Bites Nearby: Carrabba's Italian Grill

Italian Grill is a safe choice when looking for a good meal, a fair price and excellent service. I’ve been to the restaurant many times before and, as before, I was not let down. I typically go on the weekends when the restaurant is busy, but this time I went on a Monday evening and had a very pleasant experience. It was not too busy, and as always we were provided excellent service.

We were greeted as we came through the door and immediately seated, which is always nice. Our waiter was prompt and courteous, with a basket of warm bread and a plate of spices in hand. He poured the olive oil over the spices while explaining recent changes in the menu since we had been to the restaurant before, and he told us what the specials were. We all made our choices quickly, so we placed our order while eating bread and waiting for our appetizer.

We ordered calamari as an appetizer, and it was really good—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. There was more than enough for three people, and the pieces had an interesting spice in the batter. Before we were even done with the calamari, our orders were placed in front of us and extra cheese was being offered.

I had the lobster linguini, my fiancé had the lobster ravioli, and our friend had the mezzaluna. The lobster dishes had tasty, creamy sauces, and though the lobster pieces in the linguine were small, they were perfectly cooked and delicious. The mezzulana, which is one of my personal favorites, was exceptional. The ravioli were cooked just right, and the marinara sauce was excellent—not too sweet and with just a little zing.

Overall, we were all extremely satisfied with our experience. We all enjoyed our meals, and all of the dishes were large enough for leftovers to be taken home. Carrabba’s never fails to impress and satisfy us every time we go there. I think the only problem is that the restaurant doesn’t open until 4:00 p.m. on weekdays, 3:00 p.m on Saturday, and 12 noon on Sunday, so it really limits being able to go there on lunch dates.

Weekends do tend to get a little busy, so if you’re looking for a quiet night out with friends, family, or a loved one, then I would recommend going on a night during the week.