Olive

My boyfriend and I came here for dinner during the first night of a work conference and the food hit the spot! We were looking for a balanced, filling, and relatively healthy meal and Olive did the job. I ordered the chicken and beef combo and my boyfriend enjoyed his Shakshuka. The food came out fast, and the atmosphere was nice and calm for a Monday night. The person who served us was also friendly and we admired his wallpaper (which he said he did himself). Olive is worth a try if you're in the area!

Great spot to grab a quick bite and some fresh food in New Orleans!We went on Saturday night and had no issues finding a spot. There are quite a few tables/booths. Seems like they do a lot of take out orders also. We ordered a falafel sandwich, gyro sandwich, and shared a tabbouleh. The sandwiches normally come on tortillas but they have the option for pitas which is what we did. The pita bread was super good, not dry at all! The sandwiches don't come with a side but there are a lot of good apps to order instead. Everything was super fresh and was ready super fast! The gentleman working was great, answered our questions and was overall very hospitable!

As much as New Orleans' southern cuisine mesmerizes you (from po boys to fried okras to crawfish/lobster to deep-fried alligator to name a few), you MIGHT get tired of the greasiness of it. When that happens to you, a restaurant like Olive comes in handy. My daughter and I were craving for something "healthy" like Mediterranean food to be specific. Upon doing a quick search, this restaurant came up with over 4 star ratings. Looked promising. It was only a few minutes walk from where we were at that time so without wasting any time, we rushed to here. Olive is a very simple-looking restaurant so fancy doesn't necessarily apply to this place. And yet it's more than a quick casual one for sure. As we walked in, we were immediately greeted by a man who told us to jus sit where we would want. We needed a few simple dishes to fill our half-filled stomachs (we ate at a nearby sushi restaurant which was disappointing so before we would spend more money there, we paid the tab and went here.) We set our eyes on the Greek Salad and Grape Leaves (app). They didn't take too long to come out of the kitchen. Well, the restaurant wasn't super busy so that could be why but it might have been that they are simply efficient and prompt in service. Greek Salad - Simply and yet fresh. Good portion, too. All he leaves in the bowl were fresh; nothing tasted old. Grape Leave - I like it when grape leaves are served warm. The size of the grape leaves was decently medium. 6 pieces on the plate. Good portion/good price, hence good value. I bet many people who got tired of eating deep-fried something day after day chose this place and left good reviews (like we did.) In a way, this restaurant exists like a haven for healthy eating. It was a life saver for us.

We needed a break from Cajun food and found Olive!! Olive's food feels so healthy and is an amazing lunch spot. We ate here twice despite being in NOLA for only 4 days. Every meat is juicy - the chicken shawarma, gyro, and kufta kebab. You just can't go wrong with anything. The hummus is also perfectly nutty and creamy. The service is also great and the guy who works here is very kind!

Olive never disappoints! The food is always delicious, the staff is great and the restaurant is clean. It is a perfect spot for lunch

Super tasty! We ordered the shakshuka, the half and half shawarma, and the halloumi for food. We loved the hummus on the side. I also got the Lebanese Iced Tea for a drink which was very refreshing in some humid weather. The service was pretty quick and the people were friendly. I would recommend checking it out.

Stopped by for lunch and found Olive close to our hotel. Such a lovely lunch meal! I ordered the lentils soup and a mixed meats shawarma platter. The lentils soup had great flavor. And the shawarma platter was so full of meat, I requested chicken and beef, and it came with tzatziki, salad and endless pita bread. This platter was gigantic! I am still amazed that I was able the finish it all. The meats were well seasoned and often I don't like too much salt however there was not too much salt in this one, which I was glad of. And of course the hummus was spectacular. Combining all of those flavors were delicious. The service was also good and attentive. And the restaurant during lunch was not overly crowded however still had a good number of tables occupied. Overall great spot for lunch, if you was healthy yes it is, however it was so much food so plan ahead as many dishes are shareable!

We have been here twice now and I know we will just keep going back. The experience at Olive is perfection.They have a generous menu of Mediterranean eats. We stopped in for lunch today and had some zater bread and sandwiches. I went with the chicken shawarma and it was EXCELLENT. The zater bread was good, too. The fries were the only thing that didn't stand out. They were bland and just ok. That being said, everything else made up for it. Also their unsweetened tea is so tasty!The prices are fair and the portions are great. Service is friendly and the space is small but comfortable and intimate.Can't wait to come back!

This is a great option for those looking for something healthy, allergy friendly, and fresh in the city. As a gluten free vegetarian I ordered the olive appetizers and fried cheese to get a little bit of everything! The falafel, grape leaves, and halloumi, are gluten free without the pita. I simply asked for some cucumbers on the side to dip into things! I loved the salty pickles that came with the fried cheese- they paired so nicely with the super crunchy and flavorful falafel. The cheese itself was salty and crispy, however did not stand out to me. The Turkish coffee and mango drink were both tasty; I was really impressed with the coffee and how strong but not bitter it was- this is a must try if you haven't had it before.

I tend to eat light in the Summer, as I pretty much shut down in high humidity. Who knew that Summer lasts into November in New Orleans? So I was looking for a light, but filling breakfast after Mass and stumbled upon Olive walking back to my hotel from St Patrick's. What a pleasant discovery!I ordered the Shakshuka, which came with salad, hummus, and pita. To drink I had a mango juice and a Lebanese tea, which I had never heard of. For dessert, I tried the kullage. (Phyllo dough stuffed with milk custard topped with honey. Like baklava, but with dense custard filling instead of ground nuts.) A Turkish coffee finished the meal off perfectly.The shakshuka was delicious, although the eggs were a little too well done. The salad was fresh and crunchy with a delightful, light vinaigrette. The hummus was flavorful too and seemed to be homemade.The Lebanese tea was a find. Apparently, not from Lebanon, but NOLA! I expected hot tea with mint or something like that. Instead, it's iced tea with rose water, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup, with pine nuts sprinkled on top. A refreshing alternative to sweet tea! Liked it so much I got a second glass to-go.This meal was so good I'd like to try their other dishes. If you're looking for excellent Mediterranean food with fast, friendly service and great ambiance, Olive is a top-drawer option in the Downtown area.