Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Italian restaurant · Rockaway

Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

Italian restaurant · Rockaway

1

323 Mt Hope Ave, Rockaway, NJ 07866, USA

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Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant by null

Highlights

Lively Italian chain featuring pastas, salads & family fun  

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323 Mt Hope Ave, Rockaway, NJ 07866, USA Get directions

olivegarden.com
@olivegarden

££ · Menu

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323 Mt Hope Ave, Rockaway, NJ 07866, USA Get directions

+1 973 659 3312
olivegarden.com
@olivegarden
𝕏
@olivegarden

££ · Menu

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Last updated

Aug 24, 2025

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How Rating Your Server Is Making Their Life Miserable | Eater

"The restaurant uses tabletop tablets that let guests order and pay and then complete a short survey; management framed the devices as “one tool, among many others, we use to measure how we are doing and provide feedback to our servers to enhance the overall guest experience.” While chains claim the tech increases add-on sales and hasn’t hurt tips, workers report that the numeric survey scores are used to judge servers and can result in reduced hours or less desirable shifts when ratings aren’t perfect." - Whitney Filloon

https://www.eater.com/2018/6/22/17492528/tablets-restaurants-surveys-score-servers
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Gun Slinging Gringo

Google
Every time I post this review on this Olive Garden the post says “still pending”. It’s been days now that it won’t go through so I guess I can’t leave a fair review and say what u want to say about the place. Issues like this with Google have always been a problem and after all the reviews I’ve made this might be the last one for me. There’s no reason to run into this many issues posting reviews.

Patrick Scarangella

Google
My wife and I come here pretty frequently. Our first contact was with the hostess, after waiting a couple minutes for someone to show up at the hostess station, the hostess finally came. We weren't greeted in the usual manner, so we said a table for two, she seemed to be zoning out and not really attentive. We were then told it would be a few minutes and we could take a seat. After a few minutes we were led to our table, and noticed at least eight tables that were empty. Why the wait? After we looked at the menus, we weren't waited on until about five minutes later. My wife ordered a water with lemon, and I ordered a Coke. When the drinks were brought out, my wife's water had no lemon. And she said it tasted like chemicals, which I confirmed myself. After ordering, the waiter asked us to repeat our order and then decided to write it down. The appetizers were brought out with our salad and breadsticks, so the table was very cluttered. Then before we even finished our appetizers, our entrees were brought out and placed on the table. I observed that the waiter was being shadowed, and I assumed he was new. The bus boy was loudly talking to someone on his headset right next to our table while we were trying to talk and eat. He had a garbage can on wheels and it was about two feet from our table. He was there for about ten minutes, very close to our table. We ordered dessert to go, and after waiting, it was brought out on plates. The waitresses apologized and put them in containers to go. We had asked for two bags for breadsticks, and we only received one. I had ordered a drink from the bar earlier, and didn't receive it until we paid and were ready to leave. It was the worst old fashioned I have ever had. To top the whole experience off, the area outside of the bathroom smelled like a sewage line had broken. We noticed this on our last visit as well. The food itself was perfectly fine, but the servers and hostess seemed like zombies. I understand it is hard to find good help these days, and being the waiter is likely new, I'll cut him some slack. But to have so many things go wrong in a single visit is a red flag. I am offering this as constructive criticism, and I hope this will improve the quality of service at this location.

ALITTA MEND

Google
The nicest Olive G. I've visited, the food is good, drinks are really good, everything is flavored and juicy. The plenty of room and parking lot however it was full. The dinning room is so warm, full of nice dresed people, the manager and staff in general were so atentive. At the begining we were waiting for the table but quickly they assigned one, we enjoy the meal, a little bit late but delicious. Miriam was our server, she did a great job, offered a great experience in the place. Prices are affordable, portions are really good. Kids can color a book and enjoy in a table they have! The only recomendarion is to add a little bit of salt to The Margaritas, it tastes different.

Juan Vargas

Google
The atmosphere at Olive Garden is very pleasant, with many options for appetizers and meals. Everything I ate was really delicious — I especially enjoyed the breadsticks — and the service was very good. However, the restrooms were dirty, so that could definitely be improved

Gabe Castillo

Google
Our waiter was great and the food didn't take that long to come out. There was no wait time to get seated . We ordered soup and salad which was delicious along with the Chicken Parm. I also had cappuccino which was really amazing 🤩 . It’s always consistently good and the waiting staff is friendly… it’s at a busy location so this time we were lucky, sometimes they tell you there is a wait time but it’s never extremely long… more like 35 mins I come here maybe twice a month. Salad is great pasta is great and the appetizers are excellent so I definitely recommend this one over the next closest one.

