I so like this one better, than the other one. Staff is nice and friendly. The ambiance at this location is so much fresher and brighter then the other one. Food is great except they need to work on, the ratio from the time you order, till the time your food comes. I especially like how the managers walk around to make sure, your food is okay and if you need refills on your drinks, and overall making sure your need are met. Love the salmon, and Im not ashamed to say that I am addicted to the biscuits. Overall I recommend this spot to anyone.
(4)
Ben M.
4.5, but I rounded up because chain restaurants don't seem to get a fair shake on here. I love Mom & Pop places, but trust me, this Red Lobster deserved the high rating. This was my first time at any Red Lobster in 20 years (I was a little kid then). I came here on a Thursday night with my girlfriend and had a nearly perfect dining experience. We were sat right away and the host mentioned their specials as he seated us. We got the Table for Two $29.99 deal - two salads, two entrees, and a dessert. The chili ginger salmon was very good, not completely unique or spectacular, but really solid. My girlfriend got the peppercorn steak and was impressed with both the presentation and flavor. Dessert was pretty good, but generic--a chocolate chip lava cookie with ice cream on top. Not bad, not great. The service was excellent from start to finish but what really stood out came at the end of dinner. When we asked for a box for our leftovers, the waitress returned with both a box and a full bag of cheddar bay biscuits to take home. I have no idea if this is common practice at Red Lobster but it was a really nice touch. Pop those things in the microwave for 30 seconds and they're hot and fluffy again. Finally I saw the chef come out and check on a table to see if the food was to the couple's liking. Maybe she knew them, maybe they requested to talk with the chef--I'm not sure. But it seemed unprovoked and they certainly had a pleasant conversation. The price was right for the food, but one knock is that a couple of draft beers cost us almost $12. That seems disproportionately expensive to our meal. Food quality - 8/10 Service - 10/10 Value - 8/10 Overall - 9/10
(5)
Starr C.
They were running a deal a little bit ago (it ended mid-July) for the $15 feast: for $15, you got soup, salad, an entree, and a dessert. (Also, you got the cheesy biscuits, but you always get those here.) I WAS ON THAT LIKE BUTTER ON TOAST. It is so much food, I honestly couldn't handle it. I got New England clam chowder and a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette, knowing that the chowder was going to weigh me down some. Lots of biscuits were consumed. I ordered the coconut shrimp, which came with a surprisingly tasty pina colada sauce (which tasted like virgin pina colada!). I think because I had so much savory food, the sweetness took me a bit by surprise. I couldn't eat very much because I was pretty full at that point and planned to take the rest of my shrimp home. The meal was finished with key lime pie, because I didn't want to risk it with a heavier dessert. Even key lime pie wasn't quite a light as my palate was craving, but it was really tasty. (My first time EVER having key lime pie.) I was pretty surprised that we didn't have to wait very long at all, but I guess Sundays aren't too busy even with the deal. I know a lot of people were ordering the $15 feast deal because I heard our waiter and plenty more describing it to patrons. Our water was very attentive to us and very accommodating as well. I'm not afraid to admit it - I like Red Lobster. It's a great way to treat yourself and indulge.
(5)
Nader N.
Best Red Lobster Location that i've been too.Awesome Customer Service and Food is Great. I give this Red Lobster in Columbia,Maryland a Very highly recommendation.
(5)
Danny C.
I see good restaurants nearby closing down but Red Lobster is still in business?! What is wrong with people these days?! Me, the sis, and the bro came here a little while ago and we came in with low expectations. This was so terrible that it surpassed our low expectations to the lowest I've ever seen! The service was appalling! Was it because we're Asian? Or was it because I was wearing shorts and sandals? Was it because me and my brother seem intimidating for being big asian guys? Was it because?! What?! What was it?! What did we do to get such horrible service? Every person in Red Lobster we had contact with, treated us like we were some dirty stain on a clean carpet. Like we were a nuisance. Or we were bothersome. Or we were some type of annoying aliens! I don't know dammit! Aside from Applebees in Laurel, this was the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my LIFE. We came in, and the hostess saw us, then left the area. So we were waiting patiently.... She came back and spoke to 1 of the waitresses then left again.... I understood if they were busy even though they only had a few tables being waited on. We waited for a few minutes. Then I decided to ask the nearest employee if we could be seated. She looked at us like we didn't belong in this world. Like we were shunned or something. She didn't say a word back to us, she just left to get the hostess. The hostess came and rudely told us to sit "there" pointing towards the table in the corner. I was thinking to myself, maybe they all had a bad day? Or they hated Asians? Or something else happened to make them like that? So I kept it cool and gave them the benefit of the doubt. We sat down. My sister and brother were not happy. They were upset. I understood. We were hoping our waiter/waitress would treat us better. Fortunately she was! She gave us hope! But unfortunately she wasn't our waitress??? She only took care of us in the beginning because our real waitress wasn't around at the time??? Our real waitress came and was clearly upset so she treated us like whatever happened was our fault. She dropped the menus in front of us and didnt even tell us her name or what the specials were for the night. She just dropped the menus and asked what we would like to drink. I was furious. We all asked for water. She briskly left the area. This was when I said enough is enough. Lets go. My sister was appalled. Brother kept on laughing. I was pissed. We left and I STILL gave our waitress 10 bucks. Hoping she would feel better. Because of this experience, I will never go to any Red Lobster ever again. Its being closed minded yes, but there are plenty of other real mom & pop restaurants that serve better seafood than RL and that would have much better service. We didn't eat any food here because we didn't know what to expect or even hope for. So this is based off Customer Service only. Second worst experience ever.
(1)
Jung P.
