The Olive Oil Restaurant & Diner
Hours: See Profile
You might also be interested in these:
Profile Description:
MY REVIEW: I am very impressed at the caring people of The Olive Oil Restaurant towards its Woodlands Community. On three different occasions after Hurricane Ike, I witnessed the management taking care of patrons that did not have have cash money, when credit card machines were not working. The Olive Oil and is a Mom and Pop place that goes beyond the call to open with generators way before major chain restaurants. These folks do it to take care of their neighbors, and they show their good heart and they make my stomache happy with their delicious food.
NAME: Don Walker
SUBMITTED: 9/22/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 9/21
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times
MY REVIEW: Great food at a great price. Loved the Gyros and sampler platter. Didn't really know what some of it was but it was tasty. Service friendly but young and inexperienced but helpful nonetheless. Our Turkish son in law said the food was authentic and seemed to enjoy it. Well worth a try, better than a lot of the local Land**s restaurants.
NAME: jj
SUBMITTED: 8/31/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 07/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times
MY REVIEW: Authentic Greek food! What they do well, they do great but many dishes are disappointing. The dolmades are absolutely fantastic although the avgolemono sauce needs more lemon. Ask for extra lemons to spritz on. Spinach and rice casserole is excellent as is the avgolemono (Greek chicken) soup. The lamb shank was absolutely flavorless (was it just boiled to death)? Salads are very good but sufficient for 2-3. The dips with pita are very good as are the spinach and cheese pies (spanakopita & tiropita). Avoid the tough kebabs. We've been tempted to go at night for live music & dancing but the fast food ambiance just doesn't invite. Wait staff don't know much about Greek food but make up for that with their attentive and friendly attitude. At least they offer to ask in the kitchen. Reasonable prices; clean dining area and restrooms. We go back often for our favorites. They deliver through Eat Good Express.
NAME: Lindee
SUBMITTED: 8/8/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: August 4
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times
MY REVIEW: My wife and I went on a Saturday night and it was very fun. We ordered the gyro plate and the Greek Sampler. The gyro was fantastic and the sampler had a little bit of everything on it which was nice because we couldn't quite decide what to eat. The server was good, I think his name was Austin, and was very prompt and knowledgable. There was live music and dancers and my wife got up and danced which was funny to watch! Overall the experience was quite nice and we plan on going again.
NAME: matt1326
SUBMITTED: 7/6/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 6/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: After reading the positive reviews we went there on Friday, 20 June 2008. As we parked at 7:00PM and noticed there were virtually no cars in the lot, I looked at my wife and said "This is not good". But we came to eat there and we went inside. There were almost as many staff as patrons. 3 tables (including ours) and one booth with a single person - a total of eleven people at 7:00 on Friday. Our inclination was to leave, but I relied on the reviews and we stayed.
What a mistake that was. I ordered the mixed grill special ($18); daulghter ordered the chicken souvlaki ($9); wife ordered the beef kabobs ($16).
Service: The server was a high school kid who tried but didn't know what he was doing. There were three or four other waiters (also kids) standing roumd mostly bored with nothing to do. Service C-
Food: Awful sums it up. The beef kabob and the beef served with the mixed grill were interesting. Honestly, if you had told me a cut of meat could be so cheap, and be cooked so badly to achieve the toughness of this beef, I wouldn't bel;ieve you. The toughest piece of meat/gristle we have ever tried to eat - like chewing a rubber ball. And I ordered medium rare (everything except the lamb chop and shrimp was very well done). The pork and chicken (both dishes) were very dry, tough, and overcooked. Seasoning: may have been non-existent; everything very bland - no flavor. Positive: the lamb chop was really quite good; the grilled shrimp were cooked perfectly (but absolutely no flavor). Food F
Someone said "gourmet food at fast food prices" Didn't see the gourmet part and didn't see the cheap prices. The beef kabobs were comped, as nothing from that plate was eaten. Value F
NAME: golems
SUBMITTED: 6/22/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 6/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: We have dined here a number of times. STRONG POINTS: The food is excellent. The portions are plentiful. The bread with the feta/olive oil is super. I usually get the gyros plate. We have never been disappointed by the food.
It is kind of interesting that some specialties include chicken pot pie! There are a number of non-Greek menu choices, but we have not tried them. Why, when the Greek food is so good. It does provide more choices for those doubtful about Greek food. The saganaki is good, but I wish they wait staff would let the alcohol burn off a bit more. We have not tried any desserts.
