Such a great restaurant! Loved it so so much, the staff were so friendly & helpful. I went to celebrate my birthday with my family and they were so sweet, they brought out a little treat near the end with a candle. Everything was delicious, couldn't even pick a favorite dish. Everything is small, even the "large" dishes, so plan accordingly! It is a little pricy, especially if you get drinks but def swingable. read more

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Loved this restaurant although I visited many years ago and haven't been able to secure a reservation since!

The dinner we ate was one of the best I've eaten in a long time. We didn't have a reservation but our party of 3 was able to snag one of the spots they keep open for walk ins right when they opened. We ordered 10 dishes and couldn't decide which were our favorites. They were all good. We also shared two desserts and left feeling comfortably full and satisfied. read more

Wow, a must try. Came here with my family for a dinner and we were HIGHLY impressed. We had eaten take out from here during Covid, but the food in the restaurant was even better. Some must haves include the falafel which is super unique and tasty. It comes as a mini wrap, and the flavor combo is great. What makes this restaurant special in general is the flavor combinations. The deviled eggs were the only thing not bursting with flavor, but also delicious. The char was just like salmon and delicious. The greens with tahini was incredible as well. Honestly you can go wrong with anything. Actually, the desert was good not great. A must try! read more

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After a tremendous brunch experience at its sister-restaurant Sofra, we knew we had to secure an Oleana reservation ASAP. On Saturday evening, we were finally able to go, and without question, it lived up to the hype! The restaurant is divided into a main dining room, a patio, and a bar area with high top tables adjacent to a floor to ceiling wine rack. We were seated at a lovely corner nook in the bar area with a great view of the action. A+ for ambience. We started with cocktails - the Persephone and Mari-Tini. Both were excellent, but my favorite was the Persephone, which as the menu states, literally tasted like a fresh glass of spring. We then moved into the food. The menu is split into cold and hot meze dishes and larger plates, all designed to be shared. We stuck to the meze dishes. Our ranking from best to worst: 1. Fatteh: This dish had everything. Crunchy pita, warm cauliflower, creamy yogurt... it was absolutely outstanding and a must order for any group 2. Sultan's Delight: The short rib was deliciously tender, the sauce was fruity and tangy, and the eggplant puree it sat on was velvety and flavorful. In fact, the eggplant almost stole the show! 3. Vermont Quail: The quail was cooked perfectly with what seemed like a spiced crust and the rice cakes below added a satisfying crunch to every bite 4. Fried Mussels: I am not a seafood person, but the batter was light and crispy, the mussels were fresh, and the accompanying fried peppers had a great kick, although some peppers were definitely hotter than others 5. Za'atar Bread with Green Chile Goat Cheese: The goat cheese was tangy and flavorful, with a little bit of heat from the chile, but the bread came out slightly chilled and was a little dry. The dish would have been stronger if the bread was warm when it arrived or if the goat cheese had been served with crackers instead 6. Feta Cheese Saganaki: This dish was a miss. It arrived almost 30 minutes after the rest of the meal, the feta was clumpy, the nut crust felt unnecessary, and it needed a cracker or something to spread the saganaki on. We would not order it again. Even if it had been delicious, it felt strange to be eating it as our last bite. Overall, the vast majority of the dishes were excellent, which when combined with great ambience, attentive service, and tasty cocktails, made for an unforgettable dining experience. - J read more

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Service was good, atmosphere was excellent. Za'atar Bread was great, 5/5 The Lamb & Sweet Potato Moussaka was alright, not amazing though, 4/5 The Swordfish in Grape Leaf was also not outstanding 3.5/5 The Fatteh was also pretty good 4/5 Fried Mussels were alright 3.5/5 read more

