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Olive Garden

101 N Brand Blvd

Glendale, CA 91203
(818) 240-7119
olivegarden.com

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Citysearch

What's spaghetti and meatballs without a glass of wine? You'll find vintages here from Italy, Australia, California and Washington.

Posted by Citysearch on April 03, 2008

Editorial Reviews from the web

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In Short Established in 1982, this chain gained a following for its laid-back atmosphere and generous portions. Patrons settle into comfortable booths and tables in dining rooms with plants, artwork and décor suggestive of Tuscany. Starters include scampi, sausage or pepperoni pizza, and several soup choices, as well as a signature seafood dip (crab, shrimp, cheese and marinara). Entrees ... more

Posted by Citysearch on April 03, 2008, (Edited December 11, 2007)

Other Reviews from the web

Not Pleased

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Citysearch

A group of friends & I where out shopping we where all starving right across from us was The Olive Garden we all agreed Olive Garden sounded great. When we arrivied the manager was taking names and the number in your party. Once we told him there was 9 of us he looked at us and said I don't think we can service you because you guys are to many and we are real busy. In his words" and if we where we ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on March 21, 2007

Absolutely horrible!!!

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After Trick or Treating with our friends 8 of us showed up at this Olive Garden location. We were told it would be 30 minutes. Then the Hostess checked and said it wouldn't be actually that long. I took my daugther to the restroom and as I walked through the restaurant, it wasn't even full. There were numerous empty tables. We waited approximate 10 more minutes and then asked how much longer. ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on October 31, 2005

The best Italian food

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Citysearch

I like coming here a lot.

I love the food and wines.

The garlic bread id good too.

Everything is great.

Pros

+ Service, parking

Posted by Citysearch user on March 10, 2005

Better than some, worst than most.

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Couldn't really say because I only ate here once in my lifetime at this location. The food was okay, nothing really special. The waiter was doing his job which succeeded on a good dining experience. The price was not at all in terms of value.

Pros

+ attentiveness

Posted by Citysearch user on September 27, 2004

Olive Garden

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Citysearch

The Olive Garden is probably THE worst Italian food ever! They must take it right out of the frozen pack and put it right into the microwave. Come ON!
I'm Italian and a chef, I know food, and bottom line that food is c@!p !
Stony A.

Posted by Citysearch user on May 22, 2003

Listed as Best Italian?!

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Citysearch

You LA people bust me up. I'm sitting here in NYC looking over what the top restaurants and nightlife places are in LA, and I come across Olive Garden as the 3rd best Italian restaurant in LA??? That's the problem with LA, it's like a hellhole of franchises, with nothing unique about the nightlife or city. In NYC, we won't even go near an Olive Garden. The only one here is in Times Square for ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on April 22, 2003

one word...Franchise

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With all the Italian restaraunts in LA, somebody would subject themselves to franchise slop.

Posted by Citysearch user on April 16, 2003

Lighten Up

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Citysearch

If you're expecting authentic Italian cuisine, then you won't be happy with Olive Garden. But the portions are nice(Tour of Italy), the food is good and the service is usually very good. The Burbank location is exceptional in the service category! The bottomless soups and salads are possibly the best value you'll find anywhere and the desserts are delicious!

Pros

+ Value, bottomless Soup/Salad ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on April 05, 2003

You call this Italian?

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This place is the "Dennys" of Italian cuisine. Do yourself a favor if your going to dine at an Italian chain, stick to Il Fornaio or Maggianos.

Pros

+ Cheap

Cons

- Everything else

Posted by Citysearch user on March 27, 2003

Underrated

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The Olive Garden takes some getting used to. You go and try to convince yourself it's not that great. In fact, having tried Olive Gardens in multiple cities, it's honestly pretty reliable. Good bread. Very decent pasta. If I'm travelling, don't know where to eat and see it, I'll go.

Pros

+ The bread, The pasta

Posted by Citysearch user on March 11, 2003

Not all that bad...but not great either.

