Olea

Service was pretty bad, and someone kept dropping dishes in the restaurant when we were there. The food was just okay for the price. There was always something missing, like more seasoning. The best dish we got were the dips. The beet dip was sweet. The branzino was dry on top but good on the back when we flipped the fish over (maybe it was left out too long). We also had the seafood paella, it needed more seasoning. It was also very liquidy. Just alright food for the cost.

The food was AMAZING — one of the best dinners I’ve had in a long time. The reason my review is only 3 stars was because of the service/​follow through. We got seated quickly and ordered quickly, and half of our food came out very fast (maybe 10 minutes from when we sat down) with no mention of the missing entrée and when it would be served. We waited around 10 minutes and the waiter was nowhere to be seen. He did come out eventually with the entrée and all was well, but some sort of update or reassurance along the way would have been appreciated. They nicely offered to wrap up our leftovers, which was great, but I just got home and half of our food is missing and the other half is haphazardly thrown together (i.e. pita bread sitting in a pool of hummus). Overall, we would definitely go back and hope for better service!

I went to Olea on a busy Tuesday night around 9pm and based on the crowd of people waiting and full tables inside, I expected to wait 30 – 45 minutes for a table. I almost walked away to find food elsewhere but don’t be discouraged or deceived! We ended up waiting 5 minutes for a table for two.
The couple next to us ordered the whole grain farro pasta. As a self-​proclaimed anthropologist, I eavesdropped on their conversation as the pasta arrived at their table and closely inspected the dish. Who am I kidding? I was listening to tidbits of their conversation the whole night. Anyway, on the first bite, they proclaimed, «Oh my gosh, this is good.» Not even one second later, I interrupted them to ask what they ordered and made a beeline for my server to change my order from a salad to the pasta.
The farro pasta dish came out perfectly flavored — the subtle taste of pesto blended well with the evenly chopped and sautéed veggies and pasta (cooked thoroughly and with a satisfying crunch); the dish was topped with a dollop of creamy ricotta cheese; and a light sprinkling of salt brought the whole dish together. It was easily the best dish I’ve ever had at Olea. I’d been three times before.
Our server was very attentive throughout our meal and mildly entertained when I made my 100 meter dash to change my order at the last minute.
So I know you’re wondering, why the four star review? While I do love this restaurant and like the majority of the dishes I’ve ordered there, I think their food is pretty heavy and surprisingly oily for a Mediterranean restaurant. A lot of their food is fried, including the brussels sprouts, which can be equally delicious sautéed or baked.

Awesome brunch. Wait until noon and try the mimosas. Mine was mango. Yum! French Toast simply delish. Try the lamb sausage. You won’t regret it. Very good. And the scrambled eggs with chorizo also fabulous. Great service. A couple of two-​top tables outside. Inside was nice, cozy and good A/​C. Highly recommend. We’ll be back.

I’m scratching my head about the popularity of this restaurant. It’s not terrible, but maybe it gives people the nostalgia of eating with their Aunt Delphyne– the one who performed reiki, ate oatmeal with garlic for breakfast and talked to her plants. I walked by a million times and have always seen it full of people, but the look of the place has never drawn me in. I finally arranged to have lunch with a friend here and it the interior felt really run-​down. Rickety chairs, overgrown plants and dirty tapestry pillows strewn about. Didn’t really whet my appetite…
I had a very plain salad with some pretty dry salmon and it was passable, and certainly wouldn’t look forward to eating here again.

Highly recommend dinning here. Came for dinner. It was massively crowded, but we made reservations. You should too. Very professional and attentive wait staff. The staff had good timing and knew exactly when we needed more to drink and when we were ready to order. Quaint, candle lit, and decorative space. Music was a bit loud which made it hard to hear when speaking to others across the table. We ordered a variety of food: Rib eye steak, oysters, chicken emplanadas, and the lamb.
Try it for yourself…

