I ate dinner at the Olive Garden today for the first time in several years. The food was awful. The breadsticks, which I used to love, wasn't any good. Their pasta was overcooked, and the marinara sauce was crummy. Has their quality seriously deteriorated over the years, or was it always this bad and I just didn't realize it? What are some good Italian restaurants, at a decent price, in greater Houston area?
FWIW, I've always thought that Olive Garden was overrated and overpriced. Never did understand the hype/appeal.
I'm not sure. I used to love the breadsticks and salad. Then again that was when I was a broke college student. Hehe. The last time I ate there I remember it not being as savory.
Olive Garden has always been mostly a miss for me. Completely unrelated: their commercials are horrible.
I have actually never eaten at an Olive Garden, I'm going to have to try one out. All I ever hear about it, is ppl making jokes about it.
They've gotten worse, durvasa. At least in my opinion. I used to enjoy going to one from time to time, but apparently the chain has gone downhill. Bummer! A good, cheap Italian place if you're in Austin? The Brick Oven. It's a local chain that's excellent. There's one downtown on Red River, just east of the Capitol. Tasty!
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I think your tastes have probably matured a bit. Half of Olive Garden's stuff is just some random stuff soaking in butter and garlic. It's kind of like the Italian version of Red Lobster. I used to think both were "high end" food when I was a kid. That being said, I'd eat at either one, so I'm not hatin'. :grin:
Never liked the place. One time there were eggshells in my spinach. Another time they served me rotten milk. Trash restaurant IMO. Never had a good experience there.
Olive Garden has deteriorated a LOT in the past few years. Also, their salad is still addictive like crack for some reason. Mancuso's on Voss and Westheimer is the t***. AMAZING food, great service, nice, small intimate atmosphere.
Yeah, I liked it when I was young. My favorite Italian place as a kid was Birra Porettis -- they had a location near Greenspoint Mall. It closed down about 15 years back or so. They had this amazing fettucine primavera with spinach fettucine, alfredo sauce, and loads of vegetables. I never had a pasta dish tasting that good since then. Does anyone recall that place?
Olive Garden is massively overrated and because of this they are overpriced. Honestly for me Olive Garden isn't that far in taste from Fazolis (it just has more choices), and Fazolis just reheats their pasta in the microwave.
Omg yes, great place. There is another one in the Randall's shopping center on Slaughter/Brodie, if you are in the South.
they still have one in downtown, they had 2 others i remember of, in River Oaks which is now California Pizza Kitchen and Post Oak/San Felipe, now a Ninfa's. My sister worked there for a good few years during the late 90's. http://www.birrarestaurant.com/home/index.cfm as for Olive Garden, its gotten expensive, but I usually just go for the Toscana soup and bread sticks during lunch for less than $10.
