Food snobs feel free to skip this one.... I am not a huge fan of Red Lobster normally. We had gone to a Yelp event though that was very nice indeed and it made me reconsider a bit. I tried a return visit that was an utter disaster and suddenly was again not a particular fan. My mother is a fan. A firm fan. As is my pops. It was Mother's Day and well hello I am not a mother, she is, so it was her pick. I had a forty dollar gift card burning a hole in my pocket and a couple of free app coupons still in my purse from the Yelp event. Sadly the Yelp event was so long ago I am now shamefaced that I apparently never clean out my purse. At any rate, I mustered some enthusiasm. I figured even if it sucked, it wouldn't put my finances back by much. My dad called ahead to make sure we could get a table. Between my mother's insulin schedule and her Meniere's anti dizziness and anti nausea pills it can be a delicate balance. Add in Dad on a cane and yeah we cannot be milling around for an hour or anything. He felt like we could not go after the first call did not offer a whit of a guarantee of seating. I called back and after a very pleasant chat with a manager all was straightened out. We just had to show up as soon as they opened and it would be fine. Lesson learned, I cannot have my dad make any simple inquiries. It's not his age, trust me. He is sweet but not really clear. We arrived and yep all was well. In fact we hit the happiness jackpot. A nice roomy table and the stellar server named Heath. Heath is awesome. Friendly, fun, helpful, patient and on the freaking ball. A good server can make or break you and Heath is a shiny five star guy wasted on a chain. IMO this man should be making much bigger bucks in a tony establishment. His pacing was perfect, he knew the food and he took any curve balls we threw at him in stride. You can tell he enjoys his job, a rare occurrence in my vast dining experience. He made my mom feel all special and kept us all smiling. I cannot praise him enough. They need to use him to train the rest of the staff for sure. One thing I will start with, they have diet raspberry lemonade here and it is really tasty. This also means my mom who cannot consume too much sugar and absolutely no caffeine could have a drink that was not water. For her this is a rare treat when dining away from home. Unless a place has diet lemonade or Sprite Zero or some such she is resigned to jazzing water up with a couple of lemons. The food was surprisingly nice. We got some calamari and veggies as well as some coconut shrimp. You cannot go wrong with the coconut shrimp, that sauce is perfect. The calamari was ok but I liked the fried broccoli and peppers way more personally. The crack biscuits were of course artery clogging delights. My Caesar salad came on iceberg which was not good at all but that was really the only misstep and I assume they were just out of romaine or hadn't prepped it (we were first to dine). My parents and husband seemed pleased with their salads but I just hate iceberg, it is why I order Caesar. We all ended up with the bargathon seafood trios they currently have on offer. You choose one pasta type, select one shrimp specialty and pick one grilled item. My father and I had the baked lobster pasta, my husband and mom went with the Cajun shrimp linguini. Both were decent enough. My dad, my husband and I had the brown butter shrimp scampi with lots of garlic and tomatoes. Very happy indeed, better than the regular shrimp scampi for sure. My husband got a grilled shrimp skewer over wild rice he liked but the rest of us opted for the grilled soy ginger salmon. Oh man, that was easily the best thing going. It was topped with a pineapple salsa that paired with the glaze perfectly. A hulking piece that was perfectly cooked, a total bargain. I would definitely return if I could sit in Heath's section and have one of those Malibu bay breezes I liked at the Red Lobster Gets Reel event. A combo of that salmon and some coconut shrimp would be delightful as well. All in all a very nice day, much better than I expected.
(4)
Maria C.
The reason I'm giving this such a high rating was because, although there was a MYRIAD of issues with our experience there, the Manager handled it as if we were at her own home. Food: "Red Lobstery" Price: "Pricey" I don't live close to this Red Lobster, but if I feel like Red Lobster again, I'll drive to this one.
(4)
Anna D.
Had a good experience here last night. We were sat and greeted promptly. Our servers name was Jessica, and although it looked like she had a lot of tables and she was very busy, she brought out our food and checked on us occasionally. My husband and I both ordered the 4 course meal for 14.99. This was amazing. Not only the food, but the price! You get a very good amount of food at a price that is very affordable. Main points- Service was good. Food was great. We will be back!
Had Crablegs from Crabfest - reliable, predictable and good :) Service was especially good this time.
(4)
Moose F.
I think the previous time I was in a Red Lobster was in the early 2000s. Maybe even earlier. Now I know why: Red Lobster is to a seafood restaurant what a diner is to a steakhouse. You can get similar things at a cheaper price, but you pay for the difference in quality. The first thing I noticed when I opened the door to the SS Minnow [my big white van; it used to go on three hour tours to Columbus] was the enveloping smell: Fried In Butter. I'm sure this is appealing to some people, but my digestive system started squealing like David Henderson in the original "The Fly," screaming "HELP ME! HELP ME!" in a tiny, screeching voice. However, I was meeting friends so I wobbled on in. (A Weeble I am not.) We got there just before the mad dinner rush although it was still hopping. Our waitron was friendly, and except for an incident early in the meal where we could not get noticed despite waving frantically, was otherwise attentive. We all ordered the same dinner with variations for sides and salad. The salads came out fine, but all three dinner plates came out with only one of the two sides. The person who brought them out cheerfully went back for the missing sides, but I found it odd that all three were messed up, even if it wasn't a horrific mistake. The food itself was rather dull. Apparently the 'grilled' seafood had been basted in butter and came with some extra butter, just in case your arteries weren't clogged enough. My friends are low-carb-ers, and I thought, "ooh! more biscuits for me!" but, seriously, one was more than enough, because it tasted like... you guessed it. Butter. I mean, I like butter, but I feel like I ate about a stick of it at that one meal. We did commit the cardinal sin of 'camping out' for a half hour after we were finished, which pushed us past the Saturday Night Default Dinner Hour (8 pm). It was all my fault, because I would not shut up, but hopefully I left enough of a tip to make up for it. Surely there are better places to get (cooked) seafood around the area. I'll have to start hunting them down.