I was very disappointed by my recent dining experience at Olea.
I expected to wait a long time for a table– previously, I have been deterred by the often 1 hour+ wait for brunch, but this time I was invested in finally eating there, as my mom was visiting. I wanted to take her to the best brunch in Ft Greene!
After waiting for 30 minutes for a table (we passed the time at the Brooklyn Flea down the block), we were seated at a beautiful window seat. Our waiter was harried from the start– apparently there was some computer issue that he had to deal with. We were told that his colleague would be by to take our order.
15 minutes later, the hostess finally gives us water and coffee.
25 minutes later, someone (our waiter, the colleague never came by) takes our order. She ordered a lamb sandwich special, I ordered the lamb hash, a menu regular.
My mom and I chatted and had coffee while we waited. As time goes by, we begin to get antsy about our food, and no one is checking on us. I see a couple sit down, order their food, and start to eat it– while we’re still working on coffee and waiting for our meals.
Nearly an hour later– the couple who came in after us is paying for their food and I go to find a waiter to ask about our food. In this time, no one had clued us in as to what was happening with our food.
One hour after ordering our food– When we finally got our food, our waiter said that our food took a long time because it was lamb. However, if something is on the menu and/​or a daily special, don’t you have it ready to go? I doubt that they were individually slow-​cooking our lamb.
After we started eating, waiters actually checked on us– refilled our water multiple times, made sure our coffee was fresh, and that we were enjoying our meal. It was almost as if the wait staff had finally remembered that we were customers, and not just people taking up space.
Besides the extraordinarily long wait, I enjoyed my experience at Olea. The atmosphere is great, the food is incredible. However, after my experience with the long wait time makes me doubt I will be going back.
TL;DR: After waiting an hour for food, even though it was delicious, I won’t be going back to Olea.

Wow, the flavors! Ooh, the ambiance. Perfect brunch, no res required, just get there before the opening line forms.

like the bacon wrapped date. lamb meat balls are also good, little spicy.
French toast is just ok (Ye I know… wth do I order French toast here but I was just in the mood for it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) I like they have pomegranate with it though.
really cute tables and interior! it’ll be really nice to sit outside as well.

Great, hidden gem in Fort Greene area — went here for dinner tonight based on a friend’s recommendation, and so glad we did. It’s eccentrically decorated place — small but cozy and warm, albeit a bit dark on the inside (e.g. it was hard to read the menus if you didn’t have the candle near you).
Ordered the brussell sprouts and broccoli gratin to start — both were delicious and the sauce on the sprouts was amazing — nice vinegary touch with a bit of sweetness from the honey and kick with chili peppers.
For our mains, got the seafood paella (delicious with loads of seafood), lamb stew, rib eye, and roasted branzino. Really delicious and generous portions! Topped it off with the chocolate dessert (super rich) and crema catalana.
All together, really great food and atmosphere — check came out to about $ 50 per person (including tip), which wasn’t too bad for all the food we had! Left out one star because service was a bit slow… too a long time to order and get the waiter’s attention. But still worth the visit!

Came here this morning for breakfast.
Love the gypsy/​Mediterranean style decore. We sat at this corner table and I was able to put my legs up and chill. Loved it.
So although the waitstaff are really nice and definitely willing to help, I found that they may have been a little pushy and too eager. My waiter asked if we’re ready to order not even seconds after we had sat down. I know it’s the small things that count. I just feel like he should have let us breath for a moment before jumping over to us.
When we were finally ready we ordered the Green Eggs And Lamb and I ordered the Eggs over easy with homefries. We did get free refills on our coffees and the coffee was great. The food though, was pretty mediocre and not much to write about.
Our bill was quite cheap. I expected it to be more being that it’s in Fort Greene but pleasantly surprised. And the best part, is really the parking. Found sweet parking outside.
Although I wasn’t a fan of the food this time, I’m hoping to come back and try the dinner menu.

The food was fresh and tasty. The service was friendly and attentive, yet not clingy. The atmosphere was small, yet beautiful. It was in a great location. Overall we had just a wonderful lunch. Thanks for being so gluten accommodating!
Hats off to the mimosas and falafel!

