This is a hidden gem! To be honest, I've only been here once but I never would have expected to enjoy a little corner restaurant in a strip mall so much! I had limited time to grab a quick dinner and, since I was in the area, I perused the restaurant options around Whole Foods on Ponce. Not wanting to settle for Willy's or stomach the price of the salad bar at Whole Foods, I decided to try Olive Bistro. I ordered the combo plate, opting for the Greek salad and hummus. I also received fresh baked pita bread, which I could not stop eating! I thoroughly enjoyed both the salad and the hummus, and the service was prompt and the server was cordial. I'm looking forward to visiting again to try more of the menu.
(4)
Jaye P.
The star is NOT for the food because I did not have the stomach to eat it so I gave it to a homeless guy. I could have thrown it out but I'd spent too much on it. Why? After ordering a takeout the guy taking the order kept scratching at the acne on his face and nose, then without washing his hands he picked up the pita and place it in the container!!! Yes, THAT actually happened! NAUSEATING!
(1)
Teresa L.
The service was really wonderful. I had a caesar salad with falafels. The food was fresh, but the falafel was WAY over seasoned and the salad was WAY overdressed. There was more cheese and dressing than greens. The falafel was loaded with cumin. I keep wanting to like falafels, but I can't find any that that meet my expectations.
(3)
Ashley M.
My coworkers and I had lunch here on a weekday because we had to stop by Whole Foods for a quick run. Conveniently located just a couple of shops down, we decided to eat here and walk down to Whole Foods. Upon entering the restaurant, it was quick to see we were the only patrons inside. A young lady greeted us and told us to sit at any table in the restaurant. Throughout our entire meal, only a few patrons entered the restaurant, a rarity at a midtown lunch spot. I ordered the lunch special, a bargain at $7.99! The food was fresh, tasty, and delicious, and I look forward to returning!
(3)
Henry P.
Love this place, food is so good. Quick and cute setting. Katie is an awesome server!
(4)
Dan R.
The place is not bad, but not great either. The falafal with hummus was great. However, the gyro meat for the Greek platter appeared as if they were pre-cooked strips that probably were shipped frozen to the restaurant. The portions were very very small for the price as well. A little plate for $9.99, not worth it. And yes, warm grape leaves with a tomato sauce as someone else mentioned seemed very odd.
(2)
Khadijah M.
I really enjoyed this place. I ordered the gyro and loved that the pita bread was so soft. I will talk about it a little more when I go again but this first impression is on point.
(4)
Jessica M.
I ordered the falafel with hummus and an iced tea and lunch was $10. Granted I'm used to hole in the wall falafel for $3.25 in NYC but if this was the BEST falafel in Georgia I wouldn't mind the cost - it was just ok and it was served with a bag of Lays potato chips. I was at least expecting Pita chips or the offer of a side salad. Plus, I tried to add one slice of eggplant to my sandwich and my server told me I had to order the $7.99 appetizer if I wanted any eggplant at all. Eh, I'll be finally heading to Jerusalem Cafe the next time I want a falafel in ATL.
(3)
Ashley S.
I adore their food. I cannot speak highly enough of it. I often stop in there late in the evening when I have just returned to town and cooking is out of this world- their gyro with extra feta hits the spot...it is exactly what my little heart desires. A total gem.
(5)
Angelica M.
The server was really nice and the food arrived promptly. The rice and lentils are pretty good. Wash it down with a mimosa. I would definitely eat here again.
(4)
Bill G.
The Olive Bistro has enjoyable Greek themed food served in a relaxed atmosphere by a quirky, entertaining English dude that loves to chat when business is not too hectic. The food is good enough to drive a bit out of the way on a workday and the prices are very reasonable. My co-workers and I have tried many things on the lunch menu, but we lean toward specials because they are so reasonably priced. We always left happy. I wish the portions were bigger and the soda was not served in cans (I eat a lot and drink more), but perhaps they're following the showbiz adage of always leaving them wanting more. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area.
(4)
Chris G.
Tried this place for lunch today. It's not bad but nothing to get excited about. Interesting mix of choices, mostly Mediterranean themed. They have a nice display of their fresh salads and other choices. I had the Tabbouleh with gyro meat which was actually pretty good. The sauce needs more flavor. The staff was friendly and the location is convenient. Just a head's up, a lot of day laborers hang out in the parking area because of the Home Depot nearby.
(3)
pauper c.
Extremely Bad. I am quite generally very lineant with reviews; but cant be with this one. The waiters were very cheerful and friendly; but the food was just extremely bad. The falafels were reheated and hence were total crap. The Rice and lentils had the typical flavor of Indian Pulav Masala and I am 99% sure that they just used the Indian masala to sell Middle eastern rice !! IN short, I repent of having had to waste my money there instead of going to my regular Mediterranean place.
(1)
Shay Y.
I love greek food and this place makes it better than anywhere else I know of. Everything is fantastic. Really. There is not one thing I have tried that did not float my boat. My favorites would have to be the anti-pasto salad (omg it is heaven) and the falafel. Although I have not had any wine there, they do have a decent collection if you want to make your meal a bit fancier. I live right around the corner so this is also my absolute favorite take-out place. Just keep in mind that if you are going to be around anyone else for the rest of the day, invite them to eat with you. Both people with deadly garlic breath is always better than just one of you.
(4)
Vincent V.
I stopped by Olive Bistro to grab some snacks for a party last week (seems to be a recurring theme, I used to actually cook for those kind of things). Everyone at the party ended up raving about the food and asking me where I bought it. While I was waiting for my take out order I got an up close and personal look at the display case at the counter. I seriously debated adding some eggplant and falafel to my order. And the baklava...they were about three times the size of the baklava I used to get all the time in college. I'm still irritated with myself that I didn't buy a few to hide in the car for after the party. The baba ghanouge was excellent, and they packed so many pita slices in my to-go order that I ended up having too many (I had bought some at the grocery store earlier since I incorrectly assumed that Olive would be like every other restaurant and not give you enough). Definitely planning on heading back to Olive Bistro for a full meal when I've got the time to appreciate it and have some wine to go with my food. And absolutely having a baklava. Or three. At least.
(4)
Lee Catherine B.
I stopped in at the Olive Bistro with a friend for a late lunch. We had plans to eat in L5P but I'd been craving olives and she suggested we try Olive's instead. Despite a compulsion of mine to frequent the Border's in the Ponce shopping center I'd never even noticed the unassuming restaurant, but I agreed and met her there. The tables are set with little bottles filled with fake flowers and utensils wrapped in paper napkins, and I noticed that the atmosphere was charming either in spite of or because of that (still unclear which). The guy working there immediately helped us and we barely waited for our food - he whipped it up as we watched and spirited it over to us within five minutes. I was impressed before I even began eating, which also may have been due to the olives he brought out to us as soon as I mentioned my love for them. I'd never eaten homemade hummus before, and going back to my trusty store-bought Athenos will no doubt be a bit disappointing. My hummus pita, stuffed with lettuce, tomato, and olives as per my special request, proved both immensely satisfying and messy, which my father always says is the sign of truly good food. I hedged a bit when the handwritten bill came because I rarely carry cash, and then worried that even if they took credit cards my lunch would not meet the minimum (a good worry to have in the grand scheme of lunch/credit card concerns). However, Olive's accepted my credit card and I left fully pleased. A must-visit!
(4)
Tiana M.
I LOVE the food here! The dressings are authentically made from scratch, the greens are fresh, and the ingredients are tantalizing. Their greek salad, and phyllo pie are awesome. They serve wine, and the service is great. They have a cute little patio which makes it great for people watching. It doesn't have the best ambiance, but for a quick bite to eat, it's small, quaint, and convenient!
(4)
Elizabeth S.
There aren't very many places in Atlanta that have lamb kebabs on the menu. This is one of them. Olive is a pretty cute little place, offering an alternative Greek option to Atlanta diners. It's very casual...definitely come here for the food, not the atmosphere. The rice and lentils are delicious, and the lamb kebabs are quite good...I try to stay away from eating cute creatures, but Olive Bistro's lamb kebabs make for a satisfying occasional treat. The service is fast and friendly...This place doesn't have the best Greek food I've ever had, but it's certainly worth a try.
(3)
Lori F.
Great little place for mediterranean food. It's small, with a tiny counter and a few tables, but still a good bet for a casual lunch or dinner. The food is great. They have a spicy falafel, which is so good wrapped in a pita with tzaziki sauce. They have an awesome hummus, too. Bigger meal winners include lamb kebobs or stuffed grape leaves. The lamb was really tender, and the grape leaves had the right mix of citrus and pine nuts. My favorite lunch is the gyro with tasty lamb and tzaziki on a fresh pita. It's a really cozy spot to dine. Sometimes I just go and enjoy a quiet dinner with a glass of wine by myself. They're usually understaffed, though, so don't be in a hurry! Take a piece of baklava to go, too!
(4)
Kan B.
07/12/2008 I had this week where I was turned off meat. so I visted the olive bistro and had the falafel wrap. it was most delicious. the counter clerk was little standoffish. I hadn't been there before and seemed a little irritated when I asked questions. the prices were reasonable and I ate my wrap while driving home the rain. I almost turned back to go get more. After I wrote my 7/12 review I got an email from the owner asking for additional feedback and offering me a free coupon for a falafel. I gave my feedback but was mute on the offer for free food. The owner emailed me again and pressed on if to email me the coupon or if i'd pick it up at the registar at Olive bistro . I said fine, leave it at the register. Today, I was running and errand and we decided to stop by for a gyro. When I walked in I asked the cashier about the coupon. she stated she had no idea and I said fine. but she wasn't satisfied. She kept pressing for more info. I explained the owner emailed me after a yelp review. there was a guy standing next to her and he waived her on, asking her to make the falefal , she turned to him and asked him to call the owner. I said, that's okay. i'll just pay for the falefal. again, she wasn't having it. There were other people behind us at this time and other people eating. She said, you know I work here all week, we don't have gift cards or coupon and the owner would have told me about this. again, I said, that's fine. I'll just pay for it. I didn't want to walk out and make it look like I was there to scam for a free $5.99 item. finally she gave up and let me order my meal. after saying telling her 5 different times not to worry about the coupon and just let me pay for it. The falefal tasted good. the gyro we also ordered was okay but a little over sauced. I won't be returning to the Olive Bistro. not the because the food is bad or anything but because I was embarrassed over a coupon the owner offered to me.
(3)
Jeff G.
If you're feeling quick Mediterrenean food, and can deal with the Hell that is Midtown Place, hit up Olive Bistro. A clean, relaxed, cafe-style environment in said strip mall. Some of the greatest Ghanouge and Hummus in the city. The Falafel rocks, as do the Rice and Lentils, with Tahini. Don't miss it if you're on that side of town.
(5)
James A.
I will NEVER EVER EAT at this place again. Not only was the food horrible but after having lunch I was immediately asked to MOVE ALONG quickly by the waiter (he's a Brit w/ a ponytail, not hard to miss). Even the other guests who were there were astonished by his rudeness. Normally I would have given him a nice verbal berating but honestly I was shocked that he had the nerve (after I paid the bill) to ask my friend and I to give up the table. Mind you there were other tables there and we had pretty much just settled the tab. So not only was the food not great at all, the service sucks......
(1)
Franklin E.
Well......I've always wanted to go in here, but never have due to a couple factors. One, it never seemed like there were too many people there and it was kinda dark. Today, I walked up there by myself and wandered in a little tired from the night before. The waitress was cute, and I always really enjoy that from a restaurant. Anyway, I got the gyro plate because I didn't wanna think about it too much and I just love it at most Med places. I almost shed a tear when the Greek Salad came. It was so good, I felt like it was harvested from the Garden of Eden. The tomatoes were fresh and whatever cheese that was .....well let's just say it was tasty. The plate came quickly......I really didn't like seeing all the dishes in a glass display, but it tasted like the meat was harvested earlier and cooked just for me. The rice kinda conglomerated together, and I really enjoyed that...much easier to eat. The pita bread was crunchy and hot. That was a take that I've never seen before, but it was glorious. The whole ordeal only lasted about 45 minutes and I couldn't finish all of the food. My food was about 9.99, which is maybe a dollar too expensive for what you get. I ended up giving the waitress a 4 dollar tip because I liked how she looked. I will go back for 2 main reasons......That salad was dank as hell and I plan on getting the waitresses' number next time. ;)
(4)
Coley W.
Olive Bistro is regularly judged to have the best Mediterranean food in Atlanta, but it's situated in one of those strip malls that makes it hard to get excited about sitting down to eat there. Still, the hummus, falafel, kebobs, and stuffed grape leaves are all really good. And if you're in a hurry, you can take your order to go. Oh, and don't quote me on this, but I seem to remember Wednesday is half-price bottle of wine night.
(3)
Maria C.
I've been recently suffering from Mediterranean food cravings, which certainly worries my husband, as the last two times I had Med cravings I was pregnant. Thankfully, I'm not preggers, but I have been combing Atlanta for some good Med food, and really missing the likes of Maoz in other cities. Of the Med options here, Olive Bistro is my favorite. They have the regular hummus, babaganoush, falafel, salad with feta and olives, and gyros. But they also have a couple of more interesting side dishes/appetizers, my favorite being the eggplant and the Tuscan beans. The eggplant is covered in a lemony red marinade that describes how cravings are born. I asked the British guy that mans the place on the weekends and he said it was sumac. I bought sumac, but alas, my eggplant is nowhere near as good as Olive Bistro's. The babgnoush has a little too much cumin for my taste, but certainly forgivable. My only other gripe is that the portions are somewhat small, especially compared to Mediterranean Grill. However, I like the atmosphere here better than Med Grill. Sure, the place is not winning any awards for decor, but the place is cozier and I like that there's wine, beer and the guy will take your order at the table.
