39 Brock St, Kingston, ON K7L 1R7, Canada
Popular establishment with a patio featuring refined Italian cuisine in a modern, industrial space.
First time in Olivea!! Loved it !! Love the ambiance , service, food and all. At first , r we wanted to sit by the window, but we didn’t make reservations so they were booked . We sat at the bar and we loved it . Host remembered we wanted to sit by the window and notified us it’s available later on but we were comfortable where we were. I found it service is better at the bar because someone is always there for you . Our server, Liam , was very good . He made good recommendations for our mocktails, wine , appetizer and our main courses . I will definitely go back again and recommend it to my friends when they go to Kingston.
Food was amazing. Everything tasted so fresh. Service was great, we made a reservation as well. Came here almost 7 years ago, and finally got to come back!
1st, DO NOT COME AND EAT!!!! This is the worst restaurant in Kingston. The server takes away my plate without my consent. And did not introduce us the soup of the day-all the other table were introduced, why not us? Because we are Asian? Is that right? Overall BAD, don’t come here!!!!
The food was very underwhelming and we left feeling disappointed. Pros: - We were seated at a table very quickly when we arrived. - Meatballs appetizer we ordered was tasty, tender and the tomato sauce and all worked very well together. - Pepper/cheese server was very friendly. - bread, olive oil and balsamic served was tasty. - Nice atmosphere, nice lighting and all. - Bellini was ok, not bad Cons: - Both pasta mains we ordered were very average in taste. - Garganelli, the crispy chicken served with it was extremely salty, and over seasoned, but was indeed "crispy" just difficult to swallow. - Tagliatelle Bolognese sauce was pretty dry and lacking depth and flavor. - Our main waitress was overall not that friendly and rushed us to leave. We did not feel at home or that welcome with her. Overall, we dropped by because we heard of so many positive reviews. Unfortunately, we can't say the same.
Do not recommend for celebrations like a birthday, anniversary, or engagement! Hey! I wanted to share my experience at Olivia in Kingston. I was recommended this location by my sister so decided to add it to my wife's birthday trip. I made sure to make a reservation 2 weeks in advance and I even mentioned that it was a part of my wife's birthday celebrations. We got to the restaurant and was greeted by the staff who noted that it was my wife's birthday as per my notes . Which I was happy to hear. We were placed on the patio as it was busy indoors but we didn't mind. We got a mocktail blood orange and the sprite cocktail which was a 4/10 and pricey. We didn't mind spending a little extra as it was a special occasion. We ordered the gnocchi and the steak with spaghetti. These meals were very well done and reasonably priced. I would give both dishes a 7/10. In between the manager came out and wished my wife a happy birthday, which I was shocked to be honest as we usually don't see that extra step taken. Our waitress was here and there and really mia. We wished she took care of us better, it was a Monday night. She finally came back and we ordered the Tiramisu. She brought it out right away without any candles or anything and then handed us our bills. My wife went to the washroom and I asked her why they don't do any celebration for bday and she said she didn't know. I later spoke to the manager who advised she forgot to mention it , I feel very disappointed as they could have done something for my wife at that point . Just something with a candle to make it more memorable. We even bought dessert from you guys. We have been to nicer restaurants in Toronto like Jacob's and black and blue who go all out for birthdays but we just asked for a simple candle. Overall food was okay, service was alright but I wouldn't recommend this place for celebrations. Go to jacks across the street or the keg, they will make sure you have a memorable birthday!
Intimate restaurant right beside city hall with a great view if your sitting by the window. Make reservations as it’s normally busy and rare to walk in and be able to get a table at dinner time. Extensive selection of wine to choose from. If looking for a yummy alcoholic speciality coffee for desert, try the Bella! Can’t go wrong with any of the pasta dishes. The gnocchi dish is a must try if you love gnocchi. Had the pesto linguine pasta with shrimp recently. It was good but I wouldn’t get it again. The shrimps were loaded with flavour.
A quaint little Italian restaurant serving authentic Italian cuisine. Very friendly and accommodating staff. From the apps to the main course and desserts, everything was delicious and very filling. We highly recommend that you reserve a table ahead of time as it fills up really fast.
Olivea is a lovely little Italian place with many different delicious menu options. Your dinner will come with fresh focaccia and olive oil to dip. I recommend the oysters and seafood linguine if you're a fan of shellfish. Be certain to reserve a table ahead of time as they can be quite busy. The atmosphere is somewhat upscale but also cozy and down to earth.