Fantastic food and better services. My wife and I were in town for a wedding and decided to hit a few restaurants while we're there. Oleana already had such great reviews and was on a lot of lists, so we got a late night reservation, around 8/8:30, and hoped for the best. The host was very friendly and we were seated right away.We sat in the back, not the patio, but overlooking the patio through the window. It was perfect because we got to enjoy the ambiance and stay warm. The aesthetic of the restaurant was very fun and even though they packed us in there next to people, we felt like we were able to have an intimate dinner. Our server came over, I think her name was Roberta, and she was just the best. She was lovely, funny, able to give recommendations, and all around friendly. She walked us through the menu and we ordered quite a few things. Whipped Feta - incredible. Delicious, salty, and worth every penny. Deviled eggs - I'm not usually a fan, but these were tasty. Not the best flavor of the night, but still yummy. Topik - Very flavorful, but a little strange texture. Still quite tasty. Sultan's delight - Soooooooooooo good. Just try it. Fatteh - THE BEST. We ordered a second one of these for "dessert". The flavor was incredible. One of the best things I've had in a long time. Dripping with flavor. ALWAYS order this when you go. And Roberta, you were a delight. We never felt rushed out or pushed along with our dinner despite us staying later than the restaurant was open. Thank you for chatting with us, telling us about your family and your story, and making the night one to remember. Please visit Oleana, you won't regret it! read more

My favorite restaurant in the Cambridge area. The service was impeccable, our water glasses magically were filled. The food was the most delectable Mediterranean food. The server was helpful and recommended the fatoosh salad that was yummy! read more

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Ordered a pick up of baked Alaska. The desert was delicious! However , I thought the staff was very rude read more

Oleana Restaurant - Baked Alaska - Turkish Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Baked Alaska was a nice fun dessert after ordering various dishes including Za'atar Bread & Green Chile Goat Cheese, Turkish green olives, Sultan's Delight, and Lemon Chicken. Excellent food and service. Nice cozy vibes. read more

Oleana Restaurant - Baked Alaska - Turkish Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Some research pointed us to Oleana as a Boston favorite and it was pretty apparent why. The live music, decor, and large menu were all fantastic. Highlights were the Sultan's Delight (15 hour braised beef) and their desserts. Dishes were a bit hit or miss but the great ones made the difference between three and four stars for me. read more

Oleana Restaurant was the most expensive restaurant I visited during my short weekend trip to Boston and I gotta say it was worth every penny. Executive Chef Ana Sortun is a six-time James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Chef & also won the Best Chefs in America award in 2005. In addition, Executive Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick is a seven-time James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef. You heard it - two James Beard nominees all under one restaurant! I booked a table through the Reserve platform three weeks ahead of time and got 8 PM time slot, but their bar seats and garden patio are first-come, first-served. After we arrived to the restaurant, the staff seated us within the next five minutes. You know the restaurant is really popular when chefs write and sell their own cookbooks (e.g. "Soframiz: Vibrant Middle Eastern Recipes from Sofra Bakery and Cafe"). There are so many items on the menu that I felt pretty overwhelmed, but luckily the bottom of the menu got a glossary to explain certain dishes and Yelp review highlights were also extremely helpful. *** Complimentary bread: Tasted slightly funky, and I am not exactly a fan. However, save some bread just in case you are still hungry at the end of the meal. Save your stomach for their à la carte items! Spinach Falafel (Tahini Sauce, Beet Yogurt, Cress - $13): You get three of these heavenly falafel! This dish simply took the entire flavor profile to the next level - creamy texture combining with very distinct aroma = one delicious experience! Sultan's Delight (Tamarind Beef, Smokey Eggplant Purée, Pinenuts, $15): The level of tenderness and melt-in-your-mouth level were absolutely unreal. I could probably finish the entire dish in two bites, but I did the exact opposite - I savored every bite. Lemon Chicken (Za'atar, Turkish Cheese Pancake, $27): The quality of chicken was unbelievable - moist and tender chicken!!! Yes cream cheese tasted a bit greasy, but the entire chicken skin was covered with a layer of Za'atar and Za'atar created this unique flavor profile that you simply can't find in most other Mediterranean restaurants. Grilled Pita (Red Pepper, Pomegranate Molasses, Nigella Seed, $3): A bit like mini flatbread pizza without any cheese and toppings. Warm Buttered Hummus (Basturma, Tomato, $6): Potato-like texture with a hint of star anise flavor. I thought hummus was okay and it was the least memorable order of the night. *** Overall it was an eye-opening dinner and I feel like each dish had its own unique characteristics and personality. The three dishes (Spinach Falafel, Sultan's Delight, Lemon Chicken) are essentially must order items and don't commit too many orders because lemon chicken was very filling (consider sharing just one entree so you'll have room for desserts). Sadly I was too full and did NOT get to try their famous Baked Alaska (with Coconut Ice Cream and Passion Fruit Caramel). This is hands down one of the best Mediterranean restaurants that I have ever tried. P.S. - Oleana also has two sister restaurants called SOFRA Bakery & Cafe and Sarma in the Boston area. read more

