Service, food, atmosphere, lovely dining experience. Go for the Baklava , stay for the drinks! LOL

My customer's wife chose this restaurant, and what a fabulous experience and extraordinary evening we had!!! We started with calamari as an appetizer and variety of drinks... Their bartender is outstanding!! I ordered the flounder over risotto, along with several others, while Bill and Syd ordered the lamb. We shared a bit of tastings, but i can tell you, my flounder was out of this world !!! I would highly encourage you to give Bleu Olive a try !!! I'll be back ;) read more

Bleu Olive - Filthy dirty Goose martini, up with Blue cheese olives - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Our favorite restaurant! It's close to home for us and feels like home when we're there. We enjoy the quiet, relaxed atmosphere where the wait staff are very attentive and welcoming. The hardest thing is choosing from the menu what delicious food and exceptional wine to order. Vicky Hershberger read more

I am first going to qualify my 5-star rating by stating that this restaurant will satisfy pretty much all casual diners. With that being said, I do have some criticisms to share and I'll cover those as they apply to the following sections. First, let's talk about the restaurant's ambience. It is a smaller place that isn't extremely loud or over bearing. It is lit with low, warm lighting, so this is a great place for a romantic date. However, it is loud enough so that it likely hampers low, intimate conversation. And this might be a personal preference, but I believe in experiencing my food to the fullest, which includes being able to see it! It is difficult to enjoy the plating and the colors of a dish in a place that has your rods on overdrive. And they take great care in their dish presentation, but I'll talk about that later. And in terms of the noise, it seems overly loud not because of the patrons, but bc the music is turned up just a bit too much. It just seems a little disjointed with how dark the restaurant is. Taking all that into consideration, I'd say most patrons wouldn't take notice of my criticisms. However, that doesn't mean they wouldn't have a more enjoyable dining experience if lighting was a bit more nuanced and shed a soft spotlight on the food and pretty drinks, and if the stereo system wasn't more strictly managed to reduce the noise pollution caused by overly loud music, which then causes the patrons to have to speak up. Again, casual diners will likely enjoy the soft lighting and the not even notice the noise. Next, the service is polite and helpful, but not perfect though. My main complaint is that I received my appetizer AFTER my entree. Obviously, this is an issue that would cause a casual diner to wonder at my 5-star rating. I have worked in and frequented many restaurants. This just happens from time to time, and I guess I'm just forgiving of this. I was sitting in the "bar area" of the Bleu Olive so my server was the bartender and she had plenty of patrons to attend at the bar. Also, my entree did not take long to arrive. And I also placed my appetizer order when I placed my entree order which is something I do not recommend to other patrons if you really want to prevent this. The one thing that I enjoyed about my server was that when I placed my order, she assured me that I was making a very good decision. This could just be a general response she gives to all, but I could just tell that she genuinely liked my choices. Haha! Lastly, the FOOD! Great food! Good portion sizes, though if you are known for having a monster appetite, this probably isn't the place for you. I could see some people look at the price, then the amount of food and think that they weren't getting their money's worth. If the primary way you judge a restaurant is based on the volume of food to price ratio, don't patronize the Bleu Olive. Based on what I ate, what they lack in food volume, they make up for with flavor, presentation, and just the overall thought needed to make a balanced, delicious dish. I ordered the Grilled Polenta and was stunned at how buttery it was and how the beets, root vegetables, and pesto complimented it so well. The only critique I have of that dish is that I would've enjoyed a splash of acidity to balance out the buttery polenta. But, I like butter so I won't complain much. Ultimately, the portion size of the dish was perfect for me as I wouldn't have been able to handle much more. recommend. I'll be back! I'm glad I chose to stay at a hotel in the same area, otherwise I never would've experienced the Bleu Olive. read more

Bleu Olive - Great Lakes Porter and tap water - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Tried to go back and got lip at the door again. Stop greeting paying guest with snotty attitudes, would have went somewhere else but reluctantly agreed to meet family here. We got passed the door and sat down. Food was OK service was lacking, got drinks brought food and disappeared. The Meal and the mood was ruined by the greeting though. How many chances do you deserve? I am probably done for good this time! read more

Always a delicious meal at Blue Olive. The service is outstanding as well. The Salmon plaki is my absolute favorite!!

