Applebee’s

Mid afternoon, only 5 people in restaurant, service very slow. We ate in the bar and the server was more interested in friend. Cooks were slow also. Have never seen a crowd in here

The menu changes regularly, so what you like on the menu may not be on the menu in a few months. You are seated promptly. The appetizers might not come out promptly if it is too busy. Presentation definitely beats the quality of the food. Some menu items are fresh, while others struggle to even taste like it. The drinks are usually excellent. Would definitely recommend the quesadillas are good appetizers. They usually have good chicken dishes, but watch the ingredients. I would say this Applebees beats fast food. However, would say Blazing Onion, Anthony’s, the Greenhouse, and the Gourmet Burger Shop provide better quality in their food. This food is definitely average, but sometimes has a few good things show up on the menu occasionally.

The lunch time is the right time if you ask for a table in Ryan Tolberts section. He has years of fine dining experience which elevate good food here to great!
Make sure you tip him well as he will cater every detail and give you honest feedback about the dishes so that if you are trying something new you are not trying it without a detailed explanation and good advice.
Odds are if you listen to Ryan you will have a 5 star dining experience here. Best service i have had at lunch anywhere including 5 star dining restaurants.

We first ate here back in January 2014 and enjoyed the food and the service. So, this past Sunday when we decided to have lunch in Gig Harbor we stopped in. First sign of trouble: no one at the front desk. There were about 5 servers in the entire place: four were at the opposite end of the restaurant. The fifth was at the bar gathering up dirty dishes to, I guess, take back into the kitchen. Absolutely no one looked our way.
The restaurant was maybe a little less than half-​full of customers – almost all of them seated on the opposite end from where we were standing. We waited for 2 minutes with no one coming to where we were waiting and so we left and wound up having a fabulous meal at another restaurant within walking distance.
Have no idea how the business is doing but understaffing your restaurant on a Sunday afternoon is not going to help it at all. There’s no excuse for the failure to train staff to keep an eye on front door for incoming customers. Then all it takes is a greeting and «we’re a little busy but if I can ask you to be patient someone will seat you in a few minutes.» There, you’ve told us the situation and set our expectations. Too many restaurants fail to adequately train their managers and staff in these simple basics of good customer service. No wonder this Applebee’s has been getting terrible reviews for months.

This one is horrible! Me and my husband got yelled at for asking for a server that we like and no one tried to help us and the food is not all that great. The manager will ignore you and argue with you. Don’t go to the Gig Harbor Applebee’s.

Enjoy the staff but tried of paying for so many extras added to the bill. Most stuff normally comes with the meal at other restaurants but seems like Applebee’s nickle and dimes u to death. Just there tonight and bill came to 107.00 with tip. They r not a high class restaurant just a family restaurant so stop all the extra charges. Have tried numerous times but won’t go back!

The staff was the only positive. This used to be a go to restaurant for my husband and I. And it’s now black listed. We will NEVER return. The food was obviously frozen. If the kitchen isn’t filled with only microwaves, then the condition is sadder than I thought. It was as if everything had been tossed into a microwave and slopped onto a plate. Awful. Even if someone paid us to go, we wouldn’t return. We would leave hungry because nothing is edible.

Embarrassed. Tried to hold the food down. Had to leave early. The commercials lied. The beef is gelatinous. My girlfriend puked times 3. She is no fun and in a bad mood after this food. Paid to much for food she couldn’t digest. She is unhappy. Now I have to live with her.

Staff doesn’t know their own menu. I asked if one omission from a dish were possible and was assured absolutely. It came with the ingredient. Sent back. About 15 minutes later was told it wouldn’t be possible to make it without.
Food finally arrived (To Go) while half of my party had finished, and left!
Management was good enough to comp my replacement meal but the whole thing was a bit too-​late to save the dinner.
It’s good for small children. And the mashed potatoes are super garlicy and good.
Oh, the steak was scary (I know, no shock). But it has some sort of thick, rubber tendons running through the middle. I’d never seen a cut of meat that included whatever inedible veins or tendons they were. Turned me off red meat for a good while.

How would a restaurant with 9 TVs in its bar area not have a Mariners game on? Women’s college softball and golf on all TVs.

You’re reading a review for Applebee’s, so you’ve already got some sort of preconceived notion of what this place is. If you’re on Unilocal,you probably hate that several hundred other restaurants share the same name and menu. It’s a corporate restaurant, with a corporate menu… Eating good in the neighborhood. Blah. We’re all individuals and we deserve to be treated as such.
Well, if you stopped reading at the end of the previous paragraph you’ve done yourself a disservice. Granted, you’ll probably never set foot inside this building and quite honestly, they don’t need your negative attitude, because the culture at THIS Neighborhood Bar and Grill is top notch. Everybody is appreciated, everybody is treated as a special guest, and that starts at the top with management. Brenda, a manager at this location, is a whirling dervish of quick rebuttals, one liners, stories, and everything else that one could possibly ask for from a person is the food service industry. She’s quirky and outspoken, hilarious and helpful, but also completely lovable all at once. Her team also follows her friendly lead.
We go to restaurants for things that we can’t replicate at home. Many diners confuse this irreplicable Je né sais quai with food items on the menu. It isn’t. What we really crave is to be treated better than we are in our own kitchens. Grilled chicken breast will always be grilled chicken breast whether it’s cedar, gas, or whatever. We just trick ourselves into believing the wizardry lies in the kitchen. While the men and women in the kitchen deserve tons of credit, HOW their menu is presented is what brings customers back. I’ll be coming back here again.
I just watched a bartender get overwhelmed because the world descended upon her restaurant all at once. It happens to the best of us. But what I saw next was what spawned this review. Brenda and her staff jumped into action to take care of every customer in the bar and at the rail. They were ALL friendly, polite and sincere. Though they won’t be tipped out at the end of the shift for their help, they did so because they’re a part of a team. They stabilized the bar and gave the reigns back to the bartender with everybody having a drink in hand and a food order on the way. Though it hasn’t always been this busy on all of my visits, I’ve always received this level of service here.
The people make any restaurant succeed, and this restaurant has them in spades. Sure, the chicken was great, but that’s not why I came here. After all, I’ve got some in the fridge at home.

