I missed a couple of photos of items we ordered, but this might be the best restaurant I have ever been to. We were given complimentary appetizer of fried artichoke hearts with lemon. Which was a perfect bite to start the meal off while we enjoyed our cocktails. My girlfriend and I each ordered an appetizer, pasta course, and entree. Each of which came out within a reasonable time of each other to enjoy the food and have some time to discuss the course. Also enough time to build up anticipation for the next course! Our server Keegan was super knowledgeable about all of the items on the menu and was able to accommodate my girlfriend's dietary restrictions. Additionally he gave me the perfect recommendation for a glass of wine to accompany my pasta course! For me the highlights were the Rigatoni Bolognese, The Elders cocktail, and the Pacific White Prawns (unfortunately not pictured). Highly recommend to anyone looking to have a special night out. read more

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Stayed at the Ojai Valley Inn and decided to try Olivella. Honestly, I am not sure it was worth it. We were walk ins, and they made it sound like we were very lucky they could accommodate us, but once we were seated there were plenty of open tables. It's unfortunate because it's a lovely restaurant with a stunning view. Our server was also a bit slow and not very attentive, which did not help the overall experience. As for the food, everything we ordered was just okay. We had the beef tartare, the black truffle risotto, the veal osso bucco, and a side of mushrooms. Nothing really stood out, especially for the price. The ingredients were clearly fresh and high quality, but the flavors felt muted and a little too subtle. For a restaurant at this level, I expected more depth and more memorable dishes. Overall, not terrible, just not impressive. I wish the flavors matched the quality of the ingredients, the service, and the price point. read more

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We had Valentine's dinner at this beautiful, elegant restaurant. The service was exceptional, they were friendly, attentive & professional. The food was delicious, everything was fresh & flavorful. They were able to accommodate gluten free & dairy free. They had a special 4 course valentines menu $200/person. We enjoyed the bread, refreshing salad, lobster bucatini, dried aged ribeye, torta tenerina & sorbet. The only dish we didn't like was the black truffle risotto, it was way too salty. We had a wonderful experience, we would definitely return the next time we're in the area. read more

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We celebrated our 20th anniversary there they had menus that were just for us ! From the greeting to the very end we felt so cared for. Best homemade pasta we've ever had to be honest we've been to many places in the Los Angeles area with all the fancy chefs. The chef here has things locked in! Even better. It's a wonderful. The sauces were delightful! Best caccio Pepe I've ever had !!! Our server Evan also went above and beyond! Wow. I would give it 6 stars if possible. Thank you ! read more

Olivella - Compliments on the chef - Italian Near Me - Ojai, California

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The ambience was beautiful and cozy, service & sommelier were wonderful! We had the roast chicken - perfectly tender and crispy skin, delicious potatoes. Not a huge fan of the butter infused with fennel, but that's just my flavor profile. Definitely a wonderful, special dinner! read more

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This restaurant was lovely. I had a great dining experience. Ambience was very classy, intimate and upscale. The outdoor dining area had a great view of the mountains. Service was excellent. The staff were very professional yet friendly and really catered to patrons. They took time to explain the menu and were also very attentive. Food overall had great flavors. Unfortunately, the main course was underwhelming, which was quite disappointing considering it should've been the highlight dish of the entire course meal. The strip steak was cooked medium yet it was quite tough and dry. The quality of the meat wasn't the best. And, the portion was really small- two slices of steak with some sauce and that's about it. I think a third slice of steak would be fair or at least add some mashed puree or some kind of vegetable to make it more substantial or elevate it. The dish just felt like it was missing something to enhance it and to also cut the sweetness from the fruits. Other than that, food was overall pretty tasty. My favorite dish would actually be the complimentary amuse bouche served before the appetizer, then the caviar appetizer (extra $50), then the pasta, then steak, and last would be the dessert. The dessert was just decent, nothing unique or spectacular about it. Cocktail drinks were great. With the caviar upgrade, cost was $175 per person for a 4-course meal. Portions are definitely on the smaller side so don't expect to get full if you are a big eater. Good thing is that they also serve fresh sourdough bread, which does help fill you up. read more

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Great fine dining experience. We loved our visit to Olivella and the Ojai Valley Inn. The service was great and food was fantastic. Accommodating experience and unique dishes! We're looking forward to being back in the future! read more

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Clearly so expensive they don't even bother to include prices on their menu. Hard pass...