We arrived about 40 minutes before closing. We were not rushed and were welcomed like family. My wife and I sat at the bar and had a drink. Very good service and a good selection of beer and wine. Thank you for good customer service. read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. I love coming to Durham just so that I can eat here. The service is outstanding--always professional. Great descriptions of specials and knowledgeable about the dishes. I had the honey glazed lamb tenderloin (see pic) and a glass of Pinot Noir. For dessert, I had the orange dark chocolate torte. The dessert was delicious. I also had a taste of my friend's goat cheese and honey cheesecake. I actually liked that a little better. The chocolate was incredibly rich. I HIGHLY recommend this place. If you like Mediterranean food, you need to eat here. Quality ingredients, super staff, incredible food. read more

Bleu Olive - Honey glazed lamb tenderloin with mushroom risotto and broccolini. - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

My family relies on this great place sometimes too much both for in-person and sometimes take-out pandemic dining. So we took a break for a while. But we went back tonight and it was so pleasing to all of us! Good salad, good octopus(!), good *spicy* mussels (almost too many!) for starters. Then a great lamb loin, and two terrific orders of the sumptuous -- with veggies and orzo -- fish of the day. The wine list is a bit bizarre but that makes it exciting because we haven't heard of them before. Excellent cocktails as well. We had a very fun time, as we hoped for! read more

Wonderful atmosphere, delicious food and wide spectrum of flavors! The Greek menu is true to form. I had Moussaka, my colleagues had a beef risotto and a shrimp dish. We shared and each was so delicious! Service is excellent and our server Ashley was engaging. Kudos to her customer service! If you are ever in Durham, NC, check it out! read more

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Good food just a little overrated in my opinion. Got it take out so that may be the cause of the food quality going down a bit but I still enjoyed it. They were very nice and the place looks nice if you were to eat in read more

Amazing food. I've had the moussaka twice and it was great both times. My dad had the pork chop and lamb tenderloin. He said they were both great. The service was good and the place has a cozy and candle lit atmosphere so it would be a nice place to take a serious/romantic date. Don't bring a Zaxby's hoe here and expect her to appreciate it. Hoes don't appreciate sh¡t. Keep your hoe at home or on the block. Bring a nice girl here and you'll both have a nice time. read more

Delicious food, many options. Excellent service and value. The ambient noise level is low, one can easily carry on a conversation. We've been there a half a dozen times throughout the past year, consistently good. read more

Bleu Olive does many things right. The ambiance of the restaurant is perfect. It's a nicer tone but not so upscale that you can't wear jeans. We have only been twice and both times I have been beyond happy. The first time we went was years ago and the woman beside me had something that smelled so incredible I couldn't focus on the menu. Naturally, I ordered whatever it was. Moussaka... And holy freakin cow was it life changing! So much so that I looked up a recipe to make it myself. Moussaka is like a Greek lasagna with potatoes, eggplant, lamb and bechamel. It also takes 4 hours to make, I know because I read it on the recipe and disregarded it and proceeded to prep and cook Moussaka for the next 4 hours! It's easier to go get theirs, stuff your face and unbutton your pants for the drive home! Tonight, we went for my birthday. I couldn't decide on the Moussaka or trying something new. I did what every birthday girl should do with their husband standing firmly behind them, ordered both! The new dish was Joyce Farms Chicken. Neither my husband not myself ever order chicken out. We think of the hopes and dreams dashed after trying to cook a new, flavorful chicken dish at home. Not this one!!! His ribeye and risotto were also delicious! I would order every single meal again. Since the server, Kyra (who was amazing!!! Loved her), knew it was my birthday she brought out a piece of Orange Dark Chocolate Torte and we ordered the Goat Cheese Honey Cheesecake. Two things my husband generally won't do: chocolate or goat cheese. Two things my husband thoroughly enjoyed: the torte and the cheesecake!! Everything was perfect... It makes me wonder why we don't go more often. So good!! read more

