Tonight my family took a trip to the neighborhood Red Lobster for dinner. We had a couple gift cards so we figured this would be a good chance to have a night out, and there aren't a ton of options in Winter Haven at the moment. The party for this trip was comprised of my wife, daughter, sister-in-law, and me. With a cook for a wife, and her sister having an interest in cooking as well, this dinner provided a chance to test their pallets and try out some different meals. I had the "Shrimp Your Way" deal mixing the standard popcorn shrimp with coconut popcorn shrimp, fries, and a Caesar salad. As usual, the salad was good with their house Caesar dressing, the fries also came out very well. Not failing to meet my expectations, the shrimp were the show stoppers for the meal. I typically get the popcorn shrimp when I go to Red Lobster as its always good, but the coconut option blew me away. First off, the scent of sweetness from the coconut shrimp was intoxicating, on top of that the spice they put on the shrimp to cut the sweetness made for a perfect marriage of flavor. My wife and her sister had two of the pasta meals offered in the restaurant. The sister-in-law had the "Crab Linguini Alfredo," taking the half portion over the full. Her opinion was that they cooked it perfectly, the flavors all mingled well together, making for a very enjoyable experience. The half portion was more than enough to fill her up in one sitting. My wife had the "Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Alfredo" and raved about how impressed she was with the chicken, pasta, sauce, everything combined. The only thing she felt was less than perfect would be the Caesar dressing as she said there was a bit too much mustard taste to it, but not enough to ruin the salad. Our server, Christine, was great and took amazing care of the four of us tonight. The Winter Haven branch of Red Lobster has been nothing short of spectacular in every visit that I have made to their restaurant. As anyone who has ever been to Red Lobster can attest, the "Cheddar Bay Biscuits" are an amazing appetizer given to the table. While we didn't buy extra tonight, my wife and I typically purchase a couple bags of these biscuits for later use due to their great taste. I would easily recommend Red Lobster if you're looking for a good walk-in chain restaurant, especially if you're in Winter Haven, whether passing through, visiting LegoLand, or as a resident.
(4)
Jenny D.
Worst dinner I have ever had! Hubby ordered a Bud Light and watched bar tender fill class 1/3 with Mich. Lite after running out of Bud! Was going to try to pass it off but we caught him. My Lobster Linguini was spoiled and not eatable. We will never go back.
(1)
Liza M.
I am not at all a fan of chain restaurants, and strive to eat local whenever I can. Tonight being an exception, as it is my son's 13th birthday, and we always allow our children to pick a restaurant of their choice for their special birthday dinner. He chose Red Lobster. The food was passable, but typical boring chain fare. The service? Terrible. The server was friendly enough, but sloooooow. We were there for 2 hours and 20 minutes, for dinner on a Monday night. That is not including the wait time to be seated, but rather just the time we were at our table. Requests for condiments took so long we forgot we had asked for them and had already eaten the food without by the time it was brought to the table. And the worst was, we told the server upon being seated that it was our sons birthday, expecting a dessert as is the norm. Our daughter's meal included a dessert. At the end of the meal, the server brought the dessert to my son and they sang happy birthday, and she walked away. When she came back several minutes later, I asked about my daughter's dessert, and she said she gave it to my son as they "dont do free birthday desserts." I would have had no issue paying for a second ice cream, but I thought it was tacky and poor service to give one child's dessert to the other child, with no mention to the parents. By this point I was frustrated and did not want to wait for another ice cream. We left without dessert for our daughter. I have no issue with spending $200 for a quality dinner experience for my family, especially as a birthday treat. But to spend that kind of money and walk away unsatisfied, that's hard to swallow. Doubtful that we will be visiting Red Lobster again anytime soon.
(1)
Felix B.
This was by far the worst restaurant I have ever been to. To begin, my group and I waited over an hour just to be seated. On top of that, it took us over 20 minutes to finally get a waiter. Not only did we wait ages to get one but he was extremely rude. Every time we asked him for service he gave us a horrible attitude. We got our appetizers an hour after and they arrived after my main course. Our drinks never arrived and all the food was cold. If I could give this place 0 stars I would because they don't even deserve one.
(1)
James O.
Over priced,over salted, mediocre food. I know that central Florida is lacking in the restaurant diversity category, but really there are much better options out there. Especially for seafood (this if Florida!).
(1)
Jamie B.