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TLDR: great for a date Came here with some friends and had a great time. Yeah the back patio is moody and beautiful with great space heaters but the food is amazing. It's a tapas style that is expensive but everything tastes amazing and has its own unique taste. Definitely one of my favorite places in Boston. read more

We loved Oleana! I've been hearing about this spot for a while and we finally tried it out. It was hard getting a reservation a week in advance for a Tuesday, they're super popular so plan on booking further out if you want to give this restaurant a go. Highly recommend it and worth the wait. The vibe feels warm and fuzzy when you walk in, between the dim lighting, soothing color palate, and live music--there were a couple guys strumming some very chill, low key Mediterranean-sounding tunes. The tables are close together, I would say it's a pretty intimate setting. They have an outdoor patio but it was raining so we sat inside and didn't get a good look at that area (will have to try to sit out back next time to get the full experience). The service we received tonight could not have been better. The food...my gosh, the food! It's tapas style eating, which is my favorite. Our server recommend getting 5-6 small plates to share if we came hungry, which we did (and you should), and that ended up being the perfect amount. They also have 4 larger plate options that look more like a standard entree. We didn't actually try the large plates, though the table next to us did and they were each equivalent to maybe 3 or so small plates. We devoured everything so we were too full for desert and I can't speak to that segment of the meal. The one thing I wasn't crazy about was the mixed drinks; my boyfriend liked them but I ended up switching to a Mediterranean Cabernet Sauvignon blend, which was lovely and paired well with the food. Here's what we got: - Za'atar Bread & Green Chile Goat Cheese with Avocado, Mint, Pistachio. This came out first and it was phenomenal. 5/5 - Topik. Stuffed Potato Hummus, Pine Nuts, Currants, Tahini, Radish. This was very interesting! The nuttiness shined through in this dish, though it remained a very light and delicate flavor. I don't think I've ever eaten anything quite like it, and it was very much enjoyed. 4.5/5 - Warm Buttered Hummus. Basturma, Tomato, Black Olive. I wasn't sure what to expect, but my goodness am I glad I tried it. There were 2 of these and they were small (each one was the size of maybe 2 bites), but wow they were great and I will absolutely be getting them again next time. 5/5 - Dark Leafy Greens. Lebanese Garlic Sauce. This is very garlicky so I wouldn't recommend this one unless you really love garlic. I thought it was very yummy and would get it again too. 4/5 - Spinach Falafel. Tahini Sauce, Beet Tzatziki, Pickles. We ate these so quickly that I forgot to get a photo of them, but the presentation was quite nice. It came with 3 falafels and you wrap them up in a tiny pita-like roll; they're laid out in a way so that this is as easy as possible to do. I'd say it was probably the most beautiful "finger food" I've ever eaten. 5/5 - Feta Cheese Saganaki. Sunflower Seeds, Red Pepper Ezme, Honey. I'm not totally sure why, but the flavor of this dish reminded me of a Mediterranean version of enchiladas. Certainly much more attractive though. 4/5 I can't wait to find a good excuse to do this again. We had a wonderful evening and I am for sure looking forward to trying more of the menu. I know I'll be dreaming of some of the dishes we tried today--I finally understand all the hype. Safe to say, we will be back! read more

