Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Jasmine Estates

10/2023: UPDATE: It's been about 5 years since I've updated my review for this restaurant. I've eaten here several times this year, so wanted to let people know of changes since my last review. Just so you know, I usually go with friends during the week for lunch or early dinner; very rarely on a Friday or Saturday, so you might have different experiences. Because I tend to take friends here for lunch, there's hardly ever a wait (for more than 15 minutes) to get a table. The servers are ALWAYS friendly and efficient, and the food comes out quickly. About 5 months ago, I took one of the ladies in my Bible Study group to lunch. On the drive over, I had been thinking I'd order the Zuppa Toscana and salad because I tend to go for the lighter side at lunch, but as I was glancing over the menu, I saw eggplant parmesan, and I hadn't had any here before, so decided to give it a try. Man, oh man, was it GOOD! So good, in fact, that when I went again just a few weeks ago, I ordered it again! I think I've got a new favorite food on the menu. In all seriousness, it's been at least a few years since I've had eggplant parm that has tasted this good, and THAT was at a restaurant where the waiters had such a thick Italian accent that it was hard to understand what they were saying. NOW: if any of the managerial staff read these reviews, I'm asking you to get rid of the smell from your carpet. In my review of 5 years ago, I mentioned that smell, and it's still there. Restaurants just should NOT have carpet in their dining rooms. If you want to use it to help dampen sound, use area rugs under each table; they even make them now that can be thrown into a washing machine! The problem with carpeting in restaurants is that customers spoil things! Drinks, food, more drinks, more food, all daddy long, multiple times a day. Even if you clean the carpet every night, they aren't going to get dry fast enough to not mildew - ESPECIALLY in Florida! During hurricane Idalia, my house flooded, and even though the water receded within an hour - my house is tile, not carpet - and I got the rugs out of the place the same day, the humidity in the air here caused mold and mildew to start during that 1 day! You work there, so you're probably used to it, but for customers who come in only once a month or less, the smell in the dining areas, especially when you're seated (because your nose is closer to the floor than employees who stand all day), the smell is VERY obvious. Please don't get me wrong, readers, the restaurant is kept very clean, I've seen how hard everyone there works at maintaining the cleanliness of every room there - bathrooms, server stations, reception, tables, they even wipe down the chairs after customers leave. They wash all the glass doors and windows - probably several times a day - and as I've said, the food is excellent. It's just that in a humid state like Florida, there's no way they can get the musty smell out of their carpets. So, Olive Garden, please, get rid of those carpets.

2018 The service was excellent. Our waiter, Chaz, was very attentive. The meal came out fresh and was hot where heat was needed, and cold, where it should be cold (salad). We tried the parmesan-crusted zucchini bites for an appetizer, and they were SO GOOD, I could have made a meal out of those! I had all-you-can-eat soup and salad, with the Zuppa Toscana for the soup. So good! Hubby had the Taste of Italy, with chicken parmesan, chicken alfredo and lasagna. He kept saying 'I need to get a to go box', but he kept eating it till it was gone. It...

In all my years of dining out, I can honestly say I've never been IN THE MIDDLE OF A MEAL, and had a server (WHO WAS NOT OURS MIND YOU) approach us with such a passive-aggressive demeanor and tone to ASK US TO MOVE OUR 1 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO WAS EATING TO THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TABLE JUST SO THEY COULD ACCOMODATE ANOTHER GROUP OF GUESTS?!!! Miss Autumn, shout out to you love, for being horrible at interpersonal communication and customer service. First off, who does that???? Second, your reason being because "we don't want anyone to bump into the stroller or for your stroller to be in THEIR way". As if there isn't a CHILD sitting in it and eating from her plate right in front of your face?? Uhm excuse me, I beg your finest pardon?! Who hired you?? She is a baby who was sleeping upon our arrival and still very small so we kept her in her stroller which we've done on numerous occasions at this location without any problem before this diva. I worked in customer service and food service for more than 10 years so let me help you out for the next time you think it's a good idea to ask another group of paying customers who are already seated and eating to MOVE: "Hi guys, how are you tonight? I see that you're enjoying your meal, and I hate to ask you this or inconvenience you in any way but we have a large party we're expecting that is going to be seated near where the baby is. The last thing I would want is for anyone to accidentally bump into her stroller or have you guys feeling like they're sitting on top of you. I am so sorry but do you think there's any way we can shift your table down ever so slightly. Again, I truly am sorry for interrupting you guys like this, I just want to make sure everyone is able to enjoy their dinner comfortably". THAT IS CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE. THAT IS CALLED RESPECT. Your attitude and off putting phrasing trying to make it sound like there's a problem with where my daughter is positioned is unprofessional and I highly recommend you work on your skill set. How dare you approach my family and I like we're in your way or not supposed to be where were sat. Like I said, I once served too and I know all you cared about was the tip you were anticipating with a 14-person party headed your way so being nasty to us was no biggie. Shame on you and shame on this establishment. We were there to celebrate my daughter's first birthday and already were less than pleased with the mediocre service we were experiencing. If anything, it should have been OUR ACTUAL SERVER OR MANAGER who approached us. Not some server who wasn't even taking care of us and clearly lacking in customer service and communication skills. This isn't the first time we've received poor service or left less than pleased from this location, however, I can assure you it was most certainly the last time. After that happened, our entire mood shifted and we all just wanted to get out of there- could hardly enjoy the meal. The audacity was outrageous and I hope you do not ever make another group of guests feel that uncomfortable again. If I could give 0 stars while still leaving this review, I would. But I'm glad to inform others just how pitiful this location is and of course help with some lessons in communication since evidently, it is...

TL;DR: FOH was super rude to us, but waitress was sweet, one dish forgotten, and chicken gnocchi soup had no chicken in it.

We came here to celebrate my sister in law’s birthday. We joined the waitlist online and understood it was a busy time so it’d be about a 30 min wait. Well, before we even reach the door, a hostess is leaning out of the front door practically yelling across the parking lot at us asking if we’re on the waitlist. Not wanting to shout back or give out our personal information across the whole walkway, our party waits until we’re within actual speaking distance of her to give the name. She says she can’t find us, but then eventually does. Minor hiccup, but whatever. We get in and wait in the crowd of other patrons. 30 mins, then 35, then 40. Then an hour. When we ask the hostess on the status of our seat, and she says “that party has already been seated” so of course we say “uhhh no, we’re all still standing here”. They had a table ready in that moment thankfully, but none of them were apologetic in the slightest. They were actually quite rude about the whole thing like it was our fault that they seated someone at our table. And they rudely plopped our menus down on the table, and with baby in hand we had to request a high chair and a kids menu for the baby. She finally brought that and ran off without the crayons. So my SIL got up and went to the hostess stand to request them, and was completely ignored. So she had to reach in and just grab them herself. Now, our waitress was VERY sweet and polite. Upon ordering, we were informed that they were out of the chicken gnocchi soup. No biggie, it happens. However at the table, one of our guys’ dishes (spaghetti and meatballs) was forgotten about for a hot minute. But they did fix the issue, bringing his dish out along with some freshly made chicken gnocchi soup. Except… IT HAD NO CHICKEN!!! All in all, the FOH staff was so rude and unapologetic. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to just apologize for the situation. Maybe offer the table one free tea or coke or SOMETHING. Anything at all! But we got nothing. Again, no hard feelings towards our waitress because she was very sweet and did her absolute best in the chaos. But the FOH staff was...