11 Chain Restaurant Pasta Dishes That Customers Keep Ordering Again And Again

Barring a trip to Italy, finding great pasta isn't always easy. The best you can typically find in the States is at hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants or mom-and-pop shops where those authentic Italian flavors still shine through in every dish. We're talking perfectly al dente, handcrafted noodles and flavorful sauces. Or maybe, you're just craving something easy that doesn't sacrifice quality in the process. But before you write off every other restaurant, take a look at the menu at some of the chains near you. Despite their reputation, these restaurants often have some hidden gems among their offerings that you'll want to get your hands on. We took feedback from review sites and social media platforms like Reddit and Facebook to find chains that don't just live up to expectations, but exceed them. This meant quality noodles, tasty sauces, and overall bang for your buck.

Some of the brands on this list are part of a small pool of pasta-focused chains, while others just so happen to make some pretty great pasta. Big hitters like Olive Garden and The Cheesecake Factory may not be authentic Italian cuisine, but they do serve up some indulgent pasta dishes that stand all on their own, leaving customers coming back for more. On this list, you'll find American-style classics like mac and cheese, loaded with buffalo chicken or baked to crispy perfection. You'll also discover Cajun-inspired dishes and classic Italian staples reimagined. Reviews across the internet pointed to these dishes as favorites for fresh ingredients, overall flavor profiles, and doneness of the pasta. There's plenty of unexpected goodness at chain restaurants ready to be twirled, forked, and slurped off the plate.

The Cheesecake Factory has been in business as customers know it since 1978, but its famous original cheesecake recipe dates even further back to the 1940s. As the restaurant's name suggests, cheesecake is its foundation. Step inside one of the chain's many locations and you'll be greeted by a glass case teeming with slices of all flavors. But The Cheesecake Factory's extensive menu is almost as well-known as its desserts. It's the perfect dinner spot for the group or individual who simply can't decide on one cuisine for the night. But if you still need help making a decision, look to the pasta section, and you'll find the Louisiana Chicken Pasta.

This dish starts with bowtie pasta doused in a creamy New Orleans-style sauce with a kick thanks to the Cajun seasonings throughout. Mushrooms, peppers, and green onions add a bright note to cut through the richness of the sauce, and it's all topped off with juicy parmesan-crusted chicken. This dish is a customer favorite at the chain for a reason. Even with a textbook-length menu and indecisive groups to contend with, customers still find this dish arriving at the table in multiples.

The U.S. is home to some of the best and worst steakhouse chains, ranging from high-quality meats to poor imitations. LongHorn Steakhouse is one of the good ones. The chain is known for its specialty parmesan-crusted dishes, including parmesan-crusted steak. But among these cheesy mains, it's a side that really stands out. The Steakhouse Mac & Cheese features a four cheese sauce that pools in all the nooks and crannies of each cavatappi noodle. Each bite is complemented with smoky bacon bits and a crispy sprinkle of parmesan bread crumbs. And of course, you can always add a parmesan crust to the mac for an upcharge.

Since mac and cheese is such a classic, LongHorn definitely has competition. Yet, many customers still point to this chain as one of the best. Some love the added flavor from the bacon, while others prefer to omit it for a more classic flavor profile. However they choose to enjoy it, the rich sauce and flavor-trapping noodles leave people wishing the dish was served as an entree, not just a side. Others love it so much they've sought out recipes to recreate the indulgence in their very own homes.

Next time you find yourself in a Chili's, skip the Triple Dipper and opt for the Cajun pasta instead. Or better yet, get both, but whatever you do, don't skip Chili's take on the classic Louisiana flavors everyone knows and loves. The Cajun pasta features penne noodles swimming in a creamy Alfredo sauce sprinkled with spicy seasonings and parmesan cheese. The standard version of the dish offers a choice between grilled chicken or shrimp, while the Ultimate Cajun Pasta gives customers the best of both worlds. Both versions of the dish come served with a side of aromatic garlic toast.