This was my first time at the restaurant, I came solo for lunch. The wait time for my drink was close to 10 minutes (a mocktail). It was lunchtime but there were two servers and a bartender working, not excessively busy by any means. I requested the bill with my meal and noted it was because I was in a bit of a hurry. Bill came but my server did not come back to check if I was enjoying the meal (having been a server in the past, this is just a given as part of your job) or to collect payment. Anytime she did return, there was no apology for the obvious delay. I had to request help from another employee to get a takeout container and to have my bill settled. The food was excellent, but I was disappointed in the service. Poor first impression for front of house.
Very underwhelming food for a nice place like this. The creme brulee had a 1/4 inch layer of sugar candy on top, making it inedible. The simple lack of quality control in this case, represents a larger theme at this restaurant. Id happily change this review if things change here.
Amazing! The gnocchi dish was incredible
Food was delicious and service was great, 100% recommend
This is the best Italian food I have ever tried in Kingston.
Super super super delicious food that is freshly prepared. Very friendly staff. I havent eaten at such a good Italian restaurant outside of Italy for a long time!!!!
Good Italian food. Service could be better. They were busy lunchtime. Washrooms in the basement
Had a great meal with my Daughter and everything was perfect.
Was excellent.
Very good, nice atmosphere, food and drinks were great, service was excellent
This place has really gone down hill over the years. The food was extremely salty, taking away from any flavor in the food. The price we paid did not justify the quality in the food we received. Complete waste of money. We will not be returning.
It was a nice night with good food. The cheese and meat board is small compared to our previous visit a year or so ago. The food wasnt so amazing that it was worth the high price. The service was lovely but relaxed in pace. We will likely return in the future.
If I could give service a negative, I would. Front of house staff are so unorganized and there are 3 of them? Invest in more cooks and servers, rather than catty front of house. Remember, they are the first impression of an establishment.
Great Italian food
Didnt care for my carbonara. I make better at home.other companions liked their meal. Creme Brule was very good. Cannoli very different. Service was ok. Probably wouldnt return.
All dishes here have been excellent - they really put effort in their menu, presentation, and flavour
Fantastic restaurant with delicious food.
Delicious food, and friendly service. We sat in the back room, which is a quieter area. Worth the splurge!
Felt like having Italian, and this restaurant didnt disappoint. Highly recommend stopping in here, it can be a little busy at times but the food and service are 5+ Parking: Parking a few doors down, can be packed at times during the weekend.
The only thing that came fast was the bill. We ordered some antipasti, they forgot about it and wanted to give them with the entree. When we said that the entree would be cold if we were eating the antipasti while having the entree on the table, they said that the kitchen was busy and that we wouldnt be hungry after the entree anyway. Weird way to handle things... No apologies were made, instead a sassy comment later when we were eating.
Dinner at Olivea s was delicious and their wine was great too. We had the bruschetta as an appetizer. I thought it was great but my husband didn t like the whipped ricotta element. We had the lasagna and it was also delicious. Highly recommend. Our server was attentive and very friendly. Great input to the menu dishes and helpful.
We used to love this restaurant, and came here all the time and I can honestly say we will never come back. Our food took over 40 minutes to arrive, our food was super salty and we were trying to battle a sea of fruit flies for our entire meal, with many of them landing on our food and in our drinks. When we mentioned it to our server, she said yeah our fruit flies are bad, I saw them earlier - and that meal is usually super salty We will not be returning
best crème brûlée ever!!!
I am a visitor from Montreal and used to eat in this restaurant during my visits to Kingston. However, this time, I found the experience quite disappointing. I ordered the gnocchi with beef, and it was excessively salty. Despite adding some water, the dish remained unhealthily salty. I would recommend avoiding this restaurant for health reasons.
There wasnt much choice on the menu. We may have had the lunch menu as we were there at 3:30
Ive been to Olivea in Kingston three times now. Each time I have loved the food and the wine selection, never had a problem with any of that which is the most important thing. However, the service each time has been disappointing. The first two times I went to Olivea they were for a birthday and for an anniversary respectively. On the reservation we put celebrating a birthday and celebrating an anniversary but there was no care taken to the event we were celebrating. No desert, no mention, no congratulations, nothing. Having been to several restaurants in Kingston and having worked in a restaurant, this always seemed customary to me. Of course, they dont have to do this, but they always usually do so I was surprised but I let it go. This past week I went to Olivea to celebrate my engagement with a group of 7. I called to reserve and on the phone mentioned that we were celebrating an engagement and the person told me she would note that down. Got there and again, nothing. No recognition of the fact that we were celebrating a special event at their restaurant. On top of this, the service was slow and we sat with our menus at the table for 15 minutes before someone came to take our order. While I will compliment the food and drink at this restaurant, the service has been disappointing enough that I wouldnt recommend it.
