Red Lobster — Restaurant in Greenwood

Last night, my dining experiences reached a new all time low. I've never cared for Red Lobster, but it was my cousin's wedding anniversary and I held my tongue. The first round of appetizers arrived and we seemed to get off on a solid footing. That's when it collapsed.

To celebrate I ordered three splits of Prosecco and four glasses. After 15 minutes the server came back and said they only had two splits. Okay, we'' take them. She came back in 15 minutes with the two and four mismatched glasses. We;;. no big deal. Her attitude at this time was cordial, but not at all what you would expect from someone who, if I was going to tip 20% as usual, would have been a $35.00 tip! It got less cordial as the evening went on.

At the one hour mark in the restaurant, our entrees had not arrived. I don't know what the hold up was but it seemed the kitchen didn't give a damn. it took another twenty minutes for three of the five entrees to arrive. It was another ten minutes before the rest came out. My cousin's wife asked for some lemon for her Salmon. After another long wait, "I'm sorry, we're out of lemon." How do you run out of lemon in a seafood restaurant?

Food quality was poor! Seems the only meal really palatable was the Lobster Feast. All other entrees were sorely overcooked. My meal of Fish and Chips was disgusting. The fish was obviously cooked from a frozen state because it was soft and mushy. It was overcooked to the edge of burnt and greasy. Lobster tacos were similarly overcooked and greasy.

I don't know if the management simply doesn't care about good service by under-staffing the kitchen and the floor, or about the preparation of the product, or if part of the issue is that they buy sub quality product.

Regardless, this is a restaurant to avoid at all costs. Poor quality food, prepared by a cook who knows nothing of cooking, with barely cordial service who lacked empathy for her customers.

I knew the server would be taxed at the menu price so I didn't stiff her completely so I did tip . . . at about 8%. She and the restaurant cost her over $20.00 for ruining the evening that was supposed to be a...

My wife and I usually eat Friday dinner out somewhere, but are not "regulars" at any one restaurant. Occasionally we choose Red Lobster as a special treat, since it's a little pricier than the places we usually visit. The times we have eaten at this Red Lobster have always been good experiences; Nothing spectacular, but nothing bad either.

That changed this evening...

Upon arrival, we were greeted by the hostess who seated us and, after a short wait, our server came by and asked what we would like for drinks. She was very enthusiastic and friendly, with a smile on her face. This alone is a lot more than we get at most restaurants lately, but it gets better!

Ladeja, our server, was incredible. Our drinks never had a chance to get low. I ordered skewered shrimp and, while removing them from the skewer, Ladeja observed a shrimp fall on the floor and immediately said she would get me another. I felt that wasn't necessary as it was my fault the shrimp fell, not hers or Red Lobsters. Well, not only did she replace the shrimp, she brought and entire skewer full back!

We didn't have to ask for to go biscuits or drinks because, before we had a chance to ask, they were brought out to us, along with to go boxes, lids for the unused sauces, and a bag for it all.

Servers like Ladeja are rare. She loves her job and loves her customers. You can tell it in her attitude, facial expressions, and overall demeanor. This young lady made our visit to Red Lobster in Greenwood, SC a true pleasure.

Thank you so much Ladeja and to the managers at Red Lobster; Thank you for allowing your servers to treat their customers as their own, go above and beyond, and create those "wow" moments. THAT'S what keeps people coming...

I found myself in Greenwood—God’s forgotten waiting room—where joy goes to die and even the GPS begs you to reroute. But fate, in her mysterious wisdom, led me to the local Red Lobster, a culinary oasis amid a sea of despair. And there, like a lighthouse on a stormy sea of lukewarm chain dining, stood Courtney.

Courtney wasn’t just a server. She was a lobster whisperer, a cheddar bay sorceress, a crustacean-conjuring culinary queen. The woman floated to our table with the grace of a butter-drenched angel. Her timing? Impeccable. Her drink refills? Telepathic. Her knowledge of the current “Seafood Boil” special? Encyclopedic. She described shrimp scampi so seductively I almost proposed to the menu.

She didn’t just take our order—she delivered an experience. One minute she was recommending dipping sauces like a Michelin-star sommelier, the next she was dodging rogue toddler fries like a Navy SEAL. She made Greenwood feel like a 5-star resort. For a brief moment, I forgot where I was… until I stepped outside and saw the rent-to-own furniture store and Applebees across the street.

10/10. If Courtney ever starts her own fine dining empire, I’ll be first in line—probably dressed...