Dinner at Caffe Olivia was enjoyable, though the highlight for us was definitely the atmosphere and stunning views rather than the food itself. The setting is beautiful and creates such a relaxing waterfront experience, especially around sunset. The music was a bit louder than we would have preferred, but the hostess was incredibly accommodating and kindly seated us as far from the speakers as possible, which we really appreciated. Our server was also very kind, attentive, and accommodating throughout the evening. While the food was good, it wasn't particularly memorable for us. That said, we would absolutely come back for drinks, the ambiance, and the gorgeous views alone. Overall, it was still a lovely experience and a great spot to unwind and enjoy the scenery. read more

What's not to love? Sun, warm weather, great people watching, attentive service, ice cold drinks, and a decent menu with great Greek options. Got a caprese salad and some chips and they were surprisingly great for a little beach side stop. Will be back! read more

Caffè Oliva - Huckleberry Vodka Lemonade - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Just a review of the fish n chips. I didn't order drinks but my friends did with no apparent complaints. Fish was perfectly tender and lightly battered but not very crispy. Fries were well seasoned and both crispy and soft. Service was very good. The staff checked on our table multiple times to take more orders and clean up. read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

amazing. best waitress ever her name was megan soooo sweet!! food was amazing, and drinks were define.

Staying in town on Lake Shore Drive right across from the Ohio Street Beach and our friend demanded that we go for a visit but not without food first, and Caffe Olivia was conveniently right there. What an amazing view of downtown from the restaurant! Starting off with drinks can you resist a Finding Nemo fishbowl and the hunt for Swedish Fish in the ice (but act fast before the turn to stone ) Between the Hummus & Pita Platter and the Oliva Caesar Salad with Steak for starters was certainly enough between drinks as we waited for the main course of Blackened Fish Tacos for myself Blackened Shrimp Tacos plus Fish & Chips for friends. Superb portions and delicious for our midday lunch. Even with a short wait and on a busy day, our waitress was very attentive and friendly, making this a must-return spot on Lake Michigan for future trips to the Windy City. read more

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This place is perfect for a relaxed day drinking session on a Saturday afternoon. The cocktail menu is fantastic with a wide variety of choices, and the beer selection is equally impressive (plenty of regional microbrews available). It's literally on the beach, making it an ideal spot to unwind. The servers are super friendly and the service is top-notch. They also play some cool tunes that are loud enough to enjoy but not so loud that you can't have a conversation. We didn't have any food, so I can't comment on that. All I know is that it was a fun day! read more

I dont know what's going on here, but there's a terrible smell of sewage/urine that's hard to stomach. Went for a cabana party and had to move 3 times for various reasons. Management should have stepped up and at least offerred to comp the $22.00 for 2 pieces of birthday pie read more

As the only restaurant and bar on the cute little Ohio Street Beach, it surely delivers on the vacation vibes, seaside fare, and drinks. The cocktails are actually a great deal!! I couldn't believe that many of their cocktails (fun ones, not just classic ones) ranged between $10.50 to $12.50. They also did not skimp on the liquor so definitely great deal and tasty! We got the palms of Gracie and a DJ margarita. NOTE: They only serve water in bottles, so expect to pay $3.25 for an ice cold bottle of water. It doesn't seem that they offer glasses of water. My partner and I shared the fish and chips and the fish came out nice and crispy and steaming hot! The fries were actually very good, perfectly salted and lightly crisped texture. It was a nice surprise given the color was a bit pale but the taste was great. It came with some lemon wedges to squeeze on top, and tartar sauce for dipping. Excellent combination and a great snack by the beach. I love this beach, so this cafe is so perfectly located. Mostly because the view is unbeatable. You have a full view of the beach, the lake, the lakefront trail, and a gorgeous skyline of the city. We came here after sunset and when thunderstorm clouds were rolling in, so the humidity and the lights on the water, and the brooding clouds and lightning in the sky was just a wonder. Really felt like vacation on some tropical island! It was great they were seating people underneath their covered patio, so if it started raining we wouldn't get wet. But they also have umbrellas that they can open or close on other parts of the patio. I also saw they had cabanas that large groups can rent to dine and drink. Such a cool gem!! Definitely will be taking friends and family here and whenever I feel like I want to pretend im on vacation 15 minutes away from home!! read more

