The food was delicious. We got the Spanikopita, Chicken Shawarma Sandwich, Calamari and hummus. The service was great and ambiance was good. People were very friendly. read more

Oh my gosh... what a wonderful surprise! The food was fabulous. Can't wait to return. Best Middle Eastern food in Columbus!

Amazing food, service was excellent and it seems like we came at a good quiet time! Tried the Baklava for dessert and was the best I've ever had Sara was our waitress and was extremely helpful and kind. Would definitely recommend stopping here whether you live in the area or are just passing through read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Pistachio Baklava - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Nice staff; very good food & Lebanese coffee. Do not recommend the Baklava though. Not crowded; not rushed. A very comfortable and tasty experience. read more

I went to the restaurant, and they brought me a dish I hadn't ordered. I decided not to make a fuss, but when I tasted the food, I found it completely lacking in flavor. I called the waiter over and explained that I hadn't ordered that dish and that it didn't taste good. He summoned the chef; I explained the situation and asked for the dish I had actually wanted. When that dish arrived, it tasted terrible--so salty that it seemed like an act of revenge for my complaint about the previous dish. When it came time to pay, they tried to charge me for the first dish I hadn't ordered--a cost I refused to pay. It was an altogether unpleasant experience. read more

Tonight we met friends at Olive Tree in Hilliard. The owner prepared a a special appetizer of smelt for us. They were too 'fishy' for my uninitiated palate but my friends loved it. For my main, I had the spicy gyro platter. It was delicious. The combination of the two types of meat, the rice, veggies and sauce was wonderful. The spicy version was not spicy spicy but was just right to add an extra layer of flavor. My wife had the Chicken Shish Tawouk. She enjoyed it a lot. It was so nice to go to a locally-owned place, where you can feel that they care about the business and customers. The baklava looked great but we were too full from dinner. The kitchen is open to the restaurant and they have a nice looking dessert case. Sadly, I live about 1000 miles away, so I won't be come back soon. Next time I'm in town... read more

Wonderful service and wonderful food. We were here for a party and the food all came out timely. The atmosphere is open and welcoming, and I love the servers!! read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Falafel and kebabs, with rice - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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Place is empty i only ordered 1 chicken sandwich and a fries i took about 30 minutes I got the sandwich was cold not even toasted I asked for no lettuce but they still added it then i had to wait for my order to be made again finally i got it it was dry my sauce or anything i got a side of garlic It was salty not taste bad its a nice place but food was horrible i ended up eating it anyway because i was hungry that's it read more

I am so upset that I have lived less then 1 mile from this place for almost 2 years, and just tried it today. Where do I start? I went in for a carry out, was greeted instantly, and after telling the hostess it was my first time in, read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Chicken Schwarama - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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We visited The Olive Tree for a healthier after work dinner! Service was friendly and allowed us to pick our own table. We started with baba ghanoush (which was cold and come straight out of the fridge) but had a good smoky flavor; would be better warmed up. We shared the blackened shrimp, camel wings, lentil soup and lamb shank. Wings were good, nice spicy kick to them. A little spiciness on the blackened shrimp but tolerable amount for those who can't handle spicy food. I was really happy with the lamb shank, meat fell straight off the bone, and went well with the marinara sauce and rice. Food did need a little extra seasoning on our side, but each to their own. Atmosphere of the place nice and airy, and ambiance relaxed. read more

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I ordered a gyro sandwich and side of rice for take-out and it was ready in about 15 minutes. It just so happened to be a Tuesday, and they have a "Take-out Tuesday" special where you get a discount for take-out food, which I believe was around 10-15%. The inside is pretty spacious, and they have a display case with savory desserts. The gyro was stuffed full and tasted pretty savory, the rice also had a good flavor. I got a side of tzatziki to spread on both and it hit the spot. Overall, I enjoyed the food and it was filling. Definitely worth a try if you're in the Hilliard area. read more

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Found this place online & decided to give it a try. Pros: You can easily walk in & get a table & the servers are very friendly. It's well lit & clean. Cons: I was freezing in there & kept my coat on. The servers take a very long time to come back to you with anything (napkins, beverages, creamer). I had NO idea how long the server was going to take to come back & get my order! I just waved down the other server & gave her my order. The food was average. I had grape leaves for an appetizer that was not heated all the way through. The hummus bowl was nice, but I don't like ice cold hummus with hot food. Room temperature hummus would've been better. ​My friend & I were praying before the food came, we both had our heads bowed & I was praying out loud. The server came & interrupted us to tell my friend they didn't have her appetizer & asked what else she would like! Seriously! You don't see us praying??? I don't plan on returning. read more