Delisih food, great service, amazing ambiance...This place has it all, for a price. If you want to shell out for a nice, romantic, or special meal, this is definitely the place in Ojai to do it! Like any other upscale restaurant, this is a pre fixe menu. At the time of dining (summer 2024) the price per person was $125 each. The menu rotates. There is wine pairing for additional $125, and you can order wines / beers / cocktails by the glass. Ambiance: (5/5) The dining room is emaculate and definitely gives off "romantic" vibes. Modern, upscale, and traditional with the architecture. If you can, I recommend a seat on the patio during sunset. Gorgeous views and beautiful hues. Food: (5/5). All the food is fresh and farm to table. The menu even gives a depiction of where all the food comes in the area! Super informative and love to see. One of the best dishes was the garden salad. You could taste the freshness in each leaf! Overall: if you are in the area, definitely worth a visit! Its a bit pricey, spent $380 for two, which includes 2 dinners, 2 glasses of wine, tax and tip. But the meal is definitely memorable! read more

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Fantastic dinner. The food is excellent and the atmosphere is elegant yet comfortable. Great service. Bread from Roti, delicious. Fish cooked perfectly with sauce well balance. Pork chop good size and cooked just right. Great wines by the glass. They deserve Michelin star for sure. read more

Incredible, incredible evening. Could not have asked for better. Local food and produce, simple ingredients that are just so well done. I never thought I would say this but the salad was my favorite! Also, I've never had a piece of halibut that soft. So impressive. Sit on the patio to enjoy a sunset arguably better than the "pink moment" on the other side of the restaurant! Above all, the best part of the night was the service. Evan was our guy. He was so thoughtful and kind. After he served dessert, he asked if there was anything else he would get us. I jokingly replied something commenting on my intense pregnancy craving for peanut Mnm's. All of a sudden we have a bag of peanut Mnm's on our table. How did that even happen? Great food, ambiance, above and beyond service. Fantastic evening. read more

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Had another exceptional meal at Olivella. They recently switched from a prix fixe to a la carte menu and I loved it just as much as their old menu. I had the garden lettuces, beef tartare with caviar, and bolognese - loved everything I had, but the beef tartare was the stand out. What makes Olivella really memorable is the service - Evan was excellent and the entire service team was kind and attentive. This will continue to be my go to restaurant when staying at the inn. read more

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Don't do it if you love veggies! So many five star reviews for this place! Well I just want to add, though they have a fully vegetarian menu, I can't recommend it. If you eat meat maybe it's great but I haven't had such uninspired vegetarian food outside the Midwest. No creativity or flair at all just salt and dated sad vegetarian options. I expected better for a five star dining experience in California, where all of agriculture is at your fingertips. It felt like the veggie menu was an afterthought for families who are annoyed that their teen is vegetarian and want to drag them out to a fancy dinner. It is quite clear that there is no real investment or interest in making upscale creative 21st century vegetarian dishes. One star for comping one of our meals as it was quite clear neither of us enjoyed the food. Cocktails were fantastic. read more

My husband and I had dinner here tonight on a whim and it was outstanding! From Ashlyn at the host stand, to our table staff Diego and Danny, to our delightful and incredible knowledge server, Kegan- just top notch service all around! The food is impeccable. Compliments to the chef who is clearly performing magic in the kitchen. If you're looking to treat yourself, do not hesitate to dine at Olivella. read more

