Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in McHenry

After multiple attempts to enjoy dinner at this location, I think we’ve reached the point where we simply won’t be back. Our dining experience this evening took over 2 hours, at no fault of our own. No appetizers, just uncomplicated dinners and then dessert we ordered through the computer at the table. We watched the tables around us (who were seated after we placed our dinner order with our server) place their orders, get served their food, eat their entire meals, pay and leave- before our server could even get breadsticks to our table. The most frustrating part was that we were offered one excuse after another, first the bar was really backed up, then breadsticks weren’t ready just yet, then our dinner was almost done- while the tables around us being waited on by other servers had no issues getting the items they ordered.

It seems like there is always an issue of some kind at this location. In the past they have “lost” our reservations, skipped over us entirely and forgotten to seat us, missed multiple items we’ve ordered including drinks, appetizers, and entrees where we’ve then had to ask them to remove it from the bill as we are leaving because they didn’t notice we never received it. Management seems less than concerned about fixing the issues let alone offering anything to make up for their mistakes. We’ve eaten at more than a dozen Olive Garden locations over the years and we’ve never had issues at other locations. We continued to be patient and support this location as we realize the last few years have been challenging for everyone, including those in food service. I’m not sure if it’s because they are understaffed, undertrained, poorly managed or a combination but after being continually disappointed we will take our...

We came here Saturday night and it was very busy which I completely understand. I’ve worked in customer service for pretty much my whole career, so I totally get when it’s overwhelming and things can be forgotten. However, this experience just kept getting worse and I did not feel as if the staff were very welcoming or apologetic about anything. First of all, I could tell right off the bat our waitress was in some kind of mood and snapped at both me and my boyfriend a couple times when we were asking simple questions while ordering. We ordered an appetizer which never came. I ordered the unlimited soup/salad/breadsticks and my boyfriend ordered the shrimp scampi, which we both think the waitress forgot to put in. His food was taking forever and then she asked us both if we wanted another soup which was confusing because only I should have had a refill on soup. He asked if his scampi came with more than one soup and you could immediately tell she was trying to play it off by saying she was just being nice in giving him an extra. Waited another 15-20 minutes before a different waitress brings out a chicken scampi and rudely tries to set it down in front of me immediately without asking if it was mine. I told her I didn’t order it but that my boyfriend had ordered a SHRIMP scampi, to which she seemed annoyed, kind of rolled her eyes, said “got it” and walked away. By the time he finally got the right order he was full from eating my breadsticks so we took it home and left. Passed our waitress on the way out and she avoided eye contact and completely ignored us. Like I said, normally I’m pretty understanding but this was just horrible...

Olive Garden used to be a reliable go-to for affordable Italian-American fare with generous portions, but recent visits have left me feeling less than satisfied. The most noticeable change is the significant increase in prices coupled with noticeably smaller portion sizes.

It's disappointing to see the once wallet-friendly soup and breadstick deal priced at $11.49, nearly triple its previous cost of $5.00. The iconic Tour of Italy dish, which used to offer three substantial portions, now costs a hefty $21.49 and barely covered the plate. This shift in value is hard to ignore, especially when reminiscing about the good old days of plentiful servings at reasonable prices.

However, despite these changes, the service remains a saving grace. Our waitress was exceptionally kind and attentive, ensuring our needs were met throughout the meal. Her service is the sole reason I'm not rating this experience lower.

Reflecting on this visit, I can't help but think about seeking out authentic Italian restaurants that still offer generous portions at reasonable prices. Olive Garden seems to have lost its appeal in terms of value, making it harder to justify continued patronage.

In conclusion, while the service at Olive Garden remains commendable, the drastic increase in prices and decrease in portion sizes have left a once-loyal customer disappointed and considering alternative dining options for future Italian...