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I have been to Oleana in 2017. I had liked it then. So I went there again recently. But I was underwhelmed. I think this restaurant is hyped. The ambience is gloomy and dull. And the seating is too close to the other tables. We were able to hear the conversation from the people sitting next to our table even if we did not intended to. The food is ok, well presented, But pricey. If you are looking value for you money, this is not the place. We ordered some sparkling wine which was good. I ordered baked alaska for dessert which on the contrary was huge. It was way too much quantity. Now I am thinking, back in 2017 when I had liked this place it was probably because I had not been to so many good restaurant in Seaport area then. All in all I expected more but just came to the conclusion that it is way too hyped. read more

My Wife's favorite restaurant. Amazing food, wonderful service, cools vibes in their back garden. They have the best falafel I've ever had! This is a must visit! read more

More like 3.5, although the score varies depending on what you order and your preference. A cozy, trendy middle eastern restaurant that pushes the wine heavy and offers a hit and miss menu that frustrates and delights. The fatteh is a beautiful construction of a dish. The layout looks like it could be a modernist house for an insect! The textured are well thought out, as there's three different types of crunch. The yogurt has a lovely tang that ties everything together. Every bite felt like a chamber orchestra in my mouth. Definitely make sure to get this. The spinach falafel was good, but not as amazing as everything else. If anything, this would be something id eat for a healthy lunch. As a vegan, this will strike your heart as hearty, nutritional, earthy vibes. I would have dialed the cumin down by one notch, but thats just me. The lamb tortellini is delicious. Each tortellini feels like a small package, specially wrapped under the Christmas tree. The flavor of the lamb shines like a pattern from a boat surrounded by a lake of labneh. The labneh itself comes off like pimento cheese sauce but in a good way. The mint oil adds a brushstroke of freshness while further anchoring the oil profile of the dish, although it never gets overwhelming. I'm glad they dont serve it piping hot, but it does get lukewarm fairly quick. The Quail kebobs were quite underwhelming for being the last item of my meal. I expected this to be small, but I wasn't expecting it to taste like chicken breast covered in a nutty parmesan pesto crust. Out of all the dishes, this one fell flat like a middle schooler's voice breaking halfway through the final note of his cadenza. The birds nest dessert was not as good as other bird's nests Ive had at other places. It felt like everything was its own separate part, rather than a total sum. The cheese board like layout of some of the ingredients feel compartmentalized, as well as incomplete as a "nest of a bird". The redeeming factor is everything was solid in how it tasted. No cheap chocolate, no flat flavors. The honeycomb is candy and not real honeycomb, but I honestly didn't mind since it was more about texture (and I didn't want a sugar rush as I was already full). Im really glad I didn't order the Sultan's delight prix fixe option. I have a feeling I would have scored this place much more harshly than I am now. Granted, I didn't eat every item on the menu. I think overall it's a hit or miss experience. If I lived in the neighborhood, perhaps I would be able to fully explore the menu, but alas I don't live in Boston. This would not be my first choice or recommendation to come here if you have a limited stay in Boston, but for locals, Id say its still worth going to. Just make sure you do plenty of research ahead of time. read more

Best meal I've had in Massachusetts. Really well thought out dishes that are unique and tasty. Lots of vegetarian options. Servers were very helpful talking about the food and wine. Will definitely come back for my next special occasion meal. read more

Oleana Restaurant - The one with mint - Turkish Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This place is heavenly. Everything was absolutely delicious, there variety in veggie/vegan/meat options caters to all and this was by far the best home cooked style, innovative, Mediterranean food/flavors I ever had. First off, there Cola drink is clean - fresh ingredients and so delicious. They have a variety of freshly brewed tea options which is great for during or after your meal. We ordered the Spinach Falafel which was by the far best falafel I ever had, the Fried Mussels were delicious, Broccoli and Kale Kohlrabi Borek was flavorful, and the 7 Vegetable Brik was delicious, flavorful, and a bigger plate Option for two people. If you don't see the vegan menu go ahead and ask for one as they offer a separate menu for vegan preferences! We will certainly be back as this restaurant makes my top 5 now. And I NEED to try the rest of the menu. Oh, and the Baked Alaska dessert was freaking delicious. I never had one before and I will come back here just for that fun dessert. The presentation is just beautiful! read more

