Took the wife for a lunch here a couple weeks back and I think we agree, THIS is the WORST restaurant in Greenville! The first thing we noticed was the smell.. a hearty combination of rotten fish and sour beer. When was the last time this place was cleaned top to bottom? Makes you wonder. The food was totally as expected for a Red Lobster chain, microwaved seafood. Yes, the cheddar biscuits are awesome but, if I made them at home at least I know they came from a clean kitchen! Service was ok for us but, the couple behind us tried to order something that was no longer on the menu and the server told them no. The manager came to the table and tried to make the customer get something else instead of re-portioning their pre-portioned dishes or sending someone to the grocery store! Isn't the customer always right? This place needs serious attention from building to staff, DON'T waste your time or money...Go to Joe's on Pelham for your microwave seafood!!!
(1)
John S.
The salmon was good but the portion was small for the price. The salad that came with it was just lettuce with onion and not much else. The service was decent. All and all not worth the price.
(2)
Iama C.
Iama Critic Rating - Red Lobster - 4 Stars 1940 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville, SC Story Time: My foodie critic friends and I love us some seafood, but we don't go out for it very often because honestly most seafood restaurants don't have a clue how to cook seafood. Even at the beach the odds of going out, ordering and actually receiving great seafood at a decent price is miniscule, so in the upstate the odds are practically zero. Over 75% of the seafood restaurants we have dined at are so bad that we would never bother to visit again. But on a particularly special occasion, we decided to go to a Red Lobster, and we decided to do this when they were not running their yearly "all you can eat" shrimp event. Nope, we paid full price and ordered lobster, steak, shrimp, mussels, scallops, clam chowder and more. We ordered pretty much every type of shellfish that Red Lobster offers. We would have ordered soft shell crab and maybe some she crab soup, but they do not offer either. Red Lobster is to seafood what Olive Garden is to Italian, not the broadest selection, just the popular fare. Our waitress was interactive, attentive, and although busy, spent time answering all our questions and suggested her own preferences. Our waitress was definitely a suave salesman with a smooth presentation. No doubt she increased our order. It is delightful when you feel your waitress is actually part of your dining experience, so our waitress earned a tremendous tip. I should really make a better effort to remember the names of good waitresses and give them credit, because ours deserved some recognition. I must admit I had some apprehension dining at Red Lobster, as our meal was going to cost well over $100.00 for our small threesome, and this trepidation only increased when our salads arrives. The salads were sadly ordinary, with not even a bacon bit or olive to enliven the palette. Literally the salads at Wendy's have more pizazz. When our cheddar biscuits arrived we asked for some jelly, but were told there was none to be served. But our waitress saved the day and brought some great raspberry puree. Finally our entrees arrived, and I must say it was a pleasant surprise. I ordered a $25 seafood selection served in a bowl with linguini that included lobster, shrimp, scallops and mussels. The mussels were cooked to oblivion and were inedible, but the rest of the shellfish was an expensive delight. I received three small lobster tails halves that were cooked perfectly. My dinner mates, fearing as I, that we would be disappointed with the quality and quantity of our entrees pigged out on cheddar biscuits, so none of us were able to finish our entrees. I do believe this is the first time I ever left a restaurant and saw everyone in my group with a doggy bag! And it's the first decent seafood experience we have had in a while. So while Red Lobster has room to easily improve, we all drove away, doggy bags on board, with nothing but decent thoughts of Red Lobster and a wonderful waitress who made the shocking bill almost bearable.
(4)
Kalena Y.
Ordered Maine lobster with potatoes and grilled corn on the cob. corn on the cob was barely luke warm. Potatoes delicious. Lobster was bland. (How can a Maine lobster be bland? I don't know but it just was). Biggest complaint - server brought dessert and walked away - leaving large platter and extra dish in front of me. Family members with me enjoyed their food.
(1)
rob s.
I don't know what the fascination is with people loving Red Lobster. Or Olive Garden and all the other "microwaving frozen food" family restaurants. Especially seafood. Go to places where the fish is still fresh, not frozen. The only thing not frozen are the lobsters that you encounter at the entrance.....but why would you spend top dollars at a chain to eat lobsters? Perhaps I just don't get down with most "family" chains that can be found in every state.....but more so because I don't think the food is all that.
(1)
Michael T.
