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Red Lobster (1 Viewer)

fantasycurse42

fantasycurse42

Footballguy Jr.
This topic came up in a discussion during ShukeFiresideChat.

Shuke had mentioned that he hadn't been in a decade and remembered the food being subpar, prior to my visit there last week, my recollection was the same. 

We ate and drank a ton with two adults and two little children, with tip bill was $85 - the lobster was tasty enough, especially at the cost, coconut shrimp was fairly good (although I'd prob try something different next time), shrimp potstickers were not bad either - even the loaded baked potato exceeded expectations (although, they were low to begin with)... 

And those biscuits, ####, I ate about a dozen of them. 

Overall, it was a better dining experience than I anticipated and would recommend Red Lobster over a similar QSR in that price point like a Chili's, Friday's, etc. 

Anyone else like this place :bag:  ? 

 
It's passable (as far as chain restaurants go) as long as you pick the right items.

Anything breaded (like the coconut shrimp) generally turns out edible. I had a tiny little steak as part of a surf and turf last time I went and it was ok.

But anything that comes cooked in oil (like shrimp scampi) is vomit enducing. The crab always seems super low quality as well. 

My grandma used to love that place and insist we go there all the time. Now she's at the point mentally where she doesn't even remember she liked it. Can't say I mind. It's so much easier to just take her to Friendly's and get a basic sandwich or something

 
Been a few years since I've been to one.  Not great, but I would eat there under the right circumstances.  Wife doesn't like seafood, just fish and the kids would just get Mac n Cheese or chicken fingers from there so not really enough reason for me to go.  If I really wanted good seafood there are better options (albeit at a higher price point) 

 
I live in Florida, so no. I don't know how they exist here, but I do get it if you are in a landlocked state. I think old people here just go with a coupon and load up on the biscuits. 

 
Have not been in a while, but I always get the mix & match shrimp with all fried. The biscuits is the best part of RL, but you can buy the mix at the store now.

 
The biscuits are very high energy, honestly cannot recall much else about it.  Always was thought the lobster tank by the door one I went to years back was creepy.  I love lobster, but I don't want to see it alive beforehand.  :shrug:  

 
Don't like seafood, so I am not tempted to try it.  However, whenever my MIL takes one of my kids there for an occasion, I will scarf down the left over biscuits they bring home.

 
Red Lobster is fine - they have a decent lunch menu where you can get the biscuits, a Caesar salad and fish/shrimp/pasta for like $10.  You know what you are getting and as everyone has mentioned if you hate your entree just fill up on the biscuits.

 
I haven't been there in 35 years.  As a kid I loved it.  My parents would alternate letting me and my sister pick the restaurant when we were kids.  I always picked red lobster.  I think I liked the lobster tank. Also liked lobster.  My sister hated it.  Hated seafood.  Probably still holds it against me.

 
My MIL loves Red Lobster so my wife and I would take here there.  I keep hearing negative stuff about it but to be honest I love seafood of any type so I never minded going there.  They have good rolls and how can you screw up fried shrimp or grilled shrimp with butter?

 
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It's been a few years since I've been to a Red Lobster.  The biggest issue I had was that it was outdated and dirty.  It reminds me of Chi-Chi's before they went under.  The food was fine, the service was fine but my God, come on, replace the carpet, paint the walls, update the furniture, replace the dishes and utensils so I don't feel like I'm eating at my Grandma's place where it looks like time stopped 40 years ago.

 
Only go once or twice a year. I like it. Usually get Caesar salad, salmon, baked potato, broccoli, and load up in biscuits.

 
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Good story from back in my college days or shortly after.  Went golfing with my buddies and decided to hit up red lobster afterwards (guessing maybe like 4 PM).  Not even sure if we ate or just started pounding Lobster-Ritas (after a day of :banned: on the golf course) 

Needless to say we ended up pretty drunk and we're in no shape to drive so he calls his girlfriend to come pick us up.  She wasn't too happy but decides to come get us, so of course we have more drinks while we're waiting.  About 30 minutes later he gets an angry call saying she can't find us and he tells here were practically by the front door. 

Then "oh wait... are you at the red lobster by our house?   Yeah we went to the one by the golf course.  I probably should have mentioned that."

She wasn't happy, especially because we were basically out of commission by 6 or 7 and they were supposed to go see the local fireworks that night

 
We were in a Red Lobster about six months ago.  Part way through dinner these two people come in - one dressed as a lobster and start yelling that the lobsters are being treated badly and there is blood on our hands because we are eating at a Red Lobster.  This went on for a couple minutes as the manager and employees ushered these nut jobs out of the restaurant.  Most of the patrons were laughing about it and the wait staff was very apologetic. 