WEAK POINTS: The service is iffy. I think there is a rapid turnover in wait staff and frequently it appears that there is no real supervision or training for the new people. Service has not been good and may lead to our frequenting the restaurant less often. The wait staff also should be educated regarding the wines. White wine isn't served at room temperature. When you run out of the house red, the house blush is not a substitute, please don't pour it and deliver it. A better, more varied, choice of wines would be nice as we are not big fans of purely Greek wine.
AMBIANCE: There really isn't any, especially since it still has the remains of a buffet set up and a French mural on one wall. Overall, it has great potential to be very popular. Improving the skill and knowledge of the wait staff would be a big plus.
NAME: ORN
SUBMITTED: 6/17/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 6/08
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times
MY REVIEW: This was my first time and I was pleasantly surprised at the authenticity and portion sizes of the food! Compared to other Greek Restaurants in Houston, the was a similar but better experience very generous portions of gyro meet and delicious tzatsiki sauce! The potatos were awesome and the prices were great! I will definitely be a frequent visitor...probably weekly (based on the experience I just had). Great service, too!
NAME: PickyEater
SUBMITTED: 4/9/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 04/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: Saturday night is the only night to go. The entertainment is wonderful and very entertaining. The food was exceptional and the service was average. The place was packed and NEVER were we in any way pressured to move on. It's been a long time since I had a 2-1/2 hr dinner. The people were very friendly and knowledgeable and the food was delivered as ordered in a reasonable amount of time. The beer selection needs a little help and the wine selection was OK. The price was very reasonable for the area. We've been about 6 times and I can assure you we'll go many more times in the future.
NAME: Eric
SUBMITTED: 4/1/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 02/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times
MY REVIEW: I enjoyed Olive Oil. I was there at lunch with 2 girlfriends. We all oredered Gyros. The wait staff was attentive and polite and didn't mind special orders at all. The potatos that come with they gyros are wonderful as was the bread and olive oil/feta that came out first.
My ONLY complaint would be that this space was previously inhabited by a S*ouper Salad type restaurant and it still looks exactly like the old place. It seems a little run down and has absolutely no personality. I saw two parties walk in, look around and walk out. I think if they updated the decor this place would be a huge hit!
I hope they stay! It's nice to have an interesting restaurant in The Woodlands and not have to go to (or pay the prices of) Market Street!! Great food, good service, reasonable prices!
NAME: ewhite723
SUBMITTED: 3/8/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 2/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: This is an incredible place!!! It's great to have an authentic Greek food restaurant north of the city. I would have to drive 40 minutes to get to a decent Greek food restaurant downtown. Yes, I know they have American cuisine on the menu, but when you have kids in tow, it's a necessity! It's really hard to find a great Gyro. The local pizza places have them on their menu, but it's only a Gyro in name. This is the best Gyro I've had in 25 years. The last great Gyro I had was on State Street in downtown Madison, Wisconsin and if anybody went to school there, you know what I'm talking about!! Superb portion size, incredible tasting food, amazing service. I hope more people frequent this place so that it stays in business.
NAME: JLondon
SUBMITTED: 3/7/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: March, 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times
MY REVIEW: I've tried the beef stefado, gyro platter, moussaka, stuffed grape leaves appetizer and the pork souvlaki.
First off, the moussaka is without equal in my experience. Absolutely fantastic. The flavor and texture were 5 stars. A very respectably sized portion.
The gyro platter is also superb with excellent seasoning. Large portions.
The beef stefado was very good but it can easily be too rich for people, and it could have used a side of rice. You get a lot, especially considering the richness of the dish.
The souvlaki was tender, moist and extremely flavorful. A more modest portion size but unless you are a really big eater you should leave satisfied.
Stuffed grape leaves were very good, they are a meat and rice stuffed variety with a lemon/egg sauce over the top. An easy meal for lighter eaters.
Service on the first visit was top notch. The waiter was very knowledgeable about all the dishes and attentive. The second time the waiter wasn't nearly as good. But not so bad that it took away from the phenomenal dining experience.
The only real problem with the The Olive Oil is having the willpower to try other dishes instead of just ordering the Moussaka. Just thinking about it is making my mouth water....and I don't like eggplant!
Oh and they do have quite a few "American" dishes, pot roast, chicken fried steak and what not. Though I love this type of food too, I just could never see myself passing up the excellent Greek food to try it. But they do have it for the less adventurous.