Bleu Olive - Moussaka - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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we had a gift card & wanted to try it out! we really loved the atmosphere of the place & we came for dinner so there were a handful of other people already here! there were many servers i saw, however, the food was came a bit slow (or perhaps our dishes took a bit longer?) we ordered foods we haven't really tried before & it was all really tasteful! we ordered lamb & calamari for appetizers then our mains were salmon, chicken, & shrimp! my aunt had the salmon which came with potatoes & pesto sauce! i had spinach stuffed chicken over risotto! my sister had the shrimp orzo (which was a pasta disguised as rice haha) overall the atmosphere of the place was nice, calm & decent! the food came out pretty slow even though there were multiple chefs & servers;; it got pretty busy around the time we started ordering so the service was quite hard to pin down as well! read more

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Yelp needs a 10 star option...5 just isnt enough. I went there with my mother for my Birthday after finding it on YELP. I had been wanting greek food but in the RDU area, options are limited. So we drove from Apex to Durham to try this place out. We began with 2 appetizers. The fried calamari was perfect and exceptionally yummy. The fried oysters were even better if it was possible. Both are solid choices. The Moussaka was OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. * Roll my eyes back and die a happy woman. * Seriously, it was next level good and its no wonder it is their top selling dish. You cannot go wrong! Dessert was the cream Brule and it was another exceptional offering that is well worth trying. Decadent and silky you can't pick a favorite among the 3. Ambiance is upscale so this is a great place to impress a date. Service was also exceptional! One note...their ice tea has cinnamon in it as that is typical Greek tea. While it's very tasty, it make take you off guard if you are used to southern sweet tea. read more

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The food is delicious!!! We came here with some friends and the experience was great. The service is excellent, staff is friendly and it's not noisy so you can enjoy. We had the grilled octopus and also the calamari to start and both were excellent. The fish of the day was the Mahi and I was not disappointed. The goat cheesecake is a great if you feel like trying something different. read more

Lovely restaurant featuring Mediterranean inspired food. Have only been for lunch, had the falafel wrap with side salad, friend ordered the lamb kefte pita, equally good. Split the chocolate orange torte, highlight was the house made five spice gelato, unbelievably delicious! Inside and outside seating, service efficient. A great option amidst all the fast food places in the area. read more

I attended an evening birthday party at Bleu Olive on Sat 4/2/22. My meal: Moussaka - 5 stars Caesar salad - 3.5 stars Greek Mojito - 5 stars Consistency of two friends' orders - 0 stars Two friends sitting next to each other received drastically different calamari. One friend received hot, perfectly cooked calamari order. The other got COLD, overcooked calamari. How do inconsistent orders wind up on the same table? Did Blue Olive cooks and servers think we wouldn't notice or care? Server's Customer service - (-5 stars) We addressed the inconsistent food with the server. First, he contested that the calamari was cold saying it had just been cooked. My friend insisted that it was cold and sent it back. It was refried and returned to her hot and more OVERCOOKED. During our dessert order, the server tersely talked over us to communicate that the kitchen was closing. Our server also had an attitude when my friend requested the removal of the overcooked calamari from our bill. He agreed to remove the charge....and he snatched the bill from my friend's hand. My friend asked him if he was okay because he snatched the bill. He offered a couple of EXCUSES including that he was in a hurry...and then ended his EXCUSES with a very disingenuous apology. Manager's Customer Service - 0 stars Next, I speak with a male manager who only offers robotic, performative replies to my concerns about the inconsistent food and rude service. The manager says NOTHING that implies remorse or a desire to make the evening better for our birthday party of eleven guests so that we might return to patronage Bleu Olive. Mind you, we paid 20% gratuity on top of the menu costs for subpar service and inconsistent food for a birthday celebration. I won't be back. Further, I encourage you to spend your time and money at a place that will care for you and your loved ones with excellence and integrity. Final rating: 1.4 stars read more

YUM! Bleu Olive did not disappoint! Came here on a double date a few weeks ago and everyone was very pleased with the service and their meals. I made a reservation ahead of time, so there was no wait. We decided to eat outside, which I love that this is an option. The bread to start was super delicious, we actually ended up requesting more because of how good it is. I was pleased with the menu and that the wine selection actually featured greek wines. I ordered the lamb dish and it was wonderful, cooked perfectly, and I would honestly come back just for that. The moussaka also seemed to be a hit at our table. Overall, great dinner and would recommend for a date or a group dinner. read more