The service was good tonight. Not great because we had to wait awhile for the biscuits but at least the waiter was trying. He was quick with the refills which was good. But the food needs to be improved somewhat. It's been a long time since we went to Red Lobster. Probably be awhile before we go back. Had the seafood bake dish and my wife had the seafood grill dish. My lobster was so small it looked more like a large shrimp. And it had a lot of shrimps and a little bit of mussels and scallops. None of the mussel shells were open. Very disappointing. Scallops were thinly sliced so as to make it seem like there is more. It was more of a pasta dish than a seafood dish. Very disappointing. Came out not hungry but very unsatisfied. The meal that I had at the Gaithersburg how's crab shack was so much more satisfying at a very similar price.
(3)
Alan B.
You only get one chance to turn me into a regular patron - Red Lobster of Columbia Maryland - You blew it. I have 2 "tests" that tell me if a restaurant is interested in its customers or if it is just pushing plates. Last night it was just pushing plates. Test number one: My wife is disabled. She has great difficulty walking, it is apparent, and she must use a cane. So why would the company force an obviously disabled person to the last table in the restaurant? There is a reason disabled parking is at the front of a restaurant, not just to reserve spots, but to minimize the distance traveled to patronize your establishment. Red Lobster seated us in the last table in the far back corner, bypassing many empty tables. FAIL #1. My second test is timing and this one is more often a problem for me than the first, thank goodness. I expect a meal with courses to be delivered to my table in the correct order, and spaced to the extent that you do not feel like you are being rushed. Also, for example, if you are in the middle of your salad or appetizer, do you want your hot or cold main course to be delivered? Of course not. The dilemma is what to do about it when it happens. Last night we had just gotten our salads (which were delicious) and could not have been 1/3 into them when our dinners arrived. I told the waiter the obvious, we had just gotten our salad course which he knew he had just brought them to us, and that we were not ready for the dinners. He said he would take them back. I said, well when we are ready I do not want 2 warmed over dinners, which he said was no problem. We finally finished our salads (yummy rolls too), and here comes our dinners. They were obviously the ones I sent back. The plates for a shrimp dinner were too hot to touch (heat lamps), and the waiter said they had "resold us the same dinners" which I assume meant they were admittedly the same dinners I sent back and had asked not to have. The shrimp were now dry, the french fries were literally uneditable. I ate maybe 1/3 of the shrimp. FAIL #2. I did not make a big deal about either. I left a 15% tip (I typically leave much more), and was on my way. Sorry Red Lobster of Columbia Maryland, you have lost any future business for the reasons I stated.
(1)
Yah B.
It was a little off-putting to walk into such a dark restaurant on Tuesday night, but the place was pretty busy so my mom and I decided to stay. After being seated, we were not greeted by a server for quite some time. We had been chatting and looking at the menu so we weren't upset about the wait time, but I saw the hostess pass by so I let her know that we were still waiting. The manager promptly came to our table to apologize and took our order. There had been some confusion with who had our table, but the manager and server made it their priority to make sure we left satisfied. Let me tell you, my mother is very particular about service and management response and she tipped the highest percent that I have ever witnessed from her! For a chain restaurant, the management and staff definitely want to make sure the guests leave happy and we did!
(4)
Sahar T.
Simply Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm with good customer service.
(5)
Eric L.
Went here for a dinner date since we were both craving seafood. I love their biscuits but eat them while they're hot. the dinners came with a salad. I had a a dinner plate with the Lobster, shrimp, and skewered shrimp, and she had the Lobster, shrimp with crab legs. We were both stuffed by the end. We skipped the dessert there though. The service is fine and the atmosphere was quiet since we went on a day where there wasn't even a line or huge wait like there usually is.
(4)
Jamie D.
Ehhhh I must say, Red Lobster is a hit or miss. This visit it was a miss, nothing stuck out to me. I settled with chicken and veggies which was good, but just normal that I could get anywhere. The portion sizes of the seafood is very small for the price you pay for it.
(3)
Mathew M.
Been here twice and got the Salmon New Orleans both times and it was delicious both times I nearly licked the plate clean! My coworkers also loved their meals. One had the 4 course deal and the dessert was delicious - a melt in your mouth brownie with ice cream!
(5)
Debby C.
This is a 5 star Red Lobster, perhaps not a 5 star restaurant. The service here is always attentive. Servers seem to want to do their best. They have Blue Moon on draft, not all RLs do. The food is the usual yummy fare!
(5)
Adam T.
It's like the Olive Garden of seafood. It's nothing amazing, but you know what you're getting going in. The best thing are the cheddar bay biscuits, but those are also horrible for you nutrition-wise. Still, it's hard for me to pass up the shrimp-fest and lobster-fest times of year.
(3)
Nani A.
Had an awesome experience at red lobster this afternoon! We havent been in over a year, maybe even two. So I suggested to my mom we should try red lobster for the biscuits. We weren't dissappointed! Went for a late lunch around 4:00 this afternoon. Our waitress was Dania. She was awesome, really polite and friendly and knew all the upcharges and sides and you could tell she had been there for a while. My mom ordered the 16.99 4 course meal, which came with a soup, a salad, an entree and a dessert. She ordered the lobster bisque which i dipped some crackers in and thought was delicious, full of lobster meat and super rich and creamy. We both got garden salads which were tasty and fresh, and D kept the biscuits coming, which were always fresh and delicious. By the time our food came we were full, but we were super hungry..... so our first basket of biscuits went fast. I ordered the grilled tacos with chicken, and instead of the rice pilaf i wanted fries. The tacos were SO good, the chicken was seasoned perfectly juicy and the jalapeno ranch was a tasty dipping sauce. My mom ordered the coconut and chili pineapple grilled shrimp combo, which came with two sides. It was a lot of food for the price! Dessert was delicious, a warm brownie which i assumed was a smaller size than if you ordered it on its own from the menu, but still perfect sized. It came with chocolate and caramel sauces and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My mom and I left satisfied and stuffed for 30 bucks! It was great.
(5)
Ravon H.