I went in here with pretty high expectations due to what I’d heard from friends and from the wait times that I’d quoted in the past. I’m happy to say that I was not let down at all by the experience.
I went for brunch around 11:30 on a Saturday morning. As luck would have it we only had a ten minute wait for our party of five. There seemed to be a lot more people waiting as we were leaving, closer to 1pm.
The ambiance is adorable. There all this cute stuff on the walls and it has a very homie feel. I sat on a bench seat by the window that was adorned with many little pillows, it was very comfortable. The wait staff is attentive without being all in yo face.
By far, the best part about this place is the food. I had the best brunch food I’ve ever had in my life. I’m not exaggerating. Everything was perfect. I highly recommend the Lamb Hash. It’s served in a hot cast iron skillet and is smothered in sauces and fresh herbs and spices. The Green Eggs & Lamb is also pretty good. I had a look at the salmon Omelet and it looked amazing and my friend said it was good. The Bloody Mary’s were on point, not complaints there. Like yea, I have had better bloody Mary’s in my life, but that’s only because some places put bacon and shit in them. These are solid, they just don’t go overboard.
To wrap this up, when I have friends or family visiting, this will probably be the brunch spot I take them to. It’s top of my list (for food — boozy is another brunch list).

Just AMAZING! Had to wait a bit but the food is SO SO good!!! I’ll return as long as they are there.

I don’t actually hate this place– I just think it is VERY AVERAGE. It’s the kind of place I can imagine being really excited about maybe 15 years ago.
For as many amazing restaurants as there are in Fort Greene/​Clinton Hill, I just can’t for the life of me understand why Olea has the highest Zagat score and one of the highest Unilocal scores in the neighborhood. If I want to spend over $ 100 on dinner for two, I would go to Emily or Walter’s or No 7 or Martha’s or Aita or Ici or Prospect or Lulu and Po or plenty of others…
Don’t get the shrimp. You’ll just spend the whole time thinking about how you could have cooked something better at home.

Hands down, Olea has some of the best damn paella I’ve ever eaten.
Olea bills itself as a Mediterranean Taverna, and their menu appears to be Greek inspired with some Spanish influence. They don’t take reservations, so my party of four arrived around 9pm. The restaurant is located in a fairly residential area, and definitely has a small neighborhood vibe going on. The décor is eclectic and reminiscent of your Greek grandmother’s house. There are tchotchkes and plants everywhere!
My sister and her boyfriend have been here a few times, so we were happy to let them take the food and wine lead. On the menu (family style):
Spanish Pitza — The quince paste really threw me off and I wasn’t a fan.
Sauteed Halloumi — So delicious, we sopped up every last bit of the romesco with bread.
Tuscan Kale Salad — Light and bright.
Cauliflower Purée — We needed more veggies.
Paella con Cerdo y Pollo — The menu says you can order this with either chicken or pork, but we asked for a combo and they happily obliged
Paella de Mariscos — OMG, the squid ink shrimp!
A couple bottle of a spicy red from Lebanon
The paella was seriously amazing and came out in super hot pans. Both paellas were loaded with goodies from the land and sea, and ridiculously flavorful. Party in your mouth! The best part was how crispy some of the rice was due to being cooked in such a hot pan, which provided a nice juxtaposition of soft and crispy bites.
¹⁰⁄₁₀ on the paella.

Great for groups who want to share little tapas style dishes and drink interesting cocktails… but the chairs are too small. I’m only 6’1 and had nowhere to put my knees.

«Vegan options???»
The uncertainty in my friend’s voice was very high. But I assured him that this restaurant would have options for omnivores as well. Still, it was difficult getting my Manhattan friend to trudge out of his comfortable shoebox in Hell’s Kitchen and journey to Olea in the aftermath of the snowstorm.
But we finally arrived, and what a delight it was! A curtain separated the harsh winter of the outside world from the interior of the restaurant. The restaurant itself could have been found on an idyllic beach on the coast of the Mediterranean. Creamy stucco walls connected with wooden slatted ceilings. The sides of the restaurant were long benches covered with myriad mismatched pillows, an ocean of softness that beckoned you to stay and fall asleep in.
It was happy hour when we arrived (4pm-​7pm M-​F), which meant $ 5 wines and sangria, and cheap tapas ($ 2-​$ 8). We went through several rounds this way, which is an very enjoyable way to spend the evening. My carnivorous friend ordered the garlic chicken, a stewy assemblage of medallions of chicken thigh, pureed garlic, roasted stuffing, and wilted spinach. I ordered the lamb stew (appetizer, but could easily feed someone as an entrée), a curious dish whose citrus notes dominated the dish but whose addictive tender lamb I could not resist. My friend and I ended up loving each others’ entrees so much we ended up switching, as eventually we were eating off one another’s plates.
I also tried a vegan option — the yellow split pea soup — and was delightfully surprised. Each of the vegetables tasted fresh and contributed bold flavors to the soup and the texture was perfect.
In a world dominated by carnivores, it’s refreshing to know that there’s a restaurant that can unite both vegetarians/​vegans and carnivores together in a beautiful space over bread and wine.

