This place just never disappoints. We had some great small bites and drinks before going to an event. My harvest mule was delicious and perfect for the season. The apple cider in the mule was a nice touch. The buffalo chicken dip was fantastic! It had a nice kick. The pita had a crunch from being fried. All around delicious app. My wife had tomato basil soup and a grilled cheese - the perfect dish for a chilly night. The soup had good flavor, but the grainy texture wasn't my favorite. The grilled cheese was on garlic bread - yum! Washed it all down with a heavy pour of Merlot. We will keep coming back over and over again! Great service in one of our favorite bars. read more

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Definitely pricey, but they have great martinis! I love the play on words for the name of this bar. I think it's so cute. We celebrated my roommates birthday here and had a great time. We recommend all the martinis! Service is great. We had a wonderful server/bartender. read more

Cocktails are delicious I would recommend going for good drinks, truffle fries were yummy, tacos were okay and we also got the chicken parm, had a nice live band as well which was fun read more

Olive or Twist - dessert of the day - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Lovely bar and eatery in the downtown cultural arts district. Lots of drinks and food to choose from and convenient location walkable to all venues. Very friendly service. And I love the name (I'm a big fan of Oliver! the musical :) ) read more

Olive or Twist - Lavender Lemon Drop - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

My friend wanted to go there for his birthday so a group of us went there on a Friday night. With the exception of the bartenders and a small handful of people throughout the night, we were the only people there. The inside consists of a large bar area with a bunch of tables in the back on the ground floor. There was an upstairs but it was closed for a private event. I had one drink there and it was decent. I heard complaints from others that their drinks were subpar. I took a sip from my friend's old fashioned and it completely missed the mark. At some point someone came in and set up in the front next to the door to perform and he was okay. It was very difficult to hear my friends with the volume level. Overall, it was a meh experience and I probably wouldn't go back. read more

An easy place to go after work! The cocktails were good, but I ordered a pretzel and it was just okay. The people next to us had some sort of dip and it smelled funky. I think I'll just stick with the drinks. I did think it was a bit pricey, but at least they were good. The severs were attentive and made sure we were taken care of the entire time we were there. The bar top was pretty full the entire time we were there, but there were plenty of tables available for newcomers. read more

Olive or Twist - Dragonberry Cosmo - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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We used to go to Olive or Twist all the time, but I hadn't been there in a while. We definitely need to go more often again. The food and service were amazing. The manager stopped by several times to make sure everything was going well. The fries were the best fries I've had in eons. I'm very picky about fries. I tend to prefer thin fries, since I hate soggy fries that you find in so many restaurants. These fries were thicker than my usual preference, but we got them since they offered Cajun seasoning. The seasoning was good, tho I could have used more. The fries were amazing. Perfectly cooked and crispy. They were even good cold, which almost never happens. The grilled cheese and tomato soup was even better than I remembered and the martinis are always delicious. I recommend reservations, since it's a small place. read more

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Great ambience, great atmosphere, great service. Fun night. Didn't have food because we came in after kitchen was closed. read more

Olive or Twist - Pumpkin Spice La'tini & Choco-Latte Martini - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Great wait staff that are attentive but don't make you feel rushed. Very comfortable atmosphere and relaxing. We didn't try the food but from what we saw being served around us, I can't wait. I had the bonded old fashion and my wife had the lavender lemon drop martini read more

Olive or Twist - Lavender lemon drop martini - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Such a cool place and totally professional mixologists!! Possibly the best Espresso Martini I've had, ever. Oh, and Amy is the best bartender for 600 miles!! I would lie! read more

Food was good, service was outstanding. Went for happy hour and had a great time! The lavender lemon drop was a little too floral but very cold & refreshing read more

