There is sparse choice in dining options in Malvern...we find ourselves at Carrabbas because of convenience, not any overwhelming desire to eat there. Good news first: the blackberry sangria is excellent. I do prefer my drinks on the sweet side, and it tasted like candy. However, the rest of the food was very blah. We ordered the bruschetta to share, but I'm not sure what we really got. Cheese (I'm guessing a goat cheese ricotta) balls sitting in warm marinara sauce with sliced garlic bread on the side...since when is this bruschetta? It wasn't bad, per se, but my tablemates and I were quite confused, to say the least. Entrees were uneventful. Lobster pasta special was bland, Pasta Weesie was greasy, etc etc. Service was fairly laughable, though at least we got an apology when our ticket was "lost" in the kitchen and that was why we had to wait 20 minutes for our food.
(2)
Jason L.
Fine job catering: steak Marsala was on point, ceasers salad, green beans, mashed potatoes and cannolis to finish. Good mix of doneness-es on the meat.
(4)
K K.
We frequent Carrabba's in Frazer, and enjoy the food. Most of the time, the service is good. Upon arriving tonight, we asked to sit in the bar but the hostess offered to seat us either at the bar itself or at a high table, citing something about a rotation. Fortunately, the manager, Brett, interrupted stating "they can sit wherever they want", and we were seated in a booth in the bar, as we originally requested. The food was good, as always, as was the service from Ashley, who was also the bartender. Throughout the meal, Brett stopped by a few times to ensure everything was to our liking. This extra attention certainly wasn't expected, but it was definitely appreciated.
(5)
Brian M.
Even for a Carrabba's (not a fan), this place rates lower. I've had some forgettable and unforgettable (not in a good way) meals here. I was once served chicken breast that was thoroughly raw in the center. In general there are better places to eat. Try San Nicola's in nearby Paoli or go 2 miles further to Fellini Cafe in Berwyn. Neither are chains and both are far better, and no more expensive, than Carrabba's.
(2)
Jenny P.
Nice place.. great food. Friendly service. . Love their zucchini fritters. Kid friendly. .
(3)
Marc H.
I always get great service here. Dan the manager stops by to say hi to my kids every time. The food is always tasty and properly prepared. They understand that with two small boys, we need their food quickly and we may need to make a hasty exit. I'll continue eating here regularly (at least once a month now for well over a year.)
(5)
Cindy L.
Calamari tased like something from the frozen food section of the supermarket. Terrible way to start off a meal. The rest of meal was decent.
(2)
Yo J.
It took 10 minutes before someone attended to us and there was barely people there pasta was ok it was passable I just expected more from this place that's all. They also said that they serve food that is freshly made but it tasted like half of the things we ordered were frozen.
(1)
Jessica M.
The service was good. The restaurant was clean and the atmosphere was appealing. However, I wasn't at all impressed by the food. Sadly, I've had better Italian dishes from pizza shops in the area.
(2)
Lauren I.
Went in there for lunch and it was a great experience. Our waiter was very sweet and professional and the food was awesome.
(5)
Bruce C.
First - Brian is an EXCELLENT Waiter! Wifey & I had a cup of Minestrone soup, the best around. Wifey had Veal Marsala with corkscrew pasta VERY Good and nice portions and I had lasagna which I usually finish but took half home, Excellent. one Lager and iced tea $45.00. WE WILL RETURN! Right Bernadette Connus!!!
(4)
Craig D.
(4.5) ~ Very Good Overall Food & Service OUR MENU: DRINKS: ** Espresso = (4.5) Very Good & Authentic! * Francis Coppola Wine(Pinot Noir) = (4) very good * Coffee = (4) very good * Cappuccino = (4) very good * Water(tap) = (4) very good...must be filtered;) * Arnold Palmer = (3.5) good * Red Sangria = (3.5) good * Raspberry Italian soda = (3.5) good APPETIZERS: ** Mama's Chicken Soup = (4.25) Very good * Bacon Onion Flatbread = (4) very good * Bread(Warm & Free) w. Olive Oil Dip = (3.5) good * Tomato Caprese Salad = (3.5) good * Create Your Own Pizza(Meatball, Onion & Mushroom) = (3.5) good, but too soggy, crust needs to be cooked more...(Yes, I used to be a Pizza Baker:)lol * Margherita Pizza = (3.25) pretty good, but too soggy:( ENTREES: ** Sirloin Marsala(6 oz.) = (4.25) Very good...my goto entree;) * Mahi Wulfe = (4) very good * Sirloin w. Sicilian Butter = (3.75) Good, but too spicy... * Filet Fiorentina = (3.75) Good * Steak Skewers = (3.5) good, but too chewy:( * Veal Marsala = (3.5) good, but bland * Cavatappi Martino = (3.25) pretty good SIDES: ** Cavatappi Amatriciana = (4.25) Very good...signature pasta dish. * Garlic Mashed Potatoes = (4) very good DESSERTS: ** Sogno Di Cioccolata "Chocolate Dream" = (4.5) Very Good & Decadent!;) * Panna Catta = (4) very good * Dessert Rosa = (3.5) good NOTE: Located in Shopping Center.