Karey Gincley

Google
Olive Garden is my granddaughters favorite birthday restaurant and we go every year for her birthday and for several other occasions as well. The decor and ambiance is so nice and family style plus the food is absolutely delicious! I especially love the taste of the marinara sauce it's so different than an average Italian restaurant I could drink it like it's a soup! The employees are very nice and kind and easy to talk with. As I said the feeling of having lunch or dinner there is very homey and comfortable and the decorations and fireplaces makes it extra warm a cozy to make you come back over and over. 5 Stars!!!

Stefanie Conti

Google
We came in at 9:00 PM, and we made sure to ask what time the kitchen closes. They tell us 9:30 PM. The hostess tells us we are able to be seated at the booths or by the bar as that is the only section that is open. I originally sat at the stools by the bar as that is the section I thought she mentioned, and instead, the hostess puts our menus down on the booths instead. So we move over there. The waiter by the bar said “are you sure you don’t want to sit by the bar instead”, and we said “haha I think we are okay by the booth”. He asks again “are you sure?” And we said, “yes, no thank you” thinking he was joking around. He then takes our order and gives us our soup and salad. He not once introduced himself or gave us a warm welcome. We surely felt unwanted and uncomfortable from the start. When our main entrees came in, we say thank you, and he didn’t even acknowledge it. He placed my fiancé’s plate on top of my unfinished salad and took my plate. He never asked if I was finished with my salad. He never even gave us breadsticks. Our food finally comes, and at this point we are upset. We pay on the tablet, and asked for to go boxes. He told us “At the last hour of closing, this section was closed off. I am sorry if I wasn’t able to be attentive to you both”. I told him “it’s alright, don’t worry about it” There was definitely miscommunication between the hostess and the waiter. If the waiter could no longer service the booths, he could’ve politely told us to sit by the bar as where we were about to be seated is closed. If it was too late for us to dine in, we would have respected their direction. But instead, we were unwillingly welcomed with passive aggressiveness and rudeness.

Yvette Hausleben

Google
This is the only Olive Garden I will go to near me. I feel it’s the cleanest one. It is a chain restaurant so it’s the standard food. Love their drinks. 11/15/23 Came back again. Like I said my favorite one. But this time we were seated by the bar and the service wasn’t the greatest. We got all our food at once, but I have to say the manager was very nice and offered to take off the appetizer. Our salad bowl was taken away without even asking if we wanted more.
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Angela R.

Yelp
As soon as I walked in, the vibe was amazing! I came with my cousin for dinner while we were on a road trip to Ohio. Our waitress, Shirone, was an absolute delight! She had such a warm, upbeat attitude(super engaging and very alert throughout our visit)! For my meal, I ordered the Chicken Tortellini Alfredo: asiago cheese-filled tortellini baked in Alfredo sauce w/ a blend of Italian cheeses and toasted breadcrumbs, topped with chicken. I swapped the grilled chicken for breaded(because let's be honest, breaded chicken just hits differently)! While I waited, I enjoyed a couple of their signature buttery garlic breadsticks (always a must!). The food came out shortly after. And when I tell you the portion was enormous, I mean enormous! I'm used to smaller servings at other Olive Garden locations, but this was by far the largest I've ever had. Shirone came by and topped my meal with freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. I usually pile it on, but I showed a little restraint this time! The pasta and chicken were cooked to perfection. The blend of cheeses created a rainbow of rich, creamy flavors in my mouth and the breaded chicken was full of flavor(I even caught a hint of oregano in the breadcrumbs, which gave it a nice extra kick)! The alfredo sauce didn't have an overbearing garlic taste (which I loved). The decor inside was cute and homey. It gave off a cozy vibe, and I genuinely felt like I was at home. To top it all off, Shirone hooked me up with a generous handful of Olive Garden's signature peppermint chocolates. I love those melt-in-your-mouth treats(they're so yummy)!
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Ann E.

Yelp
Stopped in for lunch at the Rockaway Olive Garden with my two sisters. We were all kind of hungry so we ordered Calamari to share. It was pretty good. I got Fettuccine Alfredo with broccoli for my meal-it was delicious! My sisters got Cheese Ravioli and Shrimp Carbona. We were all satisfied with our choices. Of course, we had the standard salad & bread sticks. We received excellent service from Genevieve P. She was professional and helpful and we did not feel rushed, at all.
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Carmen W.

Yelp
I've only ever been to an Olive Garden once before in my life so I wanted to try again! We came in and were seated immediately but the tables felt very sticky. We got our apps and drinks very quickly though and they tasted good but all of the flavoring was VERY strong which was a bit of a turn away. When our meals came they were very warm and tasted amazing! My friend had the rigatoni and I had the chicken parm, her meal looked great. However the spaghetti was a bit tasteless but the chicken made up for it! This is a solid restaurant!
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William A K.

