Ducked in with the fam to celebrate Aunt Weezy's birthday party and was happy I did, specifically because: * I had the dinner deal meal, 3-courses for under $20 * I enjoyed the Steak / Sirloin Marsala and it was DELISH * The salad was fresh and tasty * The chocolate dream dessert was also a hit * Bob bought - SCORE! Thank you, Bob! I've been to this location a few other times with the fam. It is smallish and very busy with the blue-haired and seasonal crowd, so plan accordingly. They are currently undergoing an incremental construction upgrade so it is a continuing and slowly proceeding work-in-progress The most unimpressive thing about the entire experience, this time, was that the fried calamari was unimpressive. Great and super friendly service. I shall be back.
(4)
Uwe L.
Sure sucks out loud Hide contact carrabbas since I moved down to the state of Florida in 2003. I have found this place to serve consistently over salted food no matter what my dish was so if I'm driving down through any state in every state of the United States of America and I stopped by a caraba establishment. I can expect to have consistently over salted food and very very poor service so why would I want to pay for this what am I an idiot
(1)
Warren R.
Having lived in Port Charlotte for years, this is maybe sad to say, but they have the best steaks in town. Skip the steakhouses in town and come straight here if you're desiring a perfectly cooked delicious hunk of steak. It's delicious. I also tried the chicken on a couple of occasions, that was also surprisingly juicy and delicious. Nice interior atmosphere, and also outdoor seating available. The service has always been pretty good, although it can tend to get pretty crowded. Call ahead on weekends or you will encounter a wait. Atmosphere: 4 Service: 3.5 Food: 4.5 Price: 4 Overall: 4
(4)
Amy W.
Horrible!! I would recommend avoiding this particular restaurant at all costs, that is unless you would like to wait over 60mins (they'll tell you 20mins though) and you enjoy a dead bug or two in your drink! GROSS & NO THANK YOU CARRABBAS! Take your business elsewhere.
(1)
Tom Y.
This was our first visit to Carrabbas and we were very impressed. The place was very busy and we waited about 45 minutes for a table. In the meantime, we found a spot by the bar and had some wine. Despite being very busy, the bartender served us immediately and with a big smile. We noticed all the bartender were very friendly and smiling while they worked. We finally were seated and our server, Heather, promptly took our order. The food was well prepared and delicious. Heather checked our table frequently. We were very impressed with the excellent food and service. Will definitely return.
(5)
Diane H.
We needed a simple dinner for 3 and decided on carry out. This restaurant is right off Siesta Key, and the beauty is it is a chain so you know what you get. Two dinners were more than enough for the three of us. Will do this again.
(4)
Fred S.
Great meal! Five of us came in for dinner and each had a different meal. We all just about licked our plates. Service was fantastic too!! Friendly and fast. What a great place to eat. A definite keeper.
(5)
Liz L.
step up from Olive garden, step down from real Italian food. People around here LOVE chains, so this place is always pretty packed, even if you have a reservation you can expect to wait. My parents love coming here and every visit is pretty solid and what I anticipated so I cant complain too much, but good lord.... THE FOOD HERE IS SO SALTY! My boyfriend and I could not finish our entrees, it was that bad and I am a salt person. Not sure if that is a location problem or a Carrabba's problem though, but yikes. Happy hour two for one martinis tasted great, and the pumpkin ravioli appetizer would have made an amazing entree... If i get dragged back I may ask them about that next time. Some people will think this is the most amazing food ever, others will just think its ok or a salt bomb like myself.
(3)
Carmy R.
Love this place - the food is excellent and considering i am italian says a lot. (changed to smaller portions recently but it's ok) Service not bad half the time. When it's busy then the negligence kicks in. Understandable to a point. I will continue to return to this location when I visit my family.
(4)
Rich B.
I thought the food at Carrabba's was ok. The thing that I don't care for is that they don't really change their menu. I like the happy hour drink specials that they offer. Carrabba's needs more of a variety of food choices on their menu.
(4)
David H.
Best major Italian chain there is. Way better than olive garden. I don't know whats wrong with the other guy that reviewed this place. Well worth the money but its always crowded I mean crowded like at least a 30 minute wait.
(4)
Patricia W.
Wait person Hayley very good. Most Congenial. Half off appetizers and drinks too. Great deal
(4)
Brian R.
Best pasta in Port Charlotte! We've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table. Excellent food, superb service! 4 out of 5 stars!!!
(4)
Tracy R.
Excellent food and service. Had the sirloin steak with lobster ravioli. The steak was really the best I ever had and cooked to perfection. Fabulous sangria!
(5)
Kathy P.