(5)
Rama P.
Went for dinner to this place and was very hungry too. Ordered Wine, and bread first which came out fast and hot. Service was good too, we tried out lasagna, salad and Oven chicken Parmesan and all were good no complaints. Service: 5 stars Ambiance: 4 Stars Food: 4 Stars You will enjoy the food and drinks here and prices are reasonable too. As i have not tried out all that the menu has to offer i cant say for other food. But worth trying once. "Try and decide for yourself"
(3)
Alyssa R.
I'm not sure if it was because it was an unusually slow friday (july 4th weekend) or that they had an off day. Our food was just alright, it was hot and cooked properly, but nothing was really that great that we wanted to ever go back. We got the chicken marsala and the prosciutto wrapped shrimp and they were both underwhelming. The bruschetta we got was also just okay and nothing that I will ever crave to go back to. The service was fine, not terrible, not amazing. All in all this place was just very "meh", we probably won't be back.
(3)
Jacqueline F.
I'm usually impartial to chains but this place is sweet. The staff is extremely helpful and nice. Food is good--chicken fettuccine alfredo=ballin. Great pasta in general. They even gave us a fresh basket of bread to pack up and take home with us.
(4)
Paula K.
Enjoy Carrabbas very much. Excellent Sangria (Blackberry a favorite) We have had nearly 100% superb waitstaff, friendly and accomodating. It can get confusing because as the food is ready, other waitstaff may bring to the table...so you often see multiple people in a short time. Love the lasagna, very generous portions, And the House salad is always fresh and the Parmesan dressing wonderful. Chicken Bryan, Lobster MacNCheese, and a seasonal pork medallions with a fig sauce all excellent. Wish they had Apple Crostada year round---kind of like a free form apple pie but so much more...And please keep the mini desserts on the menu year round. they are perfect size!
(5)
Bud B.
Short Summary, I do not understand the poor reviews of this place. Good service, hot good food, relaxing time. OK, now for the meat of it. No pun intended. I arrived a tad late in the evening. Fairly busy. I asked for a table because I don't do booths. I just don't. The only tables they had were pulled together. The hostess went out of their way to pull a table loose and set it up for me. I was quickly attended to by the server, Megan. Top notch. I already had my choice made, a nice penne dish with the Italian salad. The salad showed up about the same time my water did, which was very fast. Meagan brought me a couple of wine samples and I picked a nice cabernet. The penne came out at just the right time, piping hot and fresh. Megan made sure my water never went dry. She was very attentive. When I finished the penne Megan gave me a run down of the deserts. I had the seasonal panna cotta, cooked custard with raspberries. OK, I get it. Chains are not always cool. I much prefer local eateries, and the occasional dive. But I like Carrabbas. Their food is prepared the way I prepare things at home. Megan did an excellent job. If you have the opportunity to go to Carrabas be sure and ask for her and tell her Bud recommended her.
(4)
Gary C.
My last visit to Carrabas. First we were greeted by the most unhappy hostess. Next, we asked the bartender if there were any happy hour specials and all he said was they has no good specials. He never told us what they were. My friend ordered spaghetti with meat sauce and I ordered manicotti. To say his spaghetti needed more sauce was an understatement. We literally counted about four pieces of meat in the entire dish. He had to ask three different people for extra sauce before he actually got any. For $13, I got two tubes of manicotti. I honestly mean this and I'm not trying to disparage the place but I could've bought frozen manicotti and dumped ragu on it and it would have tasted just as good. And $5.35 for a draft Peroni is too much. I think boxed spaghetti with Ragu would've been better than what my friend had. It's a shame because I used to really like this place. But that will be my last visit. We overheard the waitress at the table next to us tell them they could not order pizza because it was only able to be taken out not eaten in. And if they wanted to order pizza it would take an hour and a half! They got up and left. I wish we would've also.