Yelp
Food and service are amazing Shrimp Scampi on 12-30-23 YES Our grandkids love it The soup and salad is truly the best around
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Elizabeth D.

Yelp
Excellent Prices and Extraordinary server!!! Anytime you're in Rockaway Olive Garden Ask for April...you will not be disappointed. She was amazing and can liven up any and every atmosphere. Had the most amazingly enjoyable time with my mom for lunch. Will definitely be back. Thank you April, we need more people like you in the world, not only in the customer service industry.
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Brenda E.

Yelp
First time at that restaurant. Food and drinks were great. Service (Bella) was excellent. She has a nice personality and knows how to please her customers. She even helped us package the leftovers to take home. We left her a good tip and will return again.
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Mike B.

Yelp
Came here for dinner Thursday night with my fiancé, an absolutely impeccable establishment, our server was very nice. He might've been a little bit touched, but he was very nice, the food was very good, my only complaint is the $.25 sample to try a beer

Keith K.

Yelp
The good: the service and the atmosphere along with the breadsticks but that's about it. The Bad: the food was average at best. The ravioli carbonara looked nothing like the picture on the menu. The mozzarella sticks were completely tasteless as we the sauce and a very special shoutout to the FAKE Italian Cheesecake. Italian cheesecake is made with ricotta cheese and that's how it was listed on the menu. FAKE. I took my dessert home and found out it is NY style cheesecake made with cream cheese not ricotta. Big difference. The Olive Garden owes me 8.99 plus tax. The NY cheesecake I was given tastes like a frozen Costco item only worse. I'm done with Olive Garden for good.
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Bianca N.

Yelp
The last time I got food from here was about a year ago. The service was not applicable due to me ordering "curbside side to go" the food was fine as the prices of everything went up it was good but not sure if it was entirely with the price. The ambiance is always good the last time I dined in was at least 5 years ago. The last time I seen the inside the ambiance was fine.
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Josheau W.

Yelp
Hungry at the mid-day, but not enough time to settle in for a nice meal, I choose Olive Garden. It's a typical corporate restaurant that has been reviewed ad nauseum, so the relevant local details would be a friendly staff and clean restaurant. The best flavor is the mints they give you with your check, at least if you're not drinking, but I knew what I was getting into and got exactly what was expected. Hopefully with more time we can get more adventurous!
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Tiffanie S.

Yelp
My very sweet former students wanted to take me out to dinner and I cringed when they chose here. Besides the fact hello it's Jersey we have a dozen Italian places in a mile radius, I've never liked this place. For someone who has to be careful when eating out, this menu is a nightmare. This is corporate needing to make some changes, but anyway.... Our server kim was a sweetheart, and her food runners too. I know most people when they see a table of teenagers when serving probably think the worst, but I made sure my crew took care of her. I stomached the soup salad and breadsticks. Salad here is always a safe bet, zuppa toscana was eh just ok. The restaurant was clean. If I had to be forced to endure another Olive Garden meal I would choose this location.

Gerry T.

Yelp
Just ate lunch at the Rockaway Olive Garden. We went to the bar since it seems they were having trouble with handling the people they had dining already. The servers were doing their best and they were not the problem. The food at OG does not taste the same. We had the soup and salad pick for lunch. In the past, I was there mainly for the salad. Ingredients were the same but the taste was not and that went for the soup too. They did not provide us with the bread because it seems they could not handle the demand. We never got the bread and apologies were prolific but still, no bread, no taste and disappointing food. I will be putting OG on the back burner for a long time if they are still around.
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Tristan P.

Yelp
We ordered curbside to go after finding an old gift card we had yet to use, and it was such a great experience! Our food was ready in 25 minutes and ordering online was super easy. I was also pleasantly surprised with the easy communications with a text message 10 minutes before the expected pickup time to let us know our food was being prepared. There were plenty of pickup spots available (about 7 at this location) and checkin was a simple tap of a link from the text message. I love it when you never have to call and speak to someone! Our food was out within minutes of getting there and everything was hit and fresh, not to mention the smell was delicious. Definitely a good experience if you're still trying to be socially distant and are looking for contactless pickup.

Peter B.

Yelp
Food was very good not authentic Italian, but it's not supposed to be And our waitress was amazing very strong under fire. We had two young kids with us. Really enjoy going there.
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Steve M.

Yelp
Denise our server was great taking care of all the Veterans on Veterans Day. I highly recommend you to come in and request to sit in her location. Denise is very attentive and is doing her best on this crazy busy day Food was hot taste great. Everyone in the restaurant is very friendly.

Lora Ann N.

Yelp
We haven't been in a while so we figured we'd stop by for soup salad and breadsticks. Everything was awesome including our server bartender Heather she made it delicious lemon drop martini for me. We will be back.
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Carrie H.

