful Italian restaurant. Part of a chain. The food we had in my group of 6 was wonderful. Sit at the bar where you can see them cooking the food. A lot of fun. If you love good food, you will enjoy this resturant
(4)Stefanie F.
I'm still full from lunch. Just sitting here with my out of town family while they eat their food. Customer service is decent. Their food came out fast. They love their bread and oil experience.
(3)H C.
Dear Carrabbas, Take out food requires utensils. Napkins would be nice too. Love, NOT Happy
(1)Hieu L.
Came here around 9pm figured things would died down and get our food faster. This was not the case. Overall service was great. Amber had to juggle multiple tables I could tell they just cut a whole section. We ordered 2 appetizers the chicken bacon flat bred and calamari. Both items were delicuous and came out fast. Then the kitchen mishaps took over. I didn't receive my meal til about 10 minutes after everyone elses. The pizza we ordered were made wrong. And our soups and salads never came out. Which I had to wait to eat my soup before my entree. Amber was nice on replenishing our breadsticks. And recovered the pizza mishap with bringing another half pizza out. Overall food was and service was great. I will def assume spending more time out on our next visit.
(3)Ariel D.
We come to this place often specifically for the calamari because it's just that good.and we've tried it in many other restaurants and it doesn't beat carabbas. The food and service has been great. Our server Donovan was very attentive and provided awesome service.
(5)Justin K.
I hope the other restaurants in this chain aren't managed like this one. The food was okay, but the customer service was terrible. Our server didn't seem like he wanted to help us, although he would help the other tables with higher tabs. He past by our table without saying a word, and we didn't get our bread until we were halfway done with our food. They were vacuuming while we were eating which was something I've never seen before. I would take my business somewhere else if I were you.
(2)Carol F.
We had the lasagna which was a large portion. But, it needed more sauce and tasted dry. The ravioli were tender but needs more flavor. The service was great ! The sound system is too loud for dining. Loved the dessert Rosa!
(3)Rhea P.
I have only used curb side service at this particular restaurant, but I'm always really impressed. There is someone waiting by the door for you when you arrive and they are ready to take your order. The food is always fresh, even with curbside. Bread, olive oil, seasoning, everything is included with the take out order. The staff is wonderful every time I go. I especially enjoy the rosa dessert in the shot glass--just enough for a treat, the bread and olive oil, and the minestrone soup. Yummers !!!
(4)Michael C.
This is a wonderful Italian restaurant. Part of a chain. The food we had in my group of 6 was wonderful. Sit at the bar where you can see them cooking the food. A lot of fun. If you love good food, you will enjoy this resturant
(4)R P.
What a find in the land of the superficial... We arrived hungry and had an unexpected treat. Generally, I order soup to test the chef or fill a hungry tummy. I ordered for the latter and was astonished to find it was very good. The rest of the meal was quality Italian food. The warm bread and congenial service made for a most pleasant experience. If looking for a descent meal, put this on the short list.
(4)Brigitte B.
Had not been to Carrabba's in sometime but cam eater works with a friend. The service was impeccable. The young lady waited on us with a smile and was very pleasant. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and m friend ordered the pizza. The spaghetti was good but not the best i have had. I asked for more sauce. My friend said her pizza was excellent. The bread was fresh, warm and good. My cocktail was tasty! i know people think this is supposed to be a step above Olive Garden but I prefer Olive Garden. Carrabba's is good just not my fav!
(3)Rick S.
For this reason only our waitress was awful named Erin K. absolutely no personality absolutely no help with our meal never asked us once how our food was.. it went downhill as soon as we did not order any spirits. It wasn't just us we noticed she was acting that way with all the guests. Every time we asked something or say thank you for bringing us something there was no response to even acknowledge we spoke to her. We have been going there for over 5 years and love that place but not going back for quite a while now. Notified the hostess that we had a bad experience and basically just replied OK.
(2)Jon W.
The family came here after a day at Universal Studios. I called ahead at about 8:30 pm on a Friday night and was told there was no wait. (Another nearby Italian place quoted me at least an hour). We got here and true to their word were seated right away. Our server (William J) was personable and quite attentive. Drink orders were taken and arrived promptly. We were very hungry and it seemed like food took forever to come out but in real time it was less than 10 min for apps and soup. Another 10 for entrees. All the food was great and our server stopped back several times to see if all was ok. We were all too full for dessert so can't vouch for that but we were all fully satisfied by the service and the food. I had read a few negative reviews and none of the criticisms had any merit.
(5)Vincent B.
This was an exceptional experience! Brian was our server and he served us well and made us completely satisfied! I had the chicken Parmesan with a salad and it was delectable! I would come here again
(4)Michael F.
Lasagna on Amore Monday was excellent, along with the soup, bread, and John Cole dessert. add a friendly staff, good waitress, and count me as pleased. most of the other Carrabba's have been pretty good too.
(5)Roger H.
Extremely unprofessional. On Saturday, February 21st, I called ahead for a party of 9 at 4:30. They said they are currently on a 25 minute wait. I told them my name and everything, just like you do with a call-ahead. When we got there at 5, they said that the manager said no more call aheads and now there was an hour wait. We have a 4 year old in our party and could not wait an hour. We apparently were not the only party that called ahead. Many other people were leaving discouraged. Carrabba's is my favorite restaurant and we do not have any in Vermont. Very disappointed.
(1)Andy Z.
dinner food: ordered the tuscan grilled skewers. comes with some cherry tomatoes and onions as well. nice char to the meat and pretty tender. it was a bit overcooked for my taste. but nothing too bad. however, my friend ordered the pork prosciutto tenderloin, which was amazing was at this place. the seasoning was great and it was cooked just right. it may seem a bit raw to some people, but it was perfect to me. disappointed that i didnt order it. it was super tender and flavorful. ***4/5 service: it didnt look that busy and we were seated quickly. our server was great. orders were taken promptly and water was filled needed. it was easy to grab attention and some things were done without being said. extra olive oil dip was provided even though we didnt ask for more. ***5/5 ambiance: the place looks big. we sat on the other side with the bar. looks nice. nothing too fancy. ***4/5 price: the pricing is actually quite reasonable. the entree comes with a soup or salad. theres the complimentary bread. very easy to be filled up. ***5/5
(4)Kelly P.
