I've passed by this restaurant many times walking down Lafayette, and was always jealous of everyone sitting outside enjoying their meal. We finally tried it this weekend for an early Saturday dinner. When we arrived around 5pm, there were already filled tables. We waited about 30 mins, but the host can take your phone # down if you want to walk around. You can also make a res ahead of time Their menu has brunch options, lunch/dinner, tapas, and drinks. We opted for the limoncello gin drink and a white sangria. The sangria was bright and fruity but a little too sweet for me. The limoncello on the other hand was veryy strong! Not that refreshing, but will definitely give you a buzz. For food, we decided on 2 tapas and a pasta - Romesco dip: comes with fresh warm pita bread and you can ask for endives too! You could really taste the roasted peppers and went well with both endives/pita. I would get this again or try another one of their dips! They have a 3 for $18 special if you want to try multiple - Sauteed shrimp spanish style: think gambas al ajillo. you can also get it french or greek style. Comes on a sizzling plate, and while the taste was nice and garlicky, the shrimps were quite tiny :( - Whole grain farro pasta: our favorite of the night!! I was expecting actual farro grains, but they actually make the PASTA pieces out of farro. It has a nice chewy bite to it. There's no meat in this dish, but it's packed with broccoli rabe, leeks, pumpkin, peas, walnuts and tossed in a pesto sauce with ricotta. YUMM It's a bit pricey in general if you're gonna get drinks as well (prob cost about $80 for the 2 of us after tax+tip), but a highly recommended date night spot!! Might be even better with a group though so you can try more dishes read more

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Chaotic ambience on Sunday AM. Food is really good but service was unprofessional and seemingly scattered.

First off this place gets crowded and sometimes we've either had to wait for an hour or so, or no tables left for the night. But once we did get a table the atmosphere was really nice. Staff was super nice but really busy so it was pretty slow to get anyone to take our order. We got the white sangria, very nice. We read other people recommend the bacon almond stuffed dates and they were pretty good, not amazing. I found them to be a bit dry and wished there was maybe some cheese or a glaze or something. We also tried the Sautéed Shrimp, french style, these were great. For the main I ordered Greek paella and I loved this dish so much, get this! Also we had a salmon special and it was pretty good, a bit heavy handed on the herbs. Overall food was pretty good and I would definitely eat here again. read more

Try the Green Eggs and Lamb for brunch and add a side off tzatziki - their tzatziki was sooo good! The eggs are "green" because of the addition of herbs (think it was cilantro!) - thought it was great and pulled the whole dish together Located in a super cute area in Fort Greene park - they have nice outdoor seating and great service. I'll be back! read more

Olea - Lamb Sausage with Green Eggs & Lamb - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Love Olea and the food here. Highly recommend the branzino, the Orecchiette Pasta (super chewy!!) and the seafood paella. I've dined and gotten take out from them and both have been excellent. I haven't tried them for brunch though but that's definitely on the list! read more

This place is adorable!! We sat in a corner full of cushions. So comfy & cozy & the service was quite fast and friendly. The food was here was absolutely delicious with a lot of unique menu options. We had their savory Parmesan French toast that came with French toast, a fried egg & potatoes with peas all over. This was my first time having a savory French toast and it was pieced together so well. Also really loved the eggs in purgatory. It's a little spicy but subtle so you get to enjoy the flavors and have a tinge of spice which I love! Lastly, the Olea breakfast was great too. The green eggs were so fluffy and flavorful along with the hearty blend of vegetables on the platter. The sauce on the side was a little sweet and salty. A hearty mix. My favorites we're definitely the eggs in purgatory and the savory French toast! read more

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My girlfriends and I were able to pop over here for dinner this past weekend. The table was odd for 3 people. They capped a 2 top table but it left me feeling odd and uncomfortable based on the legs of the outdoor crossed table legs. I didn't really have a good place to put my legs. The server was very nice and attentive. We sat outside but I did get to pop in and get a gander at the interior. Cute and pleasing to the eye. Feels warm, in a good way. The food was pretty good, but some hits/misses for me. Not sure if the "paella" just didn't suit my palette but I was not a fan of this at all and scooped my portion onto my friend's plate. We also got the halloumi, patatas bravas and vegan meatballs, affogato and burnt cheesecake. Favorites for me that I would recommend: - Haloumi- the sauce this was paired with was good, this was fried nicely - Patatas bravas- good, standard dish. I think the sauce tasted like the quesadilla sauce from Taco bell (a fav), so I was a fan - Affogato: splendid on a summer evening. The ice cream was silky and delicious and just absolutely hit the spot. - Burnt cheesecake: This was good, but not spectacular. - Vegan meatballs: not everyone in my party liked this. I thought it was good but not great. It won't stand out in my mind. Cocktails were pretty good too. Overall, I'd come back as there were some other dishes on the menu I'd like to try. 4/5 read more

