Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

I am completely dissapointed with my recent visit to this Olive Garden. Whenever my boyfriend and I come here we have a great experience, until now. It started off good until the host came over to tell us that our entrée was ready but we still hadn’t received our soup/​salad or the appetizer that we ordered. (Btw they didn’t bring out the soup/​salad at any point during our meal) I’m not entirely sure why the host was interfering with the waiters job either. I think that’s what confused most of the situation. The waiter was very short with his responses and didn’t ask us common questions like «would you like to take that to go?» Or «Can I get you guys anything else?» It was a very awkward dining experience that I can’t say I’ve ever had until now.

I ate here once years ago (was super unimpressed) and returned for a big To Go order yesterday. The three customer-​facing employees I interacted with were all really nice. The food was fine — it’s Olive Garden; you generally know what you’re getting. But this Olive Garden included some extras at no charge. Included in one of the dishes were two long strands of kinky hair, one short strand of hair, and what appeared to be a small piece of plastic from some packaging. Furthermore, the salads weren’t fresh (greens were getting bitter and browning on edges) and serving sizes were very uneven (some containers had half the volume as others), one of the soups was waaaay overly salted (this is corporate’s fault since it is pre-​prepared), and the breadsticks were super doughy.

I SHOULDA KNOWN BETTER!
Last night, my friends and I went to the Olive Garden at Shopper’s World in Framingham for dinner. All of us hadn’t been to an OG in a long time so we went with high hopes.
Like I said… I SHOULDA KNOWN BETTER.
After being seated very quickly by some very friendly hostesses, a large young man carrying a big bottle of red wine came to our table and fired off something of an introduction. When we asked him to slow down and repeat himself, which he did, he took our drink orders… never to be seen again.
Then our server came to the table. He will remain anonymous as we all agreed he had to be on some sort of amphetamines. He was so frantic, highly animated, getting RIGHT up in our faces, that all of us agreed he was like a time-​share salesman who had once been with Up With People riding an amphetamine high. Each time he came to the table, it was jarring, uncomfortable, and awkward… and that’s being nice about it.
The Food. Clearly made hours earlier, HIGHLY SALTED, and resembling NOTHING like Italian food. Two of us had Shrimp and Chicken Carbonara — AVOID AT ALL COSTS, and the third person had salmon – smartest choice of the night. The salad was drenched in HIGHLY SALTED” Italian «dressing so much so that we asked for just plain lettuce to lessen the impact of the italian salt lick experience of the dressing.
We paid and got out ASAP and were STUNNED that there was now a waiting list for a table. UNFATHOMABLE.
As we swiftly got back to the car, ALL of us agreed that was the LAST time for an Olive Garden.
CAVEAT EMPTOR… Let the buyer beware!
Visited January 2016

Five cheese ziti al forno anyday for me! You get some real fresh and good breadsticks here.

I went for my first ever visit to any Olive Garden on 12÷28÷15 and based on this visit I will never go again. This was the worst restaurant experiences I have ever endured.
— Server took our drink order and said he would bring back bread. All he brought back were flat sodas. We sent them back and he said he would try the other side of the restaurant. He came back (again with no bread) and explained that there was no carbonation in drinks tonight. We ordered beer.
— It wasn’t too busy but food took a long time. I mean a VERY VERY long time.
— FIRST FOOD ISSUE: He placed my son’s food in front of him and said ‘Shells in butter…’ we said those are not shells. He explained they were out of shells so the kitchen used ‘that’. I am not even sure what type of pasta you call them but they are the same as the cheap Man-​n-​Cheese type of pasta.
— SECOND FOOD ISSUE: He gave my wife her Ravioli and TOMATO SAUCE and you could clearly see chunks of meat.
— The two plates we sent back took forever to replace. These are very simple pasta dishes.
— While we waited we had asked several times for more bread but it didn’t come until after the replaced food. They advertise all you can eat bread sticks but don’t expect them to give you more without asking many many times.
— The food that was delivered correctly was sub-​par. Terrible Italian food and again these are pretty simple standard pasta dishes. Not only was the flavor poor you could see how dried out they were from sitting under heat lamps.
SERVICE:
for all the issues you would think the manger and server would be more attentive and apologetic. They did comp us for some of the food but of course they messed that up as well and tried to charge us for the sodas we sent back and double charge us for a meal. They eventually got it right but I will never get those 2 hours of my life back.