Went here with 4 people and 2 of us got serious food poisoning. The common item was house salad so obviously there is a cross contamination problem. I had one of the only vegetarian options which was pasta shells and cheese, I would have rather had it from a box it was so bland. I saw at least the chicken version came with peas, but not mine. Peas were obviously frozen, but they would have added welcome flavor for both directions. The others with me didn't mind the food so much, at least going in, that is. For the price we should have bought a cheap microwave and 4 frozen dinners. Or use the same advise when I go to other 3rd-world countries, don't eat anything not well cooked.
(1)Heidy P.
Way too busy so the service wasn't very good. Couldn't get my second margarita on time so they gave it to me for free :D only positive note. Food was alright nothing to die for.
(3)P L.
This is the first time dining at Carrabba's. Waiter had all my orders right, and messed up on all my husbands orders. Which I find that kind of funny. But all in all, food came hot, and the waiter was kind. Not a bad first time experiences, and the bonus part was the food is good too.
(4)Kevin D.
We came back from a day at Universal Studios and we were craving Italian. The hotel front desk staff member recommended us Carraba's Italian Grill down the road so we took our car and off we went. When we arrived we were seated immediately and our server Hannah came to take our order a few moments later. Since this was our first time eating out as tourists in the USA we knew little about the customs in restaurants such as ordering or payment. Our server was very helpful in assisting us throughout the whole eating out experience and was very friendly altogether! We (3 ppl) ordered spaghetti's, with one salad & two chicken soups. We didn't have to wait very long for our drinks & bread, and our soup followed shortly. Our spaghetti came very quick when we were still eating our soup/salad but I don't find this a reason to complain. The food in general was really, really good. The chicken soup was nicely filled with vegetables and big pieces of tender chicken. The spaghetti was cooked as it should be and the sauce/meat was very tasty. I would recommend this restaurant to everyone who stays in this part of Orlando, it's a great Italian restaurant. If we come back to Orlando, we will come here again.
(5)Sharon L.
fist time been here ï¼totally change my mind about itlian food 。it was very good ， very decent 。and pizza The waiter attitude is very good and nice 。
(5)Natalie L.
This is my boyfriend and I's go-to restaurant. We both adore the mozzarella sticks and Italian herb sauce for the warm bread, all of which are perfect for an appetizer to curb our appetite. We order our usual the majority of the time (pollo rosa Maria, which just explodes with flavor and almost tastes like steak, and a side of Sicilian chicken soup which tastes like how my grandma would make it---NOT from a can.) We always leave feeling totally satisfied and full. The food is phenomenal, and servers always seem happy to be working there.
(5)Dianna B.
I've been here before and the food is good, This particular location is really busy, and the night I went with my Scot was no different. I wanted to show him what Caraba's was like because there's nothing quite like it in Scotland. We were sat at the back of the restaurant, near the kitchen, and he enjoyed being able to see them cooking the food. What we didn't appreciate was the overly solicitious attitude of the waiter. Yes, good service is ONE thing, but a waiter who -RAVES- about everything you order, proclaiming it his favorite? Too much. Almost like the fake smile plastered on his face. When the food was delivered, the sauce on the pasta was .. well as the Scot proclaimed it, nasty. He stated it tasted like vomit to him. I tasted it, and it wasn't palatable at all to me. My own had redsauce on it and I didn't much care for it either. The bread, the drinks, our actual mains of Chicken Bryan was delicious.
(3)Judge D.
On January 1, 2015 myself and my wife visited the restaurant and we were very disappointed at the lack of service and the food. Our waitress Diana was very inattentive and seemed to be more focused on other tables. To start off the salads were not very filling all it had was carrots and lettuce. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs and my wife ordered the Carrabba's Italian classics, the portions were not very big for the money that we spent. Diana never refilled our drinks and when she brought us the desert menu it looked like a crumpled piece of paper, she left it on the table and went to wait on other tables then when she came back to our table she asked us if we wanted desert. This was our first time at any Carrabba's and I must say we will never return.
(1)Darin R.
Crappy service. Crappy service. And, oh - did I mention the crappy service? Food was fair at best. Although they are awfully proud of it based on their prices. They must also be running low on good also. Since they give you so little of it. Everyone at the table had half a plate if food. Nothing like dropping $25 a person and having to stop at the Wendy's drive through on the way home.
(1)Roberto T.
Can anyone say anything bad about Carrabas if they legitimately enjoy Italian fare? Abso-friggen-lutely NOT! If you do, count yourself among the jive turkey population. They can be on the pricey side but I say its worth the slight gouge. The wine selection is quite respectable as well. I always take family here when they visit. For me its Mezzaluna every time. I also recently tried the Trio di Italia which allowed the addition of menu items for a sampler style eating experience. Sadly its in a bit of a sketchy area of town, but I still visit it and keep my eyes open in the parking lot. In my book, this place comes highly recommended for Italian fare.
(5)Rose S.
Veal Marsala was very delicious, and Chicken Bryan was divine! I'd recommend this place to anybody visiting Orlando, FL.
(4)Laura G.
I am pretty torn tonight writing my review because while the other 2 people in my party had quiet tastey meals, mine was not so enjoyable. :( I expected better after having read through the Yelp reviews... Tonight I ordered lasagna with a cesar side salad after a long day of driving in to Orlando from Pensacola. I am VERY picky with my salads and I can say nothing negative other than it was a bit on the smaller side. BUT, it was cold, fresh and crisp and I loved the creamy cesar dressing. And now this brings me to the lasagna.... The tomato sauce looked like PASTE it was so dry. The once melted cheese was now hardened to a chewy consistency. The crunchy, dried edges of my sad dish were none to pleasurable to eat. Actually, I mostly ate through the softer middle of my lasagna and left the crunchy edges in my bowl. It tasted about like it looked... Pitiful and like a vague memory of what lasagna tastes like. The dry, thick mess in my mouth I tried to hungrily scarf almost stuck in my throat and without swigs of water chasers I doubt I would have finished the portion in my bowl. I have seen microwave frozen dinners that looked better. Seriously! So, sadly I leave my 3 star review because while my meal was not anything to rave about I DO have hope that there may be a better dish at a better location. I sampled the other dishes ordered in my party and they were tastey. This encourages me to not write Carrabba's off completly!
(3)Elodie T.