Normally I might agree with the first reviewer, but in this case I think I can explain the fascination! My wife can't even make a sandwich without me feeling like it came from a gourmet chef, so it has made me quite the food snob. Most encounters with a restaurant, ANY restaurant, is like eating with a food critic, who is never unfairly-critical, and always on the mark. We hate chains! Having said that, we are always fascinated by the experience at Greenville's Red Lobster on Wade Hampton. Not only is the food always hot and as fresh as we'd expect from a chain, but the service has always been exemplary. They have always been genuinely and sincerely attentive and concerned for our satisfaction. I can appreciate that even if it were coming from a Denny's. We admittedly aren't holding them to standards they aren't trying to hold themselves to, but as restaurant 'chains' go, they have my vote for one of Greenville's very best. ..and yes, that is 5 stars for being the very best of what they are.
(5)
Lauren G.
Certainly fast food atmosphere is what they have achieved. Used to be a nice quiet place for seafood when we weren't near the ocean-no longer the case
(2)
Allen B.
After eating here for over 30 years, the one thing that is consistent is the inconsistency. If the service is rotten, the food is excellent. If the service is exemplary, the food is sub-par. It goes through cycles and has for a long time. I have never had a completely bad dining experience either eating in or taking out. The food will over shadow the inattentiveness or rudeness of the server, or the server will shine and make the food a bit more palatable.
Worst place ever!! Got seated and after 20 minute wait didn't even get water!! Don't go there McDonald is the much better place for service!!! Also the smell in the restaurant was awful. We left without ordering anything after 25 minutes sitting at the table.
(1)
Jason C.
This is a great location. I was debating between a 4 and a 5, so figured they deserved the 5. Only problem is they are ALWAYS on a wait, good thing I've never waited more than 10-15 minutes.
(5)
Amanda G.
Came to Red Lobster for my birthday lunch. Mistake!!! We ask for a table when they took our name. We sat down and waited for 20 minutes. We were called up to be seated and were led to a booth. When we politely questioned the mix up, we were led back to the front to sit down again. We waited another 10 minutes and finally were sat at a table. As the hostess turned to walk away from our table, we heard her make a snide comment about why we requested a table. Then when our food came, the broccoli was old and had already turned brown. It was poorly prepared. This is the second terrible experience we have had in this restaurant! We wont be back!
(1)
Christopher R.
Stop in after a fencing meet much better Restaurant experience than our last time in town (see our Joes Crab Review) pleasant staff, food was hot and tasty a very good dining experience for a chain store it was nice to have wait staff that actually gave a damn will stop here again in the future.
(4)
Robert J.
If you're reading a review about red lobster, I really don't know what to write for you other than what your should already know. It sucks. Frozen seafood cooked on a conveyor belt that's sprayed with fake butter. You're better off getting something in the frozen section at the grocery store.
(1)
Steve S.
This star solely based on this being the ONLY Red Lobster in Greenville County. We moved away 12 years ago after living in the area for 10 years. We moved back (Greenville is the greatest place to live) - but there was still just this one measly Red Lobster restaurant! The owner must have the franchise for the area and has passed up an EXPLOSION of new markets over the years -- I-85/Pelham Rd, I-385/Woodruff Rd, Simpsonville/Fairview Rd areas just to name a few. 1000's of new homes in quite affluent subdivisions were built in these areas since we left 12 years ago. The US Census Bureau lists the 2011 population at 450,000+ for the county proper. We hated driving all the way in from Fountain Inn to this restaurant then and refuse to do it now (and we live many miles closer this time). It's not like it's near a major attraction or other restaurants of comparable scale that would give diners a choice when they're out to eat (I'm sure they couldn't stand up to this kind of competition). The most interesting things near this Red Lobster are a cemetery and Bob Jones University which can't be the source of business (I don't even want to consider the possibility of ghosts and the BoJo students don't drink). From reading the other reviews and the few times we did go, the majority opinion is that this place consistently provides inconsistent service & quality.
(1)
Natalie M.
LOVE this place. The biscuits are to die for!!!! A lot of calories though... So only have one! If you can XP.. Also, the lobster pizza is amazing. The fish is awesome no matter what you get and the waiters are awesome!
(5)
Kellie B.