Yelp
Our server David was so awesome. When we come back we will be asking to be seated in his area. He provided us with the service you would expect at a high priced restaurant Our food was served properly, on time, hot, and our cocktails were so good!! He made them himself and they did not disappoint Say what you want about Olive Garden but this place is the bomb

Stephanie R.

Yelp
Awful service. We had dined at the Olive Garden in the past with no issues. However, we could tell right away that the server and her back up had too many customers to handle on their own. That being said, if I ask for a new drink because there is a hair in it, I would think that either server would have been a bit apologetic instead of just taking the drink and walking away. I then ordered a steak well done (yes that's how I like it) but it came purple in the middle with a charred outside. Again, no apologies, just took the food away and came back with barely a difference. On top of this, my husband had to ask for his refill 3 times before the server brought him one. The only time that the server spoke nicely to us was when we asked for the check and she knew we were signing the tip line. Honestly, the worst service ever and will not be going back.
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Bill M.

Yelp
Sometimes I let a cherished loved one choose the restaurant. And this begins the story of how Bill ended up at the Olive Garden. Chapter 1 - The Awakening I'm too damn nice sometimes. I mean for the most part, if I like you I'll let you lead for a while. Just to see where life takes us. And I'll follow you to wherever it is that you feel like going. No questions asked. But this. How did it come to this?. And how did we get here anyway.? Sneaky. Really sneaky, with the continuous story while we're pulling in the parking lot and walking over to the front door to this place. Fool me once. Chapter 2 - Wine is Fine "When are we getting the heck outta here?" That's all I asked. You see I'm just not a fan of the food here. If you are that's fine but I'm not, and this is my story. "Excuse me my good man do you still serve alcohol at this fine establishment?" Well then by all means make mine a Double. Chapter 3 - Front Loading Unlimited Salad and Salty Breadsticks are just what the Doctor ordered, mmmm. I didn't indulge in any Soup because I was front loading my never ending salad. You see the trick here is to eat as much of the salad as you possibly can consume. This way you'll be full of salad and Not whatever else comes next. You're welcome. Chapter 4 - Sodium and Gomorrah Never Look Back. No matter what happens Don't Look Back!! You may already have guessed I'm prolly not gonna return here any time soon. "Great news, the entrees are here." (It is great news actually because this gets us one step closer to the door). The Braised Beef Bolognese is the way to go, trust me on this one. Funny side note; it's a limited time only deal. Hahaha the best thing on this menu is not a regular menu item. Figures. Chapter 5 - The Incomparable Mr. D Our Server was Exceptional!! He was just about the best Server that I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. He did just about everything that he possibly could to keep his tables well stocked and well satisfied. Cheers to you Don D!! Bravo!!  You Sir, Rock!! Chapter 6 - My Just Desserts "When are we getting the heck outta here?" ? Dessert?!? Dessert?  You are tugging on my last nerve. I really don't need anything else from this fine establishment. But, how bout this, you get dessert, and I'll get another round. And the check, well that lands with the person who chose the restaurant.                           The End
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Esther D.

Yelp
Olive Garden is hands down my husband's and my favorite restaurant! Just the unlimited soup and salad alone is why I go, let alone the absolutely delicious entrees! Additionally, we've always have really nice and helpful waitstaff! We always leave so full we nearly have to waddle our the door! We always leave satisfied and full and happy.
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Rachel G.

Yelp
I (reluctantly) ordered dinner from this location tonight out of convenience. This was a huge disappointment. I always order the 5 cheese ziti with salad and breadsticks. This meal has no meat and should be relatively cheap. It used to be priced somewhere between 10.99-11.99 within the last 1-2 years. It's been awhile since I've ordered from Olive Garden, but I decided to place a to go order tonight since I was by myself for dinner. I should have passed as soon as I noticed my "go to" entree online jump from no more than $12 to 17.49! For cheap pasta with sauce and cheese plus a pile of lettuce, (I remove the olives, tomatoes and onion), small cup of dressing and 2 breadsticks this feels a bit like price gouging. I opened the salad when I got home and found several visibly rotting pieces of lettuce. At pickup, I arrived early, called right away to notify the restaurant I was there and the entree came out before the estimated time provided in the confirmation. I live 5 minutes up the road so there was very little waiting in between receiving the order and getting home and eating. The pasta and breadsticks were barely warm. With tip, the bill was over $21. Definitely NOT worth it. If this is considered fair pricing by the chain going forward, I will look at other options in the future.
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Gabrielle V.

