This restaurant was amazing. My friend brought me here while I am visiting her in Denver and I was so impressed. I am from NY and have high expectations for Italian food and this was up to my standards. Everything was delicious, fresh, and perfectly portioned. The service was unmatched. Definitely a special dining experience! The restaurant was adorable as well. read more

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WOW. The wait is worth it. We booked a few weeks out for a table and were annoyed with that part but it is totally worth it. There is only street parking which can also be a challenge but worth it, so get there with ample time to find parking. The space is small and the waiting area is so busy, borderline overwhelming. Once you get to your table the ambiance changes and it is a much more intimate environment and enjoyable. From the beginning the food was delicious and you can tell every course was thoughtfully created. All of them were different and unique in their own way. My favorite dish was the French Onion Ravioli. Truly an exquisite dish. I think it is worth the dinning experience. Don't wait. Try it. read more

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Olivia is a great special occasion spot in Denver. The vibe is closer to fine dining than casual but doesn't require your fanciest suit. It's perfect for anniversaries, birthdays, etc. Reservations are required. Their Italian inspired menu changes seasonally and offers both coursed tasting menus (with wine pairings for an additional charge) and a la carte options. Some of their standout spring dishes include the chopped salad, tortellini and ravioli. The ravioli is a must try if you like French onion soup. Cheesy raviolis are served in a thick flavorful sauce made from reduced onion jus.. it's like French onion soup but better! 10/10 They also make some of the best bread in Denver. Each table gets freshly baked focaccia. The flavors change daily but when we dined it was Rosemary focaccia served with a delicious local butter. They make a limited amount of bread though so save some to dip in your pasta sauce if you can, you won't get a refill! They also have lovely cocktails and non alcoholic drinks. The staff are attentive and include thoughtful touches. For example, when our table ready late for our weeknight reservation, the staff offered complimentary sparkling wine while we waited. We did have to wait outside because the dining room and entry way can get very crowded. Overall a lovely but small special occasion spot. Make a reservation and give it a try! read more

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What a great experience at Olivia! Excellent service, delicious food and drinks, properly spaced courses, and a nice interior. We started with the House Spritz and the Bramble cocktails, both so good. Then we shared the Burrata and Chopped Salad, followed by the Tagliatelle and the Ravioli. Everything was wonderful. The ravioli was a very unique French onion soup inspired dish. We closed our meal out with the Pecorino Cheesecake and the Tiramisu and they were both delicious! Cannot wait to go back and try their other pastas! read more

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Great food and service. Expensive and worth it. The Bread - Awesome. Nothing beats freshly made pasta. read more

For our 14th anniversary, Bob and I made reservations at Restaurant Olivia in Wash Park. Focused on Italian homemade pastas and artisan cocktails, this place has something for everyone! The ravioli was absolutely heavenly! Each homemade pasta is filled with gruyere fondue, served in a caramelized onion jus and topped with shaved parmesan. (Basically...French onion soup ravioli). Venison makes a fitting seasonal addition to the menu. We started with a decadent meatball appetizer called "poplette", which incorporated venison, pork, macadamia nuts, tarragon cream in a pomodoro sauce. The star of the show for me was the burrata. This is sold as a supplement you can add to the complementary focaccia bread service. It is absolutely worth it! The burrata is served less than 36 hours from the time it leaves the cows in a village outside of Naples, Italy. The freshness and creaminess of the burrata makes it the best I have ever tasted! Don't delay! Reservations can be made on the Tock app. read more

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Food was great. Loved the wine recommendation. Food recs were spot on. Excellent service. First time here and we will be back. read more

We were only in Denver for two nights, so we had to choose our meals wisely. With that being said, we are SO thrilled we dined at Restaurant Olivia! The food was divine and the service was fantastic. The wine pairings were interesting (with most coming from Greece), in a good way. Starting with food: We had never dined here so we initially leaned towards the tasting menu. After speaking with our waitress (taller brunette--she was amazing!) she said we would be better off doing a la carte so we could try more dishes. We started with the summer arancini. This was very good--although not our favorite dish. I think the best bite came when you first tasted the thinly grated Parmesan and then the sweetness of the corn. The bread was AMAZING. Seriously, it was some of the most delicious bread I've ever had. The bottom was crisp with olive oil (?) and the center was soft and warm. Our waitress let us try a pasta dish (feta sacchetti) off the tasting menu as an appetizer. It was much sweeter than I thought it would be but it was very delicious! We tried their signature lobster spaghetti and the Calabrian chili and peach pasta. The spaghetti was extremely delicious! Honestly, we would not order the peach pasta again. The wine pairings were extremely reasonable and delicious! The cocktail list looked expensive and amazing. All of the prices include gratuity, which makes the meal overall very affordable. Next time we are in Denver, we will definitely be visiting this restaurant again! The service was truly five star! read more