Service is so slow you can loose an arm and leg and still no one will come see you. We ordered Rm two gyro sandwiches with one extra plate of fries. 30 minutes have passed and still no food. The restaurant is completely empty except one other table. This was recommended by my friend but never coming again. Food, I can't comment on as we havnt seen it yet! The food has arrived and it's cold as they made fries for the second time. No care of time and my buddy food is cold! Never coming to a place that disrespects their customers and gives cold food and doesn't even say sorry for their poor actions. 10 years in the industry and this was a poor experience!!! read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Empty restaurant with service so poor - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

The food was okay, the portion was pretty big I can keep half of the food for my lunch and it tastes exactly the same. I like their rice and fries A LOT! The chicken was also very soft and yummy. But the food took forever. That means that they made it fresh! But we were too hungry...and kept looking at all the food that went past our table. The service was nice, our server was very polite. read more

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Two of us went last night and had a good dinner! We both had gyros,& were very happy with them. Good size and taste! We had spanakopita for an appetizer & were very pleased with the taste & presentation. Our waitress was pleasant & helpful. She took time to explain items & was quick, too. The dining room is nice, but kinda drowned out by the kitchen lights. Kinda depends on where you sit, but if the dining room was blocked off more from the kitchen, it would be nicer. Overall all though, the experience was nice & we'll definitely be back. read more

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Went yesterday with a group of friends. Our server was incredibly knowledgeable and detailed and the food was fabulous as always. There were many yummy desserts to choose from as well. Excellent service, delicious food: I was only sad that I didn't have leftovers. read more

I wanted so badly to give this place a better rating but I can't. I've been coming here for years (here and there) and it's gone downhill. The first indication of the quality here is the lemons they brought to the table that were completely mushy and clearly not fresh. That only happens when they have been cut and sitting around for a while. The service was OK at best. They need to specify that the kids grilled cheese is made on pita bread, which my kids wouldn't eat. Their fries were slightly undercooked as well. They charged us for it anyway. Nowhere on the menu or verbally were we informed about this or we wouldn't have ordered it. The salad dressing is served in a thimble. Literally. A thimble of dressing for a plate of salad. Never seen anything like it in my life. The dressing is good I will say that. My husbands moussaka was not all the way "thawed" in the middle as one of the potatoes was still cold so we are to assume they freeze it. The spanakopita didn't have much in the middle, it was mostly filo dough. Needless to say, not coming back. I really hate to give your business a bad review, but feel that this is the whole point of yelp so I needed to be honest. Not worth the $$ spent. read more

The food was exceptionally good. The waitress was very friendly, helpful, and gave great recommendations. The atmosphere was relaxing and peaceful. My friends and I had a phenomenal experience. I recommend this place to anyone. read more

Placed a large lunch takeout order. Greeted on arrival. Food was made with fresh ingredients and packaged nicely. Was still piping hot when arrived home and the taste was wonderful, very flavorful. Can't wait to go back! read more

Amazing lunch find. The food was fresh and exactly what you want from a Mediterranean restaurant. Our server was very prompt and ensured we had everything we needed. Will definitely recommend this place and be back myself read more

excellent food, nice place for friends and family, fantastic service, very convenient location. surely go again.

The Olive Tree is a small Greek restaurant tucked in a strip mall in Hilliard. We usually order to go but decided to go in person with family for dinner this weekend. They did not appear to have a lot of staff on hand, which seems to be a common thing with really anywhere these days. Our server was really nice, and did well considering she was the only server and appeared to be also working as the host and managing the to go orders. The food was delicious as always. I am a huge fan of their hummus, which comes with fluffy pita and pieces of chickpeas. My husband usually gets the fire fries and a veggie gyro wrap, which he loves. I'm not a huge feta fan but the fries are always cooked to perfection. The salmon is my favorite. It's always flavorful and comes with delicious rice. I have also had Pastitsio which is Greek Lasagna. The portion size is huge, and literally took me four sittings to finish. Definitely recommend and while I have never had any of the desserts, they have a huge variety and looked amazing in the case! read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Hummus - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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I was in Hilliard and wanted to stop by to eat at The Olive Tree for their great Lebanese food I fondly remembered (when I came here 10 years ago). And, yep! They haven't changed. Such great food. There's plenty of seating inside and lots of food to try from. I was quickly greeted and encouraged to sit wherever I desired. My waitress came to take my order within 2 minutes. I got their falafel sandwich with hummus, labne, and pumpkin kibbeh. Nice portions and the food was piping hot. The owner/chef stopped by my table to see how the food tasted and I was happy to share I loved every bite. What a nice touch! I was sad to read on yelp about this place regarding being "slow". I didn't have any issues with the timing of getting my food. This is not fast food folks. They make their food fresh when you order. I had no issues. I'll be coming back. Keep up the great work ! Love your high quality fresh food and attitude. read more