Yelp
When you're here, you're family. You can't beat the service or the deal and the food is on point. Big fan of the unlimited soup, breadsticks and salad deal - only $10! You can try all five soups and never have to pay extra! The restaurant is very clean, staff incredibly friendly and the food is American Italian! Can't beat the prices or the food here- you can walk into the mall and spend $30 and still be hungry or $10 and be stuffed! We always love Olive Garden and highly recommend for a lovely dinner without breaking the bank!
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Paul V.

Yelp
Stopped in at lunch time after seeing sign of I-80 exit 35. I usually love light lunch menu and Olive Garden has one with hot fries with hot fresh eggplant parmigiana sandwich! Fresh salad bowl with hot breadsticks.. so instinct took over and exit was taken. My instinct for hot food was satisfied with great service by Jose . It's great place for lunch for those who are vegetarian. Great lunch pricing menu and if you need to relax order house red wine for five bucks..

Daniel M.

Yelp
bathroom was a disgusting mess I was here a month ago and the same part of the bathroom was not working was not working how sanitary is the food if the bathrooms are really a toilet no checklist on wall to see if they are ever cleaned trash on floor floors not moped in who knows when not going back
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Nehali S.

Yelp
So being a Yelp Elite can turn me into a food snob at times. When I go out for food, I normally try to find local, artisan restaurants that cost an arm and a leg. Of course, there is nothing wrong with supporting local businesses, but sometimes I crave my favorite local chains from childhood. One of those chains includes Olive Garden. I don't care if it's supposedly frozen or not Italian enough. Olive Garden just hits the spot when you want fake Italian that is inexpensive. They have tons of varieties of pastas, their salad/breadsticks are amazing, and you can't beat the prices (especially when you have a coupon). Lately I have been using their to go service, which is FANTASTIC. It is so easy to order on the app. The food is ready for pick up right away. The staff at Rockaway are extremely sweet, and I have met quite a few of them. They are so good about packing your food, they verify your order, and they just care in general. They even ask if you want utensils (which is apparently not a common thing to do!). Also, whenever I order the 4 piece breadsticks, I always end up getting 6 (yes, I love a surprise bonus after a long day!). Last year I did a to go order and went home and realized that I didn't get my chocolate milk. I called the store and the manager refunded my entire order, which was so nice of him. This Olive Garden location in particular is the best. They employ the nicest and most considerate staff! I'm also never disappointed with my orders. :)

Coleen L.

Yelp
I'm surprised at the low ratings. We go at least one a month. Food is very good. Crispy eggplant for me and my husband gets the tour of Italy . Service is good and we will be back. We had Becky for our waitress today and she was very good.

Holly J.

Yelp
Went here last night. The food was okay but the service was pretty bad. My boyfriend and I both got the Seafood Alfredo which is normally rich and creamy; last night it was extremely oily. The service, however was lacking in many ways. My boyfriend asked for no ice and he got ice, no big deal. When the soup and salad came out the server only offered cheese on the salad but not my soup. I had to flag down an other server who kindly gave me the cheese I shouldn't have to ask for. After the entrees came out the server didn't check on us once. Not for re-fills or to even ask how everything was. She had plenty of opportunities after she was done tending to her other table, but chose not to even look at us. I would have mentioned to her about our oily meals but she didn't give me the opportunity to do so, so we just ate it. Clearly, she had more important things to do than check on us. She never came back to offer dessert, so we just paid the bill and left. I also thought if your hair is longer than shoulder length, it should be tied back, but I guess that's not a rule. It was a shame to see the other servers checking on their tables and interacting with them when we were just sitting there. Kinda wish we had one of them take care of us as I'm pretty sure we would have had a totally wonderful experience.

Tristan L.

Yelp
the food was delicious and amazin the service was decent the music was good And the vip meat was great The food was so good that I had to talk to the manager about the food being great
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Zach D.

Yelp
Service is terrible here food is decent but can never find the server definitely wouldn't recommend

Terence M.

Yelp
I knew this is a corporate business so not a genuine Italian restaurant like one can find in NJ. Still they are a great value. I want to highlight a current example. Today we ordered to go. Wife and I are older and maybe not computer savvy at times. We tried to use a digital coupon but it turns out the coupon was invalid. But the restaurant comped the desert coupon anyway. (We didn't ask - and it is ok if they did not.. but the point is they aim to please. So for mainstream food with an italian vibe - they do a great job. And the have excellent service. I wanted to compare them to a local chain restaurant name starts with an A.... This second one, make lots of order mistakes... to we are aftaid to order anymore. Olive Garden gets it right.

Hannah N.

Yelp
My partner and I ate here today for the first time at this location and we will not be coming back. Our waitress was rude to us from the beginning. After the host sat us, we experienced two of the waitresses bickering behind us about whose section we were in. We politely said something to the first person that came over and asked us if everything was going okay, and instead of changing our waitress, they spoke to her and she then proceeded to glare at us for the rest of our dining experience. Overall, the experience was very uncomfortable and the worst dining experience either of us have ever experienced. Very disappointed.
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Sarah M. G.

