We were lucky to have been given a table last night! The spinach salad was refreshing and really delicious! The cheese dip was very tasty. My husband's fish and chip were fried golden and my shrimp and chicken pasta was very good! The tiramisu was one of the best I've had! Besides the good food, owner Gerard was friendly and humorous- made our dinner experience very pleasant! We are here for only 3 nights and the place is not open on the weekend. Hoping to be able to get one more meal there! read more

We showed up at The Olive Tree today at 330 well within their posted business hours, only to find the place closing No note on the door, no update online - just closed. We walked a good way to get there, and it's frustrating (and honestly a little disrespectful) to customers who try to plan around your listed hours. If you're not going to be open, at least let people know. And Facebook is unappropriate place to do that. read more

The Olive Tree - Welp guess your hours are not as posted! Disrespectful! We alone probably would've tipped more than anybody that day - Mediterranean Near Me - Sydney, Nova Scotia

Always our first place to stop when we visit Cape Breton. The food is amazing and the service fantastic. Gerard and Will thank you so much for the exceptional dining experience!! read more

The server is hilarious! You have to get reservations but this is how they ensure you get amazing service. Plus, it ensures you get an excellent table with privacy. I had the souvlaki which was good and the best part was the dessert. OMG. They had sticky toffee pudding. The sticky toffee pudding is now one of my favourite memories. read more

Parking in front is limited.We were seated right away, there ate booths and tables. I ordered a shwarma sammie. The pita was foode service grade and nothing special. Overall it was somewhat bland on the flavor side Service was solid and efficient. read more

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Diamond in the rough, but a great find! My wife and I were staying in the downtown area and wanted to grab dinner, but wanted something other than pub food (which we've had for the last several days). We decided on The Olive Tree, and were quite lucky with the find. While service is mediocre (we were sitting for about 10 minutes without anyone bringing us menus or checking), the menu was quite eclectic, the prices were very reasonable, and the food itself was excellent. After the initial service delay, everything went smoothly. My wife ordered the fettuccine with sausage in a cream/paprika sauce with veggies. Everything was incredibly fresh; would've liked a bit more sausage with a tad less veggies, but that's personal preference. I ordered the chicken with potatoes & veggies in a maple pomegranate raisin sauce, which was terrific. The sauce was sweet and flavorful, the only thing I could've asked for was a side of garlic bread or something to break up the sauce flavor a bit (I stole my wife's bread and a few bites of her dish to accomplish that). We finished off the meal with a salted caramel rice pudding, which was priced perfectly ($5.50) and was the ideal compliment to the meal. I highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a different style of Mediterranean (not just Italian). Worth noting - Their website is incomplete, and directs you to their FB page or TripAdvisor. Don't let this deter you from trying them... hopefully they'll invest some effort into their website as a marketing tool. read more

From the outside it looks like a small house but in the inside it looks very nice. Menu is good and the food was amazing. The waiter was very nice and it didn't take to long to get our food. The price wasn't that bad. read more

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Great restaurant, kinda like a secret restaurant, hard to find and you do want to make a reservation before you are there, they have limited tables. The food is neat, interesting staffs, the circumstance is so nice and comfortable. If you fancy a beer, try their imported Italian beer, quite nice. read more

Amazing food and charming atmosphere. Every dish we ordered was flavorful and unique. We absolutely enjoyed the food. Mr. Gerard was helpful and funny and attentive. Certainly added to the joy experience We will certainly come back next time we are in town. read more

Have been here a couple of times, as it is a favorite of ours. Wonderful service and delicious (to die for) food. Can't wait to go back as there's still some things on the menu I still want to try! read more

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The best kept secret in Sydney, Nova Scotia. The Olive Tree restaurant has a new menu and the food was absolutely fabulous! This is one place that's a "must visit" experience! read more

