Lauren Elizabeth Wilson
+3.5
RECENTLY TOOK OFF A STAR....I've been here so many times it would be hard to count and up until this past Charleston Resturant Week did I decide to take off a star. A friend of mine went in to pick up takeout for us after a tough week, which happened to be Charleston Resturant Week, we didn't call ahead as we planned to have a drink while we waiting on the food to be prepared. They told us that the weren't doing takeout due to Resturant Week. WHHHHAAAAAA? Even if there wasn't space at the bar we would happily wait in the car. SUPREME DISAPPOINTMENT and I haven't been back since. Not sure when I will go back. I understand the capacity concern but turning away local frequent patrons, just seems like bad business. SMH. It was the first time I feel that I received poor customer service.
Now, despite having to take a star off for my recent experience, I ADORE this place...THE FOOD, SERVICE, AMBIANCE, DECOR, DRINKS, ETC. I love it and I'm never disappoint except for that one time during Resturant Week.
My FAVORITES, in Order of Preference, are as follows:
- Pappardelle with guanciale, Whitemarsh Farm mushrooms, arugula, parmesan
- Smashed fried potatoes with truffled aioli, scallion, parmesan
- Crispy calamari with marinara, garlic aioli, lemon, parsley
- Bruschetta with eggplant, field peas, parmesan, arugula, pickled squash, lemon vinaigrette
- Ricotta gnocchi with marinara, mozzarella, basil
- Brussels sprouts with lemon and fresh chiles
- Tomato braised meatball
- Blood Orange Creme Brulee, candied blood orange slice
- Tiramisu, cocoa powder, chocolate shavings
- Daily Gelati (ask your server for selections) SO DELISH!
Honestly, I've never had a bad meal. Their specials will blow you out of the water. Who am I kidding? I will be back, I love the place too much but wish the staff could have handled a local regular a bit better that night.
You will enjoy it! O and it is on John's Island but totally worth the drive, it is right over the bridge really! JUST GO! You'll love it! PROMISE.
Signed with Love of Gnocchi,
The Original Charlestonian
#LEWReviews #TheOriginalCharlestonian #CiaoBella
We eat there frequently and they are always great. Absolutely the best restaurant in Charleston and not overpriced. Don't fall for the traps like Halls, their prices are a joke and the food is just okay.
The fried Calamari is a must! Veal is outstanding as well. I also enjoy their chicken parm, octopus starter and if you are lucky enough to go when they have their mushroom soup, it is amazing.
I would post a photo, but he food didn't last that long. One of the best meals I have had. Octopus appetizer was awesome. Had the short ribs and the angoli , were both fantastic. Our waitress was lovely and the food quick. My 10 year old summed it best. "Dad I don't like this place, I love it, we are coming back"
AMAZING! We have tried many restaurants in Charleston & this is hands down our favorite! We have had some our best meals here. It is primarily Italian food but you can also get other unique styles of cooking. Service is excellent. The setting is unique & has different rooms. Food is reasonably priced & Chef Larson is a rockstar!
Porcher Kirkland Scott
+5
Outstanding. Every time, everything, spot on delicious. We are always looking forward to next time. The chargrilled octopus has to be one of my favorites. My husband and I always ask what's for dessert first because we have been known to eat that first!
Gem. Been here many times, it never disappoints. Delicious, great service, beautiful place... and the food!!! Superb.
Best Italian food that i have had in a long time. It's good to go to a restaurant that cares more food than anything else. Got to make excuses to come back to this area so I can plan my next meal.
Awesome every time.... Never fails. Went back to Wild Olive tonight for the first time in about a year. The menu has changed but as usual, everything was amazing! This is the best Italian food in town and just a good restaurant in general.... Great atmosphere,
We had a large party and the server - Jonathan - handled it like a pro. He was easily the best server we've had in several years!
Keep it up guys and I will be back.... And back.... And back again !!
Been here a few times now and it's always been a good experience. Wait staff was knowledgeable and could describe the dishes quite well. I've had the tagliatelle and the penne & preferred the tagliatelle with the light but meaty sauce. I get a meatball on the side and it was amazing. My wife swears by the smashed potatoes and brussel sprouts. One underrated thing about WO is the handcrafted cocktail menu. If you like whiskey, the New South is for you.