(2)
Derek H.
The general manager may be a pice of crock, but the waitresses here are incredible. I came here BY MYSELF on Valentines Day at 10:30 pm expecting garbage for service. My waitress (Jessica H. According to her name tag) was friggin incredible. She attended to me immediately even though I could tell she was wicked busy with other tables. After my order was taken, it was nearly immediately that my food came out and was delivered to my table. Again, Jessica gave me impeccable service in spite of how busy it really was in the restaurant, well beyond their typical hours of operation. She even made kind words about me being along on valentines day. What a sweetheart. Overall, the General Manager was complaining in front of customers the entire time (she seems to totally suck to work for) the wait staff and bartenders were pleasant, but Jessica H. really made my solo valentines night worth it. She's a gem, and I wish she was my valentine.
(5)
Mandy N.
I love Red Lobster Caesar salads!! Biscuits are good too and other food I have tried has always been tasty. The service is always good too.
(5)
Heather R.
Atmosphere is needing some work. You can tell it's an older Red Lobster that's been around for a while. Seems to need some renovations on the inside as it just doesn't feel that clean even though it could have just been cleaned. Other than that, the service is average. I don't eat hear except for when they are having their Endless Shrimp. It's going on now and I will say it's nice they give you 3 choices upfront this year instead of 2. I love the coconut shrimp bites...it keeps me going back every year. It's the only one in this area though so better than driving further away...it is doable.
(3)
Patrick T.
Red lobster bread is really good. The salmon came out a little overcooked, but the sauce/seasoning was good. Probably wouldn't order it again, since overcooked salmon is kind of like overcooked steak -- ruined. Other than that, it's a pretty standard chain.
(3)
Peter H.
This is an example when people really care and deliver an outstanding experience. The GM Sandy Short and server Heather made this so special! My mother was celebrating her "90" birthday and loves Red Lobster. Her favorite food in the world is fresh swordfish. Well Red Lobster famous for fresh fish did not disappoint. We had a party of 9 and on short notice they were able to accommodate us. Sandy's approach was "We Can Do That!" Everyone's food and service was excellent. This was an experience we will never forget - Thanks again Red Lobster - we will be back and will be telling all our friends.
(5)
Beth H.
When I think of Red Lobster, I haven't had such high opinions. You can get a good meal on the affordable side, with a palettable wine list. The spotty service and families with screaming children are the biggest turn off. Inevitably, some new enticing menu item has me braving the excepted short-comings with a little help from the aforementioned wine list. On this visit, it was my father's choice, as it was his Father's Day lunch. He wanted a bowl of Clam Chowder and biscuts. We ordered two soups, two sodas and an appetizer to share. The service was friendly but a little forgetful. Her personality made up for it. Dad liked his chowder but my lobster bisque was way too salty. Surprisingly shallow bowls of soup for the price tag. the appetizer was hot, fresh and good. The bill was about $30 - which was more than I expected for soup and shared appetizer, but will keep that in mind for future lunch visits.
(3)
Pete P.
I went to Red Lobster for dinner a few nights ago and was pleasantly surprised by the service, food, and ambiance! We were seated immediately and the waitress was really good! She kept up the water and garlic biscuits without us asking and she earned that fourth star. I had the Admiral's Feast, which is a LOT of food but I split it in half and had the rest for lunch the next day. The salad, though uncomplicated was fresh and tasty. The food was served promptly and there was no lag in the courses. I was very pleased all around by this chain. I'll be back.
(4)
HX S.
I like the biscuits there! They also taste great if you pack them and heat in microwave ~~ I love lobster and RB does offer really good lobster! better than their shrimps!
(5)
Daron D.
Since i am allergic to seafood, this is a non-seafood review.. First off,i got to get this off my chest: The biscuits are the greatest ever (I'm sure if you have had red lobster before you already know this) and the fact that they are bottomless makes the trip to red lobster worth it in itself. Also, the Caesar side salad here is the greatest side salad ever, it is literally that deal. Now when i came here for my meal, i first have to have me lobsterita (please don't judge me), it is huge (big enough for 2-3 people), sweet, strong, and freakin great. Now for my meal i choose the 4 course menu, which was soup (didn't eat it, so can't say yay or nay to that), Caesar salad, my entree (which was Cajun chicken linguine, which is very very very good, and big, and i personally prefer My's with the marinara sauce rather than the linguine sauce) and a brownie Ala mode (normally not a big dessert person, but oh my lord was this good) for dessert. If you want good food, red lobster is the place .
(5)
Faith H.
