Carrabba's Italian Grill — Restaurant in Clearwater

At one time this place was my go to for great food and service. It's been a while since I have been there because I moved away but I returned during a recent visit and well, let's just say a lot has changed. I can see why Bloomin' Brands is closing various Outback and Carrabba's locations.

I won't be going back, I will continue to get my steaks from the Texas Roadhouse. I realize I am beating up an Italian Food restaurant chain for a bad steak experience but then again, it's also about the quality of the experience too. Some of their stuff is decent but the overall quality is going way down.

One example is the Mama Mandola's Chicken Soup. I love that soup! But I would love it even more if a large bone wasn't left behind in the soup. I mean, I get it... it's chicken soup, there is bound to be bones, but this was pretty sizeable yet small enough to sit on your spoon ready to go down the hatch. I pulled it out of my mouth and the person that was with me was like... "OMG!!" I made a joke of it and blew it off but again, it's about the overall experience.

They managed to destroy their reputation with me over two visits. During the first visit, I asked for sautéed mushrooms and onions for my steak. The waiter said the guy that makes those is not in. What? It's like cooking 101. He said, "I can bring the mushrooms..." and when he did, they were Marsala mushrooms. When the server brought them out I said, "I didn't want this, I wanted sautéed mushrooms..." he said, "Oh... sorry" and simply walked away and it was never made right. Okay, not a big deal, I can take being blown off.

On my next visit I asked my waitress for sautéed mushrooms and onions again and she said, "We don't have the quartered onions to make that." Okay, that explains the last visit. In her defense, she was very nice and she had the cook try, but I got stringy salad onions with sliced mushrooms that were fried in oil or something. It was gross. The worst part was getting a raw steak when I ordered medium rare. Like, it was just seared a little on each side, they never bothered to cook it.

It finally became apparent to me that the "cooks" there are now just food warmers and that they must get most of their stuff already prepped. So if you want a more expensive Olive Garden, then you will probably still like Carrabba's. As for me, I won't...

This review is harsh as I have eaten here many times and ALWAYS leave satisfied, except for tonight. Service from our waitress was absolutely the pits and it wasn’t just me as we overheard other parties asking her where she had been hiding. Had to ask 3 times for a soda refill, dirty dishes that were served to us. The worst was their $23 dollar steak special that was a 10 the last 2 occasions but a zero tonight. Was nothing but fat on the bottom, couldn’t even chew it without having to spit some out. Had to look around as this evening felt like I was eating at Applebees, NOT A COMPLIMENT!! Now if our waitress was more on the ball, I would have brought this to her attention. But tonight I was in no mood to even suggest she mention it to the chef, as I am pretty sure, he should have been aware already. Now the $40 steak was spot on, no complaints there. Bill for $85 dollars for 2 was certainly more than I felt we had, one appetizer of a bread tower, 2 sodas and two entrees. Restaurants can have off nights and this was certainly the case with this location on Monday evening!!!! Let’s hope the next visit will be like the past. Oh one more thing, fix the pot hole out in the street leading into your parking lot, this has been there for too long, months if not more, it’s going to damage someone’s car or break someone’s leg if they ever step Into it. ...

ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE. I placed an order at the restaurant curbside which took forever and the little blonde girl was TERRIBLE, when I took it back to the room and opened the bag I was missing numerous things. Not to mention my side salad (the only one received out of the 2) was with HOT food. It was horrible welted and damp from condensation... didn't even eat it... the pasta was missing and the main salad. The pasta being for my kid.. So I call them at 8:50. To let them know. At this point I'm exhausted, have 2 kids below the age of 2 and am asking for a refund on my items missed. The little blonde girl answers who took the order, she was horribly rude, answered the phone and said id get a refund. So today I call 2 separate times to follow up becausei. Know how things like this go. The first girl I talk to the manager a TERRIBLE Horribly rude person answers. She proceeds to argue with me. She trys to give me a gift card but I don't want that after being told I'd be refunded... she says I'll call back and nothing... so I call again talk to a nicer girl who tries to help but isn't able to do much. She says she'll talk to the manager who is coming in this evening. And that she'll call me. We'll have yet to see if she does... I am very very very disappointed. Biggest thing is the blonde girl and the manager are...