Warning: lengthy review. TL;DR- my family did not leave happy, and my sister didn't get a good birthday dinner. My family and I went on New Year's- my sister's birthday. We had set out looking for a Chinese place because it's a Chinese tradition to eat noodles on your birthday, but the nearby restaurants were understaffed and slow so we decided to play it safe and go to a chain restaurant. We thought, 'well, a chain restaurant usually has an acceptable service and acceptable food' so we went to Carrabba's. Yep. We thought wrong. We get there at 8:15-ish, are told that it's a 35-40 minute wait. We get seated around 8:40, so I'll give points for that. At 8:45, a waiter stopped by to say that our waiter would be with us shortly, and that he could take our drink orders. We asked for water around the table, a peach sangria for myself and the wine tasting menu for my Mom (2oz of 3 different wines for $8). We get our waters at 8:55, and our actual waiter arrives at 9:05 with our drinks. I'm not too impressed with either the sangria or the wine tasting menu. The peach sangria tasted more peach and less wine. I kind of turn my nose down at sangria that doesn't come pre-mixed with the fruits. If it's not pre-mixed to allow the fruity flavors to blend with the wine, then I think I can assume that the peach flavoring isn't from peach, but rather from artificial flavoring. No peach pieces in the sangria, only a strawberry and lemon piece set separately. I will say that it's not a bad price for the wine tasting menu, but I just think of the possibility of having ordered more than one wine tasting menu and getting multiples of three wine cups cluttering around the table until the end of the meal, and shudder. I lose track of time at this point, but we eventually get our appetizer, the Cozze in Bianco. I will say that this was one of the highlights of the meal. Sister didn't like it, but the mussels were well cooked and the flavor was there. What the appetizer brought into focus, though, is that while the table next to us had received 2 servings of complementary bread AND refills, we had not received any. At this time, it is past 9pm (possibly quite close to 9:15, over half an hour after being seated), and none of us had much to eat since lunch. No complementary bread. We had to ask for it because we wanted to dip more substantial food into the appetizer's sauce. Once we did get it, we devoured it within minutes. That's how hungry we were. We asked for a refill. If the table next to us gets a total of 4 baskets for 6-8 people, then it should be no problem for us to have a 2nd. While we were waiting for our main course, I also took time to observe the kitchen/serving area. The kitchen is viewable over a counter, and the serving area is completely open, because some people really like seeing that. You'd think that they'd be more mindful that people could be looking in. I look up and a waiter has knocked over a wastebasket of crumped paper and is picking them up by hand to throw them back in. The next second, he grabs a bowl to presumably serve it to some unknowing customer. Ugh! I assume that he did wash his hands right after, because he was wiping his hands on a paper towel when he got back, but still. Gross. When we get our main dishes, it's been another lengthy wait and we've snacked on bread. Our appetites have been lost a bit. The pasta was overly salted and I don't know why I was surprised, as I'd seen waiters shake different spices, salt, or pepper liberally over plates in the serving area. Unlike Macaroni Grill, Carrabba's fairly successful in making their dishes lighter on the stomach while not giving up quality. Overall, acceptable. My dad really liked his lobster ravioli. Most of our plates were left unfinished. Because it WAS my sister's birthday, she did get a free dessert and she, predictably, got the Chocolate dream. She... ultimately didn't like it. The cake itself was denser than she liked (than I liked, and I'm more flexible than her). The fudge was warm and tasty, and there was a smooth whipped cream cover over the cake that she didn't like but I very much appreciated. Overall, not a very happy or good dinner for New Year's and, more importantly, for my sister's birthday. We didn't leave (at 10:30pm) happy, that's for sure. Our waiter came around a lot more later to check in on us near the end, but probably only because she didn't have as many tables to work with. We gave normal tip when we would've given less for the service, but only because it was New Year's day and we did get free cake.
(1)Jose C.
this location has more laid back atmosphere... the tables are simple without the tablecloths... same great food without the upscale look... the veal marsala was great... the veal was soft and tender while the marsala sauce was nice w an added touch of ground pepper and chili flakes... the service was ok... expected more... caution: btw, if planning to take advantage of the $100 gc offer, the $20 promotion cannot be used until later date! ample parking and it's free... dining area is pretty big so unless it is a big party, reservations not necessary... enjoy!
(4)Gastromere F.
Had dinner with the family the other night. Great Service by our waiter Patrick, seriously nice job we are asking for you whenever we dine there. Food was all good and tasty except the sautéed spinach was so salty it was uneatable. All the pasta dishes were tasty although the potion of fish was extremely small. But after all the bread and appetizers, I did not have much room anyway. Something it appears that they count on. We had a lovely house wine that was moderately priced and delicious. Enjoy.
(3)Courtney W.
The service at this chain restaurant is always good. The mood and quality of the food is so much better than the other Italian chains. The bread with olive oil and herbs is a good snack while waiting for the entree. Of course the soup is just awesome. I've tried the various selections and tried to recreate with no success. Its very good. The pasta selections is teriffic. The chicken marsella is just awesome. I'm still trying to figure out how the grilled chicken remains so moist. For the amount of money it is just a great option compared to the other chains
(3)Carl G.
I've never been a big fan of chain Italian as a kid who grew up working in Italian restaurants. I've eaten at this chain before and found it over priced for portion size. Always found there quality to be better than similar family dining chain Italian eateries That said it was close to universal and our hotel so we went for dinner as i wanted a place to eat fish. They've changed their menu since last time I visited which is at least 3 years ago and I noticed they lowered prices on some items making it more reasonable and a better value. I was very happy with my salmon entree. Fish was delicious. No fishy taste, nice size piece of fish. The small amount of green beans on the side was disappointing but they were good. Entire family enjoyed their meal. One kid pizza which is tiny and designed for a small kid that's probably 7 and under. Oldest kid for a bowl of soup and this bowl was largest soup bowl I've ever seen served. The minestrone was delicious. Loaded with vegetables it made a great meal. Wife ordered tomato mozzarella appetizer. She loved it. I didn't like it. She had the lasagna for dinner and it isn't something she normally orders. She said it was very good So carrabas you've earned yourself a trip back in the future.
(4)Geno K.
I am an addict. When I lived in California, anytime I traveled to Orlando, Boston, Vegas... Carrabba's was always a must on the to do list. The shrimp scampi sauce is like CRACK... except its more addictive. And the chicken bryan is amazing. The tangy cheese mixed in with the sundried tomatoes, juicy grilled chicken. And the garlic mashed potatoes. God I love Carrabbas. And don't ever compare it to Olive Garden. OG is frozen TV dinner type junk.
(5)Elle H.