NAME: dzeren
SUBMITTED: 3/5/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 02/08
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times
MY REVIEW: I just had lunch at the Olive Oil Restaurant. It was quite delicious. I had actually sat out to dine at M*oscow 2, a Russian restaurant that is in the strip center across the street. It was closed for business! So, I headed to the Olive Oil because that is as close to Russia as I was going to get today, geographically speaking!
The gyros platter was delicious! The lamb was succulent. The pita bread was nice and pillowy. Some sort of seasoning was baked in. I have only eaten at B*ibas and N*iko Nikos in Houston, so finding another Greek eatery made me happy!
NAME: wackyruss
SUBMITTED: 2/8/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: February 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: We keep on going back and can't find fault with the place. Their daily specials are great and the prices are probably the best in the Woodlands. Being a gourmet myself I can taste the freshness of the ingredients. Their mousaka is the best and the coustard in fillo is fantastic!!! When they first opened the service was lacking, but now everyone is on with the program. We usually prefer to sit at Austin's tables,that kid is a good waiter.
I hope my review helps. We need to help all the good restaurants in the Woodlands to stay open.
NAME: Marie
SUBMITTED: 2/5/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: feb 02 08
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times
MY REVIEW: Our first time was Saturday. Very pleasant first visit. Gourmet cuisine for fast food price.
The only weak point was the service,Clinton our waiter was overwhelmed and we had to ask multiple times for assorted stuff we needed. We didn't observe other waiters having the same problem so maybe he was having a bad day.
Overall we will give the food and prices a ten and service a four.
NAME: Mark
SUBMITTED: 1/28/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 01/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: If u go to Olive Oil try the Mousaka and Saganaki.Best ever.
Cheers to the Chef. Not a big selection of desserts but the Greek Custard in Fillo is fantastic.And while you're there buy a loaf of bread and take it home. You won't regret it.
Service could use a little improvement but nothing too serious.
NAME: Lisa
SUBMITTED: 1/25/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: jan. 2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: We have been visiting the restaurant often, but we went on Saturday night for the first time to watch the belly and Greek dancers. Talk about fun, fun and fun. We visited Greece a few years back and Saturday night was a trip down memory lane.
We love the food and the service is getting better and better. We hope they stay in business for years to come.
NAME: toddler
SUBMITTED: 1/21/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 1/08
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times
MY REVIEW: CM - there were no belly dancers or "live" music at the time we were there last Saturday - only a very loud CD that skipped repeatedly. There is no reason to get defensive - this site is here so we can contribute our personal dining experience - not everyone has the same taste.
I do not consider a restaurant that has chicken fried steak, lobster bisque, chicken parmesan and brie cheese with raspberry preserves "authentic" Greek cuisine. We waited way too long for the food we finally ended up with. If this is your taste - great. It was not ours the night we were there.
NAME: Taste Bud
SUBMITTED: 1/10/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 1/5/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: We visited the OLive Oil on Saturday.It was strongly recommended by our friends.I will desagree with the previous review.We were there at 5pm. The place was actually busy even at such an early hour and we were
a. seated promptly
b. our waiter was very friendly and efficient
c. our food took a reasonable amount of time to be served
The Greek soup and dolmades were fantastic and the homemade custard dessert out of this world.
We will go back.
NAME: VG
SUBMITTED: 1/9/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 1/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: I am very surprised at the previous review.I was there with friends last SAturday night for the Greek night and enjoyed ourselves immensly... One should assume that on the night of the week that they sponsor The Greek Festival of Houston dancers,a belly dancer and live music that not everything will be quiet.Can't find fault with the place.Love it and I will continue sponsor it. True Greek Food and Great Atmosphere this place is really an asset to The Woodlands.
NAME: CM
SUBMITTED: 1/8/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 1/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited 4-6 times
MY REVIEW: After reading the positive reviews, in general we were sadly disappointed.
Our group had the gyros plate, chicken souvlaki and pastitsio. The food was OK. The spinach and rice side dish was bland and mushy. However, the feta and olive oil they bring out was very good.
The service was friendly, but very slow. While our waiter made a point to come by our table several times telling us our order would be out soon, we continued to wait. We asked for more tea - he said he would bring it, but went to sit in a booth with two girls and chat instead of getting our refills. The staff seemed very young and not serious about their job. The music was so loud you could not hold a conversation and the small group that filled the place on a Saturday night included a bunch of screaming kids running around the place. We felt a great relief to be back in the car and done with the experience.
Hopefully the kitchen will get their act together so a table of 5 does not have to wait almost and hour for their food when the place is less than half full.
