I needed food before hitting the gym with my gals. We initially went to a sit down restaurant but their ac wasn't working and it was super humid that day. We obviously left and one of the gals just ordered halal. I'm way too picky to just order from any halal cart so I found this cafe on yelp and ordered the falafel sandwich. They didn't let my friend say with me to eat her halal while I ate my falafel sandwich so we walked and ate and the other chick decided to starve..silly goose. So the falafel sandwich consisted of 80% lettuce, 15% broken pieces of dry falafel, and 5% diced tomatoes; that explains why the cost was relatively cheap. There was nothing WOW to it. On the bright side, I felt like I ate enough for the gym. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Falafel sandwich - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

The best bowl of borscht in the city. Maybe in the US. fabulous warm atmosphere. Great staff.

The Olive Tree Cafe is a restaurant above the Comedy Cellar, where I've gone a dozen times. The restaurant is owned / run by the comedy club. I'm 61 and a professional. I'm en route to a 1st Date a few blocks away, so I'm dressed and groomed impeccably. It is Wednesday afternoon in October, past the tourist season, a little past 5 pm. There are 6 customers in the restaurant. I was walking past Olive Tree Cafe just now when I had to use the restroom. At my age, when nature calls, you only have a few minutes before disaster strikes. So I dashed up the steps to Olive Tree Cafe -- And was blocked at the bathroom door by an employee!! The restroom was for Customers Only, he said. I had seen the sign outside, but surely it was to discourage the usual Village riff-raff, the drunks and the kids and the boisterous crowds. The street and restaurant were essentially empty. And I explained that I was a frequent customer at Comedy Cellar, and that this was emergency. Still, the employee was adamant. He didn't care that I'd frequently been to the Comedy Cellar. He didn't care that this was an emergency. He didn't care that I wasn't imposing since there were so few customers in the restaurant. Rules were rules. Where have we heard that before? Now, other employees came over and surrounded me! What, to protect this hefty guy from the big bad old lady? To use the bathroom, he said, I needed to buy a minimum $2.75 drink. Shame on him and on this restaurant and on the Comedy Cellar, whose black t-shirt he was wearing!! This is not the way to treat customers - even if past tense - or older people or someone who states it was an emergency. I will never ever go to the Comedy Cellar again, and will spread the word to my 500+ friends on Facebook and to the 27K members in my New York group of fellow professionals. This behavior, and lack of courtesy and sympathy, were disgraceful! Unforgivable. read more

Best beer and borsch in the neighborhood! Borsch with beef, and a side of toasted rye. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Borsch - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Order a dish or two, order a falafel platter, house wine, enjoy the Charlie Chaplin movies that are always on display, draw something silly on your chalkboard table and giggle with your loved one, or play XOX with your friend, go down to restroom and pass thru one of the most famous stages in the comedy industry in the World. Just don't expect the best food or the best service in NYC and you will leave this place happy. read more

What can they do to improve? At this point - close. Just shut the mother down. End of tweet. read more

I've been coming here for years. It started out as great bar food after a long night in the library studying before going home. Buffalo wings, nachos, and blue moon was what got me through the night. And yes, the chalkboard tables were very useful in drawing graphs for econ. Last time I stopped here was on a Friday when a band (The Shackles) was playing. The owner apparently also plays guitar and joined in for a couple of the songs. They brought in some guest appearances and even one of the finalists from The Voice. My favorite was the Spanish guy they brought in to sing. They ranged from the Beatles to Enrique Iglesias and not a single song was less than the others. They even took requests from the audience. The music was very good and the musicians were so talented. It's amazing how there wasn't a cover for the night! As for the food, I ordered a Mediterranean combo with amb kebab and my boyfriend ordered the Borscht. All was delicious but the best part of the night was the entertainment. I don't know how often they do it, but when they do, I'd make sure I was there to see it! read more

Had reservations for 5pm. Got to the Olive and the lady there said "nope" they don't open until 6pm. She said Open Table had it wrong. But even their listing on Google said 5pm. If they can't get their hours right, do you think they clean properly? Plenty of other places in the area that know how to run a restaurant. read more