I recently dined at OLIVEA in Kingston, and unfortunately, my experience was less than satisfactory. While the appetizer was promising and initially set a positive tone, things quickly took a turn for the worse. We waited an excruciating 30 minutes for our appetizer, which, although enjoyable, couldnt compensate for the lengthy delay. After finishing, we were left waiting for over an hour for our main course. By the time our dish arrived a Penne Arrabbiata we were so frustrated that we decided to cut our losses and leave before even tasting it. When we finally opened the main course, it was a major letdown. The Penne Arrabbiata was far from what we had hoped for; it was poorly executed and tasted terrible. Overall, while OLIVEA may have some potential, the extended wait times and disappointing food left a sour impression. I hope the restaurant addresses these issues in the future, but for now, I can t recommend it based on this experience. Tito
Very good, terrace with a very beautiful view! Seafood pasta meal a marvel! We will return there when we pass through.
Food too salty! In price and salt. Ambianxe too noisy.
Very good place ! Great food and wine list if good ! We just walked in a d been able to seat at the bar. Good menu and drinks are full of options. Good atmosphere and service was clean and discrete. Food were delicious and very good portions. We took some wine that the manager approved and we really liked it. I recommend booking in advance
Wonderful food, excellent service, catered to all our needs regardless of the ask.
Food and service was very good.
Love the Gnocchi so delicious and pillowy like
My friend and I dined at Olivea last night for the first time. The atmosphere was nice. It is warm and inviting inside. Unfortunately, the food was disappointing. This is not a place where you want to take guests to impress. I ordered Sparkling water. The server poured me soda water from the bar tap. I asked for a side of butter for the bread and I received 4 small butter portions in plastic that you would include in a takeout order. The special grilled octopus appetizer was served in an olive based tomato sauce. The octopus was grilled perfectly but there were too many whole olives. The olive flavour was too overpowering. My main pasta dish was nothing special either. I opted for tagliatelle instead of gnocchi with the braised beef cheek ragu. Underwhelming and too salty. My friend had a Caesar salad with a side of shrimp. She enjoyed that. This is definitely not a place to eat if you want a first class Italian meal.
Good experience with delicious foods Parking: It is difficult to find crowded time Kid-friendliness: It has special menu
Spaghetti Alio Oglio and Pesto Chicken Panini Tasted great, excellent service.
Very good Italian restaurant to discover in Kingston. Forget my wines which are unfortunately overpriced despite a menu - particularly Italian wines - of high quality. As for the service this Sunday lunchtime... very pleasant waitress, focused and attentive
We had a lovely experience, thanks to the kitchen staff for the delicious meal and the manager and server for taking such good care of us!
Olivea is our favourite place to go when we visit Kingston. The food is always excellent and the staff are warm and welcoming. We enjoy being right down at the Market Square watching all the people walk by and taking a stroll down Princess Street afterwards to do some shopping.
One of best pasta I had! Delicious!!!
Olivea Restaurant, is truly a gem for anyone who appreciates fine Italian cuisine. The restaurant offers an exquisite selection of pasta dishes that are not only delicious but also beautifully presented. The flavors are rich and authentic, making every bite a delightful experience. What sets Olivea apart is its elegant and sophisticated atmosphere. The ambiance is perfect for a fancy night out, whether youre celebrating a special occasion or simply enjoying a quality meal. The interior is stylishly decorated, contributing to the overall upscale vibe of the restaurant. The culinary expertise at Olivea shines through in every dish. From the fresh ingredients to the meticulous preparation, its clear that the chefs are passionate about delivering high-quality Italian food. The pasta, in particular, is a standout, with options that cater to both traditional tastes and those looking for a modern twist on classic recipes. Personally, I have always enjoyed visiting this restaurant with my loved ones and it has never failed to leave a positive lasting impression on us all. This has to be on the top of my favourite restaurants list in Kingston, Ontario!
Food was salty.
Excellent cuisine and good service
Food quality and service is absolutely incredible. Love this restaurant
Great place for a lovely dinner, Id recommend any dish at Olivea.
Enjoyed a very tasty meal here. Took a while to choose what to have as the menu has so many great options, including vegetarian. Friendly, attentive service in a clean environment with views out to the Market Square made this a wonderful experience.