Yelp
Absolutely love the OG. They are always consistent, service is always great and I've never had a bad experience. Also their delivery and curbside pick up during covid has been on point.

Leah S.

Yelp
The service here is terrible, just straight up scandalous. It took FIFTY MINUTES to get our entrees. Fifty minutes for my husbands spaghetti and meatballs, and my daughter's Mac and cheese. In the time it took to get our entrees, the table next to us sat down, read their menus, GOT THEIR FOOD, ate, paid, and left. They finished their entire meal before we got ours. (They were a party of 5 and we're a party of 3, so I don't think it was the size of our party). I'm sitting here bored as hell because I had ordered the endless soup and salad and they brought that out at a normal time at least (after we kept asking!). I finished my meal before the rest of my table got their food. (We did actually have to ask for the salad and breadsticks after waiting for some time. Our server didn't even remove our menus after ordering, we had to ask her to because they were in the way). Anyways, I'm just sitting here, feeling time pass, getting gradually older, and I just thought I should warn you to stay the hell away from this time suck. Ok I'm revising my review up to 3 stars from 1 star, because Eric the manager is awesome. He took care of everything, even after our server somehow managed to "lose" our gift card (...seriously?)

Linda K.

Yelp
I recently visited the Rockaway, NJ location with a gift card I received. I had only one previous visit to an Olive Garden (a location now closed), which was not a good experience at all, so I was expecting to be once again disappointed. I was very wrong. Note: My expectations were not high, as my mother-in-law was literally "off the boat" from Sicily. My review for menu and quality of "authentic " Italian food would be between 3-4 stars. However, the service was over the top pushing my review to 5 stars. I went "safe" with the lunch selection of endless salad, soup and breadsticks. The salad was nicely dressed w/ ample croutons. The breadsticks were fresh (hot) out of the oven. The soup, I went w/ a creamy chicken gnocchi, was flavorful; much more gnocchi than chicken, but they were perfect. My companion had traditional spaghetti and meat sauce, which did not really look like mother-in-law's, but he really enjoyed it. Nice wine selection for the price. I like the 1 1/2 glass serving option. We went on Thursday, Sept. 22 for lunch. Ample handicapped parking (recovering from a surgery). We did not have reservations but were seated immediately by a bubbly hostess. Such smiles are welcomed! Our waiter (I wish I got his name) appeared very quickly; wine and salad arrived without a wait. Delicious soup refilled promptly, as was the endless salad. He was very generous with the extra grated parmigiana cheese (on everything!). A nice touch was a complementary mint flavored chocolate. Dining room was pretty busy; very clean premises. I honestly was not expecting to have such a good experience, but I was pleasantly surprised at the overall experience and found the lunch specials to be a nice "bang for the buck".
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Mildred M.

Yelp
First of all let me say I've always loved Olive Garden and unfortunately it was my idea to go there last night. In the past I have always frequented the Olive Garden in Rockaway with no issues. As of lately the food at this place is no longer enjoyable. We were seated rather quickly since the restaurant did not have many patrons. We were greeted by Paulina her service was great as always. My husband ordered the Tour of Italy, my mother ordered the Lasagna Classico and I ordered the Grilled Salmon. We received our food and both the Tour of Italy and Lasagna Classico was indeed very dry, you could tell it was reheated in a microwave, neither my husband or mother could finish their food but in-spite of this we did not complain although we most certainly should have. We just decided that our Olive Garden days were over! Regretfully, I have to say that if you want real Italian Cuisine this is not the place for it.

Nick P.

Yelp
Terrible service. I am allergic to eggs so I cannot have their salad dressing which has raw egg in it. I also do not tolerate dairy. I asked our server to bring my salad separate so my girlfriends could have their salad with the dressing and cheese. The server responded she will bring the dressing on the side. I again asked if she could just bring 1 salad with the dressing for my friends and a separate salad for me with oil and vinegar. She stood there looking at me with no response and then said Ill see what they do. She came out to the table with 1 salad and the dressing on the side. Then my friend asked for cheese, but again since she only brought 1 salad, the server needed to put cheese only on her salad. I again asked if they could just do a separate salad so my friends could have their salad the way they wanted. The server responded this is what they gave me. I said if it is a problem, you could send your manager over here and I can explain my allergy so that he can make the accommodation. Again, she stood there staring at me with no response. 1 minute later she literally throws a bowl of salad down next to me at the table. I was supposed to get broccoli with my entrée, but it did not come out with the broccoli. At this point there is no way I am going to ask the server for the broccoli, but when the bill came we were charged for it. I asked her to remove the broccoli from the bill and she responded I did not know you did not get the broccoli. Will not be back
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Kirsten S.

