Oliva

07/14/2008 Posted by nolanspice

On the one hand, Oliva has great food. A little pricey , but it IS tapas. The entrees were delicious as they were flavorful and spiced just right. Great tasting wines and sangrias helped move the night along. Why am I torn, you ask? I cannot see how this place won for Citysearch's "Best First Date" place unless you were two deaf people! The music was up ridiculously loud and had you feeling that you were in a Basque club and not a restaurant. The dinner party I was with had to compete with the music to have conversations. We were yelling to the wait staff who only turned the music UP when we asked repeatedly to have it lowered. Some of us just gave up trying to talk and just ate. Also, the small space filled up very quickly. That's not a good thing when there's no AC and rivulets of sweat are running down your back...while you're eating...in a deafening environment. Good thing the food was wonderful.

Pros: Excellent food, Tasty wines/sangria, Worth the price

Cons: Music waaaaaaaaaay too loud, Crowds quickly, no AC

06/11/2008 Posted by susanebachman

I was excited to go back to Oliva -- it's probably been 2 years since I last ate here, but I was very disappointed with everything that has changed. First, despite reservations, we waited (party of 2) for 45 minutes. When were were seated our server never acknowledged us and we kept having to flag her down. The host even walked around to get her. We never got the drinks we ordered (twice!) and the food was very, very salty. When it was time to pay we couldn't find the waitress to get the check! We asked all the servers for a check and it took 45 minutes until we got one! Don't come here, there is nothing redeeming about the experience and so many better places to choose from.

Pros: Good area

Cons: Terrible service. Salty food.

09/10/2007 Posted by shelovestoeat

The tapas and sangria were not the best ever but the location, accessability (subway), ambiance and music were really nice. BEWARE they don't accept visa or mastercard, just cash and AMEX. ;0( It's nice to meet freinds there. The staff is nice. And like all tapas restaurants - it's a little on the pricey side.

Pros: music

Cons: sangria

06/30/2007 Posted by futurismo

I've rarely come across a restaurant on CS so blatantly reviewed by its own management than this place. That being said, I'm a picky restaurant person but I always feel comfortable here. Service is good, too. Nice "romantic" interior and bar (unless it's a peak hour). Food is authentic. try the sardines. they're beautiful.

Pros: Atmosphere, service, proximity to Merc Lounge.

Cons: smallish (not small) bar

05/09/2007 Posted by jenn7321

Oliva can always be counted on to maintain a fun, friendly, laid-back environment. This small, casually suave restaurant plays fun Latin inspired music while delivering scrumptious tapas and Sangria by the Pitchers. The staff and owners make everyone feel welcomed and the environment easily encourages mingling amongst patrons-the perfect start to any evening!

Pros: Sangria, Staff, Location

03/04/2007 Posted by rbwessel

You know you are a real New Yorker when you have a list of great places to go. They may be the latest clubs, dive bars or just places you can count on for great food and drink, friendly service and prices that will allow you to go out more than once a month. Oliva is a definite to add to your list. The wait staff is friendly and makes one quickly feel at home. The table set up encourages conversation and the food is just right. Go for authentic Tapas or a full meal and you will get fresh food that is seasoned to perfection while being prepared, cooked and served with care. Either way, enjoy, and have seconds because at their prices you can afford it. A friendly hint, be sure to make a reservation as the seating fills up quickly. I forgot to reserve a table, no problem, I gave them our names and enjoyed the bar for 15-20 minutes and seated. They have freshly made sangria waiting and a wide variety of mixers and beer. The bartenders are knowledable, friendly and generous. With Chris and Julio sharing the duties behind the bar you won't be disappointed no matter what night you find yourself there. There is no pretense here, the regulars are friendly and when the live music starts; even the most conservative will find a way to keep time to the Latin beat. Add Oliva to your list of special 'in' spots you know and drop in on any evening for a light snack, meal or just drinks and music, this is a can't miss place that proves that great things can, and do, come in small packages. But don’t take my word for it… take the F or V train to Lower East Side 2nd Ave stop (if you are coming down be near the front and if you’re coming up from Brooklyn be near the back) when you go through the turnstiles, exit at the right and Oliva is on the corner (Houston and Allen) at the top of the stairs.

Pros: Great food and drink at reasonable prices

Cons: A little cozy at the bar

02/26/2007 Posted by mb189

There are not many places in the city that you can go and always be happy...OLIVA is one of them. At this point I can not count how many times I have been there, but I always leave happy. The food is falovorful and very affordable, staff is always informative and kind and the guys that run it are incredible. I find that the energy at Oliva is always fantastic, everyone who is there is happy to be there and filled with life dancing to the cuban beats.

01/15/2007 Posted by gmusse

The restaurant is fairly small so when we arrived (having booked of course) as a group of 15 or so people, we had to wait a while until a few romantic couples were on their way. To smooth over the situation, the waitress gave us some tasty spanish shots (a couple of times throughout the evening) which wsa great. The tapas we had was great (mussels, shrimps, chorzo, croquettes etc). We also had the sangria which was good and the service was attentive throughout. Music was just the right level so you could talk to people either side and across from you but didn't hear conversations from other tables. They were spinning some latin style tunes as well as some old classics such as Michael Jackson.

Pros: Flavoursome food, decent music, attentive waiteresses.

Cons: Slow seating

01/15/2007 Posted by coleyas

This is a small restaurant for a big group, but the staff could not have been more accomodating for a November birthday party of 12 people that I attended. We had a good variety of tapas: Mussels St. Jeans, Calamares Bravos, and Shrimp a la Plancha were the stand-outs. The atmosphere was lively and is a great spot for drinks and eats, but maybe not for a date where you'd actually like to concentrate on what your dinner partner is saying. (Note: The Sangria is not recommended. It has a great deal of orange juice, an unncecessary ingredient, that made it difficult to even finish a glass. We ordered a pitcher and didn't even come close to finishing it. I made the wise switch to a Rioja half-way thru my glass.)

Pros: Accomodating Staff, Lively Atmosphere

Cons: A bit loud

12/06/2006 Posted by mkrobins

I always have a great experience at Oliva -- and I've gone back many times. I even had a BDay party for 20 on a Saturday nite, and was impressed at how great and affordable it was. The red sangria is deelish, and they have lots of vegetarian tapas, which are hard to find. And my meat eater friends were plenty happy too. I felt like I was back in Barcelona. It's not all about the food here though -- the ambiance is great, with a party-like atmosphere that the waitresses contribute to. At around 10, after the meal, I've been salsa dancing between the tables (no small feat in a small restaurant) w/ the waitstaff, and the live music on Sunday is great. The atmosphere can vary depending on who is working or playing music, but I always count on a good time.

Pros: Great atmosphere, fun staff, good food

Cons: small & crowded sometimes, menu doesn't change