Love this fantastic Village find. Incredible service, filled with character, and an energetic fun vibe with live music and fun chalkboard tables to draw on. So fun. We stumbled upon this restaurant looking for a place to eat in the village and when my friend wanted to go the olive tree name reminded me of Olive Garden so I was initially not enthusiastic but saying I was really pleasantly surprised is an understatement - loved it . Ambiance. So much Character and amazing fun vibe. Brick walls with interesting artwork. Chalkboard tables to draw or write on and a 3 person band of guys who were totally comfortable with each other, like they knew each other years, great music that added to the fun energy without making conversation difficult. So many interesting details and eye candy, artwork, eclectic mix of people from small groups of friends, couples, dad and son next to us. Everyone engaged in conversation and having a good time. Fun fun. Service. The friendly hostess found us a table relatively quickly despite most tables being full. Our server was attentive and on top of drinks and food orders. Food and drinks. Solid. We had a chicken salad, fresh greens, then a great steak and truffle fries. All very good. Loved our night here and will absolutely return. Recommend for dinner with friends or a date. read more

See all

I have a theory about Olive Tree. It's located on a very busy street with a lovely ambiance and solid food/drink options (love the hummus plate, especially) but for some reason is never overcrowded. I ~think~ that unknowing passersby may assume, at a glance, that the long line of people waiting to get into the Comedy Cellar is queued up to get into the restaurant and therefore just keep on walking. This is the only way I can make sense of the fact that I've never had trouble walking in and getting a table immediately (tables which double as chalkboards, I might add!). BONUS: this is a fun spot to hang out and potentially spot some big names passing through on their way downstairs. I've seen both Aziz Ansari and Amy Schumer while grabbing a bite, along with many faces I recognize whose names I don't know offhand. read more

I have been going to this place since I was a kid in the late 80's. The food has always been awesome. Well, we haven't been in a couple of years and decided to get something to go last weekend. We had no idea their menu has changed. Their original Chicken Kabob platter with rice, or mashed potatoes and Israeli salad was amazing. Now? their kabob platter comes with couscous (it was horrible) and some weird roasted asparagus and onion side. Their hummus went to hell as well. I mean how do you get hummus wrong?? They did. Also, the ungrilled pita you gave us still came in the original plastic packaging. I know which brand you buy now.. ugh Nothing tasted good, not even the chicken that smelled a bit too chickeny leaving me to think it was out for a bit too long. Anyway, waste of money as everything winded up in the garbage, I kid you not - it was not edible. Just gross. What happened Olive Tree? I can't believe you purposely changed the menu to this shit. read more

Food was tasty. I had a sandwich with what I believed were homemade chips. My friend got a chicken kebab with vegetables and Israeli couscous. Before our food arrived, my friend selected our drinks for the evening, Long Island Iced Teas at the alcoholic price. We each had two, felt ZERO buzz (we came in without having had anything to drink), but just wanted to enjoy our evening together; and we were allowed to do that because we sat there for several hours. We tipped the waiter 15% and left. After we parted ways for the evening, I felt torn between not saying anything about our drinks and complaining (especially after we finished the first ones and were offered "refills" as if we were at a diner and could assume the drinks would be free instead of at Olive Tree Cafe knowing that that wasn't the policy.). The equivalent amount in Ethiopian mead would've been stronger. Seriously, we got screwed with weak drinks even though we were easy-going customers. Lame. So after some thought, I wrote the following to them through their website but thought I'd share it here*: "There was no alcohol in our four Long Island Ice Teas, and we noticed it in every f*cking sip. I would've complained my but my....friend....was fine with them and taking her to dinner....was more important than ruining her night by being negative with those "beneath" us. Please put alcohol in your Long Island Iced Teas. They're too small and too expensive for you not to. Thanks for listening." So, readers, drink elsewhere or be prepared to gripe and maybe look like an a-hole who makes restaurant workers feel unappreciated. ** The end *** * personal info replaced with ellipses to spare Yelp readers the personal hardships of my friend. ** I'd suggest 40 year old Cornelia Street Cafe (at least for pre-meal drinks because their menu selection was different), but they were recently swallowed up whole as if they were new kids on the block. *** especially for me buying cocktails in restaurants. I'm happy to refer to my small library of mixology/bartending books and make my drinks at home. Drinking alcohol at home has always been a better investment for whoever's buying. read more

