We, my daughter, myself and her college roommates had lunch and everyone enjoyed their food. Everything was delicious, big portions and fresh. We definitely will be back. read more

I'm only giving a star because you have to. I went to this restaurant yesterday evening ordered my food and initially the only worker I seen was the gentleman at the counter and he was masked. Upon coming back in to wait for my food I notice the cook wiping her face. So I ask did she just prepare my food without a mask or glove's? She yells yes it's too hot back here to wear a mask! This place is unsanitary we are in a pandemic and you are literally wiping your face preparing peoples food no MASK or GLOVES . I won't be back and the food was awful. read more

We were moving my sister uo Grand Rapids, so while taking a break, we decided to grab lunch here. The outside of the building looked so cool, and the reviews were good. Sadly, our brief lunch took about an hour and a half, and was ho-hum at best. We went in, and it was pretty busy, full, and was about 1:00pm on a Saturday. A man who was obviously the main server and perhaps owner, said we could sit anywhere. We did. And waited. About 15 minutes later, he finally came back to take our order. He brought drinks out, and then we didn't see him for about 35 more minutes. In that 35 minutes, the place emptied out. Our order was plantain sandwiches and Caribbean curries. Now keep in mind, we has little kids with us, who were ANGELS for the near hour we waited for the food to show up at the table. Our food showed up, no "thanks for being cool about the wait", or "sorry". By this time our drinks were gone, and all the spicy food just arrived. So I had to hunt to man down again and ask him for more drinks for our table. The place was so empty at this point, and he was overlooking basic customer comfort things like "beverages while people are eating." The food was ok, but SO not worth the wait. All those drinks, when we hit the bathroom, it did not surprise any of us that the bathrooms just happened to have no toilet paper either. Lame end to a bad lunch experience. This little area of Grand Rapids is so chock full of fun eating places that I regret we didn't choose one of those, and predict that unless this place hires more servers, they won't be in business too much longer in this cute little neighborhood. read more

Proceed with caution. The food is amazing but be careful with the heat. You will be asked what level of "heat " you want in the food. A "two" is plenty for me, and I love spicy food. The kitchen is slow, but good food is worth the wait. read more

Chez Olga has the most delicious and unique dishes in the area. After finding this restaurant I just continue to return for my favorite dish. I love the potato lasagna, I eat nothing else and all of their traditional, interesting drinks are delicious. I recommend trying one of each. And don't skip dessert! Take home leftovers and try the rice pudding. The food is even better heated up the next day! read more

I love the building. In fact, if the menu were better, the building would add another star, maybe even two. Or at least truth in advertising: Caribbean cuisine, not "Creole"? I was disappointed with the selection of Haitan ("Creole") food. It is more of a Caribbean melange, and we were expecting Haitian meals. And seeing Jamaican jerk on the menu was kind of a turnoff. When we asked about the lack of Haitain options, we were told that so much of the food took a long time to prepare and could not be made and held. I agreed, for a minute, and then thought about the traditional meals we make at home. We eat the leftovers; they reheat fine. While restaurant cooking is different than home, I'm not buying it. My guess is more that the market just doesn't do well enough with a true Haitian menu. That said, I need to give this place some credit. They serve goat which is a turnoff for some, and it is good. They also serve seafood, though, no red snapper (traditional Haitian cuisine). Also, I would have loved to see Haitian names with English descriptions on every dish. We went on Saturday after checking out the butterflies at Frederik Meijer Garden. There were three tables with customers when we arrived. One had ordered, two had not. There was one waiter, who may very well be a son or other relative of Olga. He was young and not entirely comfortable responding to questions from my Haitian companion. He handled them okay, but since I expect Chez Olga is somewhat of an outpost for Haitians that end up in Grand Rapids, I thought he would have done better. He was a pleasant waiter, though not overly attentive, and frankly the restaurant could have used another set of hands in the dining room. Thankfully, he wasn't surly like the staff we have experienced at other Caribbean restaurants. We were considering taking home pate, so I am glad we started with the combinationa appetizer. The pate were not Haitian-style. They actually reminded me more of Jamaican patties, fried. I was longing for the super flaky crust of Haitian pate, but no. The plantains, shrip and accra were good, solid, fried, nothing fancy. I enjoyed the strawberry sauce with the accra and shrimp. The pikliz (Haitian cole slaw) was mediocre. It was far too salty for my taste, and I couldn't pull out all the flavors. The level of spiciness for it was fine for me, but the salt was over the top. For main courses, we ended up with goat curry and goat ragu. They were fine. Unfortunately, we were so excited for Haitian entrees that they were just okay. The goat was well cooked, and both dishes were well sauced. The ragu had mushrooms, which were good. For me, the best items were the corossol, which was incredibly fresh and homemade, and Haitian coffee. The coffee was beautifully thick and rich. Overall, this restaurant seems to serve its market well. As we were eating several groups of college kids, some with their parents, arrived, and it was easy to see that they love this place. The food is good. I think we may have hyped it up too much in our heads and were just expecting more Haiti. read more

