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My daughter suggested we try Chez Olga, and we're so glad she did. The four of us stopped in for lunch, and every single dish exceeded our expectations. We even shared bites from each other's plates, and each one was bursting with flavor and clearly made with care. Olga herself was both the chef and our server, which meant the food took a little longer--but honestly, no one minded. The wait felt like part of the experience. The restaurant is small, with around a dozen tables, and while it's not fine dining, it has a cozy atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. There was a real sense of community as we chatted with others around us--everyone seemed to be enjoying their time just as much as we were. Olga truly makes the place special. Beyond the excellent food, she creates an environment filled with warmth and joy. She takes the time to connect with her guests, making you feel valued, and by the time you leave, it feels like you've made a new friend. If you're looking for authentic Caribbean food or enjoy discovering hidden gems, this is the kind of place you'll love. You won't be disappointed by either the food or the heartfelt service. I highly recommend giving it a try.
It's always delicious! I was humbled however. Worth noting when asked how spicy you want your food and you say five thinking you're getting medium. Make sure their scale goes to 1-10 not 1-5. It was totally worth the pain.
My son recommended this place for lunch and he was spot-on. The food was just fantastic. It tasted so flavorful and fresh. And our server was just awesome, calling my mother-in-law Mama and my wife Queen. The food was hot, both temperature hot and spicy hot. I chose a 3 on the 1-5 scale and I think next time I should go with a 2. The 3 definitely had some nice kick! My wife got a 1 on her dish and she said she would call it a "medium" heat. I would love to come back the next time I am in Grand Rapids and try some of the other items such as the jerk chicken.
Food is amazing! I ordered the mago passion fruit drink which was delicious. They are also BYOB. We ordered the pasta which had tons of veggies and was delicious. We also got the goat curry which was equally as delicious but I did which there was some veggies in that too to complement it. We will be back for sure regardless. Servings are huge. Staff was helpful with deciding on level of spice. It was small inside so call ahead for large groups. We had a group of about 10 and ended up being the only people in there for most of the time, tons of take out orders.
Long-time fan even before Robert Irvine's Kitchen Impossible came in 2019. Love: Griyo Ak Ban-nan appetizer - the fried pork with fried plantains, sauce, and coleslaw. The coleslaw is way too spicy for me, but so good! The entire family loved this. Ragu Goat is my go-to! A nice sweet sauce. Sooo good. My daughter liked her Curry Chicken (lots of protein, no veg), and my husband liked the Pasta Chez Olga that had a nice variety of veggies. 0-5 spice level - the Caribbean heat is no joke! Choose lower than you would at other restaurants. I get a 0, my husband orders it at a 10 spice level - one of the few places where you get the heat AND flavor. Plan to wait longer as they have a small kitchen and staff.
I decided to stop by here on a trip to GR after multiple mentions on reddit. This place did not disappoint! I'm usually not a huge fan of this type of meal, but I got the goat ragu and it blew my mind! It was super tasty and I wish I could go back again. The server/chef/maybe owner was super friendly as well.
The food was out of this world ! We can't wait to come back. The spice levels are no joke but absolutely delish
i've always heard that the food at chez olga is delicious and flavorful but it even exceeded those expectations. you know you loved a meal when you bring it up 5 more times after you've left. when you see reviews about how flavorful the food is... believe them. each dish we had was an umami, savory, dream that left nothing to be desired. we started with the plantains - they were crispy, salty, and the slaw had such a unique spice. I had the vegan jerk pasta with tofu. it was sweet, spicy, and cheesy. my partner got the curry with tofu and i loved the flavor. though it was a curry, there were so many other flavors layered throughout the sauce. the chez olga sauté was the best dish on the table though. the tomato based sauce was like nothing i've ever tasted before. this dish was the epitome of umami. my mouth is watering just thinking about it. most of the menu items can be made vegan. the flavor of everything we tried was delicious.
I had a great experience at Chez Olga and enjoyed the spiciness of the dish I ordered (level 3- good heat if you like spicy without being overwhelming). I got the Chez Olga Pasta with tofu as I am vegetarian (and appreciated all of the vegetarian friendly options that were on the menu). We had to wait a bit for the food as everything is prepared fresh to order- but it was well worth it. Everything tasted amazing. I can't wait to come back for more.
