sarde s.

Everything was exceptional from start to finish. Destiny was our waitress, and she truly went above and beyond. Since the menu is written in Italian, she took the time to walk us through every section from the appetizers and salads to the entrées and desserts , making the entire experience feel comfortable and personalized. She asked about our preferences, explained popular dishes, and recommended items based on what we enjoyed, which made ordering so much easier. We started with the shareable potato dish with shrimp and wine sauce, along with an eggplant appetizer, and both were absolutely delicious. The service throughout the evening was impeccable. Our water glasses were constantly refilled without us having to ask, and each course was cleared promptly with fresh silverware brought out every time. For dessert, we had the affogato vanilla gelato topped with espresso and it was the perfect ending to the meal. Overall, this was a 10/10 experience. Oliva has a smaller, more intimate atmosphere that feels warm, elegant, and inviting. I especially loved the open floor plan where you can watch the chefs cooking, which added so much to the ambiance and overall dining experience. All together our bill was $300

Jana J.

I absolutely love this restaurant! The aesthetic, the atmosphere, and the food were all a 10 out of 10. This was my first time going to this restaurant and it will definitely not be my last. I walked in, not knowing exactly what to order and the waitress gave me a great recommendation while also being extremely kind to me. I tried their Pasta au Gratin with an espresso martini and it hit the spot for me! Definitely recommend checking this place out!

Justin P.

My Olivia experience was excellent. I came here with my coworkers for dinner. Right out the gate, our waitress was attentive and super knowledgeable (so high marks there.) The food was finger-licking good. We ordered a little bit of everything (for apps) and my favorite was the jumbo shrimp. I also had the prosciutto salad; not quite my speed but wasn't a bad dish. For the main I tried the NY strip; it was cooked to perfection and filling. One of my coworkers has foie gras added to their steak and I got to try it...I highly recommend adding that to you steak. The sides were baked potato (not bad) and mushrooms (so good.) For dessert I tried the tiramisu (excellent), crostada (not bad) and the cheesecake (one of the best cheesecakes I've had.) I washed it all down with the bacon old fashioned (yaaaass) and the lavender sidecar (pretty good.) In closing, I'll be back. Great experience from start to finish

Phillip R.

Just had some appetizers and a drink. But they was hitting. And our server Destiny gave us the best service I had in a very long time she made our quick stop through rememberable.

Sam L.

What a feast we had! Ordered appetizers, Salad, 3 steaks, and a bunch of sides for 5 of us to share family style and it was an epic feast. Likely one of the fancier restaurants in Cleveland, but when on a business trip, we will at a minimum make sure to eat well. The ambiance of the restaurant had a homey but elegant feel with a perfect sized Christmas tree in the corner that created a nice seasonal vibe The appetizers were delicious, the steaks were perfectly cooked and the sides were tasty. The only nit-picky thing I wanted to point out is regarding the service. Since there was 5 of us, and we ordered the Gamberetti (jumbo shrimp) as an appetizer, I would have appreciated if our server would have indicated that each order only comes with 4. Awkwardly one of us (me) had to decline so the rest of the table could each have a piece. Instead, they could have pointed that out so we could have ordered two orders, or they could have offered to make an extra piece and charge us for it. I would recommend all steaks that we had, and would lean towards the Filet side of the porterhouse and the Ribeye being the best. The sliced baked potato was mid, but take that with a grain of salt because I am not bunch of a baked potato guy.

Madi S.

Overall had a great experience at Oliva. The service was excellent, our waiter was very attentive, easy to talk to, and made good recommendations. The staff was also able to get us in for an earlier reservation over the phone to celebrate a special evening! We loved the bone in ribeye, the patata al forno, the burrata, and the sachetti. The bread starter was also a large portion and delicious. The ambiance is great, very well thought out and put together layout. Would go back again!

Kelly L.

My sister took me to Oliva's, and I'll start by saying it's absolutely adorable. The space feels cozy without being cramped or like you're sitting on top of the next table. We were seated by a window just as it started snowing, and honestly, it felt magical. Our waitress was wonderful: very knowledgeable about the menu, helpful in guiding us through our choices, and even assisted my sister in picking the perfect drink to pair with her meal. The bread and dip that come to the table are worth going for alone. Some of the best I've had and I say that as a self-proclaimed bread basket snob. Having tried my fair share, this easily lands in my top three. The seasoning is just right, and the addition of olives? Top-notch. I wish I could say the same for the main dishes. While the food was good, it felt like the kitchen was a bit afraid of salt. Each dish leaned slightly under-seasoned. I would absolutely give it another try, though next time I might just come prepared with a salt packet of my own. One thing to note: I'm not sure if the menu changes often, but veal is featured heavily at Oliva's. Not necessarily a bad thing, just something to be aware of, as it's incorporated into quite a few dishes.