Oh how the mighty have fallen. I don't do reviews often on Yelp, I tend to save these for when I'm REALLY pissed off and today is one of those days. A little backstory first: I've been going to Olive Tree on and off for the last 14-15 years, for the first few of those years it was my regular Friday night wings spot and I was there so often that my friends and I were on a first-name basis with the hostess, GM and most of the wait staff knew us very well. We never waited for a table, even during the 8 pm dinner rush before the 9:30 show downstairs at Comedy Cellar. The place has turned over a few times since then and the level of service varies by time of day, but I've NEVER had an experience like the one I had last night. We stopped in around 1 am after Santacon - so obviously, some of our group had Santa suits or hats on - and the dick at the door, who I've never seen before and am not really sure what his job is, restaurants don't tend to have bouncers, had a shitty attitude and refused to let us in because "there's no Santacon here". That's fine, we weren't there to drink, we were there to eat and go home. I made it a point to mention to this asshat that I've been a regular for the better part of the last decade and a half and have never been refused entry based on what I was wearing, and his response was a very sarcastic "good for you..."; I was about ready to walk away, but we had just walked 20-ish blocks across the park to get here and people were hungry, so we ditched the Santa suits and were let in. That's where it gets fun. I asked to speak to the manager about the dick at the door and his attitude, no manager ever appeared. Fine, okay, whatever. It's late and now I'm hungry, so we were seated and the 5th dude in our party came back inside, grabbed a chair and sat down in the aisle. Apparently, that's a "fire hazard", as pointed out by the very rude waiter who flung the chair back to its original table and rudely told us to ask the hostess to re-seat us. Okay, we moved tables. Same dude comes over with the Santa hat one of us dropped, throws it on the table with an angry look on his face and walks off in a huff. At this point, I'm pissed, but everyone else wanted to eat and I can't come to this place and NOT get wings, so we all ordered, paid and left. THE FOOD: The wings at Olive Tree have been the best in the city for years and still are. They were fantastic, as always, even though the sauce has definitely been changed since the menu was redone a couple years ago and prices effectively doubled, but they were good and worth the money. The experience, however, from the time we walked up to the door to the time we left, was piss-poor enough that I'm going to seriously consider making this my last trip after 15 years. Last time I was here was about a month and a half ago. Everyone was great and I met Colin Quinn, but last night everyone was an asshole and if not for the wings I'd give the place one star based entirely on service. 100% unaccpetable. read more

One of the few places around the neighborhood that wasn't ridiculously packed with long lines. We just grabbed a drink and some truffle fries, and it was okay. I wasn't expecting anything mind blowing, but I did like how the portions of the fries were pretty hefty. Not bad. read more

After searching for about an hour and almost heading down to Dunkin' Donuts to fulfill my craving for hot chocolate-- my best friend and I came across this cafe. I've got to say, we should've just gone to Dunkin' Donuts. The presentation of the hot chocolate was superb! When we saw our waitress arriving with the hot chocolate, we were ecstatic! We were impressed with how beautiful the presentation was. The whipped cream on top really made all the difference. When we took a sip of the hot chocolate, we were so disappointed. It tasted like Swiss Miss and Reddi Wip whipped cream, and FYI, we are NOT fans of Swiss Miss. Heck, that's probably exactly what it was. If we had known this is the kind of "hot chocolate" they served, we could've just went to nearest Target and bought it. This place will get 2 stars solely because we loved the ambience of the cafe and the chalkboard tables. read more

