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    Oliva

    3.7 (152 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

    Order Oliva Takeout or Delivery

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    Business Info

    OLIVA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Oliva

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    Cigar Borek
    Moumita A.

    Had been wanting to try this restaurant as it sounded a bit interesting with both Italian and Mediterranean cuisine listed in its name. The place is a bit upscale style with a mix of Italian and Mediterranean menu offerings. We were seated without any delay and immediately offered with breads with Italian herbs and olive oil while we scanned through their menu and decided to order a mix of both the cuisines . We zeroed in on the Cigar Borek, Lamb Shish Kebab & Cannelloni. We didn't quite like the Cannelloni compared to the other items we ordered but enjoyed the food overall. The portions are a bit on lower side. Overall a decent date like place to try out.

    Becky N.

    Updating my review for a Thanksgiving thank you to the folks at Oliva. Not sure if it was the excitement over not cooking, the immediate mouth-watering aromas when I walked in to pick up my takeout order, or the friendliness of the staff on hand, but my to-go meal from here hit the spot a hundred times over. I can't say enough about the crispy goodness of the falafel or the perfectly seasoned chicken shish-kabob. Since I reviewed last I've been here a bunch more times and my first impression stands - never disappointed with our meals and sometimes it just hits the spot like nothing else can. Show them some love as we wait out this pandemic!!

    Ericka B.

    Went here for a Sunday, get dressed up, date night. From the atmosphere of the restaurant, most people just wear street clothes, but you don't feel out of place being dressed up. Right away when our waitress sat us, she commented that we both looked very nice. Great way to start off the evening! We had never been here before, so we wanted to try a few different options. For appetizers, we ordered the cigar borek and the acuka. The cigar borek reminded me of a mozzarella stick, but with a wonton like wrapper. Oddly it was best when spread with the acuka. This was a standout! Just spicy enough, but not overpowering. Also it almost tasted like a marinara sauce to meant to be put on the complimentary Turkish bread, which is also quite good. For our entrees, my friend had the stuffed eggplant (karniyarik), which the waitress complimented his pronunciation, and I had the nohutlu ispanak (my pronunciation wasn't as good, but she said I did fine!) We both had the red lentil soup as our side, which had a nice tang to it. I was very impressed with the combination of flavors and textures in my dish. The carrots and celery both still had some crunch to them and the yogurt sauce provided a creamy/acidic balance. My friend also commented that he was a fan of his eggplant. He said it reminded him of a lasagna, but without the pasta. After wanting to try so many options, we had a few doggy bags to take home. It was a nice surprise that they box up the food for you in the kitchen, so you don't have to. The reason for the four stars is that there was a little bit of a language barrier, and the food does come out a little slow, but our waitress and the food was excellent! We will definitely be back and bringing some friends to try it out.

    Lunch

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    6 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Food is absolutely delicious! The beef shish kebabs are the best I've ever had. Service is friendly and welcoming

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    1 year ago

    The place was nice. Good food, not great. But nice people there for sure. A little spendy for the smaller portions.

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    2 years ago

    Family owed and delicious food at a very reasonable price. The best calzone and lamb kabobs I've ver had!!

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    5 months ago

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    2 years ago

    Oliva is a gem. I am so glad the rain was moving in and I needed someplace to go. Great food, atmosphere and service. I'll be back!

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    5 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Great food! Bread is amazing and service is spectacular. The ambiance was nice. Will come again!

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Oliva

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    Cento

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    Came here after a work conference. Our vendor made the reservations in advance…read more We were greeted and brought to our table and the 5 of us sat in a large booth. The interior is very modern and upscale. Lots of drink selections and a pretty good wine menu. We got the bacon wrapped dates appetizer and it was very flavorful. Warm bread and butter arrived and that was Al's good. All of my party finished their food. I got the pasta and liked the texture of the noodles with the tag sauce. It's a good sized portion. When the dessert came we were not expecting one order of gelato to have 3 scoops! Not bad for $9!! But I'm from San Francisco so likely why I expected one scoop for $9 ha. I'll add this restaurant to my list for the next time I'm in downtown Madison!

