Carrabba’s Italian Grill

I am so disappointed at how BAD this Carrabas service and food has gone down hill. We have been regulars for YEARS here and the service and food never disappointed and the past 3 visits have been downright disasters. Here are the highlights you can expect– dirty chairs and floors even though the tables are bussed, clumsy and lax servers who are young and inattentive ie: my husband had a watery oily tray after delivering our drinks and bread tipped slightly over by the server who wasn’t paying attention obviously — which in turn went all over him! Then the fun continued with constant bumping into our chairs by wait staff as we sat at a table yet again in the middle of the dining area. Boo. Server was inattentive to refills of drinks, asking for more bread numerous times and the final insult watching the table behind us send back undercooked chicken as we were served rare undercooked and tough steak. The salad wasn’t crisp but slimed in dressing and the whole experience was ruined by bad service and mediocre food. Save your time and visit the Pompano Beach Carrabas location they seem to be on top of it and their kitchen knows how to cook coupled with outstanding service which this Boca location no longer has.

I have patronized this restaurant for several years. Food always good… service also usually good… Lately construction outside and parking not as good as in the past, but maybe not the restaurant’s fault…
However lately, the management here has adopted a new policy…
Customers (and even «priority pre-​booked» patrons) are given a beeper and made to wait around 15 to 20 minutes near the reception area before being ushered to a table. Each time the place was two thirds or half empty.
Does management think it impresses customers to be required to wait «in line» for 20 minutes even when the restaurant is not full?
My opinion is that it doesn’t…it only p… s them off…
Perhaps management ran a nightclub somewhere where waiting in line is an old trick and a long line outside is used as a ploy to tempt others …
Or do they simply like to use their beepers?

I was thrilled to see ciopinno on the menu at such an unexpectedly low price. I should have known better when I ordered it and the waitress corrected me insisting «cioppino» was pronounced Ci-​O-​Pino,” not «Sha-​pino.» It looked good on the plate, but the clams and shrimp were miniscule, and the rest of the seafood was diced so small as to be undistinguishable from plain white fish. It had no seafood flavor since the seafood had absorbed the flavor of the broth. The pieces were too small to retain their original seafood flavor. If you like tomato soup, order Ciopinno at Carrabba’s. On the other hand, their blackberry sangria was delicious.

In Florida, there is a game that I call: «When is a reservation not really a reservation?».
I called this restaurant because: (1) I hate to wait when I arrive, and (2) we were bringing older cousins who — to be fair — shouldn’t have to wait, either. I was told that we would be in the «called ahead list» which would not guarantee seating but, rather, would give us preferential seating (huh?). Specified 6:30, arrived at 6:30, given a beeper, and were seated after everyone else!
Adam, our server, was great — got us the happy hour rate for our drinks (we should have been seated early enough for that to happen), and took off the charge for horrid decaf. It was his firs day, and we commended him to the manager.
Food: reasonable, for restaurant chain food — sides were small, main dish adequate in size but not memorable.
I guess that this is a good place to bring young ‘uns and those with no palate to speak of; otherwise, there are tons of Italian restaurants who will gladly serve you.

The ladies room REEKS of urine. While it was on the average side of tidiness, I can’t understand how a manager or assistant manager or even waitperson would be willing to have customers experience that smell. It was like being a port-​a-​potty, no exaggeration, and hits you in the face right away. Had I known this before eating, I would have taken my whole family down the short walk away to the Irish pub.
If you want a run-​of-​the-​mill chain restaurant, there are dozens more to go to in & around Boca, probably with much cleaner bathrooms.

Precios razonables, excelente atención, rica comida y ambiente agradable. Disfruté las fotografías antiguas con reseñas familiares.