I just had the worst visit at Red Lobster ever! This use to be one of the top dinning spots in Greenville! I should have know from the parking lot that it wasn't the same any longer! True, we did have a large party but the food was not good at all! The service was Pretty good but the Lobster & Shrimp Linguine was dry & tasted as if it came out of a box! I was very disappointed!
(2)
Linda P.
The servers have always been helpful and professional. The menu is predictable but the food is well prepared for a midweight seafood restaurant. We love the biscuits and the crab leg specials. The carpet, tables and seats are always clean.
(4)
Alice S.
Food is honesty great but the service sucked. I was with my friend who is allergic to peanuts and we asked the waitress to check on a dessert to see if it contained peanuts and she replied with "I'll have to look at the box in the freezer to check" wow....... Now we know your "awesome" desserts come from a frozen package. thanks- Also when she took our order, she asked what we wanted and we said we weren't ready and she was like "Really?" In a way that made me not want to tip her. The waitress was just rude- The food was awesome but when your server sucks, it is just terrible. Worst experience at Red Lobster ever.....
(3)
Manoj B.
The only Red Lobster in Greenville. A must try for sea-food fans. A bit expensive but worth a try.
(4)
Sarah M.
Best crab Alfredo in town!!
(5)
Ed R.
The Greenville Red Lobster, in my opinion, is not a good place to eat. I was in a large group, and our waiters were present, kind, and helpful. The wait time for our food seemed long, but there were many in our party. The meals came as we had ordered them. I have not been to Red Lobster in a long time. I also will say, so that you can stop reading if you really like Red Lobster, that pre-frozen, hard-cooked shrimp and a clump of generic, out-of-the-box pasta is not my idea of seafood or a quality restaurant. At home my wife bakes excellent biscuits, much better than the grease-laden, crumbly biscuits brought to our table at Red Lobster. If the price were low, I could understand the popularity of Red Lobster. For the atmosphere and the quality of the food, disregarding the food tastelessness, the price is high. Why this restaurant is always packed I cannot understand. We were asked to accompany a special friend. Our servers were good, and I have no complaint about them, about the decor, or the cleanliness of the restaurant.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Byron H.
Took the wife for a lunch here a couple weeks back and I think we agree, THIS is the WORST restaurant in Greenville! The first thing we noticed was the smell.. a hearty combination of rotten fish and sour beer. When was the last time this place was cleaned top to bottom? Makes you wonder. The food was totally as expected for a Red Lobster chain, microwaved seafood. Yes, the cheddar biscuits are awesome but, if I made them at home at least I know they came from a clean kitchen! Service was ok for us but, the couple behind us tried to order something that was no longer on the menu and the server told them no. The manager came to the table and tried to make the customer get something else instead of re-portioning their pre-portioned dishes or sending someone to the grocery store! Isn't the customer always right? This place needs serious attention from building to staff, DON'T waste your time or money...Go to Joe's on Pelham for your microwave seafood!!!
(1)John S.
The salmon was good but the portion was small for the price. The salad that came with it was just lettuce with onion and not much else. The service was decent. All and all not worth the price.
(2)Iama C.
Iama Critic Rating - Red Lobster - 4 Stars 1940 Wade Hampton Boulevard, Greenville, SC Story Time: My foodie critic friends and I love us some seafood, but we don't go out for it very often because honestly most seafood restaurants don't have a clue how to cook seafood. Even at the beach the odds of going out, ordering and actually receiving great seafood at a decent price is miniscule, so in the upstate the odds are practically zero. Over 75% of the seafood restaurants we have dined at are so bad that we would never bother to visit again. But on a particularly special occasion, we decided to go to a Red Lobster, and we decided to do this when they were not running their yearly "all you can eat" shrimp event. Nope, we paid full price and ordered lobster, steak, shrimp, mussels, scallops, clam chowder and more. We ordered pretty much every type of shellfish that Red Lobster offers. We would have ordered soft shell crab and maybe some she crab soup, but they do not offer either. Red Lobster is to seafood what Olive Garden is to Italian, not the broadest selection, just the popular fare. Our waitress was interactive, attentive, and although busy, spent time answering all our questions and suggested her own preferences. Our waitress was definitely a suave salesman with a smooth presentation. No doubt she increased our order. It is delightful when you feel your waitress is actually part of your dining experience, so our waitress earned a tremendous tip. I should really make a better effort to remember the names of good waitresses and give them credit, because ours deserved some recognition. I must admit I had some apprehension dining at Red Lobster, as our meal was going to cost well over $100.00 for our small threesome, and this trepidation only increased when our salads arrives. The salads were sadly ordinary, with not even a bacon bit or olive to enliven the palette. Literally the salads at Wendy's have more pizazz. When our cheddar biscuits arrived we asked for some jelly, but were told there was none to be served. But our waitress saved the day and brought some great raspberry puree. Finally our entrees arrived, and I must say it was a pleasant surprise. I ordered a $25 seafood selection served in a bowl with linguini that included lobster, shrimp, scallops and mussels. The mussels were cooked to oblivion and were inedible, but the rest of the shellfish was an expensive delight. I received three small lobster tails halves that were cooked perfectly. My dinner mates, fearing as I, that we would be disappointed with the quality and quantity of our entrees pigged out on cheddar biscuits, so none of us were able to finish our entrees. I do believe this is the first time I ever left a restaurant and saw everyone in my group with a doggy bag! And it's the first decent seafood experience we have had in a while. So while Red Lobster has room to easily improve, we all drove away, doggy bags on board, with nothing but decent thoughts of Red Lobster and a wonderful waitress who made the shocking bill almost bearable.