Excellent!. We are visiting the Charleston area. Urbanspoon led us to this restaurant and are are so glad. I had the warm olives, Caesar salad and a pasta dish made with ingredients that I had never heard of!! It was so wonderful. The bartender (we sat at the bar) was an excellent server and we throughly enjoyed our evening. Great wines too!
All I can say is... Go!
My favorite !. I've been to this place many times, and I like to take guests from out of town here. Always great service, always amazing food, and a lovely atmosphere. I like to go on the days they have 19$ wine bottles and save myself a few bucks. Make reservations beforehand because they're usually packed, even on weekdays.
Absolutely Devine. Perfect service, great prices, wonderful food.
So consistently good. We have been here several times and it is hard to describe how much we enjoy the service and the wonderful food. Tonight our server Marco was terrific. My spouse had the parsnip and fennel soup, it was great. I had the charred octopus with the creamer potatoes...they can keep both on the menu...wonderful. A great option is the offering of small plates, we had the beet ravs, and veal agnolotti. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauces and fillings were a delight.
Thanks to the entire staff for another memorable meal. We wiill return!
This was our second time here and we have never been disappointed. They have risotto fritters as an appetizer which are delicious! We were tempted on ordering two servings! My fiancé had the short ribs and they were cooked and flavored perfectly! To top it all off, they had a coffee caramel gelato for dessert, and although we were about to burst at the seams, we were able to finish the entire bowl. Melanie, or server, was TOP NOTCH! By far the best service we have had in awhile. We cannot wait to come back and we will be definitely be requesting her. Thanks WO!
For Friends and Family!. Wild Olive not only provides a delicious meal but also an incredible atmosphere. I love to bring visiting friends and family there, we have such a wonderful time and love getting a variety of plates to share. Wonderful service, Wonderful food.
Excellent! The service was great my party had a wonderful evening. I highly recommend the seared sea scallops they are to die for! Very impressed.
Superb Chicken Parm!. Visited Wild Olive with a couple of friends for our monthly dinner this week, and I must say, very impressive! Our waiter was very well-versed in the specials and menu options, and came with great suggestions. For an appetizer, we had the calamari, and it didn't disappoint - good to the very last bite! For my entree', I ordered the chicken parm, and my friends had lamb lasagna and the swordfish. Everyone enjoyed their meals! I highly recommend Wild Olive if you are looking for truely authentic italian cuisine. I will put this on my list of favs to dine around the Charleston area!
Today my husband and I decided to go ( without reservation) to the restaurant. Even thou that we waited 40 minutes everything was worth it. Service, meal, dessert was excellent. My husband asked for the lamb lasagna, I ordered Potato gnocchi with vegetables. Every ingredient is organic. Our dessert was strawberry bowl and chocolate pistachio custard every is to die for.
This place continues to be phenomenal we have been coming to kiawah for four years. I have noticed that the wait staff has very few new faces. The maitre d is the same and the food. Well. It is nothing short of New York City. Tucked away in the agricultural area of charleston. Therefore. You will always sample fresh farm to table staples. Don't short yourself on the fish. It's always great no matter what fun type they are making. I had lamb tonight. Outstanding. Large portion and always with a flare that you would never even imagine. We come here the pennisula grill and fig. Do your homework. They are the best. Enjoy!
Love it!! Excellent food! Wonderful staff! BY FAR THE BEST PLACE TO EAT IN CHARLESTON in my opinion :)
Diane Scherer Seymour
+4.5
Great food...staff is not very desirable
Great food and excellent service. A MUST do again when I am in town again :-)
Outstanding!!!! Great service, great food.
Wild Olive wins. We live on Johns Island, so it's great to have a wonderful, Italian restaurant right around the corner! Great specials, offering fresh, local ingredients. And I definitely agree with some other reviews - their chicken parm is so delicious. Usually their soup of the day is great, too. Took the family there for Easter brunch, and now I wish they were open for brunch every Sunday. Noms!