One of the best restaurant views in Boca, if not the best. It’s of course an artificial lake, but it has fountains.
The food was very good as always. It’s my wife’s favorite restaurant. We went for an advertised special (Monday dinners) and it was a good value. I was put off by their deceptive email, which deliberately omitted (re gift cards) conditions that you didn’t find out until after committing to it, or that’s my fallible memory of it.
We had the misfortune to sit next to one of the speakers, and the music I absolutely could not stand. Fine restaurants don’t play Christmas songs, and playing «Frosty the Snowman» to Jews in Florida is ineffective at best. Then it was Frank Sinatra and 50s music, something for 80-​year-​olds. (I didn’t see any.)
And the shift manager said they couldn’t change it, it came from corporate. She didn’t offer to turn it down or off. Our server got it turned down for me.
The music is actually worse outdoors. Canvas reflects the sound and the speakers are closer.
Supplement on ¼/​2016: ate there again today. The gift certificate couldn’t be used with the preceding meal, we had to return to use it. Salmon was raw in the middle and sauteed spinach had so much salt that I didn’t eat it. The entrée was taken off the check. Calamari, to my astonishment, came breaded. To my knowledge they aren’t eaten that way in Italy, at least not at any trattoria I’ve been to. Fry them in olive oil with a little garlic. Anyhow, as my wife pointed out (she liked her Chicken Bryan), it isn’t an Italian restaurant, but an American imitation or approximation of one. Service was mediocre. I wouldn’t go back, but I’ve still got gift certificate credit to use.

Deserves 0 stars! Usually love Carrabba’s BUT NOT THIS ONE! TERRIBLE WASTE OF MY MONEY TONIGHT. Much better Italian restaurants in the area. Skip this one!

Ate here and there was a bone in my soup, bone in my spinach, a cockroach in the restaurant and a diffuser in the cup. Pictures tell it all.

Carrabas what has happened to you? This restaurant chain was my go to Italian 8 – 10 years ago. It seems like food has lost some of its flavour. The portions are smaller which is okay I guess but the quality is not there.
Carrabas is definitely not on my list as a good Italian any longer. There is great Italian restaurants serving up great food and great service. Hopefully the higher ups rework it otherwise it won’t last much longer as a chain.

About a decade ago, Carrabba’s was THE Italian chain to go to, but time has worn on it, and Carrabba’s isn’t anything special. Came here on a rainy Saturday evening with a party of 4 and got right in. Problem is that the actual location isn’t right off the parking lot, but located a bit further down on a pier type area. So if it’s raining, be prepared to get a bit wet getting there. Our waiter was a little bit slow. Our waiter was a little bit slow, but nothing too bad.
The bread was okay, nothing special and served with some oil. The Caesar Salad was good quality and simple; served on a chilled plate. The Chicken Parmesan was quite tasty. Two decent sized pieces that were crispy and flavorful. The menu is quite limited, and doesn’t have that large of a selection. Pricing here isn’t the cheapest. Almost $ 20 for Chicken Parmesan, that’s a tad bit high, even for Boca pricing. Now this being a chain it’s even worse because that’s the standard price nationwide, so even more a strike against it. I enjoyed the food I got here, but I’m not sure there was a huge selection of choices to draw me back again. I just don’t see a massive compelling reason to keep coming to Carrabba’s with so many other good to great Italian restaurants in the area.
Food (B), Pricing (D), Atmosphere (B), Service (B-​)

Was seated quickly, watched everyone else get served except us. Only contact was with the hostess. Several servers walked past us with no acknowledgement. We walked out.

What’s not to love ?? Fresh bread for dipping in olive oil and herbs … The now seasonal Scotty Thompson Bruschetta … Or the Italian based meals made on an open kitchen.
Favorites like Lasagna, and Chicken Parmesan are present as well as Ravioli. Unfortunately no Manicotti. Their Sirloin Marsala is delicious and a must try item. Their Chicken Bryan and Maria are also best offerings. The kids meals are typical offerings and suspiciously Fettuccine Alfredo is missing as a nice replacement for Mac/​cheese.
The servers are attentive and quite accommodating to your needs. No managers appear present nor walking the perimeter to gauge client satisfaction. Prices range from 15 – 25 for meals. Very few light offerings exist.