For some reason I had a not-so-good impression of this chain, and avoided it even though there is a Red Lobster in my neighborhood. We decided to try it, and I was pleasantly surprised. I am a Weight Watcher and need to carefully plan my meals. The 'lighthouse' portion of the menu is very helpful in making light menu choices--there are HUGE discrepancies in the calorie and fat content for different menu items, so you have to be careful. For 12 weight watchers points, I had 1/2 a rainbow trout, the roasted vegetable medley (substituted for the usual broccoli), a salad with a small amount of dressing, and (the indulgence) one of the cheddar bay biscuits, which are really worth the 4 points (but very tempting to have more). Everything was fresh tasting and delicious. The place was crowded on a Saturday evening, but service was efficient. Parking was plentiful. I didn't notice any of the cleanliness issues mentioned by others, and I saw them carefully wipe down the table with disinfectant spray before serving new customers. I heard a mom and her young daughter complain to the host staff about the need to clean the bathroom--I didn't notice the issue they did, and I have the impression the they were handling the concern quickly. Crayons, a special menu, and word puzzle type items are available for kids. The live lobster in the waiting area is a youthful attraction/distraction. I would go again!
(4)
Peggah G.
Let me say this, I hate seafood. My body twitches when I see someone eat crab and lobster the same way I see someone eat ribs. It just seems very carnivorous and not very pleasing. I went with my mom, because she loves seafood, and I love their biscuit bread things. Those are delicious. And free. Mmmm. While the menu is not too great if you hate seafood and are cheap (cough), the option to order a dish with steak and seafood and split it is there for a reasonable price. I ordered a steak, and my mom got some sort of lobster tail thing. The salad that came with the meal was really good and fresh. It also went well with the biscuits :). The steak I got was enormous! It cost $19.99, but I wasn't expecting it to be that big. It was also delicious and juicy. Perfectly cooked, which I was definitely impressed by. My mom's dish was rather large as well, which I was impressed with. At the end of dinner, we ordered some apple pie with ice cream thing, and though it was also expensive ($5.50), it was really good. I never thought I'd enjoy a meal at Red Lobster, but I was really surprised with this location! The service was also excellent. It wasn't crowded at all, either.
(4)
Maureen M.
Believe it or not, I've never been to a Red Lobster restaurant. Today was my first time. I was excited to try these famous biscuits if nothing else. I went with a group after a networking meeting just as they opened. Our server was great, and very attentive. I ordered a house salad and lobster nachos. The salad was ok and pretty standard. One of my biggest gripes w/ restaurant salads and having to cut up my vegetables, including a single raw onion ring. It was no different today. The biscuits were everything I imagined. They were hot, fresh, and melted in my mouth. The lobster nachos were ok. The cheese was definitely a sauce, and not much flavor to it. I probably wouldn't order it again because it wasn't a memorable dish (appetizer, actually). Now I can say that I've been to Red Lobster and understand the love of their biscuits.
(3)
Jason C.
Ah, good old Red Lobster... it's been long time since I visited this establishment... the place hasn't changed in over the last 15 years... We got seated after waiting about 10 minutes... we had party of six, four got there early... we put in order order for drinks, then waited another 10 minutes to place our dinner orders... then our rest of the party showed, placed their order... I can say, the service was surely slow this day. Yeah, so I had the Endless Shrimp and let me tell you, I got my monies worth... I think I had about 100 shrimps... I stayed with the garlic grilled and garlic scampi... I had one order of breaded... otherwise, I got one order in every 15 minutes... we there there for two hours.... I think the service got slower at the end because we were eating too much! Oh well... I'll probably go back for the Endless Shrimps... but it'll be in few years...
(2)
Jorge R.
I got the blue-cheese sirloin. Thumbs Up!
(4)
Carlos P.
Last night I decided to dine at Red Lobster. As a kid I always had fond memories of the place. Unfortunately last night destroyed all of that. I was staying close by at a hotel and decided to walk over. The hostess arbitrarily decided to seat me at a place of her choice even though I questioned her choice. I was wearing a hoodie since it was cold outside, and I look fairly young so she instantly judge me. Two faired skinned couples who arrived after me were seated before me in the nicer better lit areas while I waited for my darkly lit table. I followed them to be seated and watched as they were served before My "arbitrarily chosen table" was cleaned. The restaurant was not full at all. So I asked the hostess why she sat the people over there and made me wait? She said "because I chose to sit you here" I was upset at the insensitivity and it was clear. The waitress poor lady kept smiling at me but I was too upset. She must have called the manager who stopped by but was too upset to talk to him at the time. Ordered my food and sat quietly and ate. When my dinner was done the waitress who kept smiling got a smile in return. Her service was great and in no way reflected the previous actions. I asked for the manager told him what occurred and ask him what he thought? He asked me if I wanted cake? He said he related to it ( i honestly think he got the gist of it but as a white male doubt he will ever truly understand) as he compared it to wearing his team's jersey to a bar full of the rival teams fans! Yes pretty incredible. I only wanted him to be aware that things like this in America today are unacceptable. He felt bad and apologized again. I paid by bill and left a twenty one percent tip plus the extra 25% he took off without asking which all went to the waitress. This was totally insensitive but was it racial? We whom have worked at one point or another in the service industry know that servers hate serving young dark skinned people wearing hoodies because there is a preconceived notion they will tip badly... So was it racist? Even in a subconscious way?