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One word: PHENOMENAL. We didn't have a single bad dish... we didn't even have a single mediocre dish because EVERYTHING was perfection. We were able to get last minute reservations on a Tuesday night using the Resy app. The restaurant is on the smaller side but it adds to the intimate ambiance. Perfect for a date night or lowkey dinner with friends. WHAT WE ORDERED: -Whipped Feta: not the highlight of our meal but still delicious! -Za'atar Bread: So soft and fluffy!! PLUS it comes with a butternut squash tershi (kind of like a dip) that we basically licked clean. -Sultan's Delight: Flavorful and soft! Falls apart so easily at the fork and the marinade brings this salty sweet flavor that just coats your mouth -Sweet Potato and Lamb Moussaka: One of my favorites! I honestly don't even remember how the dish was constructed I just know it was so delicious with each bite I took. Highly recommend -Broccoli, Kale, and Kohlrabi Borek: My personal favorite! Definitely order this! The yogurt pairs with the spices and sauce so well -Lamb Lamejun: This one was my boyfriends favorite. It's kind of like a lamb flatbread with peppers on top? I would say it's hot but not spicy. Our waitress recommended it to us and she was right on the dot with it! Definitely would recommend ordering this read more

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This place was yum! Very fun to try lots of small dishes. The spread was good but very small. I really liked the samosa dish. But the star was the donuts for desert. They're like elevated Taco Bell donuts w the yummy cream filling and cinnamon. I came back and got some to go cuz I was daydreaming about it. Great service and cool cozy place but I def felt a little close and cramed to other tables. But delicious fresh foods read more

Oleana Restaurant - Donuts - Turkish Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Unfortunately, this was one our worst dining experiences...ever. The hubby and I bought our friends from out of town here since this place is so hyped. We made reservations a month in advance. The service was good, hence star no. 1. and the dessert was good, hence star no. 2. Otherwise every dish we had was mediocre at BEST and downright nasty at worst. We went because we heard nothing but rave reviews for this place. Unfortunately, I can't even say that we didn't not give this place a fair shake because we ordered a significant portion of the menu. We got the following dishes (listed with their menu descriptions): 1. Whipped Feta-Sweet and Hot Peppers, Seeded Crackers (this was just okay) 2. Za'atar bread & Parsnip Tershi--Almonds, Golden Raisins, Cilantro (this is listed under cold mezze so maybe this is our fault but I thought the dip would just be cold and not the bread as well. The bread was fine but just very cold and this didn't taste as good) 3. Warm buttered hummus-Basturma, Tomato, Black Olive (we were all very excited for this but instead of being a warm hummus dip this was four grainy balls or what they called dumplings of bland hummus, think like cafeteria grainy hummus served in a semi hard ball shape wrapped in thin eggplant) 4. Sweet Potato & Lamb Moussaka-Kasseri Cheese Sauce, Crispy Brussels Sprouts (this was inedible and smelled atrocious) 5. Fatteh-Caramelized Onion, Romanesco, Crispy Mushrooms, Pine Nuts, Yogurt (this was just okay) 6. Spinach Falafel-Tahini Sauce, Beet Tzatziki, Pickles ( this may have been the best dish of the night but nothing like traditional falafel it as was softer and mushier than regular falafel and even then it was just okay) 7. Sultan's Delight-Tamarind Beef, Smoky Eggplant Purée, Basil (this sounded so promising but the meat was not that tender and tasteless, just bland) 8. Sfela Cheese Saganaki-Sunflower Seeds, Red Pepper Ezme, Honey (this dish was so bad that it nauseated everyone at the table and had to be sent back-a very stinky cheese) 9. Fried Mussels-Hot Peppers, Turkish Tarator Sauce (salty but otherwise bland) 10. Lamb Lamejun-Shishito Peppers, Hot Pepper Labne (a little flat bread covered in yogurt and barely any lamb, but it was edible) 11. Lemon Chicken- Za'atar, Turkish Cheese Pancake (we love Za'taar but this was covered in it and their za'atar was extremely bitter) 12. Turkish Style Profiteroles-Brown Butter Crème, Sesame Caramel, Cashews, Halva (this was genuinely yummy and the only reason I would maybe go back is solely for dessert. This was the only dish everyone at the table genuinely enjoyed) We honestly don't understand how this place has so many amazing reviews. The theme for the night was just that everything was bland and tasteless or just gross. Things were served in a format just to be edgy or cool, such as the hummus, when something familiar would have been better. We were all so disappointed with our meal, and numerous dishes went unfinished. In fact our friends were dreaming about the left over pizza at home. read more

