Red Lobster — Restaurant in Toledo

We arrived at maybe a weird time (in the middle of lunch and dinner, around four-ish), so perhaps that was the issue, but everything about our experience here today was a little rough. I’m a restaurant manager, so I’m usually looking out for specific things when I visit a restaurant. When we walked in there was no host, and after about 2-3 minutes of me and another couple standing there a server seated us. It took a while for our waitress to greet us as well. Everything just felt like it was taking just a little too long or was just a little off. My ice tea tasted like the tea container hasn’t been washed in weeks, had a pretty distinct build-up taste I know usually comes from not washing the metal the tea is kept in correctly. It took a long time to get our biscuits, which the waitress said was because they were making fresh ones so that makes sense, but she then brought them out with my soup and salad and within seconds our entrees were also delivered. Usually I’d suggest staggering the meal - biscuits first, then soups and salads, then the entree so that things don’t get cold while folks eat their appetizer. The wait to put our order in and the wait to seat wasn’t long enough that we were angry or anything but it was long enough where we asked each other where the waitress was and looked around for her. She said all the right words but in a rehearsed, clipped, unfriendly way. I got the lobster bisque which was tasty but VERY salty. My boyfriend got some sort of kung-pao noodle dish and there was this thick buildup of batter on the shrimp that didn’t cook correctly so the batter part was raw. My shrimp and pasta dish had that smell that seafood usually gets when it’s left at room temp for a little too long, almost as if it was stored incorrectly. I don’t usually leave a poor review for places but our experience was so lackluster I felt compelled to. I’ve visited red lobster many times in my life but this was our first time in this particular location and I can’t say we plan to go back anytime soon.

Edit: Management has responded to ever comment except mine. That really rubs me...

went there for an early supper with my friend, had a friendly welcome host, was quite empty ordered jumbo shrimp cocktail for a starter but it was pale, wet and soggy from I believe being frozen and thawed out under water, very unappetizing looking the 1st few cheddar biscuits were ok but the next couple were flat shaped my friend got a variety of seafood combination meal, the scewered scallops were quite small, the butterflied lobster was not broiled or roasted and it took both of us to try and get it out and away from the shell, then there was black skin stuck to it that had to be peeled & torn off, his salad was not good either my coke slaw looked and tasted old, had to send it back, got broccoli to replace it and it tasted odd so didn’t eat it, the mashed potatoes were gluey and had some kind of bread crumbs or something mixed into them, and when I broke my roasted lobster tail off of the shell I had to cut this black skin off of the bottom it also our waitress was overly friendly interrupting us often and leaning against the booth just starting at us and trying to make conversation while we were trying to eat and talk with each other, she kept asking us if we wanted any boxes yet and we were not even 1/2 way thru our meal,, finally she said to us the reason I’m being a bother is youre my only table and she could go home and spend time with her little one after us I knew my friend was very irritated with her by then and I told her to just bring us boxes and get us cashed out so she can leave business never did pick up by the time we left and it would usually be packed at a Friday super hour the food quality had greatly declined and the bothersome waitress topped off...

Had the ABSOLUTE WORST EXPERIENCE at this Red Lobster location last night. Not only was our server overwhelmed, and receiving no help. The service in general was just trash. We then had a large group of drunk "women" seated next to us. They were very rude, loud, and obnoxious. Upon speaking to the manager about the loud table, and the bad service, the manager gave us %20 off our bill, and 2 coups for a free appetizer or dessert. We weren't upset, trying to get free stuff. Just acknowledge the problems, and try and fix it. At the end of our meal, the loud table had heard me call them Obnoxious. They then proceeded to threaten my mother, my grandparents, and I with violence and mumbled racial slurs. The manager witnessed this altercation, said something, and then walked away. One of the "women" continued to threaten my grandparents. We were not the only table to comment on their behavior. And according to the waitress, she spent 5 mins crying in a corner in the back because of something they said to her. Took everything I had not to leave a corpse in red Lobster. Upon being heckled on our way out, we spoke to the manager again. Asked her why they didn't seat them in the back, where they had asked to be seated. Obviously they know they are loud, and can't be around civilized people. The manager handle the situation very poorly. Needless to say, she just lost customers who go there regularly. I would not recommend going to Red Lobster on Monroe St. There are much classier...