(1)
Katie S.
My bf and I go here for special occasions. Each time the wait time seems to get longer and longer. My last visit was a few days ago for my birthday. Not only was it chaos in the front end, I had to go follow up with the hostess and it was 15 min after then told me I would be sat. The manager seemed to be the only one having some what of a clue and she was off not even speaking with guests. I was really disappointed in my meal as well. This restaurant needs some major improving. To top if off, at the end, 2 waiters stopped right in front of our table to talk about other guests and how the waitresses were annoyed that they had been sat these guests. I would not go to this location again!!!!!
(2)
Janet H.
I had 3 sets of flatware before I had any clean ones. Glasses were also dirty and sticky. Very disappointed The food was phenomenal as usual
(2)
David R.
If you read my last post on the alfredo fiasco, I would just like to report that I received a lovely letter from Red Lobster Corporate offices. I believe their quote was, "$8 for a pint of alfredo, maybe at our time square location. We apologize for your inconvenience and here is $20 in gift certificates." Well, I immediately went to the offending Red Lobster on Carpentar and used the certificates to buy....you guessed it.....more alfredo!!!!
(3)
Shanell S.
I frequent Red Lobster quite a few times a year. Usually, always with a coupon :-) You can get them sent directly to your email. The prices are reasonable to me as I don't eat the higher end seafood. I'm allergic to shellfish. My staple there was the traditional fried catfish. Then they introduced the Chef's fresh fish special and I fell in love. The grilled tilapia and salmon is the best! And the baked potato with the sea salt encrusted skin I love! I remember long ago at this Red Lobster there use to be long waits. It kind of turned you off. However, here now usually I don't have to wait or the wait is estimated at 10-15 minutes and usually you are buzzed before then. The restaurant could use some updating to me as some of it looks dated. I would suggest more light or brighter panels and colors. Also they need to do something better with the bar area. Make it brighter, open it up so that it will be place that is seen as a place to be! The servers here are usually people that have been working there for very long times. I know one of the servers there has been there for at least 5-10 years I'm estimating. Having knowledgeable servers helps the dining experience. I really like that aspect. My take: Fresh seafood, good prices *especially with a coupon :-)* and fun and knowledgeable staff!
(4)
Eric K.
I don't know what's happened to you Red Lobster. I remember loving this place while growing up (especially their bread). I went today and the taste of the food was below average - the bread was still tasty though. Perhaps it was an off day, but my latest visit tarnished my memories of this place. It's too bad the food was so below-average because I really enjoyed the service. I will go back and try it again one day though.
(2)
Patrick S.
Well the food came fast but fast means not cooked all food was under cooked. They did remake it and say sorry .told me they will make sure it was well done I said I only want my food cooked right not well done.well sitting here waiting we ll c.got my new meal food was just ok.
(1)
K J.
Last night Wednesday, August 15 at 6:35 p.m. my partner and I decided to stop at Red Lobster for dinner which is normal if we are out in the Carpenter Road area, unfortunately last night would turn out to be the last visit. We were greeted properly at the front door, told it would be about 15 minutes and handed a pager. I waited by the wall not more than two or three feet away from the host station. Larger parties were called as were many of the folks ahead of us. I witnessed a family of four come up and complain about how long it was taking and they were seated promptly at a four top that had been empty and cleaned for quite some time, I then witnessed what appeared to be a mother and son come up and complain about the wait and they were then seated. A short time had passed when a teen and what appeared to be her mother came in and immediately the hostess came over hugged them and said "I haven't saw you in so long.", handed them a pager and then proceeded to call another couple up to the host stand to be seated; we were there before this couple, but I left it alone thinking it would not be much longer. The hostess then walked over to the mother and daughter, her friends, and said come on I have a table for you. When she returned I asked her if she knew what she was doing and she replied yes she did, why? I explained to her that we had been waiting and she had seated a couple and her friends before us, she stated rudely that perhaps I couldn't hear because she had paged us twice. The pager never went off and she did not call out our name that was given to the host that was there earlier, I explained that I was not more than two maybe three feet away and would have heard her and explained that the pager in my hand had never been activated. She insisted even after I asked her about seating her friends before us and that she had not called us and again she said maybe I could not hear her. I then asked to see the manager and when he arrived he continued to let the hostess rattle on about how she paged us and I couldn't hear. Truly her actions were unprofessional and he was lacking as a manager in letting her continue. Seeing this was a no win situation and we were on a time frame we decided to leave. The unprofessionalism and lack of care and training at this location is pedestrian at best and in the future we will choose another restaurant while out in that area, the food isn't really that good to wait for and not get seated in a timely manner. Perhaps some further training for the hostess could fix someone else's evening before she darkens it.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
Liz W.
