Cute and spacious restaurant in downtown Mt. Dora with indoor and outdoor seating and a decent lunch menu. We ordered the burger and gyro platters from the lunch menu and were not disappointed at their size and flavor. The coleslaw was a bit too sweet for my taste though. Our server was very nice and attentive, and the food did not take too long to arrive. I loved the fact that they allow dogs, even if you are seating inside, so we were able to bring our furry friend with us. :) read more

Olive Branch - Burger with coleslaw - Lunch Menu - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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Not impressed with this place. Its a great location with potential but they have some things to improve. First, It didn't seem like the food was fresh, the fries tasted stale, the spinach pie was a huge blob and the presentation was awkward. The spinach pie was nearly the size of the plate and was nearly flat as a pancake. I was so confused why they even bothered placing it on a bed of lettuce. I ended up with wilted lettuce at the end. My biggest complaint is they need to pay attention to their cleanliness. I had something floating in my glass, there was a large cobweb hanging from the main light fixture, and when my food was brought out, the tray was covered in crumbs. At least wipe it down after clearing a table. read more

My wife and I decided to try this place. Overall, in my opinion the food was ok. My wife ordered chicken primavera with a salad. I ordered the minestrone and clams-linguini with red wine sauce. Her salad came out and the greens were fresh, but the salad was drowned in dressing. The pasta and chicken were over cooked. The portion was huge, but I think for the price it missed the mark. We did get some bread and it was lacking flavor aka love. My soup came out and the broth was flavorful, carrots tender and everything else was over cooked, especially the pasta. It tasted like the soup and pasta were cooking for hours causing the pasta to be soggy. As a chef, there are several techniques that could have been used to improve the soup texture. The broth was the best part of the soup. My main dish came out and it missed several profiles such as flavor, texture, and freshness. I could tell the clams were canned and the pasta was boxed. Pasta was a bit over cooked, but not as bad as the soup. The portion was huge and presentation was awesome. Overall, the ambiance was awesome. Live music was playing. Staff were friendly. Place was clean. Not sure the price justified the overall dining experience for me. They say you eat with your eyes, nose, and mouth. It definitely looked tasty, read more

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So so. The service was very slow. My spinach pie was good, and the Greek salad was fresh. $15 was slightly on the high end for the portion size. My son ordered Fettuccine Alfredo for the same amount, and all he was served was a very small portion of pasta and nothing else. He was still hungry. read more

Olive Branch - Spinach pie and Greek salad - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Literally the worst Italian food I've ever had. It's hard to believe these good reviews are real, instead of purchased. Three dishes and two appetizers and they were bordering on inedible. Piccata had a bland flour/cornstarch thickened heavy gravy, that was tragic. Chicken was overcooked and dry. Other paste dishes had herbs thrown in by the buckets. Canned sauces that someone without culinary training thought they were making batter. The bruschetta liters had more red onion than tomato. The calamari was just overcooked frozen rings. Prices were fine dining level and this was like a teenager cooked for their family the first time. Also, everything was slow. One hour between order and plates at table. Inside was extremely loud. read more

Olive Branch - Pícatta? - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Our first visit to Mt Dora. We were walking and found this cute restaurant. So in we go. We ordered a little of wine. The server was very attentive. The bread was warm and delish. My husband ordered shrimp scampi and I had the eggplant Rollantini. We will differently go back when we visit Mt Dora again. read more

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I would call this place Mediterranean nor would I call it Italian. Unless tossing some prepackaged pita and hummus on a plate and a few olives, 3 I think, onto a salad qualifies!?? The food took so long, and was cold. I bet the calamari would have been good warm! I honestly think the server went on break and no one took over the tables. Some folks actually got up and left. No one checked on us, and when the food came we were not asked how things were. I'm pretty sure the fried mozzarella...came from Wendy's! Cold fried cheese sticks...awful! Highly do not recommend! It's unusually for me to be this annoyed...but there I am. Too much $ for this gross meal! Don't waste your time or money here. read more

I tried Olive Branch for the first time yesterday and the food was so good. It had a lot of amazing flavors. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to a friend or family member. The waitress we had was so sweet and helpful. The atmosphere was very nice. read more