Honestly, sometimes a girl just wants a plate of pasta and a big ass glass of (happy hour) wine. Sometimes you want a place to bring the folks when they visit. (Sometimes those times are the same times). Good thing this Carrabba's fits both bills. It's a cheesy place to bring a first date - come on people get creative. The food is your basic American/Italian for the masses - about 4 steps up from the Olive Garden. The bread is fabulous! (Take some home, toast it, butter & honey or jam it, thank me.) Comforting soups, BUT the salads have recently (last few years) started to suck. Gone are the fresh(er) dressings & slices of carrot, replaced with bagged, dried out shavings of carrots and saltier dressings. You all really need to fix that. Also, I've noticed A LOT MORE SALT in your foods lately - CUT IT OUT! The service is almost always great! We have had a few 'regular' servers and even requested a few from time to time. The bartenders always send out a lovely pour or mix. That said, the hostesses are clueless. The last 4-6 times we have gone in and asked to be seated in a booth in the bar area (we're not fans of kids & their 'lenient' parents in restaurants) we have been met with one or more of the following: blank stares a feeling I had some new & offensive facial abnormality spontaneously erupt a look that says 'you people are jerks!' It is, however, humorous to watch them whisper to each other as though discussing the most recent launch codes. They always eventually show us to a desired area but rather in a manner suggesting our names have been taken. Steaks tend to be ever so slightly over cooked. The pasta has just left al dente behind. Neither is to the level of unappetizing or requiring of a return. We often call in for curbside service if a day at work is nuts & we don't want to cook or go out or have Chinese or pizza delivered. We have remembered this great service when we travel and just want to pick up a good meal and get to the hotel, eat, and go to bed.
(3)Delilah N.
I been going here for 4 years now. Great food and great service. Never disappointed. I love the blackberry sangria. The chicken bryan, the sirloin Marsala ( meat so tender) I have tried almost every plate on the menu and honestly I can recommend them all. Well I love Italian food!
(5)Arynn I.
Coming back to Florida for Thanksgiving, my parents and I were looking for a restaurant near their hotel. Carrabba's just so happened to be across the street. We got here at about 9:00pm and I was worried that we were too late to be seated. But we were ok and were seated right away. I hadn't been to Carrabba's in a long time. We figured it was a good place to eat at the last minute. I got the Margherita pizza - you can never go wrong with pizza. And i had some of the fresh bread that was brought to the table. They serve it with herbs and garlic and other spices with olive oil. My pizza was just right in terms of size and taste. It was actually a slice too much. But I did have to say I enjoyed the flavor and 'done-ness" of the pizza crust. It was different from other margherita pizzas I've had because there was some pepper on top so that changes the flavor of the pizza. I do like the large slices of mozzarella cheese that made up the pizza and the large sizes of the tomatoes. Other than pizza and a couple of the salads, I'm not sure I would really want anything else but I'm sure I will probably end up trying a different dish should I return! #Yelp 365 Challenge - 113/365
(4)Kelly H.
Even though this is a chain, this is one of my favorite Italian places to go to. They have a large selection on their menu and their prices are very reasonable. If you go before 7:00, they have happy hour where you get a quartino of wine for the price of a glass, which I always take advantage of. The service is always great and friendly from my experience, and the food comes fairly quick, but at a good pace for you to finish your appetizer and/or salad/soup before your entree comes out. Some of my top picks: caesar salad, sausage and lentil soup, fried mozarella, pollo rosa maria, fettucini alfredo, chicken parm, and the mezzaluna. This was the first place I ever tried fried mozarella, and I have not found a place that even comes close to being comparable. It's by far the best I've had.
(5)Steven D.
Liz is amazing! The food was incredible!
(4)Maria V.
We had dinner here on our first night on vacation since we were staying at a hotel across the street and it was great! I wish I could remember the name of our server but he was amazing! He was very attentive and was very nice.I would recommend this restaurant to anyone on vacation.
(5)Joe S.
Service was great as were the salads and bread. One friend had the Champagne Shrimp and Scallops Pasta special and enjoyed it. They weren't stingy with the seafood. However, two of us got dishes that includes chicken: Chicken Bryan and The Johnny. Stay away from any dish that contains chicken. While the garlic mashed potatoes on both dishes were adequate (where's the garlic?), and the sirloin on The Johnny was well cooked at medium and seasoned adequately, the chicken on both dishes was clearly processed. The chicken was presented as if it were a grilled breast. However, one bite made it clear that the chicken (all of which looked remarkably the same size and shape) was processed more than McNuggets. The grilled look and smoky taste were likely chemically manufactured, and the rubbery texture made it feel like we were chewing undercooked real chicken. Stay away from chicken dishes and stick to the steak, salads and pastas if you don't want to be disappointed.
(2)Gustavo A. L.
On a busy cool night we opted for an outside table. The service was very good, they checked on us often and always made sure we were ok. We opted for Pizzas, and they were pretty dismal- they might get a better star rating when we return and try other items in the menu. The place is reasonably priced, and the portions are good as well -
(4)San N.
Service - Friendly Reservations - None needed. Food - 1. Crab Cakes - Soggy and a lot of fillers. 2. Spinach/Goat Cheese Flatbread - Salty and too much garlic. 3. Caesar Salad - Drowning in dressing.
(1)Alyssa M.
Kayla is the BEST waitress I had while on vacation in Orlando. The food was brought out as soon as it was ready and our drinks were never below half empty. The food was good as well... But really the service is what will have me going back next time I'm in the area.
(5)Liz Z.
I was vacationing in the Walt Disney World Resort last wknd and we wanted to try Italian food for one night. I suggested CaRRabba's since my boyfriend had never been to one and i had fond memories of going to several and enjoying it immensely. Being pasta fiends, we headed over to the closest one to our hotel...and OMG, i was sooooo disappointed. I'm sure the dinner was scrumptious. But didn't get to eat, since 1.5 hr later, we still hadn't received it, although all the tables around us (who had seated after us) received their meals and check already. our waitress was sloppy, turning from this table to ours and back and forth, delivering her best of "diner table service" (you know the type, spilling alittle bit of the water from the cup, after slamming it on your table). she never refilled our ordered drinks, and only did one refill for my water glass. she never cleared our table from our appetizer and bread. so another waitress from another table actually saw our crowded table of empty dishes and did it herself. i have eaten out ALOT in different settings and countries, and this was about the best of the worst waitresses. when she FINALLY came around, my date requested for our dinners to be take-out (since it had not yet arrived) and the check. all flustered, she contacted her manager who then came by our table to express his apologies and that the dinners packaged would be on-the-house. ONLY good thing about this Carrabba's experience: if the food is slow, maybe they'll give it to you for free. but for the service, i hope to God, NO ONE gets that bleached-blonde chick as their waitress, b/c while looking around as we waited for our food & service, the other waiters seemed pretty extraordinary. The other Carrabba's franchises I've been to have been great. i don't know why experience had to suck. :-(
(2)Anika B.
