Red Robin Gourmet Burgers and Brews — Restaurant in Garland

Let me say first, I absolutely love Red Robin. However, I went to the Garland location last week, my two daughters, and it was the worst experience EVER!! When we finally got a table, we were placed right next to the kitchen. Not too long after we sat down, we heard a commotion in the kitchen. Then we heard dishes banging and cussing. Then we heard, who I assumed was the manager or someone in charge, called someone a Motherf@#$!&. Now, while this is happening, my daughters are looking at me, wondering what's going on. I asked our waitress to move us away from the kitchen to another table. The table and floor were a little dirty, but it was much better than sitting next to the kitchen. Our waitress was pleasant, but we barely saw her all night. I'm assuming she went and told the manager why we moved, so he came to our table and apologized. He explained there was an employee in the back who had become very upset and started throwing dishes and cussing. I wanted to tell him that I heard him cussing as well, but I didn't bother. I hate when a manager blames everyone else but doesn't take accountability for his actions. But, eventually, I guess when everything was settled in the kitchen, we got our food. It was pretty bad. My fish sandwich was lukewarm and mushy. The fries were cold. My daughter's shrimp was swimming in a mayonnaise sauce that looked disgusting, and according to my daughter, tasted that way as well. My other daughter reported that the burger she was eating was extremely dry, but tolerable. I ate a little bit of my sandwich before it was decided that it was too gross to finish. After eating one of the shrimp, my daughter said that she couldn't eat anymore. So, she didn't eat anything at all because her fries were cold too. The waitress did not come back to our table to check on us. So, my daughter and I sat with nothing to eat while waiting for the waitress to come back to at least offer more fries. It was so so bad that I eventually had to get the manager to give us our check. Again, he apologized and offered to make our plates over. I declined because why would I want another plate of disgusting food, it was close to closing time, and I was extremely frustrated and disappointed by the food and bad service. The manager offered to take my daughter's plate off the check but not mine. I was in such a rush to get out of that place that I didn't even bring it up. That night was a mother and daughter night out, but that was pretty much ruined. Needless to say, I won't be wasting my time and money at that...

Red Robin is one of my frequented restaurants back in high school, especially with their unlimited fries. I was never disappointed with my visits to the one in Wichita (KS), but my last two visits to Overland Park (KS) and Garland (TX) locations have taken it off my list completely.

We came around 9 PM, which is still one hour before closing time. We got seated right away, but it took 10 mins for someone to come and grab us water. If the restaurant was busy, I would've understood, but the bartender (our server) was talking to other workers despite seeing us get sat down. She later came and took our order and drinks, and brought us a basket of fries to start off. My boyfriend ordered garlic fries with his meal, and he got regular steak fries. We wanted to ask to exchange but our server was missing for 15+ mins. We had to grab someone else, and he tried to look for the server, and couldn't find her.

The food was fine. The fries were stale, and they rarely gave us a refill despite claiming it was unlimited. Our server didn't show up until we were done with the food, so my boyfriend just told her to take off the garlic fries since we didn't even get them. Also, I got their peach strawberry lemonade, which also comes with unlimited refills. HENCE THE UNLIMITED. I've never gotten a problem with sharing with my boyfriend, and we've eaten at Red Robin 20+ TIMES. When our server came back, she saw my boyfriend sipping on my lemonade and said she can't give us a refill unless I want to be charged for a second drink. I've never experienced terrible service until now. She disappeared on us for the entire meal, came back and told me she can't give me a refill on my drink despite it being free refills, and almost refused to take off the garlic fries from the check.

I probably will never go back to this chain again after my last two bad experiences. If I visit my hometown again, I'll drop by then if I'm craving some crispy fries. Very disappointed with this location and the...

A 5-Star Comeback Experience at Red Robin

After a disappointing visit in the past, I was hesitant to return to Red Robin. However, I'm extremely glad that my family and I decided to give it another chance, as this experience completely changed my perspective.

The difference was night and day. First, I have to commend Infinity, the manager on duty. Her leadership was evident throughout our entire visit - the restaurant ran smoothly, and her positive influence clearly trickled down to the entire staff. Red Robin would be wise to promote her to General Manager, or even give her the opportunity to run her own location. Leaders like Infinity are rare and valuable in the restaurant industry.

Our server, Lizzie, was equally impressive. She was attentive, professional, and went above and beyond to make sure our entire family was taken care of. I especially appreciated how she consistently checked on my children, making sure their drinks were refilled without us having to ask. This kind of thoughtful service makes all the difference when dining out with kids.

The food quality matched the excellent service. Everything came out hot, fresh, and exactly as ordered. The burgers were juicy and flavorful, and the famous bottomless fries were perfectly crispy.

What stands out most about this visit was how dramatically different it was from our previous experience. It's clear that with the right leadership and staff, Red Robin can deliver a truly excellent dining experience. If you've had a disappointing visit in the past like we did, I'd encourage you to give them another chance - especially if Infinity is managing or Lizzie is serving.

This visit earned a well-deserved 5 stars across the board. We'll definitely be...