When this first came to the area I had not interest in eating there. I saw the long lines outside, but I figured it was just another one of those Olive Garden situations where people believe it's good because people say it is and the commercials are so enticing. I'm a food snob, I like real food, I didn't think I'd like it. Fast forward to this past fall when members of my husband's family were visiting from out of town. My sister-in-law and niece both have severe celiac disease so they need to be very, very careful about where they eat. They carry a special book that lists "safe" eating establishments for cities in the US. Carrabba's was on the list. Ergo, we went to Carrabba's - I was fully expecting to be underwhelmed. I was thrilled with everything! I know, I know, I shouldn't pass judgment, don't judge a book by its cover, etc. I humbly admit that I was wrong. The service was great. The restaurant is lovely. Our group included 9 adults and 2 children. Everything that was ordered was wonderful. My friend, who has been my gourmet food cohort since before high school, was with us and her gourmet pallet was also impressed. The calamari was nice and crispy and the sauce was good. The bruschetta was also very good with a nice balance of flavors; and the bread was excellent. Now that I mention the bread, the bread they brought to the table was also excellent and by the time the entrees arrived there wasn't a piece remaining in the two baskets. Two people weren't that hungry and opted for just soup. They both had the Minestrone and thought it was very good. They also said that the bowl was more than sufficient for a meal and that in fact they were stuffed. Other orders at our table mostly included the Chicken Bryan, Chicken Marsala, and Pollo Rosa Maria. All three were excellent. Just enough to eat and a fair price for the quality of the food. One person ordered Salmon and was happily impressed - not dry, not too dinky. The salads that came with the meal were good. My kids ate a lot of my Caesar salad and liked it so much we ordered two more. I'm not a big pasta person and nobody at our table ordered any, but it looked really good passing by and the next time I'm craving a carb coma I will likely head over for a nice plate of the Lobster Ravioli. We had red wine with the meal - I can't remember the winery or type, but it was good. The wine list is nice although it suffers from the same price inflation you find at all restaurants. It looked to be about a 300% mark-up with the cost of a glass running around the retail cost of an entire bottle.
(5)
Joonarhee L.
I saw the place while passing and looked up the review on yelp. Review was good so I went to Carrabba's today and loved it! We tried Risotto di Mare, Pollo Rosa Maria, Lingune, and Calamari; all of them were impressive. I usually cannot stand olive garden type of place but Carrabba's was different. The food was actually good. Menu in general was little costly than other places but totally worthed it.
(4)
Steve P.
The food is ok, albeit slightly pricey. I ordered the lobster ravioli and had 11 of them on my plate. I understand some ravioli are heavy and one can only handle a few, but for the price these were I expected more. I left still hungry and decided to go across the way to get a whopper jr from burger king to fill the void. Other than that, the taste of things were good.
(3)
Kay F.
We love this place, sit at the bar....very relaxing. Service & food are great. No "rush" here! Every meal comes out with a great presentation, not like some chains...that just throw the food on the plate! Do not think the prices are high, as, they give you a different variety. We order a chicken or seafood meal. Have great specials on the Amici club! People on these reviews speak of Olive Garden, well, I used to get their mussels, but, no longer on the menu, so, I emailed them about this. I stated since you longer have them, I will be going to Carrabba's! "IF" we do go to Olive Garden, we get the salad, bread stix, two glasses of wine & leave. Sometimes, my husband gets a chicken dinner. DO NOT WANT THE PASTA HERE.
(5)
John M.
I know what you're thinking - five stars for a chain? Well, it isn't healthy and it isn't cheap, but it is good - probably some of the best chain food you'll find in Central PA. Love the pomegranate martinis, even if they taste nothing like pomegranates. Everything is delicious. Love sitting by the kitchen - the organized chaos is very entertaining. Girlfriend's favorite restaurant.
(5)
Marion M.
Visited on a Saturday at 745 pm..they were out of Beef Brasato and the 40 cloves of chicken for the evening. Very disappointed especially after waiting for 35 minutes to be seated! Needless to say both entrees were seasonal promotions as well! Got our check, paid for our two drinks and went to another restaurant that have every item that is being advertised!
(1)
Robin G.
I'm gonna say it was ok. This area sucks as far as anything with style, including food...
(3)
Mohun K.
Pretty decent Italian food. It's a step up from Olive Garden. I don't frequent either restaurant much, but if I was pushed I would choose Carrabba's. They are only open for dinner and the lines are insane. I had the Chicken Bryan twice and liked it. A little pricey. Not bad for a chain.
(3)
J W.
The food is standard for every other chain italian joint. I have been there three times, and have left twice.. The reason I left? The extremely long wait, I have to admit why is there so many people waiting in line for processed italian. And while waiting the servers hand out free cold disgusting pizza, my wife actually got sick after she ate the free hand out, thank god I didn't eat any. I think I will never go here again, but if you are brave, and feel like Italian roulette go right ahead
(1)
Jamie C.
It's not dirty and our waiter was really nice so that's why this gets a two. Let's talk curb appeal first. It truly draws you in seeing the warm inviting colors and the large signage, but why on Earth th planners decided to put the front door facing the highway I do not understand. It's Friday night and the place is full plus it's summer so people are naturally going to go outside to wait, but you can't hear yourself think over the roar of the traffic. We did call ahead seating for a family of four and still waited 15 minutes when we arrived. I ordered the "signature" red Sangria. It came with two orange slices in it and a lot of ice. The Sangria had very little aroma and the taste was below average, almost as if I received the bottom of the bottle. I had to send it back. My corrected glass had less ice, the oranges & a lime wedge (not sure how it is "signature" if it's made different each time), and much better aroma & taste. The bread with olive oil & spices was bland. I ordered a signature dish: Tag Pic Pac with Shrimp. $11.49 but for 5 shrimp you can pay $16.49. THAT'S $1 PER SHRIMP!!! Crazy mark up for a mediocre meal. The Tag refers to the type of pasta used and it has tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The shrimp tasted great, there should have been more of them. My pasta was overcooked and too heavily garlicked. I feel at this point I should tell you that my husband and brother in law inhaled their food with no complaints. My sister in law ordered steak medium well that was more rare than well. Dessert was AMAZING! The atmosphere is a contradiction in terms. They have low lighting to create comfort, intimacy, relaxation, peace, etc; but then they have an open view kitchen to watch the chefs. This is very loud! And there is fires, chaos, aromas, and talking. It's very confusing. Are we to be amped up by the energy of the kitchen or relaxing as if we are on a piazza in Italy? Bottom line: Go a bit down the road to another place.