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Citysearch

Okay, a lot of the reviews seem a bit harsh to me...though many of them have a bit of truth to it. No, Olive Garden is not truly authentic Italian food. It's mediocre at best, but it is digestible, and some of it is kind of tasty, only some. The wait staff is good, but it depends on who you get. Some will leave you wondering if they've left for the evening. But I can say that there are at least ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on February 06, 2003

Like A Bad Date

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Citysearch

What are you thinking??? This isn't a real Italian restaurant. OK, sure their antipasta bloody marys are good. But much like a bad date, think how many you'd have to drink for that watery plate of pasta in front of you to seem appealing. My advice is live a little, try something out-of-the-way for a change. What's the worst that could happen? Besides, if you don't like it you know Olive Garden (just ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on January 24, 2003

THis should not be on this list

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If you're looking for Italian then you shouldn't go to this very un-Italian restaurant. It's like being in the Cafeteria at a hotel or hospital.

Pros

+ Nothing

Cons

- Atmoshphere, Food, Service

Posted by Citysearch user on January 21, 2003

Not a good restaurant

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Citysearch

To save yourself time and money, go to Ralph's, buy a Michael Angelos frozen microwave dinner and eat it. About $5 for the same meal you get at Olive Garden. For the life of me I don't understand this restaurants loyal following. Its not even cheap and I can literally think of 100s of italian restaurants that are better.

Cons

- tastes like jar sauce

Posted by Citysearch user on January 19, 2003

Oops! Bad Choice!

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A good friend told me not to go to Olive Garden. I should have listened! Just like he said, sauce tasted like it came from a can, not freshly made. This restaurant chain claims their chefs go to Italy to learn to cook their food? They must not cook what they learn or they didn't really go. Paying $12 for $4 worth of spaghetti w/meatballs? What a joke. A bottle of Ragu and some ground beef for a meal ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on January 01, 2003

Why waste your time?

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Lets get it straight. Olive Garden's marketing catch is just that: a catch. They sucker you with all you can eat salad and bread. Makes you wonder. The italian food that they serve is barely worth eating.
For $15 dollars a person, they need to offer better food. Service is only good if you come in a large group or else you will end up waiting and waiting and waiting. I will not go back to any ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on December 05, 2002

Mass Market

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Canned Itailian Food, too many kids, and too long for service!

Posted by Citysearch user on November 28, 2002

Tasteless food in an Italian atmosphere

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This has to be the most over-rated, advertising-hyped italian chain on the planet.

Pros

+ Lots of 'em around

Cons

- Tasteless food, Boring atmosphere

Posted by Citysearch user on November 24, 2002

Overrated

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Citysearch

It's not the best Italian food. It's a chain restaurant and does not compare to Mom and Pop Italian restaurants. But it's okay when you're hungry. Over priced though.

Pros

+ It's everywhere, Convienent

Cons

- Over rated, Over priced

Posted by Citysearch user on November 21, 2002

olive garden -- ugh

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if i were italian, i'd be offended that olive garden is upheld as "italian food." they put the same sauce on every pasta and the sauce doesn't even taste good to begin with. you're better off popping open a bottle of spaghetti sauce at home. the one saving grace is the salad and breadsticks, but that's not enough to get me through the door.

Posted by Citysearch user on November 21, 2002

Save your money for real Italian

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With all the Italian restaurants in this city, WHY go here? This place is generic, mediocre, and their focus is more on consistency (that is, being consistently generic) than creating good-tasting Italian food. I can't believe I waited 90 minutes for a table for two on a Friday night at the Burbank location...had we not been obligated to eat there, I would've left.

Posted by Citysearch user on November 21, 2002

Not worth the buck

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If you want authentic fine Italian food, don't come here. I think the food is average and for your money, definitely not worth the trip.

Cons

- Quality of Food

Posted by Citysearch user on November 13, 2002

hahahahahahahahahahahaha

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No seasoning, no taste, big portions of bad food doesn't make it better!