Too much money for processed food re-​heated.
We were a party of 5 and ordered some of the new plates. The salad had larger chunks of iceberg lettuce in it. No tomatoes. We all did not feel well after our dinner. I will not waste my time and money again.

Worse experience ever. restaurant was disgusting from the minute I walked in trash all over the floor. Took 2 people to get us seated very unorganized and unprofessional. Sat next to a table that had just left and had to stair at their dirty plates the whole time I was there because no one felt the need to clean it. Menus were torn and ripped. Waiter seemed inexperienced. My drinks were wrong, food was cold, had to ask for salad and breadsticks nothing was offered like it should’ve been. Utensils were dirty, salad came with a half eaten pepper. Overall completely disgusted and dissatisfied with the experience. Waiter did nothing to make it any better. I tipped exactly what I needed to and not a dime more. Waiter had the nerve to follow me to my car knock on my window and throw money in my face and say, «you look like you need it more then I do». And when I complained to management nothing was done. I was offered gift cards to go back to that hell hole. Get real. Place is a joke.

Below average food quality and drinks at this location.
My beau and I want to love this place, but the last 2 – 3 times we have been here, something is wrong with the food, drinks or service. Food tastes like it is frozen and just reheated. The seafood (shrimp), is so small, I’ve never seen anything like it. It appeared to have come out of a can. Pass on this location!

2.5 stars***
Came here on a Sunday night, pretty quiet. Food came out quick. Nothing spectacular but not horrible. My fiancé and I come here quite often so we know what we want every time we come in.
I’m sure everyone seen plenty of commercials to know that if you order an entrée you can endless breadsticks and soup or salad.
I usually ordered the eggplant parm and my fiancé orders the chicken Alfredo. I can said its real Italian but it does satisfy our pasta cravings so that’s why I’m giving it 2.5 stars.

The meatballs are terrible, they should be embarrassed. Also, went in on a Sunday at eleven am and the carpets were dirty and the bathrooms had not been cleaned the night before. I could only hope that they cleaned the kitchen more frequently. I will not be returning.

My girlfriend and I arrived at 8, which was 2 hours before they closed and still received the worst service. The salad that was given to us has no dressing in it along with the cold and stale bread that came along. I understand about leaving on time, however; we should still be able to have the same quality food regardless of which.

I have been to many Olive gardens around the USA, and the one in Orlando FL is the best In my opinion. Anyhow At this location I was having a celebration dinner for getting engaged.
First, The place smelled like someone had vomited inside. Still people wanted to eat here.
Second, The front desk girls were a little rude while seating us
Third, I ordered Chicken Fettuccine and the chicken I kid you not was very strange, chewy and tasted strangely raw in a way. Just like another reviewer has stated. For some reason they can’t cook chicken…
Fourth, It is dirty! Everyone’s menu had food stuck to it and the tables were not well cleaned. We were sat where they keep the utensils, (next to our heads on a beam) and there was dirt and dust everywhere.
I would never recommend this place to anyone. I have been to many other nice Olive Gardens this was my first bad experience at one. I wont be going back.

We made the mistake of sharing an entrée, something we have done at other Olive Garden locations in the past without any issue. What was different here is that once we said we were splitting an entrée the waiter never came around again to check how we were doing, never offered more breadsticks or soup, and actually charged us individually for every additional order of soup.
The minute we questioned it, the manager came to justify how we had violated a company policy, that had never been an issue at any other New England location we’ve ever split a meal at.
Worst. Service. Ever. Been to many olive gardens and I was never treated as poorly as I was here. I can all you today Olive Garden lost a customer for life. Hope they enjoy the 4.99 they got from the additional soup.