Amazing food , The patio is adorable, staff is very friendly , food is outstanding, All experience was great
A very nice place with a delicious Italian culinary flavor, a pasta of 1
Authentic Italian restaurant with the delicious foods and an excellent service in the heart of Kingston. Highly recommended.
I love the seafood pasta. Great date spot. Generous portions for the pastas. Amazing service. I knew this was a good pasta place when they served the bread with balsamic vinegar in the olive oil.
Great food and service. Our server was incredible and very knowledgeable on the menu and wines. You cant go wrong with the beef cheek gnocchi for a main and afogatto for dessert!
Totally overpriced decent food. The penne Arabiata with the additional sauvages cost me 32$. The salad at 25$ did not worth spending that much either. The wine offered per glass is good. However, if you go there on a Thursday night at 18:00 with no reservation you will end up in the ambiance less dining room behind the bar. Olivea is not what it used to be in 2017.
Our food and server were amazing. The seafood linguine was incredible!
Wife & I have been coming here since one of our first dates.
Located in the heart of downtown town Kingston this restaurant is a must if you are in the area and craving pasta. The atmosphere and service is great and the food is simply amazing. The Orecchiette was something else aswell as the Tagliatele Bolognese. Highly recommended this restaurant.
Attended a group work lunch, ordered from a Prix Fixe, the food was average and the salad was like weeds to me, I am sure some people would love it. I had the GRILLED CHICKEN PANINO with provolone, basil pesto and roasted red pepper and to be honest it was just average.
Previously I have ordered the carbonara and the Aglio e Olio which were delicious. However, this time I decided to order the Garganelli. I was extremely disappointed, there was barely any sauce and the flavours reminded me of plain childrens Alfredo. The restaurant was also half empty at 8:00, but still took 45 minutes for the food to come out :/
Drinks and food were delicious. Service was good. Food
The pasta is so good, one of the best I have had in my life. Highly recommend the aglio olio and reserve a seat by the window if you can to see the beautiful street view
The service was really great, and its a nice vibe. Had a really great cocktail (a modified Pisco Sour), and even better dessert. Unfortunately the meals were ultra salty, even by restaurant standards. Unfortunately that made it not very enjoyable, and some of it completely inedible (I ate what I could, because I was hungry!). It did leave us with some extra room for dessert, which was fantastic. As mentioned the service was great, and our server apologized and let the kitchen know. She mentioned that the food is on the salty side, but Id have to imagine this particular case was just an unfortunate one-time mistake - food isnt meant to be *that* salty. The restaurant, without us asking, also gave us a discount on our meals and a little extra dessert - which was a very nice gesture.
Lovely restaurant. Food was a bit salty and service was slow.
Food is good and the atmosphere is nice, but the tables are a bit too close together which makes it feel a bit cramped.
Great lunch and delicious seafood chowder!!!
Best food in Kingston for the price, maybe even in general. Amazing pasta, delicious cocktails, even the complimentary bread is outstanding (comes with balsamic/olive oil dip which I LOVE). Highly recommend, especially for a date night!
Nice cozy atmosphere and exceptional food
Very friendly waitress, and the food was really good as well; especially the frites. Would definitely recommend that. Although it is expensive for thr amount of food you get.
Nice ambiance and great food.
Oh... my God... The food is so good, just so very, very good... We had the steak and the gnocchi with beef cheeks and they were both so delicious! Were coming back for every anniversary. Drinks were amazing, I especially loved the raspberry and thyme with gin. Dessert was scrumptious, tiramisu and tartufo both the perfect way to finish. The location is a beautiful section of downtown, the ambiance is warm, the service kind and unobtrusive; our server was a sweetheart. Hands down worth the trip downtown. Parking: Paid parking lot just around the corner of the building.
Im not a huge fan of Italian food but enjoyed my lunch at Olivea. The lunch combo (pasta or sandwich with side) was $18 and was very filling. There is also complimentary bread which was great. The venue is really beautiful with moderate noise, accessible seating options available, along with vegetarian options. Overall would recommend
Definitely in my top 5 favourite Kingston restaurants! Never a bad meal. Great service. Cute, cozy atmosphere!
In a city of many very fine restaurants, Olivea is our most frequented restaurant. The food and staff are really great. Unfortunately, last evening a new to us server didn t seem to appreciate that wine is not a separate course but something to be consumed with the meal. When we ordered our wine, we twice requested that we wanted the wine to come with our first course. Halfway through our first course I was able to catch our server s eye and pointed out we still did not have our wine. We eventually got the wine but long after our first course was finished.