(4)
Alex C.
The gyro meat is the same Sysco premade meat stuff I would get at my college food hall. It's not terrible, but it shouldn't cost more than $5 and be sold at fairs. It's unfortunate that they don't make their own...
(1)
Tom W.
We were told the owner used family recipes. Unless his mom owned Sysco I do not think that claim has any merit. I had better gyro at my catholic grammar school cafeteria. Such a shame as the staff was so pleasant. Go to cafe agora. 10x better!
(2)
Donna T.
I love the food here. Such unique flavors and the staff is very friendly.
(4)
Rene D.
Went to Chiro upstairs and got a haircut. Noticed the olive bistro in the corner and was hungry. Always wanting to try new stuff we decided to walk in. We do love Greek to here we go. First of all I chatted a family sitting outside, they said everything is good here. While walking in. It smelled soooo delicious. I could just smell the olive oil and olives. My hunger pangs were growing. I ordered the Anipasto salad AND a Gyro. Hubby had a Gyro with xtra taziki. Well we sort of shared the salad but he kept forking too much and had to stab his hand away several times. ( guess it was so good I didn't want to share...) hehe. The tomatoes were so good I kept humming thru every bite. Well actually olives, feta, mozzarella... U get the picture!! I loved every bite of savory greekness. The taziki and fresh Pita was such a good compliment. Then for the Gyro I thought well I would have a few bites...NO I just couldn't put it down. The fresh bread the nicely warmed meat and again the taziki! I'm in heaven. I polished it off alright. Don't know where I put it. My tastebuds were still wanting but belly full!! He ate his too and was equally good. The waitress asked if we would like desert or a Baklava. Well.. Maybe a Baklava to go. Well then the urge came over me to have a bite to try. U know just to cleanse the palate. NOPE ate the whole thing!!!!! NOW I'm done and totally satisfied. U gotta live this place. Lunch specials are good although we just missed them. And I didn't mind. A few folks were getting food Togo too. Want to come back again this week before we leave town.
(5)
Ms. B.
The food wasn't that great. I've experienced better. I felt it was lacking flavor.
(2)
Jamie S.
Very authentic middle eastern Mediterranean cuisine. Highly recommend the tapenade and hummus
(4)
Danielle M.
This was our first visit and we loved it. Amazing service, delicious food and 1/2 price bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Pleasant surprise! We will be back soon. Order the Mediterranean Sampler and make sure to get the eggplant and babaganouche. The Rosemary Chicken was delicious!
(4)
Dani L.
The Greek salad was pretty taste and the Lasagna was good too. The rest of the stuff is pretty mediocre and the service was absolutely ridiculous. We ordered a falafel sandwich that didn't come with any hummus and when informing the waitress that we didn't have any sauce she was annoyed about it , rolled the eyes to us and sent another waitress that came and tried to open my sandwich telling me that was a thin layer over there. It was super disrespectful and unprofessional . The falafel was cold and the gyro sandwich look like came from the microwave because it the meat was hot and the bread was not. Never coming back to this place. It was the worst $35 I spent
(1)
Christina W.
Ok so in my neighborhoods there are like 3 places to walk to for take out. This is one of them. I've been here three times and it has never been good. The gyros taste like a regular beef sandwich. Nothing Greek about it. The baklava tastes like pumpkin pie so that's weird. Soo probably won't be going back. I'll opt for sushi next time instead.
(2)
Chris F.
I wish this place was better. I eat here on occasion, but after eating there I don't want to come back. I forget that their grape leaves are hot, as in temperature hot. So odd. I want cold, bitter grape leaves. The appetizer of 4 grapes leaves is $6.99. Way over priced. The falafel wrap is okay, but drowned in too much tahini and not fried to order. There are no pickled vegetables or anything "Mediterranean" in the wrap. $7.99 gets you just a wrap with no side. Their hot sauce is Texas Pete or something of that sort. They do have tables outside, which is nice in good weather.
(2)
Spencer L.
Wow, not good at all. Very bland and don't think they use fresh anything! Meat tasted like it had been cooked over and over and the flavored were just off. Friends had the Greek salad which they said was pretty bland and again, did not taste fresh. Wouldn't return--not sure why anyone would.
(1)
Liz V.
This review update is not for the faint of heart. Funny, I went to type this location in to my phone and my fat fingers spelled barf...ironic, considering that's what I did a few hours after eating here. I'm no stranger to food poisoning but its something that normally happens after eating something fried and greasy not something like spinach fillo, hummus and tuscan beans, but wow, was I wrong. $18 of wrong. I threw up for 5 hours. Through every dry heave and hail Mary, the scent of olive oil and random spices filled the air. I was kicking myself considering I foolishly chose this healthy alternative. Who knew I would have been safer at Zestos? I am on day 2 of this food poisoning hangover and not only did I lose my voice from dry heaving but I also lost my appetite for ever coming here again.
(1)
James T.
Such a shame that this place has gotten only three collective stars. I think it's a hidden jewel; my favorite restaurant in that area, and the best Mediterranean I've had in Atlanta. The only time I don't crave their hummus is when I'm eating their hummus. Many Greek restaurants and packaged hummus brands get it wrong, and make it too sharp and acidic with lemon juice. Theirs is creamy, rich and umami. It's the best I've ever had. The bread that comes with it is warm and perfectly crisp. For dinner, I recommend the Rosemary Chicken platter. The server recommended it to me the first time I went there, and I've had it many times since. It's tender and flavorful. The baklava is wonderful. It's not so sticky with cloying filling oozing out the sides, like some baklava that slows your chewing to a halt. It's flaky and sweet. The waitress (and I think owner? I'm not sure) is usually harried if there are more than a couple of tables filled, but she's very conscientious, and you really can't blame her for being under pressure because from what I've seen, the place usually runs with just her and one cook, and she's serving, running the cash register and answering the phone. Anyway, don't let the humble strip mall digs fool you. This is some of the best food in Midtown. I want some hummus now.
(5)
Paula B.
Great food! Great Customer Service! What a treat to discover this place!! Perfect! Great Greek food!
(5)
Emily C.
I love this place! The food is delicious, especially considering how cheap it is - I paid 7 bucks for a chicken wrap and would have gladly paid more! The lady who runs the place is so sweet. Don't forget to tip her ;)
(5)
Roxanna S.
Yummy lunch - Pitas and wraps! Great food and the service was excellent! Good experience in the ATL!
(5)
Scott W.
A collective 3 stars for my long-running favorite Mediterranean restaurant in the city? Don't make me cry, people! I've been coming to this place since it was in Little 5 Points about 15 years ago. After a short bit of experimentation (a popular thing to do in L5P, y'know), I found that the hummus and falafels here were my faves. I just deleted a bit of ridiculous faux-critic insights on why I think theirs stands out, but man it was rough reading. Suffice it to say, real good. I like the tabbouleh also - true lemon juice overload. And even though I would never think of ordering the veggie lasagna here, my kid did yesterday - and it was pretty good! Mostly spinach interior, with a handful of mushroom slices, done up in a thick but not overpowering tomato sauce. Yeah, the atmosphere leaves a bit to be desired, and I feel that's why this place may not get taken as seriously as it could. Wrap this place in curtains and mood lighting and you'd probably be making reservations. Instead you're hanging out while your terrier is getting a makeover. But aesthetics are for the eyes, and this place satisfies enough senses on it's own to make it a destination for me.
(4)
Zack J.
Good intentions, bad delivery. Most of the food on the menu is already prepared and resting in the unsightly case in the dining room. When you order something, the cook comes out of the kitchen, gets a big scoop of whatever you ordered, and, I would guess, microwaves--out of sight, of course. The food isn't particularly bad. But it isn't particularly good. It typical Greek fare, bordering on completely bland, but everything seems to have that dried out, just-microwaved taste to it. The service is nice, and the place apparently used to be good enough to win several Creative Loafing awards, but one would never know biting into the dry falafel and sawdust-like lentils and rice.
(2)
Dina C.
The gentleman who is most likely the owner with the soft Australian accent is always serene and genuinely happy. You feel relaxed and cozy in this charming little place. It is a great lunch spot for some fresh hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken pita....mmmmmm. In my opinion, the food and vibe is far superior to that of Mediterranean Grill.
(4)
Katy M.
Hmmm. This place is pretty hit and miss for me. The food itself is good, we've eaten there several times and the gyro wrap and Greek salad are definitely good. They have some talented cooks and owners, the menu is comprehensive and the food is always prepared well. Sometimes the sevice is great, sometimes it's slow and I'll have to ask several times for water or an ordered drink or something like that. This place would probably serve us better if we didn't have to work into the late afternoon outside of the city, because their hours are not conducive to dinner time dining.. We came in at 8:30 on a Saturday night and they were trying to clean up and close around the customers still eating in their restaurant. They would not seat us because they close at 9 pm. Who expects to have their restaurant closed up and all their customers out at 9 pm on a Saturday? If you won't seat customers until 9, don't say that you are open until 9. Its kind of a shame, I probably won't be back because of it, and there are just too many other good places in Atlanta.
(2)
Slim M.
If you don't know by now, I'm a true "deal" freak..... err, uh... ok, that sounded kinda weird. I'll re-word that: For new places I've never been before but would like to try, I tend to buy discounted certificates for them. Yeah... that sounded better. OK, so I bought a HOD deal for this place here. I didn't mean to use it on this night, but ended up using it since our other spot was closed early. It's in a plaza and easy to find. We were greeted as soon as we entered by a petite lady who was our server. She was nice, gave us a couple suggestions, and since my dining companion couldn't make up her mind, she scooted off to another table to assist them, as well. It's pretty unpretentious in here, nothing fancy at all. The chair that I was sitting in rocked side to side and felt unsteady, so I made no quick movements or anything. It was clean, though, so no complaints about the appearance, really. I ordered the mousaka, which was (according to the website): Layers of fluffy potatoes, lamb, beef, eggplant w/ tomato basil sauce. It arrived in a pile of mush. Since I'd never had this meal before and didn't want to assume that it tasted bad based off how it looked, I went ahead and took a bite. I tasted the eggplant and tomato sauce. I could see the potatoes, but they were super mushy like the eggplant and seasoned the same, so I couldn't differentiate the taste, honestly. The lamb and beef? I don't even know if it was included. We received a mistake plate of rice and lentils; although, we didn't order this. It was ok, not great... not horrid. My companion finally received the chicken breast and hummus that she did order, and she said it was just ok, as well. I took a bite of her chicken, and she was right. The baklava at the end was probably the best part of the meal. Gratuity is automatically added here. Or maybe it was added to ours automatically since we had a deal? I'm starting to think the latter because after she placed our check on the table, she went behind the counter and stared at us from behind the glass case, as though she was expecting us to flip out or something. Haha! Funny lady. OK food, good service. Wouldn't break my neck to return. 3 stars.
(3)
Henrik C.
Love this place. Come here regularly for their gyros. Have only tired them for lunch. Typically get their hummus and then a regular or philly gyro. The service is attentive and you get your food in no time. Very effective lunch place with great food.
(4)
Liane H.
Although the service for our takeout was great, the food (Gyro and a Niçoise salad) was absolutely awful. Two tiny pieces of limp, thin meat on the Gyro, olives that were too salty to eat, and canned tuna on top of shredded lettuce soaked in dressing. Disgusting. We won't be going back.
(1)
Brande H.
Loved it! Excellent food & service. Husband got the rosemary chicken pita & I got the philly gyro. So good! The baklava was fabulous! The Turkish coffee was fun to try. My husband really enjoyed it.
(5)
Brian K.
I personally ascribe to the theory that the best way to gauge the quality of an ethnic restaurant is to determine whether natives of that cuisine patronize the establishment. That being said, there's a reason that The Olive Bistro has been in business for nearly 15 years and that you'll frequently observe native Mediterraneans dining there. Food: The Olive Bistro is a local chef-owned business that serves authentic Mediterranean food directly from the chef's family recipe book. The food served at this restaurant is what Mediterranean food is supposed to taste like, not what so many have been accustomed to from fast food chains and the mass-produced products sold at the local supermarket. My favorite appetizer is the hummus, which has a perfect consistency and exceptional flavor. In terms of pita wraps, my favorite is the grilled chicken gyro; the pita bread is soft and the ingredients are always fresh and flavorful. In addition to lighter fare, they also serve more substantial Mediterranean offerings, including vegetable lasagna (homemade tomato basil sauce!), mousaka, and specialty ravioli. A reasonable wine selection is also available. Service: The Olive Bistro typically has only one or two staff working the floor, but there are very few tables (~6 inside and ~4 outside), so the wait for service is typically minimum; I've never had to wait for a table. All the menu items are also available via takeout if so desired; I've observed patrons place takeout orders and receive them within less than 10 minutes. Atmosphere: The atmosphere is really the only lackluster component of this restaurant. The actual dining area is small and the tables and chairs are reminiscent of a hospital cafeteria. There also isn't much effort put into the presentation of the food; however, considering the prices, I wouldn't expect otherwise. Cost: Inexpensive for the quality of the food. Most pita wraps are around $7, excluding sides or drink. They also have a lunch combo available for $6.99 on Monday-Friday from 11AM - 3PM. Other: All of the salads, pastas, and ravioli are homemade and can be purchased in bulk via the delicatessen counter near the front of the store. Catering is also available.
(3)
Brett S.
First time here, and glad we came! The service was friendly and generous while the food was so flavorful and delicious. Will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Erdal U.
The Greek salad is amazing! We really liked the beef lasagna. The gyro platter is also great with thin sliced gyros, which is like the original gyro. One suggestion: the tzaziki sauce can have a little more garlic in it :)
(5)
Lucy W.
