Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Id give the food a 3 as 'average' if I wasn't able to see in the kitchen and see the state of the prep stations. This Olive Garden is the worst one we've ever eaten at. The only restaurant that will provide you worse service in the area is the Buffalo Wild Wings right down the street that can't get an order right to save their lives.

We have eaten here 4 times since this location opened, and attempted to eat here a 5th time previously. Everytime has been a negative experience. Wrong orders, cold food, wait times exceeding 40 minutes for to go orders (past the estimated ready time), wait times for a table approaching an hour with numerous open tables...

This Olive Garden is disorganized, constantly understaffed (which you can draw your own conclusions for the reasons being), the employees are disinterested in helping you unless they have to, the atmosphere seems depressed, and the food is not prepared as well as other Olive Gardens locations.

Is it just a middling US food chain? Yes. However, if you spend the money at any restaurant for a relatively expensive meal during high inflation, you should still expect the experience and meal to meet the mark.

If you're traveling to Maine and considering eating here, Id recommend you look elsewhere.

Sometime in the future I may try this location again, maybe out of recency bias after seeing an Olive Garden commercial, or maybe because I've sustained a head injury, and if I do and the situation has improved I will update this review. But until then it's staying a 1 star.

Atmosphere: 1

Food: 2

Service: 1

Great lunch with lots of options.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Very good meal very good service a little expensive

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Chicken Alfredo, Bread Sticks

We usually eat at the Augusta Olive Garden, but decided this afternoon to go to Auburn. It was around 2 pm when we tried to call ahead for a party of six. The hostess told us we could not do CALL AHEAD SEATING by phone, only online and would not assist. We arrived by 2:30 pm to a ten minute wait, which was very fair.

We should have known there was an issue when the manager came over to tell my husband that he was unable to sub fried shrimp on his shrimp alfredo, despite every other Olive Garden doing this.

The meals took a very long time to come out, despite the restaurant being mostly empty. My husband's meal had no pasta, another meal had no meat, and my food was the simplest and came out ten minutes later. The meal that was missing meat had raw tortellini, and despite the recipient being the least willing to make a stink it was inedible and had to be returned. The meat was brought out in the meantime and then still not on the remade meal. At this point we had been there nearly two hours.

My father in law had soup, and his soup spoon had old and crusty food on it.

We had to ask for boxes, our waitress kept apologizing, and yet nothing was attempted to be made right. In fact our bill had extra charges on it from my mother in law asking for ziti instead of spaghetti noodles on her meal and an extra charge for the chicken that was missing from the uncooked meal.

It was all so unpleasant that we wanted to wish the people waiting to be seated good luck. Not sure why they were waiting as most of the restaurant was nearly empty at 4:30 on a Sunday and now I can see why.

We won't be back. Sticking with Augusta and Portland.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 2

Sooooo sloooowww

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 2

I just left Olive Garden with the most sour taste in my mouth… and unfortunately it was not from the breadsticks… We arrived and were sat quickly with no wait. We ordered breadsticks and drinks from the kiosk at our table once we sat down. After waiting for about 30 minutes our 1 year old started fussing. It was at this point we noticed another couple receiving their drinks that had arrived approximately 15 minutes AFTER we were sat down. While we were leaving the staff and even the manager seemed unbothered by both the lack of attention we received and the loss of business… Needless to say I don’t think we will be back to this location… Bring back Ruby Tuesdays!

The experience here was horrendous. Started right away upon entrance. The manager and 2 other ladies had no clue on where to seat myself and my guest. They had it chosen but upon walking into the dining room, the manager changed their mind and had to converse with the 2 others to figure it out. So I'm just standing there dumbfounded. Then they seat us near a very loud party, so loud that I couldn't hear the 2 waitresses asking questions. And why were 2 waitresses required? I'd like to know when every other table had only one. And not to mention that the waitresses were so pushy, I basically had to pay for my meal and take it home in a carryout box. The workers there, including the manager, are rude and very disrespectful!

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 1

Recommended dishes: Bread Sticks, Fettuccine Alfredo

Very beautiful in the inside and the vibe is great food is always wonderful

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine Alfredo Tossed with Sautéed Shrimp

Service left a lot to be desired. My granddaughter was looking forward to eating there, and she was very disappointed with the experience. She’s been to several other Olive Garden, and this was by far the worst. The food was good, But getting refills on drinks, breadsticks, or salad was impossible. Wouldn’t go back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 2

I had a curbside pickup order while attending a conference. Grwat food and service.

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Shrimp Alfredo Fettuccine Alfredo Tossed with Sautéed Shrimp, Chicken Alfredo, Zuppa Toscana

Amazingly great lunch. Staff was friendly and helpful and it was delicious food. Quick service!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

It's too bad that you go out to eat and can't hear the person across the table from you. The acoustics in your restaurant is terrible. Today's service was absolutely awesome.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 5

The first time it opened this place was great and would've been five stars across completely. I will say the bar makes very tasty mixed drinks. I don't recommend going later so go for lunch or early dinner would be best. We went later around 8/8:30ish on a Saturday and it was clear that a lot needed to be cleaned and the staff was tired. Our waitress was pretty young but forgot our appetizer, kinda sad for her cause that's lost revenue for her. The main issue was the food his spaghetti and meatballs had watery sauce and was almost tasteless and my chicken on my chicken Alfredo which I tried fried was dry and not something I would recommend. I mean if you can't do a good meatball pasta dish and pasta is what you are known for then maybe you shouldn't be open. Why pay almost $20 for tasteless pasta when you can do better at home? I doubt we'll be back.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 2

Service: 3

My husband took me out to eat her on 9/7/24 for my birthday and we only saw our waitress 2 times. Someone else brought us out our appetizer. My husband and I both ordered the Never Ending Pasta Bowl we put our order in for our second bowl because we knew it would take time to receive. We waited and waited then same lady from out back that brought us our appetizer dropped the bowls off at the table and left as quick as she came No asking if we wanted cheese or nothing. Then we sat there for a good 10 to 15 minutes waiting to see our waitress to come check on us. My husband had no drink refill no one to bring us to go boxes so my husband stood up went to the podium where there employees have a stack of to go boxes and we grabbed our own and paid at the table still not seeing our waitress and no bag to Carry out a stack of to go containers. We head to the door and the hostess ask us if we wanted a bag and we said yes please.
I was very disappointed and I asked my husband how much did he pay for the tip because that service was very unacceptable he gave 20% she should feel lucky because that was the worst service I’ve ever received!!!
Such a bad service let alone on my birthday ?

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 3

Service: 1

Food is as expected, good Italian style meals.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 3

Recommended dishes: Tour of Italy, Chicken Alfredo, Bread Sticks