(2)
Chuck C.
One star for the awful standard pasta and sauce. It was really a disappointment. The standard salad w creamy italian was another disappointment. Here you are in PA farm country with some of the best tomatoes,cucumbers, lettuce. And to be served what they served was very disappointing. I meant to order chicken franchese but instead ordered chicken marsala. Bland! Of course the bread and herbed olive oil dip was out of this world. Wife Lobster Ravioli was good. Not bad enough to remove from list but I will be ordering something different next time. A garlic pasta. A Caesar salad. We will see.
I don't particularly like other Italian chain restaurants so when I ate here I had low expectations. But I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. Waitress was very friendly and attentive, food was better (and bigger portioned) than expected. Don't order too many appetizers- they're huge. I like this restaurant and will very likely check out the next Carrabas I find on the road.
(4)
Daniel G.
My first trip to Carrabbas was the best. I will never forget it. It was our trio's Christmas gift exchange. One of the three is a diehard fan of the Olive Garden, and so on a whim we decided to branch out and conquer new territory. We were all glad we did! The first and perhaps best thing we noticed about Carrabba's was the bread. Freshly baked, soft and warm, and served with that delectable oil and savory herbs. Love love love it! I always managed to down at least 3 loaves, and I always take one along home with me. Forget the bread sticks at Olive Garden (though my mom still has a soft spot for them). Perhaps only one thing could be better than the bread that was brought to our table and that would have to be the lady who brought it. Paula where are you? Why did you leave this place without leaving a forwarding address? This waitress was the absolute best I ever had. She made the whole experience worthwhile. She could have served us dishwater soup and we'd have loved it. But sadly she no longer works there, and no one knows what became of her. Now don't get me wrong, the rest of the staff isn't bad, but Paula was definitely top notch. Everything I ever ordered here was good and they often run special promotions such as BOGO Steak and Lobster meals (which I indulged on several days in a row) and discounted pizzas on holidays like Halloween. Recently they started the new $15 menu and that has also earned my approval. There is one complaint I must make however, though it is not directly targeted at this location. One of the best things I ever ordered here was a dessert. The Mixed Berry Crostata is my all time favorite dessert dare I say ever ordered in a restaurant. We devoured that tart and all of its precious morsels. So why am I complaining about it? Because it was seasonal and I have yet to see it come back. In summary, if you like the Olive Garden you are going to like it here, but you may find yourself liking the Olive Garden a little less upon leaving.
(5)
Brittaney L.
Good Italian food, but a little on the pricey side for my taste. Like an upscale Olive Garden
(3)
Ashley F.
The service was great, especially for us having a party of 9. The wait wasn't too bad, but what can you expect for a saturday night. I got the chicken marsala w/fettuccine as the side and salad. It was very delicious. The bread and oil is great as well. Carrabba's is better than Olive Garden in my own opinion. The bar area was a bit hectic, surprised it was that crazy near the bar since we are in a restaurant and not bar. The issue here is the parking, it sucks. They need to figure out for this restaurant. So much wasted space in the area right in front of the door that could have been used.
(4)
Mike M.
When you can come to a restaurant 5 minutes before closing an get the same quality an service as opening time that's amazing this is an has always been my favorite restaurant Carlisle pike Mechanicsburg pa great food great service
(5)
Anisah H.
I can always count on good food and great service whenever I pass through. I have been here many times and only had about 2 slightly off days. Visiting other locations in different states have yet to yield such great results. Being at this location, gives you the feeling that you're in a small mom/pop rather than a chain.
(5)
Shara E.
I'm going to start out by saying I'm not a fan of chain restaurants. But after eating just about everywhere else (and their 15% off coupon), we decided to try it. What a nice surprise! Food was good,service even better. I love Grey Goose Martinis, dirty, up. It totally makes my day if they have bleu cheese stuffed olives for garnish. They didn't. But guess what? They made some just for ME. Made my whole day. Hubby wanted veal parm, and even though it's not on the menu they made that for him too. Surprisingly, he said it was the best he ever had. I had a bite and I wholeheartedly agree. And if you're a calamari fan, order theirs. Spectacular. Will definitely be back as we throughly enjoyed both our visits! Interesting menu plus great, more than accommodating service gives this place 5 stars from me!
(5)
Andy Z.
Carrabbas has long been one of my favorite chain restaurants even before they came to the area. The food, particularly the chicken, off of the wood fired grill is an excellent flavor. My favorite is absolutely the chicken bryan.
(5)
Shaleia F.
Visited Carraba's with my family tonight. The service was excellent (Alyssa was kind and sweet). We put our name on the wait list through the website and only waited about 10 minutes. The calamari was really really good. My husband and son had steak and lobster ravioli, very flavorful. I had lobster mac and cheese that had plenty of lobster in it. It is pricey, but a perfect place for a special dinner. Definitely worth it!
(5)
Joy M.
This is not Italian food people, don't waste your money.. There are a lot of traditional food that are better try them instead of a chain, that can't cook Italian.
(1)
Deeana L.
Not sure what all the hype is but I wasn't a big fan of this place. It's very pricey with very small portions. I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon.
(1)
German S.
For my first time here i must say ...is not bad. Like the calamari, nicely done and tasty
(3)
Tricia F.
I usually go with the brick oven pizza because it's as close to real Italian pizza as I've had. I decided to change it up and started with a salad with Italian dressing. I thought it was going to be zesty but I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth and tasty it was. The canniloni was fantastic! Perfect for one and the tiramisu is excellent as well. Plus they serve Birra Moretti the best Italian beer I've tasted.
(4)
Jennifer K.
Love this chain- its always consistently great food and service. I'm not a fan of Olive Garden so this is my Italian restaurant of choice. At this location you can smell the garlic as soon as get off the exit for the Carlisle pike. The mozzarella sticks with marinara are delicious and you get plenty. My favorite is the pollo rosa maria - yum! The portions are large which is great because you end up taking some home Many of the entrees can be ordered in a smaller portion and you will still be full.
(4)
Morgan B.
Went on a sunday afternoon around 2 so there wasn't much of a crowd which was nice. Good atmosphere. Not a fan of the bread even though it was fresh out of the oven-too much garlic and salt for my taste in the olive oil. Salad was good, I had the Italian Vinaigrette dressing, wasn't heavy or oily. My Linguine Pescatore was a very good sized portion. I normally never order pasta out so this was a first. I was surprised to find that my meal had about five mussels, 5 scallops and three shrimp. I always count because most entrees that include seafood have meager pieces of seafood. The size and amount was perfect for the size bowl of pasta I had. I did have them swap out the spicy marina which they did and it did have a little heat to it. I'm not a personal fan of crushed red pepper. It wasn't a problem and there was no err to my order. For normal entrees the portion size was very good, however their pick three for $15 seemed very small. My friends are big Olive Garden fans and they liked the food but would rather go to the OG for a larger portion and less cost. We had the Lemon-cello Bread pudding which was good. The big dollop of ice cream on top was a little too much for me. I would have rather gotten it on the side. Overall order a normal entree, a desert and an espresso and enjoy your meal!
