Red Lobster - VESTAL

Always good. Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $20–30 Parking space: Plenty of parking Parking options: Free parking lot

First, when we arrived, the receptionist didn’t provide a kid's menu for my 6-year-old son, so we had to ask the waitress for one. When she returned with the menu, we ordered our drinks, which came quickly, but that’s where the good experience ended. They didn’t have milk available. When our waitress, Jeanne, took our order, she was rude to my husband when he tried to order the salad/soda add-on for the all-you-can-eat shrimp. He wanted the combo, but when she asked what side he wanted with the shrimp, he said a side salad. I clarified that he wanted the salad/soda as an add-on and a different side for the shrimp, but she rudely replied, "Well, you have to tell me you want the combo!" Which we had, clearly. About 15 minutes later, someone else brought our biscuits. Then another 10 minutes later, our waitress came by to ask how we were doing. We just shrugged and said we were waiting for our food. She stammered that she just wanted to make sure we had biscuits. Forty-five minutes after we arrived, my husband’s and my meals finally arrived, but my son's meal did not. My husband’s salad also didn’t come, so he told the male waiter who brought our food that he didn’t need the salad anymore since the main dishes were served. This same waiter then delivered my son’s meal — with oranges instead of the broccoli he ordered. When the waiter brought the broccoli for my son, he asked if we needed anything else, so we placed another order for shrimp. Next thing we know, the waitress (who we hadn’t seen since she brought the biscuits) came to scold us for putting in our shrimp order with the waiter instead of her. When she asked how everything was, we mentioned the mix-up with the oranges and broccoli and that my husband didn’t get his salad. She blamed it on others and then made a point to say that since my husband canceled his salad, she took off the combo but charged separately for the soda. Around this time, the table next to us requested to turn off the air conditioning — yes, in November in New York when it was freezing! Also, one of the forks had green residue on it. I understand dishwashers can miss spots, but the person rolling the silverware should ideally ensure it’s clean. Jeanne never offered to refill our drinks, but thankfully, the male waiter who brought our food did, as my water had been empty for quite some time. I didn’t catch his name (he had young, curly blondish-red hair), but he truly deserves the entire tip we left because he was friendly and helped us with all the problems. When we went to pay, the machine needed a new battery, and my card didn’t work three times when I tried to tap. Finally, I inserted my chip, and it worked fine. Instead of leaving once she saw it working, Jeanne just stared at me as I added the tip — it was so awkward. The food was delicious, but needless to say, we won’t be returning anytime soon. Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $20–30 Food: 5 Service: 1 Atmosphere: 2

Beyond the outstanding service, the food was fantastic, too. A 2-pound lobster never disappoints, and I highly recommend the crab queso. The watermelon martini was a delightful surprise as well. I can't wait to come back—this place truly deserves it. Food: 5 | Service: 5 | Atmosphere: 5

The service was super! The food was okay. I don't think the food quality justified the cost. Parking: Plentiful parking. Wheelchair accessibility: The restaurant is wheelchair accessible. Service: Dine in Meal type: Lunch Price per person: $30–50 Food: 3 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 3 Parking space: Plenty of parking Parking options: Free parking lot

Service: Dine-in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $20–30 Food: 4 Service: 3 Atmosphere: 4