Carrabba's - The Original On Kirby

This Houston institution is by far my favorite Italian restaurant. Of course they have all the old standbys, but they constantly have great specials and new menu items. if you haven't tried the original Carrabba's, you really have no idea what you're missing. The franchises are good, but there's nothing like the original.

I have been going 2 or 3x a week just for Take Out. I am midway through dental work and this is a great meal for me. The quality is far above any other Italian restaurant with a similar name. I can’t wait to take my daughters and try the Dine In experience. This reminds me of an old authentic restaurant from when I was a youngster. The professional high end atmosphere has me hooked. Thanks for Providing us with Old Fashioned Service and Quality.

The starter bread was my favorite. The food I do give 4 stars not over all my favorite for Italian. I got the Bryan Texas the chicken was really good juicy and tender and had a great flavor. The Alfredo fettuccine that was accompanied with was lacking flavor. My husband had regular spaghetti with red sauce and he said it was good but not great. I also want to point out that I am a little disappointed in the way they treat their customers (not the server, he was great and I give him 5 stars) but the waitress or the staff up at front. I was not dressed nicely since I have my son at the NICU and have been spending a lot of time in the hospital and they sat us all they in the back where I noticed they sit the families with babies/toddlers. I also couldn’t really walk due to c section and I couldn’t believe they sent me to the last table they had.

November 18, 2023: First time at The Original Carrabba's. Impressive ambiance; attended a birthday party as a guest. Once seated in dining area I viewed several birthday parties where the waiters were serenading tables with birthdays - what fun. The bread - crisp dark crust with soft sourdough interior - and olive oil with herb dip were excellent. They could offer this as a to-go option and make the city very happy. Service was attentive - our waiter and other Carrabba's team members kept our water and/or wine glasses filled and inquiries about the menu items were promptly answered. All the food served looked great at our party of nine table, but the portions varied; my dish was the seafood ravioli - delicious but the raviolis were pretty thin (photo provided). Person to my left had the 'Pasta Weesie' - incredibly rich looking (heavy with cream and butter - view the photo!), she ate only half and will try to 'thin' it with spinach and other items when eating it at home. The person in front of me had the Carbonara - delicious I was told. No one opted for dessert, but the birthday gentleman enjoyed being serenaded to and shared the birthday dessert with his wife and another guest. Overall, Carrabba's is a restaurant where memories are definitely made. I just have to try additional menu items...during lunch so I can afford more of their dishes.

There's a reason this place has stayed open and busy in a city that sees restaurants come and go like a summer cloudburst—consistency. The food is always good; the service is always excellent. By nailing those two elements, long success is almost a foregone conclusion. However, Carrabba's also has the added benefits of a great location and its cachet, along with not just consistently good food but a great variety of options. Cheers!