Check it out. If it's not on the menu, order the chicken parm anyway. The best, Everything always good, & fresh. Sit at the bar with John or Chris and you will have a great time.
Lovely experience.. I live downtown, so my husband and I mostly dine near and around us because of our age. But last night we headed over to Wild Olive for dinner and we had a great time. The food was delicious! The atmosphere was so warm and friendly. A very lively place. We loved the ambiance. We were welcomed in so graciously by the two young girls at the front, who even walked us out. Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face. The service was extremely attentive. Our server was very professional.The chef was out walking around on the floor. The couple next to us were regulars and pointed out the manager to us, we meant to catch him on our way out but we couldn't find him.You just don't see a restaurant having all of these qualities anymore. It was nice to get some fresh air and head over to Johns Island, away from the DT crowd. We will definitely be back, probably this week! We highly recommend!
Claire Griffin Porter
+4.5
This place is better and better every time I go. We went last night and were totally blown away. The house made pastas and the house cured meats are incredible, and so are the seafood dishes. Great cocktail list (try the orangecello) and great wine list. Totally worth the drive. Can't wait to go back.
GREAT SPOT!. I love this place!! Everytime I go, it rocks!! The food is really well thought out and executed the right way. The staff is friendly (especially Hillsy and he can make some great Limoncello)! Great gnocci and unpretensious service, go if you haven't been!
Absolutely delicious! Definitely make reservations on a weekend, but the effort is worth it! The swordfish is amazing and the lasagna is the best you've ever had. The staff is excellent with a ready knowledge of wines and culinary selections. Love it! Will be back many times!
Great food, flaky waiter. Our meal was fantastic, but our waiter repeatedly referred to veal shortbreads, instead of sweetbreads. He was unsure about the menu; I am a vegetarian and by the time he stumbled over the various ingredients, I was hesitant to order anything beyond the ravioli. The decor is charming yet needs something to soften the noise. It is very hard to hear and carry on a conversation.
Just like Italia!!. My wife and I visited Wild Olive last night for the first time and absolutely loved it! Everything was fresh from the bread to the pasta. Lasagna was amazing as well as the shrimp linguini. We will definitely be back!!!
Wonderful Restaurant Off the Beaten Path. My dinner last night at Wild Olive impressed me so much that I felt compelled to share the experience with others. This is the third of fourth time that I've eaten at Wild Olive, the last time being about 6 months ago. When I've eaten there is the past, its been really good, but this time the quality of the food was over the top outstanding. I very highly recommend this as being well worth the drive from where ever you may be coming.
Love it. Goat cheese ravioli rocks! Have never had an unpleasant experience - highly recommend!
One of the best. Having traveled throughout Europe and the US my family and I have had the opportunity to eat in many restaurants and this has to be one of the best! Every item we ordered was outstanding, perfectly presented and cooked to perfection. The service was incredible, our server was attentive but not hovering and we were given all the time we wanted to enjoy our meal, something other restaurants could teach their staff. This was by far the best meal we have had in a long time. Five Stars.
Short and delicious review. I have never had a bad meal, or even a mediocre one, at the Wild Olive. My wife and I, on our first visit, had a wonderful meal. She with her gnocchi and I with their special on that day: Soft shell crabs. Those who know me, know that I will get soft shells anytime that they are available. This time, though, it was the best that I had ever had....bar none! Can't wait for that season to start again...I might just camp out at the Wild Olive. My favorite recently has been the Squid Pasta with Scallops. Yum!
Great Bartender and great new menu. I can't tell you how much I love sitting at the bar and enjoying the wonderful bartender. He is tall and handsome. He not only gives wonderful service but additionally gives his advice to what you will enjoy. The mussels with red sauce- Yum! Wild boar- wonderful. Ravioli needs to be in red sauce, the brown butter does not do it justice. The Chicken parm is to die for!!!!
Heather Hudson Drusky
+4.5
Nice atmosphere & good food. A little to uppity for their own good-to the point of hillarity. Would go back for the comic relief alone.
Great service, ambiance, appetizers and bar. Entree's NOT good!