(4)Kalena Y.
Ordered Maine lobster with potatoes and grilled corn on the cob. corn on the cob was barely luke warm. Potatoes delicious. Lobster was bland. (How can a Maine lobster be bland? I don't know but it just was). Biggest complaint - server brought dessert and walked away - leaving large platter and extra dish in front of me. Family members with me enjoyed their food.
(1)rob s.
I don't know what the fascination is with people loving Red Lobster. Or Olive Garden and all the other "microwaving frozen food" family restaurants. Especially seafood. Go to places where the fish is still fresh, not frozen. The only thing not frozen are the lobsters that you encounter at the entrance.....but why would you spend top dollars at a chain to eat lobsters? Perhaps I just don't get down with most "family" chains that can be found in every state.....but more so because I don't think the food is all that.
(1)Michael T.
Normally I might agree with the first reviewer, but in this case I think I can explain the fascination! My wife can't even make a sandwich without me feeling like it came from a gourmet chef, so it has made me quite the food snob. Most encounters with a restaurant, ANY restaurant, is like eating with a food critic, who is never unfairly-critical, and always on the mark. We hate chains! Having said that, we are always fascinated by the experience at Greenville's Red Lobster on Wade Hampton. Not only is the food always hot and as fresh as we'd expect from a chain, but the service has always been exemplary. They have always been genuinely and sincerely attentive and concerned for our satisfaction. I can appreciate that even if it were coming from a Denny's. We admittedly aren't holding them to standards they aren't trying to hold themselves to, but as restaurant 'chains' go, they have my vote for one of Greenville's very best. ..and yes, that is 5 stars for being the very best of what they are.
(5)Lauren G.
Certainly fast food atmosphere is what they have achieved. Used to be a nice quiet place for seafood when we weren't near the ocean-no longer the case
(2)Allen B.
After eating here for over 30 years, the one thing that is consistent is the inconsistency. If the service is rotten, the food is excellent. If the service is exemplary, the food is sub-par. It goes through cycles and has for a long time. I have never had a completely bad dining experience either eating in or taking out. The food will over shadow the inattentiveness or rudeness of the server, or the server will shine and make the food a bit more palatable.
(3)Michael S.
Last 2 times we have eaten there all has improved except they always TRY to tale you hot back dining room with sparse décor and low ceiling. Don't go in back ! Food has been very good and service the same. Much improved since remodeling in the past year,
(4)Mirian H.
Worst place ever!! Got seated and after 20 minute wait didn't even get water!! Don't go there McDonald is the much better place for service!!! Also the smell in the restaurant was awful. We left without ordering anything after 25 minutes sitting at the table.
(1)Jason C.
This is a great location. I was debating between a 4 and a 5, so figured they deserved the 5. Only problem is they are ALWAYS on a wait, good thing I've never waited more than 10-15 minutes.
(5)Amanda G.
