|

Olive Garden Review and Giveaway

Olive Garden Review and Giveaway | realmomkitchen.com
This post may contain affiliate links.


The tag line for Olive Garden restaurants is: When you’re here, you’re family,® and that is just how I feel when I am there. I am sharing and Olive Garden review and giveaway today.

I love how I never feel rushed when I go there to eat.

However, if I am ever on a schedule, the servers are always considerate of that, too. I am an Olive Garden fan and recently had the opportunity to go there and take the family for dinner.

Now, I am usually the one who likes to venture out and try new things at restaurants.

I love Olive Garden’s lasagna and Fettuccine Alfredo. However, I only have those dishes occasionally. Most of the time I get soup along with the salad and breadsticks. Dipping sauce for the breadsticks is a must in my book. My family’s sauce of choice is the alfredo! I have tried all the soups and love them all, but this time they had a new one. It is Chicken and Potato Florentine; it was delicious. I would say it was kind of like the Zuppa Tocana with a tomato twist to it.



My hubby is all about the Cheese Ravioli but with alfredo sauce.

That is what he chose this time. He will occasionally order the Lasagna Fritta appetizer as his meal. I have sampled it, and it is delish. It’s like a breaded lasagna. My two boys are too big for the children’s menu, so my oldest went for Fettuccine Alfredo and my other boy decided to give the Create Your Own Pizza a try. In true boy style, he was all about the meat and chose pepperoni and sausage as his toppings. The pizza was more than enough for him after bread sticks and salad, and he ended up taking 2/3 of the pizza home. The pizza really is a dish that is easily shared.


My youngest and only daughter followed in true kiddie style and picked good old mac and cheese.

She could be a mac and cheese connoisseur with the many bowls she has tried at various restaurants. She gobbled up every last noodle. The kids’ meals now come with a choice of sides, too—grapes, streamed broccoli, or garlic mashed potatoes. She chose grapes.
If you happen to have room for dessert, they have some great choices. My favorite is the Black Tie Mousse Cake, but the White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake and Lemon Cream Cake are great as well. The Black Tie Mouse Cake is everything a chocolate lover could expect and is so creamy.


I love that my family is always happy after a meal at Olive Garden, and no one goes away from the table hungry.


Olive Garden is introducing a dinner special. The 3 Course Italian Dinner offers a 1st course of soup or salad, a 2nd course of one of five new entrees, and a 3rd course of one of five Dolcini desserts. To see the new entrees and all of the available options, visit Olivegarden.com/specials. This is my Olive Garden review and now on to the giveaway.

Interested in trying their new 3 Course Italian Dinner? Olive Garden has provided a $100 Gift Card to one RMK reader.

To be entered for a chance to win, leave a comment on this post telling me what you would eat at Olive Garden if you won the gift card.
Rules: No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries between 1/23/12 and 3/18/12 by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
This sweepstakes runs from 1/23/12 – 3/18/12.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected. The Official Rules are available here.
Also, visit the Olive Garden page on BlogHer.com to check out the other blogger reviews and more chances to win!
 

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

442 Comments

  1. I would get the 3 course special, chicken & gnocchi, spaghetti with four cheese meat sauce, and tiramisu. thanks for the review and giveaway.
    songyueyu at gmail

  2. I’m not sure about the entree, but we always love getting the salad along with an appetizer – stuffed mushrooms and toasted ravioli

  3. My favorite food to order in Olive Garden are their unlimited soup, salad and bread sticks – and id bring my family 🙂

  4. #LoveLansing, I will eat Fettuccine Alfredo at the #OliveGarden if I win!
    httpss://twitter.com/#!/corinafflores/status/180001171744886784

  5. My dear Fettuccine Alfredo! Last night I had a dream that I was being served the most perfect dish of Fettuccine Alfredo, but I had go to the restroom. When I came back from the bathroom my dish was gone! In my dream one of the servers took my plate away because they thought I was done! Oh please, bring back my Fettuccine Alfredo 🙂

  6. I’d order the minestrone soup, salad, breadsticks and probably the chicken alfredo. So many delicious choices!

  7. If we won the contest we would get…. Zuppa Tuscana, (absolutely my favorite) and the Ravioli Portabella

  8. I would take my family with me and I would eat Chicken Fettucine Alfredo.
    katbirdfl (at) gmail (dot) com

  9. I’m a sucker for Fettuccine Alfredo. And dessert? Absolutely! The Black Tie Mouse Cake sounds wonderful. One plate and two forks, please. :O)

  10. I would definitely get the chicken alfredo since that’s my favorite! I would also probably splurge and get a Peach Bellini. I’ve had it there once on my birthday and it was so yummy!