The food here is amazing! We had the French Toast, Green & Lambs, and Polenta & Eggs as well as bacon. The flavor was OMG and the service was great. Would definitely do it again.

Always a tad more crowded than I’d like however the food never disappoints and the check is somehow never as bad as I think it should be. Great place to bring vegetarian friends.

Visited during the holidays and luckily didn’t have to wait long to be seated. The staff was very attentive and we were able to comfortably fit a group of 6 for brunch. Everything I tasted (eggs, french toast, polenta) was delicious and well made. Reasonably priced for the neighborhood and great ambiance. I would definitely choose this spot again to meet up with a group of friends.

** brunch review **
I was really struck by how awesome this spot is. My friends and I snagged a table in the corner, which was comfy and let me take in the ambiance.
The menu has a lot of hearty options, most with Mediterranean flair. We got a brunch special «empanidilla» to start, which was so delicious and came with a great dill sauce. (And I don’t even like dill!) The lamb hash ($ 18) was really delicious and stole my heart. It comes with a great amount of shredded lamb, some root veggies, tomato jam, and a whipped goat cheese. Oh, and a poached egg. Mixed together, each bite was truly divine. My friend also got the savory, parmesan french toast — what a great concept! — which also came with nice peas and perfectly-​cooked potatoes.
They have a great, long-​running happy hour that I think I need to come back and try for the deal and fun-​yet-​chill ambiance. I definitely want to try so many more items on the menu.

Wish I could give this 10 stars!
THE most delicious fresh flavorful food I have had! Charles really took care of us! The food came fast and furious and we ended with his favorite almond tart!
The hot apple cider was a huge hit, perfect for my sneezing and slightly grouchy husband… it perked him right up!
This is my daughters favorite neighbor restaurant! I can see why.

Sunday night dinner. We got a table for 3 right away. Lots of small plates. I recommend the artichoke hearts and olives. the vegetarian paella was unique; served in a cast iron skillet. the red sangria was a bit bland. But all around a good meal and reasonable prices. Excellent service.

Absolutely loved this place. Didn’t give it five stars because parking was horrible (which I get it, it’s Clinton Hill/​Fort Greene) and the bench could’ve been a little bit more comfortable. However, service was wonderful, food was GREAT (and massive) and they sat me right away. I got there first from a table of 8 and asked the waiter for a drink that doesn’t look like alcohol because it was a business meeting, he completely hit the nail on the head with the spiked lemonade and even got me a refill without letting the beans spill! I will definitely be back!

Olea knows how the brunch game works – offer lots of options, have decent priced drinks, don’t rush your diners, and serve great food. A friend and I were told the wait was 40 minutes on a Saturday after putting our name down, but we waited a little less than that. Service was warm and prompt and never pushy.
I had the scrambled eggs Greek style and my friend the Green Eggs and Lamb. Our portions were large (another plus in terms of brunch points) and we had no issue cleaning our plates. Tip: ask for a side of aioli and drip the home fries in it – yum. The eggs were cooked well and the filling wasn’t overwhelming and blended in nicely. Didn’t get a bloody mary but our neighbor’s looked hearty.
The décor is super cozy – you really do feel like you’re in someone’s eclectic living room. If you’re lucky to sit along the windows, enjoy those pillows.