(4)
Melissa C.
Our first visit here. Loved the bread with the olive oil and spices dipping sauce, but we found it to be way overpriced and not especially good. Service wasn't that great. They left all our appetizer dishes on the table after they brought our dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs 14.50. Baked ravioli 12.50!
(2)
Hannah G.
Amazing food Amazing service one of my favorite restaurants in the area I love the chicken marsala.
(5)
William S.
Best chain restaurant around. We have been dining here for years. Absolutely love their bread (my wife always gets their butter that they make there daily instead of the herb mix and olive oil. She says its to die for...) Favorite dishes include: chicken and filet bryan, Spiedino Di Mare, pasta Carrabba and pasta Weesie. The service is always outstanding, this is how a restaurant should be run. Desert and wine selections are always more than adequate.
(5)
James G.
First time ever in Harrisburg with a friend and we wanted something extremely good to eat for the first night. This place delivered. Everything that we got was beautiful as well as decorative. And for everything homemade the price was outstanding. Earlier in the year I traveled all over Italy and ate at some of the finest restaurants in my life over there. And Carrabba's is definitely on par with, if not better than the food I have seen and tasted.
(5)
J J.
I did not enjoy my meal last weekend, I think the service was good, but the wait was long for not very fresh tasting salad, and overdone pasta. Not what I expected from the reviews.
(2)
Ashley R.
This was, by far, one of the best Italian dining experiences I have ever had. We called ahead at 6 PM on Valentine's day and were told to be here around 8:30 PM to cut our waiting time in half. We got there, were told there would be a 15 minute wait, but were seated within 5 minutes of being there. Loved it. I had the Spiendini, which were shrimp and scallops, breaded in Italian bread crumbs then wood fire grilled and drizzled with a butter cream sauce. Absolutely delicious! The shrimp and scallops were succulent and perfectly cooked and they were bursting with flavor. I can't stop raving about them. In addition to the utterly yummy Italian herb mix and olive oil to dip the fresh baked bread in, I was more than satisfied with this meal. And the service was quick and friendly.
(4)
Christopher M.
Maybe I'm biased because I work here, but I've worked a few places and never put up a yelp review on it. Anyhow, this place really is amazing. First off I'll start with back of house: When they say the food is made from scratch, it is, all of it, totally... The amount of time, work, and effort that goes into prepping, organizing, and cooking this food is tremendous. And the fact that they do this day after day, and have a kitchen that kicks out amazing dishes in no more than 20 minutes blows my mind, and thats coming from a man who has a decade plus working in restaurants and has a father who ran a restaurant my whole life.. I grew up in the food industry, and among them all, Carrabbas is fantastic. Their food is awesome. The end. Front of house: Well, this is where I work, and I'm awesome, so there's a plus.. But I'm awesome because of their standards and testing... Upon being hired I went through a rigorous structured training program, was tested and tested, and only the best really get to work here. The class lasts a full week and its a ridiculous amount of material to ingest, you literally sleep study and learn for a week straight. In any training class, nearly half of all applicants just drop out after they realize what they are in for. They do not accept meritocracy, and thats all there is to it. When I say front of house works as a team, they DO. It's not all talk and corporate blah blah blah like usual.. It's a serious team effort and it shows. Their host staff has a computer tracking system and custom software to accommodate waits properly, seat in rotation, and quote accurate times. Management: People who actually know what they are doing, have experience working on the floor or working on the line, and are just great. Best management team I've come across. Anywhere you go will never please everyone, some people are going to complain no matter what, sometimes things just happen everywhere, life is life, and some people are just generally insane.. But I'm pretty sure if you check out Carrabbas, you're going to walk away happy. Check it out sometime, and ask for Chris :-)
(5)
Debbie M.
This restaurant has become our favorite restaurant in the area. The food is always great and the service is predictably good as well. Our servers are always friendly and attentive without being overbearing and trying to "sell" food and drink. We love the blackberry Sangrias that are $5 on Wednesday. The ambiance is always relaxing and we never feel rushed out like we do in so many other restaurants.
(5)
Rick N.
Not grt enviro but decent enuf chain pasta n Ital in mold of Macaroni Grill. Good Tom basil soup n chkn spiedini app. Over zealous service could back off a bit and still be attentive.
(3)
Matt G.
Consistently good, always know what you are going to get in terms of quality and service. Usually get a chicken and wild mushroom pasta; but it wasn't on the menu this time so I tried the spaghetti and meatballs it was surprisingly good, although I would have liked it better with angel hair, next time I'll ask if I can get it that way. Nice size portions with a little left over to take home. Tessa was our server, she was excellent, pleasant and efficient. I wish there were more servers like her. We always had what we needed. We sat near the kitchen and I was impressed by how quiet the cooks were, they did get a little louder the busier it got, it was pretty busy though so I understand. Having managed restaurants for many years this is something I can really appreciate, I would give this restaurant 4 stars, the extra star is for the service. Thank you!
(5)
Andy S.
This is one of the many chains out there in restaurant land. I would put it a notch above Olive Garden, but still notches below real authentic locally produced Italian cooking.
(3)
H B.
Service sucks! Food could be better!
(2)
Peter B.
I don't normally like chain restaurants, but have eaten here about 5 times now and never been disappointed. The flavors are good, had the chicken Bryan several times, had the trio combination, the pasta, calamari, all really tasty. I normally get the small portion and it is just right with soup and pasta side.
(4)
Ryan J.
I was blown away with the restaurant, especially since it is part of a chain. The tomato basil soup was so delicious! The wait staff was excellent and very accommodating. They have an open kitchen so you can experience what really goes on behind the scenes. Prices were very reasonable and the atmosphere makes you feel comfortable. I felt like the meal couldn't have gone better.
(5)
Bri G.
