such a cute area !! really friendly servers , drinks are so good ! alejandro & patrick are very sweet :)

Great place to have a drink and relax! Especially after navy pier or after volleyball on the beach! The food is great!!! So fresh! My kale salad was amazing! read more

my cousin and his beautiful new wife were married there over the weekend here. It was SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL!!! Weather conditions weren't the best but that didn't not matter!! The staff handled everything great! They were very com and cool with what the weather brought. Very professional and rolled very well with the changes. You can not control what mother nature will bring you ONLY embrace it! They did a great job! One of the best and most romantic weddings I have ever been too! read more

Negative: Mojitos weren't on tap but the fresh made ones weren't that tasty either. Side of asparagus and parm was good, caprese salad overdressed with balsamic. Positive: The location is great! Nice shade and views of the beach and lake shore drive :) read more

I really want to give this place more stars! The location is amazing and the view is spectacular. Was with a group and 5 ladies and we had a great time here but we all wished the service had been better. I hate when I visit an establishment and feel as though I am bothering the server. I mean, at least pretend like you really care about your guests. The place was not even halfway full. The busboy was way more accommodating than the waitress. Actually the busboy totally rocked and I wish we could have tipped him instead of the waitress! He would have gotten a much bigger tip. The bugs can get annoying but the place is also small dog friendly. The food was actually decent. No one really had any complaints in that area. Drinks are a little pricey but were decent as well. Also, the bathroom was borderline filthy! read more

From you the moment you walk in you feel like you're a tropical environment. First the drinks are really good neither being too strong or too weak but the perfect mix, they are very fresh tasting. As a app we had the Greek bruschetta which was great, everything on there was extremely fresh, and the bread held up perfectly. One of the best Greek style apps I've had. For entrees I had the lamb burger which is simply put amazing, the toppings of spinach and feta which melts as the burger sits is just the right amount. My wife had the blackened chicken which you swear you ordered at a Cajun place. Also the vibe of the place was perfect, we went for Reggae On The Beach which just makes the experience even better. With the music, great drinks, and amazing food there is not a better beachfront restaurant in the city. read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Excellent for a cafe. Didn't expect food this good with a great view of the city and beachside dinner. Navy Pier a short walk away.

This place was a huge shock. I always go to Ohio Street Beach in the summer but stay far away from the restaurants as they are usually tourist traps and crazy overpriced. But my friend and I were tired and wanted a drink so we decided to stop in. We both got margaritas and we were shocked by the quality and the price. They were delicious, they didn't skimp on the alcohol and were not cheap but reasonably priced for the location. I will definitly be back! read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Worst service. If you're ready to wait 45 minutes for a simple, sub-par chicken sandwich with no warning, go for it. I understand that restaurants get busy but if the wait is that long and kitchen that backed up, you should probably give your guests a warning. I would never come back here. read more

Your world might be changed after eating the grilled asparagus here. Obviously it's hard to eat here year round, but to eat on the beach....well I'm halfway to heaven, personally. Been a few times, good service, good selection, and just generally a good time. It's a prime location, so you can expect to pay a price for that, but it's pretty much worth it. You do have to pay for bottled water - some city ordinance, but I think it's only $2. Definitely worth a visit. read more

I experience at Caffè Oliva was beautiful. The location on the water with the city view is prime. I highly recommend the chicken sandwich and their burgers! All of their food is very delicious and service was wonderful. read more

So taking into consideration that it was the first weekend it was open for the season, (Memorial Day) and it was really the first hot days, I don't want to judge it too harshly. The two brunette women helping us get a table with shade, kept their cool and were very good about saying they would do their best, etc. And that's all we really expect. We see you're busy, we get it. But the blonde woman was just flat out rude. Once seated, our server David was great. Very helpful when we showed him the shrimp was raw. Brought us the truffle fries we asked for as a replacement quickly and with more apologies. As for the Chopped Mediterranean salad I had, it was terrible. All lettuce and red onion. Some black olives and flat croutons. That's it. The hummus was okay but the carrots and celery included weren't crunchy, they were bendy. The pita chip triangles were good. I had the KO Lemonade which I liked, but my friend switched drinks because she didn't think there was any alcohol in it. I would maybe try and go back during the week, an off day, for sunset cocktails and nibbles by the lake, and see what that's like. But my advice is don't go expecting any kind of great dining experience. read more

