Carrabba’s Italian Grill

The food is decadent. Almost overpoweringly flavorful. The food is always consistently delicious. The ambiance of the restaurant is very nice, but has somewhat of an ambiguous vibe. The wait staff is ok. Pleasant, but not overly welcoming and they are painstakingly slow. Lunches take well over an hour just because of the speed of service. The prices are somewhat on the high side, but worth it for the quality of food. I’d go again, but only when I had the time.

I don’t get it! People from «California» say it is «Pricey»?? (Do you ever go out in CA??) Still, we come here for the great service from «PAUL» at the bar. The bread is always hot & fresh! The dip is Fantastic! Food is prepared FRESH! Sometimes, I just get the asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto, side salad & the tomato mozzarella salad. My husband gets the linguine in clam sauce. All in all, a great night out… to relax! We do not think the prices are high! We just enjoy a place, where you can sit back & relax!

I’ve been to Carraba’s at least four times since they’ve opened. Have had a very good experience every time. Usually get the steak with soup to start, instead of salad, but last time I got the Mahi just to switch it up a bit. Started with Zesty Chicken soup which was delicious. The ‘zest’ is the black pepper added to the soup. I am a black pepper fan so I tried it and am glad I did.
When it came, there appeared to be a lot of pasta on top. No worries, the amount of pasta in the soup was not as large as it appeared and there were many large pieces of chicken and some veggies in a delicious broth. Very tasty, as was the Mahi and grilled asparagus. We got a basket of warm, fresh bread before the soup came which we also enjoyed very much.
We wanted dessert but did not order any because the few desserts they have are priced rather high. I won’t pay six, seven or eight bucks for a slice of pie or cake. Unfortunately, many restaurants price their desserts in this range therefore I go elsewhere for a sweet.

This was my first time eating at a Carabbas. Soup and salad were amazing. Entrees were good too. Service was exceptional. The only thing that missed the mark was the deserts. Will definitely be back.

This place is always busy. Parking lot is a bit cramped, but never a real problem because one can always park at the adjacent lots belonging to the mall. A couple of weekends ago we ordered all pasta dishes: Shrimp and Scallop Linguine Alla Vodka, Fettuccine Carrabba, and Whole Grain Spaghetti Pomodoro with Spinach (Kid’s Menu). We were happy with our dishes, though we thought the servings size were a bit small. Service was excellent. Our son’s Whole Grain Spaghetti was under-​cooked and it was immediately redone and they made absolutely certain that we were satisfied.
Last Friday we tried their online ordering to avoid waiting in line. We truly impressed with their Curb Side pickup service. They reserved 2 – 3 parking spots for Curb Side pickup. As soon as we parked our car there, a staff came out with our food literally within seconds. I ordered Mussels in White Wine Lemon Butter and Tuscan-​Grilled Pork Chops. The mussels were good but there were 3 – 4 bad ones and I had to spit them out. The pork chops, on the other hand were impeccably reasoned and cooked to perfection — one of the best pork chops I’ve had!
Though Olive Garden provides better value, we enjoy our occasional splurge here. This place deserves 4 stars!

It was a good place for a special occasion. Note: call to reserve in advance. The service was pretty good, and was very knowledgeable. And told us a lot for us begin our first time. Went with my boyfriend, we had calamari and had soup they were kind of spicy. When I had the main dish it was good. Price and I would go back just double checking what is too spice and what is not.

I went for dinner this weekend with some friends and had an awesome experience. The food was good and even though it was busy the service was quick. Everyone working was pleasant our server especially. His name was Hollywood and he was charming and really made the night out more enjoyable. This was a great restaurant all around .good food great service, I recommend it.

4 people in our group. 1 shrimp dish, 1 chicken dish, spaghetti and 1 other kind of pasta was ordered. Everyone loved their food, all was fresh and hot. Bread was good also. I would have given it 5 stars but the service was pretty bad. To be fair they were slammed. Absolutely would go again. Best Italian in the area

Went here with a group of 10 for a last minute celebration. They were great about fitting us into one table. The service was efficient (maybe too fast — the waitress was ready to take our order as soon as we sat down) and friendly. The ambience is nice — not too noisy, even by the bar.
I had the spaghetti pomodora which was great. However, my only complaint is that, out of a pretty large menu, there are only 2 entrée selections for vegetarians. This place is supposed to be Italian, but I’m pretty sure Italians really don’t eat that much meat. I wanted the lasagna w/​marinara sauce but it was «pre-​made» (frozen?) and couldn’t be altered. That left the option of spaghetti or cheese ravioli. Here are some suggestions for other great Italian dishes: eggplant parmesan, mushroom risotto, gnocchi w/​vodka sauce, stuffed shells, baked ziti, or just really any pasta with more sauce /​vegetable selections. Or even a salad that’s a meal, not just a side dish. It wouldn’t be that hard!
Overall, recommend the place if you aren’t a vegetarian or vegan.