Olive Branch - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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Food was mediocre, no flavor, had Mediterranean Sea food dish with pasto, supposed to be a pesto, but maybe a splash of of cheap oil, and very little, oregano, basil, no cheese, the seafood included , 3 medium shrimp, and a spoonful of baby scallops. It was loaded with, however with broccoli and zucchini. The service was adequate. They also had 4 ladies 2 tables away who were feeding their dogs at the table, in their laps! I love animals myself, and don't mind seeing them on an outside patio, but I won't go back to a restaurant that allows pets to eat off the table with patrons! read more

The lasagna was excellent! Good size and very tasty. Crusty Bread came with olive oil and vinegar for dipping. Pasta vegetable primavera in pink sauce was delicious but was skimpy on vegetables. Had 3 chunks of carrots, a few pieces of zucchini and yellow squash and 3 peas. read more

The fettuccine Alfredo is delicious! We ate outside on a comfortable July evening. Our server was very personable and friendly. Thank you for the yummy experience! read more

Olive branch is a cute family owned restaurant in downtown Mount Dora. We went for lunch and sat outside, under one of the umbrellas. We were seated immediately, and our waitress was at our table before we knew it. We all ordered the Gyro, $14. It was a good size and very flavorful, it was served on a lightly toasted pita and had lettuce, tomato and onion. It was served with a little cup of tzatziki. The Gyro was also served with a Mediterranean side salad, which included olives, cucumbers, and feta cheese, as well as crispy golden french fries. Our server really knew the menu, when asked about any of the items she was able to clearly elaborate on them, she also shared, with passion, the several items that were her favorites. I also heard another server at a different table speak with equal knowledge and confidence. read more

Olive Branch - Exterior patio - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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This meal was amazing, great service great flavor &BTW...this pic was my leftovers! The plate was double the size of this pic, the only thing was I ate all the broccoli & added veggies from another dish. The ambiance was lovely. We had a water view from our table and our server Brad made our meal special. Told the owner on our way out what nice experience. read more

We found the Olive Branch from friends that had been there earlier in the week and loved it. Our plan was to meet up with family to catch up and enjoy a meal together and this was the perfect spot! Our server, George, took fine care of us with humor, style and a good knowledge of their menu. Each of our dishes were on point and cooked to perfection...PS- the House Dressing is the go to, take my word for it! We will be back! read more

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I was pleasantly surprised with Olive Branch, and I enjoyed my Friday night dinner. It's a restaurant located in downtown Mount Dora and closes around 10pm. We were able to enjoy the live music, on the outside patio with the fire lamps; It was a great setting for a dinner date. Our waiter was exceptional and accommodated all of our needs. We ordered the chicken Marsala and, with it being such a large portion, we split the meal. Our waiter was kind enough to do this before bringing the meals to the table. The food was good, but a bit bland without adding my own salt and pepper (but not terribly bland). We also ordered a few cocktails, which were made well. The prices are reasonable, ranging from about $9-14 for drinks. Overall, I look forward to returning again. read more

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Sold 3 stars for me. Our server was great and was very personable. My beer was not very cold. The French Onion soup was luke warm and the chicken marsala was uneventful for $29. Overall, I thought this place was very expensive. In addition, the ladies room needs a deep cleaning of the baseboards, grout and in the corners where the tile meets the wall. On the plus side, they take reservations when many other restaurants in this small town do not. read more

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Great things: the service, the Greek salad, and the location. Not so great: the chicken in the chicken and mozzarella wrap was bland, and the spinach pie, while tasty, was a bit dry - thank goodness for the dill sauce served on the side. I would be willing to try the Olive Branch again for something different, like pasta, though. read more

First time in Mount Dora & was looking for outside seating for this beautiful day. Had great service from a young man named Junior, he was super sweet and patient with our large party. Food was good, had fried mozzarella, mussels, Mediterranean salad, gyro and it was all very tasty read more

Olive Branch - Menu - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

Horrible pictures say it all. I would have never eaten there if I saw this but it explains the food we received read more

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Overpriced for mediocre, at best food. Very poor service. I feel like I was robbed. $120+ for dinner that felt like it came out of a can. Sent appetizer back (gyro meat was the frozen strips) and they never offered to take it off the bill. I won't return. read more

Wonderful spot tucked away in Mount Dora. The food and service was great. Price point seems steep at first, but well worth it. The portions are generous and the food is great. Had the lasagna and salad it was very savory and cheesy. Would benefit from some brightening up the interior decor. read more

