Peter G.
Yelp
In the early 2000s, the Fazoli's over by UCF was my go-to for cheap eats after long nights of...studying. They were a treat for me over my college apartment ramen dishes and cafeteria meals. The breadsticks were awesome, and everything tasted great to a UCF student who was...studying. After I graduated and moved away from UCF, Fazoli's disappeared. I can't tell you why because I don't know. They seemed like they were always busy.
Anyway, flash forward to 2023, and Fazoli's has returned to Orlando in a location previously occupied by a Boston Market on Colonial/Bennett. Is this the same Fazoli's I remember from my college days or a different beast? Honestly, I can't tell because it's been almost 20 years, so this review is based on the new Fazoli's instead of a comparison between the old and the new.
Ever since the new location opened, this place has been packed, inside and outside drive-thru. I actively avoided the opening because of the packed crowds (seriously, for fast Italian food? But I get it, nostalgia). I happened to drive by this evening and noticed the drive-thru wasn't as long as it was in the preceding days, so I checked out the 2023 version of Fazoli's. I can't tell you much about the interior because, from what I could tell from my car, all of the tables were occupied and I would've taken my order to-go anyway. The drive-thru was pretty slow, but I'm not knocking any stars off of that because that's to be expected for any new restaurant. The employees were friendly and even though there was a bit of wait for the drive-thru, that's to be expected.
How does Fazoli's hold up in 2023? They're...ok. This isn't a review condemning them. They're good, but they're not great. I ordered the baked meatballs and spaghetti dish, and it was pretty good. The marinara sauce was a little too bitter for my taste, and the pasta was thinner and more akin to angel-hair than common spaghetti. The breadsticks are still good and beat the heck out of places like Olive Garden.
So, why am I giving this a 3 star review? Yelp's definition of a 3-star review is "Ok" and that is exactly what Fazoli's is. It's fine. It's better than some local Italian restaurants but is still way below Orlando's finest Italian restaurants. If you're looking for Italian food after a long day of work, Fazoli's is a pretty good option if you're open to the wait times. The food is ok, but you can find better Italian at Italian restaurants if you call in a "to-go" order and pick it yourself.
My suggestion is to wait a little longer for the crowds to die down a bit more to try the restaurant yourself. It's pretty good, not great, not bad. But seriously, don't forget to try the breadsticks.