Carrabba’s Italian Grill

Solid 4 Star review here for what it is, a Italian chain restaurant. Ive been here before and decided to stop in today after some shopping in Dirty Jerzy and was pleased. Often when we stop by this place there’s at least a 45 minute wait but today we were immediately seated. The restaurant was practically deserted being that it was memorial day weekend.
Our server was real sweet (forgot her name) and explained everything well. My other half went and had the salmon which was perfect and juicy and I went and ordered the trio which at first sounded like a lot of food but wasn’t. It was just enough. The trio had Parmesan encrusted chicken breast with a small arugula salad on-​top, lasagna, garlic mash, and a soup. The chicken was fried to perfection and wasn’t dry, the lasagna portion wasn’t massive but definitely packed a nice little punch of flavor, and the garlic mash was amazing. I could’ve eaten a bowl of the garlic mash. Free soda refills!!!
I really wanted to give this place a 5 star because the foods was great BUT they lost a star for dirty floors. Its a slow holiday weekend and the place was dead. There was no reason for fries to be on the floor near my table. Other than that minor issue everything was perfect!
I look forward to going back and trying something new!

What happened? This chain used to be a great place! It has gone down the tubes. Worse than eating at Olive Garden. They must be using the boil bags because the food was terrible.
Besides the food, the service was god awful. Very sad because we used to love carrabbas. It will be very hard to come back to one again.

Guys, I can’t believe I’m leaving the review that bad :(So many times we went to Carraba’s, every time every meal was very good. This afternoon my world turned upside down :) We were served with glass of sangria, fried calamaris and shrimp salad — about 1 ½ hours. Sangria was about ¹⁄₃ of the glass, huge plate has 5 fried calamari rings and after a many reminders they finally brought out burnt shrimps. We call the manager out, asking for explanation — the only response was:
Sorry you had bad experience today!
Beware having bad experience in Carraba’s East Brunswick, formerly known as great place!

The absolute worst. We asked for water with a side of lemon and we were given OBVIOUSLY USED lemons on a plate. The pasta was flavorless. Mine had way too much broth (too thin to be called a sauce and it was watery) and my friends was DRY and the only «sauce» looked like watered down ketchup and she only got 3 overcooked tiny shrimps in her shrimp pasta. Seasoning is not existent — food is bland. Bread was stale. There was ¼c of vinaigrette in my side salad… Friend didn’t touch her food and the server didn’t offer to comp it. It was the most tasteless awful «pasta» ever. Not even worth 10 bucks a plate.

Italian chains are often as tacky as the golden necklaces worn by hairy chested, middle aged, New Jersey, God Father wanna-be’s.
Carrabbas is not only an exception of this rule, but it also an exceptionally good bang for your buck. The muscles appetizer was loaded with delicious seafood. I couldn’t believe the quantity and quality of it. I could honestly order it for a meal if I did not have to share it.
The rest of the night was great. My entrée was basic. Penne Vodka. I was in a pasta mood and it hit the spot just right.
Our service was incredible. Never had to ask for a refill of bread, oil, or drink. Always had enough bread to dip in the delicious oil they set for you, the broth from our muscle appetizer, or my extra vodka sauce that was too delicious not to wipe clean.
Will be back ASAP.

I came here with a group of 8 people. The server was VERY nice and brought us all waters to start and then took our drink orders. We also had ordered many appetizers. The wings are great with a very nice spice to them. I do have to admit I am Italian and I normally would never go to an Italian chain restaurant, but I was impressed. For dinner I had a Cesar salad, which was well dressed and tasted great. I also had the Parmesan crusted arugula chicken. The chicken was hot and crispy and the arugula salad was a very nice compliment to the dish.

I understand what to expect when going to these faux quasi italian places. I have been here a few times and the last time was only because I received gift card for Christmas. I think I gave this place a fair shake but i must come to the conclusion that the name needs to be changed to Carrabba’s Italian Vomit.

3 stars for food. 2 stars for service. 4 stars for décor.
We were a party of 8 people, where 4 were kids. There were 3 salads ordered, 2 entrees and three parts kids meals. My chicken parm was edible. The pasta and salads were average. My wife ordered some strawberry salad with grilled chicken. Problem was there are no strawberries!
Our server was disorganized and disappeared for long stretches. Didn’t check in often. Didn’t refill drinks.
Décor was nice. They have a separate bar area and plenty of booths and large tables.
The best part of the dinner was the complimentary bread and olive oil dip and raspberry Italian soda. Otherwise this dining experience was unspectacular.

Surprised to discover this great Italian in the neighborhood. Food is good and services are fine.