Husband and I tried this place over the weekend. This might be the top 3 places we have ate in Grand Rapids. The food is authentic and delicious! We started with pate and had great flavor. My husband had seafood gumbo which was flavorful and had a great deal of seafood. I had chicken Creole and it was fantastic. This is a place that we will go back to over again. read more

This place is delicious. The building has a unique and creative look. We ordered a few dishes. Be careful with ur spice level. I normally eat a medium spice and level 2 was good for me. Their caribbean style dishes have really good and different flavor to them. I would highly recommend this place. It seems very authentic. It's a good place to try new things. read more

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The food is really good and it's bring your own wine! Be careful if you order something spicy - they're not messing around. However the restaurant itself has a McDonald's kind of vibe inside and service is pretty lacking (one kid for the whole restaurant). Definitely recommend the food but would say it's more of a takeout place. read more

First time ever trying Haitian/Jamaican food and I'm very impressed with the food. The highlight was DEFINITELY the food. Fried plantains were delicious, chewy and sweet, but I'm not sure if the strawberry dipping sauce was necessary. The spicy cole slaw on the side was decent, but it was SPICY. I ordered the Goat Curry served with white rice and was very happy about it. Highly recommended that and Jerk chicken. The food is very soulful and hearty and spicy. According to what I heard, the owner made the spices + sauces herself, and she came out and greeted us, which was very nice. However, go easy on the spicy level because they really mean SPICY. On the other hand, service was not on par with the food. They don't give you water until the food almost comes out, which could be another hour after you place the order. When I was there, the place was not busy at all, so I'm not sure about the delay. Overall, I will come back here for the food and hopefully the service improves more. read more

Why did I wait so long to try this place?? I got food to go for lunch today, had a Groupon that was expiring so I ordered two dishes: chicken gumbo and spinach rice with chicken. For both, I asked for "pretty mild" as I am a Spice Wimp. (My spouse does not like seafood, so I skipped the shrimp, figuring he would want to try leftovers.) DELICIOUS. Fresh, tasty, light. The spinach rice was fluffy rice with pieces of spinach, moist chicken, and some tomato pieces. The gumbo blew my socks off -- I normally hate okra, but I couldn't get enough of this. (Guess I've never had it cooked right!) Both dishes were spicy enough to make me sweat a bit (then again, I was outside on my patio) but not overpowering. The owner and staff were super nice as well, even though I just popped in for takeout. The interior was bright, comfy, and sunny. I will definitely be back! read more