Food snobs feel free to skip this one.... I am not a huge fan of Red Lobster normally. We had gone to a Yelp event though that was very nice indeed and it made me reconsider a bit. I tried a return visit that was an utter disaster and suddenly was again not a particular fan. My mother is a fan. A firm fan. As is my pops. It was Mother's Day and well hello I am not a mother, she is, so it was her pick. I had a forty dollar gift card burning a hole in my pocket and a couple of free app coupons still in my purse from the Yelp event. Sadly the Yelp event was so long ago I am now shamefaced that I apparently never clean out my purse. At any rate, I mustered some enthusiasm. I figured even if it sucked, it wouldn't put my finances back by much. My dad called ahead to make sure we could get a table. Between my mother's insulin schedule and her Meniere's anti dizziness and anti nausea pills it can be a delicate balance. Add in Dad on a cane and yeah we cannot be milling around for an hour or anything. He felt like we could not go after the first call did not offer a whit of a guarantee of seating. I called back and after a very pleasant chat with a manager all was straightened out. We just had to show up as soon as they opened and it would be fine. Lesson learned, I cannot have my dad make any simple inquiries. It's not his age, trust me. He is sweet but not really clear. We arrived and yep all was well. In fact we hit the happiness jackpot. A nice roomy table and the stellar server named Heath. Heath is awesome. Friendly, fun, helpful, patient and on the freaking ball. A good server can make or break you and Heath is a shiny five star guy wasted on a chain. IMO this man should be making much bigger bucks in a tony establishment. His pacing was perfect, he knew the food and he took any curve balls we threw at him in stride. You can tell he enjoys his job, a rare occurrence in my vast dining experience. He made my mom feel all special and kept us all smiling. I cannot praise him enough. They need to use him to train the rest of the staff for sure. One thing I will start with, they have diet raspberry lemonade here and it is really tasty. This also means my mom who cannot consume too much sugar and absolutely no caffeine could have a drink that was not water. For her this is a rare treat when dining away from home. Unless a place has diet lemonade or Sprite Zero or some such she is resigned to jazzing water up with a couple of lemons. The food was surprisingly nice. We got some calamari and veggies as well as some coconut shrimp. You cannot go wrong with the coconut shrimp, that sauce is perfect. The calamari was ok but I liked the fried broccoli and peppers way more personally. The crack biscuits were of course artery clogging delights. My Caesar salad came on iceberg which was not good at all but that was really the only misstep and I assume they were just out of romaine or hadn't prepped it (we were first to dine). My parents and husband seemed pleased with their salads but I just hate iceberg, it is why I order Caesar. We all ended up with the bargathon seafood trios they currently have on offer. You choose one pasta type, select one shrimp specialty and pick one grilled item. My father and I had the baked lobster pasta, my husband and mom went with the Cajun shrimp linguini. Both were decent enough. My dad, my husband and I had the brown butter shrimp scampi with lots of garlic and tomatoes. Very happy indeed, better than the regular shrimp scampi for sure. My husband got a grilled shrimp skewer over wild rice he liked but the rest of us opted for the grilled soy ginger salmon. Oh man, that was easily the best thing going. It was topped with a pineapple salsa that paired with the glaze perfectly. A hulking piece that was perfectly cooked, a total bargain. I would definitely return if I could sit in Heath's section and have one of those Malibu bay breezes I liked at the Red Lobster Gets Reel event. A combo of that salmon and some coconut shrimp would be delightful as well. All in all a very nice day, much better than I expected.
(4)Maria C.
The reason I'm giving this such a high rating was because, although there was a MYRIAD of issues with our experience there, the Manager handled it as if we were at her own home. Food: "Red Lobstery" Price: "Pricey" I don't live close to this Red Lobster, but if I feel like Red Lobster again, I'll drive to this one.
(4)Anna D.
Had a good experience here last night. We were sat and greeted promptly. Our servers name was Jessica, and although it looked like she had a lot of tables and she was very busy, she brought out our food and checked on us occasionally. My husband and I both ordered the 4 course meal for 14.99. This was amazing. Not only the food, but the price! You get a very good amount of food at a price that is very affordable. Main points- Service was good. Food was great. We will be back!
(4)Vivian L.
This was my first time stepping foot into a red lobster. It was a chilly Monday night and we were out celebrating something worth celebrating. We were greeted by a kind host and seated right away. I had no expectations coming into the restaurant for I had no idea what to expect! I hadn't heard anything good or bad so I decided to keep an open mind. Let me tell you about their phenomenal cheesy biscuits.... Ohemgee. They're so perfectly seasoned and not overly cheesy. I'm not a huge fan of cheesy things so I was very pleased that this biscuit had just a hint of it. So good on its own, but you may add butter if you please. We started with the lobster artichoke dip. This was delicious, but it was a little too runny for my liking. I was expecting the dip to be a bit more creamy. I don't remember he name of my dish, it was baked lobster or something and it was delicious. The lobster was not dry or under cooked. The sauce that it was cooked in was a bit salty but nothing a rinse or butter can't mask ;). My roommates and fiancé were also pleased with their dishes. Please keep in mind I am not a connoisseur of lobsters so my expectations are low and I was very pleased. I wasn't too full the portion, accompanied with our appetizer and biscuits, were just right! Lastly, their strawberry lemonade was on the sweeter side. I like any type of lemonade more sour so this was mediocre at best for me. If you're ever feeling lobster on a Monday night I definitely recommend red lobster!!
(5)Joan B.
Had Crablegs from Crabfest - reliable, predictable and good :) Service was especially good this time.
(4)Moose F.