I'm giving everything one star simply because service matters. We were the to grab a small bite before seeing The Wiz and the food, service, and drinks were all great. Until we received the spinach dip and found it was more sour cream than spinach. We sent it back and while the sever asked did we want anything at that point were fine with what we had and didn't want anything else since that was a disappointment. May I also mention our server was excellent it was her manager Brad who was not excellent. In fact far from it. When we received the bill we noticed the spinach dip which we had all dip a corner of our pita into to try it but hadn't touched after that was still on the bill. When we asked our server she told us her manager would not allow her to remove it from the bill. This is when Brad the manager enters the picture with a condensing and rude attitude. We asked why it wasn't removed and he said it was their policy not to remove things that were not liked from the bill. When asked where said policies are posted he said and I quote: "I don't need to have it in writing." He also said very rudely "well I'm telling you in this conversation so that's the policy." And also said "it was cooked properly and just because you didn't like it doesn't mean it gets removed from the bill." (Side note apparently the charge an extra 3 dollars for pita if you ask for more to go with your buffalo chicken dip. Yet another policy that went unmentioned and unwritten.) We asked how it was a policy but is not posted anywhere on the menus, website, windows, or even the table. And he claimed yet again this did not need to be in writing and walked off with the same condescending attitude. We asked to speak to him again and when I pointed out that if this is a policy it should be posted so patrons know before hand what the service entails and that even fast food and chain food restaurants have policies somewhere in their establishments he sneered and walked off. Now I don't know if Richard the owner believes in being rude or condescending to patrons but if your manger is any indication of you and how you believe customer service should be presented you all must be new to this industry. I get that when people eat a whole meal then try to get the meal taken off or reduced that, that is in fact an issue. But the customer expressing that they were displeased with something and not wanting anything else after that disappointment is an everyday occurrence in the industry. I have eaten and many fine dining and what we'll say regular dining a like and I don't think I ever had a manager as rude as Brad approach me or my family. If this is what Olive Or Twist thinks customer service is I hate to see where you'll be in a few years. Also if you're going to claim you have policies again the should be posted so people can discern whether they want to patronize an establishment or not. Not rudely claim something exist when there is no such wording written anywhere. I know we will not be attending this restaurant ever again. And will be posting this exact review everywhere since I'm sure they will try to delete it at some point to save face. read more

Olive or Twist - Names we were given of the manager and owner. - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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The service was phenomenal! The Grandfather cocktail was perfectly balanced. The Korean Meatball sliders excellent! The Swiss Mushrooms burger was just wonderful. So so glad we came here. read more

Olive or Twist - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Always have a good time at Olive or Twist (usually leave inebriated). This time was no different. The abundance of space makes this place ideal for small socially distanced gatherings. Great drinks great space. read more

Olive or Twist - Bulleit Rye Old Fashion (In martini glass) - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

This is a good after dinner drink spot! With brick walls and a cool vibe. We have only been here later at night on the weekends and it is usually busy. They have live music on the weekends as well. The bar fills up fast as it is not a large space. They do have tables in the back to sit at. The drinks are good, I will say it is not consistent. One bartender made me a cosmopolitan, then I got another that a different bartender made and they were totally different. read more

Olive or Twist - Cosmopolitan - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Such a cute place to come across if you're in the area. Quaint and small, and the Martinis were amazing. Definitely recommend the Chocolate latte if that's your kind of thing. The menu is small but has good options! Hostess, Kate, was absolutely amazing, happy, lively, and welcoming. Definitely made us want to come back in the future. All in all great place to visit for good drinks and a good vibe! read more

Olive or Twist - Half drank Chocolate Latte Martini, Espresso Martini, and Olivette Martini - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Great local bar near in downtown pittsburgh. We enjoyed live music from a local artist, and the fun atmosphere. The drinks menu is creative and features a variety of cocktails and specialty martinis. read more