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One of Denver's best Italian restaurants and extremely deserving of their new Michelin star.! They have surprisingly healthy portions and everything is divine. The two best pastas imo are the tagliatelle and the ravioli, but you can't go wrong with any of them read more

The best bread and sauce I had (Whipped Ricotta). The venison was a little tough but delicious. The French onion Ravioli was very unique liked it alot. Tagliatelle was very good. Portion sizes are rather small for entrees and with the bread and 3 entrees our bill came out to around $170. The service here was phenomenal. Water always full and they actively assisted in splitting our meals since we shared everything - separate bowls for the ravioli and then separate plates given while the other dishes were served in the middle. read more

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I cannot say enough wonderful things about our dinner at Olivia. We went for my husbands birthday and from the moment we walked in they worked to make it special. They started us with a celebratory glass of champagne (an unnecessary but always appreciated gesture). We did the tasting menu with wine pairing and we were so completely blown away. Every bite was carefully thought out and the wines were brought with stories and intention. The room itself is quiet but open, a great spot for a date night. There is no doubt we will be back! read more

The atmosphere of this space is so cute and light. It is a bit smaller than I anticipated, but didn't feel squished at all. The service here really is the perfect topper to a great meal and really makes price of food, even more worth it. Our waitress was so helpful in determining the right amount of food to get. We got cocktails: strawberry rhubarb old fashion and strawberry Negroni. They were very fresh and delicious. The food: we wanted to do family style so we could get a little of everything. They don't advertise it, but allowed us to get an appetizer size portion (and price) of a main dish. Truly everything we got was amazing. I read a lot about the ravioli but I thought the Tagliatelle took the cake. It was AMAZING, very flavorful and delicious noodles. Overall, this place is a must!! I would absolutely go back here and suggest for a nice dinner, date or just special occasion. read more

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Olivia has been on my list of Denver restaurants I've been wanting to check out for some time now. Thankfully, I was able to get a table the day of as there was an opening for the table directly by the front door (a more casual eating experience), but if you're wanting to eat here for a date night or special occasion, you'll definitely want to call or reserve in advance. It's a small space but the ambience is chic and romantic. Our waitress was friendly and attentive. Some people will absolutely love the food here. I was a little disappointed given the price. Don't get me wrong--most of the food was delicious and beautifully presented. I thoroughly enjoyed my crab bisque and duck breast entree. Some of the meals were a bit heavy-handed, however. For example, the focaccia was delicious, house-made, and already rich on its own, but it was paired with butter. The arancini, perfectly fried, is already rich, but it was accompanied by pesto and ricotta. The tagliatelle had wonderful flavors and was cooked just right, but we could only take a few bites of it because it tasted like there was a lot of butter or lard that had been added to it when the meat already made the bolognese richly flavored. All to say, the chef clearly has superb technical skills, but many of the meals were a bit richer and heavier than they needed to be - which, for the price, was a little disappointing. While I had a mixed experience with the food, I still enjoyed Olivia enough that I would recommend it to others, and I know that people with different palates might not have any complaints about how rich the food can be! read more

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We sort of stumbled upon a reservation at Restaurant Olivia when looking for options for a nice dinner in Denver. A Tik tok and then yelp led us to try to get a reservation. We were happy to score a late minute spot for two at the communal table. Great experience - with great people sharing their love of food. We did the tasting menu and not enough could be said about the selections. Every course brought flavors that were a surprise and complex and so wonderful. The tasting menu portions were perfect so you could still look forward to what was next. I'd recommend every dish on its own as a full meal. The service was impeccable and left nothing to be desired. I added the wine tasting and the selections perfectly complimented each course. I cannot wait to return to Denver for another evening here. read more

Olivia - Tasting menu - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Food was exceptional. Had the Spaghetti which was unique in a good way with small tomatoes and mozzarella. A most pleasant dining experience. read more