Amazing view , service ( Liam was great ) and best yet the food. The Burrata was delicious and the Carbonara too. Was a perfect visit
I ordered takeout, I d say it was definitely beyond expectations. I m most likely coming back here.
The perfect spot for date night! The food was delicious, you can taste Italy in every bite! I highly recommend their steak, its sauce was out of this world!
Just one word, absolutely delicious. wait thats two words. Just like that, the place exceeds the expectations.
Great pasta! I have been many times now and always recommend it as a great place for dinner. They have an amazing spicy tomato sauce and are very accommodating.
Love! Olivea is warm and inviting. The food is amazing. Highly recommend.
We all enjoyed our meals.
Great experience!
Olivea is a favourite spot of ours and we ve been going for years. The food is delicious, the staff are lovely, the atmosphere is charming and the wine list is extensive. We loved each dish from appetizers to dessert, and look forward to our next visit already!
Awesome food and great staff!
Very disappointing service!. Staff was very cool, inflexible and unwelcoming. I felt that my presence as a customer was an inconvenience to their day. Very limited menu. Very overpriced! Some of my friends have had similar experiences at this restaurant. They will not be returning and neither will I. Parking: We had to pay for our parking at the closest municipal lot. Wheelchair accessibility: I did not see any entrance where wheelchairs or individuals with walkers could comfortably enter.
Food was fantastic! Our waitress was absolutely amazing! I would definitely go back.
Delicious lunch!
Best Italian in the surrounding area. It never disappoints. Food
Wonderful food and great view to the city square!
Handsdown this place has the best Gnnochi with beef i have ever tasted lighter than air and cooked to perfection something i still cant forget even after visiting 4 years ago! Food
Very delicious seafood stew
Dietary restrictions: Gluten free options available. Food
Recently was invited to a company dinner being held at Olivea restaurant. It is located in the heart of downtown Kingston with parking located within a 2 minute walk. The restaurant has a great vibe, beautiful decor and a great outdoor patio area as well. The staff were very friendly, provided great service and the turnaround time on our orders was very quick. We ended spending a few hours there and did not even realize where the time went. The menu has a wide selection of options, there is something for everyone. My favourite were the desert options. A definite must visit when you are in Kingston, you wont be disappointed.
Great food. Actually fantastic Italien food. Ive been here twice and would definitely recommend.
Food is always good here. The staff were very pleasant and efficient. Patio is on the street but not bothersome by the road traffic.
We were there Monday July 24th, our 25th wedding anniversary. We had actually reserved at a different restaurant that we hadnt been to for 25 years. When we walked in for our reservation it just was no longer the same atmosphere so we left. Olivea was very busy and we didnt have a reservation but we explained it was a special occasion and they squeezed us in between bookings. Thank you so much to our server Sara who was amazing. Food was fabulous, they went above and beyond to accommodate a food sensitivity my hubby has. We highly recommend and will definitely be back!!!!
I am regular customer at the restaurant since a year. But today I called in at 8:21pm for a table for 2 they told me they will not be able to do it or it sounded like they did not want to take any further orders. I told no worries and wanted to place a take out order as the kitchen closes at 8:30pm but they denied stating the kitchen has asked them not to take any further orders. Asked to have a word with the manager she told the same thing and disconnected the call while I was still talking. I surely doubt she was the manager.
Very good!
Everything at Olivea was on point. The service was wonderful, the cocktails were great and the pasta special was one of the best dishes I ve ever had. The fresh and homemade ingredients made all the difference. Would highly recommend it!
Best place to eat Italian in downtown Kingston. Delicious food and great service.
The service here was incredibly slow and was further disappointed by the portion sized on the appetizers. The largr charcuterie board was $34 and only came with 2 bread sticks and a few small slices of cheese. The bruschetta was $17 and only came with two small pieces of bread. The pasta was a fair portion side for a ($24-28) meal and was very delicious. The food all tasted fantastic, but you have to know the menu to make sure you are getting what you pay for.
I loved my experience at this restaurant! First the welcome by the charming Céline at the bar who immediately spoke to us in French it was very, very charming!!! I had the pasta carbonara, hmmmmmm and my lover the chicken dish with gnocchi and sauce (more like broth) really good! A really good restaurant, we ate at the bar since we hadnt booked but I might have liked it even better! I wanted to try all the dishes so we will come back!!! Good appetite!!!
I ate a full carbonara and a strawberry ice cream . Everything was really good and tasty,I really appreciate the work of the chefs and im thankful for the tastiest pasta I have ever eaten!
Supper was great, but the peach cobbler cheesecake was amazing!!!
