The Garlic — Restaurant in New Smyrna Beach

Absolutely a no!!! I was so excited to try this restaurant after seeing it on Food Network many years ago…so much so, I decided to stop after driving over 20+ hours with a five year old. I noticed the New Smyrna exit sign & went. I understand, this is an “experience” type of restaurant & probably not the best choice for us at that moment, but my little is a garlic lover &, as stated above, I was curious. Our server was named Lucky, a name that is easy to remember. We were, however, unlucky to have him as our server. He was waaayyy too in our business, addressing my child as though she were his, touching & moving personal items on the table. To be fair, Lucky did not realize at first that we had just had a very long drive. I shared that with him in the hopes that he would understand our situation a bit more. However, he was very rude to my child & me & probably thought his behavior was perfectly fine. It was not. He walked up & was trying to tell me the specials, but he had interrupted my little when he did so she was trying to finish what she was showing me. He bent down to her face level & said, “can you please let me tell your mom what we have so we can get you some food?” No, sir…I will address my child, not you. Then, he comes back over to our table & says can you turn this down, we can hear it all of the way over there & proceeds to turn the iPad down himself. All around us are people being noisy & talking in the middle of the afternoon, yet, somehow, we were being loud. Then, he brings the garlic which we were looking forward to & proceeds to put balsamic vinegar all over the top of it. My five year old may love garlic, but balsamic is a very strong flavor for a child…perhaps I didn’t like it either…he didn’t ask…he simply went on about how special the vinegar was & not to waste it because you “can’t put it back in the bottle.” Then, he brings her a cup of potato soup that no one asked for. She doesn’t like soup & was not in need of a distraction. She had ordered spaghetti noodles & sauce…he brought fettuccine. When he brought the food, he grabbed her iPad & moved it to the other side of the table & said, “Let’s put this over here so that you can talk & visit with each other while you eat…enjoy each others company.” At this point, I am very agitated, but I’m exhausted & trying brush it off. FOR MORE CONTEXT: My mother passed away…we had been at her house for a month without my husband (& daddy), without WiFi, without television, on little house on the prairie…sooo… To our server, Lucky, we were just a mother & child, pathetically staring at our screens & not enjoying each others company…however, in reality… We had been driving over 20 hours, feeling the loss & grief in many ways, had been without any modern technology for over a month, were driving INTO hurricane Milton, had a million people to connect with & get back to since I don’t text & drive, & I needed my little to have a distraction while I sat there getting back to people worrying about us on the road & the oncoming hurricane. Even if all of these things were not occurring, Lucky was way too overbearing & beyond rude. It was uncomfortable. There are too many details to get into & this review is a novel. To be honest, it’s too long of a review & it might be a bit all over the place. However, I tried to call the restaurant twice &, after wasting several minutes, never got an answer. This is comical, being that the recorded message brags about being open 364 days a year. I called a third time & the phone was finally answered. I asked if there was a manager there that I could speak with. She said, “No.” I said, “so, there is currently no manager in the building?” She said, “well, there is, but they are busy doing other things at the moment.” I just hung up. In my honest opinion, the food was not that impressive, the service was terrible, & I will not be returning. My curiosity was resolved…another over-inflated restaurant full of dusty plastic grapes. Zero concern for customer satisfaction & a bit full of themselves. I can roast...