I can't believe it took me so long to try this place. Last night, our friends were telling us how amazing Chez Olga is, so we decided to try it out right away. The restaurant is very cozy and has plenty of tables for a smaller restaurant, but it also can fill up quickly. The food is all amazing. So many delicious options it's difficult to choose. Even all the dishes that were coming out to other tables looked so amazing I wanted to try them all, haha. They don't mess around with their spice levels, my wife and I love spicy food and we got level 4 spice which was perfect. It definitely has some serious heat without turning into a painful level of heat (for people who like spicy food). The service was outstanding! This is a family owned, local business that makes everything fresh, so come with the mindset your dinner will take a while...but it is well worth the wait. Olga herself was doing an amazing job serving all the customers. She is super sweet and it was so enjoyable talking with her. They do fill up quickly so I would highly recommend a reservation on the weekend. Also, come early. At about 8pm on this Saturday night they switched to "takeout only" because of how many orders they were getting. I can't wait to go back to try some of the other entrees and I'm looking forward to eating my leftovers tomorrow!
Wow- if you are a spice person, this place is for you. My husband and I ordered one entree to share as we weren't very hungry. We got the pasta chez olga with level 1 spice. I am honestly unsure how anyone orders a level hotter than that. It was spicy!! Even though it was spicy, the flavor was very much there. The portion size is massive. We had a whole third portion to take home. Small place and service is not super quick, but worth the wait. Excited to go back and try more!
I've heard so many great things about Chez Olga. I finally had the pleasure of trying it out with my dad & friends. 5 stars for the Caribbean Fried Rice. You can add beef, shrimp or chicken. My friends ordered the curry which was also very good. The flavors in the food and spice level were perfect. I would visit here every-time I'm in Grand Rapids. The owner was very sweet, she had a great personality! Extremely cute and chic inside as well :)
4 months ago
It was so incredibly good. Portions are giant. We had savory plantains. They are served with spicy slaw and a yummy sauce. You're supposed to eat them "cookie style!!" They were delish. I tried the blue raspberry lemonade...yum. My husband had papaya &passion fruit island drink...also really good! Chicken creole and shrimp chez Olga pasta were our main dishes. Both were giant portions, incredibly flavorful and so filling! We will have lunch and possibly dinner for another day! Olga was so kind and helpful. We will be back! You should 100% come here and experience the flavors and kindness of Olga. read more
My food came out steaming! I have zero complaints only compliments. As mentioned my food was steaming it was so hot and fresh. I feel like there is a garden somewhere in there bc the food was also fresh. I would absolutely recommend this establishment. read more
Everything was so flavorful, so well made. I got told later that the star of the menu is the jerk chicken. So looking forward to trying that next time. I really appreciate the flexibility with the spice level as well. Has a great mom-pop shop vibe with the Chef personally checking in on every table. read more
My daughter suggested we try Chez Olga, and we're so glad she did. The four of us stopped in for lunch, and every single dish exceeded our expectations. We even shared bites from each other's plates, and each one was bursting with flavor and clearly made with care. Olga herself was both the chef and our server, which meant the food took a little longer--but honestly, no one minded. The wait felt like part of the experience. The restaurant is small, with around a dozen tables, and while it's not fine dining, it has a cozy atmosphere that makes you feel right at home. There was a real sense of community as we chatted with others around us--everyone seemed to be enjoying their time just as much as we were. Olga truly makes the place special. Beyond the excellent food, she creates an environment filled with warmth and joy. She takes the time to connect with her guests, making you feel valued, and by the time you leave, it feels like you've made a new friend. If you're looking for authentic Caribbean food or enjoy discovering hidden gems, this is the kind of place you'll love. You won't be disappointed by either the food or the heartfelt service. I highly recommend giving it a try. read more
It's always delicious! I was humbled however. Worth noting when asked how spicy you want your food and you say five thinking you're getting medium. Make sure their scale goes to 1-10 not 1-5. It was totally worth the pain. read more
5 months ago