We come here often for date nights and with our children. Food is delicious, and drinks are good. I would recommend coming on off times when it isn’t busy. Since this is in central Boca you DO get an older crowd, which seems to hold the servers up because they ask 100 000 questions, and meal times tend to run longer overall. We like to come
During happy hour and sit at the bar on date nights for half price apps.

Food mediocre for the price. Ordered s cocktail that tasted awful! Service so-​so.
Would I recommend — No!
Would I come back — No!

Oh no! What happened to Carraba’s? This was one of my favorite Italian restaurants until my last two visits. The service was poor due the fact I had to ask twice to have my drink refilled and the food took over 30 minutes to reach our table. We were told twice «Your food will be right up.» only to wait an additional 10 to 15 minutes.
My chicken Bryan, which I always order, was covered in pepper and the portions have become much smaller. I even asked if this was the larger portion which I paid a few dollars more for.
Disappointing experience all around for what use to be one of my favorites.

Staff was nice. Did I mention how the staff was nice? Half price appetizers made paying for mediocre food sting less. I don’t feel ripped off, but I do wonder what my $ 30 could have bought me at… Anywhere else.

My expectations were quite low based on the reviews and Carrabas failed to deliver even on that. The experience could not have been worse from the time we arrived.
I should note that I didn’t choose this restaurant and it was Mother’s Day so there was a bit of a crowd.
To begin we made reservations for 9 yet when we arrived they sat us at a table for 6. We were seated outdoors but because of the heat asked that the screens be raised to let some breeze in. The Manger arrived and told us she didn’t have time to keep raising and lowering the shades based on the whims of the customer. I’m not shitting you! This was the manager! The paragon of customer service!
Nevertheless she asked someone to raise the shades (and it immediately cooled off to the point of being bearable).
We waited an hour for our drinks to arrive. The food arrived an hour after that. The server seemed confused at times. My $ 15 entrée salad was worthy of Denny’s.
If you’re interested in an Alice in Wonderland experience with average at best cuisine do yourself a favor and dine here. On the other hand if you have an ounce of self respect and prefer to dine somewhere where they actually care about the diner, don’t.

Half price appetizers at their bar till 7 pm. They have a huge selection too! We had the caprese salad, risotto balls, and the shrimp. All were under $ 6 I believe. The shrimp were plentiful, I swear there was like 15 of them, very good.
Totally going back for Happy Hour!

This is my first time at this Carrabba’s. Great location on 18^th and powerline. Monday nights the have the amor night, which is a 3 course meal for $ 15.99. Great deal. My wife and I both ordered off of this menu. Apps like the calamari and the mozzarella sticks had too much breading. Entrée came out and not bad, but the service made up for it. Our server Nester was great!

Ugh I don’t understand the appeal in the slightest. Who ever waits 45 mins to– hr for the pleasure to pay for below mediocre food is beyond me. A gift card brought us here and we were able to snag 2 seats at the bar.
They offer wine by the glass, bottle, or in little carafes called quartinos. The quartino is about 9 Oz (aka a glass and a half). We got one to split and the Carnevale pizza. The pizza has sausage and pepperoni on it. It was unimpressive and i would have considered almost asking if it was a tiny tombstone pizza if I didn’t want any repercussions on additional food or drink i ordered. We got a second quartino and the small calamari app. The calamari has to be one of the worst I’ve had. The actually pieces of calamari were too small. They had the rings and the tentacles, the tentacle pieces just tasted like balls of batter. I felt bad to my body had eaten those calories.
The service at the bar was spot on. The place was busy and the girls were doing a great job keeping tabs on everything. She did ring in the wrong wine (the bill had a wine for 6 bucks more than what I ordered) but once I brought it to her attention she easily corrected it with no problem.