Applebee’s

Sigh
This place, just, ugh. Applebee’s is that restaurant you go to when your undecided to eat as usually can find something to make everyone happy. I have never gone in expecting great things but its a meal and a fair value and my son likes it.
Service is only reason I’m pushing for the second star. Really, their staff is genuine and humble in the face of all the issues I will go into detail below. It’s a nice thing to see. They may not be the most adept at their positions but they legitimately try.
As for the rest. Starting off, they were out of kid’s menus, no big deal with a smart phone but my son looks forward to coloring etc, had to listen to that for several minutes of him being upset. We received our appetizers before getting silverware. No kids cups (had to worry while my son almost knocked over his drink glass numerous times). All of the plates look old, becoming faded, have chips in them etc. Tables, carpet etc all in serious need of upkeep. Servers were all apologizing for the kitchen being short staffed and taking longer, the wait I didn’t mind.
I was talked into the «Brew pub philly» which honestly sounded enticing. What I got was a flavorless mess, well unless you count the overbearing beer cheese that saturated everything. I love me a messy sandwich, but nothing had any flavor, took a fair bit of salt and pepper to make it palatable.
Now, this isn’t the first or even third time I have eaten here, yet instead this was the one that finally compelled me to write about it. Too many oversights, too many inconsistencies and honestly begs the question of what sort of management they have in place as many of these are simple fixes.
But hey, the bathroom was clean.

Server was very nice. The chips and salsa!!! Not so much :(greasy chips… bro…GREASY CHIPS??? who would serve greasy chips?! Stop that! Let’s move on to that brown water they call soup. Um, how do I say this… work on that recipe, bro! The cheese has a weird taste to it. And hidden under the cheese is a soggy slice of french bread. The face I made said, «wth is this?» Um. hhmm…yea…let’s move on to that microwave steak. I ask for med rare… bro, this was all cooked meaning no pink and is was MUSH! how the hell you gonna charge a good bit for a microwaved steak… that you threw on the grill to get some marks!!! HHMMM??? No flavor = not one pinch of salt or pepper. Those veggies: broccoli was way overcooked. It had a consistency of baby food. Carrots could’ve broke a bracket or two (braceface) and that squash… let me tell you, I looked and it was green and hard! It wouldn’t break up after you attempt to bite it. For God’s sake Cook some good food! I wouldn’t feed this to a sewer rat. I won’t be back here anytime soon.

Horrible server. Before our waitress came over to our table, she made a statement to her co-​worker that «I’m ready to get up outta here». Christmas Eve, took forever to get our food out. Steak was small and the pasta dish lacked flavor and sauce. Waitress took 15 minutes to bring me my card back to me after I asked her where my card was. Never again. Horrible, just horrible.

This location is about 2 miles off of Interstate 20 and on the right side of Airline drive if heading westbound. Applebee’s is very consistent in their customer service standards, and this location is no exception. The lunchtime specials vary yet I chose the one that had the signature + signature, which was basically two sandwiches and a side of fries for a dollar or so more.
With a hot drink choice (tea), the bill came to just over $ 12, of which I gave the server $ 15. Considering that the lunch hour was quite busy for a Thursday, the server was very attentive and the staff was engaging. One staff member even offered me potato chips from her Dorito’s bag, which I thought was kind of cool.
Upon exiting Applebee’s, remember that you have to make a right turn and go down Airline Drive a few blocks to catch another light and then make a turn from there. Quite difficult to make a left turn to go to the interstate due to constant traffic across the lanes. Just an FYI.

The food was good. Not sanitary, but good. Our flatware was disgusting. The server brought us plastic flatware and it seemed like this is something she has to do often. Everyone has been super nice. Like when we got to the table and it had rice all over it, they cleaned it right off. We were quickly forgotten about however. We won’t be coming back.

Let’s face it… this place or any other in this chain will never be my first choice but I have stopped in a coupla times… once for lunch and once back on 1÷5÷13 as a meeting place with some buds before starting a night of revelry in the Boss City…
While I waited I ordered up one of their sirloin steaks to get something in the system other than booze… the steak was good and the garlic mashed potatoes were good as well… the price on the Scotch & Waters I was downing seemed a bit stiff for the Neighborhood Grill & Bar but what you gonna do? I was a captive audience as I was awaiting the aforementioned arrival of fellow compatriots…
Service at the bar was friendly, competent and fast… Look you are gonna get a meal that satisfies, you are gonna get cold beer if you want or stiff mixer if that’s what you order… Is it gonna blow your mind? No! But will it satisfy your urge? Yes…
Everything about the place was A-​OK so it gets the A-​OK rating of 3 stars…

I just tried their new dish, the steak and shrimp with parmasean cheese sauce. OMG! It was so GOOD! I will definitely get that next time I go back. I just hope they keep that on the menu. YUMMMM