Good- fresh warm pita, good crisp veggies, feta & olives in my side greek salad, good spiced rice with lentils. Meh- Abundance of onions in the rice with lentils, overcooked and not tasty chicken "kabob" (which looked like it was just cut up chunks of chicken and not actually cooked on a kabob), bland tzatziki sauce. I don't know what other people ordered that caused them to say the portions were not very big, but my order came with plenty of food. Just wish the chicken kabob was better. Came here with a Scoutmob so it was a great deal. Conveniently located in the same plaza as Whole Foods, on the 1st floor under the Verizon store. It looked like one of those cafe places that you could order at the counter, but there's actually sitdown wait service...very friendly and quick service at that!
(3)
Ray L.
This place is yummy. I've been looking for some decent falafel and I found it here. I started off with a small plate of grape leaves. To be honest, I don't have much experience with them, but these seemed freshly prepared and nicely spiced. Came with hot, fresh pita too. It took a while to get my next item, but I wasn't in a rush and it was worth the wait. Falafel pita pocket with hummus. It looked small at first, but it was packed with falafel, which was flavorful and crispy. The pita didn't need the hummus; I knew that going in, but I was craving and didn't want a separate order of hummus. Anyway, the falafel would've held up better by itself. My server was really nice and made sure I was taken care of. I'll be coming again.
(4)
Beauty A.
Bought me a soggy wrap. Fell apart... Asked for them to take it back, waiter says without asking 'I don't know if they can remake it.' I'm thinking if I wanted a bowl and not a sandwich I would've ordered one. They took it back wrapped it in the thicker pita bread. It's not what I expected. Probably won't return.
(2)
Ashleigh P.
I have never had a bad meal here. The hummus is great, the tahini is smooth, the olive oil flavored with garlic and spices. Started with the trio platter appetizer. Noms on the hummus and feta, but they put roasted bell peppers in the tapenade (which is just stupid) so I can only tell you that the monster said that the tapenade would have been the bomb without the bell peppers, but that it was edible. Lots of pita was eaten with this and there was a smattering of whole wheat pita in the pita basket which is nice. I branched out and had the chicken tabbouleh pita pocket with tahini and it took me back to my shwarma eating days when I was deployed in the UAE (it was a highlight of that deployment) and I was a happy little girl. It was delicious at The Olive and the other half was delicious at 1030PM last night while watching them eliminate Angelo - seriously Angelo??? I know that too much salt in unforgivable, but "I'm from Beaumont" Tiffany used a prepackaged seasoning mix and had no flavor in her food. Not happy with 3 of the last 4 eliminations on that show. FABIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I digress.. The monster got the Vine Platter and DAMN did they over spice the stuffed grape leaves. She and I are monster stuffed grape leaves eaters (? is that the right way to say that ?) and these were not good. Pockets of dense, poorly blended ground clove made them almost inedible. There was too much saffron in the rice and lentils as well. But I liked my food!
(4)
Michelle F.
Great service, the best hummus I have had, the vegan plate was ok.
(3)
Keisha F.
Quick place to have lunch. It's not the best tabbouleh but will do. Usually have gyro tabbouleh when I go. The salad is priced very high for what you get.
(3)
Jeremy A.
Came back again for my second visit. The dishes were got were good, although the vine seemed like not that much food for 13 bucks. The greek salad however is to die for here. REAL good
(3)
Julia S.
Oh man, I can't believe I forgot to write an update to this place! While my first visit here was kinda lackluster, I have to say the second time definitely made up for it. I went with two friends, and we decided to get an appetizer of grape leaves, which were so incredibly yummy. The only gripe I have with Nicola's is I don't care for their grape leaves, so this was a happy day for me. They also gave us fresh pita bread, which was yummy. I kept dipping it in the sauce that the grape leaves came with. I also got the veggie lasagna, because my very meat-centric friends were raving how good it was, so I couldn't help but be curious and try it. WOW. Words cannot describe how good it was. And the tomato sauce they surrounded my veggie lasagna with was indescribably delicious. I practically wanted to lick the plate. The portion was also ginormous, so I ended up not even being able to finish it. But yeah, the veggie lasagna practically changed my life and I have an all new appreciation for this place.
(4)
Shyam S.
My sister and I ate here for the first time and were pleasantly surprised by how fresh and tasty the food was. Between us, we devoured the baba ghanoush, pita, rice and lentils, falafel and tuscan beans. The portions were just perfect and the food came to us less than 10 minutes after ordering. All in all, a great meal. I am really looking forward to returning. Masha'Allah!
(4)
Terry F.
I stopped by Olive Bistro for the 2nd time on Saturday afternoon after visiting my optometrist, Office Max and Home Depot. This restaurant is conveniently located in the "Whole Foods" shopping center shopping center across from Atlanta's City Hall East annex. The owner / manager / full-time server guy, was friendly and outgoing. The food (a yummy lamb kebob plate) was delivered quickly to my table. Also, the stuffed grape leaves were very tasty (don't know if I like them warmed up, however).
(3)
Dru M.
I have to admit...it's been tough for me to try another greek restaurant since I love Mediterranean Grill so much, but Scoutmob helped us pull the trigger about coming here. I am glad we did because there's some great stuff going on here. * Service was very good, except I felt that our waiter was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of tables he had. But our food was brought out pretty quickly. * Hummus was ok...a bit too much oil for me though. I did like their homemade pita. * Rosemary chicken pita sandwich was tasty, but I wish there was a bit more dressing or seasoning put on it. I asked our server for some greek dressing to add to it, but he ended up forgetting. Again I think he was overwhelmed by the amount of tables he had. * My boyfriend was a big fan of the Spanakopita. * I thought prices were a little high for the portion size, but having the Scoutmob made it a bit easier to swallow. Overall...good greek and I'd like to go back soon and try something else on the menu. They are definitely worth a second chance.
(3)
Joe P.
This was such a disappointment. Spent day at King Center with family and were starving. Greek sounded great. Daughter had chicken wrap, which was bizarre. The meat had unappetizing texture - chewy and crunchy. She was grossed out. I had lamb chunks that lacked flavor. They were served with bag of Lay potato chips. What the f*&^? Tzatziki was terrible and I love the stuff, so this was big bummer. It tasted and felt like it was made with cream cheese instead of fresh yogurt. Salad was very mediocre. The eggplant/hummus appetizer was decent. The server had absolutely no knowledge of menu, Greek food or the beer they served. She was pleasant. And, it's in a strip mall, which is not unusual for Atlanta, but still shitty.
(2)
Zewditu D.
We tried to go Marco's Pita, but they were closed (boo). But we really wanted Mediterranean food, so we tried out Olive Bistro. It so happened, that they had a ScoutMob deal going. Awesome. Cute, little place. Good, fast service. I ordered a caesar gyro. it was pretty good. Next time I would try out the classic. I would also like to try out their baklava. It looked really good, but the pieces were HUGE and we were already pretty full by that point.
(3)
Sandra E.
I was going to grab lunch at Whole Foods but they were so crowded I left. I saw this place in the same parking lot and decided to try it. Woo Hoo...it was great. I am replacing my Whole Foods lunch with the Olive Bistro. The best. One of my very few 5 star ratings.
(5)
Bobbin W.
The Olive Bistro is just divey enough to meet my Mediterranean standards. Dated decor is part of the Greek restaurant experience for me, and Olive Bistro does it in an early '90s/Real World kind of way. First I became addicted to Olive's Greek salad with chicken, served by a charming English chap who called me "ma'am," but it sounded like "mohhhm." The tender chicken strips, spiced with oregano and other sprinkles of the Earth I wish I could identify, added wonderful textural contrast to the crisp green bell pepper, crumbling feta and perfectly oily dressing. (TIP: If you get the salad to go, I suggest you remove the dressing container from the bag and place it upright in your car; otherwise, it will spill everywhere.) Last night I veered away from salad love and tried the Mediterranean plate: a four-side staple of any reputable Greek spot. I chose falafel (a little mushy for my tastes...I prefer it crisp on the outside), hummus (oil oozed along the periphery, black olive topping off the mound like a chickpea sundae), Greek salad (I've explained my love in the paragraph above) and tabbouleh (fresh with a hint of lemon). The Mediterranean plate at Olive Bistro costs about a dollar more than at Mediterranean Grill, but I prefer the latter's atmosphere and food presentation. Sitting comfortably and perusing lesser-known thrift shops in Creative Loafing while slathering my face in hummus made that extra dollar worth it.
(4)
Drew D.
The Olive Bistro just did not do it for me. I am used to Med Grill, so maybe that got my hopes up, but I just found it to be disappointing. Their gyros were really messy and had average at best gyro meat. Not too pricey, but I was expecting more food, maybe even a salad with it. The hummus was decent. I was not too enthralled by their menu, either. I hate to say it, but this place is just meh (for lack of another word). Not bad, but not a place I would go out of my way to go to. When you are next to WF, that is not a good thing.
(2)
Shannon G.
Love this place! Favorite local greek food. I always get the hummus, tabbouleh and greek salad. They are always delicious. My boyfriend loves their turkish coffee. It's a nice low key place to get some great greek food.
(4)
Carolyn B.
I love this place. The customer service is great, the ambience is wonderful. I've been here a few times, have tried something different each time and have been pleased. The food is authentic middle eastern food. They just don't have this type of thing in Athens, Ga.
(5)
Bobbi B.
I go to Atlanta a couple of times a year for work. If I am able to fit in a trip to the Olive Bistro, I absolutely will. Just thinking about the rosemary chicken pita makes my mouth water. The meat is juicy, and the rosemary is not overwhelming. Chunks of fresh cuke and tomato. Luscious tahini sauce that tends to drip on the plate. The tabbouli salad is well dressed - not too dry, yet not swimming. Good service. Easy parking. Yummmmmy.
(5)
Darrell C.
Good little restaurant in the Whole Foods shopping center off Ponce. The wait staff is always friendly and attentive and the food fresh, well seasoned and affordable. Overall, a great value.
(4)
C W.
Great place for lunch! Friendly service and healthy tasty greek food
(4)
Brittany W.
Yum!!!!!!!!!!!! I luv this place......... I always get the caesar gyro with a greek salad nd sweet tea! Asks 4 Ian he is awesome :-)
(5)
Wendy T.
Husband and I went here because we had a Groupon. Hubby loves Greek food, so we finally had the chance to check it out today. The decor is quaint and fun. The inside is small than I expected and only has 9 tables. There are some tables outside for nice weather dining. The food was pretty good and the husband was pleased. I don't think we would venture here as a destination, but as a stop, on our way to or from Atlanta.
(3)
Wanda J.
I've been to this shopping center and passed by this place numerous times and never thought to try it. Well, I finally decided to try it, and I loved it! I got a classic gyro that was delicious. the meat was thinly cut and tender. It had lettuce, tomato, red onions, olives, and a generous amount of taziki sauce in the wrap as well. the whole wrap was a nice burst of flavor with each bite. My 14 month old loved it as well. I'm sad that we waited two weeks from moving out of midtown to try this place. I will miss you, Olive Bistro!
(4)
Autumn S.
I've eaten Mediterranean all over Atlanta and in the Mediterranean, this place offers healthy options that are awesome. The portions are decent sized, short wait time and their waitresses are attentive. I eat here usually before a night out on the town cause I feel like I ate decent so I won't feel all gross in my club clothes. The portions are sharable even sides.
(5)
Alan R.
Love having the new starbucks in the same center as my favorite lunch spot and favorite grocery store. I eat dinner alot now that I moved to Brookhaven at the new Olive Bistro Brookhaven and it is always great, and when at work I still love my Midtown Olive Bistro on Ponce. Went in on Saturday cause we went to the High and then did groceries at whole foods, but after cruising the high, needed late lunch and this place never disappoints. Had the best and freshest homos and falafel. So fresh. I could really eat this once a day. Started with that and added a vine platter. I am way too lazy to try and make grape leaves, so these are one of my indulgences. Perfect spices. My friends had lamb and eggplant and raved about how tender. Good work. I like to know my standbys always deliver fresh, and good food and with with such great service and prices. I love their turkish coffee, but today enjoyed their wine and after whole foods grabbed a Starbucks . My wife got to shop at TJ max and we loved having all in one place. TJ and Starbucks good additions. Oh, I left one of the more interesting notes till the end, love chatting it up with the cool British guy at Olive Bistro, like the table service, rare for that area.
(5)
David D.
For what I had there...I have to give it 4 stars. They had this combo sampler plate with hummus, feta cheese, and a mix of diced olives with an oil that woke my taste buds form an unknowing sleep. The falafel could have been better, but was definitely editable. We sat outside because it was nice, and the waiter was quite amazing. He was very good at checking on us. When we left...he even ran out into the parking lot after us because my girlfriend left her sweater.
(4)
Jessie J.
Stepped in on a Sunday around dinner time for some take out. Place was dead, save for a couple wrapping up dinner. The menu is a little pricier than what I'm used to. (I live within walking distance to Mediterranean Grill and love I can get all my favorites a la carte at decent prices). I ended up getting the Mediterranean Platter, where you choose 4 sides from a finite selection. I got the falafel, baba ghanouj, eggplant, and hummus. Falafel: Some of the worst I've had from a restaurant. Dry as a bone and wasn't served with a traditional tahini sauce of any sort. They also had no business being as greasy as they were. The frozen falafel at Trader Joe's is way better, as a comparison. It did, however, have good spices. Baba ghanouj: Bland, a little too sharp with lemon. Nice texture, but nothing you couldn't buy at a grocery store. Eggplant: The best part, but still mediocre. It's marinated, flash fried, and served cold(?). Hummus: Again, nothing interesting. Bland, as if they order it from vendors But, the worst thing that really, really, really irritated me, was the tzatziki sauce. It looked like ranch and the consistency of water. Tasted like water too! I'm used to seeing fresh dill and chunks of cucumber in thick yogurt whenever I get this delicious sauce, and I was almost offended that they even called that mess tzatziki. All in all, if you're wanting to try something new, I'd skip this place. Go to Jaffa Gate (at colony) or Mediterranean Grill for fresh, delicious, and more than reasonably priced Greek/Mediterranean fare.