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Last night was my first visit to Bleu Olive. I was impressed by the friendly service, and the fact that they had a large round table for our group of seven- so often groups get seated at long rectangular tables that make it harder to talk to people at the opposite end from you. The wine list is really extensive! While I didn't try any, I was taking note for future visits. :) The food was delicious. It was hard to choose what to get! I ended up trying the tasting sampler of dips, all of which were amazing, and the artisan salad. I can't wait to go back and try more! Also, parking was plentiful in the private lot. read more

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Dinner last night was great!! The Beet salad was one of the best I have ever eaten! Service was exceptional...Lulu was the best! Highly recommend for a great evening out. Very nice, soothing lighting that made for a relaxing atmosphere read more

The food was exemplary. The steak was cooked to perfection and the risotto and broccolini were also perfect. The Greek salad was good but different. Instead of a balsamic dressing, it needs a rich olive oil with a heavy lemon base dressing laced with Mediterranean spices. Ditch the beets.; more olives and where are the cucumber? Being from the Napa/ Livermore area, we highly recommend you change your wine selections. The wine list was mediocre. But....the restaurant food was very good. We will come back but will bring our own wine and pay a corkage fee until they improve the wine selection. read more

An established, elegant favorite of our group. Portions are adequate, seasonings unusually flavorful and food selections novel. A little pricey but worth the cost. The decorating is old-time; it needs a facelift. However the atmosphere is subdued and relaxing. Put it on your list of Triangle go/to's! read more

This was a very solid 4 star. What was great: Hummus--fresh and served with cucumber and pita. Olive oil with garlic - delicious (served with the bread) Beet & Goat Cheese Salad--perfect and fresh all around Potato Leek Soup (served with Bacon - my son loved it - was a soup of the day) Honey Glazed Lamb Tenderloin - my son ate every bite! What was good: Paella-they made it for me without the chicken or sausage and they don't use chicken stock. Very tasty but needed clams in addition to the calamari, shrimp and mussels. Linguine with lamb bolognese - my wife liked it - but for some reason there were peppers in it - which was not listed on the menu nor did our server tell us they were in there - my wife does not like peppers and in the dim lighting didn't realize they were in there until she had had a few bites. She didn't even realize until we got home and she had the leftovers the next night. What needs improvement: Service was okay and got everything right but never refilled my water glass and was slow at times. Again not mentioning the additional ingredients in the bolognese and not being familiar with the ingredients in the menu in general made what could have been a 5 star meal into a 4. The lighting was intimate but maybe a little too intimate considering we were eating early in the evening. Would we come back? Definitely-but there are many more places to explore in Durham and the Triangle before we return. read more

I absolutely LOVE their food but taking off stars because several times there have been issues with our to go orders. We found a strange metal object in a desert once and every time we order the tasting of spreads appetizer to go - they do not provide enough pita bread and crisps so the appetizer is generally useless, especially for a family or group - such as waste In person dinning has never been an issue. read more

Bleu Olive - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Spectacular food and service. The avgolemono soup feels like you're in Athens, with the bits of chicken a surprise rather than an afterthought. The lamb bolognese is something I'd order over and over if not for so many other choices. Try the special Greek wines -- quite lovely. read more

Bleu Olive is my favorite restaurant in Durham. The food is always delicious and the service is great. I've eaten many of the dishes on the menu and have not once been disappointed. Yum!! read more

Sat in bar area on business trip. Convenient locAtion next to courtyard marriott. Had blue crab soup special which was excellent. The bread with oil dip was terrific As well. Shrimp risotto. Again terrific As a traveler looking for a nice spot by hotel. This place deserves 5 stars for great food in a relaxing and nice atmosphere. Rare 5 for me on first visit. read more

Ordered a cheese burger medium rare. It arrived well done! They corrected their mistake and brought out another burger. It was medium, not medium rare, was dry and had no flavor. The cheese was a slice of Americn cheese, and the bun was stale. Stick with salads and avoid the chef! read more

Bleu Olive is one of Durham's hidden dining gems. I've eaten brunch, lunch, and dinner here with my wife quite a few times. The lunch is an especially great value for the quality of food and service. Favorite dishes include the Joyce Farms Chicken with risotto, Salmon Plaki, Paella, and the wonderful Shrimp Tourkolimano. For lunch, the Chicken Salad Croissant is a tasty choice. The wine selection is extensive and you'll probably find a draught or bottled beer to enjoy with your meal. Lots of restaurants have forgettable desserts, however I would encourage trying Bleu Olive's, especially the Pots de Creme. These folks are restaurant pros, so the food is great and the service is professional and attentive. read more