Yelp
I that's high for me but what can I say. My party of 7 were seated immediately on a busy Friday. Our waitress ran around working like a dog for us hungry thirsty diners. She never missed a thing even though Restaurant was packed. We had ample amount of soup refills and the minestrone was better then I ever had before and enjoyed the other 2 as well. My Lasagna Fritti app was nice and crispy. It's cheese crispy yum what could be bad. 2 people in my party had to leave in the middle of dinner unexpectedly. The waitress quickly grabbed to go boxes and packed it up for them. The rest of us continued to eat the rest of our meal. When it came time to leave are waitress packed me soup, salad and Fritti and my friends chicken Scampi. She requested a beverage refill to go since they had a long drive home. She obliged. Overall this served our needs for sustenance and a much needed visit with 7 Friends who can only get meet for dinner once a year. Props to our waitress who worked so hard to make our experience pleasant
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Diane C.

Yelp
Went there a few years back and got terrible service so was hesitant to try again. But went this past weekend n was a complete turn around!!! Fast friendly service!!! And food was hot and promptly served and we were in and out which was awesome!!! Good job !!! Def will be back
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Machine O.

Yelp
First and last time visiting an olive garden...this was like a school cafeterias version of Italian food. Hands down the worst meal I've had in 2023. Chicken and Shrimp Carbonara, flavorless plate of pasta swimming in oil and cream sauce with terrible shrimp, Lasagna, damn near inedible and way too salty, Chicken parm, Way too salty, the one star is for the fried calamari as it was the only edible item and well you cant give zero stars, salads looked like a child prepared them and all the soups were just crappy. visited at 6:00pm on Monday 7/3. a good restaurant would have been crowded, this place had like 8 tables. and the service left a bit to be desired. i mean $125.00 fed four adults but this chain should just shut down instead of claiming to serve Italian food. pretty sure we would have enjoyed 4 TV Dinners, and personally i would have paid that much for them just to not have to eat the olive garden food...Just terrible. go home and cook.
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Antonio M.

Yelp
Fatty, fried, not Italian! Catered to the American taste of creamy, bigger, saltier, and fattier! Written by a 100% Italian born in Italy, raised in an Italian household, and a world-traveler who spends two months every year in Italy. Shame on Olive Garden for caving to the American ignorance and shame on Americans for allowing such places to exist.
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Lyndsie L.

Yelp
3 stars for service. Ordered a large amount of food and did the to your car option. Sat outside for 10 minutes. Went in and explained I was picking up the order that was sitting on the counter and had been waiting for someone to come out. The girl with short black hair gave attitude and told me the approximate time I checked in and then said have a good day. As I carried 2 massive heavy bags and 4 sodas to the car by myself. What's the point of to go car delivery when they don't do their job? And 2 people that work there just watch me carry everything out....

Mr Crab G.

Yelp
I sat down for a nice dinner at my favorite restaurant looking forward to the night ahead expecting a great meal. Oh boy I was wrong. My server was wearing a stupid hat. I ordered breadsticks and they gave me pasta instead. Olive Garden you have lots my trust. Your Italian ancestors would not be happy.
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Jon F.

Yelp
Olive Garden is not expected to be a top "mom and pop" style Italian restaurant, so if you set your expectations high for authentic I would not recommend this place to eat. Other then that the food was well prepared and the service was spot on. Our waitress gave us all our possible options and explained the menu clearly with no issues. The food was delicious. For a quick meal without wanting the "authentic" Italian style I'd highly recommend this location!

Cory A.

Yelp
As expected from an Olive Garden location, the food was amazing, that's not exactly what this review is about. I'm writing this review to say about how our waiter and bartender went out of the way to make a drink that wasn't exactly on their drink menu, but made for me because they did have the ingredients. I requested a Godfather which is 1 part scotch whiskey and 1 part amaretto. The waiter and bartender did say they had to look it up, but they did make it for me, & honestly it was an amazing drink! Props to them for going out of the way instead of just saying they didn't know how to make it and/or didn't have it on the menu. Added praise for the amazing food & amazing service by our waiter! Will be back.

Phillip F.

Yelp
So this place! I came in from AZ for work and to visit my family. I met my mom and my sister at the Rockaway Mall because they wanted to meet me for my birthday. My mom didn't know what she wanted so we went driving around the area and ran into Olive Garden. My mom said she never ate there before but always wanted to try. We walked in and the carpet was dirty the tables were not clean and the server was just rude at best. The food was horrible, I ordered a pasta dish and it was cold, the pasta was not cooked fully. My mom and sister ordered Fettuccini Alfredo and the sauce had a brownish tint to it and they said it tasted soapy. We tried again but yet again a let down. I saw a few other places I wished we had stopped in on but lesson learned.