I haven't been to a Red Lobster in a while. I work in the area so decided to grab lunch here. The location is easily accessible and they have plenty of parking. It wasn't crowded at all when I got there around 1200. I was a little put off by the old carpet and the worn out waiting area couch. The place look like it did years ago when I last came. It is probably time for a few renovations or at the very least brighter paint. I must say they have improved their lunch menu and have some very affordable new options. They also have just the right sized portions so you can actually finish your meal and not drag smelly seafood around with you the rest of the day. The cheddar bake biscuits are still great though they are a little smaller than I remember. No problem since they will keep bringing them as long as you want. I had some fried shrimp and rice pilaf. It was well papered and the shrimp were not burnt or under cooked. The service was prompt and courteous. Nothing really wowed me about the place but nothing was bad. It's a solid option for lunch and I shall return,
(3)
Jason L.
Red Lobster has changed some things on their menu for the good, but you might not notice because they are very subtle within the dishes and presentation. The cheddar bake biscuits are still the bomb and the food is still good. They need to change the carpet inside since it is showing that it has been their since the building has been built. Customer service is on point and they definitely know their menu and what they are capable of when special requests are made.
(4)
Just T.
Easily the best experience that I have had at any Red Lobster PERIOD! from the manager, the hostess, the server. Oh my god... Can you please train my employees at my job? I will be back TOMORROW!
(5)
Tim H.
I love the shrimp scampi and I love the steak. Of course crab legs and lobster is good here but seriously, I cannot go here without getting an order of shrimp scampi. I do not know how they make their sauce for this dish but I love it. My steaks are always cooked to my liking and are very flavorful. A1 is not something you will need here for the steak since it is perfectly seasoned. The sides are great too. If you are looking for good seafood at a reasonable price, you can't go wrong hitting up the Red Lobster. I am sure there are haters out there who will say that the seafood isn't all that or even that good here but hey, if you don't like the way they cook or the way it tastes, why are you even eating at this place? Thanks for reading my review. This review is based off of my personal experience and opinion.
(4)
Sade P.
I have always loved Red lobster especially for those Cheddar Bay biscuits. The service at this particular restaurant is always on point. The only thin I would say is maybe get the carpets cleaned more often, they smelled like mildew when we arrived. There is really nothing bad I can say about them. They were excellent and the food taste great! Keep up the good work.
(4)
Asa B.
This review should be 10 star double 5 star!!! My girl friend and I went there as my girl friend is big fan of sea foods but im not, just to make her happy i took here to Red Lobster, She ordered her sea food and I was unsure what really to order so SAM the General Manager at Red Lobster politely came to our table and helped me to choose a steak and how i want to cook! He was so nice and very helpful I dont drink but my girl friend is a drinker but she didn't left her ID at home and sam didn't let us get an Alcoholic Beverage due to not showing her ID I understand his point and its his job and has to follow the company policy! The restaurant was very very clean the Waitress was so nice and friendly the food tasted great and was ready fast! Thanks to general manager SAM for showing us a great experience at Red Lobster, even though I'm not a big fan of sea foods but I will come back for their steak which was as good as Outback!
(5)
Chad B.
Red Lobster was pretty good. I admit that's it not nearly as "cool" as it seemed to me when I was a kid. We didn't have one where I grew up so it was nice to go to the "city" and eat there (but I digress...). The restaurant in Columbia is pretty nice as far as RL's go. The lighting is dim, there's a big tank of lobsters right by the front door, and the booths and wall accents are made of dark wood (I guess to appear like you're in a ship or near a wharf?). Our server was very friendly. She explained things on the menu, and checked on us many times. I ordered the half-portion of Shrimp Linguini Alfredo. It's a decent amount for the price. If you're a big eater, you should get the full portion. It seemed a bit healthier than in the past - by healthy I mean that it wasn't as drenched in thick alfredo sauce as it used to be. The linguini was cooked well, and overall I enjoyed the meal. There were big pieces of shredded parmesan cheese on top of it as well. I passed on the salad and got the seasoned vegetables which consisted of cooked cucumbers and tomatoes and were fine really. The "cheddar bay biscuits" seem a little less buttery than I remember but they're still good. Try not to fill up on them! It's not extremely cheap, but it's fairly priced for a seafood restaurant. The food is adequate, and the atmosphere is pretty relaxed.
(4)
Kevin R.
Not a huge huge fan of chain resturants -- but please, what can compete with RED LOBSTER? Delish food and amazing service. I always get the COCONUT SHRIMP here and it is to die for ! This local was large and spaced out, recently remodeled. Waitress was very swift, efficient and sweet. We gave her a 30% tip for her superior service. She refilled drinks without us asking, and was extremely pleasant. She made the entire experience memorable. We will be back !
(4)
Rosa M.
TERRIBLE service! We had hair in our salt, the crab was rubbery (not as a crab should taste at all), and our green beans were thoroughly undercooked. I brought this to the attention of a manager in the kindest way possible and was treated like a child. She told me that "we either like the green beans or we don't." And that she couldn't control hair being in salt. She was absolutely rude and very unhelpful. NOT worth the money! Terrible service and terrible food. Avoid!!
(1)
Roxann M.
Usually I like Red Lobster, but I was disappointed tonight. The salad was wilted and the veges in the salad were old and soggy. I couldn't eat it. The fish was good and the baked potato was OK, the broccoli was old, it was yellowish. The biscuits were yummy, as usual. I don't know if I will go there again, I was disappointed with the food. The service was great!!
(2)
Customer X.
Clean and kid friendly restaurant, the steamed lobster with wild rice and broccoli is good, the rest of the offering is average, it's easy to park, the service is good, etc.
(4)
Stephanie R.
My husband, my best friend, her sister and I ate here last night for my friend's birthday. We have all been sick from last night, and we all had different dishes. When they were served to us, we weren't impressed with the looks of what we got, and that should have been our first red flag to not eat the food served. I had a Portofino Bake (which was bland and unappetizing, as well as unappealing) and then a strawberry shortcake in a jar for dessert, and that was watery and hardly had any strawberries in it. I was going to order my 9 month old son some baked fish to try, and I am BEYOND RELIEVED that I did not. I couldn't imagine him being sick along with us. Get it together, Red Lobster.