Caffè Oliva - Fish and chips - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Caffè Oliva had the best indoor/outdoor experience I've seen in the city. On a nice summer day, you can relax at your table and still be right by the water. The sand extends from the beach to inside the restaurant, and feels like you're at a resort. The truly punch bowl is very tasty, especially if you like twisted tea. I thought the bacon bbq burger was very good, paired with a side salad and tons of fresh veggies. The menu has many beer options including local drafts, which, you can't beat! My friend and I rode our bikes here from Lincoln Park and the views are breathtaking on the way. Perfect summer evening! read more

Caffè Oliva - Right off the dining area - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I saw the rating but I also noticed the view. Perfect place to hang out after work by the beach with the breeze. The drinks are good and they offer shots to make it as per your preference. read more

Caffè Oliva - Good drinks good music and the beach - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Nice Patio by the beach. Great drinks. Daily specials. Friendly service. Strongly recommend. read more

Caffè Oliva - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Top notch service and food! The staff here is amazing, you're lucky if you get Tyler as your server because his positive personality and energy just lights up a room. Definitely try the coconut shrimp and the caprese panini!! Soooo good!! read more

Came for brunch, stayed for lunch. Everything -- from the food to the service -- was amazing, and our server Tyler was exceptional: super friendly and helpful. Really chill, fun beach hangout spot. Definitely coming back! Shout out to Mya too! read more

Went for the air and water show today and it is the absolute worst place. To spend the money we did for crappy drinks and gross food, would never go back again. The service was terrible, bathrooms gross, servers didn't pay attention to even walking. One slammed right into my daughter!! One of the most unorganized place I've been too. Don't waste your time or money!! Also made us wait in line at one spot to tell us after 30 mins we were in the wrong spot and advertised food at 11 and didn't have it till 11:30. He said I was wrong and when I proved that I had screen shot the menu stating 11 he changed it after!! read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Security lacks and didn't handle an altercation as they should, when you get clear complaints about a certain group of people that were obviously trying to cause arguments and fights, you clear that table immediately, you don't wait for things to escalate, do better read more

I read on the website that they validate parking if you park at a certain garage so my friend and I both did. When we finished eating and paying we went up to our server to validate and she stated we would need to validate tickets with the bartender. I grabbed my friends ticket and asked the bartender if he could validate them, the first thing he asks was "did you guys dine here?" Which I replied yes to, I then tried to look for my receipt to show proof but then remembered my best friend who parked on the street paid for dinner and she had already walked out of the restaurant. He then goes on to validate them, while saying it's only one ticket per customer, I told him we were both customers and that we came in separate cars, which he responds by saying I was just joking... so then one of the tickets falls on the bar counter as he's trying to give them to me, he then just flicks the parking ticket at me, does not grab it to hand it to me, literally flicks it's at me. He must have been having a bad day so I didn't make much of it, but that's just horrible customer service. The location of the restaurant is pretty amazing, restaurant deco needs a definite make over, the food was good... we had fish and chips, chicken strips for the kiddos and 2 chicken paninis, fries were delicious. Customer service, terrible. read more

I came here with a large group of friends. We did the package deal for drinks and then ordered apps on the side. Since we're splitting the bill, I can't say that the price was entirely worth it. I know for my group of friends (15 people), it was well over a thousand dollar for the 3 hours we were there. Service was great (thank you Eric!). Our server went above and beyond for our group. He even did a spider removal for us. This place is located right on oak street beach so it had the most beautiful view of the lakefront. I would add a warning that the bathrooms... are def beach bathrooms. read more

We can't rate the food or drink because the service was non existent and we were not served. To boot the server face us lip when we pointed out we had not been served nor acknowledged after 20 mins. read more