Came to Red Lobster for my birthday lunch. Mistake!!! We ask for a table when they took our name. We sat down and waited for 20 minutes. We were called up to be seated and were led to a booth. When we politely questioned the mix up, we were led back to the front to sit down again. We waited another 10 minutes and finally were sat at a table. As the hostess turned to walk away from our table, we heard her make a snide comment about why we requested a table. Then when our food came, the broccoli was old and had already turned brown. It was poorly prepared. This is the second terrible experience we have had in this restaurant! We wont be back!
(1)Christopher R.
Stop in after a fencing meet much better Restaurant experience than our last time in town (see our Joes Crab Review) pleasant staff, food was hot and tasty a very good dining experience for a chain store it was nice to have wait staff that actually gave a damn will stop here again in the future.
(4)Robert J.
If you're reading a review about red lobster, I really don't know what to write for you other than what your should already know. It sucks. Frozen seafood cooked on a conveyor belt that's sprayed with fake butter. You're better off getting something in the frozen section at the grocery store.
(1)Steve S.
This star solely based on this being the ONLY Red Lobster in Greenville County. We moved away 12 years ago after living in the area for 10 years. We moved back (Greenville is the greatest place to live) - but there was still just this one measly Red Lobster restaurant! The owner must have the franchise for the area and has passed up an EXPLOSION of new markets over the years -- I-85/Pelham Rd, I-385/Woodruff Rd, Simpsonville/Fairview Rd areas just to name a few. 1000's of new homes in quite affluent subdivisions were built in these areas since we left 12 years ago. The US Census Bureau lists the 2011 population at 450,000+ for the county proper. We hated driving all the way in from Fountain Inn to this restaurant then and refuse to do it now (and we live many miles closer this time). It's not like it's near a major attraction or other restaurants of comparable scale that would give diners a choice when they're out to eat (I'm sure they couldn't stand up to this kind of competition). The most interesting things near this Red Lobster are a cemetery and Bob Jones University which can't be the source of business (I don't even want to consider the possibility of ghosts and the BoJo students don't drink). From reading the other reviews and the few times we did go, the majority opinion is that this place consistently provides inconsistent service & quality.
(1)Natalie M.
LOVE this place. The biscuits are to die for!!!! A lot of calories though... So only have one! If you can XP.. Also, the lobster pizza is amazing. The fish is awesome no matter what you get and the waiters are awesome!
(5)Kellie B.
I just had the worst visit at Red Lobster ever! This use to be one of the top dinning spots in Greenville! I should have know from the parking lot that it wasn't the same any longer! True, we did have a large party but the food was not good at all! The service was Pretty good but the Lobster & Shrimp Linguine was dry & tasted as if it came out of a box! I was very disappointed!
(2)Linda P.
The servers have always been helpful and professional. The menu is predictable but the food is well prepared for a midweight seafood restaurant. We love the biscuits and the crab leg specials. The carpet, tables and seats are always clean.
(4)Alice S.
Food is honesty great but the service sucked. I was with my friend who is allergic to peanuts and we asked the waitress to check on a dessert to see if it contained peanuts and she replied with "I'll have to look at the box in the freezer to check" wow....... Now we know your "awesome" desserts come from a frozen package. thanks- Also when she took our order, she asked what we wanted and we said we weren't ready and she was like "Really?" In a way that made me not want to tip her. The waitress was just rude- The food was awesome but when your server sucks, it is just terrible. Worst experience at Red Lobster ever.....
(3)Manoj B.
The only Red Lobster in Greenville. A must try for sea-food fans. A bit expensive but worth a try.
(4)Sarah M.
Best crab Alfredo in town!!
(5)Ed R.
The Greenville Red Lobster, in my opinion, is not a good place to eat. I was in a large group, and our waiters were present, kind, and helpful. The wait time for our food seemed long, but there were many in our party. The meals came as we had ordered them. I have not been to Red Lobster in a long time. I also will say, so that you can stop reading if you really like Red Lobster, that pre-frozen, hard-cooked shrimp and a clump of generic, out-of-the-box pasta is not my idea of seafood or a quality restaurant. At home my wife bakes excellent biscuits, much better than the grease-laden, crumbly biscuits brought to our table at Red Lobster. If the price were low, I could understand the popularity of Red Lobster. For the atmosphere and the quality of the food, disregarding the food tastelessness, the price is high. Why this restaurant is always packed I cannot understand. We were asked to accompany a special friend. Our servers were good, and I have no complaint about them, about the decor, or the cleanliness of the restaurant.
(2)