Evelyn E.

Decided to give this restaurant a lunch review for a first time visit. Unfortunately I learned the hard way not to rely on Yelp menu photos as myself and guest were in the mood for a seafood salad lunch that is currently no longer being offered but was on a previous menu. Bummer #1 but I can take the hit for that one. However there are actually no salad entrees on the menu at all. Only side salads. Really? And this place is open for lunch? Bummer especially since it was a salmon salad I was looking forward to. We got creative and ordered the ceviche tapas with a side Caesar salad. The ceviche was just average and although had a decent flavor was way too ...watery. The salad on its own was good. Also ordered the vaca frita, one of my all time favorite spanish entrees. The presentation was nice but the vaca frita was lacking seasoning. So so disappointed! The sweet potatoes fries were the best I've ever had, but sadly enough for this to be the best thing on our table is not what I hoped would be the outcome of my visit. For the seemingly upscale menu, the food experience didn't match the prices. For the nice intimate ambiance, it felt a little outta place in Town n Country. The service was polite but was lacking in several areas. To cause more insult, when the time to pay came I was handed the payment machine with 25% tip selected. While there was already a last straw before that, it really was it for me. So to answer the magic question if I'd come back or not, neither my guest nor myself felt like what this restaurant had to offer matched the price point nor the culinary expectations. I should have paid more attention to the lower reviews.

Lisa E.

Such a pretty little spot! Stopped in for a late lunch and was sooo happy we did. Great tapas, and more. Our server, Silvia was so friendly and helpful and made us feel right at home. Ordered a delicious octopus dish, which was presented beautifully, malanga cream soup, salad, cappuccino, and dessert to share. So many other dishes that we want to try, but we were very happy with our experience there. So good!

William H.

Excellent authentic cuisine from Spain in a very inviting cozy & sleek environment. Great selection of traditional + creative tapas that was an each a very generous portion easily for two to share vs usual small plates/portion tasting. We had the Oysters with bechamel and cheese, also the Shrimp with ham and mushrooms tapas - both delicious with incredible sauces. Ordering was a but difficult because there were so many fabulous amazing choices to pick from. The Main courses we had was a beautifully plated lobster salad and an outstanding 1lb Ox steak that was cooked to order to a perfectly rare and tender slab of meat lovers paradise. This was all perfectly matched with a big pitcher of the most artistically presented red Sangria I ever seen and tasted. A real treat. Great service with a great accompaniment of music from Spain in the background. A wonderful experience all in all and one that we will definitely come back to another time soon.

Gerald M.

This is an Update to my previous review from 8 months ago. I was a bit afraid after reading some other reviews from others that also experienced a before and after, but in my case, it didn't disappoint. I am not Cuban nor descendent, but I do see a slight tilt to Cuban food although with lots of class and plenty to offer to every taste. I can see that it makes sense to change to cater to this location. Yes, the menu has changed and to my surprise they implemented things I commented previously: the menu makes more sense with tapas and main dishes with clear separation in portion size. The quality is still amazing, the presentation is artistic and you still experience a higher level of culinary art. We ordered the octopus and a decomposed tamale. The octopus recipe is still the same as 8 months ago and it's perfect. The tamale corn is well thought out and not dry gritty corn grits or polenta, it's fresh corn! The churrasco tender and the pink onions pickled in lemon juice. Just a nice touch. My wife was delighted by the ribeye with bone. I had the lobster that was well presented and tender. Overall, nothing to disappoint!!! Service was great although they still struggle with English. I am also happy to report that they have new COMFORTABLE chairs!!!! The ambiance hasn't changed, the quality hasn't changed, and the food is a great experience. One recommendation for the chef: Caesar Salad is not called house or mixed salad for a reason: it is a set, standard recipe. The moment you add tomatoes is the moment you need your own name. Call it "Caesar with tomatoes" and that's ok. But not Caesar.

Clarence E.

Was worth a try but not worth the cost. After seeing the 4+ star google review scores what could go wrong, right? I should have read all the 1 star reviews as they were on point. For the price and what they're shooting for .... Simply it was a mixed bag. Food. Priced like South Tampa upscale but more mid scale flavor and quality. Risotto De Gambas Y Champiñones was the best but a main. Tapas was more disappointing and lacked some finesse. Large plates but would've preferred flavor and quality. Nothing wowed us. Aguacate a La Brasa Con Picanha had flavor but needed seasoning. Pimientos Del Padrón was okay. Patatas bravas was disappointing with the lack of crispness with the tangy sauce versus a more creamy one. At least if it was spicy, I'd have liked it more. Service was slow and inconsistent even with a bunch of staff standing around talking. Started out well but water wasn't filled without asking even though she passed by a few times. Timing was off, waiting about 15 min between 4 tapas and the one main risotto. We were given containers to bag but others were boxed in the back. The manager came by to check but honestly didn't think it mattered. Wait for check was extended despite it being slow. Only 5-6 tables seated in the room. I'd ding the rating but down 1 notch for it. Ambiance was mixed not a typical 50-100 per person dinner venue. Nice interior with glass looking out to Waters Ave small 4-top tables but hard metal chairs. Funky drive through window from old Boston Market. Parking was easy but definitely. Not on my list to return.

Charlie G.