** 2 stars for the company, 2 stars for saving my life** After having a round across the street and after wandering around for more than a half hour discussing trials and tribulations, and after realizing that we had 20 fingers that were frozen, we decided to just dip into this place to prevent frostbite. The place was your run-of-the-mill bar with food. Nothing in this place invoked any kind of emotion in me. But, I can acknowledge that the heat was working, we defrosted and our humanly form emerged. After a few rounds here, I said goodbye to my long-lost friend and we parted ways into Subway Hell. As soon as I reached the platform, I realized I didn't have my house keys. At this moment, sheer panic set in. If I didn't find my keys, I was SOL. I would be up a creek without a paddle. So remembering an episode from the Cosby Show, I began to retrace my steps. I walked back into OTC and asked the bartender if anyone turned in any keys. He said no one turned in keys but I was free to look around for them. At this point, I was a wreck, ready to plop down and cry. But then...the cook came out of the kitchen for a fresh breath. He must've overheard the conversation and lo behold, he looked on the ground, and picked up a set of keys. He turned to me and asked, "Are these yours?" I recognized them immediately and instantly I was beaming. I thanked him profusely, gave him a tip, and realized he just saved my life. Thank you OTC for saving my life. It would've been a Hell of a night sleeping over the Subway vents. read more

Cafe / Mid-eastern style food. Needing a place to eat before the drinking began, we popped in here. Nice little cafe but the service totally blew. Sadly, the place was practically empty and since it was disgustingly humid out, we ordered 2 cold ones right off. We ordered, made some chit chat, hit the bathrooms and - no beers. Waitress even came by once empty handed. Meanwhile, I'm sitting about 15 feet from the bar- I could have just gotten the beers and been on my second by the time she rolled around. Food was ok - middle of the road nothing to crow over. We had turkey burgers and veggie burgers (trying to be good prior to drinking the calories) and they were fine. Fries sucked completely. They were cold and mushy - clearly they were sitting somewhere and just scooped into the baskets. Bathrooms are downstairs in the comedy club so it is a bit of a trek and it was steamy as hell down there since that portion wasn''t open yet. Meh- I'll go elsewhere next time. read more

If you are hungry for Lebanese food, I can't think of a more disappointing place to go. This is highlighted by the fact that if you look over the brunch menu and the regular menu, you will find very few Middle Eastern selections. In fact, much of the menu reads like diner fare. For lunch I had the Middle Eastern combination platter which included felafel, hummus, Baba ghanoush, Israeli salad, one stuffed grape leave, feta cheese, olives, and a peperoncini. The felafel was over fried which led to a crispy outer shell and a center of little flavor. The hummus was not particularly good, and the choice of olive oil failed to enhance it in anyway. The Baba ghanoush just tasted like a random dip with no flavor of the eggplant coming through. The accompanying pita was very dry and was quite bad. The Israeli salad was decent, and everything else was acceptable. All in all though, presentation aside, it was a disaster on a plate. Beyond the unappealing food, I was completely lost in understanding what this restaurant was about. I mean, they specialize in Middle Eastern food, but most of their selections are American. They have a comedy cellar on site, and they show Charlie Chaplin movies on their wall. Perhaps the connection is that you can't have comedy (the club) without tragedy (the food). read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

This has got to be my 5th+ time coming here. The atmosphere is really chill- not too noisy. It's a good place for dates ;). Charlie Chaplin is always played on their big screen with light background music. The cafe is pretty dim, but has enough lighting to see. The tables are made so that you can draw or write on them with chalk while waiting for your food to come. The type of food they serve here is said to mediterranean, but you can find American food here too. I have not actually ordered anything meditterranean, maybe next time. I always come here for their nachos and wings. The nachos are made with real cheese- not the kind you find in the movie theatres. It comes with guac, salsa, and different toppings like jalapenos. The tortilla chips are always warm and slightly seasoned with salt. I also had their meat loaf. It's pretty good too. You can actually taste the ingredients in it, even the wine! It comes with a side of mash potatoes and fried onions. What I had today: Now for the buffalo wings. Yes, they get their own paragraph. The wings come in a single order (6 wings) and a double order (12 wings). When I am with a group of 3, we usually get 2 double orders, and with a group of 2, we get one of each. These wings are big compared to the ones you'd get at BWW. The wings are crispy and tossed in the right amount of sauce. The sauce is on the sweeter side, but has a spicy kick that builds on as you eat. The dish comes with bleu cheese ranch sauce (which I don't like because why would I dip a wing with yummy sauce already on it into some other sauce that covers the flavors?), celery sticks and potato chips- you heard right! I love to dip the chips in the wing sauce. DELISH!! These wings are bangin'!! To wrap this up, this place has the BEST wings I've ever had. Who would have known that this place would serve wings. I will continue to order these wings every time I come. I recommend you order their nachos, meatloaf, and definitely their wings!! As for their cocktails, they are heavy handed in their liquor ( at least this time they were). You do get your money's worth. I LOVE THEIR WINGS!! read more

