Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Houston

I don't think I have ever been at a place where I felt so uncomfortable in my entire life. We recently moved about 5 min from this location, I wanted to take my family of 6 to dinner before dark because is a school day and wanted to treat my husband for his birthday. We came here around 3 pm. Parking was empty and we thought we were going to enjoy a good meal and celebrate my husband. The minute we came in and we saw the place practically empty, our expectation were too high, I guess. No hostess at the front, so we were just patiently waiting at the front desk, after a minute or 2, she comes out of the restroom and immediately gives me a face like we were not welcome, as if it was too early or too late to come in. She asked how many we were and I said 6, 3 adults and 3 children and her prompt response was, it's going to be a 5 to 10 minute wait, I guess she expected me to say, oh no! Never mind and to leave. But, I said ok. We went to seat at the bench and my husband in confusing says, the place is empty, what wait? I said, well...maybe they need to put tables together, I don't know! But, a couple came right after us and was seated right away. Didn't think much of it. Hostess comes back and takes us to the table. It had literally been 3 min. We get seated and we are looking at the menu, 5 minutes later out waiter comes to greet us. I should had left in that very moment, but I always want to see the good in people, I wanted to give her a chance. She looked mad and had a terrible face, she couldn't even hide it. I'm not sure if she was going home and last minute we were seated in her section or what the deal was, she wasn't even making eye contact with anybody, just writing everything down, she took our drink order and was placing our appetizers order for us on the little digital pad at the table. I told her we were ready to order and she completely ignored me. I knew it was going to be one of those days. She comes back after what it felt forever with our drinks and appetizers, I had to ask her if she could bring some bread, the whole time I feel her bad attitude making me sooooo uncomfortable but didn't want to ruin it for my husband, whatever.... after a while she brings our food out, she was handing the kids the plates with food to pass them over, like... who in the world does that, they are kids, they can drop a plate all over. After she's done passing plates around, she takes off, I asked if we could have cheese on our plates and she literally rolled her eyes at me. I worked in the food industry in my younger years, I know how stressful is to wait on tables, to deal with big parties, to deal with children, but for the same reason I make my kids choose what they want and no questions or no substitutions, they are pretty much train to respect the waiters and make their jobs easier because that means faster food in our tables. But, if someone is rolling her eyes at me, I have a problem with that. So, now...my whole family is in complete silence, feeling unwelcome, disrespected and awkward. The food was cold, the steak I wasn't the way i asked for it to be cooked but still eat it because i, at that point wanted to get the hell out of that place. I had to ask the waiter for refills, all of our glasses were empty for the last 15 minutes. I started to take pictures of our food and when she heard me saying that It was going into a review, she suddenly came back with a huge smile on her face, she looked like she was forcing it so much. I was about to seat there and cry because pretty much, my husband's birthday dinner with the family was a huge mess. I felt bad for him. My older son said we should call a manager, but I was too upset and didn't want to tell all this to someone without tears on my face. All I know is that I'm never, ever going to back to this place. Nobody even wanted to order dessert because they were not even in a mood for it. My advice to management, I'm not sure how your waiters are rotated for seating but, there should be a rule where if waiters don't want to wait on a table,...