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Oleana is one of the best restaurants I've been to in Cambridge. All of the Mezze were amazing, with standouts for our group being the Spinach Falafel, the Fatteh, the Sultan's Delight, and the Topik. The desserts were also wonderful, the profiteroles were decadent, very sweet and caramel-y. Plating was beautiful. The ambience was intimate. And the service was very attentive, I've never been so consistently refilled on water in my life. Definitely snag a reservation ahead of time! read more

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Amazing place, amazing food and amazing staff. The small plates are packed with creative culinary surprises and there's options I've never seen before and loved. I find the outside tables more enjoyable and romantic. Just a great place. read more

Went here for a birthday after hearing great things from various websites. It was more of a 3.5 overall but giving it a 4 here. We got various cold and hot mezes. They were good but not spectacular. It wasn't something that would make me walk through the door again. I was a little disappointed with the lamb containing mezes. I did not really get much lamb in there. One thing that they have got going is that things were cooked perfectly. read more

Amazing food. Fabulous dining experience. Atmosphere is great. This is a sister restaurant to Sarma in Somerville which is fabulous. Highly recommend either place--if you can get in!! read more

After noticing that there weren't any available reservations for a month, we arrived 30 mins earlier than their opening hours to attempt a walk in. It's a good thing we did that because there were only two open tables by the time the restaurant opened! Rather than getting entrees, we ordered several cold and hot meze and by the time, we got to dessert, I was so stuffed. I highly recommend getting the whipped feta and the fatteh. The Vermont Quail Kebob was okay, but I wouldn't order it again. I was really surprised by the Sweet Potato & Lamb Moussaka - the texture was interesting and it was really filling. The Cardamom FroYo also made my senses tingle but I'd try a different dessert if I visited again (which I would if I could get a reservation...) read more

I love this place! it's one of a kind! Heart warming and delicious. Never had a bad time or bad service.

As others have stated - Oleana used to be incredible. I just took a friend there from out of town, mind you I haven't been in 2 years but didn't expect such a decline in service and food. Every dish was so subpar. Nothing really delivered the flavor for the price point and all the plates were cold. I had to ask THREE TIMES I was waiting on multiple dishes as we sat and waited for 30 mins. I get they were busy but this place has gone so downhill. They don't seem to care. There are multiple reviews repeating this same sentiment. I would take your business elsewhere. read more

Everything was immaculate! The space is beautiful indoors and outdoors! All the dishes we tried were so good. The spinach falafel is crispy and hot and the pink (beet tzatziki) sauce is so good. The Sultan's Delight beef was so tender. The Fatteh was hands down favorite (shown in 2 angles) with cauliflower in an amazing yogurt sauce. We also enjoyed the whipped feta (4 seed crackers with feta sauce); the Oleana-groni; zucchini borek; lamb moussaka; feta cheese saganaki. With 3 people, we ordered 7 shared small plates & six bevs and we felt very full and happy! Every small plate is about $14-17/plate. The menu is also thoughtfully sturdy, clean, beautifully designed, and simple. It's also taken away between eating (to keep them clean!) and brought back whenever you want to order more. I really liked that. read more

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Food are good but not so great at the price scale. Reception was terrible, we arrived on time stood in front of 4,5 staffs for 10 minutes, none of them greet us untill we ask them if can check-in. 20% gratitude auto added to the bill which is okay but at least provide better sevice. There is other big staff every time she walks by behind had me to move my seat, or brushed rudely past through dropped my hanging coat off my chair. read more

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Wow. Incredible meze dishes- particularly the sweet potato lamb moussaka and the Sultan's Delight (braised short rib over babaganoush). Lovely staff, cozy, romantic vibe. Insanely tasty food that felt elevated and special without pretension. Loved everything about our meal. read more