Awful service - Slow and Understaffed, forgot orders and got orders wrong multiple times. Waited 30+ minutes for fish tacos and got shrimp tacos instead -_- . Average food, Definitely not worth it read more

Great location on the lake , prices are much better than other lakeside bars in Chicago

Attended caffe oliva with some friends in a cabana and it was great. Drink service was great and super fast! Our waiter, Tyler, was super attentive and friendly! The food was also good! I love the easy access to the beach! read more

Great vibes with patio seating, perfect view of the water. Great service, good variety menu, our table loved the shrimp tacos! read more

Caffè Oliva - Mojito - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went there with my daughter for lunch. I had the Mediterranean Chicken Souvlaki. It was very good. My daughter had the Fish & Chips. Fish was good fries were under cooked a bit. The servers were very cordial, but we got our drinks way after our food which came out pretty quick and by then my frozen daiquiri was melted. My daughter's drink was very flat with the soda, but I asked the bartender to remake them and she did with no problem was very nice about it overall I would go back. You can't beat the view. read more

Going here was a huge disappointment for the Air and Water Show. The amount of money I spent compared to the horrible experience feels like robbery. We were seated directly in the blazing sun and when I asked the host if we could be moved, he said that he would move us but never came back. I had my autistic son with me and we endured as long as we could, but ended up leaving early. The food was absolutely awful--on par with Golden Coral Buffet. Our waitress was equally awful. All we wanted was some water, but that seemed to be too much to ask for. What a waste of money! read more

the food and drinks were terrible we paid for a 6 person table they gave us the wrong time on the ticket and made us wait a half an hour in the hot sun with no access to the bathrooms we won't go back again. it's not worth it read more

Tyler's energy and attention to our needs was unmatched! Made an amazing day at the beach even better! 10/10 recommend caffe Oliva

Great experience watching the air and water show here. all you can eat and drink was a great deal and the food was good value!

After you receive your drink order at the bar don't expect a Thank You, expect "Next!!". As your leaving and a server runs into you don't expect "excuse me" expect the employee to keep walking like nothing happened. read more

Was very disappointed by our visit, as our server forgot about us and the Whipped Feta dip was basically soup (complete liquid) with only 3 carrots, 3 celery, and 4 pita. Not worth the $$. read more

Love this summer spot right on the beach with great food and excellent service I also loved my summer cocktail "Full of Grace" to go with my steak with chimchurri sauce. The prices are reasonable too AND they are dog friendly ‼ read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Cute place on Ohio street beach near my apt. Was not super busy and was easily able to get a table for 6 people. The food was as expected for a beach restaurant and was a little overpriced but the drinks were good and cheap! The fishbowl was super tasty. I liked the peach one and was the perfect size. The kids chicken fingers were good but I wish the fries were crispier read more

Caffè Oliva - Fishbowls - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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When I think of "brunch on the beach", I have higher expectations. Although Ohio Street Beach isn't a real "beach", I was hoping to have a fun brunch experience by the water. Unfortunately, Caffe Olivia failed to deliver in terms of food and experience. When booking a reservation, I had to put a credit card down to reserve and there was a minimum spending limit. Once we arrived at the restaurant, it was DEAD. We were given menus and some of the items weren't available, which was a disappointment. Additionally, when we ordered our food, it seemed like most of it was just frozen and reheated, and/or wasn't "fresh". However, I thought the brussels sprouts and the chicken and waffles were decent. We did enjoy their vast drink menu, filled with cocktails, mixed drinks, and craft beers. I enjoyed the "Finding Nemo" fishbowl. The service was friendly and our server was easygoing. She kept us updated with our minimum spend throughout our meal. The restaurant itself was a little rundown and unkept, and there wasn't even light music playing in the background. I would recommend going somewhere else if you'd like a "brunch party" experience. read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Wow! We were visiting from Las Vegas NV for a few days. The weather was nice for October 1st so we walked down to the beach from Navy Pier The food was fantastic! We had the Erie St Burger and the Caprese Panini. Both were excellent. Burger was juicy and flavorful. The chips that came with it were great, and we ordered a side of sweet potato fries. The fries were so good! The Panini was fantastic! Service was on point. The waiter checked on us just the right amount. Kept our drinks filled, never rushed us. Cleared the table and let us just enjoy the afternoon watching the lake for a bit. The ambience is beach shack. but the food was way above that. Dining area was clean. Seating was comfortable. A great place for a lazy afternoon. Well done. We will visit again next time we are in Chicago. A hidden gem. read more