Olive Branch - Bread Plate - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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Sadly, this was one of the worst meals we have ever had. The food was so incredibly bland and the pasta was watery and overcooked. I hate leaving a negative review but just hoping save someone the heartache of spending $100 on a terrible meal when there is so much good food in the area. Live and learn. :-\ read more

I really wanted to like this place because we had passed by a couple times and talked about going. My family and I decided to stop in and figured it would be busy so service might be a little slow but I did not expect what we were in for. We were told our wait for our table would be 30-45 minutes and fortunately we're sat within 5 minutes instead. That was the only pleasant part of our experience. Our server didn't greet us for about 10 minutes and it took us about 15 minutes before we got our drinks. We ordered our food and waited 45 minutes without being checked on. Once our food arrived it was luke warm and served on paper plates. The food was not seasoned. Our drinks were in plastic cups and we were provided disposable silverware. I only took a photo of my plate. We tried to do our best to have a good attitude knowing it was busy, but I've never had this experience before. read more

Olive Branch - Pasta primavera with chicken - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

I swear we have been trying to check out just about every restaurant in Mount Dora lol so this time for my moms birthday we stopped into this place it's Mediterranean | Italian but I got more Italian vibes .... Which is totally okay because I love pasta! We sat outside because the weather was spectacular and we had our puppy with us! They were packed and they are open until like 2 then open again at 4 but you can make a reservation which is helpful. Our food came out nicely and it was very very tastey! Would go again and omg the dessert I still dream of that limoncello cake. read more

Olive Branch - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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So my folks raved about this place but I wasn't so impressed. Unfortunately it also had to do with the new server, we asked many questions and his response was idk I wasn't taught or told that. He wasn't really interested in knowing the details of food or specials. We then had an issue with the food being cold, both the lasagna and the pasta dish. My mom's friends dish was warm but missing the chicken. My dish was nothing fancy. Honestly the chances I would return would be very low. read more

We continue our journey through trying restaurants in our new home, Mount Dora. The Olive Branch is a Mediterranean restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating. Service was overall good. The bus boy was super attentive and didn't let our water ever empty. The bread service was a warm white loaf sprinkled with Parmesan cheese. It was served with olive oil and vinegar and was a delicious start. With our entrees we got soup or salad. One of us opted for the Mediterranean salad which was similar to a Greek salad. The other got the chefs soup of the day, Manhattan Clam Chowder. Both were very tasty. The broth of the chowder was delicious. For our entrees we got the Penne Amatricana and the Linguine with Clams and Red Sauce. The portions were very adequate to where we could have taken some to go but were not going home after. The Penne had a really nice flavor with the prosciutto and tomato. The sun-dried tomatoes were a little much for the portion, as we ended up mostly eating the pasta around it. The linguine was delicious and loaded with chopped clams. The sauce was a delicious, well-seasoned red sauce. Overall the meal was very well seasoned which is not always easy to find at some places. I do agree with some reviews that it is a little dingy in spots. You can see some cobwebs and the server stations are exposed. The floors could have used a sweep. Also just be prepared to sweat. The AC was either very low or barely working. It was very hot inside. But overall it was a delicious meal and we look forward to trying it again. read more

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The food is extremely overpriced. There is nothing special about this restaurant. Do not recommend.

The service was amazing, but unfortunately this is the only thing we enjoyed about the restaurant. Given that I spilt an entire glass of red wine on their white table cloth, I am simply appreciative that they didn't kick us out. But with that said, we ordered calamari, bruschetta, french onion soup, a mediterranean salad, and a steak dinner & nothing was original or outstanding. I don't know if we will ever visit again, but I would hope that the menu has changed. read more

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This Mediterranean-Italian themed restaurant, with bright colors of yellow, red and blue, and indoor and outdoor seating covered by umbrellas and street views of downtown Mount Dora. Great for people watching and enjoying the beautiful weather. There's a fun wall mural on the front of the building. This is a pet friendly location. There is no private parking lot. You will have to find parking on the street, which can be a little difficult to park close when its busy downtown. We parked about 3 blocks away but didn't mind the walk through city streets lined with quaint shops and restaurants. Our server was very attentive and very enthusiastic. We made things very easy for her though and both ordered Gyro meat served over toasted pita bread with tomatoes, lettuce and onions and tzatziki/yogurt sauce, served with fries. We had a choice of a cup of the daily soup (oyster bisque) or small Mediterranean salad on the side $13. I have never had an open face Gyro, but it was delicious no matter how they presented it. One of the best I've ever had. I think I like it better this way. A lot less messy. Don't get me started on the fried. Perfectly crispy and hot. The oyster bisque really wasn't a bisque, as it was a tomato-based soup. Considering I don't like oysters, it was pretty tasty. I was full long before I finished my meal, but because it was that good, I allowed my inner fat child to go wild and I finished every bit. read more