I think the previous time I was in a Red Lobster was in the early 2000s. Maybe even earlier. Now I know why: Red Lobster is to a seafood restaurant what a diner is to a steakhouse. You can get similar things at a cheaper price, but you pay for the difference in quality. The first thing I noticed when I opened the door to the SS Minnow [my big white van; it used to go on three hour tours to Columbus] was the enveloping smell: Fried In Butter. I'm sure this is appealing to some people, but my digestive system started squealing like David Henderson in the original "The Fly," screaming "HELP ME! HELP ME!" in a tiny, screeching voice. However, I was meeting friends so I wobbled on in. (A Weeble I am not.) We got there just before the mad dinner rush although it was still hopping. Our waitron was friendly, and except for an incident early in the meal where we could not get noticed despite waving frantically, was otherwise attentive. We all ordered the same dinner with variations for sides and salad. The salads came out fine, but all three dinner plates came out with only one of the two sides. The person who brought them out cheerfully went back for the missing sides, but I found it odd that all three were messed up, even if it wasn't a horrific mistake. The food itself was rather dull. Apparently the 'grilled' seafood had been basted in butter and came with some extra butter, just in case your arteries weren't clogged enough. My friends are low-carb-ers, and I thought, "ooh! more biscuits for me!" but, seriously, one was more than enough, because it tasted like... you guessed it. Butter. I mean, I like butter, but I feel like I ate about a stick of it at that one meal. We did commit the cardinal sin of 'camping out' for a half hour after we were finished, which pushed us past the Saturday Night Default Dinner Hour (8 pm). It was all my fault, because I would not shut up, but hopefully I left enough of a tip to make up for it. Surely there are better places to get (cooked) seafood around the area. I'll have to start hunting them down.
(2)Derek H.
The general manager may be a pice of crock, but the waitresses here are incredible. I came here BY MYSELF on Valentines Day at 10:30 pm expecting garbage for service. My waitress (Jessica H. According to her name tag) was friggin incredible. She attended to me immediately even though I could tell she was wicked busy with other tables. After my order was taken, it was nearly immediately that my food came out and was delivered to my table. Again, Jessica gave me impeccable service in spite of how busy it really was in the restaurant, well beyond their typical hours of operation. She even made kind words about me being along on valentines day. What a sweetheart. Overall, the General Manager was complaining in front of customers the entire time (she seems to totally suck to work for) the wait staff and bartenders were pleasant, but Jessica H. really made my solo valentines night worth it. She's a gem, and I wish she was my valentine.
(5)Mandy N.
I love Red Lobster Caesar salads!! Biscuits are good too and other food I have tried has always been tasty. The service is always good too.
(5)Heather R.
Atmosphere is needing some work. You can tell it's an older Red Lobster that's been around for a while. Seems to need some renovations on the inside as it just doesn't feel that clean even though it could have just been cleaned. Other than that, the service is average. I don't eat hear except for when they are having their Endless Shrimp. It's going on now and I will say it's nice they give you 3 choices upfront this year instead of 2. I love the coconut shrimp bites...it keeps me going back every year. It's the only one in this area though so better than driving further away...it is doable.
(3)Patrick T.
Red lobster bread is really good. The salmon came out a little overcooked, but the sauce/seasoning was good. Probably wouldn't order it again, since overcooked salmon is kind of like overcooked steak -- ruined. Other than that, it's a pretty standard chain.
(3)Peter H.
This is an example when people really care and deliver an outstanding experience. The GM Sandy Short and server Heather made this so special! My mother was celebrating her "90" birthday and loves Red Lobster. Her favorite food in the world is fresh swordfish. Well Red Lobster famous for fresh fish did not disappoint. We had a party of 9 and on short notice they were able to accommodate us. Sandy's approach was "We Can Do That!" Everyone's food and service was excellent. This was an experience we will never forget - Thanks again Red Lobster - we will be back and will be telling all our friends.
(5)Beth H.
When I think of Red Lobster, I haven't had such high opinions. You can get a good meal on the affordable side, with a palettable wine list. The spotty service and families with screaming children are the biggest turn off. Inevitably, some new enticing menu item has me braving the excepted short-comings with a little help from the aforementioned wine list. On this visit, it was my father's choice, as it was his Father's Day lunch. He wanted a bowl of Clam Chowder and biscuts. We ordered two soups, two sodas and an appetizer to share. The service was friendly but a little forgetful. Her personality made up for it. Dad liked his chowder but my lobster bisque was way too salty. Surprisingly shallow bowls of soup for the price tag. the appetizer was hot, fresh and good. The bill was about $30 - which was more than I expected for soup and shared appetizer, but will keep that in mind for future lunch visits.
(3)Pete P.
I went to Red Lobster for dinner a few nights ago and was pleasantly surprised by the service, food, and ambiance! We were seated immediately and the waitress was really good! She kept up the water and garlic biscuits without us asking and she earned that fourth star. I had the Admiral's Feast, which is a LOT of food but I split it in half and had the rest for lunch the next day. The salad, though uncomplicated was fresh and tasty. The food was served promptly and there was no lag in the courses. I was very pleased all around by this chain. I'll be back.
(4)HX S.
I like the biscuits there! They also taste great if you pack them and heat in microwave ~~ I love lobster and RB does offer really good lobster! better than their shrimps!
(5)Daron D.