  11. I love their Alfredo sauce! I’ll actually order some on the side to dip the breadsticks in when I feel like really splurging

  12. I love to get the minestrone and salad for lunch. For supper I usually get the chicken alfredo and ask for broccoli with it. Yum, yum. I love me some Olive Garden.

  13. I love Olive Garden. Haven’t been there in a while and my taste buds are watering… I’d have the 5 cheese ziti al forno and honestly it’s between the white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and black tie mousse cake for dessert!

  14. I would definitely get the 3 Course Italian Dinner for myself, my husband loves the Chicken Parm. and my girls love the Tour of Italy! Thank you!

  15. I always love Olive Garden’s Soup and Salad! It is such a great meal especially when it is cold outside. It is one of my favorite restaurants for lunch with friends or a night out with my family.

  16. We love Olive Garden. We have to drive 120 miles to the nearest, and make it a special occasion with shopping and an overnight stay. I would eat something from their 3-course Italian dinner; probably salad, the Smoked Mozzarella Chicken, and Amaretto Tiramasu for dessert. Yum! (I’m drooling…)

  17. I would definitely order the lasagna! I love the bread sticks, too! Olive Garden is my husband’s favorite restaurant. Thanks for the giveaway.

  18. Everything I have tried at Olive Garden is wonderful. The soup, salad and breadsticks are a favorite but many items are still to experience!

  19. My family and I love to eat at the olive garden… we even have a favorite waiter… believe it or not, his name is Mario (and he has an italian accent… yummy) My husband and i usually split the tour of Italy, and the kids choose their favs off the kid menu… with 100$ I could treat myself to the wine!!! and really get a taste of italy 🙂

  20. I never know what I’m going to get until the very last second. I try to have something different each time I go out. Olive Garden has nothing but yummy choices.

  21. When i go to olive garden i either get soup, salad, & breadsticks with alfredo sauce or garlic herb chicken con broccoli. So garlicky and i love it!

  22. I would get the BLACK TIE MOUSSE CAKE and share it with my hubby. We love it! We also tend to share the Steak Gongonzola-it is so so good.

  23. I’VE RECENTLY BEEN A FAN OF THE
    Lasagna Rollata al Forno
    Lasagna rolls stuffed with ricotta, mozzarella, asiago, parmesan and romano cheese. Topped with mozzarella and seasoned breadcrumbs, baked in five cheese marinara.

  24. I’m an Olive Garden fan too! I love just about everything they serve. I’m super sweet on the Alfredo with shrimp though.
    My kids are grown up (High School & college) so when my family goes there for dinner it costs!

  25. I love anything at the Olive Garden! But I almost always stick to the basics …unlimited soup, salad & breadsticks. My favorite entree is the chicken Marsala! It’s delicious!

  26. I’m so boring, I always get the same thing, the spaghetti and meat sauce. Its soooo yummy though, I can’t help it. 🙂

  27. I would eat something awesome – love tomato dishes and shrimp dishes and of course all the salad I could eat. Would be a great place to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary coming up.

  28. I love Olive Garden!!! It’s my favorite and all my friends..I am 5 months prego and baby wants chicken parm and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake 🙂 Yum!! I also tweeted the giveaway httpss://twitter.com/#!/Mom2Es4ever/status/166716044088578048

  29. I am 7 months pregnant and olive garden has been my #1 craving! I love the seafood alfredo and of course the salad and breadsticks. The next dessert on my list to try is the lemon cake. I am looking forward to having a big glass of peach bellini tea after this baby is born.