This pasta comes recommended by both Chili's waiters and customers. It's become a go-to menu item for seasoned Chili's diners, but also makes a great dish for anyone new to the restaurant. If you really want to go all out, order this pasta as part of Chili's 3 For Me deal, which offers an entree, starter, and beverage starting at $10.99. If you're a spice-averse diner, you can even ask that the chili seasoning on your pasta be left on the side and enjoy the rich sauce without any interference.

Bolognese is one of those dishes that you can't leave out when talking about pasta. Its components are relatively simple, made up of a rich, meaty sauce that is cooked slowly to draw out all the flavors, then completed with wide noodles and a healthy topping of grated cheese. One of the best chains to indulge in a hearty bowl of Bolognese is North Italia. This restaurant isn't an all-rounder like some of the others on this list. Instead, it hones in on Italian cuisine, specifically pasta and pizza. The best part is that North Italia makes all its pasta from scratch, so you can be sure you're getting the freshest bite every time.

Despite specializing in a variety of pasta dishes, the chain's Bolognese is considered the restaurant's house specialty. It starts with handmade pappardelle, a wide, flat pasta shape that holds up well under a thick and savory meat sauce. The dish is topped with grana padano cheese and herbs for extra flavor. Customers attest that you wouldn't expect this pasta to come out of a chain restaurant's kitchen, it's that good. Some even say it's better as leftovers. If customer opinion is to be trusted, this is not one to skip.

When you think of Italian-inspired restaurant chains, Olive Garden is probably the first to come to mind. You'll find over 900 locations across the U.S. serving up indulgent pasta dishes alongside baskets filled with warm, garlic-buttery breadsticks. The restaurant has many different entrees available, but one of the menu items you should always order at Olive Garden is the fettuccine Alfredo. You can keep this dish classic or top your pasta with seafood or chicken for a heartier meal.

The classic fettuccine Alfredo comes with a housemade Alfredo sauce that is creamy, cheesy, garlicky, and just about everything you could ask for from a pasta dish. Some customers even go so far as to say it's the perfect dish, especially when you don't have to pay big bucks at a fancier establishment to have a classic done right. If you want freshness and flavor that holds up against the competition, Olive Garden's Alfredo is the way to go. There's a reason this offering has been one of the chain's top choices among diners for the Never Ending Pasta Bowl special across all states.

Just as the name implies, Maggiano's Little Italy brings a little taste of Italy stateside with every dish. The restaurant got its start in Chicago in 1991, bringing recipes passed down through generations to diners of all backgrounds. Now, the chain has expanded across the country and continues creating delectable, fresh-tasting pasta and more. One of the stand-outs on the menu is Maggiano's self-proclaimed famous Rigatoni "D." Of course, the base of this dish is rigatoni, a tubular pasta shape with ridges that trap all that saucy goodness in each bite.

The sauce is a rich Marsala wine cream sauce that coats the pasta, along with roasted mushrooms, caramelized onions, and herbaceous chicken pieces. The Rigatoni "D" is the kind of dish that customers order regularly and that draws them back to the restaurant just to relive the experience. Despite the cream-based sauce, diners say the overall dish doesn't sit heavy in the stomach, either. That means you'll always have room for seconds.

Another Italian-inspired chain with a stellar pasta dish worth ordering is Carrabba's Italian Grill. Carrabba's origin story finds its roots in family. The chain was founded by an uncle-nephew duo looking to share their love for food and all its variations with a wider audience. Nowadays, Carrabba's offers pasta, sandwiches, soups, seafood, and more. But the one menu item you'll want to go for right away is the lobster ravioli. It's exactly what it sounds like, but better. Ravioli are packed with buttery lobster and rich Romano cheese, then smothered in a cream sauce and topped with diced tomatoes and herbs for a hint of acidity and freshness.

The cream sauce is made with white wine, which diners say provides the perfect balance when paired with the lobster filling. It's definitely a customer favorite, with some ordering it so many times they've devised their own tips and tricks for the best eating experience. Try asking for extra sauce or even swapping in another sauce for a change of pace. You might need it once you get hooked on the dish. But then again, it doesn't really need any modifications to make it special.