Bleu Olive never disappoints. the lunch menu is great I especially like the salmon. we don't live here but come to go to Duke Hospital - and we eat here almost every time. The service and food is always good read more

Wow. What a delicious experience. Wonderful high end Mediterranean food with a very friendly staff. The main dish I got was stellar- they have multiple meat-free options on the menu. read more

Bleu Olive - Baba Ghanoush - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Very poor service. The food was good , but the waiter was extremely rude. When we shared our experience with the manager he displayed no empathy. He just said "ok, I will talk to him". I do not recommend this place AT ALL read more

I went to the Bleu Olive for the first time since moving to North Durham a year ago and now I wish I hadn't waited so long. Everything about our experience was superlative. We had the pork chop and lamb bolognese- both I would highly recommend. The cheese plate is a nice opener, too. We had excellent, attentive service and really enjoyed the intimate vibe. This is a restaurant worht your time. read more

Upon arriving at your table, you will notice two things immediately. First, there is a notice on the contactless menu card at the table which seems to imply that you ought to speed through your meal as fast as possible. Secondly, bread and olive oil must be purchased individually and is not re-filled. Both of these things struck us as both a little odd and offputting. After learning they had sold out of the lamb, three members of our party ordered the steak frites. The temperatures were inconsistent as were the cuts. Additionally, the rub was burnt and the fries were undercooked and tough. One of us ordered the chicken with broccolini and mushroom risotto. Although the chicken was overcooked and dry, the latter two items were quite good. All of these complaints are perhaps somewhat trivial, but considering the cost, they become less so. I would highly recommend coming for lunch instead - if at all. Compared to the atmosphere and cost of the restaurant, the food is destined to disappoint. read more

Just Outstanding! The service from Eric was attentive, courteous and on point. I so enjoyed the lamb with mushroom risotto. The hummus was fresh and garlicky like I like it. Crispy Brussels sprouts were crunchy with a sweet balsamic finish. My husband thought the paella was delicious, flavorful with an assortment of seafood served piping hot. We will be back with friends. This spot is not to be missed. read more

Bleu Olive - Lamb, mushroom risotto, broccolini - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The food is exceptionally good, but the manager/host sets the tone for your experience there. And he's rather rude and doesn't care. I've been a handful of times with my parents when I'm in town, and it's always the same guy with Yanni-live-at-the-Acropolis hair up front. He was super short with us last night when we were in with a less able family member and asked for accommodation. It's a shame he's the public face of things since the service at table and food are so good. They also have a posted note on each table stating for you to essentially hurry up and eat so they can get more bodies in. read more

Bleu Olive - Hurry up and eat. Don't linger. - Mediterranean Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Best baba ganoush! Awesome atmosphere. Great wine selection. Amazing food. It's one of those places in a strip center than will surprise and delight you. The lady who seems to run it can sound a little short on the phone but she's sweet in person, she's just a busy lady getting business done! The staff were all pleasant and prompt and we had no complaints. Love this place! read more

We went here for dinner on a Tuesday early evening. It was the day after my dining partner's birthday, so I gave her free rein over where to go, and this was what she chose. She opted for one of the specials, a carbonara with Brussels Sprouts, and I got the Caesar Salad and the Crispy Calamari appetizer. The salad was great - just the right touch of dressing, Parmesan cheese was just the right age and temperature to bring out it's flavor. The Calamari was not at all crispy, and was a bit bland as well. The two sauces helped, but the basic batter was absolutely flavorless and the oil could have been a good bit hotter. The pasta dish was very tasty (I didn't try it because - Brussels Sprouts), and enough was taken home for a lunch the next day. Keegan's service was perfect - just enough attention, not hovering, not disappearing for long stretches. When requested, he disappeared into the back of house for a salt shaker. (I have an irritating feeling when restaurants guard condiments closely. If I want more pepper or salt, I should have it available. And those poor little squid needed something badly!) All in, for $60, I was less than impressed. The food was presented nicely, portions were fine, but for what we were served, I don't feel we got the value paid for. read more