Posted by Citysearch user on November 02, 2002

Ok if you like generic

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Olive garden as a great Italian resturant? hmmm NOT. Imagine the comercial where they bring the italian grandmother there for dinner, i doubt she'd be raving. There are tons of better hole in the wall Italian resturants in LA. Its Greasy, bland and generic.

Pros

+ the garlic bread

Posted by Citysearch user on October 26, 2002

Horrible "NOT Italian"

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this is the McDonalds of Italian Food. Bland!! Go to Palermo's or Maggiano's Little Italy for the real thing!!

Posted by Citysearch user on October 25, 2002

Worse than Buca!

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If humanly possible, the trash served here is worse than the inedible compost served at Buca de Beppo. Except for elevating one's lipids, there is NOTHING to recommend these places.

Pros

+ none

Cons

- grease, grease, more grease

Posted by Citysearch user on October 21, 2002

My favorite Italian place

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Citysearch

I LOVE Olive Garden. I could eat there every day. The salads are tasty, the breadsticks are to die for. The soup is great and the pastas are very tasty and filling. The staff is always so nice. They never mess up on the order, they bring exactly what you ask for, they jon=ke with you and they remember you from when you were there last. I yhink this is great food for a reasonable price.

Pros ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on October 21, 2002

Plus for dieters

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As someone trying to watch her weight, I usually avoid Italian restaurants. However, the exception is the Olive Garden, because the food is so bland there, so unoriginal and tasteless, that I lose my appetite and end up having only a few bites.

Pros

+ friendly service, nice wine selection, good parking

Cons

- bland food, tasteless food, crowded

Posted by Citysearch user on September 25, 2002

What a joke

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Eating at the Olive Garden is like someone comes over to your table, kicks you in the nuts, throws a frozen dinner on the table and steals your wallet while you're writhing in pain.

Cons

- Food, Service, Design

Posted by Citysearch user on September 13, 2002

Say What?!

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I've had better Italian cusine on airplanes. To say their pasta is great is to say Sizzler's steaks are actually edible. How did this make it on the top ten?

Posted by Citysearch user on September 12, 2002

WHAT?!

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How could Olive Garden & Valentino end up on the Best Italian list together... Olive Garden... you've got to be kidding!

Posted by Citysearch user on August 30, 2002

Say WHAT!!?

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WE ARE IN L.A.??? really? and Olive Garden makes the list... ouch... Stouffer's is better....

Pros

+ Great Diet place, Salad is okay, GREAT PARKING

Cons

- Food, Food, Food

Posted by Citysearch user on August 28, 2002

I've tasted better frozen food.

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If you like salt then this is the place to go, almost everything is full of salt to hide the drab taste of the food. There must be something added chemical that keeps people coming back for more. A good place for salad and breadstick lovers.

Pros

+ Inexpensive

Cons

- Forgetful servers

Posted by Citysearch user on August 17, 2002

Sauce out of a jar is better!!!

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The salad and breadsticks are the only foods edible at the Olive Garden. It doesn't even come close to authentic Italian food. I don't mean to be harsh but I'd rather eat... well, anything else.

Posted by Citysearch user on August 08, 2002

Italian Basics

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The Olive Garden is not the most authentically styled or the best made food, but their "factory" dining is satisfying and flavorful for the everyday. I particularly enjoy, the Zuppa Toscana, a spicy sausage/potato soup. Of course the all-you-can-eat salad is always filling. Entrees are generally pedestrian, but since the company's trying to improve their image, they've added several dishes that ... more

Posted by Citysearch user on July 26, 2002

A Fun Place to Go

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A fun place to go with faimily or a date. I love their salad, spaghetti and sauce. Sometimes you have to wait a very long time but its worth it. Wine tasting sometimes and you can order a glass of wine while you wait. A convivial upbeat place. Patio with umbrellas if you get there in time.

Pros

+ atmosphere, food

Cons

- waiting

Posted by Citysearch user on July 11, 2002