Data: Took a group of 20 to have dinner there. Some with serious dietary restrictions (celiac's) and others with particular pallets (meat and potato). Everyone was able to fully enjoy everything we ordered without issue at all. Food: The food was outstanding. We ended up getting food off the catering menu which worked out great. The food was ready when we arrived in pans. We had the Jerk Chicken, Olga's Shrimp, steamed veggies, and rice. The chicken was fall-off-the-bone tender in an amazing sauce that wasn't spicy at all for our more delicate eaters. The shrimp was also outstanding. The veggies and rice were exactly that - veggies and rice - very good accompaniment to the main courses. Everyone agreed that the flavors were exceptional. I think every person in our group said that they would love to come back again. Price: The cost for 20 people was extremely reasonable for the quality of food. Everyone had plenty to eat. Ambiance: Not a fancy sit down restaurant, but perfect for our group. Not too quiet and stuffy nor so loud where it would be hard to hear each other. Other stuff: This is where this restaurant really excelled. Our server was Olga - as in Chez Olga. She was an absolute GEM - so personable and hospitable! She obviously took great pride in the restaurant and each recipe that was served. Absolutely love when a restauranteur takes pride and ownership in what they put out. Towards the end of our dinner, I asked if I could try a spicy dish since we ordered our dishes with no spice and she generously brought out some of the goat curry (level 7 of 10) and it did not disappoint! It wasn't over the top spicy, but it definitely got our attention. The most remarkable thing was how tender the goat was.... not to be missed. If you're in the GR area and want an authentic taste of the Caribbean, look no further. Like some other reviewers said, this place is a treasure. read more

For a little bit more than you'd pay for fast food, you get a top notch plate of food. I had the curry and my wife had the jerk chicken and both were phenomenal. The staff was incredibly warm and kind, and we really felt like we got a personal touch when the owner came and talked with us a bit. From the first bite I knew we'd be regulars. This place deserves all the success they get and more. read more

I must admit that I'm not especially familiar with the different foods of the Caribbean, as I've been reading some of the previous reviews on here that Chez Olga is more of pan-Caribbean restaurant, and less of a full-on Haitian restaurant. With that being said, I must say I have really loved the food here, and I've come here on many different occasions to test out all of the different vegetarian options. They do a very good job here of making vegetarian variations, even for some of their meat dishes. Although, I'm particularly partial to their 'Creole Tofu', 'the vegetarian 'Gumbo,' and the vegetarian 'Pasta Chez Olga' (the latter I have them add tofu to). Their black bean salad, vegetable creole noodle soup, vegetable pate, fried accra, and most importantly, their fried plantains (or the fried plantain sandwich), are all phenomenal. Chez Olga seriously has a very expansive menu for vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, and I've never had a disappointing dish. Flavor-wise, Chez Olga's dishes always pack a powerful punch, yet the spices are very complementary and balanced-out, in spite of the boldness, but please be forewarned, they do not play around when it comes to heat. Their heat scale runs from 1 to 10. I've been eating hot foods for my entire life, and both their 6 and 7 spice levels were mistakes for me. I eventually leveled off very comfortably at a 5 here. If you prefer mild, get a 1 or 2, and if you're a casual spicy food eater, I recommend starting with a 3 and then perhaps moving onto a 4 the next time you eat there. They also have a fabulous drink menu. The mango papaya smoothie is my personal favorite, but their lemonades are also quite delicious. I superlove their thick homemade Haitian coffee in the winter months...just definitely be sure try out something from their drink menu during your first visit. And if nothing else, you should at least go their to marvel at the epic hand-carved wooden facade (this is reason enough to stop by) and enjoy the terrific tropical ambience of Chez Olga. read more

Chez Olga - Top: Inside view of the the beautiful window facade. Bottom: 'Pikliz'/Haitian coleslaw&fried plantains, and 'Creole Tofu' curry dish w/ rice - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Food was good. I just left five minutes ago. I ordered the Caribbean fried rice. They said I could get beef, chicken, shrimp, or mix them. I asked for Beef and Chicken..... Guess what. I was charged for two meals. $8.95 a piece. I asked the question "so if I ordered just chicken or just beef I would have paid half the price and been served the same amount of food" They said "yes, I know it's weird" Not good business...... read more

Chez Olga - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

We came to this wonderful establishment not knowing what to expect. But the food was absolutely wonderful. The kind lady who helped us was honest about choosing the right spice number to our tastes. We haven't been in since last year but we still talk about it. Must try if you are looking for a different taste...beware 3 is pretty spicy, 6 will make you sweat and 10 has never been tempted by us. read more