(1)
reviewer m.
If you want iodine poisoning and prefer to serve yourself, come here. This is like a Maggiano's, but on a smaller scale. The hostess was nice and friendly upon walking in. Be warned that the place is small and does not fit a party of 8 easily. We had to wait for half an hour for an early Friday dinner and it wouldn't have been so bad had they not told us it was only going to take 10 min. Anyway, got past that and got seated. We ordered and ate family style: Linguine Pescatore, Spaghetti, Pasta Carrabba, Lobster Ravioli, Seafood Cannelloni, Italian Chicken, and Calamari. We wanted to order the Antipasti Plate and thought we did but the waiter, brought out a sampler appetizer dish instead. This leads me to my complaint: we saw our waiter 3 times AT MOST. It didn't look terribly busy that night but we never saw him. He was pleasant when we did see him but that was rare. We had to ask someone else for water refills and were constantly looking for our waiter. It was quite odd. We would have corrected the wrong appetizer dish but we were afraid we would never eat if we never saw him and ended up waiting longer for our food. The owner of this establishment should be aware that the servers are not attentive and it's a darn shame! Onto the food: The Linguine Pescatore was boring and didn't have much flavor, Spaghetti tasted like something from a jar, Calamari was WAY to salty (even the marinara sauce couldn't compensate), Pasta Carrabba was not memorable, Lobster Ravioli was done well with good/rich flavor in an orange sauce, Seafood Cannelloni wonderfully creamy filling but a small portion, and the pizza was dry. Overall, Carrabbas was not a good place for a meal. The prices are about right from a place like this ($12 -$18 a dish) and the atmosphere is decent. However, it was really annoying we never saw our waiter and that is just unforgivable.
(2)
Robin G.
Our favorite Sunday lunch spot. While this restaurant can be crowded and noisy on Friday and Saturday evenings, the same great food is served there on Sunday afternoons. My husband loves the Chicken Bryan. We often get calimari and fried zucchini to share. All meals start with fresh hot bread with olive oil dip. The service is always great and the food is consistently delicious.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Cathy Y.
There is sparse choice in dining options in Malvern...we find ourselves at Carrabbas because of convenience, not any overwhelming desire to eat there. Good news first: the blackberry sangria is excellent. I do prefer my drinks on the sweet side, and it tasted like candy. However, the rest of the food was very blah. We ordered the bruschetta to share, but I'm not sure what we really got. Cheese (I'm guessing a goat cheese ricotta) balls sitting in warm marinara sauce with sliced garlic bread on the side...since when is this bruschetta? It wasn't bad, per se, but my tablemates and I were quite confused, to say the least. Entrees were uneventful. Lobster pasta special was bland, Pasta Weesie was greasy, etc etc. Service was fairly laughable, though at least we got an apology when our ticket was "lost" in the kitchen and that was why we had to wait 20 minutes for our food.
(2)Jason L.
Fine job catering: steak Marsala was on point, ceasers salad, green beans, mashed potatoes and cannolis to finish. Good mix of doneness-es on the meat.
(4)K K.
We frequent Carrabba's in Frazer, and enjoy the food. Most of the time, the service is good. Upon arriving tonight, we asked to sit in the bar but the hostess offered to seat us either at the bar itself or at a high table, citing something about a rotation. Fortunately, the manager, Brett, interrupted stating "they can sit wherever they want", and we were seated in a booth in the bar, as we originally requested. The food was good, as always, as was the service from Ashley, who was also the bartender. Throughout the meal, Brett stopped by a few times to ensure everything was to our liking. This extra attention certainly wasn't expected, but it was definitely appreciated.
(5)Brian M.
Even for a Carrabba's (not a fan), this place rates lower. I've had some forgettable and unforgettable (not in a good way) meals here. I was once served chicken breast that was thoroughly raw in the center. In general there are better places to eat. Try San Nicola's in nearby Paoli or go 2 miles further to Fellini Cafe in Berwyn. Neither are chains and both are far better, and no more expensive, than Carrabba's.
(2)Jenny P.
Nice place.. great food. Friendly service. . Love their zucchini fritters. Kid friendly. .
(3)Marc H.