The truffle Parmesan fries left a lot to be desired they were unnecessarily strong even for the garlic variety I also ordered the fried calamari was soggy and the Erie street burger overwhelmed me with under seasoned meat I couldn't taste anything else on the burger the lemonade and desert carried the meal. read more

Uhm. no. won't go back there. The hostess was rude. They were clearly not up for opening day of service - 2 menus for party of 6 (and then wanted to take one back). The cabanas were filthy - I dared not lean back on it. The cabanas smelled REALLY bad. what? no time to clean anything over the winter months? The shrimp was undercooked (but, that fact was hidden under all that breading.) sent it back! Bathrooms - DAY ! - not properly stocked, attended to, broken toilet seat, no purse hook in a VERY cramped spot. I had braised brussel sprouts, parmesan truffle fries and 2 cocktails: $52!!! Bring your own water! they'll charge you $2/bottle. no tap water on site. location - great. David our server - AMAZING under all that pressure. I wonder if he quit after Day one. I hope he made good tips. He was clearly stressed, sunburned and a little shaky. read more

If you're looking for a place where you can sit by the beach and be completely ignored by the waitstaff, this is the place for you! The only plus for this restaurant is that it's right on the water. I can't even rate the food because the service we received was so horrible we left before ordering. The hostess didn't even bother to stand up from where she was sitting and rolling napkins to seat us. She informed us there would be a 30 minute wait and asked for my phone number to add to the wait list. Fine, but I had to shout it across the restaurant since she wouldn't walk over to us. 30 minutes later we were seated. Our waitress seemed nice. I ordered a margarita. We said we weren't sure about food at the moment and needed to keep looking at the menu. She said she would be back and then completely disappeared. We didn't see her again for 30 minutes. When she finally came back to us it was to drop off an Arnold Palmer which neither of us ordered. At this point she didn't even ask what we had ordered, just wandered off with the Arnold Palmer. We decided to give it another 15 minutes. This time a busser came up to us with a burger and fries that we also hadn't ordered. Since by this time we were hungry, cold and annoyed we just left. I'd give this place negative stars if I could. read more

I only go here after my triathlon training sessions at ohio street beach, their stuff is kinda pricey and while the food is fine, nothing that special, it also can get pretty crowded and it gets hard to order at the bar or get served from a waiter, some decent beers on tap, it does have a great view of the beach though, i suppose oak and north ave beachs get just as crowded so this might be a little less packed, just dont go during peak hours read more

The food wait was too long. They did not have drinking water even. My food was soggy.Terrible service and rude employees. It felt like everyone was angry and passive aggressive anytime we asked for anything. Eat before you go to the Ohio street beach and don't forget your water! read more

Worst service ever today. Less than half the tables are filled and they still can't our order in. Waited forever on our food and eventually left. Worst temp staff ever. read more

This place looked nice when we walked up, right on the beach with views of the city. Unfortunately the service was incredibly slow and my order was wrong. Luckily the manager took a few dollars off my already expensive burger since they left off all the toppings that it was meant to have. I didn't get it corrected since it took so long to get my food the first time around. We then waited an entire half an hour just to get the corrected bill. 2 stars since I have to give 1, and the second is for being on the lake. Nice views, but never again. read more

I LOVE this place and the owner. I needed a last minute place for a birthday and most places would not let me rent and set up a place for two and the manager here made an exception for me which was so great of her. She really saved the day and the food was awesome (Really recommend the jalapeno poppers and the sandwiches). They set up a private cabana for us in an awesome way and I would definitely come back. read more

What a great spot! Awesome location and the food is really good - definitely best on the beach! Everything is fresh and the menu is really creative. Definitely recommend Caffe Oliva! read more

Caffè Oliva - Grilled chicken and lamb souvlaki. Yum! - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