  30. I love olive garden as much as i love cooking from my own microwave at the house. it is the best hands down. the microwave operators at olive garden really know what they are doing.

  31. I’m not sure I could pick anything particular – everything I ever get is wonderful! We would have to get the staple salad & breadsticks!!

  32. If I won, I would try the new 3-course meal. I’d get the salad and the Five Cheese Marinara Penne with Shrimp, followed by the Dark Chocolate Cake (if I still had room for it!).

  33. If I won the gift card, I would take my daughter out for dinner. She has a son that has autism, and she doesn’t work as she stays home with him for his therapy. She has no money and rarely goes out except for her sons needs. I would take her to dinner as she is most deserving. Thank you.

  34. I would get the Ravioli di Portobello as it is one of my favorite dishes from Olive Garden. It’s the best! Plus, their salad dressing is delicious. I bought a bottle from the store and use it at home!

  35. I would order chicken alfredo with TONS of breadsticks and salad! SOOOO good 🙂 I love the food at Olive Garden and always feel very taken care of there. Would love to win!!

  36. I love Olive Garden so much, but don’t get to go very often. Maybe once a year! How I would LOVE to win this!
    Thanks for the opportunity.. I love your blog. You inspire me!
    Penny

  37. Everytime I go, I say I will order something different. But I cant get past the beef tortelonni. It is filled with cheese and has portabella mushrooms in a wine sauce. I think I will have to get that if I win.
    Lisa

  38. My family loves Olive Garden and we try to order something different each time. I could live on the soup, salad and breadsticks.

  39. My favorite is the seafood alfredo, although, I do love trying their new dishes that they always have, but I tend to always do some sort of seafood dish– YUMMY!

  40. My favorite menu item was the Chicken Vino Bianco, it was removed a few years ago. I regularly order the Grilled Shrimp Caprese & Chicken Scampi entrees.

  41. I adore Olive Garden’s bread sticks and salad! I’m definitely going to try the 3 course Italian Dinner next time! What a good value!
    Amy [at] utry [dot] it

  42. Where do I begin?? I love Olive Garden!! Zuppa, alfredo sauce, breadsticks, there is really no end to my love for Olive Garden!!

  43. The Zuppa Tosacano soup is my FAVORITE…and I’d undoubtedly try that White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake too!
    Also, I have two little girls who loves “noodles” so we would enjoy checking out the Kids’ Menu.

  44. I’d try a peach bellini and use the special to stretch the gift card. I’d get the salad with dressing on the side(as well as have a breadstick or 2) try the creamy parmesan portobella fettucine(a half portion since the calorie count is a liiii-ttle bit high- and I’d get to save the other half for lunch the following day.) Then for dessert I’d try the amaretto tiramisu dolcini.
    With the leftover on the gift card I could try the 5 cheese marinara with shrimp and a limoncello mousse dolcini on another trip.
    Christine
    dazed1821 at aol dot com

  45. Hard to choose but probably spaghetti with meatballs and pasta fagioli for me. Chicken alfredo pizza and salad for my son. Of course, we top it off with zuppoli for dessert!

  46. I would start with the chicken flatbread (is it the capreese flatbread? Or something to that effect…) Then go for the chicken scampi…. Topped off with a lemon cream cake…
    So yummy!

  47. I would first order some appetizer. The fried Calamari! yumm! Then I would order the Shrimp Caprese! OMG! So delicious!! Then for dessert, the best dessert ever, Tiramisu! I lovee Olive Garden!!
    httpss://twitter.com/#!/Leti95/status/164466379746050048

  48. Mmmm, Olive Garden. My 5 year old daughter asks to go there all the time! When we do go I usually end up ordering whatever’s on promo, last time it was the braised steak with lasagna noodles. And those little mousse desserts (I like the lemon ones) are sooo good!

  49. love their chicken gnocci soup, but would definitely try their new potato soup! i’m in love with the alfredo pizza followed by their lemon cream cake!

  50. Ooh, I love Olive Garden and so does my family. I always have a hard time deciding what to get. I really want some chicken alfredo. I am so hungry right now! Yum!