I was just laughed it off and enjoyed the dinner theater.  Quite entertaining.

 
I go once or twice each fall with some buddies for Endless Shrimp.  Knock out 80 or 90 then go into a food coma for ~12 hours. 

When I retire, I'm moving to Cheddar Bay.

 
Salty ### ##### at that place.  Why would anyone in FL go to one?  It’s like going to Taco Bell in San Antonio.

ETA:  Mrs. O makes cheddar bay biscuits that are 1,000 times better.

 
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Back in the 80s and 90s it was pretty bad. Like Shuke I hadn't been in a decade. Went one time on a whim a few years ago because the wife and kids had never been and wanted to try it. I was pleasantly surprised. Like others have said, you're not going to get 5 star quality food there, but $100 will get you a better meal there for a family of five than at other chain restaurants. For comparison sake, $100 at Joe's Crab Shack is a waste of money. 

 
I haven't been since college. I loved it back then. As a father of 4, I might take the fam there. I bet the kids would dig it and it's not that expensive. 

Oh, and my wife makes cheddar bay biscuits every year for NYE when we do big ### lobstahs. We don't even do any sides. Just lobster and biscuits!

 
fantasycurse42 said:
This topic came up in a discussion during ShukeFiresideChat.

Shuke had mentioned that he hadn't been in a decade and remembered the food being subpar, prior to my visit there last week, my recollection was the same. 

We ate and drank a ton with two adults and two little children, with tip bill was $85 - the lobster was tasty enough, especially at the cost, coconut shrimp was fairly good (although I'd prob try something different next time), shrimp potstickers were not bad either - even the loaded baked potato exceeded expectations (although, they were low to begin with)... 

And those biscuits, ####, I ate about a dozen of them. 

Overall, it was a better dining experience than I anticipated and would recommend Red Lobster over a similar QSR in that price point like a Chili's, Friday's, etc. 

Anyone else like this place :bag:  ? 
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I had a similar experience on MLK but it was with Outback Steakhouse.  I can't remember the last time I ate there, guessing 10 years easily and in that time I've become a bit of a food snob and having had outstanding steaks, began to look down on Outback as only a food snob would.

But after telling my older boys I'd treat them to dinner if they went with me to see my mom in the hospital, we started talking about where to go and the suggestion of a steak popped up.  We don't eat it very often and since my wife is a vegetarian, it's not anywhere we'd go as a family.  But, unless you go downtown and spend a fortune, Outback is about it for true steakhouses in our local area.

Pulled in and it was packed.  25 minute wait.  I asked the boys if they wanted to try somewhere else, but with phones and cozy chairs, 25 minutes wasn't too bad.  I think Outback is always packed, as is Red Lobster, IIRC.  Reminds me of all the people who bag the Boy Bands - nobody will admit to liking them and we all know they suck, but somebody was buying their albums.  I digress....

We got seated, had very good service, the bread hit our table warm and soft and the boys devoured it.  I was fearful that their beer selection would be Fosters or Miller but was delighted to get a tall Oregon craft IPA.  We all ordered 8oz sirloin, which came with a Caesar (or another side if you didn't want that) and your choice of potatoes.  Steaks came out timely, they were tasty and although I couldn't eat but 1/4 of my mashed potatoes, they were very good too.  Total bill was $70 which is probably more than I'd want to spend with just me and my two teenage boys, but damn it, we had a great meal together, there was not a morsel of steak leftover by any of us and not one of us looked at our phones the entire meal.  Easily worth the money and will definitely put it back in the rotation for when my wife tells us to have a "Man Night" away from the little kids and vegetarian.  

 
Ron Swanson said:
"Endless eat crab legs". Man, we put a-hurtin' on them.  Anyone else remember this?    Still one of the legendary restaurant management screw ups. Damn near put them under and cost the President her job.

https://nypost.com/2003/09/26/endless-crab-pigout-is-end-for-red-lobster-boss/
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We were a group of 6 or 8 guys in our early/mid 20's who still thought Red Lobster was a classy joint. Would roll in wearing shorts and polo shirts after a hard day of golf and proceed to eat-off with endless crab. A mound of shells would quickly grow on the table as guys polished of their 4th or 5th plate. Because it was endless, there was no point to hunt for every last shred of meat, just shell as quick as possible, wipe the congealed butter from your chin and wonder why none of us had dates that night.