Since i am allergic to seafood, this is a non-seafood review.. First off,i got to get this off my chest: The biscuits are the greatest ever (I'm sure if you have had red lobster before you already know this) and the fact that they are bottomless makes the trip to red lobster worth it in itself. Also, the Caesar side salad here is the greatest side salad ever, it is literally that deal. Now when i came here for my meal, i first have to have me lobsterita (please don't judge me), it is huge (big enough for 2-3 people), sweet, strong, and freakin great. Now for my meal i choose the 4 course menu, which was soup (didn't eat it, so can't say yay or nay to that), Caesar salad, my entree (which was Cajun chicken linguine, which is very very very good, and big, and i personally prefer My's with the marinara sauce rather than the linguine sauce) and a brownie Ala mode (normally not a big dessert person, but oh my lord was this good) for dessert. If you want good food, red lobster is the place .
(5)Faith H.
For some reason I had a not-so-good impression of this chain, and avoided it even though there is a Red Lobster in my neighborhood. We decided to try it, and I was pleasantly surprised. I am a Weight Watcher and need to carefully plan my meals. The 'lighthouse' portion of the menu is very helpful in making light menu choices--there are HUGE discrepancies in the calorie and fat content for different menu items, so you have to be careful. For 12 weight watchers points, I had 1/2 a rainbow trout, the roasted vegetable medley (substituted for the usual broccoli), a salad with a small amount of dressing, and (the indulgence) one of the cheddar bay biscuits, which are really worth the 4 points (but very tempting to have more). Everything was fresh tasting and delicious. The place was crowded on a Saturday evening, but service was efficient. Parking was plentiful. I didn't notice any of the cleanliness issues mentioned by others, and I saw them carefully wipe down the table with disinfectant spray before serving new customers. I heard a mom and her young daughter complain to the host staff about the need to clean the bathroom--I didn't notice the issue they did, and I have the impression the they were handling the concern quickly. Crayons, a special menu, and word puzzle type items are available for kids. The live lobster in the waiting area is a youthful attraction/distraction. I would go again!
(4)Peggah G.
Let me say this, I hate seafood. My body twitches when I see someone eat crab and lobster the same way I see someone eat ribs. It just seems very carnivorous and not very pleasing. I went with my mom, because she loves seafood, and I love their biscuit bread things. Those are delicious. And free. Mmmm. While the menu is not too great if you hate seafood and are cheap (cough), the option to order a dish with steak and seafood and split it is there for a reasonable price. I ordered a steak, and my mom got some sort of lobster tail thing. The salad that came with the meal was really good and fresh. It also went well with the biscuits :). The steak I got was enormous! It cost $19.99, but I wasn't expecting it to be that big. It was also delicious and juicy. Perfectly cooked, which I was definitely impressed by. My mom's dish was rather large as well, which I was impressed with. At the end of dinner, we ordered some apple pie with ice cream thing, and though it was also expensive ($5.50), it was really good. I never thought I'd enjoy a meal at Red Lobster, but I was really surprised with this location! The service was also excellent. It wasn't crowded at all, either.
(4)Maureen M.
Believe it or not, I've never been to a Red Lobster restaurant. Today was my first time. I was excited to try these famous biscuits if nothing else. I went with a group after a networking meeting just as they opened. Our server was great, and very attentive. I ordered a house salad and lobster nachos. The salad was ok and pretty standard. One of my biggest gripes w/ restaurant salads and having to cut up my vegetables, including a single raw onion ring. It was no different today. The biscuits were everything I imagined. They were hot, fresh, and melted in my mouth. The lobster nachos were ok. The cheese was definitely a sauce, and not much flavor to it. I probably wouldn't order it again because it wasn't a memorable dish (appetizer, actually). Now I can say that I've been to Red Lobster and understand the love of their biscuits.
(3)Jason C.
Ah, good old Red Lobster... it's been long time since I visited this establishment... the place hasn't changed in over the last 15 years... We got seated after waiting about 10 minutes... we had party of six, four got there early... we put in order order for drinks, then waited another 10 minutes to place our dinner orders... then our rest of the party showed, placed their order... I can say, the service was surely slow this day. Yeah, so I had the Endless Shrimp and let me tell you, I got my monies worth... I think I had about 100 shrimps... I stayed with the garlic grilled and garlic scampi... I had one order of breaded... otherwise, I got one order in every 15 minutes... we there there for two hours.... I think the service got slower at the end because we were eating too much! Oh well... I'll probably go back for the Endless Shrimps... but it'll be in few years...
(2)Jorge R.
I got the blue-cheese sirloin. Thumbs Up!
(4)Carlos P.
Last night I decided to dine at Red Lobster. As a kid I always had fond memories of the place. Unfortunately last night destroyed all of that. I was staying close by at a hotel and decided to walk over. The hostess arbitrarily decided to seat me at a place of her choice even though I questioned her choice. I was wearing a hoodie since it was cold outside, and I look fairly young so she instantly judge me. Two faired skinned couples who arrived after me were seated before me in the nicer better lit areas while I waited for my darkly lit table. I followed them to be seated and watched as they were served before My "arbitrarily chosen table" was cleaned. The restaurant was not full at all. So I asked the hostess why she sat the people over there and made me wait? She said "because I chose to sit you here" I was upset at the insensitivity and it was clear. The waitress poor lady kept smiling at me but I was too upset. She must have called the manager who stopped by but was too upset to talk to him at the time. Ordered my food and sat quietly and ate. When my dinner was done the waitress who kept smiling got a smile in return. Her service was great and in no way reflected the previous actions. I asked for the manager told him what occurred and ask him what he thought? He asked me if I wanted cake? He said he related to it ( i honestly think he got the gist of it but as a white male doubt he will ever truly understand) as he compared it to wearing his team's jersey to a bar full of the rival teams fans! Yes pretty incredible. I only wanted him to be aware that things like this in America today are unacceptable. He felt bad and apologized again. I paid by bill and left a twenty one percent tip plus the extra 25% he took off without asking which all went to the waitress. This was totally insensitive but was it racial? We whom have worked at one point or another in the service industry know that servers hate serving young dark skinned people wearing hoodies because there is a preconceived notion they will tip badly... So was it racist? Even in a subconscious way?
