I feel like this place can compete with some of the restaurants in New York City. Service and food quality top notch. We went on a Tuesday, early evening, so the restaurant was a bit quiet. Everything that we ordered was perfection, including the apple tart for dessert. I can't wait to go back! read more

I have been to Olea a few times and everything I had was truly amazing! If I could eat there every night I would gladly do so. The staff is very attentive and professional. I refer anyone visiting New Haven go to Olea for dinner and everyone has said nothing but great things about Olea. Be sure to try the Suckling pig and the steak! Believe me you won't be disappointed with any dish you order. read more

I was a little disappointed. The gazpacho looked amazing and was presented in an exciting way but it wasn't as piquant as I would have hoped. Enjoyed the cheese plate and complimentary tortilla medallions. My main dish, the only vegetarian option (terrina de verduras), disappointed me. The sharpness of whatever tomato-dijon mustard there may have been was lost under the soppy roasted vegetables at the bottom of the otherwise elegantly plated dish. However the wine was delicious and the torrija, for desert, was spectacular. read more

Service not as good this time as we seemed to be having a communication issue with the waiter. We also had the black pasta with seafood which wasn't as good as the other dishes. Pig entree was the best. $30 corkage also good as we like to bring special wine if we can. read more

I went for the taste of the season prix fixe menu ($39 for 3 menus + $19 for wine pairing) and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in New Haven! The fish & shellfish suquet was the absolute highlight - all seafood was cooked to perfection, served with delightfully fragrant and rich tasting saffron-tomato broth. The service was also fantastic - all waiters were very attentive to our needs & coordinated & prompt. I'm glad we chose this place for an evening of special gathering. Definitely recommended if you're hoping to celebrate anything meaningful with wonderful food and atmosphere!! read more

Stunning Spanish cuisine in a lively atmosphere. Came here for my birthday on the recommendation of a friend - certainly one of the best restaurants in the city. Excellent food, cocktails, atmosphere, and service. Particularly recommend the scallops, the hen, and the suckling pig. The chicken liver pate, which was part of the charcuterie, was the best I've ever had. Highly recommended for special occasions, or for a fancy cocktail at the bar. read more

This is my favorite restaurant in New Haven. I eat in NYC all the time, and often think "I wish I was at Olea." The people in the kitchen clearly have a vision and creativity when designing the menu. I love recommending this place too because everyone has loved it. Everything from the service to the wine list is fantastic. read more

My favorite restaurant in New Haven, and possibly in the State of CT. The best tuna tartare I have had anywhere, and I have never been disappointed by the entrees. I usually sit at the bar, and the bartender is an extremely pleasant individual. I believe his family owns the restaurant, and they do a great job at running it. Would not hesitate to recommend Olea to anyone. read more

In New Haven for a few months for a project and my lovely wife came for a visit. We were looking to celebrate with a nice dinner. Olea was one of the few that had availability on short notice on a Saturday night. The tasteful but unassuming exterior led me to think it was a smallish cozy space...wrong. It pretty vast inside with a terrific bar tucked in the back and plenty of tables. A very classy warm modern interior design, with great lighting and a very reasonable noise level. The menu is Mediterranean fusion and Spanish Tapas. Nice selection. The cocktails were very good. I had a Vesper but they didn't have Lillet so the bartender improvised brilliantly. For the appetizer we had the charcuterie plate, this is part of the negative star. There were only two small slices of manchego cheese to go with the lomo ibérico, chorizo ibérico and chicken liver pâté. Not a good balance, but the individual ingredients were tasty. And I had to order addiotiinalmtoast to eat the Paté. For the mains: My wife had the Bacalao-home salted cod fish (skin on), fresh garbanzo beans, fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, red pepper nage, aioli, cod fish mousse stick. Beautifully plated and perfectly cooked. I had the special which was roasted pork shoulder with roasted veggies. Tasty and well prepared but uninspired plating. They provided a complimentary appetizer sample to start, and a chocolate at the end. Nice touch. Serivice was very warm and friendly but the timing of courses was off. Probably a kitchen issue. A lovely evening that could be 5 stars with a little more attention to detail. read more

Olea - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

The food was amazing. I had a chicken entree and everything was cooked to perfection. I highly recommend it.