We shared an extraordinary dining experience at Olivella at the Ojai valley inn this weekend. This 5 course tasting menu with wine pairings was nothing short of sublime. We started with a Himachi Crudo Amuse Bouche, worked through a Caviar presentation, a pasta course, Exquisite wagyu A5 steak and ended with the light as cloud desserts. Everything was paired perfectly with wine by Melissa and service by the incomparable, Allana! Chef Andrew Foskey absolutely needs to be awarded a Michelin guide (if not 2 ) Bravo read more

Olivella - Rigatoni Bolognese - Italian Near Me - Ojai, California

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My hubby and I had the most amazing time here! Talk about a beautiful location, close to home with top notch service. We self parked and took a golf cart ride to our dinner reservation. We enjoyed the four course with wine pairing menu by Chef Andrew Foskey. Everything tasted delicious but what really stood out was the petrossian ossetra caviar, ojai olive oil cake, and all the drink pairings that highlighted the course. I mention these three items because I thought I didn't like caviar but now I love it, never had olive oil cake (now I bake these at home!, and all the wine/champagne pairings imported from France were exquisite. Everything else we tasted was great, but nothing we hadn't had before new IE chocolate sphere cake, rigatoni bolognese, strip loin, etc. I highly recommend this place for birthdays, anniversaries, or if you got it like that, once a month! read more

Stopped by to have a dinner here after a day spa. I thought the food was just okay, but the service was impeccable! Not in a rush to return, but will be opened to give it another try. read more

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We had a spectacular meal here last night. First the staff is exceptional starting with the hostess Sienna and our server Dakota was incredibly informative and attentive and the Som's pairing perfect for every course of the prix fix meal. Some of the standouts for the night were the rib eye steak cooked to perfection and the chicken was so moist and delicious and all the plating just extraordinary. We did one wine pairing per couple which was plenty of libation to match each wonderful course from start to finish. We opted for the cheese addon at the end which was paired with a fantastic bubbly and it was such a nice way to end the evening. The ambience is understated elegance and the look and feel is like a modern European Chalet in the alps. Every ingredient is farm to table fresh and amazing. It was one of the nicest meals we have had anywhere in the world. read more

Olivella has some of the best-tasting food I've ever had--easily in my top 5. Every dish is unique and thoughtfully prepared. read more

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DO NOT DINE HERE IF YOU ARE NOT STAYING AT THE INN. There were some couches outside so we decided to sit outside before dinner. The waitress ignored us for a whole 50 minutes and didn't even offer to turn on the heaters. We were freezing out there. Some people arrived after us and she offered to turn on their heater. She then also proceeded to ask them if they wanted drinks. Keep in mind they arrived 35 minutes AFTER us. About 15 minutes after that we decided to just leave and not dine there. Will NOT be back after such terrible service. I don't know why the server ignored us, maybe because we weren't staying there, I wouldn't want to assume it was because something else read more

Olivella is the most amazing restaurant experience I have ever had in my life. Jared was our server and he was beyond attentive. From every recommendation, every presentation, I couldn't believe how knowledgeable he was. I wish I could dine here over and over again. The wine pairing was spectacular, the fresh truffles were beautiful, the bolognese was out of this world. I have never and will never taste a better bolognese than I had here. The ambiance is warm and cozy, but elegant and sophisticated all at the same time. read more

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Amazing, amazing dinner! We did the four course tasting menu and ordered a couple cocktails and everything was perfection. Our server was so friendly and helpful and recommended dishes they were fantastic. We got the crudo, prawns, scallops, pork tenderloin, agnolotti and duck pasta. Chocolate sphere and olive oil cake. For one of the pastas, we were originally thinking of the crab pasta but we were warned that it's more brine-y and less on the crab. Very glad we chose the agnolotti instead and appreciated the warning. Impeccable service and if you are there during the "pink moment" aka sunset, you can take some amazing photos outside with a beautiful sunset in the background. Definitely recommend treating yourself to this lovely dinner! read more

