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Olive Garden, Glorietta, Philippines

Olive Garden, Glorietta, Philippines

Address: Third Floor, Glorietta 3, Ayala Center, Parkway Dr, Makati, 1224 Metro Manila, Philippines
Opening Hours: Daily 10:00am – 9:00pm
Facebook: Olive Garden Philippines

Olive Garden Menu

Olive Garden has finally arrived in Manila, but once again, I have several reservations if they’re able to bring their A-game from America to Manila. But of course, even though Olive Garden isn’t one of the top restaurants in Manila, I have no doubt it will do extremely well.

In Manila, there’s a secret formula for opening restaurants. Give the Filipinos something unlimited. Large portion sizes. Bonus points if its American. So Olive Garden? Definite success story in Manila.

Never mind that their Unlimited Salad or Soup offering isn’t truly “Unlimited”. You can’t share these salad and soup dishes. So make sure, to get more out of your money’s worth, eat as many as you can. I recommend the Zuppa Toscana for the soup. Spicy Italian sausage and potatoes in the creamy broth, and maybe a leaf of kale or two, because all the restaurants be scrimping on ingredients. Forget the Chicken and Gnocchi if you’re eating something heavy like Chicken Marsala pasta. As I said, eat as much salad and soup as you can.

A reminder: Olive Garden banks on their bread sticks as the selling point, not really their entrees or salad or soup. So don’t get your hopes up for the bread sticks. But sad to say, their bread sticks in Manila are disappointing. It’s too dry, so make sure to ask for some salted melted butter. It tastes almost like salted egg.

If you’re not satisfied with an appetizer heavy meal, try the Lasagna Fritta. But don’t get your hopes up. These mozzarella cheese babies wrapped in lasagna wrapper is nothing legendary. Salty. Cheesy. And fried lumpia wrappers.

Onto the entrees. Chicken parmigiana? I have no clue where the spaghetti went but they went crazy on the chicken parmigiana. Angel Hair Shrimp pasta? Olive Garden probably thinks their cooking meesua noodles.

Pizza? The worst I’ve ever eaten in my life. I’d choose Saizeriya than this.

Again, never mind the quality, folks. As usual, in Manila, you eat for show. You eat so you can say, “I’ve been there.” But then again, maybe stick to the unlimited soup/salad and breadsticks only and skip the entrees and you’ll do fine.