Honestly theyre a little slow but its bc they are pretty busy.. the food was so fireee on a random monday night that we came. Awesome thing was they had a live jass band. Fyi some of the best wings ive ever had. The grilled chicken kabob was fire too read more

I have tons of nostalgia for this place, as it was one of my haunts during my NYU days eons ago. I've stopped in a few times over the years--it's open late, they show Chaplin movies on the walls, let you draw on the tables with chalk (kind of icky but whatever), have decent diner food (but with a lot more choices and decent Middle Eastern fare, although I came to find out they took the damn grape leaves off the menu). You know all of this from the other reviews, though so I think this one will be more about the Best Waiter in the World. Gerald. I want to write Gerald a love letter for checking my ID in a way that was serious, not to be nice, even though I think he WAS just being nice, who knows, who cares. Sigh. What a guy. I may start stalking him...go to the Olive Tree every day or so and demand Gerald's section. I mean, he served my friend's soda garnished lovingly with FIVE limes!! True, she's a world famous author who DOES go there every day, writes all her books there and I'm just aspiring. SO...the plan will be to go to the Olive Tree every day with MY laptop and start writing from there instead of my living room (which is a lot cheaper, but my living room doesn't have Gerald!) And then I will wait for him outside so we can hang out after he gets off of work. Who knows, maybe Gerald is the muse I've been looking for all these years, and I will write a Pulitzer Prize winning novel and then maybe I'll even start getting FIVE limes in my soda water!!!! OR SIX? Okay, so besides the limes, Gerald also magically appeared at our table whenever the thought crossed one of our heads that we may need another drink, or some hot sauce (he brought out their fabulous harissa without me specifying, which was nice, seeing as they had Tabasco as well, but harissa does work better with hummus!) or napkins or, dare I say it, INSPIRATION?! Truly, the man has a sixth, nay, a SEVENTH sense. I think what I'm trying to say here is, GERALD I LOVE YOU!!!!! read more

If the Olive Tree Cafe were a writer, she'd write: Self-help titles that emphasize the old adage, "Some change is good". The inviting front VIP-type comfy lounge area, complete with pillows, heavy curtains and a small size sofa used to be an old school tiny kitchen area, where chicken and lamb were roasting on spits. Other than the menu also changing a bit, not much else has changed. Short screenplays about the crazy times of patrons, tipsy off the affordable Texas-size daiquiris in the summer and delicious hot cocktails in the winter. A love song to the falafel platter, turkey burger, fries, mac n cheese, among other highlights on the comfort food menu that keep the patrons coming back. A long list of conditions to an air-tight friendship contract between her and the beautiful (and sometimes hilarious) sketches on the walls, hanging lamps from the 70s, and chalkboard tables. The decor here is a cornucopia of artistic inspiration. Finger-snapping we be cool poetry that represents the general vibe of this old friend of mine. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - lovely mac n cheese - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Are you a comedy nerd? Do you easily get starstruck? Then grab a seat toward the back of the Olive Tree Cafe. It' s the upstairs bar/restaurant connected to the Comedy Cellar so when comedians are done with their sets they often hang out up there. Last time I was there I was sitting by Tom Papa, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, and a couple others. Also they don't have a bathroom here so you have to go down the stairs, and walk right past the comic performing their set to get to the bathroom. I thought this was a bonus to get a little bit of a show but it also feels a little intrusive and unnecessary to have to do this. Comedy aside this is a cool bar. The bar and tables are chalk boards so it's fun to doodle while you drink. They give you a little cup of chalk but oddly no eraser (a wet napkin does the trick though). The service at the bar was friendly and quick but the service at the tables was near non existent. Prices weren't bad (beers were mostly $5-6). When I was there they also had some really decent live cover band so it was an overall fun experience. I'll definitely be back. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Like other survivors of the lower east and west side gentrification wars, the Olive Tree pays homage to a cultural tradition unique to certain pockets of the City. This section of Macdougal (bounded by West 3rd and Bleeker) still has a distinct middle eastern flavor, and this walk-up cafe represents a window into a food past that is considerably older than most of its patrons. Macdougal street was once a mecca for NYU students in the early 70's in search of a cheap plate of grub, and the usual fare in such places then as now, involves some combination of spit roasted or grilled meats, felafel, hummus, babaganoush, stuffed grape leaves, feta, pickled hot green peppers, and fresh pita to mop it up. The OTC is an Israeli take on this regional food tradition and has stayed true to its humble roots, despite a touristy blitz in recent decades and an expanded menu to accommodate them, including ho-hum burgers and fries, designer beverages and "Russian" borscht -- of all things. The interior and chalkboard tables are much as they once were, and you can still rent chess and backgammon boards to accompany endless cups of coffee or tea to while away the hours as you people watch, if that is your thing. This is not haute cuisine, so skip it if you are looking for the most authentic bite. It is all about ambience -- the dimly lit room, the cozy booths, the silent movies projected on the walls, chalky residue on the slate tables, the tin stamped ceiling, the comedy club in the rathskeller with bathrooming adventures to go with. I could do without the fumfering tourists, their whiney kids and the hipster wannabes on the weekends, but this is 21st century New York City where the information age allows for few secrets, in the name of better commerce and modernity. For me, the OTC is still one of those places in the City where the nostalgia factor is a sum greater than its pedestrian parts. read more