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Tried this place last week, mostly because it had pretty good reviews and pictures, and went there at 4pm for dinner. The waiter ( I forget his name) was very nice, and since the restaurant had just opened, let us choose where to sit, so we picked a table for 4, against a wall in the front of the restaurant. The for of us, my wife and 2 teenage children sat and ordered drinks. When the waiter returned we put our order in - I ordered a fried Calamari app- it was overcooked adn dried out, also smelled very fish which led me to believe the squid they used was old, my son a Fried mozzarella app, and my daughter a Caprese and a French onion soup - that was way too salty. For our main courses we ordered as follows - me- Chicken cordon bleu, wife- A Mediterranean pesto dish with shrimp and scallops - shrimp were over cooked, my Daughter - A penne pesto - traditional, unfortunately her pesto was NOT traditionally as it was red with sun dried tomatoes. When I tried to tell our waiter this he insisted that it WAS traditional pesto but as anyone who has ever ate or made a real Italian pesto knows that its NOT red as the ingredients are Fresh Basil- pine nuts- garlic-cheese- and olive oil and its green not red, my daughter was ok with it so I let it slide. My son ordered a veal parm with pasta dish which he said was ok. As for my cordon bleu the chicken was overcooked and dry, and my rice pilaf was lost in a sea of white sauce that filled the entire place, but what rice I could fish out was overcooked and mushy, my side cup of minestrone soup was good, probably the best thing i had. I should mention that we were seated about 4:05pm, didn't receive our apps until about 4:20, and our main course until 5:17- why this took so long was a mystery because the restaurant only had about 5 tables sat. Our drinks had been empty for some time during which we didn't see our waiter, however we did notice that there were at least 4-5 servers standing around the bar area joking and texting on their phones, not going to any tables and checking to see if anyone needed anything or helping our waiter, who we later found out, had another table of 10 people sat way on the other side of the restaurant. What I found most striking was the complete absence of any manager or owner at any time in the place. I mean the fact that you had 4-5 servers just sitting around texting on their phones while we had 4 empty drinks at our table as we waited an hour for our main courses was ridiculous, as well as the fact that nobody was covering for our waiter as he ran back and forth for his other table of 10 people. IMO this is unacceptable, and just a bad business model. Eventually our waiter returned and explained his absence to us, and was very nice as we didn't blame him. But at the very least we would have expected someone to come and check on us in the mean time, which didn't happen. We then ordered some deserts which were ok except for my Crem Brule which was definitely NOT fresh made because instead of being creamy had a texture more like jello and the sugar on top was very thin, and not crispy at all but some spots were burned black and bitter, the rest was nothing to rave about. SO basically we spent almost 2 hours there in a place that was about 85% empty. So overall the service, though not the fault of our waiter was horrible and inexplicably long, the food mediocre at best - which was funny because the bill came out to just over $250 for 4 people..you'd think for that prices they charge the food quality would have been on par, but sadly it fell short. We liked our waiter so gave him a good tip, but decided to cross this place off of our future restaurant spots to hit. P.S. - it started thundering so there was this musician we assumed usually plays outside, but ended up carrying all of his gear inside and started doing loud sound checks that were extremely annoying. AND we were charged an extra $10 for using a credit card! First time I've ever see that! Avoid this place. read more

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Went for lunch.. ordered 2 sandwiches, the meatball and the gyro.. do yourself a favor don't do it!! The meatball sub bread was charred black. I got the side coleslaw and it was obvious they scooped it out of a container premade. Wife had the gyro. The fries were cold and wilted. 4 slices of precut gyro?? Sorry guy but we are from tarpon springs. 17 bucks for cold pita and 4 slices ??? Not happening. We refused the order and went to the butcher sandwich shop. read more

