Olive Garden's Best Seafood Dish Isn't Shrimp Scampi Or Alfredo - Tasting Table

People choose Olive Garden for convenience, a fun atmosphere, good value, and familiarity across locations, along with breadsticks and a never-ending pasta bowl. Seafood is not the main draw, but herb-grilled salmon stands out. The salmon is described as perfectly cooked, with a slightly crisped exterior and a flaky, tender interior. The texture is firm and structured while retaining moisture for a juicy, flavorful result. A melted garlic herb butter topping adds a dipping sauce and strong seasoning. Online reviews and social media reactions frequently call the dish amazing, delicious, and the best menu item, and copycat recipes exist for making it at home.

"The filet was perfectly cooked, with a slightly crisped exterior and flaky, tender interior. The texture was firm and structured, but the salmon held onto its moisture well throughout cooking, creating a juicy, flavorful result. The fish also came topped with a melted garlic herb butter, which creates a delicious dipping sauce, and was very well seasoned. Our tester thought it was much better than some of the other chain restaurant salmon dishes out there, and if online reviews are anything to go by, she's not the only one."

"One YouTube user called it "amazing" in a video, saying, "I'm telling you, go to the nearest Olive Garden and get yours." The dish has also been called "delicious" on TripAdvisor, and a Reddit user said it was "the best thing" on the menu. Meanwhile, someone on TikTok who received the recommendation from an Olive Garden employee said in a video, "I'm shocked that the salmon is so good.""

"People go to Olive Garden for a few reasons. Convenience is a big one, as is the fun atmosphere, value for money, and familiarity between locations. Plus, those iconic breadsticks are pretty hard to beat, and there's a lot to be said for a never-ending pasta bowl. And while the seafood at Olive Garden isn't a major draw, there is one fish dish that might just be worth the trip: the herb-grilled salmon."

Read at Tasting Table