We ate at Applebees on the east side the other day. Ordered a dry martini on the rocks. They brought it to the table and it was brown. Oops. Brought me a new one…this time in a martini glass and it was still brown. Oops. Ordered a steak (medium) and wrote how to make a martini on a napkin and said, its on the rocks and should be served in a tumbler glass. They brought it back in the tumbler…and it was brown. My lady couldnt stop laughing as the waiter apologized again and went back to the bar for another redo. He returned with our food. My steak was well done and very tough. Her chicken salad arrived as she enjoyed her perfectly made glass of sofa. After a few bites, my drink arrived…made with gin instead of vodka. We took the salad home and received a $2 credit on the bill for the inconvenience. If you go there, order the chicken salad. Its very good.

Waylon Conner: I mean you went to Applebees. I dont feel bad.

Ryan Collins: East Side Of ?? !

Riley Manning: Appleton.

Ryan Collins: Jim did they make U drink all the Brown ones too ! lol

Riley Manning: LOL nope. They took them all back and let me sip on the gin one. My guess is they just kept pouring the same drink in a different glass until they got the instructions. My regret is not getting a picture of the drink with ice in the martini glass. We got a chuckle out of that one.

Lorelai Carroll: Who goes out to a chain and orders a martini?? I am shocked you would even think of it Jim!

Nicolas Nichols: funny…but kind of pathetic.

Marlee Floyd: I would bet money they were putting sweet vermouth in the drink.

Riley Manning: The waiter thought they added bitters.

Marlee Floyd: Both are wrong. 😉 I feel bad for you!!

Mackenzie Houston: I thought the same thing!

Lorelai Carroll: Marlee Floyd: He deserved it for even going there, lol!

Esmeralda Ruiz: Or they made a Manhattan insted

Jesus Harrison: did you call corporate howling???

Riley Manning: Naw. Just thought it was a comedy of errors. Had to share the experience. The waiter was cool about it all and I gave him a good tip.

Jesus Harrison: bust them!!

Lillian Knight: Oh Jim 😁 the last time I went to Applebees, our food was crummy and so was the service. Tried the other side if town and had the same experience. Havent been back

Waylon Conner: When did this website become about classically crappy chain restaurants?

Jesus Harrison: its about all restaurants not just our local ones

Penelope Holt: I gave up on Applebees. String of terrible service and food. Its has been on a downward spiral for years. Its too bad, its close to our home.

Paul Simpson: Years ago I had a few favorites there I would crave once in awhile but the quality just went downhill. When you order the same things every time you can tell when corners are being cut. I heard the chain is suffering and I cant say Im shocked.

Savanna Miller: Same. We used to like Applebees but it has really gone downhill. Wont go there anymore after a few bad meals.

Beckett Reeves: We had an awful experience at Applebees. I didnt want anything spicy so I ordered a grilled chicken with grilled veggies on pita bread but with the cirratcha on the side. 30 min after I ordered, the waitress said that the cirratcha comes mixed with the SHRIMP. I told her I ordered chicken so she had to check with the kitchen. 10 min later she came back saying that she was mistaken. She did order the chicken. I said it would have been nice to know that 40 minutes ago. Bring me a menu. by that time I decided I was not hungry and would just take some of my husbands food. The manager then came over and apologized for the mistake and said that I would not be charged for the food I did not receive. I responded thats big of you. He didnt offer anything else we paid the bill and left, forever.

Amina Gilbert: If you must go there try the one in Neenah.

Kendra Little: Dont go there anymore. Food is mediocre at best and overpriced.

Kameron Weber: A martini at Applebees? Thats like asking the chef to visit your table at mcdonalds! Sorry just thought it was funny

Madelynn Walsh: Why on earth are we reviewing chains? Stupid and a waste of time. Lets focus on the local spots.

Kameron Weber: Im gonna review your taste in music next!

Cadence Yates: I dont understand this. They have a bar, it should be easy to order one of the first drinks a bartender ever learns. Thats a low risk order no matter where you go. No difference just because its a chain.

