Olea

I almost cannot bear how adorable this place is! We were looking for a restaurant on Saturday night for the three of us who have different dietary preferences and restrictions. I figured Mediterranean would fit the bill and Olea's array of tapas, many of which are vegan, convinced me that it would be just the right place for us (my husband likes meat, my friend is dairy- and gluten-free pescatarian). Originally I had tried to get a reso for Miss Ada but that wasn't happening. Olea encourages walk-ins but takes a few reservations (they had a 9pm available but we had 10pm bar plans). We were able to get a table outside right when we arrived around 7pm and the place filled up soon thereafter. The outside seating area is quaintly-appointed with cushioned folding chairs. We felt so comfortable and the pacing of service is leisurely which was exactly what we wanted on a late summer Saturday night. They have heating lamps as well, so I am sure late into fall is OK out there.We started with drinks (they have a nice Lambrusco-yay!) and za'atar-spiced olives, then my friend and I split the Impossible meatballs which are delicious, perfectly cooked with an excellent tomato sauce and the creamiest vegan feta that I've ever had. This is a must-order and I don't always love meatballs. I also had the split pea soup which is excellent and hummus and endive leaves. I've had better hummus, this one is a little bland for my liking, but not really an issue for me. Let's just say these plates may be called "small plates" but small, they are not. I also tasted my friend's shishito peppers which is an enormous portion and perfectly crispy and salty. Get this to share if you can as it compliments a lot of the other dishes so well.Prices are so impressively fair, as I mentioned the plates aren't tiny but medium sized, priced as though they are small plates. Pretty cool in this day and age of walking out of a place hungry after dropping a small fortune. It is what it is and I like to eat out so I take it in stride (unless it's truly a rip-off), so Olea is a nice departure from that type of situation.Olea is literally the perfect place to have a long dinner with friends and good conversation. One of my favorite pursuits.

fun ambiance and able to walk in on a weeknight with 4 to be seated without res before 6 PM. they run a HH until 6:30 which is pretty solid (7-8 bucks for house wine, some tapas, dips etc) that you can get at a table and not just at the bar.food is uneventful. mussels were decent but had insanely soggy bread, romanesco + labneh dips were good but the hummus was... really awful? runny and did not taste like chickpeas at all? everyone thought it was a different style of hummus because it was so off-putting LOL. fun kale salad, generic potatoes. would say it's a good spot for HH if you're in the neighborhood, but not necessarily for really great food.$35 pp with 1 drink each. come to yap and not spend too much money with great vibes, eat elsewhere

Wow, what a surprise! A friend suggested we check this place out for brunch and glad we did. I had the Green Eggs and Lamb which was much needed after a workout hours before. We split the Feta-Labneh dip and the Fried Brussels, everything tasted great and came out promptly. Forgot to snag photos, BUT the ambiance is there and I could see this being a popular place for a Hinge/Bumble/whatever dating app meetup. We sat at the bar and service was quick and personable.

The food was phenomenal but the service was mediocre at best. Greek grilled cheese - probably one of the best grilled cheeses I've ever hadCroquettes - not my favorite but my family loved it so probably just a taste preference Brussels - nice char, good flavor and drizzled with balsamic Dip trio- good way to try many options and the mini pitas were hot and freshFalafel - fresh and crispy but didn't really taste the artichoke much As for the service - our waiter was pretty rude, she gave us the check before we even asked/she asked us for it and we were going to order another round of drinks. But oh well, we just paid and left. We got out apps first and when the other server came with the entrees he pretty much rolled his eyes at us because we asked him to clear the dishes from the apps first. We only asked because the tables are small and there was no space for the new plates. It didn't feel like an unreasonable requestAmbiance - beautiful decor, nice homey vibe

Lamb pasta (valentines weekend special) was delish - perfect amount of sauce and noodles had the right level of bite. The dips were solid but I feel like the paella was a skip. It wasn't a true crispy bottom like paella should be, it was more like a rice with seafood on top

Who doesn't want to come into a warm neighborhood restaurant with sunlight windows, generous wait staff, and delicious food? My friend knew Olea - but this was my first visit. We both had tea and Mediterranean lamb chili as it was gluten-free and had good labeling on the menu. It was scrumptious! I'll be back for sure!

Loved everything about olea!Food: we ordered three apps and 2 mains for 4 people and it was a great amount of food for us! My favorite was the spicy feta labneh dish - which was just so flavorful and had this honey crunchy bites in the center, which were incredible! The brussel sprouts were also so well made! The halloumi is another winner and thankfully they gave enough to share! The Greek paella was perfect for a warm day - I liked the mix of the dips with the lamb! The braised garlic chicken was well made but not my favorite. I'd come back and just order the apps next time! Ambience: lovely indoor and outdoor area! It got loud by 8pm on Friday night inside, but still very pleasantService: great service! Price: good prices for portion sizes and quality

Cozy neighborhood Mediterranean restaurant. Absolutely adore the interior and the dishes are fabulous. We ordered the dips, garlic shrimp, seafood paella, short ribs, lamb pasta and warm salad, and they were all delicious. The warm salad is definitely not something to sleep on! Highly recommend and great place to have a long dinner with friends. 5/5

It's been nearly 15-years of going to this place and I finally remembered to take some pics and write a review. Has the hood changed, yes. Have the people changed, yes. Am I the only one with a New York accent still eating here, most likely yes. But one thing that has not changed: the quality of the food! Olea Mediterranean has always hit it out of the park when it comes to a solid meal, especially anything with lamb. Last Sunday, the sun was out and the air was crisp in Brooklyn and some of us got together and realized it's a solid day to eat a meal outside. Table service was great, coffee was strong and kept coming, and the food, especially the lamb, wow. Always amazing! The pictures look great but the taste surpasses the photos! Two friends had the Olea Breakfast with all the sides and the Chicken sliders. Me? I had to have some of that incredible lamb hash which hit all the right spots. The lamb, the mint, the carrots, potatoes, turnips, feta and egg.... Seriously... what else can I say?! Get your butts to Olea on a cool day and warm up with a fresh skillet of lamb hash! You won't regret it.

Been here a couple of times for some strong, enjoyable meals. Mediterranean is one of my absolute favorites, and their menu offers some intriguing and tasty options. On our last visit for dinner, I enjoyed my Greek Paella, and my girlfriend loved the sea scallops special, which was served with an avgolemono-style sauce. Our party started with a trio of dips--hummus, tzatziki and red pepper dip--that were exceptional, a true highlight. The kid can be picky, but he enjoyed the Shawarma-Spiced Chicken Sliders a lot. On a previous brunch visit we had the lamb Hash, made with a veggie melange and topped with a fried egg,, spicy tomato jam, whipped feta and herbs, which was savory, along with the spicy Eggs in Purgatory. Both were quite flavorful. Almost too much so...In fact I would say that, as much as I enjoy it here, they could perhaps learn something from the old Coco Chanel dictum and leave something out. For example the paella had huge pieces of dill and parsley, seafood and olives... all good things and flavorful, but at times felt like a bit too much going on. Same with the brunch items. I feel like many things could be a smidge more low-key or refined and this place would just be exceptional. Still and all, food here is tasty and flavorful and filling. Drink and cocktail options are particularly on point. I love their Greek Martini (gin, cheese-stuffed olives) and their white sangria is excellent as well. The vibe couldn't be more charming, from the ramshackle yet cozy interior to the outdoor tables on a bucolic Brooklyn corner--I'm sure I'll happily return and enjoy.