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I went here for my birthday in 2021 and now 2023 and I have to say It'll probably become the spot I keep going to to celebrate it. Every dish I try here just puts a smile on my face. You can try anything on the menu and it'll impress you. All of these dishes reflect an attentiveness, skill, and product quality that you don't encounter elsewhere in the Boston area at this price point. I tried the tasting menu this year and I would say it was a pretty poor value compared to the regular menu. It was $75 and you pay more for less than you would've if you just ordered off the menu. For giving up portion size and the ability to choose, I hope you would get more variety but instead you are more limited. I expressed this to the manager (hardly ever do that because it's incredibly uncomfortable) and she was understanding and let me price it myself. The dishes were perfect. idk what the salad was but it was the best salad I've ever had. The guy working the bar was incredibly impressive. Both attentive, quick, and knowledgeable. The servers where exclent and you could tell have no problem stepping in for one another which only raises the experience for the customer. read more

For the price point, for the hype that it has, for the quality of the food that I expected, I think this place was okay. The ambiance was cozy with dim lights and intimate setting. Be sure to make a reservation because it gets full. The staff was friendly and quick to seat us, the waitress was attentive, cleared our plates and filled our water. Food was good, but again at the price point and the hype, it is not a place I would write home about. We had the whipped feta which had some interesting spices, fried mussels, lamb dolma, a scallop large plate and a baked Alaska for dinner. The best things were lamb dolma and the vegetables of the scallop dish. The lamb dolma was stuffed inside a sweet potato! Great mix of flavors with a yogurt and sweet potato puree sauce. The scallops were nicely seasoned, but weren't that interesting, the brussels sprouts and cauliflower in the dish were awesome. Baked Alaska is HUGE and I ate it like a savage: only the outside torched skin and the ice cream inside. I left a giant cloud of meringue. It is a dollop of ice cream inside a GIANT meringue, which looks cool, but unless you love meringue, it was too much. Again, this place has good food. I have no complaints. It just didn't blow me away when competing with other restaurants at this price point. read more

Oleana Restaurant - Baked Alaska - Turkish Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Is it sacrilegious to say that our experience was just a touch above okay? Well, at the very least, it is my honest opinion. I was really excited about this place, and booked it way in advance for my boyfriend's birthday. When we got there, we were seated in an odd little nook at a high top table with high chairs, no place to put my bag. A minor inconvenience? Sure. Not sure why we couldn't have just sat at one of the empty tables though ... The food was a roller coaster of emotions. We decided to share a bunch of the meze's to try a variety of dishes. PROS: The night started off well with really nice warm bread with olive oil. The Vermont quail kebob was SO good - yummy well cooked pieces of quail, nicely flavored; just wish there were more! The Sultan's Delight is also worthwhile getting if you're a meat eater - tender pieces of beef that was melt in your mouth soft. The warm buttered hummus is also quite excellent, but beware that it is literally just a scoop of hummus wrapped in bacon without any bread. I think it could have probably used a little piece of toast with it, personally, but the flavor was delicious. CONS: the tomato based dishes were surprisingly bland. For example, the octopus saganaki came with probably 3 tiny pieces of octopus, bathed in a tomato sauce. Followed closely by the moussaka and another tomato based special that I can no longer remember the name of, the three dishes tasted so similar that I was fairly disappointed by the lack of variety in flavors. Was the meal bad? No. Was it a little too hyped up with 4.5 stars and more than 1000 reviews? Possibly. Worthwhile to try, not sure it will become a staple though. read more