Fettuccine and meatballs is my favorite dish here at Karaba’s. It’s not on the menu but the chef has no problem making it special. Karaba’s has a great atmosphere suitable for family or business meals, and great food. My only reservation is the prices are a little high, but the foods perfect every time.

Fettuccine and meatballs is my favorite dish here at Caraba’s. It’s not on the menu but the chef has no problem making it special. Caraba’s has a great atmosphere suitable for family or business meals, and great food. My only reservation is the prices are a little high, but the foods perfect every time.

Mussels in White Wine Lemon Butter was flavorful and generous enough for two.
Bread was hot and fresh.
Waitress was very accommodating, and pleasant.
A great place for special occasions or first date as well as everyday eating.
We eat here practically every week

From a chain and local stand point: I was happy with my service. I was in the mood for italian and not in the mood for expiramenting with a new place.
It was a nice change from many of the other chains on Carlisle Pike. Of course, this is nothing worth going out of your way for, but it has a diverse menu, tranquil environment, and so far… good service. The fact it’s 5 mins from my place and they make a solid sangria is a plus! The chicken Bryan was great.

I guess Carrabba was the smaller alternate version of Olive Garden. We came here for lunch as it was just right outside the base for logistic reason. They have similar décor than other standard fashion chains, and the lightning was not too dark.
I started with some sausage & legume soup, and it was interesting twist on legume since they are generally considered healthy, and adding sausage in there turned the soup 180 deg. I got the Tag Pic Pac with Shrimp as entrée, I thought the name was a bit awkward, but I suppose it stands for Tagliarini with Picchi Pacchiu sauce. The dish looked ok in an artistic way, however, taste was quite the contrary, as the dish was quite bland with exception of the grilled shrimp which has nature flavor.
After the meal, you get the feeling of «what the heck did I eat?» I guess this is a place your grandparent might enjoy. Service was a bit slow, which was a bit surprise for a chain.

It’s not dirty and our waiter was really nice so that’s why this gets a two.
Let’s talk curb appeal first. It truly draws you in seeing the warm inviting colors and the large signage, but why on Earth th planners decided to put the front door facing the highway I do not understand. It’s Friday night and the place is full plus it’s summer so people are naturally going to go outside to wait, but you can’t hear yourself think over the roar of the traffic. We did call ahead seating for a family of four and still waited 15 minutes when we arrived.
I ordered the «signature» red Sangria. It came with two orange slices in it and a lot of ice. The Sangria had very little aroma and the taste was below average, almost as if I received the bottom of the bottle. I had to send it back. My corrected glass had less ice, the oranges & a lime wedge (not sure how it is «signature» if it’s made different each time), and much better aroma & taste. The bread with olive oil & spices was bland. I ordered a signature dish: Tag Pic Pac with Shrimp. $ 11.49 but for 5 shrimp you can pay $ 16.49. THAT’S $ 1 PER SHRIMP!!! Crazy mark up for a mediocre meal. The Tag refers to the type of pasta used and it has tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic. The shrimp tasted great, there should have been more of them. My pasta was overcooked and too heavily garlicked. I feel at this point I should tell you that my husband and brother in law inhaled their food with no complaints. My sister in law ordered steak medium well that was more rare than well. Dessert was AMAZING!
The atmosphere is a contradiction in terms. They have low lighting to create comfort, intimacy, relaxation, peace, etc; but then they have an open view kitchen to watch the chefs. This is very loud! And there is fires, chaos, aromas, and talking. It’s very confusing. Are we to be amped up by the energy of the kitchen or relaxing as if we are on a piazza in Italy?
Bottom line: Go a bit down the road to another place.

One star for the awful standard pasta and sauce. It was really a disappointment. The standard salad w creamy italian was another disappointment. Here you are in PA farm country with some of the best tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce. And to be served what they served was very disappointing. I meant to order chicken franchese but instead ordered chicken marsala. Bland! Of course the bread and herbed olive oil dip was out of this world.
Wife Lobster Ravioli was good.
Not bad enough to remove from list but I will be ordering something different next time. A garlic pasta. A Caesar salad. We will see.

We love this place, sit at the bar… very relaxing. Service & food are great. No «rush» here! Every meal comes out with a great presentation, not like some chains… that just throw the food on the plate! Do not think the prices are high, as, they give you a different variety. We order a chicken or seafood meal. Have great specials on the Amici club!
People on these reviews speak of Olive Garden, well, I used to get their mussels, but, no longer on the menu, so, I emailed them about this. I stated since you longer have them, I will be going to Carrabba’s! «IF» we do go to Olive Garden, we get the salad, bread stix, two glasses of wine & leave. Sometimes, my husband gets a chicken dinner. DO NOT WANT THE PASTA HERE.

Do I really need to do a review for Carrabba’s? It’s always good. Service is at the top of my list. Amoré Mondays is great way to get people in to enjoy a good meal at a great cost. There was so much food I had plenty to take home. Carly was professional and attentive.

Good Italian food, but a little on the pricey side for my taste. Like an upscale Olive Garden

This is not Italian food people, don’t waste your money. There are a lot of traditional food that are better try them instead of a chain, that can’t cook Italian.