I always get great service here. Dan the manager stops by to say hi to my kids every time. The food is always tasty and properly prepared. They understand that with two small boys, we need their food quickly and we may need to make a hasty exit. I'll continue eating here regularly (at least once a month now for well over a year.)
(5)Cindy L.
Calamari tased like something from the frozen food section of the supermarket. Terrible way to start off a meal. The rest of meal was decent.
(2)Yo J.
It took 10 minutes before someone attended to us and there was barely people there pasta was ok it was passable I just expected more from this place that's all. They also said that they serve food that is freshly made but it tasted like half of the things we ordered were frozen.
(1)Jessica M.
The service was good. The restaurant was clean and the atmosphere was appealing. However, I wasn't at all impressed by the food. Sadly, I've had better Italian dishes from pizza shops in the area.
(2)Lauren I.
Went in there for lunch and it was a great experience. Our waiter was very sweet and professional and the food was awesome.
(5)Bruce C.
First - Brian is an EXCELLENT Waiter! Wifey & I had a cup of Minestrone soup, the best around. Wifey had Veal Marsala with corkscrew pasta VERY Good and nice portions and I had lasagna which I usually finish but took half home, Excellent. one Lager and iced tea $45.00. WE WILL RETURN! Right Bernadette Connus!!!
(4)Craig D.
(4.5) ~ Very Good Overall Food & Service OUR MENU: DRINKS: ** Espresso = (4.5) Very Good & Authentic! * Francis Coppola Wine(Pinot Noir) = (4) very good * Coffee = (4) very good * Cappuccino = (4) very good * Water(tap) = (4) very good...must be filtered;) * Arnold Palmer = (3.5) good * Red Sangria = (3.5) good * Raspberry Italian soda = (3.5) good APPETIZERS: ** Mama's Chicken Soup = (4.25) Very good * Bacon Onion Flatbread = (4) very good * Bread(Warm & Free) w. Olive Oil Dip = (3.5) good * Tomato Caprese Salad = (3.5) good * Create Your Own Pizza(Meatball, Onion & Mushroom) = (3.5) good, but too soggy, crust needs to be cooked more...(Yes, I used to be a Pizza Baker:)lol * Margherita Pizza = (3.25) pretty good, but too soggy:( ENTREES: ** Sirloin Marsala(6 oz.) = (4.25) Very good...my goto entree;) * Mahi Wulfe = (4) very good * Sirloin w. Sicilian Butter = (3.75) Good, but too spicy... * Filet Fiorentina = (3.75) Good * Steak Skewers = (3.5) good, but too chewy:( * Veal Marsala = (3.5) good, but bland * Cavatappi Martino = (3.25) pretty good SIDES: ** Cavatappi Amatriciana = (4.25) Very good...signature pasta dish. * Garlic Mashed Potatoes = (4) very good DESSERTS: ** Sogno Di Cioccolata "Chocolate Dream" = (4.5) Very Good & Decadent!;) * Panna Catta = (4) very good * Dessert Rosa = (3.5) good NOTE: Located in Shopping Center.
(5)Rama P.
Went for dinner to this place and was very hungry too. Ordered Wine, and bread first which came out fast and hot. Service was good too, we tried out lasagna, salad and Oven chicken Parmesan and all were good no complaints. Service: 5 stars Ambiance: 4 Stars Food: 4 Stars You will enjoy the food and drinks here and prices are reasonable too. As i have not tried out all that the menu has to offer i cant say for other food. But worth trying once. "Try and decide for yourself"
(3)Alyssa R.
I'm not sure if it was because it was an unusually slow friday (july 4th weekend) or that they had an off day. Our food was just alright, it was hot and cooked properly, but nothing was really that great that we wanted to ever go back. We got the chicken marsala and the prosciutto wrapped shrimp and they were both underwhelming. The bruschetta we got was also just okay and nothing that I will ever crave to go back to. The service was fine, not terrible, not amazing. All in all this place was just very "meh", we probably won't be back.
(3)Jacqueline F.
I'm usually impartial to chains but this place is sweet. The staff is extremely helpful and nice. Food is good--chicken fettuccine alfredo=ballin. Great pasta in general. They even gave us a fresh basket of bread to pack up and take home with us.
(4)Paula K.
