Olive Garden Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in Town of Islip

We were there celebrating my grandma on what would have been my grandparents’ anniversary after losing my grandpa earlier this year. My grandpa loved going to OG with my grandma so it seemed a fitting choice. We had a reservation and still had to wait. It was Friday night, not very busy but still and there were 14 of us so I get having to wait a little. When they finally sat us, they tried to separate us by putting some at a table and the remaining people at a booth nearby. We had to wait longer for them to finally put a table together to seat all of us. The waiter was very nice but the service was not great. We ordered soups and salads, some soups came out while others didn’t receive theirs (myself included) until much later. They brought one bowl of salad for 6 people. The bread finally arrived after the soups and salads were eaten (not mine yet because I still hadn’t received it yet) and it was hard and cool. By the time the entrees came, it was so late, most of us got to go containers. They did give my grandma a complimentary dessert to take home which was very kind. I don’t think our server should have had our party and other tables without some additional support. From the looks of it, he was being spread to thin. I hadn’t been to Olive Garden in years and after that, I have no plans to return...

Haven't gone to Olive Garden in a few years because if we want Italian food we prefer local family owned rather than chain restaurants. We had gift cards which is why we went. That being said, I was pleasantly surprised at the food. For appetizer, we got the spinach artichoke dip which was decent, but the little flatbread chips they serve it with are excellent. They're crispy on the outside (fried I think) but they're surprisingly soft and fluffy inside. I ate them with the artichoke dip and a side of alfredo sauce we ordered. We also you mozzarella sticks which were also good, but the marinara sauce on the side was actually better than I expected from a chain restaurant. It's miles better than the "seasoned ketchup" that some other places try to pass off as marinara. For dinner I got the stuffed shells. They were perfectly cooked and the stuffing of mozzarella and ricotta we creamy and delicious. The sauce that went with it was again better than I remember it being from past experiences at the Olive Garden. The only complaint I had was for the bread sticks. They are usually my favorite thing but they were pretty dry and a little hard. Almost stale. I remember them being much softer and buttery. Overall, I think it was much better than my last time going which was probably close to...

Excellent experience. I ordered 2 dinners to go (chicken scampi & spaghetti w/meat sauce) & was quite impressed on how everything was packaged so perfectly. The portions were a great size. I couldn't believe that each dinner came with your choice of soup or salad AND bread sticks! I chose the salad & it was big. My fiance chose the pasta fagioli & that was also big. The food was delicious & we both ate 3 times each out of our food because that's how much food we were given. And what REALLY impressed me was how i only spent $34.50 (chicken $21 + pasta $13.50) and received all that food. I'm used to going to my local pizzeria/restaurant & paying almost $40 for the same type dishes WITHOUT salad and/or soup. Granted, you get a piece of plain ole Italian bread but here you get those awesome buttery garlic bread sticks with your meal. When I've ordered from my local place, I got a chicken dinner ($21), pasta w/meat sauce ($18) & a small salad ($8). Do the math...$47. Here, not only is the food soon good but I save about $12 AND get another soup or salad as well. Also, the girl that gave me my food & rung me up was very sweet & friendly. I highly...