Food is awesome! I love the chicken alfredo!! Even though The last few times before when I've been here the service has been beyond slow, and it wasn't even busy either times. It usually takes forever to get refills whether it's your drink or biscuits but this last time we had a server named Haley who was great! She kept our drinks and biscuits coming. The bartender Diane offers really grear service as well as long as you dont mind sitting in the bar area. Food is wonderful. I just wish good service was a little more consistent among the servers.
(4)
M B.
Went on a Monday night. Party of 3. Waited about 15 minutes to get a table. That's fine. It was my bday. When I went to the restroom my wife asked the waiter to surprise me with a cake at the end of dinner. That never happened, he forgot. He also had to be reminded on 3 different occasions to bring us water. Food was great but waiter was not attentive . Little things like that mess up the night....attention to detail......
(3)
Deke K.
Upon recommendation of a friend to choose this location over the other Polk County location (in Lakeland) for better service, we strolled in at 11:30 on a Sunday holiday. The parking lot was already full to overflow and we were told "35 minute wait" and given a beeper. We did not wait five minutes before it went off and we were seated in the bar area in a booth. Water came swiftly. They have a complex series of three menus that take a while to figure out. Bring a sweater, the place is chilly. We delighted in being offered lunch or dinner portions and prices. The infamous buttery cheese biscuits were brought promptly and warmly. They soothe any soul. We ordered the $9 coconut shrimp appetizer. Best I've had anywhere. Large and flavorful, served with a sweet pineapple sauce and a pineapple wedge. We both ordered the grilled tilapia with pineapple sauce. It was cooked perfectly and melted in our mouths. The $10 lunch portion came with a generous salad and two sides. My company felt her salad was wilty, I felt it was "perfect" despite burying in too many croutons. My broccoli was cooked perfectly, she enjoyed her mashed taters though noted they were salty. We also got roasted veggies, which came oddly cubed but was tasty. No room for dessert but we were well-satisfied. As we left, the line wrapped around building. So my best advice is avoid the 12 to 1 weekend lunch hour. The servers were always busy and moving. Ours was not intuitive about timing for courses, refills or the bill. Including tip, we spent $37 with no beverages or desserts. It was a huge meal. I took a star because it was "definitely chain" food, consistent and tasty but not vivid or special. Five star has to leave me drooling for more.
(4)
Eli I.
I was staying at the hotel next door, so I decided to give the Red Lobster a try. It was pretty late and the place was winding down. Service was good- I was seated and got my order in very quickly. Iced Tea refills came without prompting. I was offered additional biscuits (they are very good). I ordered the full grilled salmon, which came with salad, broccoli and baked potato. The Grilled Salmon was great and I'm glad I got the 'full' order. My meal including drink came to be $23.
(3)
Jim C.
Best Red Lobster in Polk County.......friendly staff, clean restaurant, great food. We prefer this location over the other location in Polk. We are very seldom disappointed here.
(4)
Deanna J.
Red Lobster has, in the last ten years, gone to great lengths to change their image. The servers used to wear colorful shirts with fish, shorts were permitted, and the decor was lighthearted. Now the theme is more sophisticated like Olive Garden, with black and white attire, long aprons and 86 surfboards and crabs with happy faces. Even the actual layout has changed-where large tables used to be, now there are aisles of booths. Small towns like Winter Haven thrive on chains like Red Lobster and Outback, because let's face it, there aren't too many other options. But I do hope the citizens of Winter Haven and the like understand these chains are a disgrace to the restaurant industry. What I dislike the most about the Darden chain is that they made all the effort to change the look and style of Red Lobster, but not change the real problem; which is their ridiculous three table rule. Never understood why you have to wait 45 minutes to be seated but their are lots of open tables? A server can only take three tables at a time. Waiting 45 minutes on a Wednesday night is unacceptable. Not because the wait really is 45 minutes; but because the restaurant was probably just as busy the Wednesday before. Why there are not more servers on staff, or the three table rule is eliminated, is beyond me. This Red Lobster and all others are a joke. To pay that much money for seafood that has been in a freezer is... sad.
(2)
Heather W.
7pm is not the time to go to dinner at Red Lobster- they are extremely busy and you can expect to wait about 35-45 minutes on a weekday. Seafood is their specialty so if you do not order it, don't expect anything great. My experience was not so great as the steak I ordered was frozen and did not come out with my table's order and when it was served, was still cold and bleeding. Since I ordered it medium rare, I expect some redness but not completely raw. On the second attempt, the steak was well done so, I did not give them a third chance. The staff; however, is friendly and will make sure you are happy and satisfied and did reduce our bill. The manager took a minute and tried to ensure our table was happy, but I have to say, I will not go back.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Parking : Private Lot Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Very Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Chris S.