Olive or Twist - Espresso martini - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Last night was disappointing to say the least. My mother, brother and I made pre show reservations to have a fancy birthday dinner here for my Mom. Haven't been here in a few years and was used to the types of meals offered before, such as filet and short ribs, etc. Now the fanciest item on their menu is a burger. According to the waitress "people just like to get a small bite before shows now". Well not us. We wanted entrees and all they have is a glorified tapas/appetizer/light lunch like menu. She said it changes seasonally, but no entrees anymore. Had we know we would have made reservations elsewhere. Plus, being billed as Pittsburgh's' premier martini bar and you do not have Beefeater gin? Seems as though this place, formerly amazing, caters only to the party crowd and those who want to rent their space for private events. Very sad as this was once my go to favorite restaurant, and with many downtown events coming up was planning to eat there each time. Not now. On the other hand the steak salad was good as was the artichoke dip. No Italian dressing was offered which again, puzzled me. Burgers tasty but bacon limp. Mint chocolate chip martini was "ok" but not nearly like before. read more

I stopped by Olive or Twist with my parents for the first time on Saturday night. It was a short walk from where we were downtown, so we decided to try it. The bar had open seats, but it was still fairly busy around 9:30 PM. It was very loud when we walked in from the live music, but we found seats at the bar. The bartender was friendly and greeted us. We scanned the QR code and started looking at the menu. For a martini bar, I was expecting their menu to list out tons of different martinis. I thought the drink menu was pretty short compared to the menus I had seen online. I ordered a dirty martini with Tito's which wasn't on the menu. I was informed that they didn't have Tito's (weird for a bar) so he substituted the vodka. My mom tried the featured holiday drink, and my dad ordered a gin and tonic. We were all happy with our drinks. My dirty martini was delicious, but almost too salty. We didn't order any food, but I did hear the bartender tell other customers that their kitchen was closed. The live music was pretty good, and it was very, very loud. There were some fun 90's songs, but we couldn't talk or hear each other at all. Olive or Twist also has a private event room in the upstairs. The door was closed with a sign saying there was a private party on Saturday. My martini was a little expensive ($14.50), but that price is expected downtown. I would go back here another night for live music and cocktails. read more

Olive or Twist - Dirty martini - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I've been coming here for years and never tire of this place. The drinks are always amazing and it's a nice relaxed atmosphere.

Good food, service, and drinks! Waitstaff was incredibly friendly and accommodating! Would stop by again :) read more

Olive or Twist - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Dinner stop before the Benedum. I ordered the Pittsburgh salad which was very good and filling. My friend had the bruschetta chicken and she enjoyed it. The chicken was a fairly small portion, not enough to satisfy a big appetite. Had a margarita and that was tasty! read more

We recently hosted a private event with a cash bar and unfortunately our experience was marred by a disheartening incident involving one of the bartenders and the way the restaurant worded automatic gratuity on the individual checks. This incident completely overshadowed the rest of our experience. Instead of saying "gratuity" as most places do, Olive Twist instead uses "Event Administration Charge" which is very confusing. When multiple guests questioned one of the bartenders who has been there for years, she told them it was NOT gratuity and therefore she was tipped double. For those guests who asked the other bartender, he was honest about it being automatic gratuity. When I questioned this with event coordinator, John, all he could say was it was in my contract. Yes, it was in my contract for automatic gratuity, but it was NOT in my contract for my guests to be lied to for extra tips. I believe in fair compensation for good service, but manipulating guests into double-tipping is unacceptable. I followed up the next day and the was only offered the situation was being taken to heart. No offer to refund the extra tip for those who were duped to think it was not gratuity. The bartender's actions not only compromised the integrity of the service but also tainted the overall perception of the establishment. read more

Friend and I came while walking around the area. Both of us got a dark knight and a dragonberry cosmo. Both tasted very good. Prices comparable to what you would pay in NY. read more