Great place! Live music outside with beautiful seating. Inside was cozy and lively as you can enjoy the entertainment in a quieter setting. Our server Renee was polite, knowledgeable and timely. The food was delicious and generous portions. read more

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Yes wonderful food. Forgot to make reservations Goblin Gormey which had culinary awards and outstanding food. Olive Branch has wonderful food . Hubby and I eat out all the time and he is picky. Go there you won't be disappointed! read more

Service was ridiculous. One cook and one server running the entire lunch crowd. There must be 10 tables with large parties and one man is running around like a maniac. The owners need to step up and either jump in and help or hire more reliable staff who will show up to work. I sure hope the food won't be disappointing. I hate when my food is cold and not hot and fresh out of the kitchen. You need runners so when the food is ready it can be brought out ASAP. I will re-post later about the food. read more

Good views of the lake and a decent menu. We went for breakfast/brunch and sat on the outdoor deck. Staff is attentive and answered questions about the menu. My Spinach Pie had great flavor but wasn't as hot as I would have liked it. The phyllo does didn't have a flakiness to it which is an indication it was reheated but not using a dry heat method which would have brought the crust back to life. read more

Olive Branch - Spinach Pie - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

We were in the area visiting some of my husband's family on Friday and found ourselves looking for a restaurant around 8:30 at night. I was surprised at how many were closing soon. We picked Olive Branch based on their hours, menu and reviews. We were seated quickly and chose inside dining as there was a band outside and we were not in the mood for that on this particular evening. Though everyone out there seemed to be enjoying themselves. George was our server and he really was the best thing we experienced here. He was personable and quite funny. He did a nice job taking care of us. We started with their fresh bread with dipping oil and it was quite good. We each had the Mediterranean side salad with our entrees. You get a choice of three salad options with each entree. It was very good and fresh. I had the cheese ravioli with marinara sauce. It was very tasty but not warm enough. I didn't want to fuss this late at night so didn't say anything, but would have eaten more if it was served hot. The hubby order chicken Alfredo fettuccine, but they were out of fettuccine so he had the dish with linguini instead. He was a little disappointed. We also had beer and wine. It was a very casual environment with indoor and outdoor seating. Full Italian menu with a lot of options. read more

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I had the best experience dining at Olive Branch. The food, the ambiance, and the drinks were so good with a decent price. Shoutout to Dylan for his professional& over the top service. I will be coming back again. read more

Bottom Line: I thought we were settling but it turned into a great choice! We got to Mt. Dora after a long drive We were staying at the nearby Lakeside Hotel. I had really wanted to go to one of the popular nearby restaurants that night but they were closed. We went ahead and sat outside at the Olive Branch. They weren't very busy which we were afraid was a bad sign. It turns out we were just early. The place filled up around us as the night went on. We had Renee as our server. She was fantastic. Not only was she very knowledgeable about the menu but she believed me when I told her that I needed ALL the Bread! She was very attentive keeping an eye on our cocktails as well. We never had to look for her - she was always nearby keeping one eye on us. The complimentary bread was delicious and is served w butter and there is also an oil option. I had a standard pasta dish off the regular menu and it was very good. My companion had a special Snapper dish with a light Lemon Sauce that was on the specials menu. It was so so good. I confess, I ate mine and then when my companion said she was too full to finish hers, I finished hers off too. Even though I was stuffed - my mouth couldn't stop shoving the deliciousness of the sauce and the fish into my mouth. It was served over a pasta which was a great vehicle for that sauce. Bottom Line: This place is now going to be one of my favorite places when I am in town. read more

Olive Branch - Fish and Pasta in Lemon Sauce - Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

For the price of the food it has alot to be desired! Had the shrimp, scallops and linguine. Scallops were rubbery, shrimp was so so!! I thought I was eating a bowl of soup. The quality of food is worst than before the restaurant was shut down earlier this past year! The waitress was very professional and courtesy. read more

Local restaurant that has been on my list to try for some time now. I was surprised how quiet it was on a Friday afternoon with only a few small tables. We did come after the typical lunch hour, around 2pm. The service was great and the food was fresh and flavorful! We had the French onion soup and the fried mozzarella to start, and for entrees, I had the Mediterranean salad and chose to add Cajun salmon! My fiancé had the off menu open London broil sandwich. Everything was delicious! Will definitely be back. read more

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