For our anniversary we went to Carrabbas since we heard it was changed for the. better. We were surprised with the new interior renovations which were warm and inviting. We started with the flatbread, meatballs and riccotta which was brick oven fired and so tasty. The lasagne and chicken marsala was the best.
(5)
RicMelody S.
Never had a bad meal here. My husband and 2 kids always share just 2 dinners so it is affordable that way and there is SOOOO much food we STILL don't finish it all. The bread is DELICIOUS too. Kids LOVE the chicken soup that comes with the meals. I hear they are starting half off on drinks and appetizers before 7pm. If that is the case then that is a great deal as well if you are going to go out. We love the smell of the wood burning stove. Reminds me of Europe.
(5)
Marlene C.
Food is always good here. It'is the best Italian inspired chain. I usually don't frequent chains but it's always good & I've never had a bad meal @ this Carrabba's. There is always a wait so I recommend using call or online check-in.
(5)
Jake M.
AVOID AT ALL COST!!!!Liked the chain when I lived in Ohio, found a dead fly in the bottom of my beer while waiting for my table, told the waitress who said that it flew in there after she poured it even though it was stuck to the bottom of the glass, also made reservations and arrived 10 min early, they said it would be 20 min wait, waited for just over an hour before I got seated it took the 45 more minutes to bring the food which was cold.
(1)
Sal G.
Carrabba's...I love you. You bring the sunshine of hope back to Port Charlotte. Unlike other chains that pride themselves on mediocrity, this big box Italian restaurant prides itself on giving you mediocrity (+2). In Port Charlotte, that is a big deal since there are just SO many places that pride themselves on serving as many "silver tops" as possible at the lowest price with some fairly poor food. I must say that no matter where I go, that Carrabba's is always consistent with its service and its food. I am not one to wait, but for some reason I found myself waiting for about 10 minutes. I could have sat right away, but I wanted a booth. You know it must be in season when the establishment is packed on a Monday night. The hostesses were good mannered and took all the crap that the other guests gave with a smile. Why do these "silver tops" have to be so mean? I never understood that; you get far much more using sweets when it comes to children. As soon as a booth opened we were seated. Our server didn't come right away, but she apologized profusely when she did arrive; that was her only service mishap the entire night. We immediately put in our drinks and appetizers as our server brought out the bread, butter, and oil seasoning: Chicken noodle Soup (this would be the side for one of the meals) Fried mozzarella Fried Calamari Coke Unsweet Iced Tea with Lemon I don't know why we didn't just order our entrees at that point. We always get the same thing; but I just had to look through the menu to see what was on it. As our appetizers arrived, we went ahead and ordered our usual entrees: Veal Parmigiana with a side of fettucine and meat sauce Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu with a Mediterranean salad I have never been a big fan of the soup here, but that is fine since I am normally quite picky when it comes to soup and don't like it at many places. The mozzarella and the calamari were spot on. They both came out hot and crispy. I find it amazing that a chain can do such a great job of cooking fried calamari. Calamari is one of the easiest proteins to overcook, especially when it comes to frying it. Each time I order the calamari it is soft and flavorful as opposed to the rubbery, fishiness you get at just about every other restaurant out there. It is covered with a simple, flaky breading with salt and pepper and a side of marinara. I order it just about every time. As I was eating my dish of calamari (please, no sharing) my salad arrived. Typical salad that has been over-drenched dressing with wilted vegetables sparsely thrown in. Oh well, I never come for the salad. I contented myself with the calamari and started to eat some of the bread. I love to eat olive oil with my bread -- when it tastes good. This is another amazing feat for this chain: the oil isn't bad. It's by no means Extra Virgin, First, Cold-Pressed olive oil but the it is far from being the bad or rancid oil that so many places serve. I put the salad to the side and enjoyed the bread and calamari. As I finished the calamari, our entrees arrived. I went ahead and snagged some of the Veal Parmigiana before my friend got too far into it. It was piping hot, but it was a little mushy. I don't like it when fried foods get mushy. Most people can handle that in when it comes to Parmigiana, but not I. Buca Di Beppo somehow manages to keep it crispy and I like the Parmigiana there. I moved back to my plate. While it has an intricate and Italian name, the Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu (TAH-lee-ah-ree-nee / PEE-key / PAH-kee-ooh) is really just a very simple yet good marinara (meatless) sauce on linguine. Chunks of tomato and garlic with basil throughout, I truly enjoy this dish. My only point of contention is that the noodles are never done al dente, but a tad over. That is really the only reason I can never give this chain a 5-star review. I will continue to return as this chain restaurant is just leagues above so many "Ma and Pa" Italian places. A good rule that I have when eating Italian out: If I can make it at home, I am probably not going to go out to get it.
(4)
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Address :1811 N Tamiami Trl
Port Charlotte, FL, 33948
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : 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.