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Friday lunch. Low key informal. Service attentive without being intrusive. Three dips were something to be getting on with but the mussels were something else. Perfectly cooked, served with exactly enough crusty bread to sop up the slightly piquant mouthwatering sauce. Followed by tasty olive oil chocolate dessert with ice cream and caramel sauce. An unexpected culinary delight. read more

I came here on a Wednesday night, party of two, and there was a 20-30 minute wait to sit inside so we opted to eat outside which was surprisingly warm with the heaters. We enjoyed some good drinks and ordered 4 small plates to share (good amount for 2 people). Everything came out in a timely manner and was very good. It was not too expensive and the service was good. Excited to go back and try some more delicious apps and plates. read more

Olea - Cheese Stuffed Peppers - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Beautiful ambiance, delicious food and drinks, no wait on a Friday, and the service was delightful and charming.

I just didn't love it. The space is really tight and there's only one bathroom, which isn't enough. The white sangria was tasty but I thought the braised chicken was a little bit of an odd dish. Liked the fried Brussels sprouts. read more

I had been wanting to come here for a few months and was very impressed. We sat outside in their large outdoor seating area. We got the dip trio (hummus, beet, romesco), whole grain farro pasta, and falafel encrusted artichoke hearts. Everything was fantastic - very soft pita and flavorful dips; the pasta was filled with a a variety of flavors, shapes, and textures; and the falafel artichoke was so unique and delicious. Great presentation and service. We were too full for dessert but would definitely return to try the vegan olive oil chocolate cake! read more

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This was a plan b dinner spot when our wait at Sofreh no longer seemed worthwhile - sometimes I just get the feeling that places with that much hype are never worth it. In any case, dinner here worked out nicely - big fan of the Bavarian village vibe in the fall along the streets of Fort Greene. On to the food, we started with the roasted cremini mushrooms, which had a lovely smoky flavor and a variety of intriguing textures. The hummus was good, but I'd probably skip next time. My favorites were the halloumi steak and lentil-pomegranate soup. The halloumi was not too tough (often a problem), and the romesco brought out all the right flavor points. The lentil soup is similar to Turkish mercimek, and the pomegranate syrup and crispy chickpeas really took this to the next level. I would come back here just for that amazing soup. read more

Olea - Halloumi - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Great food and a comfy atmosphere. Stopped by during the afternoon at happy hour and was presented with unique dishes that had great flavor. It gets a bit busy, but the service remains excellent. Their ingredients were fresh and local. Cocktails were well crafted. The raspberry sorbet ice cream was creamy and sweet! read more

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Absolutely enjoyed the cuisine in Olea, the atmosphere is warm, friendly vibes, Food is very tasty & full of Life. Drinks were made very well, quality service! read more

Olea - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Update: went here last weekend after some years away... I feel the quality has gone down. Service was great, but the food was nothing to write home about, which is a first for me with Olea. read more

Such a lovely sweet staff and ambiance but I do feel this place is overrated- food is average and portions are very small yet $$. Will not go back but I do love the staff!! read more

So happy I discovered this gem. Although it's been around a while, I only just learned of this place and had an early reservation on New Year's Eve. Cozy, friendly place. Lovely server. Great food and lots of healthy and gluten free choices!! But also very satisfying to those not concerned about those options. Loved the food. Skipped desert this time but can't wait to go back and try the sweets that looked awesome. They have a happy hour that is a very nice deal with good bar food. read more

I had the pleasure of visiting this establishment a few weeks ago for lunch and I've been a regular ever since . 1st the staff is the warmest staff i have encountered this far JAMES is a absolute gem.! So warm , sweet , hospitable and extremely knowledgeable he heightens my experience every time i visit Then to be paired with such a pleasant coworker JOEL is amazing ! Swift , warm , also extended knowledge of everything as well . Dining with them at your service amplifies your time there . The food is exceptional! I'm a Brussels sprout fan so they definitely executed that ! The MUSSELS ARE TO DIE FOR and the bread it's pair with is simply delish ! OLEA's is by far top 5 dining spot in bk . GOT MY VOTE ! read more

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A BedStuy local pointed us towards Olea, and we went literally that same day. Absolutely loved the food! The ambiance is also so great, its a really cool eclectic space. I always crave hummus and other dips with pita, and Olea really hit the spot. When we went it was a hot late Autumn evening, so I got a grain dish which was light and flavorful. My boyfriend got the sliders which looked really good! I definitely want to go back next time I'm in the area. read more

