I am so disappointed in the Cava Olney experience I had last evening. First of all, the menu is different from what I remember from my experiences in DC or Rockville. Second, the zucchini fritters that I usually love were so salty I couldn't eat more than one (neither could my husband who is usually a garbage disposal). They took our half full portion away without asking what may have kept us from eating all 4 of them. We got lamb chops and fries which is usually my favorite dish at the other Cava restaurants and they were meh. The fries were totally different than I remember. I did have a wonderful drink and the cauliflower mezze dish was excellent as was the pita and dips. Come on, why is Olney not like the rest? Or have they changed as well? read more

The beet salad and short ribs were excellent. The calamari was delicious. The lamb shoulder was a bit salty. The service was very good and we appreciated the complimentary dessert (French Toast without whipped cream for a vegan) and lovely handwritten card for my daughter's birthday. read more

This place is great. I thought there would possibly be issues, as they had just opened, but I was very pleasantly surprised. The food was great, I liked every dish of the 9 or so we tried, and the service was fast, and exceedingly polite. The only thing I did not love was the wine I picked, but I'll just pick a different wine next time. We will absolutely be back. read more

We had the Hummus, Zucchini Fritters, Chicken Souvlaki and Grilled Shrimp. All the dishes were great! Our server was very pleasant and attentive. read more

A friend and I had dinner reservations for 6:30 on a Friday night. I'd been to other Cava locations and knew the food would be great, which it was. But as we saw the big black door open and close and heard the noise inside, I knew we were in for a loud experience. We were seated on time at a table next to the bar area and right by the front door, so we had the full noise experience. We could hardly hear our server and yelled at each other throughout the meal ( though we did hear the conversations of other patrons standing next to our table with their drinks). But the food was excellent -- chicken skewers, spanikopita, grain salad, zucchini fritters. . And the portions were very generous. Two small plates per person were more than enough, I will return for the food, but will try for a time when it's not crowded so I can enjoy my experience and not just the food as I chew. Cava is a welcome addition to Olney.. review helps others learn about great local businesses. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

Absolutely loved it! Great atmosphere, our waitor was great! Very friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. Very happy with how fast the food came out, which was a nice surprise! Overall experience was great! Will be back! Lamb sliders are probably the most amazing thing ever!!!! read more

As a first timer, I have to admit my experience was terrible. The food was okay but the service was awful. My server's name was Irene. She seemed highly uninterested in attending us but, more so in engaging in her social conversations with her coworkers. Being in the restaurant industry one can tell if someone is just letting the clock run or is truly interested in providing great service. To start off, they gave us pita bread with olive oil; now you would think that they'd give us two separate pita servings because we were a table of 9. Unfortunately, they only gave us one; we looked like scavengers reaching for 5 strips of pita. We had to request for more. I had ordered the village salad with chicken on the side. I received my salad without the chicken; I asked Irene if the chicken was on it's way she said, "yes until it's ready". Being a server myself you'd think if the guest requested the salad with the chicken they'd have the common knowledge to serve it together; not the case. The food came out sporadically, it was very unorganized. The mini pita (gyros) were dry, when asked for the sauce; you're looking at a 2 dollar charge to make up for the dryness. Irene seemed forgetful as well; she asked my friend 3 times what she ordered. Towards the end of our stay, we asked for the check and she told us she was not going to split it (without us even asking her to do so). Which is not a problem but to say as if they don't have the technology for it is dishonest. Cava Mezze lost the service of 9 people yesterday. It's unfortunate to realize that the service of one server can diminish the credibility of a restaurant. I do not recommend Cava to anyone unless they're service improves. read more

My favorite place to go hands down!! Best food around. This is our 3 rd time at this location and each time it gets better! Our waiter Willis T was great! read more

This was my first time at Cava Mezze. I've seen it popping up all around so I thought it was time to give it a try. The food was delicious and came out very quickly. What made my first visit ever was the outstanding service I received from the server Irene. She was recommending some dishes and told me about her favorites. She was all smiles, not just with me but with her other tables as well. That's very rare in today's world. Thank you Irene for the great first time visit!!!! read more

We went for lunch at 1:00 on a weekday. Ordered from the three plate menu: choice of a salad, vegetable and entree. This was a great way to sample a good variety. Everything we ordered was outstanding. Seriously, we wondered if we could get away with licking the plates! The service was exceptional. We were made to feel welcome. Definitely we'll come back. Exceptional value for the prices charged. read more