Enjoy Carrabbas very much. Excellent Sangria (Blackberry a favorite) We have had nearly 100% superb waitstaff, friendly and accomodating. It can get confusing because as the food is ready, other waitstaff may bring to the table...so you often see multiple people in a short time. Love the lasagna, very generous portions, And the House salad is always fresh and the Parmesan dressing wonderful. Chicken Bryan, Lobster MacNCheese, and a seasonal pork medallions with a fig sauce all excellent. Wish they had Apple Crostada year round---kind of like a free form apple pie but so much more...And please keep the mini desserts on the menu year round. they are perfect size!
(5)Bud B.
Short Summary, I do not understand the poor reviews of this place. Good service, hot good food, relaxing time. OK, now for the meat of it. No pun intended. I arrived a tad late in the evening. Fairly busy. I asked for a table because I don't do booths. I just don't. The only tables they had were pulled together. The hostess went out of their way to pull a table loose and set it up for me. I was quickly attended to by the server, Megan. Top notch. I already had my choice made, a nice penne dish with the Italian salad. The salad showed up about the same time my water did, which was very fast. Meagan brought me a couple of wine samples and I picked a nice cabernet. The penne came out at just the right time, piping hot and fresh. Megan made sure my water never went dry. She was very attentive. When I finished the penne Megan gave me a run down of the deserts. I had the seasonal panna cotta, cooked custard with raspberries. OK, I get it. Chains are not always cool. I much prefer local eateries, and the occasional dive. But I like Carrabbas. Their food is prepared the way I prepare things at home. Megan did an excellent job. If you have the opportunity to go to Carrabas be sure and ask for her and tell her Bud recommended her.
(4)Gary C.
My last visit to Carrabas. First we were greeted by the most unhappy hostess. Next, we asked the bartender if there were any happy hour specials and all he said was they has no good specials. He never told us what they were. My friend ordered spaghetti with meat sauce and I ordered manicotti. To say his spaghetti needed more sauce was an understatement. We literally counted about four pieces of meat in the entire dish. He had to ask three different people for extra sauce before he actually got any. For $13, I got two tubes of manicotti. I honestly mean this and I'm not trying to disparage the place but I could've bought frozen manicotti and dumped ragu on it and it would have tasted just as good. And $5.35 for a draft Peroni is too much. I think boxed spaghetti with Ragu would've been better than what my friend had. It's a shame because I used to really like this place. But that will be my last visit. We overheard the waitress at the table next to us tell them they could not order pizza because it was only able to be taken out not eaten in. And if they wanted to order pizza it would take an hour and a half! They got up and left. I wish we would've also.
(1)reviewer m.
If you want iodine poisoning and prefer to serve yourself, come here. This is like a Maggiano's, but on a smaller scale. The hostess was nice and friendly upon walking in. Be warned that the place is small and does not fit a party of 8 easily. We had to wait for half an hour for an early Friday dinner and it wouldn't have been so bad had they not told us it was only going to take 10 min. Anyway, got past that and got seated. We ordered and ate family style: Linguine Pescatore, Spaghetti, Pasta Carrabba, Lobster Ravioli, Seafood Cannelloni, Italian Chicken, and Calamari. We wanted to order the Antipasti Plate and thought we did but the waiter, brought out a sampler appetizer dish instead. This leads me to my complaint: we saw our waiter 3 times AT MOST. It didn't look terribly busy that night but we never saw him. He was pleasant when we did see him but that was rare. We had to ask someone else for water refills and were constantly looking for our waiter. It was quite odd. We would have corrected the wrong appetizer dish but we were afraid we would never eat if we never saw him and ended up waiting longer for our food. The owner of this establishment should be aware that the servers are not attentive and it's a darn shame! Onto the food: The Linguine Pescatore was boring and didn't have much flavor, Spaghetti tasted like something from a jar, Calamari was WAY to salty (even the marinara sauce couldn't compensate), Pasta Carrabba was not memorable, Lobster Ravioli was done well with good/rich flavor in an orange sauce, Seafood Cannelloni wonderfully creamy filling but a small portion, and the pizza was dry. Overall, Carrabbas was not a good place for a meal. The prices are about right from a place like this ($12 -$18 a dish) and the atmosphere is decent. However, it was really annoying we never saw our waiter and that is just unforgivable.
(2)Robin G.
Our favorite Sunday lunch spot. While this restaurant can be crowded and noisy on Friday and Saturday evenings, the same great food is served there on Sunday afternoons. My husband loves the Chicken Bryan. We often get calimari and fried zucchini to share. All meals start with fresh hot bread with olive oil dip. The service is always great and the food is consistently delicious.
(5)