Not usually a fan of big chain restaurants, but once you are seated service is good and food is delicious! Bruschetta is great, caprese salad also good as appetizer. Their bread is fantastic and I love the olive oil with spices to dip bread in. My husband gets the same thing every time, they make it for him even though its not on the menu anymore, chicken and pasta with some kind of marinara. The shrimp and scallops are wonderful, so is the pasta stostanza(not sure on the spelling), it's pasta with basil, tomato and garlic, and last time we were there I got the grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. The grilled chicken has been my favorite thing yet. They have wonderful red sangria and they offer it for $5 on Wednesdays! The only drag=the wait. Space in the front for waiting is not large enough. Call ahead if you can.
(4)
Paula K.
Not impressed. My husband absolutely refuses to go to the Olive Garden anymore because of the bad service, so we tried this place. First of all, the parking is horrible- maybe twenty parking spots in the lot. So we had to park pretty far away in the shopping center parking lot and walk in a torrential downpour to the restaurant. Not pleasant. There was a wait. We were told it would be 35 minutes and it ended up only being about 10 minutes, so that was a plus since the only place there was to wait was outside. In the rain. At least the waiting area outside is covered. So once we were taken to our table, which was very small for four people, by the hostess with zero personality, a server who had also forgotten to bring her personality to work took our order. My kids both ordered pizzas from the kid's menu. They looked like the frozen ones you can buy at WalMart. My husband ordered lasagna which he said was just okay. And I ordered seafood cannelloni which I thought tasted alright, not out of this world, and it was a very small portion. I guess I just don't understand why this place would be so popular. I probably won't return. I definitely felt like we were rushed and that it was an assembly line type of atmosphere. There are enough places in the area that I believe to be better and have a much warmer environment.
(1)
Jeff A.
Everything here is top notch. We always look forward to eating here. With the exception of the wait to get seated at dinner time (sometimes more than an hour), you won't have a bad experience here. The staff work their asses off and it shows in the service and quality of food. I've had several different dishes here and no matter what you order, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Mat M.
Great food, great stuff! Portions are bit small, but if you were to compare Olive Garden and Carrabba's, you'd be looking at the business end of a 5,000 calorie meal. At Carrabba's, it's not about massive portions, it's about the taste. The bread and dip are my wife's favorites. The pasta is always perfect and consistent. I got take out tonight and the service was fast, friendly and professional!
(4)
Dan H.
As Canadians we are always overwhelmed by the portion sizes of the meals in the US. Thankfully these guys offer a small size option which is more to our liking. The food is not bad for a chain, we would eat there again.
(3)
John G.
Okay the ambience of this place is more towards that of "Little Italy" than that of the "Tuscany" of Olive Garden. My wife ordered their Champagne Shrimp, I had a Chicken dish with sundried tomatoes,olives mushrooms and artichokes. My wife's portion came out pretty small but she said it was enough for her. My portion came with Penne it was a good size and I couldn't finish. We both enjoyed our meals and our pasta was cooked perfectly. On Wed.they have $5 Sangria I had the Red it was sweet & Fruity went well with my dinner. Our waitress was friendly and at tentative. Overall this was a good dinner we didn't have to wait the meal and service was good.
(4)
Alexandra G.
What can I say... We're starving for good restaurants out here and this is just fine. It gets crazy busy though so I suggest getting in early for dinner.
(3)
Craig F.
3 stars for food and 4.5 for service. We had a party of 10 and the restaurant was packed on a Saturday night. The attention given to our table along with the speed of each course impressed me since most places have trouble with large groups when they are not busy!
(3)
Heather F.
Visiting the day after Valentine's Day probably wasn't our best idea, but wow, was it great! To avoid the long wait, we sat at the counter along the kitchen (no wait for that). Our kids LOVE those seats. Plenty to watch! Each visit to this restaurant has left us happy, full, and satisfied. The staff is attentive and polite. Food is delicious and care & attention are given to any special requests. While the portions are not huge, the quality is there. Unlike some *other* places (Olive Garden), the food is not swimming in oil and grease. We love it here. We'll be back!
(5)
Carissa S.
Ok, I really do not understand the buzz about this place! I have friends who are always raving over the food at Carrabbas. I went for the first time last night and am less than impressed. To begin with the positives, the bruschetta was amazing! I wished I had ordered that for my meal! Really, if I ever go back that is just what I'll do. The steamed broccoli was very good. Also, I was pleased with our service. Our waiter was nice and helpful. I had so many problems with this place, I'm just not sure where to begin. First of all, the parking is just plain stupid! There are just a few spaces on one side of the restaurant which were all full, so I had to park pretty far away. Also, the entrance is facing the road, so you'll have to walk all the way around the building to get in. I don't mind walking and am not the least bit lazy, but in the dead of winter there are other things I'd like to be doing than hiking through snow drifts and ice (in high heals) with the wind blowing my hair all crazy. Really girls, you know what I'm saying! This was a major fail on the part of the restaurant before I even got in the doors! When you build a restaurant (or any business) you have to make arrangements for appropriate parking accommodations. There were 6 people in our party and we were crammed into a rather small space. I like to have a little bit of elbow room when I'm eating, but instead it felt more like eating on that little tray table on an airplane. The booths are probably much more comfortable but they only accommodate up to 4. If you go to Carrabbas with a party of 6 or more, you better really like the people you're with! Thankfully, I did. The food... all I can say is that if I were a server I'd be embarrassed to have to serve such small portions (of food I could have made myself at home) for the high prices. I caught my husband's expression as they set his $17 plate of steak and shrimp in front of him. He was polite and didn't say anything, but the steak was small and the shrimp were almost salad size tiny little things. He told me later that he would have been happier with a steak at Cracker Barrel! There were very few vegetarian options on the menu. I went with the manicotti. It was pretty good. Again, it was small for the price and it only came with a (bland) salad. For the price I would have expected another piece of manicotti and a side of some kind of vegetable. We all ordered dessert. Several of my friends ordered this amazing chocolate brownie dessert with hot fudge and whipped cream. It was great! I wished I had ordered that. I went for something the waiter described as a butter cake with fresh fruit and whipped cream. To be honest, it tasted like something your Grandma would make in a Pyrex dish to take to a church potluck. The "fresh" fruit was actually CANNED crushed pineapple and slices of banana. It was absolutely not what I was expecting. I would go there again, but only if that is where my friends really wanted to go. I'd just get the bruschetta, a side of broccoli, and that chocolate dessert. I didn't see anything else worth the price tag... or the walk in the arctic weather!
(2)
J R.
very impressed. great food, decent portion sizes, a bit on the high side but not too bad. the marsala sirloin and Chicken Bryan were very good. homemade soups, very nice place..
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 Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No 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.
Amy G.
