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| Entrance to Olive's |
Olives Restaurant on Ludlow Avenue in Clifton is a fun neighborhood location that has a varied menu, though it bills itself as All-American, and a diverse clientele. On the TV show Cheers, the bar was in the basement and the restaurant was upstairs. Olives is the other way around. The street level bar bustles and the menu is available there. We’ve usually eaten downstairs in the restaurant area, which is cozy, eclectically decorated, but still reminiscent of a sports bar since there are TVs playing different sporting events.
We’re determined to share Olive's with some new customers. Here’s are the reasons. One of the owners has always been working
when we’ve visited and that’s been weekdays, weekends, both during the day and evening. (The only other restaurant where we’ve seen that happen is Frontera Grill/Topolobampo where Rick Bayless seems ubiquitous). The service is friendly, efficient, and attentive. It’s not the type of place where a table of diners is forgotten. The menu pretty much covers all bases and price points from around $7 (salads, pizzas, deep dishes) to $22 (pork and steak specialties). The deep dishes are an original group of selections that are almost a cross between a casserole and a calzone. We’ve visited a number of times with a number of friends and family members. All but one enjoyed the restaurant and liked the food. One didn’t care for the Thai Pasta dish because the portion size was smaller than he’d expected. Otherwise, it’s been a low-key hit.
when we’ve visited and that’s been weekdays, weekends, both during the day and evening. (The only other restaurant where we’ve seen that happen is Frontera Grill/Topolobampo where Rick Bayless seems ubiquitous). The service is friendly, efficient, and attentive. It’s not the type of place where a table of diners is forgotten. The menu pretty much covers all bases and price points from around $7 (salads, pizzas, deep dishes) to $22 (pork and steak specialties). The deep dishes are an original group of selections that are almost a cross between a casserole and a calzone. We’ve visited a number of times with a number of friends and family members. All but one enjoyed the restaurant and liked the food. One didn’t care for the Thai Pasta dish because the portion size was smaller than he’d expected. Otherwise, it’s been a low-key hit.
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| The Scrambler |
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| Chicken and Rice Soup from the Breakfast Buffet |
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| Samplings from the Breakfast Buffet |
What really sets it apart is arguably the most generous and consistently well-cooked Saturday and Sunday brunch in central Cincinnati. Almost all of the items are offered on the brunch menu, but the best deal is to try a little of all of them and order a custom made omelette as part of the bargain. On top of all that, the coffee is great too.
The guys talk about Olive's a lot and meet some of our friends there. They usually take in a movie at the Esquire while in the neighborhood. That's too long for me to be away from home.
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