Amy J.

Absolutely fantastic food and service. Easy to miss entrance with a few steps downward into the place just under the Oliva sign downtown. Literally the only downside was the awkward bar seating- chairs that are so high you have to bend over forward, sort of stooping over your food even for a woman of normal height like myself. Extra large seat size so you don't actually have back support. Just weird and uncomfortable. However everything else was great! Bartender was not annoying but was perfectly attentive and very busy. The asparagi soup was nice and creamy. The potato al forno is a loaded large baked russet potato that was perfectly soft but not falling apart with sour cream, bacon, and green onions. The complimentary bread was nicely crusty outside but also soft inside and had a spread of Parmesan crumbles alongside the dipping herbs/olive oil. The burrata, fig balsamic, and prosciutto appetizer was both beautiful and an excellent mix of sweet and salty flavors. The porterhouse was perfectly rare as I ordered it yet also had a fantastic char giving it tons of flavor. I got both the amazingly grilled foie gras atop along with some black truffle shavings. Overall amazing and giant meal.

Erin C.

Oliva was a great place to make a reservation for a large party (of 14) and a birthday celebration. Destiny was our server - she was knowledgeable and so friendly to our table. Right away, she rattled off specials, portion sizes, and descriptions of items on the menu. She made our experience wonderful and was more than willing to slice and hand out the cake that we brought in. Our group shared a bunch of steak, along with appetizers. The meat did not disappoint. The Filet Rossini and Bone-in Ribeye were great for individual dinners, as many of the meats on the menu can be split among other people. Definitely make sure to check with the server about the size of something before you order it! The meats don't come with any sides, so if you want something more, you will have to add another item on. I also highly recommend ordering the Risotto!!! It truly was incredible and probably could have eaten the whole dish by myself because it was so good!!! Two of us split the Sachetti as a side to our meal, in which Destiny let us know beforehand that it was a smaller size (not meant for a main dish). It definitely was small (around 5-6 noodles) but was one of their best pasta dishes, completely filled with cheese and the sauce was delicious!!! Oliva gave us a great night and dining experience. We felt comfortable, attended to, and the food was 10/10.

Ailin J.

High end but cozy restaurant downtown. We sat by the fireplace and it felt very inviting and comfortable for our cold Sunday dinner. Our waiter went over the menu (quite thoroughly which may not be for everyone but we relay appreciated hearing what was most popular and special to the restaurant). The Chateaubriand is expensive but wow it was perfectly cooked! So tender and seasoning was on point. Would order again (but maybe only as a group). I also would reorder Coniglio next time. Wow the meat just fell off the bone which I wasn't expecting for rabbit. The pasta wasn't anything special but I would eat this whole dish myself next time if I could. All desserts are made in house which is cool, the Crostata had great flavor but the crust was so hard making it difficult to eat or share. Overall, the restaurant served high quality food with unique offerings that people should definitely come and check out!

Rob S.

Absolutely outstanding experience at Oliva. My wife and I dined here for Valentine's Day and we were very excited with the new opening. Our expectations were certainly exceeded with every aspect of our night. The interior decor and ambience was great, the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly, and the food was outstanding. We decided to skip the big steak and seafood meals and we ordered several of the pastas. We certainly enjoyed the variety and had lots to take home as well. Be sure to ask the server how large the meals are so you're not caught off guard because some are on the small side and some were very large. This will definitely be one of our favorite restaurants, only dining here one time. We will definitely be back.

Brittany A.

The restaurant is located sort of below the street on a ground floor off of St. Clair. You almost wouldn't even notice if you weren't looking for the sign. If you can't find street parking immediately, your best bet is to valet right in front for $10-$15. Don't waste your time circling around the block or parking in a lot. The top tier service starts as soon as you walk in the door. The hostess will take your coat and check it for you if you'd like. This is a semi-hidden gem and it was very cozy inside. Definitely doesn't give the typical downtown Cleveland restaurant vibe and I loved it. I will say I was skeptical at first with the menu seeming limited and me being a non-red meat eater but our server took his time to explain the menu and recommend alternative options. Everything I tasted was really good from the shrimp appetizer, portobello mushroom side dish and the branzino. Our drinks were also really good. I'd highly recommend making a reservation because the space isn't huge and it's becoming more and more popular. Great place for an after work business meeting, date night or small celebration dinner.