We had a fantastic brunch! The food and service were excellent and the unlimited brunch and 25 cent mimosas were amazing! Can't wait to go back! read more

My first visit to the Olney location was on 6/24/18 for brunch. I'm very glad I made a reservation because the restaurant was busy when we arrived. Hostess was friendly and made a good first impression. However, the noise level had the opposite effect. I cannot stress enough that this place was very loud, to the point that I'm not sure I will return. Having a conversation with the person across the table was difficult. Our table ordered the limitless brunch, which came with 25 cent mimosas (nothing special, but what do you want for a quarter??). Overall, we enjoyed the food. The plates of food are small, like a tapas portion so understand that going in and order many dishes to start. For some menu items, a small portion worked well for sharing (deviled eggs, frittata, yogurt w/granola, eggs benedict), and for others it was a bit awkward (chicken and waffle, pork belly, potato hash). You can simply order more, but trying to flag down our waiter and then wait for the order to inconsistently make it to the table made the flow of our meal lackluster. Because the restaurant was busy, the wait for food was long. One round of our orders was lost in the shuffle, so we had about a 25 minute delay during our meal and then had to reorder. There were runners who brought out plates of food and picked up empty dishes to assist the waiters, and this trickle of table visits made it difficult to keep our orders straight and keep the timing right. We ended up with quantities of food we didn't order, and some folks were left plate-less while others had multiple items delivered at once. Sharing dishes amongst our table, talking about the food, and deciding what we wanted to order next was difficult due to the noise in the restaurant. That took away some of the fun. Food highlights for me: the French toast (it's not custard, just crispy fried bread) was a treat for dessert, the pork belly was not greasy at all, smoked salmon eggs Benedict was a nice change from the classic, the frittata was very light and fluffy, and the yogurt with granola was a home run (you have to ask for a spoon...really??). I didn't have the Nutella waffle but others at our table loved it! Not rockstar dishes for me: the green eggs and ham (too spicy, unbalanced flavors), sausage and bacon (dry, over cooked), steak and eggs (plain, over cooked). I missed not having a fruit option available. Having a bottle of water on the table was great - love being able to refill our own glasses. Overall, I felt like the price of $35 per person (before tax and tip) was too high for our individual experience on that day. If I were to go back, I will make a reservation for a 2pm brunch time (we went at 12:30) to see if the kitchen/waitstaff pace was better managed and the noise level was a little lower. Happy brunching!!! read more

Let me start out by saying that I could not be more impressed by all aspects of the restaurant. We went for sunday brunch and were extremely impressed with the overall quality of the food and drinks. I highly recommend making a reservation, as it is a busy place on Sundays and not particularly huge. We ran into a problem where we had a reservation but nobody was getting up from their tables so we were waiting patiently for about 30 minutes, but the manager came over, apologized, and took care of us while we waited for a table to become available. We were a group of 4 and all four of us felt as though the management goes above and beyond to make sure you have a good experience and that the food was amazing. read more

I've been to Cava in Olney several times now and was recently there celebrating my friend's birthday! The service has always been very good but was actually phenomenal Saturday night. Our server Strat made great recommendations and kept the drinks flowing. Top notch service, we will all be back! read more

Olney does now have Sunday brunch. We didn't get it because it's too much food for the 2 of us. Server was very personable, but the place was busy and service was a little slow. The food came out pretty quickly though. I would definitely go back to try lunch and dinner. Parking lot can fill up quickly. The Olney crowd loves to eat out and weekends are busy everywhere. read more

Time heals all.....as we continue to visit Cava we have become increasingly happy with the service and the drink (still a small drink) but the atmosphere and the food is to die for. A definite must visit if you want excellent food. read more

Went there as a party of 4 at 12:15 today. A) One person ordered a particular item, and they were told there were out of it (shouldn't you be told up front when the server is up selling the 'fabulous brunch'?) B) 3 of the 4 people got their lunch and we were 3/4ths done when the waitress came by asking how everything was and we let her know that the 4th person was still waiting for their order - it came out in about 45 seconds after that. C) I went to the bathroom around 1:30 and both rolls of toilet paper were empty. When I asked for a refill, I received an apology and a comment that stated that they had just run out. (Didn't anyone check the bathroom in the morning before the restaurant opened? HELLO....) D) 3 of the 4 people had their plates removed after they were done. I had the burrito, and even though I left a fair amount of tortilla on the plate, my fork and knife were displayed on the plate in such a way that should have indicated that I was finished. E) Our server still did not ask if I was finished with my lunch. I even put my used napkin on top of my plate and she still did not ask if I was finished OR remove the plate. We got the check - then the check was paid - we sat for a few minutes, and got up to leave. Guess what? My plate was STILL in front of me with the used napkin on top. PS...the Dip Tasting appetizer was the bomb but the overall experience overshadowed it. I hear the Traville Gateway restaurant is great - I may have to try it, because I highly doubt I will EVER come back to this location. read more

