Traditional dishes and all -you-can-eat salad, soup and bread sticks are the draw at this upscale-casual Italian restaurant.

by Contributor

In Short
Established in 1982, this chain gained a following for its laid-back atmosphere and generous portions. Patrons settle into comfortable booths and tables in dining rooms with plants, artwork and décor reminiscient of the villas in the Tuscan countryside. Starters include scampi, sausage or pepperoni pizza, and several soup choices, as well as a signature seafood dip (crab, shrimp, cheese and marinara). Entrees include classics like lasagna, fettuccine Alfredo and chicken parmigiana. There are also "Garden Fare" options, which promise 30 percent fewer calories.

02/07/03

Ah!!! That's (not) Italian

by jimmysnook

Olive Garden's "cuisine" has about as much to do with Italy as fortune cookies do with China.

At best, the menu consists of highly Americanized Italian dishes and an assortment of wholly American Dishes.

What they do to pasta here would make a vistor from "the mother country" laugh, then cry.

• Pros: Cheap, Cheap, Cheap

01/13/03

Ha Ha Ha

by amostovoy

This is not an Italian restaurant people, get real. Most of their food comes in pre-packed frozen doggie bags. This place is a lesson is pre-packaged grub for cattle.

12/15/02

Italian yum

by nire_sk8r

Olive garden has a comfortable, yet fancy atmosphere. Their food tastes very professional, very good.

• Pros: Tasty, Good service
• Cons: Expensive, Location

12/09/02

Better service near the kitchen?

by lukewalbert

Sunday lunch with a group of regulars - we hit Olive Garden Roseville about once every month or two. Our waiter Steve was practically perfect. He anticipated our needs before we event had to make requests - on drink refills, salad seconds, boxes and the bill. We had a seat near the door to the kitchen plus they weren't 100% full, which may explain the swiftness of the service. Other servers in the past haven't always been as available throughout the meal. But we keep going back because of the food is good and the service is decent.

• Pros: Varied menu, Salad refills, Take home leftovers
• Cons: Long waits when busy, Some servers slow, Kooky birthday song?

11/10/02

The LAST place to go

by stars_wild_fan

This is the last place I would recommend for Italian. While I can't speak for the Roseville location, I have been to other Olive Gardens around the Twin Cities and personally don't understand what the fuss is all about. I have had meals come to the table at room temperature, small portions, and poor wait service at more than one location. Nothing has ever tasted bad but if you want REALLY good Italian food I recommend Trattoria da Vinci in downtown St. Paul. Be prepared to spend some money there but its worth it.

• Cons: warm not hot food, slow service

10/19/02

my tastes

by mhiller

MY family and I always look forward to going to the Twin Cities so we can eat at the Olive Garden.

The wait is sometimes a little longer than we like but it has always been worth the wait. The food is excellent, with very generous serving sizes. We love having enough to take home to enjoy the next day.

09/27/02

Buon giorno

by SandyinMN

This is good for lunch when you can get soup, salad and breadsticks at a very reasonable price. Dinner is another story, and the cost is jacked up quite a bit for pasta. Their spaghetti is missing it, but there are a lot of other entries if you want to pay for them.

08/30/02

Magnifico

by joycie

Olive Garden has wonderful food. The unlimited salad is too die for, great bread sticks, and the greatest italian food around. You never leave hungry but go late if it is on the weekend or you could wait for awhile but it is worth the wait. We go about 9:00 pm to avoid the crowds. They do not take reservations which is the only bad point I can think of.

• Pros: good prices, good food, good portions
• Cons: the wait sometimes, no reservations taken

07/25/02

mama mia

by scorpio

Olive Garden is my favorite Italian restaurant. The salad is fantastic. The garlic breadsticks are delicious and best of all they are included in the price of the entree unlike a lot of other Italian restaurants. Try the cheese ravioli or the fettucini they are really good.

• Pros: tasty food, inexpensive, great service
• Cons: long wait sometimes, no reservations, none