Carrabbas Revisited

[REDCART]

We have always enjoyed Carrabbas since our first visit in 2005. Their food and service were consistently above average for TV. We stopped there for lunch today and were surprised to see that they had remodeled, and had eliminated their regular lunch menu. They still serve their traditional favorites, I.e. Chicken Bryan, Chicken Pollo Maria but in stead of nicely filleted chicken cutlets over a wood fire grill, there was a single 2” thick chicken breast cooked in the oven.

I asked our server if they were under new management and he said they were now publicly owned (I assume he meant no longer a local franchise), and that their usual supplier could not provide their regular chicken. Lunch was good but disappointing. How difficult would it be to fillet chicken breasts. We understand that cost increases and menu changes are inevitable but in this case we were sorry to see one of our restaurant favorites slip. Anyone else observe a similar change at Carrabbas?

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I like Carrabbas , I stop in there 2 or 3 times a month,?look it’s not some special fancy Italian restaurant but the food has always been good , I love there pork chop and you get a second for half price and I enjoy there chicken parm they also have nice garden salad that comes with it , the portions are big enough that I always have enough to eat the next night great no but always good

[Carla B]

It's been a favorite restaurant from the time we ate at the original one in Houston when it first opened in the late 80's. I loved it because the dishes they served, although Italian, were "kicked up a notch" in flavor as a nod to Texan and Cajun cuisine.

They've been a part of the same company as Outback Steakhouse for many years and not local. Maybe they've been acquired by yet another corporation. It does seem that the menu has been scaled back and the food has declined in quality over the last ten or twelve years, although I haven't been there lately.

[collie1228]

This is interesting. After shopping at Michael's yesterday I mentioned that we hadn't had dinner at Carrabbas in awhile, so we decided to have dinner there yesterday. It was really good, both in service and food. Their bread is the best.

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I went last night I had chicken parm , 2 big pieces I could barely finish one and only ate half a large portion of pasta and nice crisp salad , my friend had one of there new combinations 5ounce steak with lasagna and something else’ I think maybe chicken she thought it was good I even had a cannoli, it turns out there 2 for $7 and good , look nothing special but always good , ask for Sue she is great waitress and funny

[Babubhat]

Consistently good but lunch specials were skimpy. Stick to regular dinner menu items

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

I don’t have to worry about lunch I never eat it . I have a protein drink and a piece of fruit or 2 at around 2 pm , I don’t have breakfast to around 10:30 because I get up at 9:30am

[CFrance]

I don’t have to worry about lunch I never eat it . I have a protein drink and a piece of fruit or 2 at around 2 pm , I don’t have breakfast to around 10:30 because I get up at 9:30am
Bogie, where are you?

[charlieo1126@gmail.com]

Thankyou for telling me I’m off topic , but while I’m here l would like to say I’m on my way to bonefish grill now

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Thankyou for telling me I’m off topic , but while I’m here l would like to say I’m on my way to bonefish grill now

...which is also owned by Bloomin' Brands, owner of both Carrabba's and Outback Steakhouse.

We usually get the $40 family lasagna bundle from Carrabba's curbside service and take it home. Plenty of leftovers and the bread and dipping herbs are awesome. I think they overcook the lasagna noodles, they're always way too soft. Overall it's a good deal though and tastes great.

We were there the other night for dine-in and I got the chicken piccata for the first time. Not impressed at all. The sauce wasn't really sauce so much as it was a thick over-salted coating. The capers had no flavor at all; I think the "sauce" absorbed all the salt but the tang got cooked out entirely.

Everything else was great though, there were five of us and everyone else was 100% satisfied with their meal.

[Garywt]

We had one near us in MA but it closed. My wife was not a fan.