(2)
Stacey F.
Good food & service, but a serious warning... I had lunch with a friend at Olive Bistro (3/16). As I have only recently moved back to ATL, it was my first time at the restaurant in years. We seated ourselves and were quickly brought menus and asked about a drink order. Since we arrived at peak lunch time (12:30), the waiter kept checking in to see if we were ready to order. This is great service since most people are rushing at lunch. However, we were catching up and had not even opened the menu! No biggie. I ordered the three salad sampler ($8.99) and chose hummus, white beans, and tabbouleh. My friend ordered the tabbouleh salad with falafel ($8.99). I requested whole wheat pita bread. We received our food very quickly with a generous portion of toasted whole wheat pita. I HATE when restaurants serve raw pita bread out of the bag, so it was nice to get the warm, toasted pita here. Although, my salad sampler did not appear huge, it certainly was plenty of food--especially with the pita bread--I did not eat all of it. The food was very good although the beans are served in oil, so are quite oily! I make my own hummus frequently and often find fault with restaurant versions, but thought Olive Bistro's was top-notch. I did not try my friend's salad, but it looked like A LOT of tabbouleh to me which was topped with four falafel balls. I would definitely recommend this restaurant especially for those with a short lunch hour. Also, it's quite casual so I think solo diners would feel comfortable as well. WARNING: My husband complained that I had horrible garlic breath after lunch. Even after gargling, brushing, etc the problem was still apparent the next morning. I think the restaurant uses a lot of raw garlic in their food, so if you are affected (like I am), beware!
(4)
Jared C.
In my quest to find decent Greek food in Atlanta, this was my most recent stop as I was in the area and I had a coupon for it. The staff was very friendly but they seemed to be making a lot of mistakes at every table within earshot. The most common phrase I heard from the staff was "I'm sorry about that" from customers who were charged incorrectly, given wrong food, etc. I had to tell the waitress 4 times what drink I wanted before she picked the correct one. The food was mediocre at best. I ordered the falafel, and while it was prepared quickly, it wasn't very good. The pita was too chewy and tough, the falafel patties and the hummus were pretty bland, there was a ridiculous amount of lettuce thrown on top, and the tahini was splattered all over the outside of the pita. Without the coupon, this is an $8.00 falafel with no sides whatsoever, which is a bit disappointing. I suppose my quest must continue. Atlanta does so many types of food so well, but for whatever reason there is very little excellent Mediterranean food, with the exception of Nick's Food To Go.
(2)
Mick D.
Greek themed food in intimate, casual surroundings. My preference: go for the "strictly Greek" items. (You can't go wrong with the lasagna & ravioli, but the hummus, Baba Ghanouge, falafel, etc. are really, really good.)
(4)
Art I.
Great food but way overpriced.
(3)
Ann-Marie T.
As a teen-ager and young adult, I lived in Downtown Detroit, and worked in a small part of the city called Greek Town, in authentic Greek restaurants owned by actual natives of Greece. I also worked in the kitchen of a Mediterranean cafe very closely with the owner, who was from Pakistan. Therefore, it is extrememly hard to impress me when it comes to Medi. food. Here in Atlanta, I have never experienced anything remotely close to what there is to offer in Detroit, which is surprising due to the melting pot of cultures living in the city. I ordered the chicken kabob which did not even come on a skewer, and was around $15.00, which I thought was ridiculous. My Greek salad if you will even call it one consisted of lettuce, sparse cucumber, and feta cheese...oh and I forgot, two scices of green pepper. I'm not sure what the inspiration is for the menus of these places, but an AUTHENTIC Greek salad comes with, kalamata olives, beets, red onion, tomato, cucmber, feta cheese (usually by the block), and pepperocinni. This particular restaurant did not even have pepperocinni on the premisis, which I thought was quite strange. I have yet to see a Greek salad prepared this way after the four years I have been in Atlanta on my conquest for real Medi. food. I sampled my sister's falafel which was mediocre, and the tahini was like brown water. Not to mention I asked for a side of tzatziki for my kabob, which would normally come with this meal, and received a side of what tasted like sour cream with bits of cucumber. The only thing I can say is that the pita bread was decent and the waitress was very nice even though she could not remember our drink order. When my sister finally got her mimosa, the OJ looked like five year old Sunny Delight, and tasted like it as well. The only resteraunt that I have been to so far that can even come anywhere close to the real thing is the Mediterranean Grille on Monroe. Here you will find the true flavor you have been looking for. I order the chicken kabob wrap which comes with an unbelievable garlic spread and a Greek Salad, for around seven dollars...can't beat it!
(1)
Stephie Z.
I lived around the corner for 2 years and now that I moved I decided to stop by. The rosemary chicken had a great flavor. A little on the dry side but I still enjoyed it. The rice and lentils were great, fab spice, perfect with the chicken. Greek salad and hummus: okay- nothing to write home about. The chicken gyro sandwich had wayyyy too much tzatziki on it. Remove some of that shit and it would have been much better. Servers were friendly and helpful.
(3)
Andy T.
This place rocks! Superb gyros, lentils/rice, freshfreshfresh salad greens, grape leaves and amazing service every single time... never a bad experience. We live nearby and frequent The Olive Bistro at least once a month to get our fix. It's excellent and so easy to miss if you're not looking for it. We feel like it's our little club, but we're happy to share it with you.
(5)
Barry G.
I've been here a few times and it is usually pretty quiet, although I understand that it can get busy at times. The food is always fantastic and the staff are kind. Personally I'd recommend the Tabouleh Gyro. It's out of this world, the coffee was decent too.
(4)
Ashleigh T.
My sister and I decided to go here on a whim for lunch yesterday, becuase we love Greek food and were always curious as to what the Olive Bistro was all about. We grew up in Detroit eating in Greektown where you can find some of the most authentic Greek/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cusine cooked by actual natives. We are rarely impressed with the Mediterranean resturants here in Atlanta, and the Olive Bistro has also proved this theory true. My "Greek" salad, was small, over priced, missing red onion, and topped with falafel which I did not order. The waitress compleletly forgot to bring me my mimosa which I had to re-order 15 minutes later. This place is overpriced and the food in mediocre. We will not be back!!!!
(1)
Katie W.
I stopped in to get some takeout after waiting way too long to eat before shopping at Borders and then feeling that super-hungry panic, like I might just eat my scarf if I didn't get my hands (and mouth) on some food NOW. I'd passed this place numerous times but just never stopped in until this opportunity presented itself. The menu was posted in the window, which was nice, and I saw a lot of things I'd probably like. I ordered at the counter where the order-taker was very friendly and helpful. I only had to wait about 10 minutes for my food before I was on my merry way. I ordered the chicken gyro wrap-thingy (I don't remember the exact name on the menu but it wasn't just "chicken gyro"). Even after a ten minute wait to get home and tear everything open to start eating, it was warm, flavorful, and the chicken was very tender. I liked it. I also ordered a side Greek salad and it was very good, too. It had lots of fresh veggies and lots of feta in a light dressing. I liked it, too. I would definitely return if I was hungry in this area again. Take out was a great option but I'd probably stay and eat in, too.
(4)
Joyce W.
I stopped with a coupon i bought off halfoffdepot. This place is basiclly a storefront takeout type of establishment. It's no where to to try to impress someone. The food is alright, but nothing to write home about. I order the gyro, which was a flimsy lil thing, I've had way better. Also they was cheap on the meat. I also order the hummus which was ok they only give u ONE pita bread with alot of hummus. All in all it was just "OK" . Now the service is great everyone is nice. Bottom line is, if i had another coupon, then I would definatly eat here again. But Would I pay full price? nah.
(3)
Janice B.
The food here probably would've tasted better without the hair in it.
(2)
Washington I.
marginal Mediterranean fare. decent hummus and baba, and eggplant. fallafel was overcooked as it often is with non Mediterranean cooks. scoutmob deal but only 10 bucs.
(3)
Isaiah D.
Olive bistro, What are you??? The sign on your front door is confused and needs your help. You are trying to be everything, when all you need to be is yourself. Your sign says that you are a Deli/Cafe/Bistro/ Greek Food restaurant, that plays creepy ambient trance (not saying trance is creepy, but your play list is) The service leaves a little to be desired, and your paintings on your wall remind me of a holiday inn I once slept at. but enough already, here's the low down... It has decent food, but all and all I don't think I will be going back. There are too many other great places with Greek food elsewhere that are sure of themselves and know who they are.
(2)
Katrina V.
I hate to say it, but this place is just eh. The food is all premade and in a display case and reheated...and in the case of my meal, not heated all the way through. The food is OK, but just OK.
(2)
Elizabeth R.
After living in the Atlanta area for just under a year now, I still haven't found a really great mediterranean restaurant. I tend to hold my favorite places in my hometown as the standard to judge everything Atlanta, and nothing has lived up to my Greek food standard. I went to The Olive Bistro yesterday for dinner and used my Scoutmob. The prices were on-par with my idea of fair prices for plates of hummus, tabbouleh, and gyro meat, with slightly stingy portions. The pita was clearly packaged stuff that was re-heated, but the hummus, greek salad, falafel, etc. seemed freshly made. My main beef (if you'll pardon the pun) was the gyro meat. One of my favorite parts of a greek meal is that gyro meat or chicken shawarma that has been cooking over a spit, cut thick with lots of crispy edges. The meat at Olive Bistro was thin with no crispiness whatsoever. It was like a small, underwhelming pile of lunch meat. This might satisfy some palettes, but I was definitely missing an integral part of my greek restaurant experience. I found the service to be a bit disorganized, though friendly. I'm also not a fan of when gratuity is added in for me. I always tip 20% or more unless the service is seriously lacking. I tip closer to 30% on the original cost of the meal when I use a coupon like Scoutmob. I feel extremely insulted when the gratuity is added in, like I'm don't seem gracious enough to add in a decent tip myself. Their loss, I guess. I guess the search continues.
(3)
Shoma P.
Never ever again.. Close to the office so I decided to hop on over with some co-workers, needless to say bad idea...very very bad idea.. Disgusting food(extremely overspiced), their gyros looked like cold cuts and their chicken is way too dry. Five coworkers and I went and five of us came out horrified. ENOUGH SAID!
(1)
Britny P.
seriously? If you like Mediterranean/Greek food, this is NOT the place to eat!!!! 1st: I saw the waitress pour a glass a wine and she stuck her finger in it to pull something out of the glass - obviously something fell into the glass. 2nd: my stuffed grape leaves were warm...why is it that all other restaurants, it is served cold or at least room temperature and there was some type of red sauce over it and it was yucky! 3rd: my gyro meat was very dry and hard to chew...not something that i would ever want to eat again. 4th: the food in the front glass container looked like it had been sitting out for days! it looked horrible! and their baklava, which is my favorite dessert, was shriveled up, flakey, and did not look like the delectable dessert that I am accustomed to. This is one restaurant that I will not be visiting again! Sorry!
(1)
eve m.
Just ate at Olive Bistro again after a while - before the husband was the husband, he lived nearby so it was easier to pop in or get stuff to go. We happened to be in the area, so dropped in for a quick family dinner. The place is casual and not fancy inside, but the food has always been great. The greek salads are very good (plenty of oil though) and I had mine with gyro meat added. Even my almost four year old was downing the smoke chicken ravioli! The hummus was also good. Just a note about the stuffed grapes leaves - seems like whenever I got them I was asked if wanted them heated with sauce or cool. And I have had them served warm before, so not sure if something changed.
(4)
Michelle B.
When the Whole Foods guy whispered in my ear "the tzatziki at the Olive Bistro is MUCH better", taking my basket and winking at me, I darted out the door to escape to a little Greek oasis! The owner's wife let me taste the tzat, telling me that they've been making it for umpteen years and it is the best in town. I have to say I agree! I'm prone to fits of ADD when presented with a new restaurant or new menu...I want this! No! I want that! I want a bite of everything! Then I end up with a fridge full of stuff that no one eats but me, so I went conservative and ordered a combo plate. The hummus was silky smooth, with just the right amount of tahini; the Tuscan bean salad was bright and sunny with lots of lemon and sun-dried tomatoes and yes, the tzatziki was fab! There's a certain diner in town that I've reviewed that can take a note here: tzatziki has cucumber in it! cucumber you can see! The yogurt is thick, not runny like ranch dressing with dill in it! It has garlic in it as well! While waiting for my order, I saw heaps of goodness coming from the kitchen...crispy falafels, huge sandwiches, and fragrant and juicy lamb kebabs that made my mouth water then, as it does now thinking about it. The only reason I didn't give Olive Bistro 5 stars? They won't sell the dips in bulk. You have to get individual orders and that can get a little pricey.
(4)
Laura T.
Authentic Mediterranean fare that is consistently delicious and well priced. They have a large menu and everything I've tried has been good, but I particularly love their felafel, salads, and various sauces, dips, and yogurts that come with their dishes. It's a great place for a casual dine-in lunch or dinner and the service is relatively quick and always friendly. I also stop in at least once a week for take-out, often when I'm at a loss for what to do for dinner or when friends are coming over. One of my favorite local places!
(5)
Fazoli's is an Italian-American fast casual restaurant chain headquartered in Lexington, Kentucky. It was founded in 1988and is now owned by Sentinel Capital Partners. As of 2015, there are 213 Fazoli's located nationwide. The restaurant chain specializes in Italian cuisine and dishes. Carl Howard is the company's president and CEO. Fazoli's offers a menu of traditional Italian favorites — highlighted by our famous, mouthwatering, garlic bread sticks — combined with a service experience not typically found in the QSR industry and served in a newly re-imagined restaurant environment. And it's all available to our guests at a great price and value. With over 200 restaurants, explosive growth and a booming sales trajectory, Fazoli's has established itself as a leader in the Quick-Service Restaurant segment.