Delicious Caribbean food. Spicy gumbo and soups are great. Their white rice is flavored with coconut milk that helps cool down the heat. Entree portions are generous and can easily be shared or saved for later. For a treat, try the Haitian iced coffee (full of nutmeg, cinnamon, and lots of other spices the owner wasn't willing to divulge). The owner is warm and friendly: she really cares about her customers having a good experience. read more

Have been there several more times since I last wrote here. I've never yet had a "so-so" meal there, let alone a bad one. Eric, I hope you will give Olga's a 2nd try. Any place can have a bad night, and I think you must have hit one. If you go there, tell them that "Number 25" says hello! (Olga and Giselle nicknamed be that because I order heat level 25 on a scale of 1 to 10.) read more

Wednesday night a friend and I stumbled across this Gem of a restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised to actually meet the owner and spouse as they came out to visit with us and introduce us to the establishment. We ordered the ginger tea & mango Papaya drinks and both were good without being overly sweet. We tried the Pate (3 ground beef), fried plantains, and red beans & rice dishes. The Pate came with a rather thin red sweet & sour type sauce that was treat to eat! Had a nice heat to it and I loved it with everything. The fried plantains were crispy and very tasty with a side of coleslaw that kicked my butt heatwise. Everything was perfectly seasoned.... so good that I came back last night to have dinner with another friend. Thursday night we ordered the creole chicken and jerked chicken entrees. The creole chicken was made with the breast meat and very saucy with chunks of colored peppers and onion. Delicious! The jerked chicken was 2 thighs slow cooked in sauce served with a plate of rice. I think it was supposed to be red beans & rice as the menu stated but maybe they were out. At any rate it was very very good. We also ordered the Sampler appetizer and I highly recommend this if it is your first visit because it was definitely worth the $11.99 spent on it. Over all the food was very well seasoned prepared with love :-) The only disappointing thing was my drink the Pomegrante soda because it seems so commercial and hardly exotic at all... tasted like Red Soda. The interior was very unassuming. This restaurants is a new favorite!!! I'll be back in a couple days to try some more of the menu. Awesome job Olga!! read more

Make sure you wait to be seated when you walk in as its a busy restaurant, and if you just sit down you can get overlooked. Service was great, everyone was very friendly and helpful. The fried plantains appetizer was great, the slaw was spicy but good. I got the seafood Gumbo, my wife got the fried rice, and my sister got the creole tilapia. The gumbo was full of seafood and very good, I got a spice level 4 (i love spicy food) and that was good for me. My wife is sensitive to spicy food and got a level 2 and it was still too spicy so take that for what its worth. The tilapia was well made and delicious as well. Restaurant is BYOB for those who drink, and their fruity smoothies were pretty good as well. Over all great experience, I will be back for sure. read more

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Soooo gooooood. The "heat" isn't a joke order lower than you think you'll want. Best chicken dish I've had in GR- their jerk chicken that's clearly been slow cooked for hours. Sooo goooood read more

Amazing food! The waiter was friendly, helpful and attentive. The owner/cook came out to chat with us about her restaurant and love of cooking. We expressed an interest in bottling her curry sauce and she offered without hesitation to make some fresh and bottle it for us to take home. We were so happy. Be careful of the spice level, they like it hot. We got level 2 out of 10 and it was pretty spicy. This place is worth the drive if you want authentic quality. They don't serve alcohol but you are allowed to bring your own beer or wine. read more

Chez Olga - Caribbean Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Stopped by for a quick bite visiting the area for work and I will definitely be back. They brought the Caribbean heat and it was great. That black rice and mushrooms I will be getting tomorrow with some soursop. Just perfect. I had the curry goat which was a little sweet for me I like mine more savory but the spice was right I had it at a 5. I'd still order it. The plaintains hit the spot as well. I guess I looked like I enjoyed my food so much another patron asked what I had while she was ordering. The coleslaw on the money. Nice job! Will be back! read more

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I want to eat here all of the days. Honestly I'm so glad I finally tried Chez Olga because it has the rich amount of flavor that I've been craving in the Grand Rapids area! They have a scale from 0-10 for spicy level...I could only go up to 3. I usually request medium spice at thai restaurants and such but I would call Chez's 3 an extra spicy level. The second time I ate here I asked for Level 1 and that to me is a medium. It was more manageable for the heat level and still tasted amazing. If you love spicy food, this place is a must. I've had the jerk chicken curry and it's delicious. I haven't tried much of the menu yet but I plan on it. They can get busy on the weekends, for good reason, but your patience will be rewarded with mouth watering deliciousness. read more