  51. I’ve never tried the dessert! I am usually too full from my meal! Definitely going to give it a try next time!

  52. My husband gets the Chicken alfredo EVERY TIME so I always try something new. I love the chicken scampi and their gnocci. And hey, if we have a gift card we would have to order a few desserts 🙂

  53. Let’s see…I’d start off by sharing the appetizer sampler (fried cheese, mushrooms, and calamari), then on to salad and breadsticks…then seafood portofino. Then a few bites of tiramisu! And the peach bellini iced tea is a must!

  54. LOVE the soup (chicken gnocci, though the pasta fagioli is good, too), salad, and breadsticks. The bruschetta rocks. The zeppoli and dolcini are great desserts for sharing.

  55. Oooo my! What wouldn’t I try with a giftcard? 🙂 I love their lasagna and my husband usually goes for the Seafood Portofino (or something like that).

  56. Olive Garden is our all time favorite restaurant. It is the first restaurant that my husband and I went to on a date… oh so many years ago. I love the soup, salad and breadsticks, but their lasagna is to die for. Thank you for all you do.. Many blessings… Tammy in Alabama

  57. The waiters, waitresses, and greeters are so friendly and helpful at Olive Garden. They will take all the time I need to ask questions and decide what to order.

  58. I would probably get my old stand-by of alfredo dipping sauce and chicken scampi as my entree but I would HAVE to try that lemon cake…oh my! Thank you!

  59. With all the new choices over there right now it would be a hard decision. My normal choice, however, is the same as so many who have already commented…soup, salad and breadsticks!

  60. I would get the chicken alfredo pizza – with alfredo dipping sauce, yum! makes me hungry just thinking about it. thanks for the chance!

  61. So many choices and not enough room in my tummy! Def start with breadsticks & salad, then I normally go for the cheese ravoili or with the Eggplant parm!

  62. Their Alfredo is by far my favorite. I would like to try new things on the menu but that sauce wins every time! And I’m pretty sure I drink my weight in their peach bellini tea!

  63. I love the Chicken Asparagus Risotto. They don’t always have it on the menu but if asparagus is in season, they will make it. I also love the soup, salad and breadsticks.

  64. tweeted the giveaway here httpss://twitter.com/#!/mookay sorry I dont know how to link to the exact tweet but it’s linked to you

  65. Start with my favorite zuppa Toscana, then smoked mozzarella chicken followed by that lovely looking lemon cream cake

  66. I would order the smoked mozzarella chicken, salad, and strawberry cream cake for the 3 coarse dinner, but I would also order that lemon cream cake to go along with another salad to go. Love love love Olive Garden. I love it all, the entire menu.

  67. I love the breadsticks and salad of course and I also love the manicotti! My kids are big mac and cheese fans and my hubby, he will eat anything.

  68. I’m a creature of habit and I love the alfredo and salad and breadsticks. Never tried one of the desserts, but that sure looks AMAZING!

  69. I LOVE the soup, salad, and bread sticks. I would eat that ever date night til the gift card was used up. Yum!

  70. I love Olive gardens Chicken Gnocchi soup. delicious! I would love to try the smoked mozerella chicken and the chocolate mousse. We love restaurants that do a three course deal, it is great for date night.

  71. Ooh and I love that right now they brought back the yummy pasta with the sundried tomatos and parmesan cheese sauce. That is AMAZING.

  72. I ALWAYS have to get salad and breadsticks but also get alfredo sauce to dip the breadsticks in. Now I’m hungry for Olive Garden! such great food.

  73. Olive Garden is a favorite of mine and my daughter. One of our favorite mommy daughter dates is Olive Garden and then Desert Star Theater where we have ice cream dessert.
    I love the fettuccine Alfredo, but I try new things all the time. Never disappointed.

  74. I would order the chicken Alfredo Pizza. My sister talked me into splitting one with her. I have loved it ever since. I sure hope I win.

  75. I love Olive Garden and my absolute favorite item on their menu is their Moscato wine … YUMMY!!!
    pruttybird at comcast dot net

  76. I have only had their soup and salad and breadsticks–so it’d be fun to go and try some new menu items. But I must say I have never been dissapointed just eating their salad and breadsticks…so good!