Noodles & Company is one of those restaurants that doesn't quite fit the mold. It specializes in — you guessed it — noodles, ranging from American-style dishes to Asian-inspired flavors. But it takes a much more casual approach to the whole pasta business, akin to Chipotle or Cava, minus the assembly line bowl construction. It has been notoriously difficult for pasta-focused, fast-food-style chains to make it big, evidenced by how few of these restaurants there actually are. Noodles & Company is looking to close many locations, struggling to keep afloat.

While not all of Noodles & Company's dishes are worth the trip, the chain's mac and cheese does keep customers coming back for more. In particular, the buffalo chicken ranch mac and cheese offers just the right combination of flavors. It is one of four entrees created in partnership with Food Network. The base is the restaurant's classic mac and cheese, consisting of elbow noodles in a cheddar and jack cheese sauce.

The bowl is leveled up with parmesan-crusted chicken, spicy and tangy buffalo sauce, ranch, scallions, and crispy onions. The parmesan-crusted chicken is a stand-out addition to this bowl for customers. But the overall balance of flavors and textures is the main draw. The sauce is rich, the buffalo sauce cuts through the creaminess, the scallions add a fresh element that diners love, and the crispy onions lend a unique textural element.

Buca di Beppo is a restaurant chain with humble origins, which its name alludes to. "Buca di Beppo" means something like "Joe's small place," according to the chain. This is an appropriate label given that the restaurant started in an apartment building's basement in 1993. Since then, the restaurants have traded basement walls for locations with various rooms for guests to sit and enjoy their meals. The interior screams nostalgia. Warm lighting illuminates walls lined with famous Italian Americans and eclectic paintings, and classic red and white gingham tablecloths await diners at every table.

But Buca di Beppo isn't all show. The chain's take on the classic shrimp fra diavolo lives up to the hype. Penne pasta covered in a spicy rosa sauce is complemented by juicy garlic-seasoned shrimp. The whole dish gets an extra kick from a sprinkling of crushed red pepper. If you're a lover of bold flavors, this one is for you. After all, there's never too much garlic, right? Well, diners say this dish doesn't skimp on the garlic or the spice and even those who rarely opt for restaurant pasta can admit it's great. Make sure to order seconds and maybe even indulge in your dish at the special Pope Table.

While there are many cases of nostalgic Italian restaurant chains that have faded away (take Fazoli's for example), there are also some that have stood the test of time. One such restaurant chain is The Old Spaghetti Factory. Despite the name, the chain is still pulling in new customers and has been since 1969. In the beginning, a hollowed-out trolley car served as an eclectic dining space for the restaurant, and you'll still find replicas of the famous vehicle in the restaurants today. Another mainstay of The Old Spaghetti Factory has been its signature dish, the spaghetti with mizithra cheese and browned butter. According to the chain, this dish outranks the other menu items in popularity.

The components of this dish are simple: spaghetti with brown butter and a generous helping of cheese. However, the quality of the ingredients makes it a staple order for many customers. The cheese in particular has customers searching for an equivalent to level up their own dishes. The signature funky notes are craveable and have people asking for extra on the side or to pack up for later. It's so popular that the chain itself even sells the cheese for those who can't get their fill in the restaurant.

If your local area is severely lacking in Italian-inspired chains, not to fear. Surprisingly enough, one place to find a great plate of pasta is none other than Bonefish Grill. The restaurant is primarily known for its seafood offerings, utilizing seasonal fish and serving up fresh plates, including some of the best restaurant chain fried fish dishes, in an atmospheric bar setting. Bonefish Grill's knack for good seafood crosses over into pasta territory as well. In particular, the scallops and shrimp scampi pasta is a celebration of seafood that doesn't treat the pasta as an afterthought.

The dish is made with linguine tossed in a sauce with lemon, white wine, and garlic, and topped with fresh scallops, shrimp, tomatoes, and parmesan. While the seafood lives up to Bonefish Grill's quality standards, the sauce is another stand-out in this dish for customers. The acidity and juicy pieces of shrimp and scallops complement each other perfectly. With a dash of parmesan, the whole dish comes together in a refreshing yet hearty meal that deserves its title as a customer favorite.