 
Ron Swanson said:
"Endless eat crab legs". Man, we put a-hurtin' on them.  Anyone else remember this?    Still one of the legendary restaurant management screw ups. Damn near put them under and cost the President her job.

https://nypost.com/2003/09/26/endless-crab-pigout-is-end-for-red-lobster-boss/
Click to expand...
My dad tells the story about how they had endless KING crab legs in the 70s. He and his dad went every night for a week and just crushed it. The whole thing only lasted a few weeks before somebody got smart, and probably fired. 

 
Chesapeake Bay Seafood House, which was a small chain where I grew up, had all you can eat snow crab legs for at least 15 years.  I can remember going with 3 fellow JV defensive linemen.  I was the fattest, but could only manage like 8 plates.  My friend Chuck, who was just tall and strong, ate 43 plates.  And he had his share of the free hushpuppies (which were probably my personal Waterloo in this challenge) too.  

Still one of the two most impressive feats of eating I've ever seen.

 
General Malaise said:
I had a similar experience on MLK but it was with Outback Steakhouse.  I can't remember the last time I ate there, guessing 10 years easily and in that time I've become a bit of a food snob and having had outstanding steaks, began to look down on Outback as only a food snob would.

But after telling my older boys I'd treat them to dinner if they went with me to see my mom in the hospital, we started talking about where to go and the suggestion of a steak popped up.  We don't eat it very often and since my wife is a vegetarian, it's not anywhere we'd go as a family.  But, unless you go downtown and spend a fortune, Outback is about it for true steakhouses in our local area.

Pulled in and it was packed.  25 minute wait.  I asked the boys if they wanted to try somewhere else, but with phones and cozy chairs, 25 minutes wasn't too bad.  I think Outback is always packed, as is Red Lobster, IIRC.  Reminds me of all the people who bag the Boy Bands - nobody will admit to liking them and we all know they suck, but somebody was buying their albums.  I digress....

We got seated, had very good service, the bread hit our table warm and soft and the boys devoured it.  I was fearful that their beer selection would be Fosters or Miller but was delighted to get a tall Oregon craft IPA.  We all ordered 8oz sirloin, which came with a Caesar (or another side if you didn't want that) and your choice of potatoes.  Steaks came out timely, they were tasty and although I couldn't eat but 1/4 of my mashed potatoes, they were very good too.  Total bill was $70 which is probably more than I'd want to spend with just me and my two teenage boys, but damn it, we had a great meal together, there was not a morsel of steak leftover by any of us and not one of us looked at our phones the entire meal.  Easily worth the money and will definitely put it back in the rotation for when my wife tells us to have a "Man Night" away from the little kids and vegetarian.  
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Yea, I haven't been to an Outback in prob a decade either. When I was like 19, I thought ordering a steak at Outback was upscale dining  :lol:

My older son is a serious seafood eater along with an aggressive carnivore - but the expensive fine dining is reserved for date nights with the wife... He has been to a few nice steakhouses around town, but I'm done making that mistake. 

On your post here, I kinda like the idea of Outback, I'm going to take my boys there in the next week or two. 

 
fantasycurse42 said:
Yea, I haven't been to an Outback in prob a decade either. When I was like 19, I thought ordering a steak at Outback was upscale dining  :lol:

My older son is a serious seafood eater along with an aggressive carnivore - but the expensive fine dining is reserved for date nights with the wife... He has been to a few nice steakhouses around town, but I'm done making that mistake. 

On your post here, I kinda like the idea of Outback, I'm going to take my boys there in the next week or two. 
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My 13 year old asked if he could get the Ribeye, which was like $29 and I quickly shook my head 'no'.  :lmao:   The 8oz sirloin was the right choice for this crew at $18.99 per.  13 year old finished his first and it wasn't even close.  He probably could have gone with the 12oz, but that's too much for me.

Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised with this outing, as you were as well with yours.

 
General Malaise said:
My 13 year old asked if he could get the Ribeye, which was like $29 and I quickly shook my head 'no'.  :lmao:   The 8oz sirloin was the right choice for this crew at $18.99 per.  13 year old finished his first and it wasn't even close.  He probably could have gone with the 12oz, but that's too much for me.

Anyhow, I was pleasantly surprised with this outing, as you were as well with yours.
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I think the Outbacks and Red Lobsters of the world have probably improved in quality over the last few years, as they need to in order to survive. 

Just thinking about that Bloomin Onion and my stomach is feeling full.

I'm going to tell my wife we're going to Outback this weekend when I get home, I suspect she'll think I'm drunk.

 
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