Olive or Twist - Dark knight and Dragonberry Cosmo - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Oh how the mighty have fallen!! For 9 years it was in our top 3 to visit for drinks and dinner. Their menu was amazing!!! The food delicious and about 20 specialty martinis. Then the pandemic happened. They finally (in 2022) got a food menu back but its not posted on the website, which currently still says MENU COMING SOON. I called to confirm if there was a menu and the GM said yes, its just not posted bc of technical difficulties. I made a reservation for our 11 year anniversary and was promised a great time. When we got there, there was only 2 people working the bar and floor, which got very busy quick. We sat down and scanned the QR-code. The menus were a joke. Both of them. They had 5 martinis, none of them fun or appetizing. The rest of the bar menu were other random mixed drinks. The martini i chose, she brought to me and told me it was missing 2 ingredients bc they ran out. Instead of just telling me this and letting me choose another, she brought me an incomplete drink. So much for the Olive or the Twist. The food was not good. My partner got a burger which we loved before covid hit. But he couldn't even finish it. He said it was disgusting. I got the Roasted prima vera with chicken. The chicken was dry and the pasta was over roasted and didnt have enough sauce. The couple at the table next to us ended up finding us at the benedum after and said they despised their experience too. They overheard us whispering about it at our table. For a place that used to be a hard ticket to get into, it's a shame that they chose to change or had to change. Unfortunately, and sadly we will not be back. read more

Came here for dinner and a drink before a show at the Byham. Location/ambience: 4/5. Great service. Fun bar. Good location. Drinks: 4/5. We got one of the seasonal drinks - fireside fashioned. Well made. Not too sweet. Very holiday cheer. Food: 3/5 Appetizers had the fried cauliflower. We were so hungry so devoured them but were otherwise too breaded. Flavor decent. Beet salad- veggies were fresh but the beets weren't ripe yet. Chicken good. Burger - standard. Good. Overall good date or small group. Would be back especially before another show at the Byham. Overall 3.5 more than 3. read more

Absolutely terrible attitude by the bartender. Menu called for Saint Germain and some other cheaper alternative was used. Overall experience was awful. read more

Used to be one of my favorite places and used to frequent Olive or Twist when working in town for lunches, after work happy hours and dinners before shows in the cultural district. I was very disappointed last night trying to get an after show cocktail. The cocktail server tried to get us a seat outside but no tables were available. A table outside became available so I went in to let the server know we got seated outside. The bar was full but the bartender and same cocktail server were not busy. They both had their backs to the customers for several minutes. When I finally got the bartender's attention to ask for the server to let her know we were outside, instead of asking what I wanted, the bartender told me I needed to be patient. He added that she was on her way out, yet she was headed in the opposite direction. The server did eventually take our order and I asked her to clean off our table because it had beer and drink spillage and was sticky. The bartender delivered our drinks and I asked him too to wipe the table. Again with attitude he advised me that the table was wooden AND outside implying that it somehow didn't need to be cleaned! He did return to wipe it off but gave us eye rolls the whole time. I didn't appreciate that kind of attitude and won't be back. It was an evening spoiler. My cocktail was good however. read more

Just went for for drinks and was not impressed. Took a very long time to actually have our order taken. Since it's advertised as a martini bar I ordered a dirty martini, I could barely taste the vodka and it was overwhelming how much olive juice was in it. read more

My fiancé and I stopped in here for a couple of cocktails and ended up staying for a few more and some food. The lounge vibe is quite inviting and calming; we would have stayed there all night if we didn't have other plans. They hands down had the best spinach dip I have ever eaten. So fresh, creamy and delicious (if you like goat cheese, I highly recommend when it's on the menu)! Their crafty cocktails and martinis also did not disappoint. The 'snow covered rose' was one of the best cocktails I've ever had (that's TWO best things ever in one single place if you're counting). I could just rave about the citrus vanilla foam on the top of the drink. Yum. The live music was a nice and fun touch, a guy and his guitar singing 90's cover songs. We will definitely be back!! read more

Olive or Twist - Snow Covered Rose - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

I have been here several times but never actually ordered food - only drinks. Last night we stopped in before a concert. There was plenty of space around the bar area. We ordered our drinks and received them rather quickly. I thought the price was a little steep but I also expect that downtown. They were playing Mariah Carey throughout the bar so thats a win in my book. I would like to try the food at some point. For now...good drinks and fast service at the bar! read more

This review is from a visit before the pandemic. I came here with friends on a Friday night for some drinks and appetizers. We walked in to a pretty calm atmosphere for a Friday night. We were seated at a table and ordered a chicken quesadilla along with some buffalo chicken dip. The food was delicious!! I really liked the chicken quesadilla, the sauce drizzled on top was delicious. The buffalo dip was also some of the best I've had downtown. The drinks were very much up to par and we had a great night here. read more