Steve C.
Ducked in with the fam to celebrate Aunt Weezy's birthday party and was happy I did, specifically because: * I had the dinner deal meal, 3-courses for under $20 * I enjoyed the Steak / Sirloin Marsala and it was DELISH * The salad was fresh and tasty * The chocolate dream dessert was also a hit * Bob bought - SCORE! Thank you, Bob! I've been to this location a few other times with the fam. It is smallish and very busy with the blue-haired and seasonal crowd, so plan accordingly. They are currently undergoing an incremental construction upgrade so it is a continuing and slowly proceeding work-in-progress The most unimpressive thing about the entire experience, this time, was that the fried calamari was unimpressive. Great and super friendly service. I shall be back.
(4)Uwe L.
Sure sucks out loud Hide contact carrabbas since I moved down to the state of Florida in 2003. I have found this place to serve consistently over salted food no matter what my dish was so if I'm driving down through any state in every state of the United States of America and I stopped by a caraba establishment. I can expect to have consistently over salted food and very very poor service so why would I want to pay for this what am I an idiot
(1)Warren R.
Having lived in Port Charlotte for years, this is maybe sad to say, but they have the best steaks in town. Skip the steakhouses in town and come straight here if you're desiring a perfectly cooked delicious hunk of steak. It's delicious. I also tried the chicken on a couple of occasions, that was also surprisingly juicy and delicious. Nice interior atmosphere, and also outdoor seating available. The service has always been pretty good, although it can tend to get pretty crowded. Call ahead on weekends or you will encounter a wait. Atmosphere: 4 Service: 3.5 Food: 4.5 Price: 4 Overall: 4
(4)Amy W.
Horrible!! I would recommend avoiding this particular restaurant at all costs, that is unless you would like to wait over 60mins (they'll tell you 20mins though) and you enjoy a dead bug or two in your drink! GROSS & NO THANK YOU CARRABBAS! Take your business elsewhere.
(1)Tom Y.
This was our first visit to Carrabbas and we were very impressed. The place was very busy and we waited about 45 minutes for a table. In the meantime, we found a spot by the bar and had some wine. Despite being very busy, the bartender served us immediately and with a big smile. We noticed all the bartender were very friendly and smiling while they worked. We finally were seated and our server, Heather, promptly took our order. The food was well prepared and delicious. Heather checked our table frequently. We were very impressed with the excellent food and service. Will definitely return.
(5)Diane H.
We needed a simple dinner for 3 and decided on carry out. This restaurant is right off Siesta Key, and the beauty is it is a chain so you know what you get. Two dinners were more than enough for the three of us. Will do this again.
(4)Fred S.
Great meal! Five of us came in for dinner and each had a different meal. We all just about licked our plates. Service was fantastic too!! Friendly and fast. What a great place to eat. A definite keeper.
(5)Liz L.
step up from Olive garden, step down from real Italian food. People around here LOVE chains, so this place is always pretty packed, even if you have a reservation you can expect to wait. My parents love coming here and every visit is pretty solid and what I anticipated so I cant complain too much, but good lord.... THE FOOD HERE IS SO SALTY! My boyfriend and I could not finish our entrees, it was that bad and I am a salt person. Not sure if that is a location problem or a Carrabba's problem though, but yikes. Happy hour two for one martinis tasted great, and the pumpkin ravioli appetizer would have made an amazing entree... If i get dragged back I may ask them about that next time. Some people will think this is the most amazing food ever, others will just think its ok or a salt bomb like myself.
(3)Carmy R.
Love this place - the food is excellent and considering i am italian says a lot. (changed to smaller portions recently but it's ok) Service not bad half the time. When it's busy then the negligence kicks in. Understandable to a point. I will continue to return to this location when I visit my family.
(4)Rich B.
I thought the food at Carrabba's was ok. The thing that I don't care for is that they don't really change their menu. I like the happy hour drink specials that they offer. Carrabba's needs more of a variety of food choices on their menu.
(4)David H.
Best major Italian chain there is. Way better than olive garden. I don't know whats wrong with the other guy that reviewed this place. Well worth the money but its always crowded I mean crowded like at least a 30 minute wait.
(4)Patricia W.
Wait person Hayley very good. Most Congenial. Half off appetizers and drinks too. Great deal
(4)Brian R.
Best pasta in Port Charlotte! We've never had to wait more than 5 minutes for a table. Excellent food, superb service! 4 out of 5 stars!!!
(4)Tracy R.
Excellent food and service. Had the sirloin steak with lobster ravioli. The steak was really the best I ever had and cooked to perfection. Fabulous sangria!
(5)Kathy P.
