Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Oak Ridge

Sometimes, if not all the time, life's best experiences come when you least expect it.

It was the start of vacation and we had just spent the entirety of the day in the car. We were tired and getting hungrier and hungrier by the minute. We began to bicker about where we should eat and who was going to be in charge of getting back behind the wheel.

But then we remembered that warm tan and green sign that had caught our eyes as we puttered into town. You know the sign. The one with the imcomprable cursive lettering and the impeccably designed olive branch that can only be seen as the universe once again using heavy handed symbolism to foreshadow a shift in the course of fate. It was an Olive Garden. And it was only 5 minutes from where we were staying. It was an easy decision at that point, so the eight of us packed into two cars and made our way to the restaurant. Upon arrival, we were told it would be 10-20 minute wait. We only waited 8. We took a seat where, just seconds before, the host had haphazardly squeezed together a round table and a rectangular one. It was a little odd but I was just happy to be accommodated.

We were then greeted by Luke, whose warm smile, helpful suggestions, and tastefully funny anecdotes warmed our hearts. With the help of Luke and the rest of the wonderful service staff, we were quickly graced with perfectly baked bread sticks, classic yet flavorful soups and salads, and of course, endlessly satisfying pasta. As the plates, drinks, and jokes kept coming, our weary and travelled eyes slowly yet decisively transisitioned to lively, sparkling displays of contentment. At that moment, all the stress of long car rides and vacation planning had faded and we were suspended in time. The only thing that mattered was now. There was no anxiety of what is to come nor any regrets about what has passed. We were living in a time and place like no other: the instantaneous now.

It's hard to say how much time passed, but as we were finishing desserts and the evening was coming to it's natural close, we noticed we were the last group still in the dining room. Groups of people, large and small, had come and gone while we were captivated amongst ourselves. By our conversations, laughter, and smiles. The rest of the world didn't matter. In a world where things seem increasingly grim, bizarre, and frustrating, we were able to find a moment of self contained bliss completely untouched and unaffected by the disheartening news of the day, the often encumbering stresses of school and work, or the happenings of any other person, place, or thing outside of our group. Because here, at Olive Garden, we laughed, loved, and lived, unaware of a world beyond our haphazardly yet lovingly squeezed-together table.

Because when you're here, you're family. And to me, that's what...

I would give it 0 stars if I could. Worst service we have ever experienced. We went to the Olive Garden on January 3rd for dinner where our server messed up my entire order. I asked for a frozen peach bellini which I saw on the menu. My server brought out a peach bellini that was not frozen. When I brought this up to her, she told me that they can special make it frozen but at this point it seemed like too much of a hassle so I said it was fine. Even thinking about this the next day, I am still unsure why she made it seem like it was a big deal to make it frozen when they specifically offer it on the menu. I, then, ordered the chicken margarita for dinner and asked the server if it came with pasta and she told me it came with fettuccine. When my order came out, there was no pasta. My server, instead of owning up to the mistake on her end, says she thought that I ordered a different meal which did come with fettuccine. Who I assume was the manager came over a little while later and did not introduce themselves but just asked if I was going to eat the meal or not. He, thankfully, asked if I wanted something else so I got another order of the soup. He brought it out and left in a hurry. No one came back to the table for a while so I was unable to ask for Parmesan on my soup. The server finally came back over and handed us the IPad to pay the bill. She did not ask if we wanted dessert and was, instead, trying to rush us out of the restaurant. We had to flag her down to come back so we could order our desserts. I am very disappointed at the lack of ownership for the server's mistakes and how the restaurant handled the mistake in general. I received no apology from the server or manager and our table was avoided after the incidents like we, as guests, were the problem. I have had amazing experiences at other Olive Gardens and would recommend to go to any other Olive Garden as this one does not care for its guests and their...

It had been a while since I visited this location, and let me say they have improved significantly. Our server was absolutely amazing.the food was hot and fresh, tasted amazing.. absolutely phenomenal visit.

Starter - calamari and bread sticks with Alfredo sauce. Bread sticks were hot and buttery, as always. Calamari was crispy the way it's supposed to be, not slightly under the way many places are doing it now. It was quite tasty.

Entree - chicken Alfredo tortellini and Grilled Chicken Margarita. The tortellini was fantastic. Last time I got got it, the cheese was all but missing from inside. This time it overflowed. The chicken was tender and well seasoned, and let's be honest. Olive gardens Alfredo is one of a kind. Never the best, but far far far from the worst. It's just plain good. So that dish was.amazing.

The margarita was juicy, grilled perfectly. Tomatoes were phenomenal and the cooks even sliced extra into some sauce for the take home. Surprised there was leftovers.to take home but, dessert was a must this visit.

Dessert.. the Italian donut things... DO NOT ORDER THEM. Seriously, don't. They are addictive, gooey fresh amazing and I still want more.. I was an addict the second my mouth closed on the first bite. The vanilla sugar just hooked in and I was done. Phenomenal dessert. Honestly do try it, but be warned it's addictive.

Sicilian cheesecake. It was good, it didn't truly stand out, a little more dense than I expected. But it definitely hit the notes to be a good dessert.

Our server is what made this visit. She was on top of drinks, friendly, engaging, but distant when we were eating. She timed her visits to not interrupt any conversations or eating. This lady, should be a 5 star dining server because she was amazing. I wish I had gotten her name but I was obsessing over donuts...

5/5...