(1)
Adam Q.
Great service and great food.. Will deff recommend this.. Keep up the good work guys!
(4)
Emily D.
Come here if you want to get food poisoning. That's what happened to me a few years ago. Feverish for two days with convulsive vomiting and liquid coming out the other end for days. I honestly should have went to a hospital. All these symptoms occurring about an hour after I ate here (and having not eaten all day). I called the state health board on these guys when I recovered. They conducted an impromptu inspection and found several violations. If you think Red Lobster is quality seafood, then you deserve to get poisoned.
(1)
Abu B.
Great service. Good manager was really interested in making sure everything was perfect.
(5)
Krissy K.
The food is ok at best. I have gotten the take out chicken salad and the shrimp and chips. I went for lunch and the food isn't the greatest. Not horrible but really disappointing. The only thing I like from here is the biscuits and I had the key lime pie and that was delicious.
(3)
Janae H.
Yesterday was the start of Lent so my family and I decided to go and get seafood since we could not eat meat being as though it was Ash Wednesday. I ordered the 4 course meal for $16.99. CHEDDAR BAY BISCUTS: YUMMMMM!!!! APP: Clam Chowder - the clam was OK, I think that it could have had a few more clams but it served its purpose. SALAD: House - I got the house salad that included: lettuce, tomatoes, onions and croutons and everything was crisp and fresh. My dressing was bleu cheese and to me it add the perfect blend for my taste buds...I might be biased since bleu cheese is my favorite dressing. MAIN COURSE: Tilapia, mashed potatoes and brocolli The meal was a perfect portion! The tilapa was grilled. The mashed potatoes were very creamy and the brocolli was steamed just right. DESSERT: CHOCOLATE BROWNIE By the time that it was time for dessert, I was already pretty full but if you know me, you know that have a SERIOUS sweet tooth. The dessert was just a regular brownie with ice cream. I can say that the brownie was very moist and the ice cream was drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. The combination was amazing. SERVICE: My server was very cordial and accomodating when taking our orders BUT....yes there is a BUT, she only came to check on us once. My dad requested a water in which he never received but she did him bring him a cup of ice so maybe I will just chuck it up to her not hearing him mention that he wanted a water. Overall, I loved that my food came out as soon as it was ready for pick up from the kitchen and for the price, the food is palatable so I will definitely be back.
(3)
Kristy H.
I honestly cannot say I have had a better experience at a chain restaurant. I was pleasantly shocked at the exceptional service and food presentation. At no time did we have to wait. We were immediately seated and our drink orders and cheddar biscuits were brought out shortly after. Our server was very attentive and allowed us to complete each course before bringing out the next (we ordered the "table for two" special). The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because they did not have a happy hour special.
(4)
Blue C.
Great customer service. Always my favorite place to eat..Great Selection of Foods and I Recommend this location to everyone in the world.
(5)
Brook H.
I have to admit, I'm not one for Red Lobster. I think I've been in two before this my entire life. Still, my wife wanted to celebrate some good fortune so we headed on out here. I was a bit apprehensive, but things turned out well... The wait wasn't too bad, considering it was primetime on a Friday night. We probably waited 20 minutes, as opposed to the 30-45 you might get at other places. A few more seats might be good, although part of that was the sheer amount of people and the other part was the selfish attitude of said people. The service was excellent and we had one of the best servers. We never had to repeat anything, he was constantly there to take new plates and with replacement drinks, and was knowledgeable about the entire menu. I only hope the next time we visit we get him or someone similar. The food was very tasty and the portions were good. We all ordered the $15 four-course feast and it filled us up quite well. The bacon potato soup was well-done even if the salad was just average. As mentioned, you also get unlimited cheese biscuits, although I say they are just tasty and nothing fantastic. When we received our dishes, the amount of shrimp shocked me. I figured my jumbo coconut shrimp would just be the usual size of five shrimp; instead I received ten huge shrimp! Plus, the dipping sauce was one of the best I'd had. We all finished up with a dessert, although these were just OK. My daughter's brownie was a bit small and my Key Lime pie was alright but nothing fantastic. Still, for $15 I walked out completely full ~and~ with a box of leftovers. I don't know if everyone's experience will be the same, but next time we celebrate with some extra cash we'll probably head back here. After writing this, I feel the need to go warm-up those shrimps and that sauce...
(4)
Tracy L.
We went to this Red Lobster for my Grandma's 90th birthday, which also happened to be New Year's Eve. The four of us got there around 4:30pm with no reservation and were seated right away. Our waiter was extremely helpful and prompt and even brought us a second round of their delicious biscuits after we devoured the first batch. At some point during our meal the manager stopped by to wish us a happy new year and make sure everything was going ok and my mom told her that the reason we were out was to celebrate. The manager was very happy for my Grandma and graciously offered her any dessert she wanted on the house! Unfortunately we had a big cake for her waiting at home so we politely declined her offer. Everything else about the meal was wonderful. I got the 1 lb. snow crab legs and they were very tasty and my parents got the salmon which they always enjoy. Once we were all done the entire wait staff showed up at our table to sing my Grandma a happy birthday! It was such a sweet gesture and she loved it so much! I want to thank this Red Lobster for making her 90th birthday enjoyable and memorable.
(5)
Stephanie R.
The food is alright, not good. Service every time has been bad. Last time the manager did a really good job of trying to make up for it, but it is just lame that I would ever need to complain at that level. After my food was wrong 3 times the manager made it himself correctly. Not worth the money.
(2)
Jessie J.
When arrived it was pretty empty (we came around lunch time). Service was amazing and fast ! My bf and I ordered the Cajun Chicken Pasta, get it ! It's so amazing.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No 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 : No
Joseph W.