The best Italian food ever! There is no place better than Carrabba's. Always delicious and seasoned and flavorful! I will eat here again. Thanks Carrabba's for such a wonderful experience and serving quality from scratch food.
(5)Viviana F.
Note to Carrabba's....Customers like round tables when there's a party of 5 or 6. Please remember this next time you have a meeting consisting of just 3 employees hogging the only round table in the restaurant at dinnertime. Other than the kid buser ogling my 15 year old sister, the food was excellent as usual. The chicken soup was perfect as was the chicken trio. I will be back but beware, if the round table is not available again due to an employee meeting, I'm going to go hover until you all move;o)
(4)Jamison E.
I had a great experience here while dining at the bar. The host was most gracious and made the experience very pleasant. Ive been to many Carrabba' s but this one stood out for the people and experience. Thanks!
(4)Rebecca C.
We ate here last night after a long day @ Universal Studios. Our server was very attentive and sharp. The kids enjoyed their spaghetti and my husband liked the ribs he ordered. I ordered the pasta fiortina (sp?) that was on their 'specials' menu. It came later than everyone else's for some reason. When it arrived , I realized it was missing the prosciutto that the dish was supposed to include. I told the server and she took it back to the kitchen. When she brought it back, there was a little bit added but hardly any. I was very disappointed that they didn't add more. I also would have expected the server to comp me the meal or offer a free dessert - no dice. Even w/o the prosciutto debacle, I think the food is average for the price you pay.
(3)Gilbert L.
Definitely no comparison to the Olive Garden. We never felt rushed through our dinner the way OG makes you feel. The service was great! Super friendly and quick. We were there at dinner time on a Wednesday and only and a 10 minute wait. We had Sangria with our dinner, pretty good, a little too much on the cinnamon side. My partner had the soup of the day which was a spicy chicken. Very good! For dinner he had the lasagna which was excellent! I had the Chicken Bryan which was so flavorful, that my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. Looking forward to my next trip that has a Carrabba's near by.
(4)Shawn S.
I've tried many places for a simple spaghetti and meatballs, and every place has their own taste (particularly with the sauce and meatballs). I think this is the best deal for good quality, made fresh food and price. I get the well prepared spicy chicken soup (or salad) and a small loaf of fresh bread and olive oil which is included in the price of the meal. Definitely better than other chain restaurants like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. I've also tried Bravo Cucina and Brio Tuscan which serves the items separately and therefore more costly, and not any better food than Carrabbas.
(5)Claire Y.
Pretty solid food and drinks for a chain restaurant. I had the large mussels from the app menu and a side salad and was quite surprised at the large portions given they weren't entrees. The chicken "Bryan" dish is also excellent. Our server was a friendly lad who couldn't be more excited to show and convince us to get a dessert. We felt bad for the poor guy's hard trying, so we ended up each getting one of those shot-glass desserts (e.g. "tiramisu") which were just OK - nothing spectacular. I'm not sure how many "good" options of dining Orlando has, but for tourists like we were, I think this place fits the bill b/c there really isn't much risk-taking involved when you go to a well-recognized chain restaurant (instead of a hm-that-looks-decent-from-the-exterior random place). And, trust me --- we've been to some really disappointing (yet expensive for no reason) places during our stay in Orlando.
(3)Excellent Italian Restaurant chain in the US. This one is very close to Universal Studios and I-Drive. We have good italians in the UK but this surpasses them all. The restaurant is always busy so making a reservation is advised or get there early so that you are not disappointed. The decor is very modern and the food is exquisite. Prices may seem higher than you would expect to pay but the portion sizes are good and we have never had a bad meal. You can even see in to the kitchens which can be quite the experience. The staff are very attentive and nothing is too much of a problem. Prior to your meal being served you get brought some bread and some herbs and olive oil to dip it in. This is truly one of the best taste sensations that I have experienced at an Italian restaurant. If you choose to go then you will not be disappointed.
(5)Roland S.
For a chain, this place had amazing service and very good food. Americanized Italian fare and full bar, but short list of draft beers and no hard cider. We came in with a large party and were very well treated, even when we had to be reseated (last minute add-ons to our party). Solid cavatappi with just enough spice and the appetizers were great. People around the table were satisfied with their entrees but no one raved. Considering all the food we ordered, plus drinks, plus the generous tip, I feel like we got great value for our money, which is rare at a chain place. I'd go here again, especially if they keep the same quality of service.
(4)Evan G.
About 3 years ago I was in Orlando staying across the street from this hotel, so the person I was there with and me decided to walk across the street and check it out. We had never heard of it before and were shocked to learn that they were owned by the same people as Outback. The food quality was great and the service we had was amazing. The prices aren't too bad especially considering the size of the portions were decent (we both had left overs). I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(5)Bill S.
The food was great - as expected - but the service and manager were phenomenal. We visited this restaurant while in town to got to Disney World. Despite the fact that our daughter was so tired that she wasn't on her best behavior, the staff went out of their way to make her feel welcome. Our waitress was very pleasant - and very patient as we made a couple trips outside for "time outs.". Once things were settled down, we ate quickly and left. In our hurry, we didn't realize we left behind her special set of Minnie Mouse ears that she's worn every time she's visited the park. We searched everywhere for them, but it wasn't until we returned home to Knoxville that we realized where we must have left them. We called the restaurant and the staff cheerfully told us they found them! Doug, the manager, said he'd mail them to us here in Tennessee. Thanks for a great dinner, and for saving our little girl's special keepsake!
(5)Lisa D.
I am not a chain fan! The food was really good, especially for the price. Portions were huge, not really a plus for me. Atmosphere was nice. Wait staff was very nice. Ate pizza, calamari, and chicken marsala. All was good. Kids loved it too!
(5)Michael D.
Carrabba's is a fantastic Italian chain restaurant. If you've only ever eaten at Olive Garden, you seriously need to give Carrabba's a try. The pasta is always fresh and cooked to perfection. The drink specials are good. And the service is usually acceptable. Personal favorites are the Calamari and the Steamed Mussels for appetizers. The calamari is almost always crispy and fresh tasting, served hot with a delicious and flavorful marinara sauce. The Steamed Mussels are served in a large bowl tossed in a lemon-garlic-basil sauce which is AMAZING. For entrees, try the Chicken Marsala or the Pasta Weesie, which are both regularly ordered in my family. The Chicken Marsala is always cooked in a way that the chicken is flavorful and juicy. If you plan to go on a typically busy night [i.e. Friday / Saturday night], try calling ahead for Call Ahead Seating; it MIGHT save you a little bit of time. Wait times can easy pass one hour.