I was expecting kebabs and falafel and instead I was surprised with the most delicious warm chicken paella with a sweet, creamy sauce and a can't-get-enough farro pasta salad. They really do their flavor combinations RIGHT here. Also had the Mediterranean sundae with the toasted white sesame and the Greek yogurt ice cream, both of which were refreshing endings to our meal. Service was incredible, food came out quick, and the ambience is lovely and chatty. I'd highly recommend this as a dinner spot, it doesn't look like they have a single bad dish. read more

Olea - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Extensive menu, cute and unsuspecting spot! Love it's location, quant neighborhood. Food is flavorful, generously portioned and there is truly something on the menu for everyone. Service can be a bit slow at times, but other than that a great little place! read more

Olea - Greek Village Salad Braised Garlic Chicken - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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This is a reliably great spot in the neighborhood. We had a fine dinner here with several appetizers and larger plates. Mezcal Negroni cocktail was good but seemed to be premixed based on how fast it came to the table. Fried green olives and polenta fried artichokes were great. Faro pasta was excellent. The service was well timed and friendly. The sound level was high at times. In all, very enjoyable. read more

I hate to lower my rating but my second experience wasn't as good as the first. What I'm finding here is the dishes are either a WOW hit or overdone miss. Previously I loved everything but the bacon wrapped dates because I had even written those were overdone. This time we got the chickpeas which tasted totally burned, and our paella was overcooked too and sticking to the bottom of the pan from the moment it came out. It still had good flavor but was definitely overcooked and not as good as I remembered. That said the cheese stuffed cherry peppers were fabulous. That dish was 5/5 so as I mentioned the dishes here are like mindblowing or burned. I was so excited to bring my mom to this place I had previously loved and then felt like ashamed of talking it up so much. Service was great though and they did take the chickpeas off the bill at least since we didn't like them. read more

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i will be thinking about their vegan olive oil cake for the rest of my life....brussels sprouts and patatas were tasty. we ordered a lot and i had cramps before going so i couldn't eat much but the few things i did eat were good. service was so good they're so sweet i would definitely return. gave free things bc of my bday and made us feel very welcome, chef has been there 20 years since it opened! Our waitress was the best. read more

Olea - tapas- halloumi cheese, brussels sprouts, patatas fratas, greek salad, hummus trio - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Always delicious and lovely service and darling spot to sit. Still nice n neighborly.

Tickets to see a play at the beautiful BAM theater - let's have dinner before the show - check online for close restaurants and OLEA looked interesting- first time diners - we both knew nothing about Olea - WHAT AN AMAZING SURPRISE! We didn't have any wait to be seated , the place is adorable -cozy, wood beamed ceilings , bric, rustic chic! Everyone's food around us looked incredible ! My friend and decided to share a few dishes - falafel encrusted artichokes, vegan meatballs, polenta fried oysters and a kale salad with an Italian white wine - everything was incredibly delicious!!!! Everything! Service was quick and friendly - we let our waitress know we had a show to catch and asked for our check with our meal - prices not bad at all! I can't wait to go back again very soon and of course the neighborhood is beautiful and fun to walk around! What a treat for us on a beautiful summery April day! read more

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Food has improved and the drinks, as usual, are still top notch (thanks to Thomas). I've started eating here regularly again! Didn't realize how much I missed it until I sat down at the bar a week ago and Thomas had my Oleapolitan ready in mere seconds of me being seated. read more

God I love this place so much. Been coming for years and can't believe I hadn't written a review! I'd recommend all the dishes if you have time but some must haves are the beet skordalia (get the dip trio so you can have it and 2 more!) and the Paella (they have a meat, a seafood, and a VEGAN version!). Shockingly the paella didn't take a long time to make so that was unexpected and lovely. For drinks I've gotten wine and cocktails here but nothing beats a summer sangria of which they have white and red :) They have outdoor and indoor seating- all of which are cozy and intimate. They even have warmers above each outdoor seat so you can be there later in the seasons. They don't take many reservations (and you have to make them either early in the day or before the day of) but I've never had a long wait for a table. End with an espresso martini or just a coffee. Dessert looks good but I've always been stuffed by that time and never had a chance to try one! read more

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Super cozy and delicious Mediterranean spot. Took our daughter here for her birthday and everything was perfect. Great spot for those with celiac or gluten intolerance- they were super attentive to my concerns about contamination, and the endive option for the dip was fabulous! read more

