Does Fazoli’s suck? I’ve never been in there, but I am utterly nauseated by that sickening giant red tomato that they use on their sign. That, and they way they do their lettering makes me think that this is just a crass cheese-and-tomato-sauce-shoveling trashy ameritalian chain.
Well?
(For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, Fazoli’s is some sort of Italian chain, with what looks to be locations across America, except the West.)
The timing of this thread is absolutely uncanny. I had lunch in a Fazoli’s two days ago, having never heard of it before. I was visiting with some friends in Dayton, OH and a Fazoli’s commercial came on TV. I asked about the place, and they gave it rave reviews. We decided to lunch there the following day. I had cheese ravioli with meat sauce, and I really liked it. I am a former line cook in an Italian restaurant, and have some experience with Italian foods. Bottom line, the fact that Fazoli’s is set up like a fast food restaurant (you order at the front counter and get your order immediately) does not seem to affect the quality of the food, at least not at the location I visited. The tomato sign did stike me as somewhat tacky, although it did fit nicely with the Appleby’s next door.
Get the lasagna or the sampler platter and, of course, some cheesecake. How could you not like a place with unlimited garlic breadsticks?
Oh yeah! How could I have forgotten the breadsticks? A man came to our table three times to replenish the supply and they were all hot and fresh. A very nice touch.
Is it as good as Olive Garden?
I love it there. It’s fast food with taste instead of the weird assembly-line taste of McDonald’s. Our team gets together and eats there the night before a race. You don’t pay more than about $5 for a meal. The breadsticks beat the breadsticks of Olive Garden. OG has food that I’d probably say is better, but take it in context. $5 for good, fast Italian food or over $11 for slightly better food that you wait 30-45 minutes for?
Sometimes I drive-thru and pick some up to take home. The breadsticks never make it home though – lots of garlic, yummy.
[minor hijack] Just got back from Seattle a couple weeks ago. The boys insisted on taking me to Buca de Beppo (sp?) – what wonderful food! I gorged on the salad – if you wanted fresher greens, you’d have to shove Thumper aside. And what was that marvelous dressing?
And the “garlic bread”?! Here in Iowa, garlic bread is toast smeared with a margarine/garlic powder mixture. (I am not making this up.) The Beppo bread was a home-baked loaf (shaped like a flying saucer), cut in half, then drizzled with something wonderful – probably olive oil and real garlic.
Are there Beppos outside of Seattle? Every town should have at least one. [end hijack]
But Fazoli’s is good too.
My son, he’s in college up in Virginia, used to rave about Fazoli’s and not being able to wait to be able to take me.
So we go, it’s true the place smells delicious and the bread sticks are fabulous, but after that??? I had the chicken parmigiana, they served it with a PLASTIC fork, no knife, it was so tough, it was a fight all the way, and the chicken, even dead…won.
So, leave off the suck, since that’s a pleasant thing, but the chicken definitely ** mucked big time! **
Sounds pretty good. I guess I’ll have to try it.
oh, yeah! I love Fazoli’s! I can make a meal out of the breadsticks alone. Definitely go there!
AuntiePam: I too am in Iowa, and YES! we have a Buca di Beppo right here in Des Moines. (West Des Moines, to be exact). I love it - the food is excellent (but just a tad pricey). It doesn’t hurt that they have the most gorgeous waiter I have ever seen, either.
If you ever make it down to these parts, drop me a line and we can meet there.
When I was in college, there was a Fazoli’s about three minutes’ walk from my dorm. Good, cheap food, but it caused me to be rather gaseous. I don’t think I’ve seen any in California.
We finally got Fazoli’s here. The first one Rocked for a few months, then went to the Big Metropolis of Suckville. Then they got a new manager, which moved them back to Edible City.
The second one seems to have been more stable, and is consistently good. Wish the breadsticks had more garlic tho. 
Never been to Fazoli’s. but if they are being compared to Olive garden then they suck. Unless Oliven Garden has changed their MO, they have frozen crap sent to them from the headquarters. The one time I went there the fetucini had ice crystals in the middle, and the sauces were crap. Buca di Beppo on the other hand is good food, especially if you have a big group of people and a limited amount of money.
P.S. the waitress at Buca said the name meant Joe’s basement, which is kind of cool, can any Italian speaker verify that?
Two Fazoli’s restaurants near me. One is excellent, the other good. The baked zitti kicks butt and the breadsticks are awesome. You can’t beat the combination of price/convenience/taste. You could beat them on any individual measurement, but not on all 3 together.
Even though I’ve completely tired myself of it, I’ll still add a rave review. Excellent food, price, and service. I can’t go there anymore because I’m completely sick of the food, but I still recognize how good it is.
I’m reminded of the time I went there with a not so bright friend. They always play italian music in the store, and one time, this friend asked me what kind of music it was. “Italian,” I replied. “But it’s another language…,” he says. “Yes, it’s italian.” “Oh. Italian is a different language? I thought it was just english with a bad accent like irish or something…” Duhhhh.
I also went there when I worked construction. There was this little handicapped girl who went around with the breadsticks, and she was convinced she was ‘dating’ the guy I worked clean up with, and was going to marry him some day.
When I worked in a grocery store right across from one (119th & Metcalf Price Chopper, for the KC dopers), I went there on my break most every night. ~$2 for a drink and a cup of marinara, then free breadsticks till I was full. Nice way for a poor kid to eat dinner. I’ll also recommend their spaghetti, and the pizza is above par, also.
All around, a great little restaraunt chain. Hopefully it’s not owned by a mega-conglomeration I dislike, because I’d hate to not be able to go there again. Dopers? Anyone know? Check Chipotle off the list, turns out it’s owned by Mickey D’s. No more chicken burritos for me. Odd connection, seeing as how they sell T-shirts that say “Anything else rolled this tight would be illegal” or something similar.
–Tim
And those are not just garlic breadsticks… theyre the damn best readsticks this Skümmet has ever had!!!
I’ve only gone there once… When i was visiting the states a couple of months ago… but just the breadsticks alone is making me want to go back… just for one more meal… I had the lasagna… it was decent… no quite good really… but the whole plastic thing kinda turned me off… next time ill bring my own knife and fork 
those are ofcourse Breadsticks and nor… read-sticks… whatever that might be…
nor??? that was ofcourse meant so say “not”
I just think im not gonna post anymore today at all 
We have a few Fazoli’s in the central Florida area. The food is palatable and well-priced, unfortunely, the one near my office is understaffed and the tables do not get cleaned enough. [One day it was so bad, my friend and I asked the manager for some towels and we ended up cleaning all the tables for them (lunch rush and the customers were really p!ssy). He comped us a free lunch for helping out. Believe me, they were grateful.]
Thanks for the note on Buca de Beppo’s. New one is opening/just opened (?-not sure), but I’ll keep it in mind. OG is okay [haven’t tried Smokey Bones (new BBQ chain from Darden restaurants) and Bahama Breeze (another new chain from DR) is very good {IMO}], but trying to find a really good moderately-priced Italian restaurant in Tourist Central is not easy (though the nearby Romano’s Macaroni Grill is usually pretty good).