Sorry Guys im only giving 3 stars and really 2 are because of our Waiter. Now let me start... Walked in was immiediatly seated. Waiter comes out talks us thru drink specials i ordered a green apple sangria and appitizer sample of lasagna frita and stuffed mushrooms (pay attention) with a side of cofee (not a big drinker) Waiter comes with my drink and breadsticks i order the new chicken garboni Hubby orders lasangna of course and for son pizza and french fries. Waiter tries to persuad me to order the scampi i decline politely( just wait) ..... Now he leaves... I taste my drink now remember im not a drinker which means i can taste any alcohol in a drink even the lightest of hints....i take another sip ...i TASTE NOTHING TO THE POINT I LITERALLY CHUG THROUGH STRAW WHOLE GLASS ... NOTHING PERIOD. 6.00 WASTED. I JUST LET IT GO WHATEVER. But then out comes appetizers lasangna frita is hot i mean fresh just hopped on the plate...... Mushrooms my favorite i cut and taste mushrooms still hard and barely lukewarm i have my son amd hubby taste.... Same REACTION AND I SAID NOTHING BUT THEY BOTH DID . so i feel and look at plate plate is cold and cheese is burnt black to plate but cheese on top of mushrooms whiter then white ( obvious reheat) so i ask when waiter returns are these made fresh??? He says they are supposed to be i say they are cold .... I send them back to be remade.... CORRECTLY. HE OBLIGED..(GREAT GUY) Now entrees come out, hubby has a child size lasagna on his plate but says its hot whatever and eats... Sons food good (duh frozen pizza and fries cant really mess that up) now mine....I WISH I WOULD HAVE LISTIONED TO HIM. I DONT KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE SAUCE BUT IT WAS EITHER WAY TOO MUCH FOR A LIGHT PASTA DISH OR SOMETHING WASNT RIGHT IT HAD A AFTERTASTE OF SOME KIND OF EARTHY MOLDY TASTE ... BUT DECIDE BEFORE THEY SPIT IN MY FOOD LET IT GO.... WAITER COMES OUT AMD ACTUALLY AT TABLE MAKES MY SON A BALLOON ANIMAL ....LIKE MAKES MY SONS DAY HES STILL CARRYING IT AROUND AND EVEN AFTER HE ACCIDENTLY UNTWISTED LEG WAITER STILL REDID IT WITH A SMILE NOW HE ISNT PAID ENOUGH ... I love olive garden but please piss test your chef or hire one with better training i can go to olive garden on 45 near spring and get much MUCH BETTER FOOD AND ADULT SIZE PORTIONS TO MATCH... ITS REALLY SAD THAT SUCH A RICH NEIGHBORHOOD HAS TO PAY OUTRAGEOUS AMOUNTS TO BE THERE AND GET SUB PAR FOOD AND DRINKS... IN SHORT .... DO NOT RECCOMEND THIS ESTABLISHMENT... SORRY GUYS AND TO WAITER RELOCATE TO A BRANCH THAT WILL MATCH YOUR LEVEL...

Edit1- I went again today 13th September after a year as I was craving their salad. And let me tell you the whole place is turned around. The new manager (Virginia) has done a fantastic job. The server(Michelle) was sweet and polite. Asks you what you want, refill water and check on you multiple times. At first I thought I just got a good server but then I realized that its the new manager. She has literally turned a dying place around. I am definitely going to go back again. The manager even stopped by at our table and asked if we liked the service. Fabulous personal touch. This OG is so close to so many main places also. You can just do groceries or shopping and stop by to eat in here. Three cheers for Virginia for turning this OG around. If anyone wants to read on my previous experience its below.

Original post - So this time on 2rd September I went to OG. My worst experience. First of all the hostess at the front desk sat down 3 parties who came after us. Now, finally when I asked her what's happening she sat us down. We were a party of 2 and the others were a party of 3 ,4, 5 etc. The server was so rude. He was a black man and was damm rude to us. He never asked to refill the salad bowl. Infact we had to tell him we need a refill. He picked up the empty salad bowl and left. Never came back. We never got water, and he only asked us if the pasta was good once that too like -all ok! - mind well while asking our table he never looked at the table. He would be serving other table and ask. It felt like he didn't wanted to do his Job. Not like we were freeloading. We ordered fettuccine Alfredo. A 21$ pasta. I asked him to refill my water and he seemed to push us out he literally asked me if I wanted it(water) to go. I was shocked. Okay coming to the end. He even tipped himself. Even before I could finish my food he literally asked cash or card. I said card. He took the paying machine on the table swiped my card and literally slides the tip section forward close to 50% and he was going even higher. I had to literally snatch it from him and slid it down. He still , let me repeat he clicked himself a 20% or 22% tip. This was my worst experience. They be outrightly rude and still expect tip. We didn't have water half the time, no refills in salad and a rude server. I mean if you don't like the pay find something else. Olive garden need to keep their...