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Oliva
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Critics' Pick
Official Website
Hours
Mon-Thu, 5:30pm-1am; Fri, 5:30pm-2am; Sat, noon-4am; Sun, noon-1am
Nearby Subway Stops
F, V at Lower East Side-Second Ave.
Prices
$12-$19
Payment Methods
American Express
Special Features
- Brunch - Weekend
- Delivery
- Late-Night Dining
- Live Music
- Take-Out
Alcohol
- Full Bar
Reservations
Recommended
Delivery Area
Canal St. to 14th St., Ave. B to Broadway
Profile
We might have missed a Jimmy Choo or two under the tiny, painted tables. But it seems that Oliva is full of youngish dressed-for-comfort East Villagers here for the fabulous Basque cooking, not for a teeny martini and a lettuce leaf. Don’t miss the pintxos plate, a collection of savory two-bite tapas. Share the txangurro (stuffed crab) or tender calamari bravas to start, then shrimp, mussels, clams, and hake in a sea-tinged tomato bath. As the evening progresses, soft jazz and flamenco get more electronic and the bar heats up.
NoteCome Sunday through Thursday after 8:30 p.m. to catch the live music and party atmosphere. People are known to dance around their tables.
| 6.4 | "Mixed Reviews" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |
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Me Gusta Oliva!
jraya from 10002 | Posted on 9/30/09
| Food: | 7 |
| Service: | 10 |
| Décor: | 6 |
| Value: | 8 |
What to do when you want a good meal and a bit of atmosphere but don't want to put much effort into it? Venture down to Oliva in the LES. The room is oddly lit--red Christmas lights and a giant green dangling bulb? Despite the website's threat of a live band every night) the only music was a poorly thought-through mix of loud, vaguely Latin club tunes. The tapas, while pleasingly extensive and certainly tasty--the croquetas were helped by a side of chipotle aioli--aren't exceptional. (Don't bother ordering salad as pretty much every plate comes with greens.) Yet somehow... it works. Maybe it's the bustling corner location or the extensive menu of tapas (half-priced on Tuesdays!) or the gracious waiter (the owner, I suspect), who not only recommended we try the second-cheapest red wine (delicious) but poured two complimentary glasses after we'd finished the bottle and paid the very reasonable bill, but all elements conspired to give us the perfect evening. Like the sweet boy next door who tries hard so you don't have to, you can't help but like this place. See you soon, chico.
Go somewhere else
theoldreprobate from 10012 | Posted on 4/9/09
| Food: | 6 |
| Service: | 1 |
| Décor: | 6 |
| Value: | 2 |
Why is this place a critics' pick? The service is terrible -- the hostess seated us at a banquette then asked us to move to a cramped center table, at which point the wait staff decided to completely ignore us -- and the food is mediocre at best, fried, thinly veiled junk food at worst. There was decent live music, and the volume would've been fine, if we were at a Cannibal Corpse show. Too bad the sangria wasn't strong enough to ease the pain.
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