    What an outstanding restaurant and dining experience!!! The moment I walked in, and saw it was a…read morefull house, plus the alluring smell of fine Italian food....I knew I hit it big. I sat at the bar solo and was immediately greeted by the bartender Jack. He served up a killer cocktail (Manhattan) and was quick to offer dining options and his favorites. I went with the fungi and four cheese pizza. Outstanding didn't' cover it!!! Enough to take home for lunch the next day. While seated at the bar, I was engaged in conversation by one of the servers Josie. A delightful young college student from U of Wisconsin. She told me about the area, the university and things of interest in the area. She was attentive to her customers, but when she had a brief moment, she would reengage me in conversation. She and all of the other servers were like bees swarming all over the restaurant. Their staff are extremely hard working and diligent to their customers. This was my first time here while visiting for work assignment. I plan to make this my "must have" when revisiting.

    Fratelli's Trattoria - Burrata and prosciutto salad.

    Fratelli's Trattoria

    (52 reviews)

    I hadn't realized this place moved into this spot, so we decided to check it out. This place is…read moregreat, and I'll definitely be back. As you enter, there is a decent sized bar off to your right with a few high top tables. To your left is the dining room, which is cozy and intimate. Someone at a table near us was having what looked like a margarita, and that made me want a margarita. So, instead of getting a bottle of wine, we both got a margarita. It was not what the other person was drinking, but oh my was this one of the best margaritas I've had in recent memory! It was SO good. It had a lot of ice in it, so next time I might ask for it straight up just so I can savor it and not let the ice water it down. We also had delicious bread brought to the table with a plate of olive oil and balsamic. The bread was cut into nice little pieces, was warm, and had a delightful texture where the outside was slightly crisped but not enough to impede your bite and the inside was just warm and soft. The have a nice, varied menu and it was hard to decide what to get. I was really craving marinara sauce, so I ended up going with the Cappellaci Di Salsiccia which was a meat and cheese enclosed pasta with marinara. And it was delicious. It also came out very beautifully plated. My dining mate ordered the Penne Pollo e Pesto and loved it. I'm not wild about pesto, but had to sample a bit and the way the pesto clung to the penne was really tasty. They also have a ragu lasagna and chicken piccata on their menu that I can't wait to try. As we were leaving, I saw a sign with two of their featured fall cocktails and both sounded incredible. I will have to be back for all of these things!!

    We went to Fratelli's during Madison Restaurant Week and had an excellent meal! I ordered the…read moresteak and lobster, while my partner has a linguini with seafood in a tasty cream sauce. Each came with a choice of lobster bisque soup or crostini with lox and other yummy toppings as the first course. Dessert was panna cotta or tiramisu, and both were excellent. But what I was really impressed with was the service. Even with a full dining room, everyone was on their game and provided a great experience. If you haven't eaten at Fratelli's, make a point of visiting there. You won't be disappointed.

    Lombardinos Italian Restaurant and Bar - Pizza

    Lombardinos Italian Restaurant and Bar

    (314 reviews)

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    They were super busy, so service was a little bit slower. Our server was super friendly and got all…read moreof our orders correct. The mushroom pasta dish (tagliatelle) was definitely the stand out of our meal. While the budino was delicious, I didn't get the butterscotch flavors as it was noted in the menu. It almost tasted more like pumpkin and cinnamon. Warm fresh bread and the traditional cesear salad were delicious. I really liked my white sangria but my husband didn't care for his barrel aged Negroni. Love the tiles behind the bar and the history of this classic place.

    If you judge Lombardino's from the outside, you might not expect much. It looks like a place that's…read morebeen around forever, kind of unassuming, maybe even easy to overlook. But once you walk in, it's a completely different story. The service was excellent. Our server was friendly, helpful, and had actually been to Rome, which made the conversation more interesting and added a nice touch of authenticity. And the food? Way beyond what we expected. Everything was well done and felt like a real step up from what the exterior might lead you to believe. You can feel the history in this up close, the statue at the entrance of the Trevi Fountain almost pulls you in before you even realize what you're looking at. The detail is incredible, even with the wear and mineral buildup from years of flowing water, it actually adds to the character. Standing there, tossing a coin over your left shoulder, it's one of those moments that feels a little touristy... until you do it. Then it just feels right. Like you're taking part in something that's been going on for generations. Simple tradition, but a pretty cool one. This place is a bit of a hidden gem. If you haven't been, it's absolutely worth checking out.

    Oliva - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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