Today, Fazoli's menu consists of classic Italian dishes, baked pastas, their signature Submarinos sandwiches, and other foods, such as:
Twice Baked Lasagna Chicken Parmigiano Italian Deli Trio seasonal salads Turkey Mozzarella Fresco Meatball da Vinci The Primo Italiano Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza New York Style Cheesecake Baked Spaghetti Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
Address :650 Ponce De Leon Ave NE,Ste 680A
Atlanta, GA, 30308
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : No Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Jahmin L.
This is a hidden gem! To be honest, I've only been here once but I never would have expected to enjoy a little corner restaurant in a strip mall so much! I had limited time to grab a quick dinner and, since I was in the area, I perused the restaurant options around Whole Foods on Ponce. Not wanting to settle for Willy's or stomach the price of the salad bar at Whole Foods, I decided to try Olive Bistro. I ordered the combo plate, opting for the Greek salad and hummus. I also received fresh baked pita bread, which I could not stop eating! I thoroughly enjoyed both the salad and the hummus, and the service was prompt and the server was cordial. I'm looking forward to visiting again to try more of the menu.
(4)Jaye P.
The star is NOT for the food because I did not have the stomach to eat it so I gave it to a homeless guy. I could have thrown it out but I'd spent too much on it. Why? After ordering a takeout the guy taking the order kept scratching at the acne on his face and nose, then without washing his hands he picked up the pita and place it in the container!!! Yes, THAT actually happened! NAUSEATING!
(1)Teresa L.
The service was really wonderful. I had a caesar salad with falafels. The food was fresh, but the falafel was WAY over seasoned and the salad was WAY overdressed. There was more cheese and dressing than greens. The falafel was loaded with cumin. I keep wanting to like falafels, but I can't find any that that meet my expectations.
(3)Ashley M.
My coworkers and I had lunch here on a weekday because we had to stop by Whole Foods for a quick run. Conveniently located just a couple of shops down, we decided to eat here and walk down to Whole Foods. Upon entering the restaurant, it was quick to see we were the only patrons inside. A young lady greeted us and told us to sit at any table in the restaurant. Throughout our entire meal, only a few patrons entered the restaurant, a rarity at a midtown lunch spot. I ordered the lunch special, a bargain at $7.99! The food was fresh, tasty, and delicious, and I look forward to returning!
(3)Henry P.
Love this place, food is so good. Quick and cute setting. Katie is an awesome server!
(4)Dan R.
The place is not bad, but not great either. The falafal with hummus was great. However, the gyro meat for the Greek platter appeared as if they were pre-cooked strips that probably were shipped frozen to the restaurant. The portions were very very small for the price as well. A little plate for $9.99, not worth it. And yes, warm grape leaves with a tomato sauce as someone else mentioned seemed very odd.
(2)Khadijah M.
I really enjoyed this place. I ordered the gyro and loved that the pita bread was so soft. I will talk about it a little more when I go again but this first impression is on point.
(4)Jessica M.
I ordered the falafel with hummus and an iced tea and lunch was $10. Granted I'm used to hole in the wall falafel for $3.25 in NYC but if this was the BEST falafel in Georgia I wouldn't mind the cost - it was just ok and it was served with a bag of Lays potato chips. I was at least expecting Pita chips or the offer of a side salad. Plus, I tried to add one slice of eggplant to my sandwich and my server told me I had to order the $7.99 appetizer if I wanted any eggplant at all. Eh, I'll be finally heading to Jerusalem Cafe the next time I want a falafel in ATL.
(3)Ashley S.
I adore their food. I cannot speak highly enough of it. I often stop in there late in the evening when I have just returned to town and cooking is out of this world- their gyro with extra feta hits the spot...it is exactly what my little heart desires. A total gem.
(5)Angelica M.
The server was really nice and the food arrived promptly. The rice and lentils are pretty good. Wash it down with a mimosa. I would definitely eat here again.
(4)Bill G.
The Olive Bistro has enjoyable Greek themed food served in a relaxed atmosphere by a quirky, entertaining English dude that loves to chat when business is not too hectic. The food is good enough to drive a bit out of the way on a workday and the prices are very reasonable. My co-workers and I have tried many things on the lunch menu, but we lean toward specials because they are so reasonably priced. We always left happy. I wish the portions were bigger and the soda was not served in cans (I eat a lot and drink more), but perhaps they're following the showbiz adage of always leaving them wanting more. Definitely worth a try if you're in the area.
(4)Chris G.
Tried this place for lunch today. It's not bad but nothing to get excited about. Interesting mix of choices, mostly Mediterranean themed. They have a nice display of their fresh salads and other choices. I had the Tabbouleh with gyro meat which was actually pretty good. The sauce needs more flavor. The staff was friendly and the location is convenient. Just a head's up, a lot of day laborers hang out in the parking area because of the Home Depot nearby.
(3)pauper c.
Extremely Bad. I am quite generally very lineant with reviews; but cant be with this one. The waiters were very cheerful and friendly; but the food was just extremely bad. The falafels were reheated and hence were total crap. The Rice and lentils had the typical flavor of Indian Pulav Masala and I am 99% sure that they just used the Indian masala to sell Middle eastern rice !! IN short, I repent of having had to waste my money there instead of going to my regular Mediterranean place.
(1)Shay Y.
I love greek food and this place makes it better than anywhere else I know of. Everything is fantastic. Really. There is not one thing I have tried that did not float my boat. My favorites would have to be the anti-pasto salad (omg it is heaven) and the falafel. Although I have not had any wine there, they do have a decent collection if you want to make your meal a bit fancier. I live right around the corner so this is also my absolute favorite take-out place. Just keep in mind that if you are going to be around anyone else for the rest of the day, invite them to eat with you. Both people with deadly garlic breath is always better than just one of you.
(4)Vincent V.
I stopped by Olive Bistro to grab some snacks for a party last week (seems to be a recurring theme, I used to actually cook for those kind of things). Everyone at the party ended up raving about the food and asking me where I bought it. While I was waiting for my take out order I got an up close and personal look at the display case at the counter. I seriously debated adding some eggplant and falafel to my order. And the baklava...they were about three times the size of the baklava I used to get all the time in college. I'm still irritated with myself that I didn't buy a few to hide in the car for after the party. The baba ghanouge was excellent, and they packed so many pita slices in my to-go order that I ended up having too many (I had bought some at the grocery store earlier since I incorrectly assumed that Olive would be like every other restaurant and not give you enough). Definitely planning on heading back to Olive Bistro for a full meal when I've got the time to appreciate it and have some wine to go with my food. And absolutely having a baklava. Or three. At least.
(4)Lee Catherine B.
I stopped in at the Olive Bistro with a friend for a late lunch. We had plans to eat in L5P but I'd been craving olives and she suggested we try Olive's instead. Despite a compulsion of mine to frequent the Border's in the Ponce shopping center I'd never even noticed the unassuming restaurant, but I agreed and met her there. The tables are set with little bottles filled with fake flowers and utensils wrapped in paper napkins, and I noticed that the atmosphere was charming either in spite of or because of that (still unclear which). The guy working there immediately helped us and we barely waited for our food - he whipped it up as we watched and spirited it over to us within five minutes. I was impressed before I even began eating, which also may have been due to the olives he brought out to us as soon as I mentioned my love for them. I'd never eaten homemade hummus before, and going back to my trusty store-bought Athenos will no doubt be a bit disappointing. My hummus pita, stuffed with lettuce, tomato, and olives as per my special request, proved both immensely satisfying and messy, which my father always says is the sign of truly good food. I hedged a bit when the handwritten bill came because I rarely carry cash, and then worried that even if they took credit cards my lunch would not meet the minimum (a good worry to have in the grand scheme of lunch/credit card concerns). However, Olive's accepted my credit card and I left fully pleased. A must-visit!
(4)Tiana M.
I LOVE the food here! The dressings are authentically made from scratch, the greens are fresh, and the ingredients are tantalizing. Their greek salad, and phyllo pie are awesome. They serve wine, and the service is great. They have a cute little patio which makes it great for people watching. It doesn't have the best ambiance, but for a quick bite to eat, it's small, quaint, and convenient!
(4)Elizabeth S.
There aren't very many places in Atlanta that have lamb kebabs on the menu. This is one of them. Olive is a pretty cute little place, offering an alternative Greek option to Atlanta diners. It's very casual...definitely come here for the food, not the atmosphere. The rice and lentils are delicious, and the lamb kebabs are quite good...I try to stay away from eating cute creatures, but Olive Bistro's lamb kebabs make for a satisfying occasional treat. The service is fast and friendly...This place doesn't have the best Greek food I've ever had, but it's certainly worth a try.
(3)Lori F.
Great little place for mediterranean food. It's small, with a tiny counter and a few tables, but still a good bet for a casual lunch or dinner. The food is great. They have a spicy falafel, which is so good wrapped in a pita with tzaziki sauce. They have an awesome hummus, too. Bigger meal winners include lamb kebobs or stuffed grape leaves. The lamb was really tender, and the grape leaves had the right mix of citrus and pine nuts. My favorite lunch is the gyro with tasty lamb and tzaziki on a fresh pita. It's a really cozy spot to dine. Sometimes I just go and enjoy a quiet dinner with a glass of wine by myself. They're usually understaffed, though, so don't be in a hurry! Take a piece of baklava to go, too!
(4)Kan B.
07/12/2008 I had this week where I was turned off meat. so I visted the olive bistro and had the falafel wrap. it was most delicious. the counter clerk was little standoffish. I hadn't been there before and seemed a little irritated when I asked questions. the prices were reasonable and I ate my wrap while driving home the rain. I almost turned back to go get more. After I wrote my 7/12 review I got an email from the owner asking for additional feedback and offering me a free coupon for a falafel. I gave my feedback but was mute on the offer for free food. The owner emailed me again and pressed on if to email me the coupon or if i'd pick it up at the registar at Olive bistro . I said fine, leave it at the register. Today, I was running and errand and we decided to stop by for a gyro. When I walked in I asked the cashier about the coupon. she stated she had no idea and I said fine. but she wasn't satisfied. She kept pressing for more info. I explained the owner emailed me after a yelp review. there was a guy standing next to her and he waived her on, asking her to make the falefal , she turned to him and asked him to call the owner. I said, that's okay. i'll just pay for the falefal. again, she wasn't having it. There were other people behind us at this time and other people eating. She said, you know I work here all week, we don't have gift cards or coupon and the owner would have told me about this. again, I said, that's fine. I'll just pay for it. I didn't want to walk out and make it look like I was there to scam for a free $5.99 item. finally she gave up and let me order my meal. after saying telling her 5 different times not to worry about the coupon and just let me pay for it. The falefal tasted good. the gyro we also ordered was okay but a little over sauced. I won't be returning to the Olive Bistro. not the because the food is bad or anything but because I was embarrassed over a coupon the owner offered to me.
(3)Jeff G.
If you're feeling quick Mediterrenean food, and can deal with the Hell that is Midtown Place, hit up Olive Bistro. A clean, relaxed, cafe-style environment in said strip mall. Some of the greatest Ghanouge and Hummus in the city. The Falafel rocks, as do the Rice and Lentils, with Tahini. Don't miss it if you're on that side of town.
(5)James A.
I will NEVER EVER EAT at this place again. Not only was the food horrible but after having lunch I was immediately asked to MOVE ALONG quickly by the waiter (he's a Brit w/ a ponytail, not hard to miss). Even the other guests who were there were astonished by his rudeness. Normally I would have given him a nice verbal berating but honestly I was shocked that he had the nerve (after I paid the bill) to ask my friend and I to give up the table. Mind you there were other tables there and we had pretty much just settled the tab. So not only was the food not great at all, the service sucks......
(1)Franklin E.
Well......I've always wanted to go in here, but never have due to a couple factors. One, it never seemed like there were too many people there and it was kinda dark. Today, I walked up there by myself and wandered in a little tired from the night before. The waitress was cute, and I always really enjoy that from a restaurant. Anyway, I got the gyro plate because I didn't wanna think about it too much and I just love it at most Med places. I almost shed a tear when the Greek Salad came. It was so good, I felt like it was harvested from the Garden of Eden. The tomatoes were fresh and whatever cheese that was .....well let's just say it was tasty. The plate came quickly......I really didn't like seeing all the dishes in a glass display, but it tasted like the meat was harvested earlier and cooked just for me. The rice kinda conglomerated together, and I really enjoyed that...much easier to eat. The pita bread was crunchy and hot. That was a take that I've never seen before, but it was glorious. The whole ordeal only lasted about 45 minutes and I couldn't finish all of the food. My food was about 9.99, which is maybe a dollar too expensive for what you get. I ended up giving the waitress a 4 dollar tip because I liked how she looked. I will go back for 2 main reasons......That salad was dank as hell and I plan on getting the waitresses' number next time. ;)
(4)Coley W.
Olive Bistro is regularly judged to have the best Mediterranean food in Atlanta, but it's situated in one of those strip malls that makes it hard to get excited about sitting down to eat there. Still, the hummus, falafel, kebobs, and stuffed grape leaves are all really good. And if you're in a hurry, you can take your order to go. Oh, and don't quote me on this, but I seem to remember Wednesday is half-price bottle of wine night.
(3)Maria C.