What happened to the «neighborhood grill»? I just ate there. We had Salsa Verde Nachos, Chopped chicken salad and Thai Shrimp salad. Water for drinks and the bill was over $ 30, without tax. The nachos had about 1 oz. of meat, a drizzle of cheese and a hint of Pico de Gallo. Flavor was ok. The chopped salad was decent size and good flavor. The Thai shrimp salad was tiny! But, it did come in a large bowl! Flavor was alright but it really was side salad size. Those details should be explained in advance. Our waitress was pleasant but not very helpful. Doubt I will return for some time. I should have checked recent reviews on this site.

Worst Customer Service! They always mess up on my orders. First of all it took them 30min to bring us our drinks and another 15 to take our order. They messed up on my friend & I’s order. I asked for no onions in my entrée and there it was… I hope this company improves on their customer service, and organization skills.

I come here on a regular basis and was floored by my last experience.
Ordered food and as I bit down I get a rock something in my mouth. I tell the bartender who takes my plate (which was pretty much empty) and they try to figure out what it was.
No apology what so ever
Are you effing kidding me???
A simple apology would be fine and I wouldn’t of been annoyed to all hell

I’ve only been to an Applebees in Bellevue once.
I went to the Gig Harbor Applebees out of desperation (my boyfriend is really picky) and we knew we’d have a better chance of both finding something to eat on a big menu. We just moved to the area and were unfamiliar with the «good» restaurants in town and figured we’d go here.
We’ve been here now 4 times — and every time we go, we are seated quickly, the servers are top notch and we are treated like royalty. Exaggerating? Absolutely not. It’s ridiculous how nice and courteous these folks are.
Oh, yeah and the food is fantastic. Each time, the food has been consistent in it’s goodness and the staff consistent in their courteousness.
Each time, I’ve given the staff a 40% tip. And I’m pretty cheap so that tells you something. I’m not sure if this experience is across the board in all Applebee’s — but this one in Gig Harbor has done it right.
Kudos to all the staff at Applebees in Gig Harbor. Truly now, one of my favorite places to eat!

Seriously, can a meal there ever be hot?!
Hire a good runner or something. I have yet to have a hot meal there. Everything is always like warm. I would have even sent what I ordered back tonight (three cheese chicken penne) if we hadn’t been in a rush.

I usually try to patronize local restaurants, before choosing a chain establishment. But, one night I decided to try the new-​ish Applebee’s in Gig Harbor. I’ve now been back a few times, only for take-​out. The reason I keep coming back is 1) the diversity of the menu 2) the staff. The staff at this location is just outstanding! There hasn’t been one visit there I didn’t leave feeling like a valued customer. Seriously. the bar, door, and serving staff, were stellar. That is what I usually visit location restaurants for. the personal service.
The Applebee’s menu is extremely diverse, with lots of new items. The portions aren’t huge, which is actually great. I’ve never been disappointed with my food choices, though I was bummed that my pasta entrees were completely cold last time. :(
I will continue to visit this location. The food is standard family chain restaurant, but their menu is imaginative, with so many choices. The prices are good, and the décor is interesting. All Applebee’s are very loud, though, I think that’s what they’re going for. And okay, the only real «con» of this location is the heater turned up to 80 degrees most of the time, it’s unbearable, but I guess it makes people buy more drinks. lol

Fantastic service from an energetic wait staff.
We recently moved out here from the city and after 3 trips to Applebees I had to write a review sharing my positive experiences. We’ve had a different waitress each time and all 3 have been terribly nice. The food has always come out quickly and the restaurant itself is usually decked out in seasonal gear, not to mention the Seattle sports wall on one end (hey, even Sounders coverage — sweet!).
The food is good, in my opinion. Anyone coming to Applebees expecting a Ruth’s Chris steak WILL be disappointed. The steak is $ 10 here for a reason, folks. I don’t beat up my Kia salesman so much because the car doesn’t have air conditioned seats, you know? ;)
Despite being a national chain, they do have some good food items. I absolutely love the pretzel stick & cheese dip appetizer. I haven’t seen this anywhere else and it’s good just by itself. I’ve had the burger, a chicken dish, and the steak. None of it was award-​winning, but if you were expecting that you don’t come to Applebees.
I come here because it is inexpensive, consistent, and the staff always puts a smile on my face. That’s what Applebees is supposed to be about, right?

Pros:
The staff was super friendly and efficient. I gave our waiter an $ 8 tip even though my bill was only $ 10. He and his wife both work there, «salt of the earth» type of people.
My bill was only $ 10 for steak, potatoes and a salad.
Great central location with plenty of parking.
Cons:
Totally predictable menu with low quality food. There’s a reason why they can sell steak and potatoes for $ 10. I suspect their food comes frozen from china.
The décor. No! What year is it in there? I felt like it was 1996 and I was a freshman in HS. So awful.
Verdict:
You get what you pay for.

It’s Applebees … and you are going to get your typical Applebees experience. Knowing that — this location gets a solid 4 stars. I wasn’t incredibly WOW’d, but they definitely met my expectations as they work out the kinks of their newness.
Everything is clean, and the servers are happy & excited to be working there (clearly still in the honeymoon phase). Check out the HH … good deals on drinks and food.