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All Reader Reviews of...
Oliva
161 East Houston St., New York, NY, 10002
at Allen St.
212-228-4143
| 6.4 | "Mixed Reviews" Average Reader Rating on a Scale of 10 |  |
Me Gusta Oliva!
jraya from 10002 | Posted on 9/30/09
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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.
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Go somewhere else
theoldreprobate from 10012 | Posted on 4/9/09
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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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Disappointing
jhkim from 11358 | Posted on 2/17/09
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I went to Oliva after seeing it as a critic's pick. But the experience was disappointing from the start. It was nearly empty, but we were seated next to the door (cold, windy day). We had to ask to be moved further in. The waiters were more interested in talking to each other than waiting on tables. Our drinks were watered down. Admittedly, the food was good, but not to the point that I would go back.
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GREAT FOOD GREAT FUN AND GREAT SERVICE
donofpa from 11940 | Posted on 5/20/08
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What a great place!! My friends and I had a blast at this restaurant on Friday. We shared several yummy tappas and shared 2 delicious entree. And all so had plenty of cocktails and Sangria! The place was adorable and we loved the atmosphere. The staff was great too, excellent service! Prices more that fair. Needless to say we loved it, and will recommend it.
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Not so hot
mrsbeeb from 10010 | Posted on 5/2/08
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I'm disappointed that this place had a check because it's why we tried it -- food was passable at best, and we tried about 4 or 5 things. Nice staff. Music way loud for us anyway (Sat PM). Fun crowd tho. Go for drinks!
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Always a wonderful experience
cbbub from 10012 | Posted on 5/18/07
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I have been to Oliva many times, both for big parties and just to hang at the bar and have always had a great experience. The food is consistently great and very affordable, and the variety of Latin inspired cocktails and Spanish wines makes you want to try everything they have to offer (especially the mamajuana and sangrita shots!). The staff is super friendly and they have Live Latin music almost everynite. You really can't miss with a nite out at Oliva!
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eat, drink, man, tapas
CaptainCook from 10964 | Posted on 9/4/05
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tapas (squid planchar, cod-cakes) were superb, among the best I'd had. The main courses were a little less successful, the sauce for the chicken too sweet, and the grilled artichoke just so-so (the beans were great, though).
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Tiresome Tapas
battousai from 07632 | Posted on 11/22/04
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Supposedly a vaunted hall of hipster cuisine, I quickly learned that I should have seeked my fortunes elsewhere if I wanted good tapas because the food is insipid and uninspired just like the disinterested staff who look like they have something better to do other than to properly serve you. The supposed "Serrano" ham was awful and the interior was dark and dank so big mistake trying to take a date there.
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