Tonight my family took a trip to the neighborhood Red Lobster for dinner. We had a couple gift cards so we figured this would be a good chance to have a night out, and there aren't a ton of options in Winter Haven at the moment. The party for this trip was comprised of my wife, daughter, sister-in-law, and me. With a cook for a wife, and her sister having an interest in cooking as well, this dinner provided a chance to test their pallets and try out some different meals. I had the "Shrimp Your Way" deal mixing the standard popcorn shrimp with coconut popcorn shrimp, fries, and a Caesar salad. As usual, the salad was good with their house Caesar dressing, the fries also came out very well. Not failing to meet my expectations, the shrimp were the show stoppers for the meal. I typically get the popcorn shrimp when I go to Red Lobster as its always good, but the coconut option blew me away. First off, the scent of sweetness from the coconut shrimp was intoxicating, on top of that the spice they put on the shrimp to cut the sweetness made for a perfect marriage of flavor. My wife and her sister had two of the pasta meals offered in the restaurant. The sister-in-law had the "Crab Linguini Alfredo," taking the half portion over the full. Her opinion was that they cooked it perfectly, the flavors all mingled well together, making for a very enjoyable experience. The half portion was more than enough to fill her up in one sitting. My wife had the "Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Alfredo" and raved about how impressed she was with the chicken, pasta, sauce, everything combined. The only thing she felt was less than perfect would be the Caesar dressing as she said there was a bit too much mustard taste to it, but not enough to ruin the salad. Our server, Christine, was great and took amazing care of the four of us tonight. The Winter Haven branch of Red Lobster has been nothing short of spectacular in every visit that I have made to their restaurant. As anyone who has ever been to Red Lobster can attest, the "Cheddar Bay Biscuits" are an amazing appetizer given to the table. While we didn't buy extra tonight, my wife and I typically purchase a couple bags of these biscuits for later use due to their great taste. I would easily recommend Red Lobster if you're looking for a good walk-in chain restaurant, especially if you're in Winter Haven, whether passing through, visiting LegoLand, or as a resident.
(4)Jenny D.
Worst dinner I have ever had! Hubby ordered a Bud Light and watched bar tender fill class 1/3 with Mich. Lite after running out of Bud! Was going to try to pass it off but we caught him. My Lobster Linguini was spoiled and not eatable. We will never go back.
(1)Liza M.
I am not at all a fan of chain restaurants, and strive to eat local whenever I can. Tonight being an exception, as it is my son's 13th birthday, and we always allow our children to pick a restaurant of their choice for their special birthday dinner. He chose Red Lobster. The food was passable, but typical boring chain fare. The service? Terrible. The server was friendly enough, but sloooooow. We were there for 2 hours and 20 minutes, for dinner on a Monday night. That is not including the wait time to be seated, but rather just the time we were at our table. Requests for condiments took so long we forgot we had asked for them and had already eaten the food without by the time it was brought to the table. And the worst was, we told the server upon being seated that it was our sons birthday, expecting a dessert as is the norm. Our daughter's meal included a dessert. At the end of the meal, the server brought the dessert to my son and they sang happy birthday, and she walked away. When she came back several minutes later, I asked about my daughter's dessert, and she said she gave it to my son as they "dont do free birthday desserts." I would have had no issue paying for a second ice cream, but I thought it was tacky and poor service to give one child's dessert to the other child, with no mention to the parents. By this point I was frustrated and did not want to wait for another ice cream. We left without dessert for our daughter. I have no issue with spending $200 for a quality dinner experience for my family, especially as a birthday treat. But to spend that kind of money and walk away unsatisfied, that's hard to swallow. Doubtful that we will be visiting Red Lobster again anytime soon.
(1)Felix B.
This was by far the worst restaurant I have ever been to. To begin, my group and I waited over an hour just to be seated. On top of that, it took us over 20 minutes to finally get a waiter. Not only did we wait ages to get one but he was extremely rude. Every time we asked him for service he gave us a horrible attitude. We got our appetizers an hour after and they arrived after my main course. Our drinks never arrived and all the food was cold. If I could give this place 0 stars I would because they don't even deserve one.
(1)James O.
Over priced,over salted, mediocre food. I know that central Florida is lacking in the restaurant diversity category, but really there are much better options out there. Especially for seafood (this if Florida!).
(1)Jamie B.