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My girlfriend took me here for my birthday for the second straight year and we weren't disappointed. From the time we arrived the hostess made us feel welcome. The fixed meal was great (we both had the Branzino) and the drinks were spot on. Our server Keegan and rest of the staff were friendly and attentive. We'll be back for her birthday in September. read more

Olivella is a beautiful extension of Ojai Valley Inn's elegance and charm. The rustic vibe is right up my alley - loved the decor and table settings! We came here in celebration of my sisters birthday and had such a great experience. My only criticism is that we were encouraged to opt for the 5 course meal as we were told that the portions were very small. They were full size portions, and it was so much food, we had to tap out! That said, the menu was well balanced for the veggies and the meat and fish eaters of the group. Remember to bring your appetite and wallet because this meal will fill you up and set you back! But in the end you will feel your money was well spent and certainly that your belly is very very full. read more

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Delicious food- everything was fantastic Excellent drinks. And Evan is a superb server. Made the evening even better. read more

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$125 for a 4-course tasting menu - everything was delicious. Our waiter had on-point recommendations and the service was impeccable. Even the bread and butter was tasty! Had the greens/salad to start, then we each got the scallops and chicken as an entree, ended with the vanilla soft serve and dark chocolate tart. The scallops were probably the best I've ever had, perfectly prepared, and the surprise was the chicken which was brined for 24 hours, probably the tastiest and juiciest chicken I've ever had. They even served housemade apple cider with our dessert. Delicious meal all-around and worth the splurge. read more

The phrase you get what you pay for is true at Olivella. My husband and I decided to splurge on our anniversary weekend with a stay at Ojai Valley Inn and our dinner at Olivella was one of the best meals we've ever had, not only in terms of food, but also service. Our server Jeff was nothing short of superb. His knowledge and clear love of Ojai and the menu as a whole (food AND bev) left a lasting impression on us - our dinner was two months ago. He treated us like family with the utmost care and attention to detail. I can't say we've ever had a server like him which made our anniversary dinner all the more special. The food is the food and well worth the money. Everything we ordered was delicious and we left completely satisfied by each and every course. Olivella and Jeff are worthy of 5 full stars. read more

5 stars all the way! This restaurant was absolutely exceptional. Everything about our meal and experience was flawless. From our amazing waiter to the outstanding food. We wouldn't change one thing. We loved the food so much that the chef came out and wrote down the recipe for our favorite dish. So kind of him. My husband and I both had the wine pairing. We also loved the bolognese, agnolotti, A5 wagyu, and rip eye. The sauce served with the steak is out of this world. Highly highly recommend. Thank you for such an amazing culinary experience. read more

The restaurant has a gorgeous view of the sunset for dinner. Our reservation was for 7pm, but they were able to accommodate us to be a tad later. The service was excellent. It relatively chilly after the sun went down due to the high temperature during the day. I chose a four course meal with the following: First - Crudo of Pacific Tuna They had a different fish the day that I was there, but it was still delicious. The best of the first three courses. Pasta - Box Crab Fusili This was also good, with a generous portion considering it is a multi course menu. Also tasted delicious and a pasta lover it hit the spot. Main - Kurobuta Pork Chop Definitely was pork. I didn't finish this course since it was so large. This was probably my least favorite dish of the four courses. I did also a couple bites of the Wild Baja Sea Bass and the Mediterranean Branzino. If I were to go again, I would choose the Branzino hands down. Dessert - Chocolate Sphere By this point I was very full, BUT I still finished the entire dessert because it was that good! The presentation was wonderful as our waiter brought it out as a sphere and poured an espresso and dulce de leche (I think) mix over to melt the sphere and reveal the gelato and brownie. read more

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One of the best meals we have ever had. The service was too notch. The ambiance was great. The food was out of this world, especially the bolognese pasta and upgraded waygu ribeye. Simply fantastic. Expensive but so memorable read more

I had dinner with my girlfriends. They had a preset menu. The food was delicious!! We loved the service!!! This is a place that I am definitely coming back to!!! Highly recommend this place!!! read more

Best meal of the entire weekend. Service was impeccable. It was the perfect setting to celebrate our anniversary.

