By Steven Martel
**Disclaimer: This is a review.**
Are you planning a date night? Look no further than Applebee’s 2 for $20 deal.
For the price of only $20, you and a friend can share one of any appetizers on the menu, and order your own separate entrees. These entrees are limited, but do include the choices of a 7oz. sirloin steak, chicken tenders basket, or basket of ribs, as well as many others.
Applebee’s of Leominster offers its patrons a wide variety of dishes, appetizers, drinks, and desserts for your choice of lunch or dinner. As well as a number of money-saving specials that your wallet, and stomach will appreciate.
Every day from 2pm-5pm and after 9pm select appetizers are half-priced. The select apps include boneless wings, mozzarella sticks, onion rings, and chicken quesadillas just to name a few.
Their regular menu consists of mainly traditional Americanized dishes, with some Italian influences within its seafood and pasta entrees. Such as their Shrimp Scampi Linguine ($13.25), Shrimp and Broccoli Cavatappi ($12.99), and the delicious Three-Cheese Chicken Penne ($12.95).
Succulent sirloin steak dominates the red meat portion of the menu, ranging in size from a 7 oz. ($12.99) all the way up to 12 oz. ($17.99).
Delectable fall-off-the-bone-good ribs also offer meat lovers a personalized taste with the choice of over 3 sauces, including sweet Asian chili, honey barbecue, and smoky chipotle.
For a more enthused dining experience, customers have the option to receive their steaks, ribs, or chicken served on a “sizzling plate” for a few extra dollars.
If you so happen to be a burger enthusiast, make sure you stop by on a Monday for $5 dollar burger night. The burger portion of the menu was phenomenal and greatly ranged in taste preference.
You have your typical burger, ironically labeled “The American Standard” which includes pickles, onions, bacon, American cheese, and a palatable secret sauce ($9.99). If you’re in the mood to try something new they have the “Sweet Asian Pineapple Burger”, which includes pineapples, spicy Sweet Asian Chile sauce, and pepper jack cheese on a crisp  pretzel bun ($9.99).
The side portions might have been a little on the light side, but certainly a quality tasting and sized burger.
Sandwich lovers will benefit from their meal’s sizes.  A simple artisan grilled chicken ciabatta is enough to fill an NFL linebacker, and is more than reasonably priced at a ($9.79).
Side selection – Tomato basil soup, French onion soup, grilled or fried shrimp, and baked or mashed potatoes.
The dessert menu is quite extensive and features a variety of tastes for your inner sweet tooth. The “Triple Chocolate Meltdown” offers a chocolate cake with a fudge-filled center and scoop of vanilla ice-cream for only $5.69.
Other dessert items include a toothsome butter pecan cake topped off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream ($5.69), and salted caramel pretzel bites ($4.99), as well as many more.
I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of my meal. My girlfriend and I decided to go with the 2 for $20 deal I mentioned earlier, and as far as the food went, we were not disappointed.
For an appetizer we decided to share an order of some of the best mozzarella sticks I’ve ever had. I went with the sweet Asian chili riblet basket, while my girlfriend ordered the three-cheese penne for our entrees.
We both ordered soft drinks, Pepsi products to be specific, and they both taste just terrible. We sent them back twice, and after the second time we asked for lemonade (which they paid for on the house).
The service was quite-frankly abysmal. We sat down and waited for about 10 minutes before anyone came to take our drink orders. Once our food was served, our waitress didn’t check once to ask how our food was. I had to flag her down on 3 separate occasions to get her attention.
Although the food was excellent and reasonably priced, due to the lack of quality service, I don’t think I will be visiting Applebee’s of Leominster any time soon.
Check out their 2 for $20 menu if you’d like to go to Applebee’s and try it out for yourself. Let us know what you think!