I've been recently suffering from Mediterranean food cravings, which certainly worries my husband, as the last two times I had Med cravings I was pregnant. Thankfully, I'm not preggers, but I have been combing Atlanta for some good Med food, and really missing the likes of Maoz in other cities. Of the Med options here, Olive Bistro is my favorite. They have the regular hummus, babaganoush, falafel, salad with feta and olives, and gyros. But they also have a couple of more interesting side dishes/appetizers, my favorite being the eggplant and the Tuscan beans. The eggplant is covered in a lemony red marinade that describes how cravings are born. I asked the British guy that mans the place on the weekends and he said it was sumac. I bought sumac, but alas, my eggplant is nowhere near as good as Olive Bistro's. The babgnoush has a little too much cumin for my taste, but certainly forgivable. My only other gripe is that the portions are somewhat small, especially compared to Mediterranean Grill. However, I like the atmosphere here better than Med Grill. Sure, the place is not winning any awards for decor, but the place is cozier and I like that there's wine, beer and the guy will take your order at the table.
(4)Alex C.
The gyro meat is the same Sysco premade meat stuff I would get at my college food hall. It's not terrible, but it shouldn't cost more than $5 and be sold at fairs. It's unfortunate that they don't make their own...
(1)Tom W.
We were told the owner used family recipes. Unless his mom owned Sysco I do not think that claim has any merit. I had better gyro at my catholic grammar school cafeteria. Such a shame as the staff was so pleasant. Go to cafe agora. 10x better!
(2)Donna T.
I love the food here. Such unique flavors and the staff is very friendly.
(4)Rene D.
Went to Chiro upstairs and got a haircut. Noticed the olive bistro in the corner and was hungry. Always wanting to try new stuff we decided to walk in. We do love Greek to here we go. First of all I chatted a family sitting outside, they said everything is good here. While walking in. It smelled soooo delicious. I could just smell the olive oil and olives. My hunger pangs were growing. I ordered the Anipasto salad AND a Gyro. Hubby had a Gyro with xtra taziki. Well we sort of shared the salad but he kept forking too much and had to stab his hand away several times. ( guess it was so good I didn't want to share...) hehe. The tomatoes were so good I kept humming thru every bite. Well actually olives, feta, mozzarella... U get the picture!! I loved every bite of savory greekness. The taziki and fresh Pita was such a good compliment. Then for the Gyro I thought well I would have a few bites...NO I just couldn't put it down. The fresh bread the nicely warmed meat and again the taziki! I'm in heaven. I polished it off alright. Don't know where I put it. My tastebuds were still wanting but belly full!! He ate his too and was equally good. The waitress asked if we would like desert or a Baklava. Well.. Maybe a Baklava to go. Well then the urge came over me to have a bite to try. U know just to cleanse the palate. NOPE ate the whole thing!!!!! NOW I'm done and totally satisfied. U gotta live this place. Lunch specials are good although we just missed them. And I didn't mind. A few folks were getting food Togo too. Want to come back again this week before we leave town.
(5)Ms. B.
The food wasn't that great. I've experienced better. I felt it was lacking flavor.
(2)Jamie S.
Very authentic middle eastern Mediterranean cuisine. Highly recommend the tapenade and hummus
(4)Danielle M.
This was our first visit and we loved it. Amazing service, delicious food and 1/2 price bottles of wine on Wednesdays. Pleasant surprise! We will be back soon. Order the Mediterranean Sampler and make sure to get the eggplant and babaganouche. The Rosemary Chicken was delicious!
(4)Dani L.
The Greek salad was pretty taste and the Lasagna was good too. The rest of the stuff is pretty mediocre and the service was absolutely ridiculous. We ordered a falafel sandwich that didn't come with any hummus and when informing the waitress that we didn't have any sauce she was annoyed about it , rolled the eyes to us and sent another waitress that came and tried to open my sandwich telling me that was a thin layer over there. It was super disrespectful and unprofessional . The falafel was cold and the gyro sandwich look like came from the microwave because it the meat was hot and the bread was not. Never coming back to this place. It was the worst $35 I spent
(1)Christina W.
Ok so in my neighborhoods there are like 3 places to walk to for take out. This is one of them. I've been here three times and it has never been good. The gyros taste like a regular beef sandwich. Nothing Greek about it. The baklava tastes like pumpkin pie so that's weird. Soo probably won't be going back. I'll opt for sushi next time instead.
(2)Chris F.
I wish this place was better. I eat here on occasion, but after eating there I don't want to come back. I forget that their grape leaves are hot, as in temperature hot. So odd. I want cold, bitter grape leaves. The appetizer of 4 grapes leaves is $6.99. Way over priced. The falafel wrap is okay, but drowned in too much tahini and not fried to order. There are no pickled vegetables or anything "Mediterranean" in the wrap. $7.99 gets you just a wrap with no side. Their hot sauce is Texas Pete or something of that sort. They do have tables outside, which is nice in good weather.
(2)Spencer L.
Wow, not good at all. Very bland and don't think they use fresh anything! Meat tasted like it had been cooked over and over and the flavored were just off. Friends had the Greek salad which they said was pretty bland and again, did not taste fresh. Wouldn't return--not sure why anyone would.
(1)Liz V.
This review update is not for the faint of heart. Funny, I went to type this location in to my phone and my fat fingers spelled barf...ironic, considering that's what I did a few hours after eating here. I'm no stranger to food poisoning but its something that normally happens after eating something fried and greasy not something like spinach fillo, hummus and tuscan beans, but wow, was I wrong. $18 of wrong. I threw up for 5 hours. Through every dry heave and hail Mary, the scent of olive oil and random spices filled the air. I was kicking myself considering I foolishly chose this healthy alternative. Who knew I would have been safer at Zestos? I am on day 2 of this food poisoning hangover and not only did I lose my voice from dry heaving but I also lost my appetite for ever coming here again.
(1)James T.
Such a shame that this place has gotten only three collective stars. I think it's a hidden jewel; my favorite restaurant in that area, and the best Mediterranean I've had in Atlanta. The only time I don't crave their hummus is when I'm eating their hummus. Many Greek restaurants and packaged hummus brands get it wrong, and make it too sharp and acidic with lemon juice. Theirs is creamy, rich and umami. It's the best I've ever had. The bread that comes with it is warm and perfectly crisp. For dinner, I recommend the Rosemary Chicken platter. The server recommended it to me the first time I went there, and I've had it many times since. It's tender and flavorful. The baklava is wonderful. It's not so sticky with cloying filling oozing out the sides, like some baklava that slows your chewing to a halt. It's flaky and sweet. The waitress (and I think owner? I'm not sure) is usually harried if there are more than a couple of tables filled, but she's very conscientious, and you really can't blame her for being under pressure because from what I've seen, the place usually runs with just her and one cook, and she's serving, running the cash register and answering the phone. Anyway, don't let the humble strip mall digs fool you. This is some of the best food in Midtown. I want some hummus now.
(5)Paula B.
Great food! Great Customer Service! What a treat to discover this place!! Perfect! Great Greek food!
(5)Emily C.
I love this place! The food is delicious, especially considering how cheap it is - I paid 7 bucks for a chicken wrap and would have gladly paid more! The lady who runs the place is so sweet. Don't forget to tip her ;)
(5)Roxanna S.
Yummy lunch - Pitas and wraps! Great food and the service was excellent! Good experience in the ATL!
(5)Scott W.
A collective 3 stars for my long-running favorite Mediterranean restaurant in the city? Don't make me cry, people! I've been coming to this place since it was in Little 5 Points about 15 years ago. After a short bit of experimentation (a popular thing to do in L5P, y'know), I found that the hummus and falafels here were my faves. I just deleted a bit of ridiculous faux-critic insights on why I think theirs stands out, but man it was rough reading. Suffice it to say, real good. I like the tabbouleh also - true lemon juice overload. And even though I would never think of ordering the veggie lasagna here, my kid did yesterday - and it was pretty good! Mostly spinach interior, with a handful of mushroom slices, done up in a thick but not overpowering tomato sauce. Yeah, the atmosphere leaves a bit to be desired, and I feel that's why this place may not get taken as seriously as it could. Wrap this place in curtains and mood lighting and you'd probably be making reservations. Instead you're hanging out while your terrier is getting a makeover. But aesthetics are for the eyes, and this place satisfies enough senses on it's own to make it a destination for me.
(4)Zack J.
Good intentions, bad delivery. Most of the food on the menu is already prepared and resting in the unsightly case in the dining room. When you order something, the cook comes out of the kitchen, gets a big scoop of whatever you ordered, and, I would guess, microwaves--out of sight, of course. The food isn't particularly bad. But it isn't particularly good. It typical Greek fare, bordering on completely bland, but everything seems to have that dried out, just-microwaved taste to it. The service is nice, and the place apparently used to be good enough to win several Creative Loafing awards, but one would never know biting into the dry falafel and sawdust-like lentils and rice.
(2)Dina C.
The gentleman who is most likely the owner with the soft Australian accent is always serene and genuinely happy. You feel relaxed and cozy in this charming little place. It is a great lunch spot for some fresh hummus, stuffed grape leaves, chicken pita....mmmmmm. In my opinion, the food and vibe is far superior to that of Mediterranean Grill.
(4)Katy M.
Hmmm. This place is pretty hit and miss for me. The food itself is good, we've eaten there several times and the gyro wrap and Greek salad are definitely good. They have some talented cooks and owners, the menu is comprehensive and the food is always prepared well. Sometimes the sevice is great, sometimes it's slow and I'll have to ask several times for water or an ordered drink or something like that. This place would probably serve us better if we didn't have to work into the late afternoon outside of the city, because their hours are not conducive to dinner time dining.. We came in at 8:30 on a Saturday night and they were trying to clean up and close around the customers still eating in their restaurant. They would not seat us because they close at 9 pm. Who expects to have their restaurant closed up and all their customers out at 9 pm on a Saturday? If you won't seat customers until 9, don't say that you are open until 9. Its kind of a shame, I probably won't be back because of it, and there are just too many other good places in Atlanta.
(2)Slim M.
If you don't know by now, I'm a true "deal" freak..... err, uh... ok, that sounded kinda weird. I'll re-word that: For new places I've never been before but would like to try, I tend to buy discounted certificates for them. Yeah... that sounded better. OK, so I bought a HOD deal for this place here. I didn't mean to use it on this night, but ended up using it since our other spot was closed early. It's in a plaza and easy to find. We were greeted as soon as we entered by a petite lady who was our server. She was nice, gave us a couple suggestions, and since my dining companion couldn't make up her mind, she scooted off to another table to assist them, as well. It's pretty unpretentious in here, nothing fancy at all. The chair that I was sitting in rocked side to side and felt unsteady, so I made no quick movements or anything. It was clean, though, so no complaints about the appearance, really. I ordered the mousaka, which was (according to the website): Layers of fluffy potatoes, lamb, beef, eggplant w/ tomato basil sauce. It arrived in a pile of mush. Since I'd never had this meal before and didn't want to assume that it tasted bad based off how it looked, I went ahead and took a bite. I tasted the eggplant and tomato sauce. I could see the potatoes, but they were super mushy like the eggplant and seasoned the same, so I couldn't differentiate the taste, honestly. The lamb and beef? I don't even know if it was included. We received a mistake plate of rice and lentils; although, we didn't order this. It was ok, not great... not horrid. My companion finally received the chicken breast and hummus that she did order, and she said it was just ok, as well. I took a bite of her chicken, and she was right. The baklava at the end was probably the best part of the meal. Gratuity is automatically added here. Or maybe it was added to ours automatically since we had a deal? I'm starting to think the latter because after she placed our check on the table, she went behind the counter and stared at us from behind the glass case, as though she was expecting us to flip out or something. Haha! Funny lady. OK food, good service. Wouldn't break my neck to return. 3 stars.
(3)Henrik C.
Love this place. Come here regularly for their gyros. Have only tired them for lunch. Typically get their hummus and then a regular or philly gyro. The service is attentive and you get your food in no time. Very effective lunch place with great food.
(4)Liane H.
Although the service for our takeout was great, the food (Gyro and a Niçoise salad) was absolutely awful. Two tiny pieces of limp, thin meat on the Gyro, olives that were too salty to eat, and canned tuna on top of shredded lettuce soaked in dressing. Disgusting. We won't be going back.
(1)Brande H.
Loved it! Excellent food & service. Husband got the rosemary chicken pita & I got the philly gyro. So good! The baklava was fabulous! The Turkish coffee was fun to try. My husband really enjoyed it.
(5)Brian K.
I personally ascribe to the theory that the best way to gauge the quality of an ethnic restaurant is to determine whether natives of that cuisine patronize the establishment. That being said, there's a reason that The Olive Bistro has been in business for nearly 15 years and that you'll frequently observe native Mediterraneans dining there. Food: The Olive Bistro is a local chef-owned business that serves authentic Mediterranean food directly from the chef's family recipe book. The food served at this restaurant is what Mediterranean food is supposed to taste like, not what so many have been accustomed to from fast food chains and the mass-produced products sold at the local supermarket. My favorite appetizer is the hummus, which has a perfect consistency and exceptional flavor. In terms of pita wraps, my favorite is the grilled chicken gyro; the pita bread is soft and the ingredients are always fresh and flavorful. In addition to lighter fare, they also serve more substantial Mediterranean offerings, including vegetable lasagna (homemade tomato basil sauce!), mousaka, and specialty ravioli. A reasonable wine selection is also available. Service: The Olive Bistro typically has only one or two staff working the floor, but there are very few tables (~6 inside and ~4 outside), so the wait for service is typically minimum; I've never had to wait for a table. All the menu items are also available via takeout if so desired; I've observed patrons place takeout orders and receive them within less than 10 minutes. Atmosphere: The atmosphere is really the only lackluster component of this restaurant. The actual dining area is small and the tables and chairs are reminiscent of a hospital cafeteria. There also isn't much effort put into the presentation of the food; however, considering the prices, I wouldn't expect otherwise. Cost: Inexpensive for the quality of the food. Most pita wraps are around $7, excluding sides or drink. They also have a lunch combo available for $6.99 on Monday-Friday from 11AM - 3PM. Other: All of the salads, pastas, and ravioli are homemade and can be purchased in bulk via the delicatessen counter near the front of the store. Catering is also available.