Came here with a friend on a Saturday morning and only had a very short wait (15 minutes). I ordered the French omelette (goat cheese, smoked salmon, leeks) and my friend ordered the lamb hash ($ 18). The omelette came with salad, potatoes, and sliced baguette. The lamb hash was huge. We were both very satisfied with our meals and the attentiveness of the waiter was amazing. Great place, will be back.

Did I walk into someone’s house by mistake? Love love love the homey décor and ambiance! I even feel the need to comment on their beautifully decorated bathroom! They really don’t skimp on attention to detail when it comes to décor! And as much as I wanted to give this place more star power, I found that most of the food and the service was just average.
The Good:
— Brioche French Toast — I believe that if you’re a place who can bang out a solid, simple french toast, the brunch crowd will flock and Olea knows how to do just that.
— Fried Olives — yet another super simple dish Olea really knocks out of the park. So savory with each piece of olive with the creamy tzatziki to play down the saltiness and the spicy harissa to cut the fried shell. It’s a dish that solidifies the phrase, «everything is better fried!»
The Average (basically everything else we had):
Turkish Breakfast — a good amount of food on the plate for the price but flavor was lacking in the eggs and eggplant.
Same goes for the French Omelette. There was a lack of seasoning in the dish and a lack of filling. A bit disappointed.
The Green Eggs with Lamb — eggs were mediocre and under seasoned and the lamb sausage was nothing spectacular to report either.
Drinks/​Dessert:
The bartender was so proud of their award-​winning bloody mary so of course I had to see what that was all about! Unfortunately, I felt that it their mix was too watered down, which got more watered down with the ice — not a bloody mary to my liking.
Their red sangria is stellar though! I highly recommend this if you’re here for boozy brunchin’!
For dessert, If there’s crème brûlée on the menu, you know I gotta try it! This fell a bit short too. It wasn’t terrible, however the top was a bit too «brulee-​ed». Once you get past that, the creaminess underneath was just alright.
To comment on the service, as they got progressively busier, the service also declined which was a downer. Probably won’t be back here for brunch, maaaaaybe for a try at their dinner menu though.

Today I was in the mood for Mediterranean food and decided to go to Olea. Typically I go to Miriams on 5^th avenue which I absolutely love but decided to give this beauty a whirl.
The wait for a table was less than ten minutes which was pleasing. There was a bit of a wait time to place an order but nothing to cry about. I ordered the Turkish breakfast and my husband had the green eggs with lamb sausage. We then had to wait for a while for the food.
We ordered a coffee and a tea; items which were not listed on the menu so it wasn’t clear if they came with the meal. My tea was luke warm at best, yuck! My husband’s coffee was too strong. We sat with empty cups waiting for well over ten minutes before we were asked if we wanted a refill…
The food it’s self was flavorful and worth the wait. I particularly enjoyed the eggs and eggplant. However, the portion was not that generous for the price… Perhaps more eggs or another piece of pita could be included considering that the coffee and tea are not complimentary with the meal; they are $ 3.50.
I am not sure if I will return, it wasn’t horrible but at three stars there are so many other places to try. In addition I like brunch spots with an all inclusive offer.

I came here for lunch on a sunny day – the ambiance was airy and bright with sunshine, and the décor was heavy on wood and colored tile. Olea is kind of a chill, boho Mediterranean taverna.
A few highlights:
— The hearty split-​pea vegetable soup was REMARKABLE. In all caps, yes. Topped with crisped garlic and a dollop of beet foam that sounded a little weird but worked in perfect complement to the rest, this was among the best soups I’ve had in recent memory. The waiter noted the soups here, hot and cold, are all strong.
— The service was exceptional. Yes, they got my order wrong – I asked for Turkish breakfast and got a Tuna sandwich – but they offered to comp what I got and bring me the other dish. I didn’t want to waste food so I just took the sandwich, which looked great, and they comped it. This wasn’t expected or necessary, but I appreciated it.
Friends of mine live nearby and it’s one their favorites.

