Carrabba's Italian Grill — Restaurant in South Bradenton

*Please read if you are looking for catering!!!

When reviewing all of the vendors/companies used for our wedding, I was sure we’d have all positive reviews to write. Unfortunately, Carrabbas is the only negative review we have. We had started communication with the head of catering 8 months before the wedding. She built a package for our small wedding guest number (45) and worked with us on slightly customizing it since it was so far in advance. We had arranged to have 2 servers serve the meals to our guests at the tables and discussed a set seating chart and labeling the place cards at the table with each guests meal option to make the process quick and easy. The head of catering had arranged to hand out the champagne and serve our cake as well. Fast forward to less than a week before the wedding. I call the restaurant to speak with Heather (to pay for our catering) and am told that she’s not available. I wait until the next day to call back. When I called, I was told they could transfer me to someone else. I asked if she was going to be in later that day and was informed that “Heather no longer works here”. As a bride traveling from Ohio to Florida to get married, this was incredibly stressful to me as I was dealing with a whole new catering manager that I had not met in person. To make matters worse, they had made no effort to notify me of this change. However, I made sure to explain everything that was discussed between Heather and myself. I was told that they had access to all of our emails and could find the info. After adding 2 meals on for our photographer and DJ, the price increased over $100 from what I was originally quoted. Finally, they settled on meeting in the middle of what it should of been and what they wanted to charge. On the phone, I clarified that the dinner did NOT begin at 7pm (our ceremony didn’t even start until 7:30pm). However, they claimed that they were never told this. The servers were friendly, but did not seem to have ever catered before. They did not serve to the tables and dinner was cold by the time our guests got it. My mother and aunt had to serve all of the meals instead of enjoying the wedding. Some of our guests left early because they were hungry and getting irritable waiting. When my mother contacted the manager about the issues, she made it clear that she was not looking to get money reimbursement, but simply to prevent another bride from having a similar issue. He was incredibly rude and claimed it was all our fault -not having the correct time, thinking the guests would come to get their own food, “not in the contract” to serve champagne or cake, no warmers to keep food warm until served. There was no contract signed. The manager also claimed that our service was “highly discounted” which was not the case. The original quote was $814.76. Adding the 2 meals would have increased the price by $25.98. However, we ended up paying $896.

We will definitely not return to this carrabbas location and highly discourage others from utilizing their catering services. We will continue to visit other locations and use their catering for work as we have never had such a problem with our local restaurant’s...

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Restaurant: Carrabas 2106 Cortez Rd. Bradenton FL 34207

Response to Carrabas response: It was not being just unhappy. This was unhealthy. Flies smashed on the lettuce and crawling around the table is more than just being unhappy with the experience. I've submitted a response to the website URL. Let's see if this is just the marketing team cookie cutter response it appears to be or if Carrabas cares.

Update 06/29/24: I filled out the contact form. Sara, the manager contacted me from that location. She listened to the experience. She was surprised to hear about the flies on the food, so it made me think that she didn't actually read the review. She said that she did read the review.

Initially, she stated she wanted to make this right and and go above and beyond for our experience. She offered gift cards for me to come back. There was no offer to refund the meal after explaining we didn't eat the food. In my mind, making it right would be refunding the money for the food that we didn't eat because of the flies and had to spend additional money to go eat somewhere else. I stated that to Sara that making it right would be refunding the meal. The offer for the gift cards was rescinded upon refunding the meal. I ask her if it was an either or situation or was she doing both. She stated it was an either or decision and not both. In my mind that is not making it right and going above and beyond, but that was the offer.

I chose the refund and explained I wouldn't be back to the Bradenton location, but would still continue to frequent the Sarasota locations.

Main Question: Is the food worth the price? Answer: Most of the time, I would say yes, but this visit was a Solid No.

Wait Time: None today.

Food: The salad served to me had two flies in it. There were two flies crawling around the table. The manager, Steven or Stephen, shrugged it aside saying it was a fluke. The other party I was with wouldn't finish the food. He did give a free dessert. I thank him, but the issue is the flies so we canceled the order for the dessert on purpose.

I ordered food with no oil and steamed broccoli, but the broccoli came out with butter.

The salad was brown with holes in it as if these flies were eating through it. See the images.

Mashed potatoes looked over cooked. My guest didn't finish the soup or the food he ordered.

We will go somewhere else to eat.

Atmosphere: I like the atmosphere.

Cleanliness: The plates were cleaned. The silverware was clean. The glasses were clean.

Service: The service was okay. After I showed her the fly and insisted on showing it to the management, the service kind of went downhill. We even told the manager she was very nice. She was still nice, but just not the same.

Price: This was a waste of $64.88

Recommended: No. Not from this experience. Find somewhere else to eat. The $17.98 was more of a $8.00 to $12.00 salad. We ended up paying the bill and going somewhere else to eat. I highly suggest you skip paying the bill and just go somewhere...

I have been a long time Carrabbas customer. I enjoy the selection, the taste, I feel that the prices are reasonable and have had good service. However, when I went last night, the service was amazing! I've never written or commented about a busser before last night. Last night I saw James, a black man with a large smile interacting with the customers. I thought he was a manager or at least a server. He was not, but he was bussing tables. He was greeting regulars, chatting with many of the tables and I finally stopped him as he was walking by to ask his name and if he was a server and busser. He said he was just a busser. Usually a busser is barely noticed, but instead, he brought a smile as he was bussing. When they were singing happy birthday, James joined in and even whooped a bit bringing smiles to the servers as well as many of us who were watching. My server was Jessie and she was quick and when she got my Dine Rewards info, she repeated my name. From then on, she would mention my name as she would check on me, which I appreciated. My food was brought by Kylla who also had a smile, made it fun and chatted briefly. As I was leaving, Alicia, a girl at the desk quickly went to hold the door and also had a smile. I told her I wasn’t leaving but had a praise for a manager. She got Mialynn, a manager for me. Mialynn mentioned how great James was too, took the time to listen and interact with me and answered my questions about our recent hurricane. As I was telling her about James and Kylla, I mentioned how Alicia's sort of playfulness also made the experience change from just just dining out to a fun and enjoyable time. I looked over and Alicia was smiling and acted as if she was about the bolt to the door to hold it for me. I can't wait to get back for a good meal and an enjoyable visit. Oh and as I was finishing my talk with Mialynn, Alicia quickly went to hold the door. Yet, as I continued talking and asked how to spell each of their names, Alicia returned to the desk and watched me waiting for her chance to hold the door for me. Thanks Carrabbas for a...