(3)Brett S.
First time here, and glad we came! The service was friendly and generous while the food was so flavorful and delicious. Will definitely be coming back!
(5)Erdal U.
The Greek salad is amazing! We really liked the beef lasagna. The gyro platter is also great with thin sliced gyros, which is like the original gyro. One suggestion: the tzaziki sauce can have a little more garlic in it :)
(5)Lucy W.
Good- fresh warm pita, good crisp veggies, feta & olives in my side greek salad, good spiced rice with lentils. Meh- Abundance of onions in the rice with lentils, overcooked and not tasty chicken "kabob" (which looked like it was just cut up chunks of chicken and not actually cooked on a kabob), bland tzatziki sauce. I don't know what other people ordered that caused them to say the portions were not very big, but my order came with plenty of food. Just wish the chicken kabob was better. Came here with a Scoutmob so it was a great deal. Conveniently located in the same plaza as Whole Foods, on the 1st floor under the Verizon store. It looked like one of those cafe places that you could order at the counter, but there's actually sitdown wait service...very friendly and quick service at that!
(3)Ray L.
This place is yummy. I've been looking for some decent falafel and I found it here. I started off with a small plate of grape leaves. To be honest, I don't have much experience with them, but these seemed freshly prepared and nicely spiced. Came with hot, fresh pita too. It took a while to get my next item, but I wasn't in a rush and it was worth the wait. Falafel pita pocket with hummus. It looked small at first, but it was packed with falafel, which was flavorful and crispy. The pita didn't need the hummus; I knew that going in, but I was craving and didn't want a separate order of hummus. Anyway, the falafel would've held up better by itself. My server was really nice and made sure I was taken care of. I'll be coming again.
(4)Beauty A.
Bought me a soggy wrap. Fell apart... Asked for them to take it back, waiter says without asking 'I don't know if they can remake it.' I'm thinking if I wanted a bowl and not a sandwich I would've ordered one. They took it back wrapped it in the thicker pita bread. It's not what I expected. Probably won't return.
(2)Ashleigh P.
I have never had a bad meal here. The hummus is great, the tahini is smooth, the olive oil flavored with garlic and spices. Started with the trio platter appetizer. Noms on the hummus and feta, but they put roasted bell peppers in the tapenade (which is just stupid) so I can only tell you that the monster said that the tapenade would have been the bomb without the bell peppers, but that it was edible. Lots of pita was eaten with this and there was a smattering of whole wheat pita in the pita basket which is nice. I branched out and had the chicken tabbouleh pita pocket with tahini and it took me back to my shwarma eating days when I was deployed in the UAE (it was a highlight of that deployment) and I was a happy little girl. It was delicious at The Olive and the other half was delicious at 1030PM last night while watching them eliminate Angelo - seriously Angelo??? I know that too much salt in unforgivable, but "I'm from Beaumont" Tiffany used a prepackaged seasoning mix and had no flavor in her food. Not happy with 3 of the last 4 eliminations on that show. FABIO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But I digress.. The monster got the Vine Platter and DAMN did they over spice the stuffed grape leaves. She and I are monster stuffed grape leaves eaters (? is that the right way to say that ?) and these were not good. Pockets of dense, poorly blended ground clove made them almost inedible. There was too much saffron in the rice and lentils as well. But I liked my food!
(4)Michelle F.
Great service, the best hummus I have had, the vegan plate was ok.
(3)Keisha F.
Quick place to have lunch. It's not the best tabbouleh but will do. Usually have gyro tabbouleh when I go. The salad is priced very high for what you get.
(3)Jeremy A.
Came back again for my second visit. The dishes were got were good, although the vine seemed like not that much food for 13 bucks. The greek salad however is to die for here. REAL good
(3)Julia S.
Oh man, I can't believe I forgot to write an update to this place! While my first visit here was kinda lackluster, I have to say the second time definitely made up for it. I went with two friends, and we decided to get an appetizer of grape leaves, which were so incredibly yummy. The only gripe I have with Nicola's is I don't care for their grape leaves, so this was a happy day for me. They also gave us fresh pita bread, which was yummy. I kept dipping it in the sauce that the grape leaves came with. I also got the veggie lasagna, because my very meat-centric friends were raving how good it was, so I couldn't help but be curious and try it. WOW. Words cannot describe how good it was. And the tomato sauce they surrounded my veggie lasagna with was indescribably delicious. I practically wanted to lick the plate. The portion was also ginormous, so I ended up not even being able to finish it. But yeah, the veggie lasagna practically changed my life and I have an all new appreciation for this place.
(4)Shyam S.
My sister and I ate here for the first time and were pleasantly surprised by how fresh and tasty the food was. Between us, we devoured the baba ghanoush, pita, rice and lentils, falafel and tuscan beans. The portions were just perfect and the food came to us less than 10 minutes after ordering. All in all, a great meal. I am really looking forward to returning. Masha'Allah!
(4)Terry F.
I stopped by Olive Bistro for the 2nd time on Saturday afternoon after visiting my optometrist, Office Max and Home Depot. This restaurant is conveniently located in the "Whole Foods" shopping center shopping center across from Atlanta's City Hall East annex. The owner / manager / full-time server guy, was friendly and outgoing. The food (a yummy lamb kebob plate) was delivered quickly to my table. Also, the stuffed grape leaves were very tasty (don't know if I like them warmed up, however).
(3)Dru M.
I have to admit...it's been tough for me to try another greek restaurant since I love Mediterranean Grill so much, but Scoutmob helped us pull the trigger about coming here. I am glad we did because there's some great stuff going on here. * Service was very good, except I felt that our waiter was a bit overwhelmed with the amount of tables he had. But our food was brought out pretty quickly. * Hummus was ok...a bit too much oil for me though. I did like their homemade pita. * Rosemary chicken pita sandwich was tasty, but I wish there was a bit more dressing or seasoning put on it. I asked our server for some greek dressing to add to it, but he ended up forgetting. Again I think he was overwhelmed by the amount of tables he had. * My boyfriend was a big fan of the Spanakopita. * I thought prices were a little high for the portion size, but having the Scoutmob made it a bit easier to swallow. Overall...good greek and I'd like to go back soon and try something else on the menu. They are definitely worth a second chance.
(3)Joe P.
This was such a disappointment. Spent day at King Center with family and were starving. Greek sounded great. Daughter had chicken wrap, which was bizarre. The meat had unappetizing texture - chewy and crunchy. She was grossed out. I had lamb chunks that lacked flavor. They were served with bag of Lay potato chips. What the f*&^? Tzatziki was terrible and I love the stuff, so this was big bummer. It tasted and felt like it was made with cream cheese instead of fresh yogurt. Salad was very mediocre. The eggplant/hummus appetizer was decent. The server had absolutely no knowledge of menu, Greek food or the beer they served. She was pleasant. And, it's in a strip mall, which is not unusual for Atlanta, but still shitty.
(2)Zewditu D.
We tried to go Marco's Pita, but they were closed (boo). But we really wanted Mediterranean food, so we tried out Olive Bistro. It so happened, that they had a ScoutMob deal going. Awesome. Cute, little place. Good, fast service. I ordered a caesar gyro. it was pretty good. Next time I would try out the classic. I would also like to try out their baklava. It looked really good, but the pieces were HUGE and we were already pretty full by that point.
(3)Sandra E.
I was going to grab lunch at Whole Foods but they were so crowded I left. I saw this place in the same parking lot and decided to try it. Woo Hoo...it was great. I am replacing my Whole Foods lunch with the Olive Bistro. The best. One of my very few 5 star ratings.
(5)Bobbin W.
The Olive Bistro is just divey enough to meet my Mediterranean standards. Dated decor is part of the Greek restaurant experience for me, and Olive Bistro does it in an early '90s/Real World kind of way. First I became addicted to Olive's Greek salad with chicken, served by a charming English chap who called me "ma'am," but it sounded like "mohhhm." The tender chicken strips, spiced with oregano and other sprinkles of the Earth I wish I could identify, added wonderful textural contrast to the crisp green bell pepper, crumbling feta and perfectly oily dressing. (TIP: If you get the salad to go, I suggest you remove the dressing container from the bag and place it upright in your car; otherwise, it will spill everywhere.) Last night I veered away from salad love and tried the Mediterranean plate: a four-side staple of any reputable Greek spot. I chose falafel (a little mushy for my tastes...I prefer it crisp on the outside), hummus (oil oozed along the periphery, black olive topping off the mound like a chickpea sundae), Greek salad (I've explained my love in the paragraph above) and tabbouleh (fresh with a hint of lemon). The Mediterranean plate at Olive Bistro costs about a dollar more than at Mediterranean Grill, but I prefer the latter's atmosphere and food presentation. Sitting comfortably and perusing lesser-known thrift shops in Creative Loafing while slathering my face in hummus made that extra dollar worth it.
(4)Drew D.
The Olive Bistro just did not do it for me. I am used to Med Grill, so maybe that got my hopes up, but I just found it to be disappointing. Their gyros were really messy and had average at best gyro meat. Not too pricey, but I was expecting more food, maybe even a salad with it. The hummus was decent. I was not too enthralled by their menu, either. I hate to say it, but this place is just meh (for lack of another word). Not bad, but not a place I would go out of my way to go to. When you are next to WF, that is not a good thing.
(2)Shannon G.
Love this place! Favorite local greek food. I always get the hummus, tabbouleh and greek salad. They are always delicious. My boyfriend loves their turkish coffee. It's a nice low key place to get some great greek food.
(4)Carolyn B.
I love this place. The customer service is great, the ambience is wonderful. I've been here a few times, have tried something different each time and have been pleased. The food is authentic middle eastern food. They just don't have this type of thing in Athens, Ga.
(5)Bobbi B.
I go to Atlanta a couple of times a year for work. If I am able to fit in a trip to the Olive Bistro, I absolutely will. Just thinking about the rosemary chicken pita makes my mouth water. The meat is juicy, and the rosemary is not overwhelming. Chunks of fresh cuke and tomato. Luscious tahini sauce that tends to drip on the plate. The tabbouli salad is well dressed - not too dry, yet not swimming. Good service. Easy parking. Yummmmmy.
(5)Darrell C.
Good little restaurant in the Whole Foods shopping center off Ponce. The wait staff is always friendly and attentive and the food fresh, well seasoned and affordable. Overall, a great value.
(4)C W.
Great place for lunch! Friendly service and healthy tasty greek food
(4)Brittany W.
Yum!!!!!!!!!!!! I luv this place......... I always get the caesar gyro with a greek salad nd sweet tea! Asks 4 Ian he is awesome :-)
(5)Wendy T.
Husband and I went here because we had a Groupon. Hubby loves Greek food, so we finally had the chance to check it out today. The decor is quaint and fun. The inside is small than I expected and only has 9 tables. There are some tables outside for nice weather dining. The food was pretty good and the husband was pleased. I don't think we would venture here as a destination, but as a stop, on our way to or from Atlanta.
(3)Wanda J.
I've been to this shopping center and passed by this place numerous times and never thought to try it. Well, I finally decided to try it, and I loved it! I got a classic gyro that was delicious. the meat was thinly cut and tender. It had lettuce, tomato, red onions, olives, and a generous amount of taziki sauce in the wrap as well. the whole wrap was a nice burst of flavor with each bite. My 14 month old loved it as well. I'm sad that we waited two weeks from moving out of midtown to try this place. I will miss you, Olive Bistro!
(4)Autumn S.
I've eaten Mediterranean all over Atlanta and in the Mediterranean, this place offers healthy options that are awesome. The portions are decent sized, short wait time and their waitresses are attentive. I eat here usually before a night out on the town cause I feel like I ate decent so I won't feel all gross in my club clothes. The portions are sharable even sides.
(5)Alan R.
Love having the new starbucks in the same center as my favorite lunch spot and favorite grocery store. I eat dinner alot now that I moved to Brookhaven at the new Olive Bistro Brookhaven and it is always great, and when at work I still love my Midtown Olive Bistro on Ponce. Went in on Saturday cause we went to the High and then did groceries at whole foods, but after cruising the high, needed late lunch and this place never disappoints. Had the best and freshest homos and falafel. So fresh. I could really eat this once a day. Started with that and added a vine platter. I am way too lazy to try and make grape leaves, so these are one of my indulgences. Perfect spices. My friends had lamb and eggplant and raved about how tender. Good work. I like to know my standbys always deliver fresh, and good food and with with such great service and prices. I love their turkish coffee, but today enjoyed their wine and after whole foods grabbed a Starbucks . My wife got to shop at TJ max and we loved having all in one place. TJ and Starbucks good additions. Oh, I left one of the more interesting notes till the end, love chatting it up with the cool British guy at Olive Bistro, like the table service, rare for that area.
(5)David D.
For what I had there...I have to give it 4 stars. They had this combo sampler plate with hummus, feta cheese, and a mix of diced olives with an oil that woke my taste buds form an unknowing sleep. The falafel could have been better, but was definitely editable. We sat outside because it was nice, and the waiter was quite amazing. He was very good at checking on us. When we left...he even ran out into the parking lot after us because my girlfriend left her sweater.
(4)Jessie J.