Great taste and great ambiance the drinks are amazing. The plates are small. Food : 5/5
Absolutely one of the worst dining experiences ever. If you want to waste your time and sit and wait for your food for over an hour for mediocre pasta and service, be my guest. Walked in for dinner at 7:45pm on a Friday evening without a reservation - there were multiple empty tables and so we were seated right away. Given that the restaurant was not full, and it was getting late, we were not expecting how the rest of the evening would turn out. We were quite hungry after a long day and quickly placed an order after being seated. We even told our waitress that wed like to rush our order if possible since it was getting late and we wanted to go home and rest. Waitress took down our order, then proceeded to provide us with table bread. At this point it was about ~8pm. We sat and sat, and literally did not hear from our waitress for a whole hour. By 9pm, no one ever came to check on us, and no one walked by for us to flag them down to check up on our food. Finally, who I believe was the restaurant manager, came by and apologized that they apparently forgot to put in our order, and would get that done right away, and should not take more than 5 minutes for our meals to be finally ready. 5 minutes later and no surprise our food was still nowhere in sight. Our waitress came and said another 5 minutes, and also said she would speak with her manager to see what can be done. No surprise that 5 more minutes later, we still did not get our food. In total, we waited 1.5 hours for 2 plates of pasta...... and the manager offered us a 40% discount. Im sorry, 40% discount off of a $30-$35 plate of pasta after waiting for 1.5 hours? Never in my entire life has a restaurant provided such cheap compensation for such a grave mistake. Establishments in Toronto would have offered proper compensation once wait times for food was over 30 minutes. In 1.5 hours I could have just done my own groceries and cooked my own pasta and it would have tasted better than the extremely subpar dishes we had. Not only did we have to waste 1.5 hours of our life sitting and waiting, but we also had to pay them to cook us this disappointment? I am not sure if the employees assumed we were students or tourists due to us being an obvious visible minority, and took advantage of us, but its incredibly disappointing and disrespectful to expect us to wait 1.5 hours for our food and still be expected to pay for overpriced americanized pasta. Never, ever, again.
Food was good, had to wait a bit for lunch but the service was nice, they checked up on us and gave us bread with this good olive oil dressing. Definitely liked the tomatoe based better than pesto - we should have added shrimp/chicken with pesto, it didnt stand out on its own.
Great place, very tasty food and nice location!
The food was amazing! Service was also amazing. Our waiter Sebastian was very efficient and great with details. Vegetarian options: You are able to change quite a bit of dishes into Veggie options.
Overall nice experience. Food was fresh and taste was original. Nice environment.
Waited ~2hrs for half a portion of risotto and a plate of orecchiette, had to cancel and leave. For 6 oysters, one arugula salad, one beer and 2 negronis (the stuff that actually made it to the table) the price was over $90.
Overall great. Appetizers were yummy. Large diverse dessert menu. Wish there was a larger pasta menu! Our waitress was very nice and friendly
Everything was delicious! 10 out of 10. Kid friendly, fast and friendly service. Overall great experience.
Great quality pasta and wonderful service. I got the linguine pesto with grilled chicken and it was delicious. The wine is wonderful and every table gets complimentary foccacia bread. The bruccetta is great. I really liked the desserts as well. It is a very fancy place with wonderful pasta.
Had the gnnochi, was wonderful and a good wine suggestion to pair, staff was wonderful and welcoming.
Pesto for vegetarians and a pile of seafood for seafood lovers on their pasta. Amazing tasting dishes. Thanks
Its hard to find a mediocre italian restaurant, but this one is in that category. Tasteless meatballs and ravioli special. We normally take a doggie bag away for the next day, but this one went into a rubbish bin on the way back to our hotel.
Although the place was completely empty, we were asked to return in 20 minutes. Confusing and disappointing if you don t have a reservation. What could possibly change in just 20 minutes? Won t be coming back.
First time ever I would like to put 6 stars on all fields! See you next time Im stopping by at Kingstone. A corner stone of the restoration in the old center of Kingstone! Food : 5/5
Always good.
Carbonara was tasty.
Waited an hour but got 15% off without asking! Really good service
Visited from ottawa for my fiancées birthday. Food was amazing
Very nice place, pleasant and very good food, especially considering the level in the area. Good products, and preparation of Italian food, which in this country is generally very free of interpretation. 100% recommended.
Great food! Great service! Great location! We went as a group of 7ppl and everything we ordered was delicious. I read on their website that the owners take a group of their staff to Italy every year to learn more about the food and culture to enhance your experience while dining at Olivea! Amazing! Edit: we ve returned 4 years later and still super happy with the service and quality of food! Thank you Olivea!