This place had amazing dishes. Each dish contained a complex array of flavors that paired beautifully. We trie six different appetizers and the desserts. Our favorite appetizer was the squid and ink sauce with the rice. Impressive meal for an impressive responsible price. This meal was on pare with some of the best fine dining-restaurants we have visited during our travels to major cities. read more

By far the BEST meal my boyfriend I have both EVER had. The duck is fantastic and how they prepare the suckling pig is artwork- succulent moist meat and the skin is so crispy. Everything I've eaten there has been phenomenal. We are making it a tradition to come here once my birthday and once for his birthday. Luckily we convinced his family to go there for one of their birthdays! I'm looking forward to going there in December! read more

I didn't think it got better than Ibiza, but the chef managed to take an incredible menu and make it spectacular. Phenomenal flavors and wonderful presentation. Everything is delicious, but highly recommend the ceviche. read more

This might be the best restaurant in New Haven. I've been twice now in as many months and am smitten. The Verde cocktail is absolutely to die for and the Torrija for dessert is heaven - it's an absolute must. Not to mention the croquets! The service, presentation and atmosphere are spot on - I'm just disappointed that I didn't find it sooner!! read more

Easily the best restaurant in New Haven, and I would put it in my top 10 for the state. Consistency is hard to obtain with any restaurant. I go here maybe 3 times a month, and have yet to have anything that was not as good as the last time I had it. Very nice atmosphere and great for date night. Probably not the best place for kids, unless yours are very well behaved. Perfect for before a show at the Shubert or Music Hall. Also have to say that the staff is as good as the food. Most have been working here for 10+ years and really put that extra personal touch on everything. read more

Dinner Reservations were at 5 p.m. and you know how I feel about being the first one in the restaurant... I honestly believe the quality of the food is better, restaurants are cleaner in the inside, and food hasn't been sitting underneath a heater all day because the waiter(ess) forgot to pick it up. Ok, that's my rant, haha. First off, the restaurant is beautiful! It's not the biggest but it's definitely very nice and quaint in the inside. The outside of the restaurant isn't anything too spectacular, but "they" always say never judge a book by its cover. The restaurant was empty for about 30 minutes after that it got packed pretty quickly. I decided to take this time to take pictures of the restaurant and positively decide what I wanted to eat for an appetizer and dinner. For the appetizer I decided to order the oxtail croquettes and the octopus. The octopus was amazing! It was grilled to perfection and the toasted saffron rice was a nice accompaniment. The presentation was beautiful and it wasn't too rubbery. I can't tell you how many times I've gone out and had octopus and it was rubbery. This was perfect. I also ordered oxtail croquettes which were stuffed with oxtail meat and mushrooms. The croquettes were a little dry but still good. They weren't my favorite, but I figured this was an appetizer that I would "try" and take a chance on. For dinner I ordered the rack of lamb and the squid ink seafood pasta. Both were absolutely amazing! I ordered the rack of lamb medium and it came with a Dijon mustard- mint puff gnocchi (which reminded me of tator tots), oyster mushrooms, carrots, green peas, and curry air. Let's comment on the curry air. The curry air, actually tasted like curry. It was in the shape of bubbles but actually had a taste to it. The lamb lacked seasoning though, it could've had just a tad bit more salt and pepper and I hate asking for salt and pepper at restaurants as I think it's a disrespect to the chef. The second dish was a Catalina style pasta with mussels, clams, and wild shrimp. This dish was beyond great. It wasn't the biggest dish so it didn't fill you up but it shouldn't leave you hungry after eating it. They provide you with about 5 shrimp that are a nice size, 2 clams on each side, and mussels mixed in the pasta. The pasta had some type of buttery sauce inside of it once you unraveled it. I would definitely order this pasta again and would recommend it to anyone. Overall, I would give this restaurant a 4.5 out of 5, only because the lamb wasn't seasoned. read more

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This restaurant is amazing!! We fly to cities to eat our way accross the restaurant scene, and this is my favorite restaurant in my home town! Every dish is beautifully balanced. The staff is great at creating a 5 star dining experience without it feeling stuffy or pretentious. From small plates and entrees to dessert, every course was perfection, and the wines were equally impressive. This restaurant is a must for any foodie!! read more

I was graciously welcomed at Olea even though I came in pretty late. I was alone so I sat at the bar. The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. He was ready to give recommendations when I asked for them (the best of which were the Torrija for dessert and a glass of sherry to compliment it). Every dish I had from start to finish was thoughtful, flavorful, and well-balanced. The wine list was intriguing as well, with plenty of options in an affordable price range. This was my first time dining at Olea and it won't be the last! read more

Beautiful presentation, friendly staff. The food was lacking in flavor for the price.