NAME: Taste Bud
SUBMITTED: 1/6/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 1/2008
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: Friday night my wife and I wound up at The Olive Oil after looking through various Woodlands restaurant reviews for something interesting in the area that we hadn't tried yet. Extremely glad we did. A very positive experience.
Arrived about 6:30, was promptly seated by a very courteous and well-spoken young hostess. Our server arrived immediately with menus and took drink orders. The menu is wide ranging and very reasonably priced. We shared a dolmades appetizer, which turned out to be 4 very good and generously sized dolmades. My wife ordered a Greek chicken dish (forgot the name) and I had the Mediterranean fish with baked vegetables and roasted potatoes. The portions were huge, but they were so good we couldn't stop ourselves from finishing them.
I guess to insure prompt efficient service at all times, the serving staff seemed to back each other up, making sure no one waited for anything if your primary server was in the kitchen or at another table. So we were exposed to many of the staff, and we have to say we haven't seen a restaurant staff so well trained outside of very high-end gourmet restaurants. The owners and manager have obviously spent a lot of time on training the staff. Every one of the staff was pleasant, well-spoken, knowledgeable, and prompt. Even including the bus boy.
And speaking of the owners, they are a very pleasant couple who visited with the guests, moving about checking on everyone, and kept things moving efficiently.
If there's a less than very positive note about the place, it's the decor. The restaurant is in the space previously occupied by a salad bar and has retained the tables, chairs, booths, counters, and wall decor. Though pleasant and roomy enough, it could benefit from a little cosmetic makeover. Maybe dim the bright lights some, maybe add a plant or lattice barrier atop the half-wall between the dining area and the old salad bar to separate them visually.
In summary... very good food with large portions at excellent prices with excellent service, in average surroundings. These kind of Mom & Pop places with lots of appealing character are rare in the Woodlands area, but they're tough to keep going. We hope they do because we want to go back many times.
NAME: Luv_Italian
SUBMITTED: 1/5/2008 LAST VISIT WAS: 1/04/08
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: It is great to have a Greek restaurant in the north suburbs. My wife and I stopped on the spur of the moment while out shopping. The service and the food were great. The portions are very large so we had the leftovers the next day and they were still delicious.
NAME: Kelly Patterson
SUBMITTED: 12/27/2007 LAST VISIT WAS: 12/07
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: Stopped in on a Friday evening to get an order to go. Not knowing the size of the portions and wanting to try more than one thing I ordered the Greek Salad and Beef Gyro plate. They were both very generous portions and I had lots of leftovers. The beef was melt in your mouth tender and spiced just right. The yogurt dipping sauce was delish and the salad great. My only suggestion is if you get an order to go ask for any sauces or dressings to be put on the side. Next time I will eat in to enjoy the bread and feta everyone is raving about.
I hope they do well. I wonder how their American food is...
NAME: AnnP
SUBMITTED: 12/10/2007 LAST VISIT WAS: 12/07
FREQUENCY: Visited once
MY REVIEW: My girlfriend and I went to this restaurant last night for the second time. The first time we were there the service was not perfect but it was a new restaurant so we thought we would try again. The food was fantastic and the service was much better, a great new restaurant to go to. While we were there we also heard of Greek dancing they will be having on Saturdays from now on and that has us very excited. I would recommend this restaurant to anybody who likes Greek. Much improved over the last couple weeks!
NAME: John R.
SUBMITTED: 12/7/2007 LAST VISIT WAS: 12/2007
FREQUENCY: Visited 2-3 times
MY REVIEW: Our friends visited the restaurant and highly reccomend it,so we we went to see what all the fuss was about. We weren't expecting much going in,doubting that it could be much better than any other new place in the area.
Upon arrival we were greeted warmly by two adorable teenegers acting as hostesses and you know how first impressions can be. Our waiter was very polite and even though the restaurant has an extensive menu, he was very helpful in explaining all the dishes to us.
We had to wait a bit for our meal but when it arrived it was worth the wait. I had the mousaka and my husband the lamb chops.The presentation and the taste of the food left us yearning for more. The rice pudding the owner herself cooked was absolutely delightful. Seldom you find such service and quality at such low prices.THANK YOU, OLIVE OIL, we are coming back again and again.
NAME: cr Katy
SUBMITTED: 11/26/2007 LAST VISIT WAS: 11/24/2007
FREQUENCY: Visited once
©Copyright 1991 - 2008 B4-U-EAT.COM. All rights reserved.
Design and database by B4-U-BUY
| 