  77. We are Olive Garden “kindred spirits”. I ALWAYS get the alfredo sauce to dip the breadsticks in and honestly I always eat way too many and end up fuller than I should be. Normally I go for the chicken alfredo with the house salad. Last time I ordered the chicken alfredo pizza and it was perfect for me to take the left overs home for lunch the next day. Sadly the pasta dishes do not re heat so well. I would choose the pizza again. thomandalicia @ msn. com

  78. I have never been to an Olive Garden so I would have to go by your recommendations. The pizza looks good and there is always room for cheesecake…

  79. . Love love Olive Garden. Wish there ws one in my town so I could eat ther more often.I love the salad and after looking at the new items would like to try the Smoked Mozzerella Chicken

  80. I have never been to an Olive Garden so I think I’d have to choose from your recommendations. The pizza sounds good and it seems there is always room for cheesecake afterwards…

  81. We recently went to Olive garden after too long of an absence. It ws great. I of course had the Fettuccine Alfredo. Simply out of this world. and my husband had the steak Basticca after his bowl of minestroni. loved it. I hope to get there more often this year. the salad is to live for…thanks for the opportunity….

  82. I love Olive Garden! My favorite is the ravioli, but I would be adventurous and try something new if I was the winner 🙂

  83. Love, Love, Love Olive Garden. I love the salad and after looking at the new items would like to try the Smoked Mozzerella Chicken. I do try to experiment with the menu everytime I go there. But I love the Chicken Parmesan and of course the breadsticks!!!

  84. Olive Garden is definintely one of our family’s favorite restaurants! We all usually pick the same meal each time we go. The black tie mousse cake is my favorite dessert too! I always get the chicken parm but if I had to choose from their 3 course dinner I would get the salad, spaghetti with 4 meat sauce, and the chocolate mousse. Thanks for hosting such a great giveaway!

  85. I haven’t been to Olive Garden in ages (only because my husband is a student and the budget is tight… not because I don’t love them).
    I LOVE their salad. My mouth is watering right now thinkign about the alfredo. I would do both.

  86. I would order the fettuccine alfredo for me and my husband would order the 5 cheese ziti with penne pasta. that is our usual.(and with a gift card we might even order real drinks! Then we would fill up on all the salad they give you that dispite my trying i can not replicate!
    Crossing my fingers!

  87. I have never eaten at Olive Garden, and quite honestly somewhat believe the negative connotations that it has…”not real italian” etc. I am willing to give it a shot though, and if it changes my mind, then I will def be an Olive Garden recruiter for others.

  88. My first choice would be Fettuccine Alfredo then soup and salad
    Minestrone of course and then Lasagna. I love Olive Garden.

  89. It’s been so long since I’ve been to the Olive Garden. But I used to get the Seafood Portofino. Is that still on the menu? If not, I’ll go with the usual standby…..soup, salad & breadsticks!

  90. The menu looks so good, I may have to go for dinner tonight! I would order Salad, Five Cheese Marinara Penne with Shrimp and the Amaretto Tiramisu – yummmmm! Hope I win the gift card!

  91. Well, the menu looks so good, I might have to go for dinner tonight! I would get the Salad, Five cheese Marinara Penne with Shrimp and the Amaretto Tiramisu – yummm! Hope I get the gift card.

  92. I would love to try the new soup – Chicken and Potato Florentine and the Lemon Cream Cake. Sounds like a perfect meal!

  93. I always get soup and salad at Olive Garden because it’s so good!! The new 3-course dinner looks interesting!!

  94. My favorite dish at Olive Garden is the Eggplant Parmigiana. Nobody makes it like Olive Garden, and I’ve been looking for almost ten years.

  95. Love Olive Garden’s soup salad and breadsticks with Zuppa Tuscana! YUM!! I would like to try the seafood alfredo, that sounds good too and of course dessert but I’m usually too full by then 🙂

    1. If I won the gift card, I would eat the salad with their house dressing and ranch, breadsticks, spaghetti with marinara and the Lemon Cream Cake! 🙂 My favorite meal there!