Olea is one of my favorite spots in Fort Greene for brunch, lunch, happy hour, or dinner. It’s a tiny spot with a bar space and tables inside and on the patio (weather permitting). The food is mostly mediterranean inspired and consistently delicious and fresh. Some of our favorites include the appetizer pitas with various dips (spicy feta, romesco, tzatziki), mixed green and lentil salad, and the lamb sandwich with the potatoes. The owner is very sweet and a visible presence in the restaurant. It’s a great place to go on a date, as well as to meet up with friends for happy hour. I’ve seen numerous (well-​behaved!) children at the bar with their parents during happy hours so it seems to be kid-​friendly as well!
Tips:
Olea is one block from Saturday’s Brooklyn flea market so is a good place to grab a bite or drink before or after you explore that!
$ 5 sangria (white or red) during happy hour (M-​F, 4 – 7 PM) is a must-​try.
It can get crowded very easily during weekend dinner and brunch times… plan to get there on the early side or to have a bit of a wait!
A gift card to Olea is a good last-​minute gift for anyone that lives in the neighborhood… you can buy them online or at the bar.

Olea is such a great brunch spot. I immediately admired the décor and how it matches with the surrounding brownstones and nature, with a Mediterranean feel. Our waitress was immediately welcoming and friendly and her service was on point throughout the entire brunch.
The prices were reasonable and the food was very filling and delicious. I loved the small details such as the raspberry preserves packets in the glass jars. The pomegranate lemonade drink was good but very sour. We tried the pomegranate lemonade drink spiked with tequila but it was not as strong, possibly because the sourness overpowered the liquor.
The drink menu was impressive for a brunch spot, but a little pricey. Hopefully next time we can try more of their drinks. We ordered the green eggs and lamb and Parmesan toast; both dishes were very yummy and great in presentation.

I wanted to love this place so much, I really did! I’m new to the area, researched the spots to eat in the area, and this one stood out for Mediterranean. Alas, the food left me wanting more.
Went here for dinner with a guy friend– we were seated immediately. Really loved the vibe, the ambience, the décor, the lighting, all of it. really set a cozy, chill mood. The waiter was very attentive and dealt super super nicely and patiently with our indecision when it came to ordering drinks and tapas. I ended up just drinking red wine, my friend had margaritas. Both were fine, and the wine was about $ ⁸⁄₉ a glass I believe.
That’s probably the best part– the drinks, the ambience, the venue, etc.
The food :(
I don’t know if I ordered the wrong things… I really must have, even though I ordered things folks were highly suggesting #OnHere. I uploaded pictures of what I had (presentation was lovely too) but the flavors were just… blah! EXCEPT for the fried oyster slider things, which came in a pair, they were so tiny you finished them in 2 bites. They had a delicious slaw and a yummy bun, and the oyster was fried perfectly. We started our meal with this, and it seemed like all was going to be amazing… but then, it wasn’t after that. The falafel crusted artichokes were just. not it. Way too much falafel, no texture, no exciting flavors, the dip was blah, just. don’t order it. It’s a waste of space in your belly. Second round, we ordered lamb meatballs and the poutine. The meatballs came in a red marinara of sorts sauce, with another sauce over it. Everything again was bland and without a good texture– the meatballs were just very dense, dry, and not flavorful. The poutine could also have benefited from a better dressing of the other ingredients besides the fries– the duck bits were very crispy and dry. I wouldn’t order any of these items again, aside from the oyster sliders. For desert, we ordered the special, which was an ice cream sundae of sorts. This was pretty delicious, and was the saving grace after a meal of disappointments.
I would honestly go back again to try other items on this menu, because I loved the service and the space, just think I ordered wrong… if anyone has any suggestions, I’d love to hear them!

The Mediterranean menu is very original and tasty. You can find Spanish, Italian, Greek and Turkish food. The plates are generous and the price is Ok.
Try the fried olives. Sooo good! I’m a olives fan and this was my first time with fried olives.
Also, the restaurant is in a nice area and is a romantic cozy place. Perfect for a date. A little bit noisy, though.

Restaurant à Brooklyn très hipsters
cadre bobo à fond, sympa.
des petites assiettes bien préparés, assez raffinés.
sympa pour aller boire un verre, les verres de vin à 9 $ sont très grands, de beaux verres.
situé pas loin d’un parc pour aller digérer juste après.
Musiciens, artistes sont la!
allez y !