Chez Olga's is housed within an incredibly unique locale. It was once a Mexican restaurant that had previously been somewhat iconic in Grand Rapids, mostly prized for the unique architecture of the building. I used to eat here and it's no great loss to have been replaced by chez olga. The interior is quaint and a bit run-down leaning towards homesy. I ordered the mango-papaya drink and was quite happy with how it wasn't overly sweet and had a fair amount of fresh fruit within it. Service was a prompt kid in college (he frequently sat down at a near-by table with a laptop and some textbooks) who answered all questions, but was a touch flighty and curt. I had the Creole Sampler, which is a selection of the entire appetizer list sans chicken fingers. The aucra were starchy fried quenelles that were similar in taste to a sweet potato fritter. I had the vegetable pate which was some pastry folded like an empanada with greens inside. I'm certain there were more ingredients but was unable to identify them. Quite good. The fried shrimp were standard, as were the fried plantains. The spicy coleslaw is a highlight just because of the heat level. It uses habanero pepper and that tangy vinegar and the heat of the capsaicin fight over you're taste buds in a most pleasing way. The other main was Caribbean fried rice with shrimp. It was overly greasy and fatty, not the unctuous nature of a toasty and crisp fried rice. Tons of rice, not a lot of vegetables or protein. The Great- I love that you can customize the heat level of the dishes. I'm not sure if you need to order on a level of 1-10. A simple mild, hot or very hot could do. The Bad- The vegetables In the fried rice is out of a frozen bag of GFS or Sysco vegetables. As is the coleslaw. This wouldn't necessarily be bad, but I feel like it's kinda half-assed. It's kind of like taking something out of a bag, adding one ingredient, and calling it good. I'll definitely be back to try some other dishes in the future. read more

There are some instances where the food is so damn good that I can ignore everything else about a restaurant, and Chez Olga is my number one example of that exemption. Don't get me wrong, I love the atmosphere at Chez Olga. It honestly feels like a cafe that you would visit in the islands...Haitian decor on the walls, a mix of plants, bright paint, a kitchen, and tables. Nothing fancy....it's not needed. The service is always friendly. Sometimes a little on the slow side, but that's what happens when you have a small, dedicated staff that does everything in the restaurant. They do not have a liquor license, but they have allowed a group of us to bring in our own beer and wine for a birthday party. The food is unbelievably good. It has been difficult as a expat-Southerner to find the levels of heat I am accustom to in every day meals here in the midwest. A level 7 on the Pasta Chez Olga, the Creole Chicken, Potato Lasagna, or Jerk Chicken satisfies those cravings. I am so thankful for Chez Olga. From the deep, rich sauces to the iced Ginger Tea, this restaurant makes me a happy woman. It truly is a GR gem, and we should be thankful to have such a great, authentic Haitian restaurant to enjoy. read more

Just try it. Will change your life. One of the best in GR. Always great food, always great service. read more

I look forward to the days I get out of work early enough to catch lunch here. Their food is beyond flavorful, it is exotic and truly authentic. For being such a small restaurant they offer a large enough menu to keep a wide range of palettes happy, even a guest who doesn't care for anything spicy can find something to enjoy here. I recommend giving yourself time to find parking, Wealthy can be hard to navigate at lunch time because the GR natives have all figured out this is the street to be on for a fast and delicious meal! Chez Olga has a lot of charm, their service is fast and their prices are very fair for the quality. It's worth the drive! read more

I thought that "Our Place" could never be replaced. The food, the gang, the "work" The Company assigned . . . I was right . . . But the "new place" is proof enough that once The Company selects a geo location, it keeps the same spot, but makes some great changes. Chez Olga is going to be VERY hard to avoid after just one visit . . . Even if El Rey does demand some Mexican tasties. In a word, Delightful. In another word, Different. In yet one word, Delicious. I will post again, but I have an "appointment" with a person who "knows things" . . . If . . . NO, when you go to Chez Olga, if you do not save some space for a piece of Heaven (Olga's Chocolate Cheese Cake), I WILL find out, and you will not get my future dispatches . . . OUTSTANDING . . . No, not the dispatches, the cheese cake. Enjoy. P. read more