Mama Mia! Ok... not trying to be cheesy, but this place really fits the bill when it comes to classy, rich, creative Italian food in Denver. My husband and I came here for our 3-year anniversary dinner, after hearing great things about the restaurant & feeling like the vibe would be good for a date night out. We were absolutely spot on with our intuition. The space: a small single room makes for an intimate setting. The decor is elevated, but it's not a white tablecloth situation. Far from stuffy. We were seated by the host and promptly greeted by our waiter. The drink menu is extensive: they have a whole negroni menu! We opted for wine though and started with some bubbles. They were brought out almost immediately. Impeccable service! We then put in an appetizer of arancini, which OH my gosh. Those were sooooo surprisingly good. Creamy, rich, crispy, and justtttt right on the flavor. Left me wanting more. Then the mains. I ordered an Italian red with dinner, and my husband ordered the chardonnay. Both were given detailed descriptions by our waiter, who was clearly well-versed in the menu. Then the pasta. What they're known for. The big kahuna if you will. We ordered the Garganelli & the Lobster Spaghetti. We planned to split each dish and did so, but there was a clear favorite. The Garganelli was so unique - green tubular noodles with sausage and a cream sauce. But that lobster spaghetti - OH my gosh. The perfect blend of creaminess, saltiness, and I don't know what they did to that lobster - but YUM. There's a reason this thing never leaves their menu amongst the rotation of other dishes. We rarely order dessert at restaurants, but I mean c'mon - anniversary dinner? You have to. I've been on a cheesecake kick lately, and you really can't go wrong... but this one was extra special. The white chocolate crumble was to die for. All in all, this was a perfect dinner. Bellissimo! We'll be back :) read more

Olivia - The spread. Garganelli & Lobster Spaghetti - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Olivia's, you live up to the hype! Came in on leap day and I was taken back by the beautiful ambiance. I loved every detail and decor of this restaurant! We couldn't decide what to order, so we ended up ordering the whole menu, literally. Probably the best decision that we made and the cost per person is about the same if you've ordered the tasting menu. The dishes that stood out the most and I can't stop thinking about is the tortellini, gemelli, risotto, fennel bisque, and cheesecake. I don't think you can go wrong with any dish that you've order, each dish is unique and the presentation is beautiful. The service is impeccable and super attentive to the point your cup is constantly filled with water. I can't wait to come back here! read more

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Second time and still the kitchen and menu are just not good enough. I sincerely question if there will be a third visit until we see online a revamped menu and hear better performance from the back. read more

Restaurant Olivia is a situated near the north edge of Washington Park, nestled into a corner building on Downing and Alameda. The warmth of this special place is immediately recognized when you enter to see the well curated bar and charming seating arrangements. The service is honestly unparalleled as the staff is all extremely attentive and informative. The menu is a really unique combination of vegetables, meats, seafoods and pastas. The Tagliatelle alla bolognese had so much delicious complexity and was an absolute highlight of the meal. The gluten free pasta is house made and I have never had gluten free pasta anywhere near as delicious as at Olivia. I was truly surprised at how fantastic every bite was from the octopus appetizer to the Pecorino Cheesecake. Olivia knows exactly what they are doing and they are knocking it out of the park! read more

What a lovely dinner at a woman owned restaurant. The pasta was delicious and the duck was good but I'll try something new when I go again. read more

Olivia - Arancini and Burrata - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

Tasting menu was great and great cocktails! Very knowledgeable about the food and wine pairing!

Service: from the minute we walked in to the moment we left- we felt taken care of. The service at Olivia's is truly top notch. This small, unassuming restaurant near Washington Park is really a unique experience in Denver. It felt like we were invited to someone's house having dinner. I would return here just for the service and feeling of being pampered. We did not try to the tasting menu and instead opted for a la crate options. At Olivia's, you can make the pasta sizes be appetizer sizes to try more of them which is a really fun option. The mozzarella and warm focaccia are stunning openers and must haves! Not being a huge fan of eggplant parmigiana, it is also a mist try here. It was decadent and comforting. Wow. The Porchetta was incredible crispy and tender, full of flavor. The pastas were truly unique and want to return to try more of them. It is a special night to go to Olivia's. Be sure to have this experience! read more

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We've eaten at this restaurant twice and we love it. Street parking only but it seems you can always find a spot. Grant was a great server and our dishes were excellent. I had the Cinco de Mayo special and my wife had the bolognese. My only negative is they mark their wines up 200% on bottles vs the traditional 100% markup. We had the textbook cab which was also good. read more

The wait staff was perfect! They were warm, pleasant, and kind. If you ever watched The Bear this resturant felt like it could be right off the show. The decor was not pretentious or over done it just had the atmosphere of a cozy downtown resturant. The food tasted fine I would even say good, but the portion size seemed on the smaller size (which may be a good thing for my waist line)! I also think I just don't have a pallet for fine dinning. read more