(1)Katie S.
My bf and I go here for special occasions. Each time the wait time seems to get longer and longer. My last visit was a few days ago for my birthday. Not only was it chaos in the front end, I had to go follow up with the hostess and it was 15 min after then told me I would be sat. The manager seemed to be the only one having some what of a clue and she was off not even speaking with guests. I was really disappointed in my meal as well. This restaurant needs some major improving. To top if off, at the end, 2 waiters stopped right in front of our table to talk about other guests and how the waitresses were annoyed that they had been sat these guests. I would not go to this location again!!!!!
(2)Janet H.
I had 3 sets of flatware before I had any clean ones. Glasses were also dirty and sticky. Very disappointed The food was phenomenal as usual
(2)David R.
If you read my last post on the alfredo fiasco, I would just like to report that I received a lovely letter from Red Lobster Corporate offices. I believe their quote was, "$8 for a pint of alfredo, maybe at our time square location. We apologize for your inconvenience and here is $20 in gift certificates." Well, I immediately went to the offending Red Lobster on Carpentar and used the certificates to buy....you guessed it.....more alfredo!!!!
(3)Shanell S.
I frequent Red Lobster quite a few times a year. Usually, always with a coupon :-) You can get them sent directly to your email. The prices are reasonable to me as I don't eat the higher end seafood. I'm allergic to shellfish. My staple there was the traditional fried catfish. Then they introduced the Chef's fresh fish special and I fell in love. The grilled tilapia and salmon is the best! And the baked potato with the sea salt encrusted skin I love! I remember long ago at this Red Lobster there use to be long waits. It kind of turned you off. However, here now usually I don't have to wait or the wait is estimated at 10-15 minutes and usually you are buzzed before then. The restaurant could use some updating to me as some of it looks dated. I would suggest more light or brighter panels and colors. Also they need to do something better with the bar area. Make it brighter, open it up so that it will be place that is seen as a place to be! The servers here are usually people that have been working there for very long times. I know one of the servers there has been there for at least 5-10 years I'm estimating. Having knowledgeable servers helps the dining experience. I really like that aspect. My take: Fresh seafood, good prices *especially with a coupon :-)* and fun and knowledgeable staff!
(4)Eric K.
I don't know what's happened to you Red Lobster. I remember loving this place while growing up (especially their bread). I went today and the taste of the food was below average - the bread was still tasty though. Perhaps it was an off day, but my latest visit tarnished my memories of this place. It's too bad the food was so below-average because I really enjoyed the service. I will go back and try it again one day though.
(2)Patrick S.
Well the food came fast but fast means not cooked all food was under cooked. They did remake it and say sorry .told me they will make sure it was well done I said I only want my food cooked right not well done.well sitting here waiting we ll c.got my new meal food was just ok.
(1)K J.
Last night Wednesday, August 15 at 6:35 p.m. my partner and I decided to stop at Red Lobster for dinner which is normal if we are out in the Carpenter Road area, unfortunately last night would turn out to be the last visit. We were greeted properly at the front door, told it would be about 15 minutes and handed a pager. I waited by the wall not more than two or three feet away from the host station. Larger parties were called as were many of the folks ahead of us. I witnessed a family of four come up and complain about how long it was taking and they were seated promptly at a four top that had been empty and cleaned for quite some time, I then witnessed what appeared to be a mother and son come up and complain about the wait and they were then seated. A short time had passed when a teen and what appeared to be her mother came in and immediately the hostess came over hugged them and said "I haven't saw you in so long.", handed them a pager and then proceeded to call another couple up to the host stand to be seated; we were there before this couple, but I left it alone thinking it would not be much longer. The hostess then walked over to the mother and daughter, her friends, and said come on I have a table for you. When she returned I asked her if she knew what she was doing and she replied yes she did, why? I explained to her that we had been waiting and she had seated a couple and her friends before us, she stated rudely that perhaps I couldn't hear because she had paged us twice. The pager never went off and she did not call out our name that was given to the host that was there earlier, I explained that I was not more than two maybe three feet away and would have heard her and explained that the pager in my hand had never been activated. She insisted even after I asked her about seating her friends before us and that she had not called us and again she said maybe I could not hear her. I then asked to see the manager and when he arrived he continued to let the hostess rattle on about how she paged us and I couldn't hear. Truly her actions were unprofessional and he was lacking as a manager in letting her continue. Seeing this was a no win situation and we were on a time frame we decided to leave. The unprofessionalism and lack of care and training at this location is pedestrian at best and in the future we will choose another restaurant while out in that area, the food isn't really that good to wait for and not get seated in a timely manner. Perhaps some further training for the hostess could fix someone else's evening before she darkens it.
(1)