I'm not familiar with Ibiza so I can't compare the two, but I was very satisfied with my experience at Olea. I had the roasted duck which was initially a little too rare for me and the manager promptly returned it to the kitchen to have it cooked more and when it came out, he made sure it was cooked to my liking before stepping away. I ended up letting it cool too much (too busy chatting with my friend) but the duck tastes very good even when it got cold~! My friend had Seabass which she said was also tasty. We shared the croquette appetizer which was also good. Chocolate cremeux was very creamy and rich but not too sweet so it was perfect. Would definitely go back again. read more

Same cast of truly professional characters as Ibiza (at the same location). Still one of handful of benchmark restaurants for service and cuisine anywhere. More casual than its predecessor and more happening having been reinvented. read more

Olea is one of my all time favorite New Haven restaurants (the other being Caffe Bravo). The octopus appetizer was on point: perfectly cooked with a crispy saffron rice square of goodness. My main dish was a crab and shrimp stuffed ravioli with a pesto cauliflower sauce. Amazing!! I was afraid of it being creamy- and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't creamy at all! It was a dish that you feel perfectly satisfied after eating and not overwhelmed and stuffed. My husband had the oxtail croquettes and the suckling pig: he was in heaven! To top off our meal we ordered the "esfera: bittersweet chocolate sphere, coconut foam, lemon gelatine, chocolate pearls, almond crumble, pineapple". Self explanatory! Delish!! The service was fantastic of course! I highly recommend this place for date night, girls night out, or an introspective loner dinner by yourself- just go! :)) read more

Olea - Octopus app and the oxtail croquettes !! - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

TLDR; Agree with the general opinion of other reviewers - food is excellent, service still needs improvement. Food was delicious and reasonably priced for New Haven cuisine. Happened to be Restaurant Week, but my husband and I still opted for the regular menu items compared to the Prix Fixe menu. Loss of star for service. Pros: + Beautiful, aromatic, satisfying, well-plated food that came out quickly and cooked to perfection. Additionally, happy we ordered the Charcuterie board - my husband commented how equivalent boards at other New Haven restaurants would have given us less food for the same price. + Loved the specialty cocktails. Classic flavors with modern twist. + Beautiful, modern ambiance. Coat check out front. + Easy walk for downtown New Haven locals. + Our waiter was exceptionally friendly, apologized for the loud noise in the busy restaurant and the delay in receiving our orders. Though, most comparable upscale restaurants would have given complimentary drinks or some small treat to rectify the situation. Potential for Improvement: - Bread was soft, old, and cold. Was hoping for that classic Pixar Ratatouille "crunch" of breaking fresh bread. Or at least warm bread. They also only gave us 1 small dish supposedly used for both the bread and dipping oil - basically you had to hold your bread the whole time while eating lest it drown in oil. - Staff was aggressive in clearing dishes - they would circle tables like sharks, see a somewhat empty plate or glass, and immediately come up and say "excuse me can I take this?" while already reaching to remove the plate. My husband wanted to finish his meal in peace. - Drinks took quite a while to come out - came out with main entreé despite being ordered at the beginning of the meal. - For such an elegant appearing restaurant, the service was not quite fine dining caliber. Disappointed there was no gesture (drink, dessert, written note, greeting from waitstaff) for my birthday despite mentioning this at the time of reservation and upon seating with the waiter. read more

Well, we love this restaurant and early this evening we tried the Prix Fixe menu. Excellent value although the strawberry dessert was a bit of a disappointment! VERY basic. BUT we'll be back! read more

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I loved Ibeza and was disappointed when it closed. I am thrilled that Olea is every bit as good as Ibeza. The food was extraordinary. The ceviche was fantastic, perfectly balanced and seasoned, as were the croquetas. I had the sucking pig which was also wonderful. It was beautifully cooked, tender beyond belief. My wife had the fideua which she loved. I am not a huge fan of squid ink, but I loved the seafood. Every dish was beautifully plated and presented. The service was spot on. The waiter was attentive, without being intrusive, and was knowledgeable about everything on the menu and helpful on wine selections. He was also adept at recognizing which tables were in a hurry and which wanted to linger and pacing the meal accordingly. On the downside, we were at a small table for two and those tables are very close to each other. The tables are also very long and narrow so I was actually closer to the diners to my left and right than I was to my wife. It was a crowded Saturday night so it was someone noisy. Also the menu is somewhat limited and I was a little surprised there was only one special entree in addition to what was on the menu. I suppose if I go there a dozen more times I might get bored with the food. Overall a fantastic experience. Not cheap, but not expensive and a very good value for what you get. I look forward to returning in the near future. read more