My son recommended this place for lunch and he was spot-on. The food was just fantastic. It tasted so flavorful and fresh. And our server was just awesome, calling my mother-in-law Mama and my wife Queen. The food was hot, both temperature hot and spicy hot. I chose a 3 on the 1-5 scale and I think next time I should go with a 2. The 3 definitely had some nice kick! My wife got a 1 on her dish and she said she would call it a "medium" heat. I would love to come back the next time I am in Grand Rapids and try some of the other items such as the jerk chicken. read more
2 months ago
5 months ago
Food is amazing! I ordered the mago passion fruit drink which was delicious. They are also BYOB. We ordered the pasta which had tons of veggies and was delicious. We also got the goat curry which was equally as delicious but I did which there was some veggies in that too to complement it. We will be back for sure regardless. Servings are huge. Staff was helpful with deciding on level of spice. It was small inside so call ahead for large groups. We had a group of about 10 and ended up being the only people in there for most of the time, tons of take out orders. read more
Long-time fan even before Robert Irvine's Kitchen Impossible came in 2019. Love: Griyo Ak Ban-nan appetizer - the fried pork with fried plantains, sauce, and coleslaw. The coleslaw is way too spicy for me, but so good! The entire family loved this. Ragu Goat is my go-to! A nice sweet sauce. Sooo good. My daughter liked her Curry Chicken (lots of protein, no veg), and my husband liked the Pasta Chez Olga that had a nice variety of veggies. 0-5 spice level - the Caribbean heat is no joke! Choose lower than you would at other restaurants. I get a 0, my husband orders it at a 10 spice level - one of the few places where you get the heat AND flavor. Plan to wait longer as they have a small kitchen and staff. read more
3 months ago
I decided to stop by here on a trip to GR after multiple mentions on reddit. This place did not disappoint! I'm usually not a huge fan of this type of meal, but I got the goat ragu and it blew my mind! It was super tasty and I wish I could go back again. The server/chef/maybe owner was super friendly as well. read more
4 months ago
The food was out of this world ! We can't wait to come back. The spice levels are no joke but absolutely delish read more
1 year ago
i've always heard that the food at chez olga is delicious and flavorful but it even exceeded those expectations. you know you loved a meal when you bring it up 5 more times after you've left. when you see reviews about how flavorful the food is... believe them. each dish we had was an umami, savory, dream that left nothing to be desired. we started with the plantains - they were crispy, salty, and the slaw had such a unique spice. I had the vegan jerk pasta with tofu. it was sweet, spicy, and cheesy. my partner got the curry with tofu and i loved the flavor. though it was a curry, there were so many other flavors layered throughout the sauce. the chez olga sauté was the best dish on the table though. the tomato based sauce was like nothing i've ever tasted before. this dish was the epitome of umami. my mouth is watering just thinking about it. most of the menu items can be made vegan. the flavor of everything we tried was delicious. read more
5 months ago
2 months ago
11 months ago
I had a great experience at Chez Olga and enjoyed the spiciness of the dish I ordered (level 3- good heat if you like spicy without being overwhelming). I got the Chez Olga Pasta with tofu as I am vegetarian (and appreciated all of the vegetarian friendly options that were on the menu). We had to wait a bit for the food as everything is prepared fresh to order- but it was well worth it. Everything tasted amazing. I can't wait to come back for more. read more
I can't believe it took me so long to try this place. Last night, our friends were telling us how amazing Chez Olga is, so we decided to try it out right away. The restaurant is very cozy and has plenty of tables for a smaller restaurant, but it also can fill up quickly. The food is all amazing. So many delicious options it's difficult to choose. Even all the dishes that were coming out to other tables looked so amazing I wanted to try them all, haha. They don't mess around with their spice levels, my wife and I love spicy food and we got level 4 spice which was perfect. It definitely has some serious heat without turning into a painful level of heat (for people who like spicy food). The service was outstanding! This is a family owned, local business that makes everything fresh, so come with the mindset your dinner will take a while...but it is well worth the wait. Olga herself was doing an amazing job serving all the customers. She is super sweet and it was so enjoyable talking with her. They do fill up quickly so I would highly recommend a reservation on the weekend. Also, come early. At about 8pm on this Saturday night they switched to "takeout only" because of how many orders they were getting. I can't wait to go back to try some of the other entrees and I'm looking forward to eating my leftovers tomorrow! read more