(4)Tom A.
Went out for dinner tonight and was in the mood for Italian food and decided to go to Carrabba's. We started off with the Mozzarella Mariana appetizer and I decided to have the "Pasta Carrabba" which was Fettuccini Alfredo with cut up pieces of chicken. The meal was great the best part about Carrabba's is the bread with the oil and seasoning. I give this five starts it's been a while since I had a great Italian meal and this hit the spot and I have some leftover for lunch tomorrow.
(5)Steven Q.
I was in Orlando for a tradeshow and this restaurant was recommended by the staff at our hotel (motel). The food was very good for a chain restaurant but it was not authentic Italian. The wood fired pizza was good, but the bottom of the pizza was a little bit charred. The service was good and we were seated quickly which is nice after standing all day at a show. If you are staying near the convention center the location is about a $40 cab ride away.
(4)George M.
I went to Orlando for a conference and extended the trip for a Disney World vacation. My wife wanted italian so I looked up a place on Yelp and found good reviews for this restaurant. The restaurant was pretty busy but we only had to wait a few minutes. Our server was friendly and provided prompt service. The food was really good and our kids really liked it. We liked it so much that we went twice during our one week stay. If you want a reasonably priced kid-friendly Italian meal near Disney World or Premium Outlet Mall then this is a great place to go.
(5)Excellent Italian Restaurant chain in the US. This one is very close to Universal Studios and I-Drive. We have good italians in the UK but this surpasses them all. The restaurant is always busy so making a reservation is advised or get there early so that you are not disappointed. The decor is very modern and the food is exquisite. Prices may seem higher than you would expect to pay but the portion sizes are good and we have never had a bad meal. You can even see in to the kitchens which can be quite the experience. The staff are very attentive and nothing is too much of a problem. Prior to your meal being served you get brought some bread and some herbs and olive oil to dip it in. This is truly one of the best taste sensations that I have experienced at an Italian restaurant. If you choose to go then you will not be disappointed.
(5)Roland S.
For a chain, this place had amazing service and very good food. Americanized Italian fare and full bar, but short list of draft beers and no hard cider. We came in with a large party and were very well treated, even when we had to be reseated (last minute add-ons to our party). Solid cavatappi with just enough spice and the appetizers were great. People around the table were satisfied with their entrees but no one raved. Considering all the food we ordered, plus drinks, plus the generous tip, I feel like we got great value for our money, which is rare at a chain place. I'd go here again, especially if they keep the same quality of service.
(4)Evan G.
About 3 years ago I was in Orlando staying across the street from this hotel, so the person I was there with and me decided to walk across the street and check it out. We had never heard of it before and were shocked to learn that they were owned by the same people as Outback. The food quality was great and the service we had was amazing. The prices aren't too bad especially considering the size of the portions were decent (we both had left overs). I would definitely recommend checking it out.
(5)Jamison E.
I had a great experience here while dining at the bar. The host was most gracious and made the experience very pleasant. Ive been to many Carrabba' s but this one stood out for the people and experience. Thanks!
(4)Rebecca C.
We ate here last night after a long day @ Universal Studios. Our server was very attentive and sharp. The kids enjoyed their spaghetti and my husband liked the ribs he ordered. I ordered the pasta fiortina (sp?) that was on their 'specials' menu. It came later than everyone else's for some reason. When it arrived , I realized it was missing the prosciutto that the dish was supposed to include. I told the server and she took it back to the kitchen. When she brought it back, there was a little bit added but hardly any. I was very disappointed that they didn't add more. I also would have expected the server to comp me the meal or offer a free dessert - no dice. Even w/o the prosciutto debacle, I think the food is average for the price you pay.
(3)Gilbert L.
Definitely no comparison to the Olive Garden. We never felt rushed through our dinner the way OG makes you feel. The service was great! Super friendly and quick. We were there at dinner time on a Wednesday and only and a 10 minute wait. We had Sangria with our dinner, pretty good, a little too much on the cinnamon side. My partner had the soup of the day which was a spicy chicken. Very good! For dinner he had the lasagna which was excellent! I had the Chicken Bryan which was so flavorful, that my mouth is watering right now just thinking about it. Looking forward to my next trip that has a Carrabba's near by.
(4)Shawn S.
I've tried many places for a simple spaghetti and meatballs, and every place has their own taste (particularly with the sauce and meatballs). I think this is the best deal for good quality, made fresh food and price. I get the well prepared spicy chicken soup (or salad) and a small loaf of fresh bread and olive oil which is included in the price of the meal. Definitely better than other chain restaurants like Olive Garden or Macaroni Grill. I've also tried Bravo Cucina and Brio Tuscan which serves the items separately and therefore more costly, and not any better food than Carrabbas.
(5)Bill S.
The food was great - as expected - but the service and manager were phenomenal. We visited this restaurant while in town to got to Disney World. Despite the fact that our daughter was so tired that she wasn't on her best behavior, the staff went out of their way to make her feel welcome. Our waitress was very pleasant - and very patient as we made a couple trips outside for "time outs.". Once things were settled down, we ate quickly and left. In our hurry, we didn't realize we left behind her special set of Minnie Mouse ears that she's worn every time she's visited the park. We searched everywhere for them, but it wasn't until we returned home to Knoxville that we realized where we must have left them. We called the restaurant and the staff cheerfully told us they found them! Doug, the manager, said he'd mail them to us here in Tennessee. Thanks for a great dinner, and for saving our little girl's special keepsake!
(5)Lisa D.
I am not a chain fan! The food was really good, especially for the price. Portions were huge, not really a plus for me. Atmosphere was nice. Wait staff was very nice. Ate pizza, calamari, and chicken marsala. All was good. Kids loved it too!
(5)Michael D.
Carrabba's is a fantastic Italian chain restaurant. If you've only ever eaten at Olive Garden, you seriously need to give Carrabba's a try. The pasta is always fresh and cooked to perfection. The drink specials are good. And the service is usually acceptable. Personal favorites are the Calamari and the Steamed Mussels for appetizers. The calamari is almost always crispy and fresh tasting, served hot with a delicious and flavorful marinara sauce. The Steamed Mussels are served in a large bowl tossed in a lemon-garlic-basil sauce which is AMAZING. For entrees, try the Chicken Marsala or the Pasta Weesie, which are both regularly ordered in my family. The Chicken Marsala is always cooked in a way that the chicken is flavorful and juicy. If you plan to go on a typically busy night [i.e. Friday / Saturday night], try calling ahead for Call Ahead Seating; it MIGHT save you a little bit of time. Wait times can easy pass one hour.