When this first came to the area I had not interest in eating there. I saw the long lines outside, but I figured it was just another one of those Olive Garden situations where people believe it's good because people say it is and the commercials are so enticing. I'm a food snob, I like real food, I didn't think I'd like it. Fast forward to this past fall when members of my husband's family were visiting from out of town. My sister-in-law and niece both have severe celiac disease so they need to be very, very careful about where they eat. They carry a special book that lists "safe" eating establishments for cities in the US. Carrabba's was on the list. Ergo, we went to Carrabba's - I was fully expecting to be underwhelmed. I was thrilled with everything! I know, I know, I shouldn't pass judgment, don't judge a book by its cover, etc. I humbly admit that I was wrong. The service was great. The restaurant is lovely. Our group included 9 adults and 2 children. Everything that was ordered was wonderful. My friend, who has been my gourmet food cohort since before high school, was with us and her gourmet pallet was also impressed. The calamari was nice and crispy and the sauce was good. The bruschetta was also very good with a nice balance of flavors; and the bread was excellent. Now that I mention the bread, the bread they brought to the table was also excellent and by the time the entrees arrived there wasn't a piece remaining in the two baskets. Two people weren't that hungry and opted for just soup. They both had the Minestrone and thought it was very good. They also said that the bowl was more than sufficient for a meal and that in fact they were stuffed. Other orders at our table mostly included the Chicken Bryan, Chicken Marsala, and Pollo Rosa Maria. All three were excellent. Just enough to eat and a fair price for the quality of the food. One person ordered Salmon and was happily impressed - not dry, not too dinky. The salads that came with the meal were good. My kids ate a lot of my Caesar salad and liked it so much we ordered two more. I'm not a big pasta person and nobody at our table ordered any, but it looked really good passing by and the next time I'm craving a carb coma I will likely head over for a nice plate of the Lobster Ravioli. We had red wine with the meal - I can't remember the winery or type, but it was good. The wine list is nice although it suffers from the same price inflation you find at all restaurants. It looked to be about a 300% mark-up with the cost of a glass running around the retail cost of an entire bottle.
(5)Joonarhee L.
I saw the place while passing and looked up the review on yelp. Review was good so I went to Carrabba's today and loved it! We tried Risotto di Mare, Pollo Rosa Maria, Lingune, and Calamari; all of them were impressive. I usually cannot stand olive garden type of place but Carrabba's was different. The food was actually good. Menu in general was little costly than other places but totally worthed it.
(4)Steve P.
The food is ok, albeit slightly pricey. I ordered the lobster ravioli and had 11 of them on my plate. I understand some ravioli are heavy and one can only handle a few, but for the price these were I expected more. I left still hungry and decided to go across the way to get a whopper jr from burger king to fill the void. Other than that, the taste of things were good.
(3)Kay F.
We love this place, sit at the bar....very relaxing. Service & food are great. No "rush" here! Every meal comes out with a great presentation, not like some chains...that just throw the food on the plate! Do not think the prices are high, as, they give you a different variety. We order a chicken or seafood meal. Have great specials on the Amici club! People on these reviews speak of Olive Garden, well, I used to get their mussels, but, no longer on the menu, so, I emailed them about this. I stated since you longer have them, I will be going to Carrabba's! "IF" we do go to Olive Garden, we get the salad, bread stix, two glasses of wine & leave. Sometimes, my husband gets a chicken dinner. DO NOT WANT THE PASTA HERE.
(5)John M.
I know what you're thinking - five stars for a chain? Well, it isn't healthy and it isn't cheap, but it is good - probably some of the best chain food you'll find in Central PA. Love the pomegranate martinis, even if they taste nothing like pomegranates. Everything is delicious. Love sitting by the kitchen - the organized chaos is very entertaining. Girlfriend's favorite restaurant.
(5)Marion M.
Visited on a Saturday at 745 pm..they were out of Beef Brasato and the 40 cloves of chicken for the evening. Very disappointed especially after waiting for 35 minutes to be seated! Needless to say both entrees were seasonal promotions as well! Got our check, paid for our two drinks and went to another restaurant that have every item that is being advertised!
(1)Robin G.
I'm gonna say it was ok. This area sucks as far as anything with style, including food...
(3)Mohun K.
Pretty decent Italian food. It's a step up from Olive Garden. I don't frequent either restaurant much, but if I was pushed I would choose Carrabba's. They are only open for dinner and the lines are insane. I had the Chicken Bryan twice and liked it. A little pricey. Not bad for a chain.
(3)J W.
The food is standard for every other chain italian joint. I have been there three times, and have left twice.. The reason I left? The extremely long wait, I have to admit why is there so many people waiting in line for processed italian. And while waiting the servers hand out free cold disgusting pizza, my wife actually got sick after she ate the free hand out, thank god I didn't eat any. I think I will never go here again, but if you are brave, and feel like Italian roulette go right ahead
(1)Jamie C.
It's not dirty and our waiter was really nice so that's why this gets a two. Let's talk curb appeal first. It truly draws you in seeing the warm inviting colors and the large signage, but why on Earth th planners decided to put the front door facing the highway I do not understand. It's Friday night and the place is full plus it's summer so people are naturally going to go outside to wait, but you can't hear yourself think over the roar of the traffic. We did call ahead seating for a family of four and still waited 15 minutes when we arrived. I ordered the "signature" red Sangria. It came with two orange slices in it and a lot of ice. The Sangria had very little aroma and the taste was below average, almost as if I received the bottom of the bottle. I had to send it back. My corrected glass had less ice, the oranges & a lime wedge (not sure how it is "signature" if it's made different each time), and much better aroma & taste. The bread with olive oil & spices was bland. I ordered a signature dish: Tag Pic Pac with Shrimp. $11.49 but for 5 shrimp you can pay $16.49. THAT'S $1 PER SHRIMP!!! Crazy mark up for a mediocre meal. The Tag refers to the type of pasta used and it has tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The shrimp tasted great, there should have been more of them. My pasta was overcooked and too heavily garlicked. I feel at this point I should tell you that my husband and brother in law inhaled their food with no complaints. My sister in law ordered steak medium well that was more rare than well. Dessert was AMAZING! The atmosphere is a contradiction in terms. They have low lighting to create comfort, intimacy, relaxation, peace, etc; but then they have an open view kitchen to watch the chefs. This is very loud! And there is fires, chaos, aromas, and talking. It's very confusing. Are we to be amped up by the energy of the kitchen or relaxing as if we are on a piazza in Italy? Bottom line: Go a bit down the road to another place.
(2)Chuck C.