Olivia is my go-to take out, take-and-bake meal. They offer two lasagna options, lasagna for 2 or lasagna for 4. Lasagna for 2 could easily feed four and lasagna for 4 could easily feed a small army. The meal comes with a side salad (this is enough for four small helpings, but if you're a greens person, you may want to order another side salad), two ready-to-bake cookie dough balls about the size of your fist (pro tip: roll them into smaller cookie balls and you get more cookies!), and a bottle of wine. Pick-up is always seamless and comes with a hand-drawn card saying thanks! We always make sure to order a side order of their focaccia bread and butter because it is simply soft and to die for. We are always met with the kindest people with smiling faces when we pick up our order. The inside of Olivia is quaint and romantic, a great spot for a date. They do have an outdoor patio, but dining al fresco the the corner of Alameda and Downing isn't so appealing to me. I definitely look forward to in person dining when restrictions lift more. Please check them out and support this incredibly cute Italian joint! read more

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Absolutely gorgeous addition to the high-end restaurant scene in Denver. Exquisite service experience. Much attention paid to detail here. The staff makes you feel comfortable and at home. Staff is extremely knowledgeable about the wine list, and I believe one of the owners is a sommelier herself. Very smart wine pairings with the delightful menu. We had a sampling of a few pastas and all were supremely delicious. My favorite was either the lobster or the rabbit pasta. read more

I haven't left a Yelp review in some time but I needed to for this establishment. In summary--Olivia lives up to and exceeds the hype. My girlfriend and I dined in yesterday for her birthday and everything was absolutely fantastic. Service? Exceptional. Food? Legendary. Drink selection? Perfect. Ambiance? On point. I would recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a great evening. read more

Easily one of the best dinners we've ever had. There was a lot of hype about Olivia - lots of folks recommended it - and it completely exceeded expectations. The best way I can describe this food is masterfully crafted. The dishes seemed simple, but every flavor was meticulously balanced. No dish had "too much" of anything. And we experienced flavors we'd never tasted before - the mark of a top tier chef in my book. The bread: Amazing. We tried 4 of the pastas - all of them were incredible. Our server Greg was a hoot! Super funny, gave us all sorts of great recommendations, and we had a great evening in part because of his service. The only bummer was our table, which faced the gas station across the street. There's nothing you can do about it though, and we saw some pups outside so that was nice. 5/5, amazing. Everyone should try Olivia if you love Italian and have a reason to go all out. read more

This is such a hard place to get reservations a lot so I'm so glad we got one when we were in town. We had a great dining experience. Service was friendly and helped answer all our questions. Every course we had was fantastic. A few standouts for me were the focaccia which we upgraded with burrata and then the lobster pasta. I could live just on these two things! Definitely check this place out! read more

Olivia - Porchetta - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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I have sat on this review because I was not sure how to articulate my opinion. Italian cuisine is centered around simplicity with fresh ingredients. Part of the experience is great ambience, exceptional service, unrivaled food quality and portions. The price represents the quality of good and space. My struggle is all of these factors and the cost. I have a hard time reconciling the price of the entire menu and what I get. The ambience is fine. It is a small space with a bright and modern feel. It is fine - not outstanding, but nice. The service is exceptional and rivals any upscale restaurant. The food was delivered with perfect timing which gave us time to chat and enjoy our meal. I understand during the pandemic, restaurants were required to place time limits on tables and it appears restaurants are continuing with this time limit. When i am spending big bucks, I am annoyed when the server tells me we are reaching our time limit! I am fine with the inclusion of a surcharge. The best part of the evening was the ability to get pasta as an appetizer. It allows the table to share, smaller portions and make eating here more affordable. The main event - food which was very good. But meatballs and pasta for $28 and asparagus $19? You should go and bring your wallet. Many people I know love this restaurant and the two times I have gone, the tables were packed. read more

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Came here for a special occasion- and was pleasantly surprised to be greeted with sparking wine as we were seated. Started with complimentary focaccia which was to die for! Possibly the best bread I've ever had. Soft and buttery and savory. The food was excellent - We tried salad w burrata, eggplant Parmesan, gemelli alla norcina and lobster spaghetti. The pasta is rich and flavorful, portions are filling. Cannot wait to come back here! read more