Cool spot above the Comedy Cellar. I came here before catching a show last night with a couple of friends, and it was an enjoyable experience. The café has a casual ambience - featuring what I believe was a Chaplin film - and the staff is extremely friendly. Our waitress was attentive and very patient considering we were distracted by playing tic-tac-toe on the table. Literally, you are given chalk and can write/draw on the table's surface. The café offers a dining menu consisting of largely Middle Eastern fare. However, we only ordered drinks since we ate before coming to the café. The men ordered the Alabama Slammer (amaretto, southern comfort, sloe gin, and juice), while the ladies tried the Nutty Banana Splitz (vanilla ice cream, banana, vodka, godiva chocolate liquer, and amaretto). Both drinks were good, though I recommend using the lemon for the Alabama Slammer to improve the taste. I recommend coming here for a drink sometime, especially if you are waiting to see a comedy show downstairs. I also look forward to coming back soon and trying their food menu. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - You can draw on the tables #sweet - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

We went here before seeing a show at the Comedy Cellar. Fun and casual atmosphere. We made a reservation but would have been fine without one. Went on a a Sunday night. Charlie Chaplin silent movie was playing on a large TV. The table tops are chalkboards. Mac n cheese was very good! The bathroom was awkwardly located in the Comedy Cellar. read more

See all

We flew in from Canada and this was our first New York dining experience. Overall it was great, the atmosphere and ambiance were comfortable and warm. we had booked in advance as part of our comedy cellar outing. We were running late after taking the subway took a bit longer than expected, we were able to modify our reservation on open table and they kept a table for us which was much appreciated. We shared a platter and wings, the portions were bigger than expected and the food taster fresh and we really enjoyed it! We will definitely recommend olive tree cafe to friends nds and family visiting in the future! read more

On the last night of a trip with my best friends, we went the Grisly Pear Comedy Club, and wanted to continue the night with good food in a fun environment. One of the comedians told us to go next-door to the Olive Tree Cafe, and it ended up being a highlight of our trip! We watched a band play for over 2 hours, and the sense of community was invigorating. We felt like locals out celebrating life with new friends, and enjoying some really talented musicians. Great food, service, and entertainment! Go here for a fun Saturday night! read more

Olive Tree Cafe - LOVED this band - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Pretty cool Middle Eastern place. The food is okay. I have tried the falafel, hummus and kabobs here and they are all good quality - but not much different than you would find even in hole-in-the-wall Middle Eastern places. The atmosphere gives this place a leg up. It is a great place for a group of people to go for dinner, but also casual and laid-back as well. There is also a very large selection of pots of tea - as a tea drinker, that is a big plus. read more