Went there on Sunday. Prompt service and good food. Shared a dinner meal and still brought some home. Had cauliflower and zucchini as an appetizer and shared a dessert. We met the owner. Super nice lady. Worth the try. read more

If you're looking for good middle eastern food, this is NOT the place. Owners please take this as constructive criticism. The food is bland. The falafel has no spices. The hummus doesn't taste like hummus. Please redo your food. It's an embarrassment for the sake of our fellow middle eastern people. Your customer may think this is what we eat. Please and thank you for your consideration. read more

If you are looking for authentic Lebanese food, the Olive Tree is the place to go. The steak tartare was amazing.

The food was fantastic and the owner/manager went the extra mile. She was a staff of one due to some unforseen circumstances yet she was incredibly kind and the food she made terrific. First time there but not the last! It was worth the 30min drive! read more

We had lunch at Olive Tree yesterday. The food was absolutely delicious! We met the owner who also waited on us. She was so friendly and kind. It's a small cafe, a little treasure in Hilliard. read more

What a great experience! Highly recommend if you haven't been in recently. I stopped in after many years of not visiting, since food changed so much after the second owner took over. We used to go once evey couple of weeks. The current owner has brought back the weekend brunch menu and my favorite dish is back to being fantastic. I am a big fan of the hummus ful and it was amazing. Service was great! read more

Family-owned Lebanese restaurant. We were passing through Columbus and this restaurant had good reviews on yelp and Google. We decided to check it out and the restaurant and the family who owns the restaurant are amazing. The food and service and hospitality were wonderful and the atmosphere in the restaurant is cozy. My wife and I both highly recommend stopping here if you love Lebanese food. read more

It's 5:00... do you know where you are eating in Hilliard? The Olive Tree! Don't miss this one as you're carving a left and then a right on Rome Hilliard road, or you're going to be eating some lackluster disappointment of a non-option. If I'm in Hilliard, the only place I eat is The Olive Tree... unless they're closed. Then there are plan B's, but this is my, "Go-To". If you're still in Columbus, you're taste palette either called you here or will NOT let you leave! Pictured below, the house dipping Tri-feta flavor sampler, only for repeat customers (wink-wink). I don't even think it's on the menu; but trust me you'll be back. You're asking for the Home-made tomato blend with roasted garlic and other secret fold-ins, as well as the gently spiced hummus useful for a bite before taste transitions. Last, on the right, is the Star of the show, the Spicy Feta! Rich rich flavor is must be use sparingly, but anytime that, "you want to slam the pedal to the floor for a few bites, until you see a cop in the median at the top of the horizon", this will heat up your mouth as the feta simotaneously works to calm it down. So, for your first visit, you'll want to get a taste for the flavor depth... I recommend the KABOB COMBO, where you get Lamb medallions, Chicken cooked so perfectly it's pleasantly surprising, and a Kabob mixture of Mediterranean spices that lands in on the gentle side, allowing you to use your brush strokes by dipping into the Taziki and other sauces to play with. If you come for brunch on the weekends, you can get some is really hummus dishes like hummus FUL. And the other one I can't remember the name on. Some thing about tomato sauce and an egg? There's no way you're making it to dessert, but you''re going to want a dry Chardonnay, I recommend their Italian bottle with this mix if you're seeking a palette cleanser with a dry cut to prep you for your next dip. I can't finish all this, so half of it's coming home, but do me a favor and keep the fun chatter going, and drop your, " favorite foods from olive tree and quote below. Also let us know what your top 3 Hilliard favorite plan B restaurants mediterranean Mediterranean food below if you have think there's a better place to get a taste of the Med, the Dead and the Read. (TMC; much love! ;) read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Trifecta Sampler, the Kabob Sampler, and a Dry Chard! - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