I so like this one better, than the other one. Staff is nice and friendly. The ambiance at this location is so much fresher and brighter then the other one. Food is great except they need to work on, the ratio from the time you order, till the time your food comes. I especially like how the managers walk around to make sure, your food is okay and if you need refills on your drinks, and overall making sure your need are met. Love the salmon, and Im not ashamed to say that I am addicted to the biscuits. Overall I recommend this spot to anyone.
(4)Ben M.
4.5, but I rounded up because chain restaurants don't seem to get a fair shake on here. I love Mom & Pop places, but trust me, this Red Lobster deserved the high rating. This was my first time at any Red Lobster in 20 years (I was a little kid then). I came here on a Thursday night with my girlfriend and had a nearly perfect dining experience. We were sat right away and the host mentioned their specials as he seated us. We got the Table for Two $29.99 deal - two salads, two entrees, and a dessert. The chili ginger salmon was very good, not completely unique or spectacular, but really solid. My girlfriend got the peppercorn steak and was impressed with both the presentation and flavor. Dessert was pretty good, but generic--a chocolate chip lava cookie with ice cream on top. Not bad, not great. The service was excellent from start to finish but what really stood out came at the end of dinner. When we asked for a box for our leftovers, the waitress returned with both a box and a full bag of cheddar bay biscuits to take home. I have no idea if this is common practice at Red Lobster but it was a really nice touch. Pop those things in the microwave for 30 seconds and they're hot and fluffy again. Finally I saw the chef come out and check on a table to see if the food was to the couple's liking. Maybe she knew them, maybe they requested to talk with the chef--I'm not sure. But it seemed unprovoked and they certainly had a pleasant conversation. The price was right for the food, but one knock is that a couple of draft beers cost us almost $12. That seems disproportionately expensive to our meal. Food quality - 8/10 Service - 10/10 Value - 8/10 Overall - 9/10
(5)Starr C.
They were running a deal a little bit ago (it ended mid-July) for the $15 feast: for $15, you got soup, salad, an entree, and a dessert. (Also, you got the cheesy biscuits, but you always get those here.) I WAS ON THAT LIKE BUTTER ON TOAST. It is so much food, I honestly couldn't handle it. I got New England clam chowder and a garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette, knowing that the chowder was going to weigh me down some. Lots of biscuits were consumed. I ordered the coconut shrimp, which came with a surprisingly tasty pina colada sauce (which tasted like virgin pina colada!). I think because I had so much savory food, the sweetness took me a bit by surprise. I couldn't eat very much because I was pretty full at that point and planned to take the rest of my shrimp home. The meal was finished with key lime pie, because I didn't want to risk it with a heavier dessert. Even key lime pie wasn't quite a light as my palate was craving, but it was really tasty. (My first time EVER having key lime pie.) I was pretty surprised that we didn't have to wait very long at all, but I guess Sundays aren't too busy even with the deal. I know a lot of people were ordering the $15 feast deal because I heard our waiter and plenty more describing it to patrons. Our water was very attentive to us and very accommodating as well. I'm not afraid to admit it - I like Red Lobster. It's a great way to treat yourself and indulge.
(5)Nader N.
Best Red Lobster Location that i've been too.Awesome Customer Service and Food is Great. I give this Red Lobster in Columbia,Maryland a Very highly recommendation.
(5)Danny C.
I see good restaurants nearby closing down but Red Lobster is still in business?! What is wrong with people these days?! Me, the sis, and the bro came here a little while ago and we came in with low expectations. This was so terrible that it surpassed our low expectations to the lowest I've ever seen! The service was appalling! Was it because we're Asian? Or was it because I was wearing shorts and sandals? Was it because me and my brother seem intimidating for being big asian guys? Was it because?! What?! What was it?! What did we do to get such horrible service? Every person in Red Lobster we had contact with, treated us like we were some dirty stain on a clean carpet. Like we were a nuisance. Or we were bothersome. Or we were some type of annoying aliens! I don't know dammit! Aside from Applebees in Laurel, this was the worst customer service I have ever experienced in my LIFE. We came in, and the hostess saw us, then left the area. So we were waiting patiently.... She came back and spoke to 1 of the waitresses then left again.... I understood if they were busy even though they only had a few tables being waited on. We waited for a few minutes. Then I decided to ask the nearest employee if we could be seated. She looked at us like we didn't belong in this world. Like we were shunned or something. She didn't say a word back to us, she just left to get the hostess. The hostess came and rudely told us to sit "there" pointing towards the table in the corner. I was thinking to myself, maybe they all had a bad day? Or they hated Asians? Or something else happened to make them like that? So I kept it cool and gave them the benefit of the doubt. We sat down. My sister and brother were not happy. They were upset. I understood. We were hoping our waiter/waitress would treat us better. Fortunately she was! She gave us hope! But unfortunately she wasn't our waitress??? She only took care of us in the beginning because our real waitress wasn't around at the time??? Our real waitress came and was clearly upset so she treated us like whatever happened was our fault. She dropped the menus in front of us and didnt even tell us her name or what the specials were for the night. She just dropped the menus and asked what we would like to drink. I was furious. We all asked for water. She briskly left the area. This was when I said enough is enough. Lets go. My sister was appalled. Brother kept on laughing. I was pissed. We left and I STILL gave our waitress 10 bucks. Hoping she would feel better. Because of this experience, I will never go to any Red Lobster ever again. Its being closed minded yes, but there are plenty of other real mom & pop restaurants that serve better seafood than RL and that would have much better service. We didn't eat any food here because we didn't know what to expect or even hope for. So this is based off Customer Service only. Second worst experience ever.
(1)Jung P.