Great Italian place in the town of Kingston. The energy here is vivacious. The manager/ hostess were very polite and made it great experience for us to dine here.
I was expecting quite more from this restaurant, but it was a very disappointing experience. The quality of the food was really low and overpriced. The service was very slow, more than 1.5 hours waiting only for pasta. I would recommend this place only if you want to spend your time and money.
Very delicious Italian food. Recommend the SEAFOOD LINGUINE really yummy.
The most delicious pasta I eat on Canada, yummy
I love Olivea for its ability to be both casual and fine dining. Kid friendly when it needs to be, and always accommodating to the needs of its patrons. There are a lot of allergies and food restrictions in my family and they are always extra careful and considerate - this makes them one of the few places downtown where my entire family can go for gatherings. Their food and desserts are amazing! Vegetarian options: Many dishes can be made vegetarian and even vegan! They alter in vegan desserts at times too! Dietary restrictions: My mother in particular has many severe food allergies and we have never had a problem here - they take extra care to alter dishes to meet her needs and prepare them in a safe manner! Kid-friendliness: I love being able to take my kids to an adult restaurant and still find items they will eat - this is one of those places!!
9 of us had lunch here today. All the dishes got rave reviews! It was very busy so we did wait 45 minutes for our food, but it was worth it! Wheelchair accessibility: Accessible
A group of us had lunch at this Italian food restaurant after an island boat cruise. One can find out quickly why it is normally so busy. The food selections and large portions were truly 5 stars. From the brisket sandwiches to the gnocchi and tagliatelle pasta dishes, the food fare surprised and exceeded expectations. The only reason this review didnt get 5 stars, was because we had to wait for almost 1 hour to get our food on the table. The writer understands that the venue was busy but the wait time for the food was too long. Highly recommend.
Located downtown kingston this super cute Italian restaurant will leave you speechless! As an appetizer my girlfriend and I shared the Grilled Squid which was not only presented incredibly but had fantastic flavouring to it. Followed by the Penne Alla Carbonara which was unbeatable. Overall the service, the atmosphere the food was outstanding and would recommend to anyone in the area! Dietary restrictions: Was able to accommodate to Peanut and Nut allergy s!
We love oysters so we definitely look for restaurants that serve them. So good we had two orders of them. The service was fantastic! We will definitely go back the next time we visit Kingston!
I love the Sangria cocktail I ordered here!! But going there as a woman, alone, sitting on a bar area isnt as comfortable. I dont know if its only because I think and feel that something feel not right that i am sitting there alone and drinking. It was a bit uncomfortable
Very good pasta... was a bit slow, but it was lunch on a busy Kingston weekend... definitely worth the wait!
All around amazing experience. Service was quick, efficient, and helpful. Our food was delicious and filling. I had the Chicken al Mattone, the skin was crispy and the meat juicy, the veggies paired with it were cooked just right with a good char. My partner had the Rainbow Trout risotto special; It was creamy with a subtle cheesiness. Dessert was just as delicious with Vanilla Creme Brulee and Cannalonis (though my partner forgot his second one!). This is a spot anyone needs to hit up if they enjoy good casual fine dining.
This is one of my favorite restaurants in Kingston. Their grilled squid is amazing.
Extremely disappointed that I have to write this review, as this was* one of my favourite places to eat in Kingston. I went in a couple of weeks ago looking to apply for a job only to be very very rudely turned away by someone who seemed like the manager. I understand it was busy, it was 1:15 pm on a Saturday, but I was just going around looking to drop off my resume at different restaurants and that was it. He didn t give me a chance to say even a word before he told me that he would offer me a word of advice (that i didn t ask for) and told me not to come in during a rush, only between 3-4 (said it very rudely) and then proceeded to say that he wouldn t even accept my resume and walked away before I could say anything. Left feeling like crying and was baffled at how this guy, who is a face of the restaurant, could treat someone like that. Super unfortunate as I have given them a lot of business, but that will be changing.
Excellent restaurant
Food is always great. Service leaves alot to be desired.. Be prepared to wait at least an hour for your main course on a Sunday when the restaurant isnt full.