How anyone can call this Italian food is beyond me ! The names of the dishes are just too funny. Tastes like the cheapest ingredients, constantly changing waitstaff
Not worth the trip.

I love Olive Garden but the only reason I come to this location is because it’s near my job. The experience I have here is always just mediocre. The food is the same as any other location so that’s what keeps me coming but the service is rather poor. New management is needed.

We stopped in on our way home from Boston. There was a large crowd waiting when we arrived shortly after one. We were told the wait was twenty minutes, which is reasonable for the time of day. We were seated in less than ten. The wait staff was great and the food was very good.

I never write reviews but I had to warn you all about the kind of experience I had here. I was here last night with family. It was not too crowded and we were seated within 20 minutes. The waitress, Petunia, seemed friendly at first and took our drink orders. Drinks came fairly quick and then she took our order. We ordered a sampler plate and our entrees. My aunt asked if she could substitute the tomato sauce with an alfredo sauce. She specified that this was because she had a food allergy. Well, the appetizers never came out, the kids were starving and tired. Petunia disappeared for a good 30 minutes so we couldn’t even ask about it.
Entrees came out and guess what? My aunt had tomatoes all over her plate. I tried to flag down the manager so many times since Petunia was no where to be found. The manager asked every table in our section but us on how they were doing. He acted like he did not even see me wave him down multiple times. When we finally found Petunia and told her that there were tomatoes on the plate, she did not apologize, but just said «Well I did tell them no tomatoes.» Are you serious? I finally asked her about the sampler and she said she forgot to put it in. She could tell that we were all upset and took the sampler off the bill.
As for the food, it took so long to come out, that the kids were falling asleep and did not get to eat it. The food was cold and the chicken parm breading seemed really stale and the sampler sucked! Never returning again. Worst service I’ve had in a while.

As with other chain restaurants I will preface my review with — This is a chain! — and should be judged accordingly
Yes their food is very salty. No their food may not be authentic Italian. Yes a lot of their stuff probably comes in frozen. But guess what? — the place is always packed!!! whatever they are doing is driving in customers that are waiting over an hour to get in at busy times! — and for this location it isn’t because there is nothing around because there are lots of other places to choose from.
I think a big draw for this place is their friendly relaxed atmosphere. It is good to bring the kids and family or good for a casual girls night out. The prices are very reasonable for the portions you get.
Our waitress was great the last time we were in. Our meals were very good too. I had the steak gorgonzola alfredo — which surprisingly the steak was cooked perfect and very tender/​flavorful.
The new panna cotta dessert they have was made perfect and the strawberry sauce was perfect with it — making it not to sweet.

To be honest, not to hurt anyone servers at the restaurant. But the server was slow and it seemed that she had forgot about us! She take our order and then came back with the salad and bread sticks. When we asked for more bread sticks she disappeared for 10 mins. After getting our food again she disappeared. Waiting for our server for the bill took 10 mins. The dinner plan was for 1hr. But our trip to the restaurant turned out to be for 1 hr and 45 mins.
Not happy at all.

Yes, Olive Garden?
All you can eat, such class.
IMAX is nearby.
A trip out to Needham is like a blast back into my midwestern roots. Strip or indoor giant malls. Every chain restaurant imaginable. Impossible to get to without a car. The only thing that’s out of midwestern character is the horrible traffic.
Anyway, this Olive Garden is just like all the other Olive Gardens… A shame to my Italian roots… I just can’t ever seem to get enough soup, salad, and breadsticks. Well, that is until Olive Garden.
Eat here. See a movie at Jordan’s. Pretend like you’re not in New England anymore.