The service was good tonight. Not great because we had to wait awhile for the biscuits but at least the waiter was trying. He was quick with the refills which was good. But the food needs to be improved somewhat. It's been a long time since we went to Red Lobster. Probably be awhile before we go back. Had the seafood bake dish and my wife had the seafood grill dish. My lobster was so small it looked more like a large shrimp. And it had a lot of shrimps and a little bit of mussels and scallops. None of the mussel shells were open. Very disappointing. Scallops were thinly sliced so as to make it seem like there is more. It was more of a pasta dish than a seafood dish. Very disappointing. Came out not hungry but very unsatisfied. The meal that I had at the Gaithersburg how's crab shack was so much more satisfying at a very similar price.
(3)Alan B.
You only get one chance to turn me into a regular patron - Red Lobster of Columbia Maryland - You blew it. I have 2 "tests" that tell me if a restaurant is interested in its customers or if it is just pushing plates. Last night it was just pushing plates. Test number one: My wife is disabled. She has great difficulty walking, it is apparent, and she must use a cane. So why would the company force an obviously disabled person to the last table in the restaurant? There is a reason disabled parking is at the front of a restaurant, not just to reserve spots, but to minimize the distance traveled to patronize your establishment. Red Lobster seated us in the last table in the far back corner, bypassing many empty tables. FAIL #1. My second test is timing and this one is more often a problem for me than the first, thank goodness. I expect a meal with courses to be delivered to my table in the correct order, and spaced to the extent that you do not feel like you are being rushed. Also, for example, if you are in the middle of your salad or appetizer, do you want your hot or cold main course to be delivered? Of course not. The dilemma is what to do about it when it happens. Last night we had just gotten our salads (which were delicious) and could not have been 1/3 into them when our dinners arrived. I told the waiter the obvious, we had just gotten our salad course which he knew he had just brought them to us, and that we were not ready for the dinners. He said he would take them back. I said, well when we are ready I do not want 2 warmed over dinners, which he said was no problem. We finally finished our salads (yummy rolls too), and here comes our dinners. They were obviously the ones I sent back. The plates for a shrimp dinner were too hot to touch (heat lamps), and the waiter said they had "resold us the same dinners" which I assume meant they were admittedly the same dinners I sent back and had asked not to have. The shrimp were now dry, the french fries were literally uneditable. I ate maybe 1/3 of the shrimp. FAIL #2. I did not make a big deal about either. I left a 15% tip (I typically leave much more), and was on my way. Sorry Red Lobster of Columbia Maryland, you have lost any future business for the reasons I stated.
(1)Yah B.
It was a little off-putting to walk into such a dark restaurant on Tuesday night, but the place was pretty busy so my mom and I decided to stay. After being seated, we were not greeted by a server for quite some time. We had been chatting and looking at the menu so we weren't upset about the wait time, but I saw the hostess pass by so I let her know that we were still waiting. The manager promptly came to our table to apologize and took our order. There had been some confusion with who had our table, but the manager and server made it their priority to make sure we left satisfied. Let me tell you, my mother is very particular about service and management response and she tipped the highest percent that I have ever witnessed from her! For a chain restaurant, the management and staff definitely want to make sure the guests leave happy and we did!
(4)Sahar T.
Simply Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm with good customer service.
(5)Eric L.
Went here for a dinner date since we were both craving seafood. I love their biscuits but eat them while they're hot. the dinners came with a salad. I had a a dinner plate with the Lobster, shrimp, and skewered shrimp, and she had the Lobster, shrimp with crab legs. We were both stuffed by the end. We skipped the dessert there though. The service is fine and the atmosphere was quiet since we went on a day where there wasn't even a line or huge wait like there usually is.
(4)Jamie D.
Ehhhh I must say, Red Lobster is a hit or miss. This visit it was a miss, nothing stuck out to me. I settled with chicken and veggies which was good, but just normal that I could get anywhere. The portion sizes of the seafood is very small for the price you pay for it.
(3)Mathew M.
Been here twice and got the Salmon New Orleans both times and it was delicious both times I nearly licked the plate clean! My coworkers also loved their meals. One had the 4 course deal and the dessert was delicious - a melt in your mouth brownie with ice cream!
(5)Debby C.
This is a 5 star Red Lobster, perhaps not a 5 star restaurant. The service here is always attentive. Servers seem to want to do their best. They have Blue Moon on draft, not all RLs do. The food is the usual yummy fare!
(5)Adam T.
It's like the Olive Garden of seafood. It's nothing amazing, but you know what you're getting going in. The best thing are the cheddar bay biscuits, but those are also horrible for you nutrition-wise. Still, it's hard for me to pass up the shrimp-fest and lobster-fest times of year.
(3)Nani A.
Had an awesome experience at red lobster this afternoon! We havent been in over a year, maybe even two. So I suggested to my mom we should try red lobster for the biscuits. We weren't dissappointed! Went for a late lunch around 4:00 this afternoon. Our waitress was Dania. She was awesome, really polite and friendly and knew all the upcharges and sides and you could tell she had been there for a while. My mom ordered the 16.99 4 course meal, which came with a soup, a salad, an entree and a dessert. She ordered the lobster bisque which i dipped some crackers in and thought was delicious, full of lobster meat and super rich and creamy. We both got garden salads which were tasty and fresh, and D kept the biscuits coming, which were always fresh and delicious. By the time our food came we were full, but we were super hungry..... so our first basket of biscuits went fast. I ordered the grilled tacos with chicken, and instead of the rice pilaf i wanted fries. The tacos were SO good, the chicken was seasoned perfectly juicy and the jalapeno ranch was a tasty dipping sauce. My mom ordered the coconut and chili pineapple grilled shrimp combo, which came with two sides. It was a lot of food for the price! Dessert was delicious, a warm brownie which i assumed was a smaller size than if you ordered it on its own from the menu, but still perfect sized. It came with chocolate and caramel sauces and a scoop of vanilla ice cream. My mom and I left satisfied and stuffed for 30 bucks! It was great.
(5)Ravon H.