We celebrated our anniversary dinner here last weekend. Evan was amazing. The entire service team was impecctable. We have custom menus with a nice anniversary message on top which was so nice. This restaurant is a prefix at $125 in which you get to choice from 4/5plates. We started off with a small piece of crudo and fresh baked bread with butter. Next we both had the garden lettuce salad. Soooo good. I know it sounds like a boring salad but all the ingredients farmers market fresh and perfect together. Next I got the bolognese and my husband got the summer squash agnolotti. Delicious. For our mains I got the branzino (no bones!) and the ribeye for my husband. To finish it off, the milk and honey and vanilla bean soft serve for dessert. So yummy. They also brought over a delicious chilled tea and some cookies. We had a table outside and had a beautiful view of the mountains before the sun set. It got a little chilly so they heat lamps and blankets for me. Great cocktail and wine menu too. Overall, food was incredible and worth every dollar. Worth mentioning this is an adult only restaurant so if you're kid less come here for sure! read more

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The best experiential dining I've had in decades. Not only was the food impeccable but the attentiveness of service and knowledge of the menu by our waiters were second to none. We chose the wine pairing menu and the chef's selection of wine for each dish was spot on. The food and wine portion sizes were such that you complete this course menu fully satisfied without feeling overly stuffed. Would recommend the free valet parking as the spaces for self parking is rather sparse. This restaurant will definitely be one of our go to places when we are at Ojai. Thank you for such a magical experience. read more

Some interesting takes on the ancient oil. I'm not an aficionado so I feel I can't say one way or the other. I suggest a visit to mollify your curiosity and if you someone who knows a lot, I'd be interested in hearing about it. Here's the thing. Unless you really know what's what with olive oil how do you know? I love to cook healthy meals and I like olive oil for all its favor and goodness. But I have never had a really good tasting test. The products are fascinating. Such a range of uses esp. grooming. Bottling is magnificent. I also like the vinegars. Esp. Peach. read more

I have one word for Olivella... Nonpareil! Look it up, it's a 5 dollar word and apt description of this place. Tucked away behind the Wallace Neff bar at the Ojai Valley Inn, Olivella delivers either a 3 course or 4 course price fixe menu that is a hit from start to finish. Each course has 3-4 selections so you will find something you like. On to the food: Started with amouse bouche of butternut squash with goat cheese, yum. Starter, tuna crudo which was plated so delicately, like a painting and delicious. I had the polpette vitello which were amazing. I could have eaten 20 of these. By the way, as a tasting menu the portions are smaller but you'll be satisfied. Pasta course I had the black truffle risotto - fucking delicious! With a touch of al dente, it made me realize most restaurants kill the risotto and overcook it. The lady had the house made rigatoni with Bolognese and dollop of herbed ricotta, amazing. The recipe goes back 150 years in chef's family and never comes off the menu. Digestive They brought out a warm samovar of vegetable broth that takes 48 hours to make. You drink this warm elixir to help your stomach digest- it had a delicious almost vinegary flavor that I loved. Mains We went with the seafood. I went for the branzino with the vegetable puttanesca, for lack of a better word. So good. Lisa had the rockfish baked in microthin orange slices and a date salsa. All good Desserts I went with molten chocolate ball - this this had some many parts- it was a chocolate cake base, covered by a thin golden cookie crisp and then a chocolate ball with ice cream inside. They bring to you and pour warm chocolate sauce over the ball and everything melts down, truly amazing. We also ordered the cheese plate but took that back to room so we could eat today. And if one dessert wasn't enough, they brought out hand made candy and chocolate bites after the chocolate ball! The menu changes with each season so we'll be back for the spring menu! Pricey and worth it! read more