Excellent menu and wine list. The wait staff was excellent. A great meal in a nice, friendly environment. Highly recommend this place and their daily specials.
Great food and atmosphere. Clam sauce was far too laden with heavy cream but otherwise the main corses were spot on.
Wonderful Time. Great food. Perfect low key service and nice decor. Unlike the Hen, this place is like stepping into an upscale restaurant on the peninsula with its decor. And much like the Fat Hen the food was excellent.
A-MAZ-ING. I recently ate at Wild Olive with friends...
we enjoyed a flat bread app, caesar salad, and tomato soup all super delicious and vegetarian friendly. For our entrees we had the Mussels Pappardelle, Flounder Florentine, and Lasagne, all cooked to perfection. Our server was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the wines and food. The wine list has a vast selections of wines from Italy, and is very well chosen. Try 'the correcto' after dinner.
Great food and a nice wine list. We have been to the Wild Olive several times. We have truly enjoyed the food. In addition given the newness of the restaurant they are very open to suggestions, in fact they are soliciting input.
In addition to the great food, they have a very interesting wine list. If you speak to the manager he can recommend an excellent pairing with your food.
An excellent resturant with outstanding food and great service. Have your reservation for this one Well worth the short drive from downtown. Great value for your dining dollar.
I'm Wild about the Olive!. Fred Neuville strikes again! Just when you think there couldn't be anything more inviting than the Fat Hen, he goes and builds the Wild Olive! THANK YOU FRED! This was an enjoyable experience for me and I will be back again and again. I started off with the Insalata Panzanella and devoured it instantly- a nice change to a traditional salad. Then off to the Venison Osso Bucco where the meat was so tender it literally "fell off the bone" when it was served to me. DELICIOUS! I am impressed with the way the vegetables and potatoes were paired with the food. Its obvious that alot of thought went into the designing of the menu and I personally find it REFRESHING to try new things like Swiss Chard and herb chestnut polenta as opposed to traditional vegetables found at most other restaurants. 5 stars! I also have to say that the service was excellent too! My waiter Josh knew his stuff! Very pleasant experience, we will be back , with friends!!!!!!
Wild Olive - #1 restaurant in Low Country. Wild Olive is the one of the best Italian restaurant's I've ever eaten at! The food is fresh and from what I am told- all local! The ambiance is romantic, warm and inviting. Its not just a restaurant, its also a great place to meet friends for drinks at its large bar area. The prices are great, very economy friendly! I will definately be back!
Queen Of The Food Age
+4.5
So, I’ve mentioned before that Wild Olive is my mom’s favorite restaurant in Charleston (and possibly all of South Carolina), but I’ve never actually taken the time to write it up before. I’ve been with my mom a couple of times. She absolutely loves the “marinated warm olives,” so we always end up ordering those. I love the “house cured salumi with mozzarella, caponata, chicken liver rustica crostini” appetizer because it is delicious. I also love the chicken parmesan and potato gnocchi.