Carrabbas has long been one of my favorite chain restaurants even before they came to the area. The food, particularly the chicken, off of the wood fired grill is an excellent flavor. My favorite is absolutely the chicken bryan.

Visited Carraba’s with my family tonight. The service was excellent (Alyssa was kind and sweet). We put our name on the wait list through the website and only waited about 10 minutes. The calamari was really really good. My husband and son had steak and lobster ravioli, very flavorful. I had lobster mac and cheese that had plenty of lobster in it. It is pricey, but a perfect place for a special dinner. Definitely worth it!

I can always count on good food and great service whenever I pass through. I have been here many times and only had about 2 slightly off days.
Visiting other locations in different states have yet to yield such great results. Being at this location, gives you the feeling that you’re in a small mom/​pop rather than a chain.

The service was great, especially for us having a party of 9. The wait wasn’t too bad, but what can you expect for a saturday night.
I got the chicken marsala w/​fettuccine as the side and salad. It was very delicious. The bread and oil is great as well. Carrabba’s is better than Olive Garden in my own opinion.
The bar area was a bit hectic, surprised it was that crazy near the bar since we are in a restaurant and not bar.
The issue here is the parking, it sucks. They need to figure out for this restaurant. So much wasted space in the area right in front of the door that could have been used.

I’m going to start out by saying I’m not a fan of chain restaurants. But after eating just about everywhere else (and their 15% off coupon), we decided to try it. What a nice surprise! Food was good, service even better. I love Grey Goose Martinis, dirty, up. It totally makes my day if they have bleu cheese stuffed olives for garnish. They didn’t. But guess what? They made some just for ME. Made my whole day. Hubby wanted veal parm, and even though it’s not on the menu they made that for him too. Surprisingly, he said it was the best he ever had. I had a bite and I wholeheartedly agree. And if you’re a calamari fan, order theirs. Spectacular. Will definitely be back as we throughly enjoyed both our visits! Interesting menu plus great, more than accommodating service gives this place 5 stars from me!

When you can come to a restaurant 5 minutes before closing an get the same quality an service as opening time that’s amazing this is an has always been my favorite restaurant Carlisle pike Mechanicsburg pa great food great service

My first trip to Carrabbas was the best. I will never forget it. It was our trio’s Christmas gift exchange. One of the three is a diehard fan of the Olive Garden, and so on a whim we decided to branch out and conquer new territory. We were all glad we did!
The first and perhaps best thing we noticed about Carrabba’s was the bread. Freshly baked, soft and warm, and served with that delectable oil and savory herbs. Love love love it! I always managed to down at least 3 loaves, and I always take one along home with me. Forget the bread sticks at Olive Garden (though my mom still has a soft spot for them).
Perhaps only one thing could be better than the bread that was brought to our table and that would have to be the lady who brought it. Paula where are you? Why did you leave this place without leaving a forwarding address? This waitress was the absolute best I ever had. She made the whole experience worthwhile. She could have served us dishwater soup and we’d have loved it. But sadly she no longer works there, and no one knows what became of her. Now don’t get me wrong, the rest of the staff isn’t bad, but Paula was definitely top notch.
Everything I ever ordered here was good and they often run special promotions such as BOGO Steak and Lobster meals (which I indulged on several days in a row) and discounted pizzas on holidays like Halloween. Recently they started the new $ 15 menu and that has also earned my approval.
There is one complaint I must make however, though it is not directly targeted at this location. One of the best things I ever ordered here was a dessert. The Mixed Berry Crostata is my all time favorite dessert dare I say ever ordered in a restaurant. We devoured that tart and all of its precious morsels. So why am I complaining about it? Because it was seasonal and I have yet to see it come back.
In summary, if you like the Olive Garden you are going to like it here, but you may find yourself liking the Olive Garden a little less upon leaving.

Went on a sunday afternoon around 2 so there wasn’t much of a crowd which was nice. Good atmosphere.
Not a fan of the bread even though it was fresh out of the oven-​too much garlic and salt for my taste in the olive oil.
Salad was good, I had the Italian Vinaigrette dressing, wasn’t heavy or oily.
My Linguine Pescatore was a very good sized portion. I normally never order pasta out so this was a first. I was surprised to find that my meal had about five mussels, 5 scallops and three shrimp. I always count because most entrees that include seafood have meager pieces of seafood. The size and amount was perfect for the size bowl of pasta I had.
I did have them swap out the spicy marina which they did and it did have a little heat to it. I’m not a personal fan of crushed red pepper. It wasn’t a problem and there was no err to my order.
For normal entrees the portion size was very good, however their pick three for $ 15 seemed very small. My friends are big Olive Garden fans and they liked the food but would rather go to the OG for a larger portion and less cost.
We had the Lemon-​cello Bread pudding which was good. The big dollop of ice cream on top was a little too much for me. I would have rather gotten it on the side.
Overall order a normal entrée, a desert and an espresso and enjoy your meal!