After a 4 mile walk my friend and I decided to stop in at Caffè Oliva for lunch. The staff was friendly and the food/drinks was good as well. I had the JD's Tea and the Erie St. Burger. The burger comes with two patties, bbq sauce, bacon and while small it was tasty. The drink was a little weak so I wouldn't get it again. I definitely will try this place again come late spring/summer 2018. read more

I went here on the 4th of July. Although they were busy the service did not suffer and it didn't take long to get our food. I liked the festive pop rock jello shots, but the other alcoholic beverage I had had me wondering where the liquor was. You can't beat the location of this restaurant being right on the beach. I think it may be a little overrated, but they can get away with that because of their location. Parking can definitely be a challenge too. I had the lamb meatballs as an appetizer and I LOVED them. They were nice size meatballs and they came with goat cheese and bruschetta. I also had a decent sized salad. I don't feel like our server checked on us often enough to warrant the 18% gratuity that was automatically added to our bill. I have no complaints about the service but it would have been nice to have had the server be more attentive to us. I don't know if I overlooked the fine print on the menu about the gratuity being automatically included (there were only 2 people dining), but that was an unpleasant surprise--That definitely rubbed me the wrong way. The bathroom was small and outhouse-ish...I think they should definitely invest in a better bathroom especially when the lowest price for renting a cabana is $500, they should definitely be able to afford the construction, IJS. Nevertheless, Caffe Oliva is worth checking out at least once.... read more

Wellll to start off, our server JG really ripped us off. We were asked if we wanted to sit in the cabana and said yes. Great view. Food wasn't the best, very basic. We also were NOT told that fries were a $2 up charge.... he assumed that we all just wanted fries???? Didn't even tell us that it was a $2 up charge. We were also given bottled waters.......????? They don't have tap water?????? This place is ridiculous. The worst restaurant I have EVER been too. The worst service. We asked for a receipt and our server literally just walked away. We will not be ever visiting this place again. I am SO disappointed and SO upset that we spent WAYY too much money at a restaurant like this. read more

Location. Location. Location. This really cool bar and grill is right on Ohio St Beach, next to Navy Pier. As you can imagine, it's amazing during the summer. You can watch boats going by and people swimming while enjoying a cocktail. It is a very relaxing spot in the city to enjoy your evening. My friend who I went with said they had music, but it was not on when we were there. That was okay because we were enjoying the music coming from the boats. I have only been here once, which was last night and we had amazing weather. I had the BBQ chicken wings and a cocktail. It was pretty good. Kind of had a Cool-Aid taste to it. The wings were okay. Your standard wings that you can get at any bar and grill. The staff there were nice and responsive. They checked up on us a few times, not too much. I would come here again, but order something different. Perhaps the chicken sandwich my friend had. read more

The only thing this place has going is location and good drinks- as long as you don't mind waiting 30 min to see your server. On my way to the restroom we got challenged and told that restrooms are for "paying customers only"... After we ordered 6 cocktails and dinner... Our food took 45 min when the restaurant was at 1/3 capacity and came out undercooked and inedible... Boo Oliva, boo... read more

Where do I start. These clowns allegedly hosted a wedding/reception for my nephew and his new bride today. When I got there about 25 minutes before the ceremony was to start,they weren't even close to being set up. When the ceremony started, the sound system did not work and unless you were within a few feet of the speaker you could hear nothing. Once the ceremony concluded and the guests attempted to move into their "facility", which I would generously describe as an upscale hotdog stand, the guests were greeted by a flooded facility where one would be forced to stand in water to get a drink. They were then forced to move tables and chairs to the beach in a futile attempt to serve a meal to the guests. I feel sorry for my relatives that had to suffer through the gross incompetence of these clowns. How they remain in business is a major mystery. read more

Best experience on Saturday, seriously one of the only beach bars open this month. Bartenders were busy but great when it comes to customer service and handling high volume. Definitely coming back for the service, drinks, and food. read more

What the fuck is up with this place. The fries are hard as hell. You better have good ass teeth for this place. Because you will need an orthodontist after this meal. read more