One star for the awful standard pasta and sauce. It was really a disappointment. The standard salad w creamy italian was another disappointment. Here you are in PA farm country with some of the best tomatoes,cucumbers, lettuce. And to be served what they served was very disappointing. I meant to order chicken franchese but instead ordered chicken marsala. Bland! Of course the bread and herbed olive oil dip was out of this world. Wife Lobster Ravioli was good. Not bad enough to remove from list but I will be ordering something different next time. A garlic pasta. A Caesar salad. We will see.
(1)Kenny C.
Do I really need to do a review for Carrabba's?? It's always good. Service is at the top of my list. Amoré Mondays is great way to get people in to enjoy a good meal at a great cost. There was so much food I had plenty to take home. Carly was professional and attentive.
(5)Ed H.
I don't particularly like other Italian chain restaurants so when I ate here I had low expectations. But I was pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. Waitress was very friendly and attentive, food was better (and bigger portioned) than expected. Don't order too many appetizers- they're huge. I like this restaurant and will very likely check out the next Carrabas I find on the road.
(4)Daniel G.
My first trip to Carrabbas was the best. I will never forget it. It was our trio's Christmas gift exchange. One of the three is a diehard fan of the Olive Garden, and so on a whim we decided to branch out and conquer new territory. We were all glad we did! The first and perhaps best thing we noticed about Carrabba's was the bread. Freshly baked, soft and warm, and served with that delectable oil and savory herbs. Love love love it! I always managed to down at least 3 loaves, and I always take one along home with me. Forget the bread sticks at Olive Garden (though my mom still has a soft spot for them). Perhaps only one thing could be better than the bread that was brought to our table and that would have to be the lady who brought it. Paula where are you? Why did you leave this place without leaving a forwarding address? This waitress was the absolute best I ever had. She made the whole experience worthwhile. She could have served us dishwater soup and we'd have loved it. But sadly she no longer works there, and no one knows what became of her. Now don't get me wrong, the rest of the staff isn't bad, but Paula was definitely top notch. Everything I ever ordered here was good and they often run special promotions such as BOGO Steak and Lobster meals (which I indulged on several days in a row) and discounted pizzas on holidays like Halloween. Recently they started the new $15 menu and that has also earned my approval. There is one complaint I must make however, though it is not directly targeted at this location. One of the best things I ever ordered here was a dessert. The Mixed Berry Crostata is my all time favorite dessert dare I say ever ordered in a restaurant. We devoured that tart and all of its precious morsels. So why am I complaining about it? Because it was seasonal and I have yet to see it come back. In summary, if you like the Olive Garden you are going to like it here, but you may find yourself liking the Olive Garden a little less upon leaving.
(5)Brittaney L.
Good Italian food, but a little on the pricey side for my taste. Like an upscale Olive Garden
(3)Ashley F.
The service was great, especially for us having a party of 9. The wait wasn't too bad, but what can you expect for a saturday night. I got the chicken marsala w/fettuccine as the side and salad. It was very delicious. The bread and oil is great as well. Carrabba's is better than Olive Garden in my own opinion. The bar area was a bit hectic, surprised it was that crazy near the bar since we are in a restaurant and not bar. The issue here is the parking, it sucks. They need to figure out for this restaurant. So much wasted space in the area right in front of the door that could have been used.
(4)Mike M.
When you can come to a restaurant 5 minutes before closing an get the same quality an service as opening time that's amazing this is an has always been my favorite restaurant Carlisle pike Mechanicsburg pa great food great service
(5)Anisah H.
I can always count on good food and great service whenever I pass through. I have been here many times and only had about 2 slightly off days. Visiting other locations in different states have yet to yield such great results. Being at this location, gives you the feeling that you're in a small mom/pop rather than a chain.
(5)Shara E.
I'm going to start out by saying I'm not a fan of chain restaurants. But after eating just about everywhere else (and their 15% off coupon), we decided to try it. What a nice surprise! Food was good,service even better. I love Grey Goose Martinis, dirty, up. It totally makes my day if they have bleu cheese stuffed olives for garnish. They didn't. But guess what? They made some just for ME. Made my whole day. Hubby wanted veal parm, and even though it's not on the menu they made that for him too. Surprisingly, he said it was the best he ever had. I had a bite and I wholeheartedly agree. And if you're a calamari fan, order theirs. Spectacular. Will definitely be back as we throughly enjoyed both our visits! Interesting menu plus great, more than accommodating service gives this place 5 stars from me!
(5)Andy Z.
Carrabbas has long been one of my favorite chain restaurants even before they came to the area. The food, particularly the chicken, off of the wood fired grill is an excellent flavor. My favorite is absolutely the chicken bryan.
(5)Shaleia F.
Visited Carraba's with my family tonight. The service was excellent (Alyssa was kind and sweet). We put our name on the wait list through the website and only waited about 10 minutes. The calamari was really really good. My husband and son had steak and lobster ravioli, very flavorful. I had lobster mac and cheese that had plenty of lobster in it. It is pricey, but a perfect place for a special dinner. Definitely worth it!
(5)Joy M.
This is not Italian food people, don't waste your money.. There are a lot of traditional food that are better try them instead of a chain, that can't cook Italian.
(1)Deeana L.
Not sure what all the hype is but I wasn't a big fan of this place. It's very pricey with very small portions. I don't think I'll be returning anytime soon.
(1)German S.
For my first time here i must say ...is not bad. Like the calamari, nicely done and tasty
(3)Tricia F.
I usually go with the brick oven pizza because it's as close to real Italian pizza as I've had. I decided to change it up and started with a salad with Italian dressing. I thought it was going to be zesty but I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth and tasty it was. The canniloni was fantastic! Perfect for one and the tiramisu is excellent as well. Plus they serve Birra Moretti the best Italian beer I've tasted.
(4)Jennifer K.
Love this chain- its always consistently great food and service. I'm not a fan of Olive Garden so this is my Italian restaurant of choice. At this location you can smell the garlic as soon as get off the exit for the Carlisle pike. The mozzarella sticks with marinara are delicious and you get plenty. My favorite is the pollo rosa maria - yum! The portions are large which is great because you end up taking some home Many of the entrees can be ordered in a smaller portion and you will still be full.
(4)Morgan B.