Food is awesome! I love the chicken alfredo!! Even though The last few times before when I've been here the service has been beyond slow, and it wasn't even busy either times. It usually takes forever to get refills whether it's your drink or biscuits but this last time we had a server named Haley who was great! She kept our drinks and biscuits coming. The bartender Diane offers really grear service as well as long as you dont mind sitting in the bar area. Food is wonderful. I just wish good service was a little more consistent among the servers.
(4)M B.
Went on a Monday night. Party of 3. Waited about 15 minutes to get a table. That's fine. It was my bday. When I went to the restroom my wife asked the waiter to surprise me with a cake at the end of dinner. That never happened, he forgot. He also had to be reminded on 3 different occasions to bring us water. Food was great but waiter was not attentive . Little things like that mess up the night....attention to detail......
(3)Deke K.
Upon recommendation of a friend to choose this location over the other Polk County location (in Lakeland) for better service, we strolled in at 11:30 on a Sunday holiday. The parking lot was already full to overflow and we were told "35 minute wait" and given a beeper. We did not wait five minutes before it went off and we were seated in the bar area in a booth. Water came swiftly. They have a complex series of three menus that take a while to figure out. Bring a sweater, the place is chilly. We delighted in being offered lunch or dinner portions and prices. The infamous buttery cheese biscuits were brought promptly and warmly. They soothe any soul. We ordered the $9 coconut shrimp appetizer. Best I've had anywhere. Large and flavorful, served with a sweet pineapple sauce and a pineapple wedge. We both ordered the grilled tilapia with pineapple sauce. It was cooked perfectly and melted in our mouths. The $10 lunch portion came with a generous salad and two sides. My company felt her salad was wilty, I felt it was "perfect" despite burying in too many croutons. My broccoli was cooked perfectly, she enjoyed her mashed taters though noted they were salty. We also got roasted veggies, which came oddly cubed but was tasty. No room for dessert but we were well-satisfied. As we left, the line wrapped around building. So my best advice is avoid the 12 to 1 weekend lunch hour. The servers were always busy and moving. Ours was not intuitive about timing for courses, refills or the bill. Including tip, we spent $37 with no beverages or desserts. It was a huge meal. I took a star because it was "definitely chain" food, consistent and tasty but not vivid or special. Five star has to leave me drooling for more.
(4)Eli I.
I was staying at the hotel next door, so I decided to give the Red Lobster a try. It was pretty late and the place was winding down. Service was good- I was seated and got my order in very quickly. Iced Tea refills came without prompting. I was offered additional biscuits (they are very good). I ordered the full grilled salmon, which came with salad, broccoli and baked potato. The Grilled Salmon was great and I'm glad I got the 'full' order. My meal including drink came to be $23.
(3)Jim C.
Best Red Lobster in Polk County.......friendly staff, clean restaurant, great food. We prefer this location over the other location in Polk. We are very seldom disappointed here.
(4)Deanna J.
Red Lobster has, in the last ten years, gone to great lengths to change their image. The servers used to wear colorful shirts with fish, shorts were permitted, and the decor was lighthearted. Now the theme is more sophisticated like Olive Garden, with black and white attire, long aprons and 86 surfboards and crabs with happy faces. Even the actual layout has changed-where large tables used to be, now there are aisles of booths. Small towns like Winter Haven thrive on chains like Red Lobster and Outback, because let's face it, there aren't too many other options. But I do hope the citizens of Winter Haven and the like understand these chains are a disgrace to the restaurant industry. What I dislike the most about the Darden chain is that they made all the effort to change the look and style of Red Lobster, but not change the real problem; which is their ridiculous three table rule. Never understood why you have to wait 45 minutes to be seated but their are lots of open tables? A server can only take three tables at a time. Waiting 45 minutes on a Wednesday night is unacceptable. Not because the wait really is 45 minutes; but because the restaurant was probably just as busy the Wednesday before. Why there are not more servers on staff, or the three table rule is eliminated, is beyond me. This Red Lobster and all others are a joke. To pay that much money for seafood that has been in a freezer is... sad.
(2)Heather W.
7pm is not the time to go to dinner at Red Lobster- they are extremely busy and you can expect to wait about 35-45 minutes on a weekday. Seafood is their specialty so if you do not order it, don't expect anything great. My experience was not so great as the steak I ordered was frozen and did not come out with my table's order and when it was served, was still cold and bleeding. Since I ordered it medium rare, I expect some redness but not completely raw. On the second attempt, the steak was well done so, I did not give them a third chance. The staff; however, is friendly and will make sure you are happy and satisfied and did reduce our bill. The manager took a minute and tried to ensure our table was happy, but I have to say, I will not go back.
(2)