Lindsey E.

Yelp
There is a woman who works here her name is April and she is truly amazing. I wouldn't normally eat here but my food and experience was awesome. April was kind and helpful, honest and caring.
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Ka'imi H.

Yelp
Authentic Italian food....No. Good place to hang out with friends/family, Yes. Much like the California locations, this Olive Garden requires that you check in and wait for a few minutes before you are able to be seated during the lunch and dinner prime times. This time will allow you time to relax inside on their plush leather couches, outside on their wooden benches, or utilize their restrooms which are clean, spacious, and attractive. Once seated you will be asked if you would like any wine with your meal. As of Summer 2016 you will also be offered a chance to sample an ounce of any of their wines for 25 cents. A nice way to preview their wines before taking the plunge on an unfamiliar glass or bottle of wine. There is also currently a Long Island Limoncello being offered for the summer. If you are a fan of Long Island Iced Tea and/or Limoncello then this may be a refreshing summer treat for you. This place is great for kids as they offer not only coloring sheets but also sticker sheets while food is being ordered and prepared. These were both great fun for our little one which helped to keep him entertained while we waited for our orders. The children's menu also seemed to be appropriately varied and portioned. Kid friendly healthy options like grapes and apple sauce are definitely a nice change from the standard french fries on the side. Bread sticks here must be laced with the Olive Garden brand crack (probably a mix of butter and garlic salt). It is normal for our table to order multiple extra baskets of bread sticks while we enjoy our time here. They go great with pretty much everything on the menu including the Zuppa Toscana and Salad combo that I seam to always come back to. My spouse really enjoys the standard fare of creamy pastas here and often eats more than originally planed on because of how good the dishes taste. I've also enjoyed my experiences here enough to consider ordering the Zeppoli (looks like mini bignets that can be dunked in chocolate sauce) even when I'm already feeling full. The atmosphere here is nice and casual. A great mix of lighting and ambient sound allows for some great conversations with your party. You can even catch some Pokemon from your table if you are into PokemonGo. The service here could be slightly more attentive so that extra orders of drinks, food, and/or bread sticks could be placed a bit sooner. Like many other chain restaurants, this location is trying to push the table tablets for the checkout process. I find that they tend to be flashing their red lights most of the time indicating that there is an issue with the machine so the wait staff has to help us with the bill at the end of our meal any way. On this last visit it actually allowed me to pay the bill and tip but then immediately flashed the red lights saying it was out of order. Fear me, for I am the breaker of table technology!
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Kat B.

Yelp
I haven't been to this restaurant in quite some time and I went last Saturday night. Fortunately, it wasn't a huge wait as the evening was very humid and we were taken right in to our table. We were just seated when there was a HUGE crash. A waiter had dropped a tray. My husband said, "I hope that is not going to be OUR waiter." "Yes, it is", we were told. However.....the waiter was great. Very friendly and efficient and he didn't drop our food. I enjoy being at Olive Garden as you sort of seem like you are sitting and eating in a farmhouse kitchen. It's a very warm atmosphere with nice decor and it's bright and has such a sunny feel to it. So, we got some sort of small zucchini ball type appetizer with a marinara sauce. It was ok. It wasn't that hot, just sort of lukewarm. I ordered for my meal the lasagna for $12.00 I believe. The free toppings for the lasagna were the veggies or something else which has slipped my mind. You could also order for small cost (I believe $2 or $3) toppings of meatballs, ravioli, and other toppings. The lasagna itself was generous, stuffed with melted cheese, but the toppings were another story. Even the waiter noticed. My lasagna was drowning in peas, squash, carrot shavings and other veggies that I hate. But mostly peas. Yuck. I brushed off what I could of the veggies. The other person at my table who ordered the same dish did not seem to get as many veggies as I did. I never ate the entire dish but brought what I could home. Dessert redeemed the meal. We got the 3 cannolis...one strawberry, one vanilla and one chocolate. They were pretty big in size and tasted really good as well. I would advise getting another topping for the lasagna but really why does lasagna even need a topping?
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John M.

Yelp
Went here because I told BF that we would go because of the holiday Seated within 3 minutes of walking in. Was taken to a table we switched for a booth Waitress came over within a few minutes of us sitting down Asked for our drinks even suggested a margarita or sangria As we perused the menu I decided on the chicken giardino. ( pasta primavera) It was actually tasty for the Olive Garden Service was good she brought refills however she brought me a Diet Coke when I originally had an iced tea.. but when I asked for a refill she knew she messed up and brought a Diet Coke.. Doesn't go to waste with bf