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Most recent visit for lunch on Xmas Eve 2018. Tried their special, which was a cranberry chicken wrap with choice of side soup or salad, and comes with a cute dessert & drink. The wrap itself was good and fresh, nothing overly exciting. The soup was like a thick tomato sauce, and I forget what the actual ingredients were, but fine for a cold day. The best part was the dessert that included a shortbreak cookie, slice of pound cake with cherries, and a mini mug of a peppermint hot chocolate I think? It was just a nice, unique touch to round out the meal. Always friendly staff. It was a bit chilly in there, despite me sitting directly under the heat pump in a booth, but overall a pleasant visit and I'm sure I will go back one of my future visits in Sydney. read more

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Very good food and very nice server. Only issue is that our water glasses were never refilled until we asked - just leave a jug on the table. If in the area again, we would definitely go back. read more

Excellent food and excellent service. Great waiter, super funny too. Italian dip was absolutely amazing, it was gone in 2 minutes tops. Best restaurant in Sydney!! read more

Dined here after numerous recommendations. We did make a reservation and were sat right away. The menu offers a lot of varied items of a Mediterranean feel. The server was friendly. Ordered a salad, but it never came and after eating the pizza did not say anything as we cpuld not wait any longer. There was only server and he was run off his feet. Not sure if this is the norm. But service was so poor it would deter me from coming back. No one asked us how the meal was. No one cleared our dinner plate until the bill came. Pizza was okay, but would like to try something else on the menu. read more

In the familiar spot of the sadly missed Italian Village Pizzeria, this restaurant is comfortably decorated to make one feel at home. When we first entered we were made to feel awkward when asked if we had reservations. With 6 people eating and a dozen tables free, they hummed and hawed over a list of 3 people in a book as if trying to see if they had room for us. This made me laugh as if they are trying to make themselves a high class restaurant. They did us a favor and seated us at one of their fine vinyl covered benches. The service was fine, one waitress for the whole place, and the food was mediocre, with nothing special to explain the pricey menu. It'll be a fine place to go on a date if you want between fast food and high class dining. read more

Great food, awesome service especially during COVID 19 with an altered menu. Maple Bacon burger for the win!

Great staff... very attentive! Coffee cup has lots of refills in it! The food is always hot and delicious. Their lunchtime specials are always a crowd pleaser. My husband and I frequent there and are never disappointed! Their burgers are amazing... you need a knife and fork to eat them! read more

I don't know why I'm writing the first review for this place. The food here was delicious! We were craving Mediterranean and Italian food and came across this place thanks to tripadvisor. We almost went to another Italian joint which was recommended by our bed and breakfast but thankfully read their reviews first and decided to give this joint a try instead. At first glance, this place looked like a hole in the wall from outside but once we got inside the atmosphere changed. I ordered the mushroom ravioli and my boyfriend had the chicken pasta dish. They were delicious!!!! I'm not one to finish any pasta dish in one serving but couldn't help but finish mine and also have a few bites of the chicken pasta dish which was equally delicious! If I'm ever in Sydney again I will definitely be back :) read more

We almost didn't go here due to the largely ignorant reviews on Yelp. That would have been a serious mistake, as this was the best restaurant on our vacation so far, a view shared by the 69+ reviewers on TripAdvisor that made it the #1 restaurant in Sydney. The place was packed on a Tuesday but the service was friendly and prompt. Every menu item sounded mouth watering, and our ultimate selections were both delicious and ample. We had enough food leftover for an entire lunch the next day! read more

Was going to eat here but due to the fact they are making me "like" them on Facebook before I can view an online menu really rebus me the wrong way. Perhaps they shouldn't advertise delivery when you have to jump through hoops to see what they might be able to deliver. read more

Friendly staff and great food. Lots of international inspiration on the menu and in the decor, which makes this great restaurant really stand out. I had the sambuca chowder and it was fantastic. Very rich and flavorful with lots of fresh fish and seafood. My husband had grilled chicken skewers that he loved, and the greek salad was authentic - no lettuce but lots of spices and flavor. Good wine selection too. read more