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I made a reservation in the afternoon for that evening. Subsequently, I received a message "reminding me" (although their web site said nothing about it) that "we only offer a multi course dining experience at $125/ person++." We don't like multi course dining experiences at any price, but the message also said that the reservation could only be canceled 24 hours in advance or there would be a $75 cancellation fee. Having booked the reservation less than 24 hours in advance, it said that I could not cancel the reservation without having to pay the cancellation fee. Of course, there was no warning of that when making the reservation. I called and was told there was nothing they could do. I must pay the $75 cancellation fee, even though no one was at the restaurant yet, so they certainly were not counting on my being there. The worst service ever. read more

As other reviews have said the servers are incredibly friendly and do a great job at being attentive without being intrusive. The food is a select menu offering truly outstanding courses. My favorite was actually the first one which the chef prepared. The ambience is great and not at all crowded. You are seated in a spacious room with a fireplace burning. What could be better ? read more

Celebrated our anniversary by dining here during our stay at Ojai Valley Inn and it was excellent. Opted for the 4-course because we wanted to try a bit of everything on the menu and it did not disappoint. The appetizers, pasta, and dessert were my favorite courses - highly recommend the beef carpaccio, bolognese, almond & cherry semifreddo, and chocolate sphere. I was surprised by how much the dessert shined here. The flavors and texture in the almond and cherry semifreddo were absolute *chefs kiss*. It was the perfect ending to a fantastic menu. My fiancé ordered the chocolate sphere so it ended up being a good balance between both desserts. I thought the mains we ordered (lamb shoulder and branzino) were just alright - not as flavorful as everything else. Overall though it was a memorable meal and we'd come back for another special occasion! read more

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They really hit all the top marks on this meal. Expert well attentive service with precision synchronized multi server drops on plates. Fancy stuff rarely done these days. The quality of the food and prep and plating and best of all taste all were excellent on all dishes. The fixed price 3 course meal $95 each actually seemed quite reasonable to me based on the above. Didn't want desert so it was an extra 10 bucks to get the three other courses which also was fine. yes the portions were all small but plenty of food and you shouldn't be going to a place like this looking to stuff yourself. Wine list was also excellent with a nice pour. We sat on the patio which made it feel like being in Italy with a great view of the mountains and sunset. Also nice and quiet! Plenty of shading umbrellas as well as heaters if needed. Our main waiter was super friendly and gave us all sorts of informative info on the area which some people may think was overboard but I liked it. He was genuine and interested. The beef carpacio was amazing. melt in mouth beef with micro vegetable relish. I have no idea how someone could cut veggies so precise and small. I wanted more but always good to want more! my wife's tuna was also a winner and she has had LOTS of fresh tuna and this was up there with the best of them. She also had the black truffle risotto and loved it. Nicely tuned with excellent truffles the scent of which was clearly fresh and wafting around the table as she ate. The bolegnese was my pick and I am a bolo nut. I mean NUT. I have eaten it all over the world including many places in Italy so I know what the real deal is. They said this was from a 130 year old recipe handed down for generations and indeed this was the true bolognese that I loved the flavor profile of. A little "saucier" than the great ones I've had but this was right up there in flavor and mixture with the perfectly cooked fresh pasta and an amazing house whipped ricotta with herbs instead of parm. Get this. The mains were the diver scallops, perfectly seared with an excellent sauce and again these micro cut vegetables perfectly plated. and then my pork tenderloin. Superbly tender and seasoned and cooked. OMG this was good. The red wine 'jus was also perfectly done and the only thing I would have loved a bit more of was the dates. The sweetness was the perfect umami to the savory saltiness of the sauce and pork. Again we skipped deserts but I'm sure they were also superb as spied some on the way out on other tables. So if visiting this resort or area and you want an "elevated" meal in a beautiful surrounding, this is the place. read more

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