Stepped in on a Sunday around dinner time for some take out. Place was dead, save for a couple wrapping up dinner. The menu is a little pricier than what I'm used to. (I live within walking distance to Mediterranean Grill and love I can get all my favorites a la carte at decent prices). I ended up getting the Mediterranean Platter, where you choose 4 sides from a finite selection. I got the falafel, baba ghanouj, eggplant, and hummus. Falafel: Some of the worst I've had from a restaurant. Dry as a bone and wasn't served with a traditional tahini sauce of any sort. They also had no business being as greasy as they were. The frozen falafel at Trader Joe's is way better, as a comparison. It did, however, have good spices. Baba ghanouj: Bland, a little too sharp with lemon. Nice texture, but nothing you couldn't buy at a grocery store. Eggplant: The best part, but still mediocre. It's marinated, flash fried, and served cold(?). Hummus: Again, nothing interesting. Bland, as if they order it from vendors But, the worst thing that really, really, really irritated me, was the tzatziki sauce. It looked like ranch and the consistency of water. Tasted like water too! I'm used to seeing fresh dill and chunks of cucumber in thick yogurt whenever I get this delicious sauce, and I was almost offended that they even called that mess tzatziki. All in all, if you're wanting to try something new, I'd skip this place. Go to Jaffa Gate (at colony) or Mediterranean Grill for fresh, delicious, and more than reasonably priced Greek/Mediterranean fare.
(2)Stacey F.
Good food & service, but a serious warning... I had lunch with a friend at Olive Bistro (3/16). As I have only recently moved back to ATL, it was my first time at the restaurant in years. We seated ourselves and were quickly brought menus and asked about a drink order. Since we arrived at peak lunch time (12:30), the waiter kept checking in to see if we were ready to order. This is great service since most people are rushing at lunch. However, we were catching up and had not even opened the menu! No biggie. I ordered the three salad sampler ($8.99) and chose hummus, white beans, and tabbouleh. My friend ordered the tabbouleh salad with falafel ($8.99). I requested whole wheat pita bread. We received our food very quickly with a generous portion of toasted whole wheat pita. I HATE when restaurants serve raw pita bread out of the bag, so it was nice to get the warm, toasted pita here. Although, my salad sampler did not appear huge, it certainly was plenty of food--especially with the pita bread--I did not eat all of it. The food was very good although the beans are served in oil, so are quite oily! I make my own hummus frequently and often find fault with restaurant versions, but thought Olive Bistro's was top-notch. I did not try my friend's salad, but it looked like A LOT of tabbouleh to me which was topped with four falafel balls. I would definitely recommend this restaurant especially for those with a short lunch hour. Also, it's quite casual so I think solo diners would feel comfortable as well. WARNING: My husband complained that I had horrible garlic breath after lunch. Even after gargling, brushing, etc the problem was still apparent the next morning. I think the restaurant uses a lot of raw garlic in their food, so if you are affected (like I am), beware!
(4)Jared C.
In my quest to find decent Greek food in Atlanta, this was my most recent stop as I was in the area and I had a coupon for it. The staff was very friendly but they seemed to be making a lot of mistakes at every table within earshot. The most common phrase I heard from the staff was "I'm sorry about that" from customers who were charged incorrectly, given wrong food, etc. I had to tell the waitress 4 times what drink I wanted before she picked the correct one. The food was mediocre at best. I ordered the falafel, and while it was prepared quickly, it wasn't very good. The pita was too chewy and tough, the falafel patties and the hummus were pretty bland, there was a ridiculous amount of lettuce thrown on top, and the tahini was splattered all over the outside of the pita. Without the coupon, this is an $8.00 falafel with no sides whatsoever, which is a bit disappointing. I suppose my quest must continue. Atlanta does so many types of food so well, but for whatever reason there is very little excellent Mediterranean food, with the exception of Nick's Food To Go.
(2)Mick D.
Greek themed food in intimate, casual surroundings. My preference: go for the "strictly Greek" items. (You can't go wrong with the lasagna & ravioli, but the hummus, Baba Ghanouge, falafel, etc. are really, really good.)
(4)Art I.
Great food but way overpriced.
(3)Ann-Marie T.
As a teen-ager and young adult, I lived in Downtown Detroit, and worked in a small part of the city called Greek Town, in authentic Greek restaurants owned by actual natives of Greece. I also worked in the kitchen of a Mediterranean cafe very closely with the owner, who was from Pakistan. Therefore, it is extrememly hard to impress me when it comes to Medi. food. Here in Atlanta, I have never experienced anything remotely close to what there is to offer in Detroit, which is surprising due to the melting pot of cultures living in the city. I ordered the chicken kabob which did not even come on a skewer, and was around $15.00, which I thought was ridiculous. My Greek salad if you will even call it one consisted of lettuce, sparse cucumber, and feta cheese...oh and I forgot, two scices of green pepper. I'm not sure what the inspiration is for the menus of these places, but an AUTHENTIC Greek salad comes with, kalamata olives, beets, red onion, tomato, cucmber, feta cheese (usually by the block), and pepperocinni. This particular restaurant did not even have pepperocinni on the premisis, which I thought was quite strange. I have yet to see a Greek salad prepared this way after the four years I have been in Atlanta on my conquest for real Medi. food. I sampled my sister's falafel which was mediocre, and the tahini was like brown water. Not to mention I asked for a side of tzatziki for my kabob, which would normally come with this meal, and received a side of what tasted like sour cream with bits of cucumber. The only thing I can say is that the pita bread was decent and the waitress was very nice even though she could not remember our drink order. When my sister finally got her mimosa, the OJ looked like five year old Sunny Delight, and tasted like it as well. The only resteraunt that I have been to so far that can even come anywhere close to the real thing is the Mediterranean Grille on Monroe. Here you will find the true flavor you have been looking for. I order the chicken kabob wrap which comes with an unbelievable garlic spread and a Greek Salad, for around seven dollars...can't beat it!
(1)Stephie Z.
I lived around the corner for 2 years and now that I moved I decided to stop by. The rosemary chicken had a great flavor. A little on the dry side but I still enjoyed it. The rice and lentils were great, fab spice, perfect with the chicken. Greek salad and hummus: okay- nothing to write home about. The chicken gyro sandwich had wayyyy too much tzatziki on it. Remove some of that shit and it would have been much better. Servers were friendly and helpful.
(3)Andy T.
This place rocks! Superb gyros, lentils/rice, freshfreshfresh salad greens, grape leaves and amazing service every single time... never a bad experience. We live nearby and frequent The Olive Bistro at least once a month to get our fix. It's excellent and so easy to miss if you're not looking for it. We feel like it's our little club, but we're happy to share it with you.
(5)Barry G.
I've been here a few times and it is usually pretty quiet, although I understand that it can get busy at times. The food is always fantastic and the staff are kind. Personally I'd recommend the Tabouleh Gyro. It's out of this world, the coffee was decent too.
(4)Ashleigh T.
My sister and I decided to go here on a whim for lunch yesterday, becuase we love Greek food and were always curious as to what the Olive Bistro was all about. We grew up in Detroit eating in Greektown where you can find some of the most authentic Greek/Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cusine cooked by actual natives. We are rarely impressed with the Mediterranean resturants here in Atlanta, and the Olive Bistro has also proved this theory true. My "Greek" salad, was small, over priced, missing red onion, and topped with falafel which I did not order. The waitress compleletly forgot to bring me my mimosa which I had to re-order 15 minutes later. This place is overpriced and the food in mediocre. We will not be back!!!!
(1)Katie W.
I stopped in to get some takeout after waiting way too long to eat before shopping at Borders and then feeling that super-hungry panic, like I might just eat my scarf if I didn't get my hands (and mouth) on some food NOW. I'd passed this place numerous times but just never stopped in until this opportunity presented itself. The menu was posted in the window, which was nice, and I saw a lot of things I'd probably like. I ordered at the counter where the order-taker was very friendly and helpful. I only had to wait about 10 minutes for my food before I was on my merry way. I ordered the chicken gyro wrap-thingy (I don't remember the exact name on the menu but it wasn't just "chicken gyro"). Even after a ten minute wait to get home and tear everything open to start eating, it was warm, flavorful, and the chicken was very tender. I liked it. I also ordered a side Greek salad and it was very good, too. It had lots of fresh veggies and lots of feta in a light dressing. I liked it, too. I would definitely return if I was hungry in this area again. Take out was a great option but I'd probably stay and eat in, too.
(4)Joyce W.
I stopped with a coupon i bought off halfoffdepot. This place is basiclly a storefront takeout type of establishment. It's no where to to try to impress someone. The food is alright, but nothing to write home about. I order the gyro, which was a flimsy lil thing, I've had way better. Also they was cheap on the meat. I also order the hummus which was ok they only give u ONE pita bread with alot of hummus. All in all it was just "OK" . Now the service is great everyone is nice. Bottom line is, if i had another coupon, then I would definatly eat here again. But Would I pay full price? nah.
(3)Janice B.
The food here probably would've tasted better without the hair in it.
(2)Washington I.
marginal Mediterranean fare. decent hummus and baba, and eggplant. fallafel was overcooked as it often is with non Mediterranean cooks. scoutmob deal but only 10 bucs.
(3)Isaiah D.
Olive bistro, What are you??? The sign on your front door is confused and needs your help. You are trying to be everything, when all you need to be is yourself. Your sign says that you are a Deli/Cafe/Bistro/ Greek Food restaurant, that plays creepy ambient trance (not saying trance is creepy, but your play list is) The service leaves a little to be desired, and your paintings on your wall remind me of a holiday inn I once slept at. but enough already, here's the low down... It has decent food, but all and all I don't think I will be going back. There are too many other great places with Greek food elsewhere that are sure of themselves and know who they are.
(2)Katrina V.
I hate to say it, but this place is just eh. The food is all premade and in a display case and reheated...and in the case of my meal, not heated all the way through. The food is OK, but just OK.
(2)Elizabeth R.
After living in the Atlanta area for just under a year now, I still haven't found a really great mediterranean restaurant. I tend to hold my favorite places in my hometown as the standard to judge everything Atlanta, and nothing has lived up to my Greek food standard. I went to The Olive Bistro yesterday for dinner and used my Scoutmob. The prices were on-par with my idea of fair prices for plates of hummus, tabbouleh, and gyro meat, with slightly stingy portions. The pita was clearly packaged stuff that was re-heated, but the hummus, greek salad, falafel, etc. seemed freshly made. My main beef (if you'll pardon the pun) was the gyro meat. One of my favorite parts of a greek meal is that gyro meat or chicken shawarma that has been cooking over a spit, cut thick with lots of crispy edges. The meat at Olive Bistro was thin with no crispiness whatsoever. It was like a small, underwhelming pile of lunch meat. This might satisfy some palettes, but I was definitely missing an integral part of my greek restaurant experience. I found the service to be a bit disorganized, though friendly. I'm also not a fan of when gratuity is added in for me. I always tip 20% or more unless the service is seriously lacking. I tip closer to 30% on the original cost of the meal when I use a coupon like Scoutmob. I feel extremely insulted when the gratuity is added in, like I'm don't seem gracious enough to add in a decent tip myself. Their loss, I guess. I guess the search continues.
(3)Shoma P.
Never ever again.. Close to the office so I decided to hop on over with some co-workers, needless to say bad idea...very very bad idea.. Disgusting food(extremely overspiced), their gyros looked like cold cuts and their chicken is way too dry. Five coworkers and I went and five of us came out horrified. ENOUGH SAID!
(1)Britny P.
seriously? If you like Mediterranean/Greek food, this is NOT the place to eat!!!! 1st: I saw the waitress pour a glass a wine and she stuck her finger in it to pull something out of the glass - obviously something fell into the glass. 2nd: my stuffed grape leaves were warm...why is it that all other restaurants, it is served cold or at least room temperature and there was some type of red sauce over it and it was yucky! 3rd: my gyro meat was very dry and hard to chew...not something that i would ever want to eat again. 4th: the food in the front glass container looked like it had been sitting out for days! it looked horrible! and their baklava, which is my favorite dessert, was shriveled up, flakey, and did not look like the delectable dessert that I am accustomed to. This is one restaurant that I will not be visiting again! Sorry!
(1)eve m.
Just ate at Olive Bistro again after a while - before the husband was the husband, he lived nearby so it was easier to pop in or get stuff to go. We happened to be in the area, so dropped in for a quick family dinner. The place is casual and not fancy inside, but the food has always been great. The greek salads are very good (plenty of oil though) and I had mine with gyro meat added. Even my almost four year old was downing the smoke chicken ravioli! The hummus was also good. Just a note about the stuffed grapes leaves - seems like whenever I got them I was asked if wanted them heated with sauce or cool. And I have had them served warm before, so not sure if something changed.
(4)Michelle B.
When the Whole Foods guy whispered in my ear "the tzatziki at the Olive Bistro is MUCH better", taking my basket and winking at me, I darted out the door to escape to a little Greek oasis! The owner's wife let me taste the tzat, telling me that they've been making it for umpteen years and it is the best in town. I have to say I agree! I'm prone to fits of ADD when presented with a new restaurant or new menu...I want this! No! I want that! I want a bite of everything! Then I end up with a fridge full of stuff that no one eats but me, so I went conservative and ordered a combo plate. The hummus was silky smooth, with just the right amount of tahini; the Tuscan bean salad was bright and sunny with lots of lemon and sun-dried tomatoes and yes, the tzatziki was fab! There's a certain diner in town that I've reviewed that can take a note here: tzatziki has cucumber in it! cucumber you can see! The yogurt is thick, not runny like ranch dressing with dill in it! It has garlic in it as well! While waiting for my order, I saw heaps of goodness coming from the kitchen...crispy falafels, huge sandwiches, and fragrant and juicy lamb kebabs that made my mouth water then, as it does now thinking about it. The only reason I didn't give Olive Bistro 5 stars? They won't sell the dips in bulk. You have to get individual orders and that can get a little pricey.
(4)Laura T.
Authentic Mediterranean fare that is consistently delicious and well priced. They have a large menu and everything I've tried has been good, but I particularly love their felafel, salads, and various sauces, dips, and yogurts that come with their dishes. It's a great place for a casual dine-in lunch or dinner and the service is relatively quick and always friendly. I also stop in at least once a week for take-out, often when I'm at a loss for what to do for dinner or when friends are coming over. One of my favorite local places!
(5)