I haven't been to a Red Lobster in a while. I work in the area so decided to grab lunch here. The location is easily accessible and they have plenty of parking. It wasn't crowded at all when I got there around 1200. I was a little put off by the old carpet and the worn out waiting area couch. The place look like it did years ago when I last came. It is probably time for a few renovations or at the very least brighter paint. I must say they have improved their lunch menu and have some very affordable new options. They also have just the right sized portions so you can actually finish your meal and not drag smelly seafood around with you the rest of the day. The cheddar bake biscuits are still great though they are a little smaller than I remember. No problem since they will keep bringing them as long as you want. I had some fried shrimp and rice pilaf. It was well papered and the shrimp were not burnt or under cooked. The service was prompt and courteous. Nothing really wowed me about the place but nothing was bad. It's a solid option for lunch and I shall return,
(3)Jason L.
Red Lobster has changed some things on their menu for the good, but you might not notice because they are very subtle within the dishes and presentation. The cheddar bake biscuits are still the bomb and the food is still good. They need to change the carpet inside since it is showing that it has been their since the building has been built. Customer service is on point and they definitely know their menu and what they are capable of when special requests are made.
(4)Just T.
Easily the best experience that I have had at any Red Lobster PERIOD! from the manager, the hostess, the server. Oh my god... Can you please train my employees at my job? I will be back TOMORROW!
(5)Tim H.
I love the shrimp scampi and I love the steak. Of course crab legs and lobster is good here but seriously, I cannot go here without getting an order of shrimp scampi. I do not know how they make their sauce for this dish but I love it. My steaks are always cooked to my liking and are very flavorful. A1 is not something you will need here for the steak since it is perfectly seasoned. The sides are great too. If you are looking for good seafood at a reasonable price, you can't go wrong hitting up the Red Lobster. I am sure there are haters out there who will say that the seafood isn't all that or even that good here but hey, if you don't like the way they cook or the way it tastes, why are you even eating at this place? Thanks for reading my review. This review is based off of my personal experience and opinion.
(4)Sade P.
I have always loved Red lobster especially for those Cheddar Bay biscuits. The service at this particular restaurant is always on point. The only thin I would say is maybe get the carpets cleaned more often, they smelled like mildew when we arrived. There is really nothing bad I can say about them. They were excellent and the food taste great! Keep up the good work.
(4)Asa B.
This review should be 10 star double 5 star!!! My girl friend and I went there as my girl friend is big fan of sea foods but im not, just to make her happy i took here to Red Lobster, She ordered her sea food and I was unsure what really to order so SAM the General Manager at Red Lobster politely came to our table and helped me to choose a steak and how i want to cook! He was so nice and very helpful I dont drink but my girl friend is a drinker but she didn't left her ID at home and sam didn't let us get an Alcoholic Beverage due to not showing her ID I understand his point and its his job and has to follow the company policy! The restaurant was very very clean the Waitress was so nice and friendly the food tasted great and was ready fast! Thanks to general manager SAM for showing us a great experience at Red Lobster, even though I'm not a big fan of sea foods but I will come back for their steak which was as good as Outback!
(5)Chad B.
Red Lobster was pretty good. I admit that's it not nearly as "cool" as it seemed to me when I was a kid. We didn't have one where I grew up so it was nice to go to the "city" and eat there (but I digress...). The restaurant in Columbia is pretty nice as far as RL's go. The lighting is dim, there's a big tank of lobsters right by the front door, and the booths and wall accents are made of dark wood (I guess to appear like you're in a ship or near a wharf?). Our server was very friendly. She explained things on the menu, and checked on us many times. I ordered the half-portion of Shrimp Linguini Alfredo. It's a decent amount for the price. If you're a big eater, you should get the full portion. It seemed a bit healthier than in the past - by healthy I mean that it wasn't as drenched in thick alfredo sauce as it used to be. The linguini was cooked well, and overall I enjoyed the meal. There were big pieces of shredded parmesan cheese on top of it as well. I passed on the salad and got the seasoned vegetables which consisted of cooked cucumbers and tomatoes and were fine really. The "cheddar bay biscuits" seem a little less buttery than I remember but they're still good. Try not to fill up on them! It's not extremely cheap, but it's fairly priced for a seafood restaurant. The food is adequate, and the atmosphere is pretty relaxed.
(4)Kevin R.
Not a huge huge fan of chain resturants -- but please, what can compete with RED LOBSTER? Delish food and amazing service. I always get the COCONUT SHRIMP here and it is to die for ! This local was large and spaced out, recently remodeled. Waitress was very swift, efficient and sweet. We gave her a 30% tip for her superior service. She refilled drinks without us asking, and was extremely pleasant. She made the entire experience memorable. We will be back !
(4)Rosa M.
TERRIBLE service! We had hair in our salt, the crab was rubbery (not as a crab should taste at all), and our green beans were thoroughly undercooked. I brought this to the attention of a manager in the kindest way possible and was treated like a child. She told me that "we either like the green beans or we don't." And that she couldn't control hair being in salt. She was absolutely rude and very unhelpful. NOT worth the money! Terrible service and terrible food. Avoid!!
(1)Roxann M.
Usually I like Red Lobster, but I was disappointed tonight. The salad was wilted and the veges in the salad were old and soggy. I couldn't eat it. The fish was good and the baked potato was OK, the broccoli was old, it was yellowish. The biscuits were yummy, as usual. I don't know if I will go there again, I was disappointed with the food. The service was great!!
(2)Customer X.
Clean and kid friendly restaurant, the steamed lobster with wild rice and broccoli is good, the rest of the offering is average, it's easy to park, the service is good, etc.
(4)Stephanie R.
My husband, my best friend, her sister and I ate here last night for my friend's birthday. We have all been sick from last night, and we all had different dishes. When they were served to us, we weren't impressed with the looks of what we got, and that should have been our first red flag to not eat the food served. I had a Portofino Bake (which was bland and unappetizing, as well as unappealing) and then a strawberry shortcake in a jar for dessert, and that was watery and hardly had any strawberries in it. I was going to order my 9 month old son some baked fish to try, and I am BEYOND RELIEVED that I did not. I couldn't imagine him being sick along with us. Get it together, Red Lobster.