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I've been here on two separate occasions and thought the food was okay the first time but the service was decent. The second time (today) the food was much better than the first time (it just depends on what you get) but the service/ staff was mediocre. It's been a minute since I've had servers and food runners who simply did not want to be there and would blatantly show it. For me personally, the service/ ambiance is what makes me want to keep going back to a restaurant/eatery (on top of good food)- We didn't want to wait for an hour for an inside table so we opted for the outdoor seating. The heating lamp doesn't do any justice. The food itself also came out fast and we were pleased by that. But we definitely did not enjoy the fried olives.. the sauce under the olives... not sure if it's a Harissa but it was overpowering. Would much rather like it on the side and a slightly bigger portion for the price. So, although, the food was good today, I personally wouldn't want to go back since the service was eh- ok. read more

It's more of a 3.5 star. Food was decent. Place is very busy. We ordered the 3 DIP COMBO WITH PITA AND ENDIVE LEAVES: 1.Roasted beet skordalia: I liked this dip the most. It had a nice amount of sweetness and the not too strong of a beet taste. Romesco: pretty good as well. Sheep's milk feta with red pepper--a bit too strong on the feta. I wasn't too fond of it. The pita was good and the endive leaves were nice and crunchy. 2. PATATAS BRAVAS- average. It was alright. Nothing special. 3. Bacon wrapped dates and almonds- it was interesting. Very sweet dates and the almonds gave it a nice texture and more complex nutty flavor. 4. Sautéed halloumi- it was just alright for me. I wasn't too fond of the cheese. 5. Goat cheese croquettes with honey-I liked it. The honey was a nice balance to the goat cheese. 6. Paella greco- it was OK. Lots of stuff and flavors. I wasn't used to the Mediterranean flavors on the paella. 7. Spanish pitza- interesting flavors. I wasn't too fond of it. I was also getting full when this dish came out so I probably wasn't feeling anything at all at this time. Overall, decent dinner. Lots of different tapas to choose from. Wasn't anything that I especially loved or would recommend. Perhaps the goat cheese croquettes. read more

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Came here for brunch and it was delicious! We also wanted to be seated inside after making reservations for outdoors and they were accommodating which was great! For the appetizer we got the artichoke falafel. We got the green eggs and lamb, the brisket sandwhich, and pasta for entrees. Everything was great! We also got the mango sangria which was refreshing! I would definitely come back. Great food, amazing staff, and cute interior. read more

eggs in purgatory: classic shakshuka and the cheesy bread was delish. Your palate will be blessed with all the flavors. brioche French toast: with apple and maple syrup. Loved how this was baked and perfectly sweet!! vegan kefteddes: these vegan meatballs were made of tofu in a spicy whipped feta tomato sauce. So rich in flavor and this was my first time trying vegan meatball Overall this is a solid brunch spot in the area. The heating is pretty good and they have limited seating. Loved all the dishes I tried! read more

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so tasty so cutie perfection Sweet looking light brown haired server don't know your name you're great. Thanks so much. read more

Came here for a quick bite before a show at BAM. We ate off the happy hour menu which was extensive and really good. Even the wine was delightful. Plus, the waitress was incredibly friendly. Lovely spot. Great vibes. Good people. Excellent food. Highly recconmend. read more

Service was very shitty. Drinks came 30 minutes after ordering, ordered the brisket meal came cold and meat was very tough. The waiter did not check on if we were okay, if the food was good, nothing!!! On top of that the restaurant cut off all the lights leaving my table and several others to eat in the dark. literally could not see my hands in front of me. The place is horrible. My first and LAST TIME eating here! I do not recommend any one of color to eat here. read more

Always seemed packed and hour-long waits but managed to get a seat when they started taking reservations. Food was good- got the bacon wrapped dates, red pepper feta dip, Spanish "pitza" and falafel crusted artichokes along with a bottle of wine. Would recommend going for smaller plates than the entrees. read more

Olea - Tapas Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

If you ever wonder around and find yourself hungry for breakfast AND Mediterranean... stop by here! It's a beautiful little place that offers brunch until 4pm! On my first day in Brooklyn, I was starving after an early flight and this place was suggested to me... I'm ever so grateful for the suggestion! I walked in and was immediately able to sit anywhere I wanted. It took all of 12 minutes from me sitting to ordering and my food arriving. (#WIN) I enjoyed a Pomegranate mimosa and a brunch favorite; Green Eggs and Lamb! Yes to everything, I'll be back because I saw some other things I wanted to try, but my stomach tapped out! Lol read more

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Service was good but food was pretty average. We had the winter hummus which was from Winter specials menu. Hummus was good with topping of sauteed peppers and 3 pita bread. Then we tried the chicken Empanadillas which had promise - outside was nice and crispy but filling lacked flavor and the dipping sauce didn't seem to go with the empanadilla. We also tried the chickpea-pumpkin soup which was ok - I thought it seemed to have too much vinegar stirred in and I stopped eating it about halfway thru. Nothing was bad but nothing was memorable either. At the end of the day, would I come back? Probably not. read more