The Charleston area has its fair share of excellent Italian restaurants, I'm adding Wild Olive to the mix. Reasonably priced, yet top notch quality. For a Wednesday night, I was amazed at how packed it was. But then, that is a good indication for how good the restaurant is. The menu for this evening was: Beef carpaccio with parmesan, horseradish aioli, melba toast, arugula, Sicilian sea salt - horseradish aioli was hands down amazing. It made this dish! I love some good raw meat and the carpaccio was tops, however the aioli, my first time wit
Thank the heavens that Charleston has an authentic Italian restaurant. I'm so tired of seeing restaurants with nothing but the typical Chicken Parmesan, lasagna, spaghetti, and ravioli. Sure, that stuff is Americanized Italian, but nothing like what you'd
Meet Charlestons' best Italian restaurant!!! From the enchanting entrance and well-appointed parking lot. Check the chandelier in the tree to the glass bottles in the plaster wall and the great landscaping upon entry. Once inside, the hostess will whisk you to your reserved seat. The lighting is great, and the sound level is just fine... jazz in the background. The bread is magnificent, and the grilled octopus is top tier. I don't think there could be any poor choices, so get what you may. Our selections were all extremely well prepared and out in a jiffy. Desert was an olive oil cheesecake...try it...real nice. All in all, this is a remarkable and rememberable restaurant. A+
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My wife and I had a wonderful meal at the Wild Olive. The food was excellent, the service was very good, and the price was reasonable. We started with the warm bread of house made focaccia and Tiller Bakery sourdough, which came with a cannellini puree. We also had the marinated warm olives. All of which was delicious! For the main course, I had the special, which was a house made rigatoni pasta in a delicious marinara. I also had a terrific glass of montepulciano (Bordinese), which I'm going to try to find at Total Wine. My wife had the chicken parm with pasta. She substituted the marinara sauce for the alfredo on the pasta, which was no problem. Her parm was delicious and something I'm going to get when we go back, although there's a lot on the menu I want to try. Both portions were generous and we had lunch for the next day! (In my younger days there would have been NO leftovers.) My only negative was getting into the parking lot. You really have to be on the lookout for the entrance or you'll go right by it as the restaurant itself, although beautifully landscaped, is somewhat hidden. Hopefully, when we go back, I won't have to do any u-turns. 😉
Great Food. Great Ambiance. Excellent Team members who are passionate about food!
This is one well run restaurant.
We first discovered Wild Olive about 10 years ago and we look forward to dining here whenever we are in Charleston/ Kiawah Island area.
How they find such passionate foodies who care about customers like this escapes most in the food business.
The kitchen is full of artisans who know how to hand make Gnocchi. The Veal is good. Shrimp dishes. Even the warm olives are distinctive.
Highly recommend Wild Olive
Truly enjoy the atmosphere, we chose to sit in the bar. Service attentive and apps are fabulous! The calamari is crispy on the outside and over the top super tender and delicious! We chose to have the scallops with lobster risotto. My eyes are rolling to the back of my head it was so so delicious! Drinks are superb with fresh basil being the main ingredient in a few! For dessert we chose to have the thin mint chocolate martini! Sooo good, The only thing that would have made it even better would have been a dollop of whipped cream ♥️!
This is my one of my favorite restaurants in Charleston. I am obsessed with the Chicken Parm. It was probably the best one I have ever had outside of NYC, if not even better. The bread board was fantastic! The decor was a unique mix of old school Italian with modern day rustic. Our server was really pleasant, overall it was a great dining experience!
The food was truly great. The octopus appetizer was a huge standout, and the veal blew me away! Had a watermelon mojito alongside them, and had a really great night. Highly recommend
I’m too full to type but the meal was amazing from start to finish. Nickie our waitress was amazing. Ask for her she gives great recommendations. The scallops were amazing, the grouper special was out of this world. The chocolate cake with buttercream and peanut butter whisky was the best dessert I have ever had. I will be back and Nikki will be our waitress.
After a lovely tour of the Magnolia Plantation & the Angel Oak, you must go to the infamous Wild Olive restaurant! Our service, table & food were all incredible. We started with the Risotto Fritters, & tried the baked penne, special Elk & Venison lasagna, Chicken Parmesan & Veal Scallopine. WOW! Cannot wait to dine here again!
I wish I could leave this place more than 5 stars. Just wow. Whole experience was awesome. Top notch from the hostess Olivia as soon as we walked in to the bartenders to our server who’s name I regretfully cannot remember. We ordered several appetizers and a pasta course each and the chicken parm. Do yourself a favor and bring your appetite because everything is delicious and makes phenomal leftovers. A solid wine and cocktail menu rounds out the whole experience. One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time.
This is a place where you can order anything on the menu and it'll be the best you've ever had.
This place can sneak up on you as you are trying to find where to turn into the parking lot. Take a deep breath as the rest of the restaurant experience is amazing.
When you go in, the atmosphere is relaxed. Place can hold a lot of people, but not feel over crowded or too noisy.
The menu has a lot to pick from. Lot of options. We took some regular's advice - order from thier specials and you can't go wrong. This was sound advice.
The food, service and deserts were top notch. Definately a place you can't miss out on. Plan ahead for reservations and you'll enjoy the experience.
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