Nice spot right in front of beach. First I ordered the coconut shrimp with their spicy habanero sauce was my favorite. Then I ordered shrimp tacos with truffle fries. My food was good it was a little cold when I received it. Our waitress mentioned that they were short staffed for it being Labor Day weekend I figured. It took about 40 min to get our food. Over all it was good I would go back for the coconut shrimp. read more

Caffè Oliva - Coconut Shrimp - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Didn't try the food, but the draft Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin was a welcome surprise. My wife and I visited Chicago last month for a long weekend and happened to catch some great weather. We arrived the day after the area was under flood warnings and left the day the rains returned. It was sunny and pleasantly warm at about 70 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, which was perfect. We stayed at the Aloft Mag Mile hotel and used that as our base for exploring the area. On Sunday, after walking along the Chicago River and exploring Navy Pier for a while (including beers and a salad at Harry Caray's), we decided to continue our journey along the waterfront toward the north with no idea what we might encounter along the way. We were very pleasantly surprised to find a small beach where Caffe Olivia is. We found ourselves a table right along the sand and ordered two draft Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpins -- one of our favorite beers from back home in San Diego. We hung out for about an hour -- nursed our beers while enjoying the warm, sunny weather. Didn't try the food, but the beer was cold and strong, the service was attentive, and the view was terrific. read more

Caffè Oliva - Caffe Olivia on the beach! - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This is what happens when there is no competition . The service here is non-existent. The sign at the front of the restaurant told customers to go to the bar to be seated. Strange in itself, but I went along with it. After walking the entire length of the restaurant, I was met at the bar with....nothing. Nobody asked me if I wanted a seat, if I wanted a drink, or if I had been helped at all. After waiting several minutes and not being served, or even asked if I have been served, I just walked out. Poor management has lead to horrible service. They get away with this because they know customers do not have any other alternative. Free advice, if you are on the beach and want something to eat or drink, go anywhere else. This place should be on the television show Bar Rescue. read more

Nice place to relax and enjoy the beach in Downtown Chicago. Little pricey on the alcoholic drinks and food. Food and drinks were very good, despite the prices. The service was very good and they are very nice. read more

Surprisingly decent food given it's a beach restaurant at one of the smaller beaches in Chicago. Service was meh from what I remember. We sat at a table but there are also high tables and cabanas (which you have to rent I believe). I had a piece of the bang bang shrimp which was good but nothing special. The kale and brussel sprout salad was quite big and tasty! I would definitely go back next summer when it reopens! read more

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Not Greenbook approved if you catch my drift. But if you want to take a chance go for it. The Bartender was okay and took care of us, it was just a very rough start. read more

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What's not to love about a cute beachside cafe??? The only problem is it's in Chicago where the weather cuts the season short. Nestled on Ohio Street Beach in the heart of the city, along the pedestrian/bike trail and adjacent to Navy Pier, the little spot is perfection. Fun times are had all summer long. I stopped in yesterday because I knew it was their last day of the season. It wasn't busy but I was happy to see a few people grabbing their last lunch before it being shuttered for the season. The bartender and server were fantastic. I felt very cared for as both remained attentive during my visit. The bartender suggested a tasty peach cocktail when I said I wanted to honor summer with a proper farewell. The Summer Fizz was delicious. The food menu is diverse but I only tried a basket of french fries that were everything but basic. They seemed more like tempura fries. Yum! I loved the cozy couch seating that I imagine is a lot of fun at the height of the summer. The tables on the sand look great too. I sat at a high top in the bar area that was surrounded by palm trees. This place is fantastic for so many reasons. The location, atmosphere, service and cuisine make for a great afternoon or evening. See you next year!! read more

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