Do you love bar restaurants where you can't hear yourself think and everything seems to be much more crowded than it should be? If the answer is yes then this review is not for you. For the rest of us please know that if your mom said "we have that at home" in the case of the garlic I'm not sure she would be lying. We took the 45 minute drive on a Saturday at 5pm to celebrate a friends birthday here because he was incredibly excited (his hype didn't help my expectations, but I will note he absolutely loved it still). When we finally found parking (down the street a ways past the additional parking lot, which was tiny so big cars beware) we made our way back the walk to find our friend who put us down for a table....with an hour and some change wait. After doing the awkward stand around for about 10 minutes a table outside moved so we did the vulture move and claimed it, trash and all to sit at and chat while time passed. Finally our time comes and the phone has beckoned us to the front (this poor woman is being told its an hour and 40 minutes to wait as we walk by) its crowed with people lining the ways and the smells of garlic and cheese fill the air while we are crammed into one of the weird half booths by the bar. Luckily none of us are shy because when I say crammed I mean an inch to the left and I would have been in my boyfriends lap for the meal. ---the prices are what is posted online. Yes its overpriced. But the entree was plenty large enough to split so take that how you will. What we ordered: The Harlot Cheese, Chicken Parmesan, Chocolate chip lava cake (there is no dessert menu anywhere but if you ask it does exist) What I feel like we got: 2 "giant" (think a slice of bread cut diagonally) cheese sticks... except while my boyfriends was filled with cheese mine was empty. legit nothing in it. You know that sad cheese stick where it's all melted out and just the shell is left. Yep that was mine. I did steal a bite of his when I realized not all of them were sad. It was okay. But the sauce was not my favorite. Chicken Parm came out looking huge, now this did come with a side salad (we were charged extra cause I think he made it a creaser? I'm not sure it was just lettuce and cheese with 2 house made croutons and what looked like onion straws but I didn't eat it) The Chicken did fall apart I probably didn't need a knife to cut it but the sauce had the same flavor as a can of hunts spaghetti sauce (and yes I said can) the noodles underneath had too much pasta water left in it to really let any sauce pretend it stuck to them to give any substance to the meal. We ate the chicken and sent the pasta home for their kids. Finally the part I was hoping would make up for the rest dessert. I could have saved myself the 12 bucks. Go pick up a chocolate chip mug cake from any grocery store throw a fun sized chocolate bar in the middle and nuke it. It will probably be better than what we had.

All of this was bow tied together with live music that was I think an attempt at a Jamaican vibe? I put in my headphones to try and drown it out but still left with a migraine and down like 80 bucks.

I will note the server was really sweet. But outside of dropping off food and such we didn't interact much as she was slammed, she kept the drinks full and didn't mind telling me desserts up front and then repeating them when it was time to order. She was my favorite part of the experience.

Overall not my favorite place, maybe its better at a different time of year and not on a...

The environment already deserves a 5 stars. The full review is coming soon after my dinner. Let’s see what they can offer!!!

Here is the update with my review:

I recently had the pleasure of dining at The Garlic in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, and I must say, it was an extraordinary experience from start to finish. It is the perfect little gem. The restaurant's inviting atmosphere, attentive staff, and exceptional cuisine truly made for a memorable evening.

To kick off the culinary journey, I ordered the Clams Bianco appetizer. The clams were cooked to perfection in a white wine and garlic sauce that was rich and flavorful. The dish was beautifully presented and left me craving for more.

Next up was The Grant Salad, which featured a delightful combination of fresh pear, candied walnuts, and crambles of Gorgonzola cheese. The flavors melded together harmoniously, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and tanginess. It was a refreshing and satisfying way to prepare for the main course.

For the main event, my wife decided to indulge in the Pollo Marsala and I ordered the Seafood Cannelloni. The Pollo Marsala was a succulent chicken dish bathed in a luscious Marsala wine sauce that had hints of earthiness and sweetness. It was paired with perfectly cooked vegetables and accompanied by creamy mashed potatoes. Each bite was a delightful explosion of flavors.

The Seafood Cannelloni was a true showstopper. The delicate pasta tubes were generously filled with a medley of fresh seafood, including shrimp, scallops, and crabmeat. The dish was topped with a creamy tomato sauce that complemented the seafood beautifully. Every bite was pure bliss.

The only disappointment was with the cannolis for dessert. They add to chocolate chips on it. Would be more genuine if they add pistachios instead chocolate chips. If they had added it would be much more a real Italian desserts.

Throughout the meal, the service at The Garlic was impeccable. The staff was knowledgeable about the menu, offering helpful suggestions and ensuring that every need was met.

In conclusion, dining at The Garlic in New Smyrna Beach was an exceptional experience that I highly recommend to anyone seeking an unforgettable culinary adventure. From the delectable Clams Bianco appetizer to the mouthwatering Pollo Marsala and Seafood Cannelloni, every dish was a testament to the restaurant's commitment to excellence.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to savor the incredible flavors and warm hospitality...