Went on a sunday afternoon around 2 so there wasn't much of a crowd which was nice. Good atmosphere. Not a fan of the bread even though it was fresh out of the oven-too much garlic and salt for my taste in the olive oil. Salad was good, I had the Italian Vinaigrette dressing, wasn't heavy or oily. My Linguine Pescatore was a very good sized portion. I normally never order pasta out so this was a first. I was surprised to find that my meal had about five mussels, 5 scallops and three shrimp. I always count because most entrees that include seafood have meager pieces of seafood. The size and amount was perfect for the size bowl of pasta I had. I did have them swap out the spicy marina which they did and it did have a little heat to it. I'm not a personal fan of crushed red pepper. It wasn't a problem and there was no err to my order. For normal entrees the portion size was very good, however their pick three for $15 seemed very small. My friends are big Olive Garden fans and they liked the food but would rather go to the OG for a larger portion and less cost. We had the Lemon-cello Bread pudding which was good. The big dollop of ice cream on top was a little too much for me. I would have rather gotten it on the side. Overall order a normal entree, a desert and an espresso and enjoy your meal!
(4)Melissa C.
Our first visit here. Loved the bread with the olive oil and spices dipping sauce, but we found it to be way overpriced and not especially good. Service wasn't that great. They left all our appetizer dishes on the table after they brought our dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs 14.50. Baked ravioli 12.50!
(2)Hannah G.
Amazing food Amazing service one of my favorite restaurants in the area I love the chicken marsala.
(5)William S.
Best chain restaurant around. We have been dining here for years. Absolutely love their bread (my wife always gets their butter that they make there daily instead of the herb mix and olive oil. She says its to die for...) Favorite dishes include: chicken and filet bryan, Spiedino Di Mare, pasta Carrabba and pasta Weesie. The service is always outstanding, this is how a restaurant should be run. Desert and wine selections are always more than adequate.
(5)James G.
First time ever in Harrisburg with a friend and we wanted something extremely good to eat for the first night. This place delivered. Everything that we got was beautiful as well as decorative. And for everything homemade the price was outstanding. Earlier in the year I traveled all over Italy and ate at some of the finest restaurants in my life over there. And Carrabba's is definitely on par with, if not better than the food I have seen and tasted.
(5)J J.
I did not enjoy my meal last weekend, I think the service was good, but the wait was long for not very fresh tasting salad, and overdone pasta. Not what I expected from the reviews.
(2)Ashley R.
This was, by far, one of the best Italian dining experiences I have ever had. We called ahead at 6 PM on Valentine's day and were told to be here around 8:30 PM to cut our waiting time in half. We got there, were told there would be a 15 minute wait, but were seated within 5 minutes of being there. Loved it. I had the Spiendini, which were shrimp and scallops, breaded in Italian bread crumbs then wood fire grilled and drizzled with a butter cream sauce. Absolutely delicious! The shrimp and scallops were succulent and perfectly cooked and they were bursting with flavor. I can't stop raving about them. In addition to the utterly yummy Italian herb mix and olive oil to dip the fresh baked bread in, I was more than satisfied with this meal. And the service was quick and friendly.
(4)Christopher M.
Maybe I'm biased because I work here, but I've worked a few places and never put up a yelp review on it. Anyhow, this place really is amazing. First off I'll start with back of house: When they say the food is made from scratch, it is, all of it, totally... The amount of time, work, and effort that goes into prepping, organizing, and cooking this food is tremendous. And the fact that they do this day after day, and have a kitchen that kicks out amazing dishes in no more than 20 minutes blows my mind, and thats coming from a man who has a decade plus working in restaurants and has a father who ran a restaurant my whole life.. I grew up in the food industry, and among them all, Carrabbas is fantastic. Their food is awesome. The end. Front of house: Well, this is where I work, and I'm awesome, so there's a plus.. But I'm awesome because of their standards and testing... Upon being hired I went through a rigorous structured training program, was tested and tested, and only the best really get to work here. The class lasts a full week and its a ridiculous amount of material to ingest, you literally sleep study and learn for a week straight. In any training class, nearly half of all applicants just drop out after they realize what they are in for. They do not accept meritocracy, and thats all there is to it. When I say front of house works as a team, they DO. It's not all talk and corporate blah blah blah like usual.. It's a serious team effort and it shows. Their host staff has a computer tracking system and custom software to accommodate waits properly, seat in rotation, and quote accurate times. Management: People who actually know what they are doing, have experience working on the floor or working on the line, and are just great. Best management team I've come across. Anywhere you go will never please everyone, some people are going to complain no matter what, sometimes things just happen everywhere, life is life, and some people are just generally insane.. But I'm pretty sure if you check out Carrabbas, you're going to walk away happy. Check it out sometime, and ask for Chris :-)
(5)Debbie M.
This restaurant has become our favorite restaurant in the area. The food is always great and the service is predictably good as well. Our servers are always friendly and attentive without being overbearing and trying to "sell" food and drink. We love the blackberry Sangrias that are $5 on Wednesday. The ambiance is always relaxing and we never feel rushed out like we do in so many other restaurants.
(5)Rick N.
Not grt enviro but decent enuf chain pasta n Ital in mold of Macaroni Grill. Good Tom basil soup n chkn spiedini app. Over zealous service could back off a bit and still be attentive.
(3)Matt G.
Consistently good, always know what you are going to get in terms of quality and service. Usually get a chicken and wild mushroom pasta; but it wasn't on the menu this time so I tried the spaghetti and meatballs it was surprisingly good, although I would have liked it better with angel hair, next time I'll ask if I can get it that way. Nice size portions with a little left over to take home. Tessa was our server, she was excellent, pleasant and efficient. I wish there were more servers like her. We always had what we needed. We sat near the kitchen and I was impressed by how quiet the cooks were, they did get a little louder the busier it got, it was pretty busy though so I understand. Having managed restaurants for many years this is something I can really appreciate, I would give this restaurant 4 stars, the extra star is for the service. Thank you!
(5)Andy S.
This is one of the many chains out there in restaurant land. I would put it a notch above Olive Garden, but still notches below real authentic locally produced Italian cooking.
(3)H B.
Service sucks! Food could be better!
(2)Peter B.
I don't normally like chain restaurants, but have eaten here about 5 times now and never been disappointed. The flavors are good, had the chicken Bryan several times, had the trio combination, the pasta, calamari, all really tasty. I normally get the small portion and it is just right with soup and pasta side.
(4)Ryan J.
I was blown away with the restaurant, especially since it is part of a chain. The tomato basil soup was so delicious! The wait staff was excellent and very accommodating. They have an open kitchen so you can experience what really goes on behind the scenes. Prices were very reasonable and the atmosphere makes you feel comfortable. I felt like the meal couldn't have gone better.
(5)Bri G.