It's been a while since I've had Greek/Mediterranean food, and on a quick trip over to Columbus (Hilliard) to meet up with an old friend, this was a great choice!! Just past the craziness of the Hilliard-Rome BOOM (nightmare...) of every store and restaurant chain known to mankind is this simple, hidden gem of a lunch and dinner spot. Not a huge menu, but all/most of the usual Greek/Mediterranean region favorites are there, along with a few surprises. My first choice (other than one of just about everything on the menu!!) was a the moussaka or pastitsio (sp?) but decided to go "lighter" and just order a few appetizers. Mmmmmmmmmmmm!!! There are so many great, reasonably priced options!! I choose the veg. stuffed grape leaves, the spicy feta dip (yum!!), spanakopita (spinach pie) and a small Greek salad. (Yeah, so much for "light!!") My friend ordered the small chicken shwarma, and even sharing, we both wound up FULL with plenty of leftovers for a FINE lunch I'm CRAVING as I type this!! Skip all the hustle and bustle of the seemingly never-ending CHAIN CITY you'll pass on H-R Rd. and look for this great spot. You'll be glad you did!!! read more

Love this place. Husband and i shared an order of falafel and a large chicken shawarma plate (no onions). Saganaki was not available tonight. Would be great for takeout and dessert, too Baklava was great! read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Chicken Shawarma, large - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

Sorely disappointed. Ordered app trio, kids chicken tenders, kids grilled cheese, and a sandwich with fries so nothing complicated. Menu looked great but had many issues: Time: it took forty minutes for our app trio to arrive after ordering. Then 20 minutes after that they asked us what cheese we wanted in our kids grilled cheese which meant they hadn't even started it. We finally got our food after over an hour. Food: It was hot but not that original. The chicken in the sandwich was bland and the tenders seemed from frozen like the fries. Hummus had no flavor so we tried to add some by adding a salt packet. Grape leaves were good and tzatziki tasted like premade. Environment: family across the restaurant had a FaceTime call then Moana running the whole time loud enough for us to hear. No one said anything to them and we didn't feel it was our place. Another couple moved outside because of it so it wasn't just us. Place didn't seem kept up or that clean. Service charge was on the bill but we didn't see one on the menu (perhaps we missed it but we were too excited to get out to fight it or verify it was there). Waitress apologized quickly at the end dropping off the check and gave us a 15% off coupon but it was for our next order which isn't that helpful... My husband had been years ago but we won't be back. read more

Best Mediterranean food I've had in Columbus so far. Very flavorful gyros. Worth the cost. read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Gyro platter - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

The Olive Tree was a featured (and favorite of mine) guest restaurant at my company years ago. I was very excited to see that they were still open, and ventured to Hilliard for dinner. I was pleasantly greeted, but discovered that the owner was on her own at the moment, due to some staff call-offs, and was waiting on additional help to arrive. Instead of asking me to come back another time, she opened the doors and said she'd take care of me. I started with a glass of red wine and The Olive Tree-O and chose Hummus, Tzatziki and Baba Ghanouj. They were delicious, cold and paired with ample pita slices. I had to stop myself from devouring it all, to save room for my Spicy Chicken and Mushrooms entree. Which was equally enjoyable! I appreciated the fresh and distinct Mediterranean/Lebanese flavors. But most importantly, the service. I will certainly be back soon! read more

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Food is amazing and authentic! Baklava crunchy and not too covered doused in honey, like some I've had.

The only thing I ate was the grape leaves. Unfortunately everything else went into the trash. It all tasted bitter. The hummus had a very bad texture and odd flavor. The shawarma was dry, tough and had a bitter flavor. The pita was stale. One of my favorite foods is spanokopita but unfortunately the restaurant managed to ruin that by that now predictable bitterness in the spinach and a strange amount of parmesan cheese all over it . It was served with marinara ( ?, seriously ). It had an identity crisis - am I Greek, am I Italian. What I know for certain is it was not delicious. I used to love this restaurant years ago but saw it decline and stopped eating there. I decided yesterday to give it another chance but it has gotten so much worse. Sorry about this b/c it would be great to have good middle eastern food in HIlliard. read more

Second time I've been here and I can confirm the food is delicious! Fresh and flavorful, and the prices are great!! Very much looking forward to returning. I have one constructive criticism, their service. And this is tough for me because I waited tables for years and I feel for the front lines who have to work in these times of COVID. We were treated as if we were a to-go order, despite eating in. I understand the need for disposable plates, plastic ware, etc. But our (very sweet) server set ours down at the table and that was that. No check back, no explanation of what was in the bag (you know, to make sure we weren't missing anything or needed condiments, which we did). I'll definitely return, the food is very good. But I hope if I choose to dine in, that service is back up to par. read more

The Olive Tree Mediterranean Café - Moussaka, lots of meat sauce! - Mediterranean Near Me - Hilliard, Ohio

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The food and service were amazing! The shawarma was very flavorful with all very fresh ingredients. The ladies that took my order and prepared my food were super helpful and polite. Will be returning very soon (today 2 days in a row :) ) read more