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Olivia was hands down, the best dining experience we have had in Denver! From our amazing server (Greg) and his witty banter and amazing recommendations, to the contemporary ambiance, and of course the outstanding food. There's not a single thing wrong with this place. First and foremost, the French onion soup inspired ravioli is life changing, giving a classic comfort food an elegant flare. The strip loin of venison was cooked to perfection , and quite possibly one of the best red meat dishes we have had! Of course the focaccia and whipped Parmesan butter with garlic confit is a delightful start to the evening as well. Can't forget about our refreshing cocktails and dessert that were "stupid good" for lack of a better term. Truly a special gem to the Denver dining scene. read more

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A very intimate dining experience. The space is small, but not cramped. The staff is a cohesive unit that clearly cares about making your experience memorable. We tried 4 different dishes, and each was delicious and unique. The pacing of the courses was just right. We started off with the Charred Octopus and Venison Polpette. Both of those dishes tasted really great. The entrees were the star of the show. The Pork Belly Porchetta and Pappardelle Pasta w/ Braised Rabbit, Pancetta, and Oregano were phenomenal. The Pork Belly Porchetta is a must-order. The restaurant does book out well in advance. I was glad I made the effort to dine here. read more

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Perfect spot for a birthday dinner for my Wife! The food and the atmosphere at Olivia is perfect for a romantic night out! The staff is also really kind and attentive they took care of everything and made the night fly bye without a hitch. We started the meal our meal with a complimentary champagne toast one of the little details Olivia hit out of the park to make our dinner memorable! For appetizers we ordered the Spanish Octopus and the Venison Polpette both were delicious, cooked perfectly. They were a great complement to the house baked bread that comes with every meal! The absolute star of the meal was the Pork Belly Porchetta! It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside with a delicious sauce underneath. Every bite was a burst of flavor! Our last dish was a Rabbit Pappardelle nothing better than house made pasta to end a meal! I would recommend Olivia for any special occasion you have coming up! read more

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This was a disappointment for me and my guest. First they couldn't find my reservation, but we we seated. The waiter was great! Made up for their blunder and the menu was limited for me and my guest. Wine list was the most extensive I have seen out side Italy. Pric y.. I say try it for special evening. Pss. Dessert was good and coffee! Oh yes parking is challenging. read more

Went to Olivia for the first time for our anniversary and was initially sat at a tiny round table by the front door. This is WITH reservations. Was funny because I told my partner that they probably seat walk-ins there and no way we'd have to sit there. Sure enough...They were surprised when I refused to be sat there. "We'll have to wait for another opening" We got the prix fixe menu and the food was so mediocre. Nothing fresh about it at all. The service was really the worst I've ever had and we eat at a lot of good places (this was the last on the list). I know people just LOVE Olivia, but I'm never going there again. I'm sure they're fine with that since we weren't some their typical lily white customers. read more

This is by far the best Italian restaurant in Denver, hands down. The place is small and intimate, so the waiters were super attentive, helpful and food was all timed perfectly. They even do palate cleansers in between meals which was a highlight for me. We had a larger party so got to try a bunch of things on the menu and every dish was outstanding. One of the most memorable dining experiences I've had in CO (which wasn't too hard to achieve considering most food in Denver is MEH). But this place is incredible so try it for yourself and spread the word!! read more

Best pasta I've ever had in Denver. The wait staff is knowledgeable and attentive. Every dish is delicious. I would say this is one of the best restaurants in Denver and perfect for a special occasion read more

I've always wanted to try this place, and I heard they will be closing for renovation after Jan 1. I went in eager to try their moules-frites, which is mussels in a creamy sauce with fries on top. It was tasty and a good portion for a $14 appetizer but it was a little too salty. Before that I was served Some very good bread with salty butter, house made. For dessert I had chocolate pot de creme, which is a chocolate creme-mousse topped with whipped cream and it had a little granola as well. It was very small for $9 but I guess good enough to satisfy my sweet tooth after a salty dinner. Service was impeccable, and I'm looking forward to try the new concept under a new name that will be opening in January. read more

Olivia - Moules frites - Italian Near Me - Denver, Colorado

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went here with a friend and was extremely impressed. let me start with service, our serve Greg was incredible. attentive, charismatic, funny. he truly delivered on a great experience overall. somebody give that man a raise!! then there's the ~aura~ of the restaurant... it had an intimate feel to it and was lively but relaxing. and finally the food- incredible. you truly can't go wrong with anything on the menu but if you're having a hard time choosing, ask the staff for a recommendation and they are more than accommodating. that's what we did and our entrees are pictured. i included a picture of our check to show what we got but to show the funny little note we got from our server, seriously love him! we left laughing with smiles on our face. a little expensive but worth every penny. read more

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