Kaleb Mccormick: That location is particularly terrible

Theodore Gibson: Used to like their French onion soup, not anymore! Used to love their Santa Fe salad…took it i

Lorelei Carpenter: Hubby and I used to go there for the French onion soup as well until they started serving it in a bigger cup with less soup. Isnt the point of French soup to have the cheese melted over the cup and sliding down the side?

Paul Simpson: Speaking of french onion soup, I sure wish Friar Tucks was still around. Love their soup! We hit them up every time we are in Oshkosh or FDL.

Theodore Gibson: off the menu. Dont go there anymore!

Eli Malone: I had a steak at Applebees it was as tough as old rope. However they bought out a perfectly cooked one to replace it.

Ariana Mason: Stopped going years ago for all said reasons 🤢

Lucas Wong: Went to the Appleton east one 2 weeks ago, we were seated and it took 10 minutes for our server to come to the table. We ordered drinks and another 10 minutes passed and we still hadnt gotten them yet! We got up and told the hostess we were leaving, she asked if she could get the manager and we said it would probably take another 10minutes for them to show up, and left!! When we lived in Neenah, we frequented the Neenah store often and had NO problems there!! Amazing they are still open if this is how they operate their business in tis manner!!

Charlee Allen: Thank goodness you get good food, drinks and service by me 😉

Lucas Wong: Yep!! Never a problem at Micheals!!<3
Charlee Allen: Michiels Bar and Grill

Juliana Moreno: Ive heard the west side one is better. Ive had great steak at the west side one.

Harley Nichols: Just a tip…skip appleton and head over to neenah. Totally different experience.

Carlos Knight: What kind of a foodie goes to Applebees?

Wren Ryan: And complains about a bad martini…Duh!

Ayden Tate: I havent been there in a decade…I guess I know why now.

Leilani Horton: Applebees on w college sucks too Neenah does ok

Addison Christensen: We are swimming in good local restaurants around here. Why on earth would anyone go to Applebees?

Cadence Yates: Im sorry, but Applebees has a bar and a specialty cocktail list. The drink was a dry martini. You learn that on day one of bartending. Its reasonable to expect that they could handle pouring vodka/gin and a few drops of dry vermouth into a tub glass of ice. Shaming the person posting for this very realistic expectation is strange.

Marlee Floyd: At a regular place you learn that, but at a corporate place like Applebees you probably dont. They are all about their specialty drinks. You just dont come across many dry martini on the rocks customers outside of the supper club circuit these da…See more

Harley Nichols: As a former bartender for applebees, you do not learn this. Its a drink that is ordered once a year. You learn how to make their drinks thats it.

Marlee Floyd: And its sad, because it really is the most simple drink ever, but that isnt their target audience. They cater to people looking for fun drinks.

Harley Nichols: I would agree that its a staple to know as a bar tender.

Cadence Yates: Standing behind a bar doesnt make you a bartender any more than standing in a garage makes you a car. If they dont teach the basics and dont hire experienced employees, they may as well tear the bar out and put in a soda fountain.

Timothy Jefferson: If youre not 100% sure of what ingredients go into a drink because you truly were never taught as a bartender, then ASK! Weird concept, I know! Dont just throw something together MULTIPLE times and think its right or close enough.

Cora Pratt: There are apps on your phone, basic physical cocktail book, the internet to search and most likely SOMEONE in the place knows this very basic drink. (Not bashing the place or person, just obvious easy resources before the first attempt but definitely …See more

Marlee Floyd: I would bet they looked on an app, saw vermouth, but didnt know the difference between sweet and dry vermouth. To me that is incredibly sad, because I was raised in a house where a perfect Rob Roy was the drink- I knew probably too young the difference between the two, but not everyone does. It breaks my bartending heart…

Samuel Ball: Whats most disappointing is that these corporate restaurants have training and/or SOP/recipes for EVERY task or job in their buildings. Someone failed the bartender in making sure he/she was qualified to do the job.

Jose Alexander: Id have walked up to the bar and educated the bartender!

Harley Nichols: And if you were pleasant about it the bartender would have appreciated it rather than having no idea how to fix the problem.

Ayden Tate: I was telling my husband about this funny story today and he then wanted to try applebees just for amusement. The fish was actually very good. Didnt try ordering a martini tho 😂

Maggie Holt: Ill just go for the bottled beer.