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I'm so happy I finally was able to come here! Oleana is the real deal. I loved it! Our table wasn't ready when we arrived at the restaurant, however, we went to the bar and sipped on some wine to pass the time. The restaurant is very warm and homey with Mediterranean inspired decoration. it appeared the restaurant guests were locals in the area. Our waiter was very friendly and offered suggestions of her favorite menu items I came for a date night and suggest ordering small plates for your meal . We were pretty hungry so we ordered 5 plates, not including dessert (the more the merrier right?!). We ordered strictly off of the hot meze section of the menu and got the honey nut squash,spinach falafel, fateh, mini butternut dolma, and lamejun. For dessert we had the chocolate marquise! Here is a breakdown of our favorite items. Lamejun- my favorite dish of the night! This was like a mini Mediterranean pizza of goodness! The lamb and sauce on top paired perfectly together! Mini butternut dolma- WOW! The lamb in this dish was amazing. It was so tender and was easy enough to cut with a fork. The goat cheese on top hit the spot! Chocolate marquise- who would've thought pear sorbet paired well with chocolate? Not me but it was delicious! The spiced pecan katif offered a nice crunch! read more

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If there is one thing that I'm sure about, it's that I'll be returning to Oleana on my next Cambridge visit. That is, assuming I'm able to score a reservation at this restaurant. The Mediterranean food here is nothing short of spectacular, thoroughly impressing me, my mom, and my brother. That's no easy task, considering how much the three of us are wannabe food critics! // Sultan's Delight ($14) - 5 stars // Spinach Falafel ($12) - 5 stars // Lemon Chicken ($27) - 5 stars // Baked Alaska ($14) - 4 stars read more

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Was really disappointed of everything we tried in Oleana. First of all it's really pricy - the plates are really small... and I have no problem with small plates but when they are well thought and prepared with fresh ingredients. Almost everything we tried (moussaka, borek, etc) was covered with tomato sauce and some dry spices on top. We had a lamb gyro with meat that was cold and chewy under an extremely hot baby potatoes and again covered with sauce that made it taste heavy.. At the end our waiter brought us the bill advising that 20% will be added due to restoring the industry affected by COVID - which is absolutely fine. But what he also said is that we can tip him more than 20% if we want... like we didn't know .. I don't need to be reminded by the waiter that I can tip him more than 20% .... Duh The positive sides are that the hostess and staff were friendly and and also a huge plus is that they have available parking across the street (unusual for Cambridge). read more

Oleana Restaurant - Tea - Turkish Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Last night was so dreamy. My friends and I sat out in the secret garden and enjoyed delicious food and wonderful service. Absolutely everything about it was top of the line. If you're ever feeling fancy I can't recommend Oleana enough. Also, talk about crazy accommodating! Because dinner was a gift from me to my friends, the restaurant very kindly printed up menus with no prices, so the girls wouldn't feel constrained in their ordering. They also gave me a menu geared toward my garlic allergy so I knew what I could order without pestering the waiter with 1,000 questions. I honestly can't recommend them enough. read more

Solid food, excellent service, but execution/flavors fell short of the hype. 1/ Food - they have a great menu with an abundant & unique assortment of middle eastern fare. Concepts were all great, but execution fell short on many dishes. Here's what we ordered, from most to least favorite: - Spinach falafel (5/5, ~$15) - very unique appetizer that has lots of interesting flavors and a great combo of soft and crunchy texture. This by far was the best dish I ordered and I'd come back for it. - Baked Alaska (4/5) - this is their signature dessert but I honestly though it was okay. There's a disproportionate amount of meringue on top, the ice cream part is delicious, but the base with the coconut was too sweet. - Lemon chicken (3/5, ~$25) - generously portioned entree that consists of a chicken roasted with a brick atop a thin, cheese-filled pastry. I was expecting moist chicken, but it was fairly dry (not tough though) and difficult to cut. I liked it less than the chicken I make because of the texture. - Sultan's delight (3/5, ~$15) - one of their signature dishes that's never left the menu since founding, but the short rib was super dry and not at all melt in your mouth smooth. The pureed eggplant on the bottom was very flavorful - almost divine - and gets a 6/5 rating. I also ordered the first drink on the cocktail menu - it was medium sweet, fruity, and refreshing! 2/ Service is excellent - the staff here are very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about every single dish - this last bit was truly impressive. There's a nice personal touch to their service and everyone is super down to earth and chill, which makes it feel like you're dining with family. 3/ Ambiance is nice - it's dim during dinner time. I read reviews about the outdoor secret garden being super pretty, and wish I picked that spot instead eating indoors, which is also nice! read more