Excellent dinner. Salad was perfect. Appetizers including Spanish octopus were superb. Sea bass and beef tenderloin were the entrees we ordered and both were exquisitely prepared. Desserts were very good. Would highly recommend. Service was stellar. read more

This is the best new restaurant in New Haven, the family went there for New Year's Eve dinner . All 4 dinners were excellent , service superb , very friendly . Definitely will return. read more

Olea - Roasted Hen Excellent!! - Spanish Near Me - New Haven, Connecticut

Best Spanish restaurant in New Haven. Less hip but more elegant than Barcelona. Great atmosphere, suitable for for romantic dates. For tapas you need to sit at the bar. Amazing food; seafood (shrimp, fish, calamari) and paella recommended! Awesome cocktails too! Attentive service. I went on a weekday evening and no booking was needed read more

Went there Saturday night with a group of 6 , Staff was excellent, very expensive and very small portions if thats your thing , two problems where that the waiter suggested the suckling pig and stated it was white pork, which it was not and I didn't care for it at all . The second was it stated it takes 35 minutes cook , but are dinner came in 65 minutes after ordering . they did give us a round of drinks. Fact was I left $150.00 there and hungry. Maybe I ordered the wrong meal and it was the wrong night ? read more

Enjoyed New Year's Eve dinner here and it was spectacular. Authentic food, beautiful presentation, and delicious taste. Waitstaff are attentive and kind. We will definitely be back! read more

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Very impressive. Sauces were really really good. Found ourselves using bread to finish them off. A bit slow overall (2 and 1/2 hours for party of 5). Wanted to try the suckling pig, but alas, last one taken just before we ordered. Definitely will go back read more

The new incarnation of the famed Ibiza, Olea is just as good: and that is very fine indeed. The food is delicious, expertly prepared, beautifully presented, and professionally served. Everything from the octopus a la plancha and the squid ink pasta with clams, mussels, and shrimp to the scrumptious warm apple tart was first rate. The negative reviews make no sense whatsoever. read more

Absolutely fantastic, perfect meal, with service to match. It's pricey, but the quality of the food reflected it. Delicious!

Had a wonderful time during Restaurant week. The beet salad was fresh and flavorful, the lamb stew was hearty and delicious, and the desserts were divine. Best of all was the service-- very attentive. The water was always filled, and you could get as many helpings of bread as you wanted. Because a frost had just hit New Haven, I had a clunky coat on, but it was taken and hung up right upon my entrance. The atmosphere was modern and elegant. The tables were all filled, and very lively, but the space was constructed in a way that one could still feel cozy. The beginning started with a potato bite complements of the chef and ended with chocolates-delicious! read more

I've eaten here twice and both times been equally impressed. The food is outstanding and service excellent. The appetizers really shine (particularly the oxtail). If you are an adventurous eater you will love this place. read more

Good food. Great service. Nice atmosphere/ decor. No complaints. Pretty modern look inside. I had the duck, medium rare. Was excellent. Didn't come with much sides but duck was perfect. Will def be back read more

An Olea staffer lead my dinner party to believe bottles of wine were half priced for the night so we ordered two. Upon receiving the bill, our bottles were full priced increasing our bill by about $70. We opened a conversation with the waiter and hostess and they emphatically shot us down saying the deal was only valid at the bar. We explained we were misled, and they were unapologetic and rude. read more

The food was alright, but a bit bland and very expensive considering the portions. I felt paying $24 for water was a bit extreme. I would not go here again. read more

Fabulous meal! Inventive menu. The fish of the day was sea bass with vegetables cooked a point, including sweet potatoes and sugar peas. The kale salad with buttermilk dressing was also excellent. Also, for those who are visiting on business: they're welcoming to a "table for one" instead of sticking you at the bar or ignoring you. read more

The tapas were great. The sucking pig was excellent. The verde cocktail was out of this world and the torija desert which is like a bread pudding was out of this world. The bartender was very friendly. read more