(4)Tom A.
Went out for dinner tonight and was in the mood for Italian food and decided to go to Carrabba's. We started off with the Mozzarella Mariana appetizer and I decided to have the "Pasta Carrabba" which was Fettuccini Alfredo with cut up pieces of chicken. The meal was great the best part about Carrabba's is the bread with the oil and seasoning. I give this five starts it's been a while since I had a great Italian meal and this hit the spot and I have some leftover for lunch tomorrow.
(5)Steven Q.
I was in Orlando for a tradeshow and this restaurant was recommended by the staff at our hotel (motel). The food was very good for a chain restaurant but it was not authentic Italian. The wood fired pizza was good, but the bottom of the pizza was a little bit charred. The service was good and we were seated quickly which is nice after standing all day at a show. If you are staying near the convention center the location is about a $40 cab ride away.
(4)Geno K.
I am an addict. When I lived in California, anytime I traveled to Orlando, Boston, Vegas... Carrabba's was always a must on the to do list. The shrimp scampi sauce is like CRACK... except its more addictive. And the chicken bryan is amazing. The tangy cheese mixed in with the sundried tomatoes, juicy grilled chicken. And the garlic mashed potatoes. God I love Carrabbas. And don't ever compare it to Olive Garden. OG is frozen TV dinner type junk.
(5)J R.
Great waiter + good food = great night!
(4)Elle H.
Honestly, sometimes a girl just wants a plate of pasta and a big ass glass of (happy hour) wine. Sometimes you want a place to bring the folks when they visit. (Sometimes those times are the same times). Good thing this Carrabba's fits both bills. It's a cheesy place to bring a first date - come on people get creative. The food is your basic American/Italian for the masses - about 4 steps up from the Olive Garden. The bread is fabulous! (Take some home, toast it, butter & honey or jam it, thank me.) Comforting soups, BUT the salads have recently (last few years) started to suck. Gone are the fresh(er) dressings & slices of carrot, replaced with bagged, dried out shavings of carrots and saltier dressings. You all really need to fix that. Also, I've noticed A LOT MORE SALT in your foods lately - CUT IT OUT! The service is almost always great! We have had a few 'regular' servers and even requested a few from time to time. The bartenders always send out a lovely pour or mix. That said, the hostesses are clueless. The last 4-6 times we have gone in and asked to be seated in a booth in the bar area (we're not fans of kids & their 'lenient' parents in restaurants) we have been met with one or more of the following: blank stares a feeling I had some new & offensive facial abnormality spontaneously erupt a look that says 'you people are jerks!' It is, however, humorous to watch them whisper to each other as though discussing the most recent launch codes. They always eventually show us to a desired area but rather in a manner suggesting our names have been taken. Steaks tend to be ever so slightly over cooked. The pasta has just left al dente behind. Neither is to the level of unappetizing or requiring of a return. We often call in for curbside service if a day at work is nuts & we don't want to cook or go out or have Chinese or pizza delivered. We have remembered this great service when we travel and just want to pick up a good meal and get to the hotel, eat, and go to bed.
(3)Delilah N.
I been going here for 4 years now. Great food and great service. Never disappointed. I love the blackberry sangria. The chicken bryan, the sirloin Marsala ( meat so tender) I have tried almost every plate on the menu and honestly I can recommend them all. Well I love Italian food!
(5)Arynn I.
Coming back to Florida for Thanksgiving, my parents and I were looking for a restaurant near their hotel. Carrabba's just so happened to be across the street. We got here at about 9:00pm and I was worried that we were too late to be seated. But we were ok and were seated right away. I hadn't been to Carrabba's in a long time. We figured it was a good place to eat at the last minute. I got the Margherita pizza - you can never go wrong with pizza. And i had some of the fresh bread that was brought to the table. They serve it with herbs and garlic and other spices with olive oil. My pizza was just right in terms of size and taste. It was actually a slice too much. But I did have to say I enjoyed the flavor and 'done-ness" of the pizza crust. It was different from other margherita pizzas I've had because there was some pepper on top so that changes the flavor of the pizza. I do like the large slices of mozzarella cheese that made up the pizza and the large sizes of the tomatoes. Other than pizza and a couple of the salads, I'm not sure I would really want anything else but I'm sure I will probably end up trying a different dish should I return! #Yelp 365 Challenge - 113/365
(4)Kelly H.
Even though this is a chain, this is one of my favorite Italian places to go to. They have a large selection on their menu and their prices are very reasonable. If you go before 7:00, they have happy hour where you get a quartino of wine for the price of a glass, which I always take advantage of. The service is always great and friendly from my experience, and the food comes fairly quick, but at a good pace for you to finish your appetizer and/or salad/soup before your entree comes out. Some of my top picks: caesar salad, sausage and lentil soup, fried mozarella, pollo rosa maria, fettucini alfredo, chicken parm, and the mezzaluna. This was the first place I ever tried fried mozarella, and I have not found a place that even comes close to being comparable. It's by far the best I've had.
(5)Steven D.
Liz is amazing! The food was incredible!
(4)Maria V.
We had dinner here on our first night on vacation since we were staying at a hotel across the street and it was great! I wish I could remember the name of our server but he was amazing! He was very attentive and was very nice.I would recommend this restaurant to anyone on vacation.
(5)Joe S.
Service was great as were the salads and bread. One friend had the Champagne Shrimp and Scallops Pasta special and enjoyed it. They weren't stingy with the seafood. However, two of us got dishes that includes chicken: Chicken Bryan and The Johnny. Stay away from any dish that contains chicken. While the garlic mashed potatoes on both dishes were adequate (where's the garlic?), and the sirloin on The Johnny was well cooked at medium and seasoned adequately, the chicken on both dishes was clearly processed. The chicken was presented as if it were a grilled breast. However, one bite made it clear that the chicken (all of which looked remarkably the same size and shape) was processed more than McNuggets. The grilled look and smoky taste were likely chemically manufactured, and the rubbery texture made it feel like we were chewing undercooked real chicken. Stay away from chicken dishes and stick to the steak, salads and pastas if you don't want to be disappointed.
(2)Gustavo A. L.
On a busy cool night we opted for an outside table. The service was very good, they checked on us often and always made sure we were ok. We opted for Pizzas, and they were pretty dismal- they might get a better star rating when we return and try other items in the menu. The place is reasonably priced, and the portions are good as well -
(4)San N.