(1)Adam Q.
Great service and great food.. Will deff recommend this.. Keep up the good work guys!
(4)Emily D.
Come here if you want to get food poisoning. That's what happened to me a few years ago. Feverish for two days with convulsive vomiting and liquid coming out the other end for days. I honestly should have went to a hospital. All these symptoms occurring about an hour after I ate here (and having not eaten all day). I called the state health board on these guys when I recovered. They conducted an impromptu inspection and found several violations. If you think Red Lobster is quality seafood, then you deserve to get poisoned.
(1)Abu B.
Great service. Good manager was really interested in making sure everything was perfect.
(5)Krissy K.
The food is ok at best. I have gotten the take out chicken salad and the shrimp and chips. I went for lunch and the food isn't the greatest. Not horrible but really disappointing. The only thing I like from here is the biscuits and I had the key lime pie and that was delicious.
(3)Janae H.
Yesterday was the start of Lent so my family and I decided to go and get seafood since we could not eat meat being as though it was Ash Wednesday. I ordered the 4 course meal for $16.99. CHEDDAR BAY BISCUTS: YUMMMMM!!!! APP: Clam Chowder - the clam was OK, I think that it could have had a few more clams but it served its purpose. SALAD: House - I got the house salad that included: lettuce, tomatoes, onions and croutons and everything was crisp and fresh. My dressing was bleu cheese and to me it add the perfect blend for my taste buds...I might be biased since bleu cheese is my favorite dressing. MAIN COURSE: Tilapia, mashed potatoes and brocolli The meal was a perfect portion! The tilapa was grilled. The mashed potatoes were very creamy and the brocolli was steamed just right. DESSERT: CHOCOLATE BROWNIE By the time that it was time for dessert, I was already pretty full but if you know me, you know that have a SERIOUS sweet tooth. The dessert was just a regular brownie with ice cream. I can say that the brownie was very moist and the ice cream was drizzled with chocolate and caramel sauce. The combination was amazing. SERVICE: My server was very cordial and accomodating when taking our orders BUT....yes there is a BUT, she only came to check on us once. My dad requested a water in which he never received but she did him bring him a cup of ice so maybe I will just chuck it up to her not hearing him mention that he wanted a water. Overall, I loved that my food came out as soon as it was ready for pick up from the kitchen and for the price, the food is palatable so I will definitely be back.
(3)Kristy H.
I honestly cannot say I have had a better experience at a chain restaurant. I was pleasantly shocked at the exceptional service and food presentation. At no time did we have to wait. We were immediately seated and our drink orders and cheddar biscuits were brought out shortly after. Our server was very attentive and allowed us to complete each course before bringing out the next (we ordered the "table for two" special). The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because they did not have a happy hour special.
(4)Blue C.
Great customer service. Always my favorite place to eat..Great Selection of Foods and I Recommend this location to everyone in the world.
(5)Brook H.
I have to admit, I'm not one for Red Lobster. I think I've been in two before this my entire life. Still, my wife wanted to celebrate some good fortune so we headed on out here. I was a bit apprehensive, but things turned out well... The wait wasn't too bad, considering it was primetime on a Friday night. We probably waited 20 minutes, as opposed to the 30-45 you might get at other places. A few more seats might be good, although part of that was the sheer amount of people and the other part was the selfish attitude of said people. The service was excellent and we had one of the best servers. We never had to repeat anything, he was constantly there to take new plates and with replacement drinks, and was knowledgeable about the entire menu. I only hope the next time we visit we get him or someone similar. The food was very tasty and the portions were good. We all ordered the $15 four-course feast and it filled us up quite well. The bacon potato soup was well-done even if the salad was just average. As mentioned, you also get unlimited cheese biscuits, although I say they are just tasty and nothing fantastic. When we received our dishes, the amount of shrimp shocked me. I figured my jumbo coconut shrimp would just be the usual size of five shrimp; instead I received ten huge shrimp! Plus, the dipping sauce was one of the best I'd had. We all finished up with a dessert, although these were just OK. My daughter's brownie was a bit small and my Key Lime pie was alright but nothing fantastic. Still, for $15 I walked out completely full ~and~ with a box of leftovers. I don't know if everyone's experience will be the same, but next time we celebrate with some extra cash we'll probably head back here. After writing this, I feel the need to go warm-up those shrimps and that sauce...
(4)Tracy L.
We went to this Red Lobster for my Grandma's 90th birthday, which also happened to be New Year's Eve. The four of us got there around 4:30pm with no reservation and were seated right away. Our waiter was extremely helpful and prompt and even brought us a second round of their delicious biscuits after we devoured the first batch. At some point during our meal the manager stopped by to wish us a happy new year and make sure everything was going ok and my mom told her that the reason we were out was to celebrate. The manager was very happy for my Grandma and graciously offered her any dessert she wanted on the house! Unfortunately we had a big cake for her waiting at home so we politely declined her offer. Everything else about the meal was wonderful. I got the 1 lb. snow crab legs and they were very tasty and my parents got the salmon which they always enjoy. Once we were all done the entire wait staff showed up at our table to sing my Grandma a happy birthday! It was such a sweet gesture and she loved it so much! I want to thank this Red Lobster for making her 90th birthday enjoyable and memorable.
(5)Stephanie R.
The food is alright, not good. Service every time has been bad. Last time the manager did a really good job of trying to make up for it, but it is just lame that I would ever need to complain at that level. After my food was wrong 3 times the manager made it himself correctly. Not worth the money.
(2)Jessie J.
When arrived it was pretty empty (we came around lunch time). Service was amazing and fast ! My bf and I ordered the Cajun Chicken Pasta, get it ! It's so amazing.
(5)