Wow- if you are a spice person, this place is for you. My husband and I ordered one entree to share as we weren't very hungry. We got the pasta chez olga with level 1 spice. I am honestly unsure how anyone orders a level hotter than that. It was spicy!! Even though it was spicy, the flavor was very much there. The portion size is massive. We had a whole third portion to take home. Small place and service is not super quick, but worth the wait. Excited to go back and try more! read more
2 years ago
I've heard so many great things about Chez Olga. I finally had the pleasure of trying it out with my dad & friends. 5 stars for the Caribbean Fried Rice. You can add beef, shrimp or chicken. My friends ordered the curry which was also very good. The flavors in the food and spice level were perfect. I would visit here every-time I'm in Grand Rapids. The owner was very sweet, she had a great personality! Extremely cute and chic inside as well :) read more
1 year ago
This iconic building is home to a fantastic restaurant. I've never had Haitian food before and I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. My husband surprised me with a visit here for my birthday. I gotta say, he knocked it out of the ballpark with this one. We didn't have a reservation, but this was a Wednesday evening, so we were hopeful. The people helping us were courteous, and maybe a bit curt, but it was busy and it was steaming hot outside, so I think we all were a bit edgy. We ordered 3 entrees and an appetizer to share...just in case nobody was sure about committing to something they were unsure of. The Creole Sampler is a good place to start. Gives you a little bit of everything and that sauce to dip in was WONDERFUL! Almost like a sweet and sour sauce or duck sauce. But not as viscous and very well balanced. We ordered the Chez Olga Saute. That combination of spinach, tomato and onion was GOOD! Flavorful and delicious! We ordered it with chicken. The Jerked chicken was also a wonderful choice. Chicken fell right off the bone. And the beans and rice...YUM!!!! Third entree was the Gumbo. This was also amazing. Slightly sweeter than I expected but still so good! Everything was ordered with a heat index of about 3. "Hot but tolerable" is what we were told and they were not wrong! The slaw that came with the appetizer was delicious and vinegary...but pretty spicy. So be mindful of that. read more
6 months ago
This was absolutely delicious Jamaican food! Tender chicken, flavorful sauce, generous serving of rice and beans, served fresh and steaming hot! read more
1 year ago
My parents come here all the time and if I lived closer, I would too. This place is incredible. The owner is a hoot and she does an amazing job. The food is always hot and seasoned to perfection. Watch the spice level, she means business. Five of us went and everything was delicious. The outside of the building is so cool and the inside is very welcoming. I will definitely be back. Highly recommend. read more
6 months ago
8 months ago
2 years ago
The food here was amazing and the staff were so friendly. We can't wait to come back and enjoy authentic food again. The atmosphere was charming as well. The spicy slaw was amazing and next time I will get some to go too! The food is spicy and I was happy with a level 1 but the slaw is probably 2-3. read more
3 years ago
I have seen this spot soooo many times but it always looked closed (I'm going to blame the dark wood building). The building it beyond unique, especially for the Eastown area, and it really makes you feel like you're entering in a hobbit hole. However, don't let the unique outer aesthetic deter you. It is definitely worth the venture inside! It is extremely small (like 40 or less) and it's a slower pace as it is solo run. It took a few minutes for us to be greeted and sat, but the owner was extremely friendly. We decided to order the Jerk Chicken (spice 2) and Curry Chicken (spice 1). The food came out pretty quickly and wow were we pleasantly surprised! The spice scale is 1-5.5+ on the menu, and we ordered a lower spice level just in case - since Caribbean spicy is definitely different than any other type of spice, and you can always add to it but can't take it away. The owner agreed! She was sassy and hilarious, shared stories about how you can order more than a 5.5 but she doesn't recommend it because people can't handle spicy the way Caribbean's do. She did not steer us wrong and the whole experience was a delite! Will I come again? Absolutely! Definitely want to come with a larger group to order many entrees to enjoy and share. read more
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Fresh delicious hot creations Excellent service from John Olga makes you feel like you're family and welcomed We will be back! read more