For our anniversary we went to Carrabbas since we heard it was changed for the. better. We were surprised with the new interior renovations which were warm and inviting. We started with the flatbread, meatballs and riccotta which was brick oven fired and so tasty. The lasagne and chicken marsala was the best.
(5)RicMelody S.
Never had a bad meal here. My husband and 2 kids always share just 2 dinners so it is affordable that way and there is SOOOO much food we STILL don't finish it all. The bread is DELICIOUS too. Kids LOVE the chicken soup that comes with the meals. I hear they are starting half off on drinks and appetizers before 7pm. If that is the case then that is a great deal as well if you are going to go out. We love the smell of the wood burning stove. Reminds me of Europe.
(5)Marlene C.
Food is always good here. It'is the best Italian inspired chain. I usually don't frequent chains but it's always good & I've never had a bad meal @ this Carrabba's. There is always a wait so I recommend using call or online check-in.
(5)Jake M.
AVOID AT ALL COST!!!!Liked the chain when I lived in Ohio, found a dead fly in the bottom of my beer while waiting for my table, told the waitress who said that it flew in there after she poured it even though it was stuck to the bottom of the glass, also made reservations and arrived 10 min early, they said it would be 20 min wait, waited for just over an hour before I got seated it took the 45 more minutes to bring the food which was cold.
(1)Sal G.
Carrabba's...I love you. You bring the sunshine of hope back to Port Charlotte. Unlike other chains that pride themselves on mediocrity, this big box Italian restaurant prides itself on giving you mediocrity (+2). In Port Charlotte, that is a big deal since there are just SO many places that pride themselves on serving as many "silver tops" as possible at the lowest price with some fairly poor food. I must say that no matter where I go, that Carrabba's is always consistent with its service and its food. I am not one to wait, but for some reason I found myself waiting for about 10 minutes. I could have sat right away, but I wanted a booth. You know it must be in season when the establishment is packed on a Monday night. The hostesses were good mannered and took all the crap that the other guests gave with a smile. Why do these "silver tops" have to be so mean? I never understood that; you get far much more using sweets when it comes to children. As soon as a booth opened we were seated. Our server didn't come right away, but she apologized profusely when she did arrive; that was her only service mishap the entire night. We immediately put in our drinks and appetizers as our server brought out the bread, butter, and oil seasoning: Chicken noodle Soup (this would be the side for one of the meals) Fried mozzarella Fried Calamari Coke Unsweet Iced Tea with Lemon I don't know why we didn't just order our entrees at that point. We always get the same thing; but I just had to look through the menu to see what was on it. As our appetizers arrived, we went ahead and ordered our usual entrees: Veal Parmigiana with a side of fettucine and meat sauce Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu with a Mediterranean salad I have never been a big fan of the soup here, but that is fine since I am normally quite picky when it comes to soup and don't like it at many places. The mozzarella and the calamari were spot on. They both came out hot and crispy. I find it amazing that a chain can do such a great job of cooking fried calamari. Calamari is one of the easiest proteins to overcook, especially when it comes to frying it. Each time I order the calamari it is soft and flavorful as opposed to the rubbery, fishiness you get at just about every other restaurant out there. It is covered with a simple, flaky breading with salt and pepper and a side of marinara. I order it just about every time. As I was eating my dish of calamari (please, no sharing) my salad arrived. Typical salad that has been over-drenched dressing with wilted vegetables sparsely thrown in. Oh well, I never come for the salad. I contented myself with the calamari and started to eat some of the bread. I love to eat olive oil with my bread -- when it tastes good. This is another amazing feat for this chain: the oil isn't bad. It's by no means Extra Virgin, First, Cold-Pressed olive oil but the it is far from being the bad or rancid oil that so many places serve. I put the salad to the side and enjoyed the bread and calamari. As I finished the calamari, our entrees arrived. I went ahead and snagged some of the Veal Parmigiana before my friend got too far into it. It was piping hot, but it was a little mushy. I don't like it when fried foods get mushy. Most people can handle that in when it comes to Parmigiana, but not I. Buca Di Beppo somehow manages to keep it crispy and I like the Parmigiana there. I moved back to my plate. While it has an intricate and Italian name, the Tagliarini Picchi Pacchiu (TAH-lee-ah-ree-nee / PEE-key / PAH-kee-ooh) is really just a very simple yet good marinara (meatless) sauce on linguine. Chunks of tomato and garlic with basil throughout, I truly enjoy this dish. My only point of contention is that the noodles are never done al dente, but a tad over. That is really the only reason I can never give this chain a 5-star review. I will continue to return as this chain restaurant is just leagues above so many "Ma and Pa" Italian places. A good rule that I have when eating Italian out: If I can make it at home, I am probably not going to go out to get it.
(4)