Not usually a fan of big chain restaurants, but once you are seated service is good and food is delicious! Bruschetta is great, caprese salad also good as appetizer. Their bread is fantastic and I love the olive oil with spices to dip bread in. My husband gets the same thing every time, they make it for him even though its not on the menu anymore, chicken and pasta with some kind of marinara. The shrimp and scallops are wonderful, so is the pasta stostanza(not sure on the spelling), it's pasta with basil, tomato and garlic, and last time we were there I got the grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans. The grilled chicken has been my favorite thing yet. They have wonderful red sangria and they offer it for $5 on Wednesdays! The only drag=the wait. Space in the front for waiting is not large enough. Call ahead if you can.
(4)Paula K.
Not impressed. My husband absolutely refuses to go to the Olive Garden anymore because of the bad service, so we tried this place. First of all, the parking is horrible- maybe twenty parking spots in the lot. So we had to park pretty far away in the shopping center parking lot and walk in a torrential downpour to the restaurant. Not pleasant. There was a wait. We were told it would be 35 minutes and it ended up only being about 10 minutes, so that was a plus since the only place there was to wait was outside. In the rain. At least the waiting area outside is covered. So once we were taken to our table, which was very small for four people, by the hostess with zero personality, a server who had also forgotten to bring her personality to work took our order. My kids both ordered pizzas from the kid's menu. They looked like the frozen ones you can buy at WalMart. My husband ordered lasagna which he said was just okay. And I ordered seafood cannelloni which I thought tasted alright, not out of this world, and it was a very small portion. I guess I just don't understand why this place would be so popular. I probably won't return. I definitely felt like we were rushed and that it was an assembly line type of atmosphere. There are enough places in the area that I believe to be better and have a much warmer environment.
(1)Jeff A.
Everything here is top notch. We always look forward to eating here. With the exception of the wait to get seated at dinner time (sometimes more than an hour), you won't have a bad experience here. The staff work their asses off and it shows in the service and quality of food. I've had several different dishes here and no matter what you order, you won't be disappointed.
(5)Mat M.
Great food, great stuff! Portions are bit small, but if you were to compare Olive Garden and Carrabba's, you'd be looking at the business end of a 5,000 calorie meal. At Carrabba's, it's not about massive portions, it's about the taste. The bread and dip are my wife's favorites. The pasta is always perfect and consistent. I got take out tonight and the service was fast, friendly and professional!
(4)Dan H.
As Canadians we are always overwhelmed by the portion sizes of the meals in the US. Thankfully these guys offer a small size option which is more to our liking. The food is not bad for a chain, we would eat there again.
(3)John G.
Okay the ambience of this place is more towards that of "Little Italy" than that of the "Tuscany" of Olive Garden. My wife ordered their Champagne Shrimp, I had a Chicken dish with sundried tomatoes,olives mushrooms and artichokes. My wife's portion came out pretty small but she said it was enough for her. My portion came with Penne it was a good size and I couldn't finish. We both enjoyed our meals and our pasta was cooked perfectly. On Wed.they have $5 Sangria I had the Red it was sweet & Fruity went well with my dinner. Our waitress was friendly and at tentative. Overall this was a good dinner we didn't have to wait the meal and service was good.
(4)Alexandra G.
What can I say... We're starving for good restaurants out here and this is just fine. It gets crazy busy though so I suggest getting in early for dinner.
(3)Craig F.
3 stars for food and 4.5 for service. We had a party of 10 and the restaurant was packed on a Saturday night. The attention given to our table along with the speed of each course impressed me since most places have trouble with large groups when they are not busy!
(3)Heather F.
Visiting the day after Valentine's Day probably wasn't our best idea, but wow, was it great! To avoid the long wait, we sat at the counter along the kitchen (no wait for that). Our kids LOVE those seats. Plenty to watch! Each visit to this restaurant has left us happy, full, and satisfied. The staff is attentive and polite. Food is delicious and care & attention are given to any special requests. While the portions are not huge, the quality is there. Unlike some *other* places (Olive Garden), the food is not swimming in oil and grease. We love it here. We'll be back!
(5)Carissa S.
Ok, I really do not understand the buzz about this place! I have friends who are always raving over the food at Carrabbas. I went for the first time last night and am less than impressed. To begin with the positives, the bruschetta was amazing! I wished I had ordered that for my meal! Really, if I ever go back that is just what I'll do. The steamed broccoli was very good. Also, I was pleased with our service. Our waiter was nice and helpful. I had so many problems with this place, I'm just not sure where to begin. First of all, the parking is just plain stupid! There are just a few spaces on one side of the restaurant which were all full, so I had to park pretty far away. Also, the entrance is facing the road, so you'll have to walk all the way around the building to get in. I don't mind walking and am not the least bit lazy, but in the dead of winter there are other things I'd like to be doing than hiking through snow drifts and ice (in high heals) with the wind blowing my hair all crazy. Really girls, you know what I'm saying! This was a major fail on the part of the restaurant before I even got in the doors! When you build a restaurant (or any business) you have to make arrangements for appropriate parking accommodations. There were 6 people in our party and we were crammed into a rather small space. I like to have a little bit of elbow room when I'm eating, but instead it felt more like eating on that little tray table on an airplane. The booths are probably much more comfortable but they only accommodate up to 4. If you go to Carrabbas with a party of 6 or more, you better really like the people you're with! Thankfully, I did. The food... all I can say is that if I were a server I'd be embarrassed to have to serve such small portions (of food I could have made myself at home) for the high prices. I caught my husband's expression as they set his $17 plate of steak and shrimp in front of him. He was polite and didn't say anything, but the steak was small and the shrimp were almost salad size tiny little things. He told me later that he would have been happier with a steak at Cracker Barrel! There were very few vegetarian options on the menu. I went with the manicotti. It was pretty good. Again, it was small for the price and it only came with a (bland) salad. For the price I would have expected another piece of manicotti and a side of some kind of vegetable. We all ordered dessert. Several of my friends ordered this amazing chocolate brownie dessert with hot fudge and whipped cream. It was great! I wished I had ordered that. I went for something the waiter described as a butter cake with fresh fruit and whipped cream. To be honest, it tasted like something your Grandma would make in a Pyrex dish to take to a church potluck. The "fresh" fruit was actually CANNED crushed pineapple and slices of banana. It was absolutely not what I was expecting. I would go there again, but only if that is where my friends really wanted to go. I'd just get the bruschetta, a side of broccoli, and that chocolate dessert. I didn't see anything else worth the price tag... or the walk in the arctic weather!
(2)J R.
very impressed. great food, decent portion sizes, a bit on the high side but not too bad. the marsala sirloin and Chicken Bryan were very good. homemade soups, very nice place..
(5)