Service was outstanding tonight, 12÷15÷15. I was greeted upon entering, and our server Jessica was very attentive. She dealt with our table that probably wasn’t the easiest to deal with because we took forever to order and stayed for a long time LOL. She was patient and friendly.
Food was mediocre. I found the grilled chicken to be seasoned with way too much salt. The chicken arugula salad is now an entrée with minimal arugula, and instead it comes with a side item and either soup or salad to start. I’ve always liked the chicken soup and Italian salad, but the entrée was just so so. I think the dish presented better as a salad instead. I was happy that they were willing to accommodate my request of grilled chicken instead of breaded chicken.
Everyone ate well. There were no major complaints. The drinks helped. :)
Since it was a dinner for my birthday, they presented me with a complimentary vanilla gelato. It was sweet of them to do that. Jessica even relit the candle so someone could take my pic with the candle lit.
I was pleased Carrabba’s took reservations. That was a relief, although it was not packed. The restaurant received nice renovations recently, and was decorated nicely for Christmas. A warm atmosphere and very inviting.
I just wish I didn’t feel bloated from the salt now… otherwise, a perfect place for a Christmas /​birthday get together. Thank you!

Had good experiences here, with the ambiance and customer service, both in person dining and takeout. Servers have always been friendly and attentive. When my mom got takeout, the kids were so chatty, nice, and personable, my mom felt compelled to tip them a little!
It’s dim lighting in here, and I prefer a little more light when i eat so I can see everything, but I get the mood they’re going for — it’s definitely relaxing while eating your meal. The bread basket is a simple oaf — warm slices and butter. Their Cesar salad was perfectly dressed. Pasta dishes are hearty portions and not overly sauced. I love that they have super big booths. Our family was only three, but it easily could have fit 4 – 6 comfortably. It’s always kind of awkward having a party of 5 and having a chair placed by the end of the table while everyone else is in the booth.

Beth the manager was so great our food was great. My wife’s food was a little cold and Beth took it back and had them make her another one. She also offered to have them remake mine so we could eat together

For being a chain restaurant, they do well to make it feel more special and welcoming. I ordered a glass of peach sangria which was very fruity and less sweet than I had expected. For dinner, I ordered their lobster ravioli which was the perfect serving size and very delicious. I ordered a berries and crème dessert which was also satisfying and the right size. Our server was a bit cold but effective.

Had the chicken Bryan first time I went there and was disappointed with the food but then the second time I went I tried the penne and veal and vodka sauce and it was amazing such great appetizers as well the calamari and others tasted unique and different.

The food and service was pretty good. Definitely try it out. The waiter said that everything is made fresh at the restaurant.

Thoroughly enjoyed my Lentil Soup and Chicken Marsala! The soup had the right proportion of lentils and sausage, and just the right amount of spice. Peach Martini was nice, but a tad too sweet. Good service both times we’ve been here, and I love the small tables by the bar! Good neighborhood option to have!

I love dining here with my family. I love the atmosphere of the place, the servers are attentive and friendly.
My boyfriend and I usually get chicken parm with penne alla vodka. They also have a kids menu in this place.
The only bad thing is that this place can get crowded on the weekends, so it’s better to arrive during the weekday or an earlier time on the weekend.

Amazing place and amazing food. I am a pasta lover and their pasta dishes are amazing especially their alfredo. I wish i could sit next to their open kitchen but i dont know how lol. My first experience with my bf is beyond perfect, so I will definitely back here. Soooonnnnnnn

This evening I and a group of my girlfriends decided to go to Carrabba’s for a nice dinner. The entrees were delicious and we had a lovely time.
However, the service was subpar. We waited for 30 minutes for the expected bread basket, had no refills on our water, our server did not inquire how our food was – in fact we didn’t see her until she asked if we wanted dessert. The ice cream dessert John Cole was a melted mess and badly presented. Our server, D, also did not bring us the other desserts we asked for, but we had no one to tell seeing as no one came to check on us. Keep in mind that it was not a busy evening at the restaurant.
All in all this experience was ruined. I made a Unilocal account just to write this review. I wish I had made this account on a happier occasion.

The food here is actually better than you might expect coming from a chain restaurant. (No, really, it’s decent food.) But it is still chain restaurant food and the only thing that could maybe give it another star is if it were cheaper. I have no problem paying good money for good food. But at Carrabba’s you’re paying far more than you should for what you get.
One thing I will agree with is that Carrabba’s makes the Olive Garden look like McPasta. It’s night and day between these two places. I would actually go back to Carrabba’s to eat — but only with the kids in tow. That’s the real draw of Carrabba’s: it’s very kid-​friendly. And when my wife and I eat out with the kids, we like kid-​friendly places. When it’s just us, we’d never be caught dead eating at Carrabba’s, if only because there is great Italian so close by in New Brunswick and Metuchen.
But in a pinch, Carrabba’s works out fine.