Applebee's Grill + Bar — Restaurant in Madisonville

We rarely go here because when we do, the odds have been that they get our orders or our ticket wrong or we wait an inordinate amount of time for service considering the time of day or the amount of other customers present, or our server is rude, distracted, forgets us etc... But...Every now and then we give it another random try when we are burned out on the other options. This particular time I ordered the steak and mashed potatoes, it was one of the 2 for 20 meals...so a common dish. They ask how you want your steak.. I always order medium...So I get my steak and it is hard and black on the outside...nowhere close to medium...our server was a nice lady, but I had to laugh at her trying to play it off like it was medium...bc it was obviously hard and blackened on the outside. I know it wasn't her fault. I asked her to hold on so I could check it. She did and acted surprised that the inside was gray- no pink in sight...and I could hardly cut through it! It was solid! It was nearly jerky! LOL! So she apologized and was ready to take the whole plate, but my family had their food and we had already waited for quite a while. So I asked if i could keep the potatoes and green beans while they brought out the properly cooked steak...I left the burned nugget of meat untouched, and finished the rest of my food...which was subpar as well but I was hungry! About 30 mins later, when everyone was finished, she and the manager brought out the HUGE hunk of meat that was not a sirloin, that definitely wasn't the right color on the outside so I was skeptical ...however we needed to go, so I politely asked for a box to take it home by this point...and it struck me as funny that they seemed taken back by that request for a box...because I would think given the situation they would think that a natural, reasonable request after waiting so long and considering the rest of my family was finished, however they seemed unsure if they had to-go boxes for a moment there...Please keep in mind, I was not angry or unpleasant toward them at all...I was being kind and reasonable. The manager begrudgingly took my steak off of the bill after I asked for a box and saw my child sleeping on my arm. Like really condescending about it...which is ridiculous because the whole thing was their fault, but whatever. So anyway...I got home and when I cut into the meat, it was medium rare in the center, but the rest of it was over cooked(I asked for medium) And I suspected that it wasn't cooked properly since the hunk of meat was easily 3 inches in the middle...i wasn't expecting too much but the flavor and texture wasn't good either...it tasted old, so we've given up on Applebee's for good. Too many times over the years...decades... it's been this way, especially at this...

Went as a group of 3. Ordered cheesesticks, boneless wings, and fried shrimp with mashed potatoes. Two of the group just wanted appetizers as their meal. Took half an hour to get our food. Crazy, noticing how it is all frozen and heated anyways. I just wanted to sit down at a different place than my home with my friends, who I am unable to see very often. The cheesesticks weren’t hot, and the mashed potatoes had a black hair in it. For reference, I have platinum blonde hair. The waitress was fine. However, the manager was rude and unprofessional. Someone had taken my hairy plate to the back, and then the manager approached our table and said “Where’s your food?” then walked off. She did not ask for context. Also, she then proceeded to talk about us negatively with other servers, which was confirmed by one of the other servers who told us. It would be one thing for me to complain about food to get it for free, but I had exclaimed that I did not want it remade after finding the hair. I had lost my appetite. Still charged for the half drank soda though, which was fair I guess. Just seemed like an hour of my time wasted, because I almost ate a hair and I had no appetite to actually eat with after that. Like I said, the waitress was fine. The manager was extremely rude and unprofessional. I would voluntarily choose not to converse with her again if I can...

I recently had an okay experience at Applebee's that left me with mixed feelings. The restaurant had a casual and familiar atmosphere, but there were some aspects that didn't quite meet my expectations.

The menu at Applebee's offers a range of classic American dishes, including burgers, salads, and various appetizers. While the food was decent, it didn't stand out as particularly exceptional. The flavors were average, and I found some dishes to be lacking in taste and presentation.

The service was acceptable, but it wasn't as attentive or personalized as I had hoped. It took a while for our orders to be taken, and there were a few mistakes with our drinks. The staff seemed busy and slightly disengaged, which affected the overall dining experience.

On the positive side, the prices at Applebee's were reasonable, making it an affordable option for a casual meal. The restaurant also had a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere, suitable for a quick bite or a casual gathering with friends.

While my experience at Applebee's was just okay, it might be a suitable choice for those seeking a familiar and affordable dining experience. However, if you're looking for exceptional flavors or attentive service, there may be better...