We went here a couple weeks ago for a nice evening on the beach and found it to be a very frustrating experience. We sat at our table for A LONG time before I had to ask someone to take our order. The staff just seemed so uninterested and unpleasant. The only reason I would go here again is because it's right on the beach in a convenient location. read more

Gem In the city!!! Beach experience, without the rowdy oak street beach/castaways crew. Food is prob below average, but the drinks, lighting, view of the city, and less crowded beach all make up for it! My favorite summer spot. read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

After long day biking at the lake I decided to stop in this beautiful restaurant/bar by the lake. I really have to say it was so nice to stopped here. This place is so relaxing and eat/drink near water Is a A+. Staff are also great very friendly and prices is reasonable. This is truly a hidden pearl in the city that everyone should try it. read more

See all

I have eaten here often and do like the caprese chicken panini but I ordered the lamb shish kabob. It was over cooked and very burnt and dry. I also extra pita and sauce which I never received and paid for. Never order from take out here only order in do you can make sure your meal is correct. Friendly staff! Nice bartenders! Today we tried lunch here again. Must be a different chef or what we ordered. Salads and flat breads were delicious! Comfortable and relaxing setting. Not over crowded like Oak street and North Ave beach bars and restaurants! Great staff! They allow dogs and always bring wTer for them. Wish they had dog chewys since sometimes we stop in impromptu! read more

Not to be confused with Caffe Olivia which does not exist this place is great. Having a real restaurant on the beach with private chairs and a full bar is awesome. Great food not bar food Great service (ask for Allie) Management and owners are very nice. Reggae on Saturdays Great for lunch or dinner or just drinks A true hidden gem, check it out read more

Don't do it! Waited over an hour for a mediocre flatbread with a waitress who didn't seem to care. Then she have us the wrong bill w someone else's credit card in it!! read more

Stopped here on a sunny afternoon for lunch because it looked like fun. We were seated quickly in a cabana but were not even asked if we wanted a table (there were plenty open.) Our order was taken quickly but follow up service was slow and we had to seek out our waitress several times. The food was okay. The homemade chips were a little soggy and stale. My biggest beef is that they do not just serve cups of water because it is a "safety hazard." You have to buy 16 oz bottle of water for $3. (To be honest plastic bottles are a bigger hazard than anything else I can think of.) I still don't understand because the mixed drinks were served in plastic cups and I saw an employee walking around with a nice cup of water. So, that was upsetting. I had one bottle of warm water with me so me and my two kids just shared that. read more

Alejandro was the best! We're from out of town (Tahoe, CA) and even though the place was packed he made us feel right at home! We'd be surprised if he isn't running the place soon. Much love from Jules and Janelle, Alej! We'll be back! read more

Great views of Lake Michigan; however, the food is horrible. Table of 4 and everyone hated their food.

This place has absolutely one of the best views in the entire city. It is spectacular, particularly as the sun goes down. But that's just not enough for me to recommend Caffe Oliva. Our server started out strong but faded quickly as dinner progressed. It wasn't busy on a Tuesday night but we ran into issues like apps coming out the same time as entrees, multiple requests for s+p, 4 dinners being dropped while the 5th dragged for 10 minutes. The food was good. Well prepared and fresh, although the mods requested for two meals were not correct. After ordering dessert and as dusk set in, spiders descended on our cabana. Not one or two, but dozens. We quickly cancelled dessert and asked for the check. Our server was unfazed. "Yes. They come out when the sun goes down." (I've since seen mention of the spiders in other reviews of this place.) A word to the ownership/management: when diners run out of your restaurant for a problem that you already know about, ADDRESS THAT PROBLEM IMMEDIATELY AND FREQUENTLY. There is no excuse. View, amazing. Food, great. Service, needs improvement. Venue, horrific. read more

Caffè Oliva - Mediterranean Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

See all

Just dire. The burger and fries I ordered looked anaemic, like a cheap version of a McDonald's burger. Our server was just rude and expected a tip for just turning up. Horrible place. Save your money and time - or better still, bring your own food and snacks because this experience was sub-standard. read more