Olive or Twist - Buffalo Chicken Dip - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Nice, easy bar with reasonable prices. Service was fist somehow slow no one was responsible for us - we were seating in the front bar area and the place was not busy even if it was Saturday night. But finally someone from the bar took over - a very friendly server. Food is really good - the kitchen knows what they are doing. We had some mussels with a side of fries and the french brussel sprouts. The cocktails are ok also price wise with $11 per drink. So overall a good experience - would go again. read more

I have never been treated so poorly in my life. I attended a wedding at this facility and everything was great. The bride and groom went downstairs after the wedding to continue the celebration. A woman with flowers painted onto her face approached us. She determined that we weren't able to be served which wasn't the case. My friend was confused and asking questions. She got very aggressive and threw her phone and glasses to get in my face and asked what I was going to do about it. When I said I was trying to keep the peace she bellied up with me. I cannot believe how I was treated. I would never step foot in this establishment and would never tell my friends to go there. What a disappointment. read more

Absolutely LOVE Olive or Twist. Although it's a small, intimate establishment, it has a grand ambiance! Their martinis are to die for, and their bartenders are always very polite and knowledgeable. Sometimes, they even have live music, but I do have to say that it's hard to enjoy the live music in such a tight area. This is definitely a great place to stop for drinks and/or food before a show at one of the performing arts centers! read more

Always good food and great service my favorite is the beans and greens with peppers GF.

I had a chicken sandwich and it wasn't very good, it was a little pink and just didn't taste very good. The fries were good, but I wouldn't get the chicken again. My wife really enjoyed her meal though. read more

I love Olive or Twist. Absolutely love it. As I'm sure everyone who has been here has mentioned, it has a fantastic drink menu that offers a decent variety in terms of its alcoholic beverages - everything from various delicious martini-style drinks to the standard favorite beers. The place also features a really good menu; I'm very partial to its crab cake sandwich, which really hits the spot and has a perfect balance of crabcake with toppings and dressing. I especially love how any sauces or dips with appetizers are usually served in a martini glass. It's a cute and well-thought touch. The only drawback here is that Olive or Twist is pretty darn popular; this place gets very noisy after 4:00 very quickly, especially as the happy hour prices kick in. This is even assuming you can get in - I've tried to go here on nights when it's completely booked. Completely. Every table, top and bottom floor, with only standing room near the bar. I will continue to be a major fan because the drinks and eats really are fantastic, but will probably avoid coming here during its busiest days and hours (i.e. the end of the week and beginning of the weekend). read more

Stopped by after enjoying "Young Frankenstein" at the Byham Theatre. This venue is just a short walk across the street from the Byham so was very convenient. The interior has a very pleasant atmosphere. We sat at the bar to have drinks and an appetizer. With the kind bartender's help, I ordered the chocolate pretzel martini. My glass was decorated with chocolate stripes on the inside and a rim covered with chocolate and salt. This was definitely a winner in both presentation and taste. We ordered the nachos without any protein added. They looked good but there wasn't enough topping for the number of chips so many chips were eaten dry without anything on it. Definitely needed more cheese and "goo" to make these worthwhile. The appetizer part of the menu was good and priced right so I'd come back and just try something else next time. read more

Olive or Twist - Chocolate pretzel martini - New American Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Came here on Valentine's Day for pre-dinner drinks and surprisingly found a spot at the bar. It's a cozy place with brick exposed walls and a decent sized bar. The drink list is really good. I had a hard time settling on what I wanted but decided on the Dark Knight. It was sooo strong but really yummy. It was gin, which I love, and they did a great job. I also ordered a plain gin and tonic which was also decently strong. The drinks were on the more expensive side, but I was fine with that because we were splurging that night. It's not a place I'd come just to get drinks on a night after work though. The bartender we had was very friendly and attentive. Sometimes you don't get the nicest bartenders but she was great, can't remember her name though. read more