The food was good enough, pasta is good I would not recommend the salads pricing is somewhat accurate for quality and the wine list is not as extensive as I would expect for a restaurant at this price point overall good if you want traditional enough Italian food for Kingston
A beautiful restaurant, with a pleasant waitress Unfortunately we leave because when we dont speak English its annoying, the waitress who takes the order gets annoyed, plus they tell me that there is no more bread and therefore I wont have any with my oysters, I obviously want to change and a French waitress insists, telling me that with her dad she doesnt eat bread, and finds it strange that we eat bread... in short, noisy and not professional, a shame because I think that the kitchen is good
Best pasta I have ever had
We came for lunch and found most items tasted authentic and service good. It wasn t busy. Frites could have been more substantial, not so dried up tasting. Portion size, for the high price tag, including wines, did not seem like very good value, in my opinion.
I eat at Olivea regularly. The food is consistently excellent, the atmosphere is warm and buzzing, and the service is friendly and efficient. The bartenders are amazing. There is one in particular who hails from France and can give you terrific food and drink recommendations in both official languages! Shes outstanding.
Best duck confit ever! (daily menu)
The food was amazing.
Our first time here and upset we waited so long. The food was excrement and Jazlyn and the other staff were exemplary.
Great restaurant, delicious
Was super excited to try this place as we were looking for a cute spot for lunch. Gracious hostess but horrible wait for a salad and sandwich. Waitress was very sweet but avoided our table. Finally got the food, too salty (arugula) and wrong order for the other. Gambling game with time if your grabbing a bite!!!
The food was excellent except for the arugula salad which was over salted. We were not charged for the salad. We had the sea bass and the squid both were perfectly cooked.
Went for dinner on a Saturday evening with high hopes given positive reviews and recommendations. If we hadn t spent $250 after tax and tip then maybe Olivea would be a fine option for dinner, but all things considered, it was a disappointing experience. Olivea purports to be a fine dining experience, but there is absolutely zero service provided by the wait staff. Upon sitting down you are given a jug of tap water on the table and are expected to pour your own water and wine the entire evening. Between two appetizers, two mains, and a dessert, not a single quality check was done by the server. We even had to flag down the server to order more wine. The service was the most egregious part of the experience, followed closely by the overpriced food. We ordered the burrata on special ($24) thinking it would be served as a burrata should be - whole, to be cut into by the guests and eaten with accompaniments. Instead, you are given a slice of sourdough cut into two pieces and topped with some purée and a little bit of cheese. The whole point of ordering a burrata is to be able to slice into it to get to the creamy centre. My husband had the beef cheek gnocchi which was over salted and I had the seafood stew, which was unnecessarily topped with a huge dollop of lemon aioli. When it mixed in with the broth of the stew, it created a slick oily mixture that was off-putting. I tried to scrape off much as I could of the aioli before it mixed too much. Lastly, we ordered the crème brûlée which had such a thick layer of sugar that once we cracked through the top layer, there was still a layer of granulated sugar between the bruleed part and the custard. Overall, the experience was just not great. Olivea is unrefined dining at high-end prices.
Great overall experience. Lunch items were substantial and v tasty. Warm olives were fabulous, as was the panelle! Save space for dessert too
Lovely lunch at Olivea today. The food and service were both fantastic. We will definitely be back.
Ambiance and service were lovely. Decent selection and variety of Italian wine. I ordered the orecchiette with rapini and sausage with a red sauce. It was okay. My only feedback: I think this dish would be better with the sausage out of the casing (crumbled versus sliced with casing) and an oil-based garlic sauce versus red sauce. That s just my preference though. I still enjoyed the experience and will likely return to try their other dishes. I had the tartufo for dessert and it was great!
Tiny steak portion that was overcooked but did have great seasoning. The seafood linguine was good. The Garganelli sauce was quite watery and bland. Very slow service for a quiet afternoon but I do recommend reserving a table as it can get busy at time.
Love this classic Italian restaurant and every time I go with my girlfriend its like were on our first date again. The food is rich with flavour and always prepared with the attention to detail in presentation. The flavors of quality Italian pasta dishes are complemented with a large list of wines and amazing desserts. The price is worth the elegant atmosphere and service is amazing. Be sure to make a reservation for this popular Kingston restaurant.
The restaurant is located in heart of Kingston, has a great vibe, beautiful decor and a great outdoor patio area. Its a typical Italian place with food being fairly priced and meets expectations. We had to wait for almost 1 hour to get the table but we came on weekend without reservations. The ambience wins over the flavour.
I m from Ottawa and have eaten here a few times over the years. It has never disappointed. On my most recent visit, I had the gf pasta carbonara and thought I d died and gone to heaven! I can t stop thinking about it. Reasonably priced; a massive bonus!
Truly one of the best restaurants in Kingston. Great service and fantastic food.