I’ll begin with some brutal honesty: A year ago, I would not have accepted a free meal from T.G.I. Friday’s. Back then, my friends and I had several bad experiences associated with the restaurant, marked by ill-informed wait staff with bad attitudes, an out-of-sync kitchen and long waits.

After three visits, heated tempers and too many free appetizers to mention, a new manager gave me $20 in coupons then begged us to make a return visit because changes were in the works.

I gave those coupons away.

But fast-forward to a much improved and captivating dining experience on a recent Monday at Friday’s. My dining companion and I were greeted and seated by an enthusiastic host staff. Our waiter was not only knowledgeable and attentive, he was also responsive to our cue for privacy. While the service was quite professional, Friday’s still has some work to do to make it the premiere dining experience it claims to be.

My dining companion started the evening with a cocktail called a mojito. It was Bacardi rum enhanced with sweet and sour, cane sugar and fresh mint. It seemed unimaginable they’d be out of mint, since it was a featured drink and the first thing you see when opening the menu, but this was the case. He ordered the drink anyway and although it was acceptable, I’m not able to tell you how good it could have been. We decided if the glass rim had been dipped in sugar, it might have balanced some of the bitterness (but maybe the mint would have done so too).

Friday’s has had an explosion of creativity lately, as evidenced by the recent television campaign. They now offer 16 different appetizers, some currently at half price. We ordered the parmesan crusted Sicilian quesadillas. They were out-of-this- world delicious! The plate presentation was attractive and inviting. A trail of drizzled balsamic glaze led to a pyramid stack of parmesan crusted flour tortillas generously stuffed with sautéed chicken, sausage, bacon, bruschetta salsa and melted Monterey jack cheese.

By this time, I’d decided on my choice of libation: the platinum margarita, which I found acceptable.

I was excited about my choice for dinner, the bruschetta tilapia. For my taste though, it’s a mild fish that struggles to stand on its own, therefore requiring a flavorful sauce or accompaniment. It sounded like this would be the case, based on the bruschetta on the quesadilla, however the roma tomato-basil salsa and balsamic glaze hung like afterthoughts on plainly cooked fish. My dining companion and I have been fortunate enough to order bruschetta from coast to coast and this lacked the moisture and flavors needed to permeate the fish.

Unique to Friday’s, a visit to the Jack Daniel’s grill is a must. My friend found just what he was looking for – the Jack Daniel’s chicken and shrimp. The chicken was stringy and tough, making it necessary to dip each bite generously in the Jack Daniel’s sauce (which we loved) to make it palatable. The shrimp was breaded, plump and met expectations. The mashed potatoes were to die for, it’s that simple. The vegetables were a combination of steamed green and yellow wax beans. My dining companion liked the green beans, but said the yellow beans lacked flavor. Personally, I’ve always served yellow beans chilled with olive oil, vinegar and spices for that very reason.

T.G.I. Friday’s menu offers a bevy of cocktails, appetizers and every type of entrée one could imagine, including seven chicken dishes, four pastas, and nine salads. Not to mention ribs, steaks, seafood sandwiches, burgers and more. If you have family or a large party with varying taste, this is the place to go.

It could be said, however, in offering such a broad menu that they may have spread themselves too thin and forfeited consistency. Our meal went from the highest highs to mediocre with each dish. Even on one plate, from one item to the next, the quality of flavor is a bit of a crapshoot. The dining experience was good overall and with a little research, you should be able to find a delectable favorite of your own to enjoy any day of the week.

T.G.I. Friday’s

2019 Scottsville Road

780-9919

Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m.

Sunday-Thursday

Cuisine: American

Specialties: Everything but the kitchen sink

Price range for dinner: $9.99 to $17.99

Libation situation: Full bar

Smoking: Yes