Service - Friendly Reservations - None needed. Food - 1. Crab Cakes - Soggy and a lot of fillers. 2. Spinach/Goat Cheese Flatbread - Salty and too much garlic. 3. Caesar Salad - Drowning in dressing.
(1)Alyssa M.
Kayla is the BEST waitress I had while on vacation in Orlando. The food was brought out as soon as it was ready and our drinks were never below half empty. The food was good as well... But really the service is what will have me going back next time I'm in the area.
(5)Mike S.
The food tastes GREAT here. A much better chain restaurant then Olive Garden. I still prefer the no name mom and pop Italian joints, but if i had to pick a popular one, Carrabba's is the way to go. Every wednesday's all day is $10 off Wine bottles! Hell yea! Came here for a celebration work/dept dinner and we went nuts with the bottles. I recommend the Pinot noir they had. The house red kinda sucked, avoid it. 2 for 1 drinks during happy hour got us started on the right foot. The calmari is breaded differently, and thats a good thing. Still light, but something kinda like panko bread crumby. The mussels in white wine is awesome. Dip your warm yumm bread in the juice! Do it! Don't let the waitress steal my sweet Uncle Mussels juice!!! Had a group of 12 and the two servers kept us happy. Oh, the veal marsala was delicious. i also tried the lobster ravioli....good, but not really THAT good. very underwhelming. Reheated one leftover ravioli at 2 in the morn actually tasted better then the fresh order! (i'm sure drunk induced enjoyment though.) If it weren't for a work function, i'd dip my face in that wine mussel juice. DO IT!
(4)Carla L.
If Yelp had 1/2 stars this would have 3 1/2 .. I was debating long and hard between 3 and 4. Lets start off with service 5 stars for service! Patti was our server, she was friendly and we were out on the patio so when we asked not to be forgotten (which often happens when you are the only people outside) she made SURE we weren't. Plus there was another girl coming in and out doing other things but told us that if we needed ANYTHING to let her know. Excellent. Our Tomato Basil soup was truly delicious. Just amazing. Our main dishes however, all were good.. not bad .. just not great. Two of us ordered the coal fired pizzas, they were OK that was it. Not enough toppings, the dough just ok. The pasta ordered by my daughter the same. Just OK. Next time I will try the other dishes recommended by Geno and others. So for a place with so many great reviews, we expected more. Its not bad, just not awesome. Will I come back? Sure, why not?
(3)Derek S.
Food was excellent! The Chicken Bryan was amazing.
(4)Robert P.
Host non verbal, host that sat us threw the kids menus because she could not reach. The server had no finesse, placed the drinks next to the napkins.
(1)Claire Y.
Pretty solid food and drinks for a chain restaurant. I had the large mussels from the app menu and a side salad and was quite surprised at the large portions given they weren't entrees. The chicken "Bryan" dish is also excellent. Our server was a friendly lad who couldn't be more excited to show and convince us to get a dessert. We felt bad for the poor guy's hard trying, so we ended up each getting one of those shot-glass desserts (e.g. "tiramisu") which were just OK - nothing spectacular. I'm not sure how many "good" options of dining Orlando has, but for tourists like we were, I think this place fits the bill b/c there really isn't much risk-taking involved when you go to a well-recognized chain restaurant (instead of a hm-that-looks-decent-from-the-exterior random place). And, trust me --- we've been to some really disappointing (yet expensive for no reason) places during our stay in Orlando.
(3)Liz Z.
I was vacationing in the Walt Disney World Resort last wknd and we wanted to try Italian food for one night. I suggested CaRRabba's since my boyfriend had never been to one and i had fond memories of going to several and enjoying it immensely. Being pasta fiends, we headed over to the closest one to our hotel...and OMG, i was sooooo disappointed. I'm sure the dinner was scrumptious. But didn't get to eat, since 1.5 hr later, we still hadn't received it, although all the tables around us (who had seated after us) received their meals and check already. our waitress was sloppy, turning from this table to ours and back and forth, delivering her best of "diner table service" (you know the type, spilling alittle bit of the water from the cup, after slamming it on your table). she never refilled our ordered drinks, and only did one refill for my water glass. she never cleared our table from our appetizer and bread. so another waitress from another table actually saw our crowded table of empty dishes and did it herself. i have eaten out ALOT in different settings and countries, and this was about the best of the worst waitresses. when she FINALLY came around, my date requested for our dinners to be take-out (since it had not yet arrived) and the check. all flustered, she contacted her manager who then came by our table to express his apologies and that the dinners packaged would be on-the-house. ONLY good thing about this Carrabba's experience: if the food is slow, maybe they'll give it to you for free. but for the service, i hope to God, NO ONE gets that bleached-blonde chick as their waitress, b/c while looking around as we waited for our food & service, the other waiters seemed pretty extraordinary. The other Carrabba's franchises I've been to have been great. i don't know why experience had to suck. :-(
(2)Anika B.
The best Italian food ever! There is no place better than Carrabba's. Always delicious and seasoned and flavorful! I will eat here again. Thanks Carrabba's for such a wonderful experience and serving quality from scratch food.
(5)Viviana F.
Note to Carrabba's....Customers like round tables when there's a party of 5 or 6. Please remember this next time you have a meeting consisting of just 3 employees hogging the only round table in the restaurant at dinnertime. Other than the kid buser ogling my 15 year old sister, the food was excellent as usual. The chicken soup was perfect as was the chicken trio. I will be back but beware, if the round table is not available again due to an employee meeting, I'm going to go hover until you all move;o)
(4)Kyle K.
The only reason this wasn't one star was because the food was good. Service was terrible. From the unprofessionalism of the hosts (texting in direct sight, cursing) to the terrible waiter. At one point we had three waiters/waitresses helping us at one time (8 top). No apologies for mistakes and when the final checks came out (once they finally decided to come pick them up) we were fed up with waiting. 2 hour dinner that could have been much happier and quicker if there was a little more attention. And no, it wasn't busy. There were a total of 8 tables.
(2)Edna R.
It's so good! The services was excellent, very friendly staff. The day a go was very full but I don't have to wait a lot. I recommend this place. The price for the food are ok
(4)Carolina M.
I've been to the one in Miami and now this one twice. The staff is friendly and attentive. I love when they have their special deals. The food is good but I have had better Italian food. Sometimes depending on the dish I feel its priced highly for the amount you receive, but then again they include soup or salad and i guess that's where they get you. But overall I like it and I will return.
(4)