Having heard positive things, we decided to give this place a try for mums birthday. Good choice. No reservations any more. Just walk ins. We came a little early and only had a short wait before being seated Very pleasant charming venue. Pleasant prompt service in spite of being full. Shared the usual onion rings - crisp and hot, can't expect more. Daughter had the chicken maple wrap - loved it. Mum had the chicken Marakech. Again positive results. I had the chicken/sausage/shrimp pasta with a goofy name I can't remember. Very good. Big fresh shrimp which is comforting. My only thing was the sauce was, not to be mean, a bit pedestrian, like it was out of a can. Some fennel would have sparked it up a bit. But this is just a taste thing. I like more cheese too. None of us could finish our plates. Disappointed they don't have pizza anymore. I imagine they were good in they day. Good spot in a town that needs to up the dining standard. Really good value. Try it. read more

We had an excellent vegetarian meal at the Olive Tree this evening. 3 course dinner of soup or salad, penne pasta with a (kidney bean) child sauce and a delicious dessert of ice cream chocolate sauce topped with with a brownie in a cone. I went there because I read reviews of great food. But I am writing this to tell you of the excellent service of our waiter, Gerard. Not only did we get his full attention, he was humorous and witty and really made the meal a wonderful event by cracking jokes and exchanging repartee. We are on holiday, our last day in Sydney. We will always remember this city for this restaurant and this restaurant for Gerard. He is an artist ! Best waiter we have ever had. Anywhere. read more

The Olive Tree is a great little find "near the Pier". Love the ambience inside, completely unexpected for an old style "company house". The menu is broad, but I think that's to accommodate a wide variety of tastes for on the island folks vs. those visiting from out of town. The prices are good, the portions are quite generous and I love that there are "wee" desserts for $2.50. Noise level is a bit loud (but I've been to louder places) - so carrying a conversation on with a relative that's hearing impaired can be a bit difficult. Sound panel upgrades are $$$ though, and I'm hard pressed to find a place even here in Halifax that doesn't have bouncy, hard surfaces. read more

We spent 11 days on Cape Breton, and sampled many restaurants. We are vegetarians, and The Olive Tree was our favorite vegetarian-friendly restaurant in Cape Breton by far. The food was innovative and tasted great. The ambiance was very nice, and we had excellent service. Reservations are suggested. Our first try to eat here failed because the restaurant was full for the evening. Made reservations, and had a wonderful meal on our second attempt. Highly recommended! read more

Love this place reasonable pricing friendly staff always great food and the proteins are perfect! Will always recommend going here!

Great service. Friendly staff. Unique and original recipes. Definitely going to visit again.

I booked a reservation for a special family gathering. When I arrived our table was ready and guest who had arrived early, were seated and served wine. Our waitress was amazing. She arrived with our appetizer and shortly after with our menu choice. Great Job! We had fab time, and the food was amazing. This restaurant offers a complete experience! read more

Fantastic service, food, presentation, and ambiance. Everything was very well presented and tasted delicious. The waiter was greater - very attentive without being intrusive. Would definitely eat here again! read more

I've tried the restaurant three times. I was disappointed each time. It was bland and too boring for my tastes. But I may try another dish and ask specifically for their recommendation on their tastiest dish first. The ambience though is charming-European. read more

For dining in Sydney this was very impressive. Top points for quality. A bit pricey but well worth it. We had the special of the day - Chicken with a sauce from green apples and potatoes nicely roasted. Appetizer was the tomato/apple/corn soup. Both were excellent. The variety on the menu was impressive with a surprising number of of vegan options. My only complaint, and it's a small one - no local craft-beer. read more

A group of co-workers and I wanted to get some take out delivered to work. We could not find a menu online so a co-worker called the restaurant and they referred us to their Facebook page. Facebook is blocked at our office. So we asked for a fax menu. They said they don't have a fax machine. The restaurant employee was rude. One co-worker located the menu on her smart phone. When I called back to order I was put on hold twice. The first time for about 3 minutes. The only sound you hear while on hold is a loud, intermittent high-pitched beep by the way. When I was finally asked for the order I began to list the items and when I got to the Pizza order I was told "We don't do pizza anymore." That's interesting since pizzas are listed on their Facebook menu and "Pizzeria" is part of the restaurant name. We will not be trying to order from there again. read more

This is a great Italian restaurant... but they no longer serve pizza (or so I was told by the employee who answered the phone one evening when I was calling to place an order: apparently, they stopped serving pizza in January of 2016). read more