I have been wanting to go to Olivos for a while, as I love Tapas and other Spanish foods. So I went with a couple of friends, and we had an excellent meal! 1 - Music is too loud for conversation (especially for the hearing impaired like me! They did turn it down a little bit... on request. Barely! 2 - The chairs SUCK! The back uprights are narrow and cut into your hips (and no, I am not that big either)! Also a good meal here might take two hours... and your but is numb after a while. Not comfortable. There is a also new taco place nearby with the same stupid chairs... hope this trend does not continue! 3 - the Food! Glorious! Wonderful! Beautifully plated! Delicious! I would definitely go back again... just for the food! We share about 6 or 7 Tapas plates... and had plenty. We also had the wonderful spinach salad... gorgeous and yummy! I did not get good pics of everything we had, unfortunately. Going to go with the translated names to make it easier for non-Spanish speakers. Cod croquettes - wonderful - no pic though. Grilled avocado with sirloin - Delicious... very delicious - no pic. Creme Brulee - WOW... lots of cinnamon, creamy and absolutely wonderful! - no pic Shrimp with ham and mushrooms - more of the same... Delicious, would definitely order again. Patatas bravas - wonderful.. very filling, sauce is yummy! Padrón peppers - I would order these as a last meal if I had to.. heavenly! Octopus Galician style - wonderful... very tasty, and such gorgeous plating! Spinach salad - wonderful start to the meal... nice portion, and excellent! Flan.... this was a friends... I had the Creme Brulee. The flan is creamy and so delicious. Better than most of of flan I have had. Highly recommend. Coffee - one of my tablemates also ordered a cappuccino with her creme brulee... and said it was terrific! Ambiance - very nice... not as intimate or quiet as many of the Spanish restaurants I have been too... tables instead of booths, and decor is well done. But still difficult to have a conversation due to the loud music. Service - Wonderful... could not have been better.The young ladies who served us were polite, friendly and helpful!

Shaira A.

Very good food! Inside is a bit small.. location of the restaurant could be better. The servers were really nice. My hubby & I'd fave from this place was the Aguacate a la brasa con picaña. Meat was cooked perfectly and the grilled avocado with pesto was delicious. We also got the guacamole con chicharron, which was also good. We were expecting bigger pieces with tender meat and crispy/crunchy pork skin. But we got double deep fried small pieces. The banana was also good, got it as a side but it served us as a dessert. Patatas bravas were good, but not my fave. Overall, I'd give this place a 4/5!

Jessica P.

What a hidden gem in Tampa! Having lived in Southern Spain for two years (and my fiancé being from there) this place hit some nostalgic taste buds for us. We started with the GAMBAS AL AJILLO (garlic shrimp), ALBÓNDIGAS (meatballs) and CROQUETAS DE JAMÓN (ham croquettes). All three were delectable, I'll be getting the shrimp every visit! I also got a prosecco sangria as the manager Raquel suggested (she's such a sweetheart, she walked around checking on everyone's dining experience). The sangria was made with fresh and dried fruit, and was beyond refreshingly delicious so I ended up getting another. Our server Gabrielle was overly nice and checked on us often. The ambiance was modern / trendy, and not overly loud even though the establishment is one open space. When it filled up it did get a little noisy but my fiancé and I could still talk and hear one another just fine without having to get loud ourselves. For entrees we got the FRITURAS DE PESCADO CON SALSA TÁRTARA (fried fish with tartar sauce) and PICANHA A LA BRAZA CON CHIMICHURRI (grilled sirloin with chimichurri). The steaks were cooked as requested - rare, and very flavorful. The fish batter was a little on the sweet side for my liking but over all the flakiness of the fish and crispiness of the batter made them delicious as well. We finished off with the CHEESECAKE DE CARAMELO FLAMEADO (flambé carmel cheesecake) & PASTEL CON CREMA DE GUAYABA Y HELADO (Spanish French toast with guava cream & guava ice cream). Ya'll the Spanish French toast dessert was out of this world, I'm wanting it all over again - it slaps hard. So happy we found this place, and looking forward to coming back and trying more tastes of Spain soon

Olesya P.

We came here for some Sunday brunch because we heard that new place is opened. We were in the area. The good part: new Spanish restaurant in town, definitely a good thing. Food was really tasty and portions were sizable. We had patats bravas, octopus, shrimp, croquettes, tuna ceviche, tomato/avocado salad. All food was great, no complaints. They still did not have their alcohol license which is fine for us, but they said "any day now". Service was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately the location is between two big roads, so you basically on the middle of the highway. They need to invest some money for tall trees or bushes, so it's more pleasant experience. They have a tiny area for the bar, which should be 2-3 times as large. Not sure if they plan to change that when they get their alcohol license. I liked this place but to make it more desirable, will need to fix the direct view to the highway situation.

Bekah M.

LOVEEEE. we stopped here quickly before a flight and everything was top tier. the ambiance is incredible. the service is so kind and very welcoming. the menu??? INCREDIBLE. i had the grilled sirloin and chimichurri which they torch the rosemary right at the table! as apps we had the Manchego cheese croquettes which were cooked to perfection along with the patatas bravas. if you're thinking of making the stop, you will not regret it.

Jazmin P.

Upscale Cuban and Spanish food! This was a perfect spot for a date night. The cocktails, food, and dessert was so delicious. The service was really great too. Highly recommend giving them a try!

Michelle C.

Food was incredible. We always love to try different places. I had the Malanga Cuban soup ( off the chart). Salmon and shrimp for meal. Garlic shrimp as appetizer. So glad we gave this place a chance. Service was impeccable.

Natalia A.

The vibes in this spot were pristine!! The food was served in such a fashionable, meticulous way and it was so so delicious. We got the manchego cheese croquettes and the sauces were so delicious we loved the truffle honey the best but they were all delicious. I love going to spots that serve special food that I would struggle to make at home and this spot didn't disappoint! The server Talia was fabulous. So attentive, diligent, ready to help. They played live music that was super good and gave a pleasant atmosphere. So friendly and kind. 10/10 would come here again!