  96. We just got an Olive Garden in my town, so I am looking forward to going! I’m usually an Alfredo fan when I go out for Italian food, but I’d probably have a hard time choosing – everything there looks delicious!

  97. I usually order the soup, salad and breadsticks for their minestrone soup. I love that stuff. If I won though, I would probably order something new because all the stuff you described sounded delicious.

  98. salad (it’s the best salad ever), roasted garlic tortelloni and chocolate mousse! and my weight in breadsticks. yum!!

  99. Love Olive Garden! It seems like the hubby and I have gone there right before we’ve had each of our kids. Figuring I have 5 weeks left with my current pregnancy this would be perfect!

  100. I would try the 3 course meal and I would start with a salad, then have the 5 cheese marinara penne with shrimp and end my meal with the dark chocolate cake.

  101. I would start out with their wonderful artichoke dip and then move onto a huge plate of lasagna…all of their food is amazing!

  102. Maybe the Seafood Brodetto? I’ve never had it, but I usually order seafood when I go out just because that’s something we hardly have at home. Price wouldn’t matter if I won the gc otherwise I might never try it…almost $20 a plate!

  103. Oooooh, I love Olive Garden. I could live on the Pasta Fagioli soup and breadsticks. I could eat it everyday……..twice a day……….every day of the week…….no matter the weather. I’m afraid to try the desserts because I’m sure that I’ll love them. 🙂

  104. I would have the salad (LOVE this salad!), Smoked mozzarella chicken and the strawberry cream cake. It all sounds delicious!

  105. Zuppa Toscana soup, lots of breadsticks, Chicken parmagiana. Classic and delicious! Manicotti for my wife and ministrone soup!

  106. I love olive Garden and would probabby eat the backed Zitt , the manacotti the ravorioli the chese totelini or the pizza I would order a dessert to vo the lemon cake or the cheesecake. I would also eat some breadsticks of course. I usailly takke half the food home to save for another meal.

  107. Oh Olive Garden…how do I LOVE thee? Let me count the ways….I LOVE the salad and breadsticks with oil and vinagar dipping sauce! I LOVE the chicken alfredo and your once upon a time tomato alfredo pasta (not sure if you do that anymore). My family LOVES Olive Garden!!! We would LOVE to win this giftcard 🙂

  108. I would get their soup (tuscana), salad, and breadsticks for sure!!!!
    Although I can rarely pass up their cheese ravioli! 🙂

  109. a nice dinner out for my husband and me before our second baby arrives in a few months. Tons of breadsticks and a nice bottle of that amazingly delicious dressing

  110. I think I eat the Five Cheese Ziti every time I go there – whether off my own plate or someone else’s. A definite favorite! And who could leave without a belly full of their salad and breadsticks?

  111. Can’t go wrong with the seafood alfredo! Butter, heavy cream and pasta! Are there a better comfort foods in this world!

  112. I adore the Zeppolis..those adorable lil doughnuts with chocolate dipping sauce..worth skipping a meal for!
    Thanks so much!

  113. I’ve been wanting to go and try out their specials right now. The new smoked mozzarella chicken sounds like my kind of dish!

  114. My favorite is the cheese ravioli with marinara. I used to love getting the chicken con broccoli but they took it off the menu. 🙁 It was a good one for me and hubby to share. I also love the salad and bread sticks! And for dessert, white chocolate raspberry cheesecake! Yummy!

  115. I love anything on the menu at Olive Garden. It is absolutely delicious, luscious or just downright yummy!!!! Who doesn’t love Olive Garden!!

  116. I would eat almost anything on the menu. There isn’t really anything on the menu I don’t like. It is all delicious, lusious, or just plain downright YUMMY!!! Who doesn’t love OLIVE GARDEN!

  117. I would try one of the new entrees. The penne with chicken and a white sauce looks good or even the mushroom stuffed tortellini with the sausage!! MMMm……

  118. i LOVE to eat at Olive garden! recently i had knee surgery and when i went in on crutches the host seated us in the booth area so i wouldnt have to go far!!
    i want stuffed chicken marsal
    soup and salad – yes both i LOVE EM
    and for dessert Lemon Cake!!!
    thanks a million