I've only been here once but it blew my mind. I had a simple dish - shrimp salad- but it was amazing! I also had some empanada type appetizers and a papaya smoothie and it was all delicious. Definitely try this place! The strawberry sauce is killer! read more

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Mon dieu! This place blew us away. We had never tried Haitian food before, so we started out with the creole sampler. It comes with accra, fried plantains, pate, fried shrimp, and strawberry sauce. Can't say I knew what half those things were when I tried them, but everything was incredible! We also tried the island drinks (frozen blended beverages) - papaya & mango, papaya & passion fruit, and corossol (Haitian lemonade) - which were so refreshing and delicious. For the main course, we split the curry chicken, shrimp vegetable, and pasta Olga. The servings were HUGE. The flavor packed in the sauces, the fresh vegetables... it was all so phenomenal. To top it all off, we realized our server was Olga herself. Apart from being an incredible chef, she seems to truly love talking to customers and sharing her passion with food. We feel like we found a gold mine of a restaurant here, and we will definitely be coming back!! Délicieux! read more

A tasty place for a quick bite to eat in an intimate setting. Chez, the owner and chef, has personally served us our meals on several occasions. I've never been disappointed. read more

Wow! Recommended by our waiter at Terra. This place was amazing! Low key... Jerk Chicken, Tofu Creole....Wonderful flavor ....Fried Plantain w ice cream dessert at end capped the perfect meal! read more

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Small but comfortable location in the heart of the Eastown neighborhood. This Caribbean eatery is the ideal addition to the growing selection of restaurants stretching from Gas Light Village to Heritage Hill. Our dinner experience began with fried plantain & spicy cole slaw ... home run. As an entree my wife selected Jerk Chicken with a selected to upgrade the Spinach Rice (smart decision). Spice Level 6. I chose the Creole Chicken with a Spice Level 6. My next visit will downgrade to Level 3. 1) Quality of food was very good; 2) Value of the meal was very good; 3) Cleanliness of the establishment was excellent; 4) Service was good. We will return with friends in tow read more

Awesome place and food. Been there twice now and had the seafood gumbo and jerk chicken. Both were very flavorful and spicy. I highly recommend this place And trying either dish though I'll be back to try something new off the menu and no doubt it will be great! read more

Stopped in for carry out, from the start the customer service was great, service with a happy voice. The host was right on point with his knowledge of the menu items. I ordered the combination gumbo low heat. Everything tasted like it was made for scratch, portion size was good for the money. First visit, definitely not the last. Plan to go for dine in visit with family soon. read more

This is perhaps the best restaurant that I've eaten at in Grand Rapids. The service was tremendous and the food delicious. I was so pleased. We had the appetizer sampler, the gumbo and the creole chicken. Both the gumbo and creole chicken were stewy dishes that you eat with rice, and combined with the awesome appetizer plate, was more than enough food. the Corrasole (Soursop) drink was quite delicious as well. I'll definitely be going back, and hope to bring some more people the next time! read more

If you like simply great Red Beans and rice, then Chez is the place. I have been 3 times and every time the service and friendliness of the owners is awesome. The spicy slaw and plantains are a great start to their fabulous gumbo. It is great to find flavorful food in a BYOB establishment outside of Chicago. I wish they delivered!! read more

Easily some of the best food in Grand Rapids. The best Latin Caribbean in GR I have found.

After seeing my friend went there twice finally decided to go the (manager) owner was rude as hell didn't speak I told her I wanted the jerk chicken meal she said were not taking order I said u could told me when I walked n was standing here waiting she went to tell me how she clean houses during the day i asked why did u need to tell me that??? To survive I asked may speak to the owner she said she die years ago I'm the manager only to find out she is the owner!!! The rudest place in GR, MI!!! read more