I've always known Chez Olga as that ornate wood building on Wealthy Street. It's been on my radar for years and I've never been until recently. My boyfriend and I watched the Chez Olga episode of Restaurant Impossible and decided to stop in on a whim while nearby. I'm so glad we did, because the food was flavorful and interesting. The interior is colorful and bright and we were seated right away by Olga herself. We started with the fried plantains and spicy coleslaw, and ordered the jerk chicken with spice level 3, and curry with chicken spice level 1. The spice levels range from 0 to 10, and Olga said she eats her food with spice level 5. I had heard that the spice at Chez Olga is no joke, so I was a bit nervous (hence the level 1)! The plantains were large and a bit savory - they honestly reminded me of french fries, yum! The spicy coleslaw was a delight. I am usually not a coleslaw fan but this was fresh, crisp, unique and a bit spicy! The jerk chicken is stewed in a tomato-based sauce, different than Jamaican jerk chicken which is usually a dry spice rub. I kept taking spoonfuls of the sauce because I couldn't figure out what the different spices were. I kept tasting a bit of chocolate and it was super savory and delicious. The spice level of 3 was pretty mild but it was a gentle heat that built up as we ate. I think I'd get a level 3 or 4 next time. The beans and rice were tasty as well. The curry was savory and seasoned well, and the chicken was cooked nicely. The curry was pretty basic and seemed like something I could make at home, but I would love to try some of the other dishes next time. Or I might just get more jerk chicken, because I can't stop thinking about it! The space is pretty small and there were only a handful of people working at the time when a party of 11 people came in. We got our food and bills in a timely manner, but if you're in a hurry I might recommend calling your order in for takeout. read more
4 years ago
Unbelievable food at this gem in East town! Love the Haitian cuisine! Layered with flavors and spiced to desired levels (I asked for a 4 and it was perfect!) My friend took me here for my birthday with another friend and we had to box 1/2 the food because we couldn't stop eating it. (Huge portions). There is something for everyone here and a ton of vegetarian and vegan options--so many I was struggling to decide. I ended up getting the vegetable curry with tofu--incredible! To drink, papaya and passion fruit. My friend ordered black rice, plantains and Accra for the table. I can't wait to go back and try other dishes!!! A MUST stop If you are in the West Michigan area! read more
2 years ago
We saw the cool building and heard it had good reviews on reddit so we gave it a try. It is my new favorite restaurant! The food was incredible and they had great portion sizes. All of us went home with leftovers. The owner talked to us she was very sweet. The vibes of the building were very cool. I am excited to go back. Be patient for the food it is well worth it. Don't go on a super empty stomach. The accra appetizer was to die for. read more
2 years ago
I was here last year when the pandemic just hit. Because of covid, there is only takeout available. You will recognize the place with it's iconic front exterior and door, which I love! Parking is on the streets or a lot next door. The inside is nice and cheerful but the chairs were placed on the tables since they don't allow dine-in right now. The best Haitian food in town! I ordered the jerk chicken level 2 spicy. It came with 2 large drumsticks & thigh, and cajun rice. Normally I would be more adventurous with my voice level but they don't play here. The chicken was so flavorful. So happy Grand Rapids has a place like this to break away from the numerous chain restaurants around here! read more
Stopped in here for a workin lunch. Excellent decision! Quickly seated and taken care of, with friendly & personable service. I ordered the seafood gumbo, heat level 4 (I was feeling gutsy); my friend ordered Chez Olga Ragu Pasta with Shrimp. We also got a starter of fried plantains (came with a vinegary/onion coleslaw type of relish on the side. Talk about a mix of creamy heat! Not only did our food come out quickly, it was freshly made and full of flavor. My dish had a nice red sauce (looks like tomato based, but it had a hint of creamy), and was filled with a variety of seafood and okra. Rice came with. My friends Pasta was HUMONGOUS, oh so creamy, and flavorful. Whenever I've had fried plantains, they've always been sweet and small in size. These plantains were not sweet and were huge (it almost looked like they were 2 plantain slices smooshed & fried together...). They were the perfect contrast to my spicy dish. The decor is so cool too! (We almost missed the front door because it blended in so well...in spite of the "open here" sign). Check this place out if you're craving some delish Caribbean food. Side note: owner told us that while they don't sell alcohol you can BYOB... read more
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More info about Chez Olga
1441 Wealthy St SE
Grand Rapids, MI 49506
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(616) 233-4141
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https://thechezolga.com
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