We stopped into the Olive Tree Cafe for a quick drink one night and were met with a relaxing, fun atmosphere. Our server was quick and efficient; and my glasses of Sauvignon Blanc were ripe and fruity. There was also a talented jazz duo creating an engaging atmosphere that clearly inspired one particular couple - a man in his 30's creating his own dance floor with an elderly woman. It sure made for some great people-watching! read more

This is is chill for this neighborhood. I like the brick wall and the people around some and be weird other are social. I cant give it for starts because the menu is not updated. It's not for random occasions but not to impress. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Drawing on the table. - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

If you love Charlie Chaplin.... If you love writing on chalkboards..... If you love good food & drinks.... Then come to this old standard answer for "Where should we go?". Great neighborhood to find some entertainment afterward. read more

I used to hangout here twenty something years ago, the borscht was to die for and the falafel was great. Of course, the funky, relaxed atmosphere was what attracted me most. With all the changes in the Village, I was afraid it would have declined or become cliche. I was so pleased to see that it hadn't changed, same great place, same good food and same reasonable prices. Mind you, the clientele is still young, but an old fogey like myself was warmly welcomed. read more

This place is surprisingly good! I've never thought that restaurants linked to comedy clubs are that great, but this place defies that - the food was fresh and delicious, the staff was quick, Charlie Chaplin films were playing in the background, and the tables are chalkboards for your creativity! My friends and I swooned over our salads - I ordered the falafel plate and marveled at how crispy and soft the falafels were, how fresh the veggies were, and how well it went together with the warm pita bread that is provided. My friends gobbled up their dishes and we were all very very happy. Price was very reasonable, and we had a great view of the street and enjoyed the night air! read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Falafel plate - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

See all

Getting ready for a comedy show, we enjoyed the atmosphere and delicious food. JAKE and KAYLEE were the best servers I've had in the city, EVER! Despite a large crowd of COVID-denying anti-maskers, the staff kept their composure and provided hot food and cold drinks! Love this staff! read more

I've been coming here for decades, it's a top favorite. The food is great, the price is right and it's a lot of fun. Chalk on the tables so you can draw. Silent movies playing on the wall. Amazing falafel and the best beef borscht I ever had (sorry Mrs. Koschevnikov). Hasn't changed a bit for at least 30 years! Highly recommended. One of the real joys of NYC and Greenwich Village. read more

Olive Tree Cafe - Middle Eastern Near Me - New York, New York

Went there last night, they required a vaccination card to get in. Sat at the bar and waited for the rain to stop. Prices are decent and the staff was really friendly! Didn't get a chance to watch the show but all the seats were taken. It's a really cool low key vibe spot and I'll be back with friends. read more

As I was planning out my master list of places to visit once I got to New York (with only 2.5 days to spend there, I had to make it count), a friend at my school recommended me this place. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring my list with me on the second day, so we just went off our memory and sought out semi-familiar-sounding streets. This one happened to be in Greenwich Village (along with Presstoast, which I never got to experience ;_; ); I got the falafel sandwich for around $4.50 including tax and tip. You apparently need a code to get to the restroom (down in the comedy cellar). My friend followed my lead and ordered a falafel sandwich as well. Although he claims his sandwich didn't have falafel in it, I have to take it with a grain of salt, because he tends to scarf everything down and doesn't bother to see what's in it. read more

The server was less than interested to find us a spot at the bar when we stopped in to wait for the line at the Comedy Cellar to reduce down to something manageable for our show, but at least the bartender was friendly. The food selection looks okay, but nothing really jumped out at me from the menu, so I ended up having a cup of lukewarm tea. An okay place to hang for the moment, but disappointed as to the quality of the waitstaff. read more

Disappointed with their menu - it is now a mainstream menu, no middle eastern food there. My Middle eastern platter looked very pretty but the hummus and baba ganoush were sub par, nowhere near what I remembered having there in the past. And no falafels, kabobs or Turkish coffee in sight. Just regular mainstream food like pasta, burgers and salads. The decour has always been fun & eclectic, and I have to admit my friends loved their salad and pasta dishes. But we were all disappointed about the lack of middle eastern flavor. Sadly, will not be coming back. Gave them 2 stars only b/c my friends said their dishes were very tasty. read more