We had a rather large party of about 13 people for dinner and the service was exceptional. I've been to cava in Olney many times and have never been disappointed by the food or the service, not matter the size of the group. I was highly pleased with how they handled such a large party this particular time, as they added extra staff to refill drinks, take orders, and keep the pita bread flowing. Booking the reservation in advance was very pleasant and having made note of one of the party members numerous allergies in advance made dining that much easier. The restaurant contacted me by phone and automated text, so I could discuss dish options with the manager and the chef in advance that would be suitable for the guest with allergies. It saved a lot of hassle come dinner time. They don't split checks, which is a little hard for such a large party and I'm pretty sure they have with smaller groups before, but the waiter was extremely helpful and patient while we sorted out the meals for him. All in all, the service was beyond efficient, the food excellent, with many a first timer already planning their next cava night, and the atmosphere extremely welcoming. I will definitely be back and recommend everyone give it a try. read more

went here thinking it was the fast food cava. pleasantly surprised with the restaurant version. sat at the bar. bartender was awesome and he was very nice to our kids. food was great. roasted cauliflower was the sleeper hit. read more

My first visit; we chose to sit outside, so I did not get a chance to view the inside of the restaurant. The service was attentive, friendly and enthusiastic without being annoying or intrusive. You could tell our waiter was really interested in our enjoyment of the food and drinks. I thought at first the small plate offerings were a bit pricey for Olney, but I ordered from the prix fixe menu, a good deal at 3 for $25 - mine ordered separately would have been $35. Then I realized the portions were larger than at other small plate restaurants. I could easily have gotten by with ordering only two selections - now the prices seemed very reasonable! I had to take part of my dinner home. The Watermelon salad was artfully arranged and a delicious and unusual combination of flavors that worked well. The hush puppies were likewise an interesting take on this dish. The Chicken Souvlaki was not unusual but so tender and tasty. The traditional gin an tonic was a wonderful twist with cucumber and other flavors - delicious and refreshing. One of the chefs or owners even came outside in the heat to chack on each table. Can't wait to go back and try some other offerings! read more

We are familiar with Cava Mezze in Rockville and were excited to come to the Olney one. Food was amazing - our waiter was fantastic and gave us lots of great facts and background about the food and Greek culture, and wonderful food suggestions. All the food was delicious - as good or better than the Rockville location. We had the saganaki (flaming cheese!), lamb chops, falafel, and scallops risotto. All were wonderful - my favorites were the lamb chops and scallops risotto - although saganaki is a MUST. Then we had loukoumades for dessert, as recommended by the waiter. My only complaint is that, while more open and spacious than the Rockville location, it is extremely, roaringly noisy in the venue and you are seated so close to people next to you that it is awkward if you're trying to have a romantic dinner - my husband and I had to shout to each other. If you like a lively, rowdy crowd where everyone seems to know everyone, then you'll enjoy the atmosphere. It's a beautiful venue with delicious food. I'm so glad Cava came to Olney! read more

Went in Friday night, they were not busy in the dining room, but the bar had several patrons, but still a lot of empty seats there as well. Hostess wants to sit us at a high table, not happening, so request low table seating. She says it will be 20 minute wait, what? Twenty minute wait when there is no one else waiting and you have a ton of empty seats? Don't think so...so we went across to Sakura Japanese Steak House and were seated immediately and had a wonderful meal (I'll review them on their site). So, not impressed with Cava, and most likely will not be back. A shame too as I had heard nice things about this place. But to make someone wait for 20 minutes in Olney of all places when you are not that busy, no, that is not the type of place I consider customer friendly. My review is strictly based on the treatment by the hostess as we never got the opportunity to try the food (I have had their feta jalapeno dip and was the big reason I wanted to go there, my coworkers had recommended it), I think I would rather trekk to La Tosca in Rockville, they are friendlier and there is never any waiting or uncomfortable seating there. read more