Olive & Oil, Hillcrest - 12/16 Old Main Rd - Menu, Prices & Restaurant Reviews

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About

A family based mediterranean restaurant with an emphasis on good quality food value for money and an overall dining experience. Catering for all tastes we do a wide array of dishes from seafood to grills we also cater for children with a kiddies menu

CUISINES

Seafood, Mediterranean, Grill

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

FEATURES

Takeout, Reservations, Outdoor Seating, Seating, Parking Available, Free off-street parking, Highchairs Available, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, American Express, Mastercard, Visa, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service

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4.0

237 reviews

Excellent

114

Very good

85

Average

22

Poor

8

Terrible

8

TravellingLes

Durban129 contributions

Good but pricy food, wonderful for children

Dec 2019 • none

We have been to Olive and Oil often, mostly because they cater so well for children. The wonderful Marilyn keeps the children busy and happy in a separate room and the grown ups get to have a peaceful dinner. The service is good and the food is good and there is a large menu to choose from, but the prices are now so high that we will probably not be able to afford to go back again ! Sad.

Written 14 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gilbert Bouic

Mauritius104 contributions

Lunch with mom

Mar 2023 • family

The food was acceptable, the service top but has the feel of a fast food joint. Unfortunately mom ( 88 ) wanted a breakfast dish in the afternoon and was refused due to company policy. Fixed menu with rules has killed the individual innovation that they had before the "chain" came about.

Written 8 March 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

GoPlaces21256332896

12 contributions

So so

Jan 2020 • family

The staff are lovely. The food is very mediocre. A night out the costs thousands of rands should be an experience, a treat, a time to remember. It's become all to acceptable for food to be sufficient. This is not acceptable. Decor needs some attention. Come on, you have great staff. Get the food and decor to the same level! Money is tight and people need to know you value their hard earned patronage.

Written 12 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Kitty2204

Gillitts36 contributions

Very disappointed

Dec 2020 • family

I took my husband out for his birthday as he had visited the one in Westville before and was impressed. Not friendly greeting at entrance. Drinks came quickly but starters took a while. The fried camembert was divine! The mains too a while but they luckily brought the kids' first. Ribs very very disappointing. The sauce just not up to standard. Fish excellent. My husband wanted a special order and because of this his meal was not well prepared. We just asked for a bigger portion of steak so nothing major. But it was rushed. The veg was overcooked. Steak was very soft and perfect. My calamari was tough and dry. Horrible. My g&t was not complete and I didnt even get an apology. We wanted dessert after our meal but I had to eventually get up myself to grab a menu and ask the manager to please call our waiter as he had disappeared. And no, the place wasnt busy. The free icecream for the kiddies is a nice thing to do. I ordered coffee and my husband kahlua pancakes. It took almost 30 minutes to arrive. And we could even taste the kahlua. They did bring him some icecream and a sparkler! I will not return, its really not worth the high prices.

Written 5 December 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Noel Hume

1 contribution

Disappointing Sunday Lunch

Jan 2020 • family

We visited the restaurant on Sunday for a sibling re union family lunch. We had to leave as the situation became untenable. Given, it was a hot humid summers day you would think that aircon would be optimised by keeping the doors closed. Owing to open doors we were not comfortable. We had phoned ahead to be sure that it was airconed and children would not be a problem. Well, we were seated near an extended family with three young screeching kids moving backwards and forwards through the dinning room. My brother glared at them to behave no avail. I gestured to the father to quieten the family down. This was met with unfriendly movements of the hand. I then got up and went to the desk and arranged for our order to be changed to a takeaway. The manager did apologise but as I explained that if he was managing the restaurant properly the situation would have been contained. Previously, it was an elegant place to enjoy fine dining with appropriate background music. Now, just a mismanaged noisy diner. We Will Never Return.

Written 9 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Coastal15699503918

3 contributions

Disappointed and unimpressed

Jul 2024 • friends

I have heard everyone rave about this restaurant. Last night I went for the first time and have never been so disappointed!!! The service was shockingly poor. It took 25minutes to get a glass of water!! (And we ordered drinks as we arrived) Our starters arrived before our drinks. The waitress had some serious attitude. I had the calamari/olive/chorizo starter and it was drowned in this spiced sauce- the starter was more hot sauce than food (with all of 3 olives and 3 tiny chorizo sausages). The main I had was chicken with gnocchi- and it was by far the most boring, bland and tasteless dinner I’ve ever had at a restaurant. The chicken was also so tough!!! Just the most unimaginative, disappointing meal I’ve ever had from a supposed “top restaurant” My friend had the Asian pork and the serving was not that of a main course dinner. Barely any mash and hardly any vegetables. It was ok, nothing to write home about. For the R650 we spent the milkshake was the best thing we tasted all night. A really disappointing experience.

Written 16 July 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

AlanS

Durban41 contributions

Great food and service !

Nov 2023 • friends

My golf group with wives ( 20 people altogether ) went to Olive and Oil for our annual Christmas dinner and had a memorable evening ! The service was friendly and attentive and the food was excellent. We ordered from a fixed menu with a choice of 4 starters, 5 mains and 3 desserts. The food came out for all 20 of us on time and perfectly cooked - very impressive ! I had a spanish fillet starter, kingklip and prawn main, and chocolate brownie dessert and they were all excellent. We will be back next year !!

Written 28 November 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sipho

Durban5 contributions

Poor and unacceptable service 😡👎🏿

May 2022 • family

With a prior booking, table was not ready, even after 30min my family and I were subject to a make shift table, not adequately set. To make matters worse even when we were seated no-one to take our order. Decided to leave and noone noticed. Poor and unacceptable service

Written 8 May 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Quest00140881186

1 contribution

Amazing food, service, atmosphere and 5 Star experience every time

Oct 2024 • couples

We specifically went to Olive and Oil for the pizza pasta special. From the minute we arrived and were seated by Ndumiso and was then introduced to TK our waitress. She fell nothing short of exceptional. Her energy, recommendations and knowledge of the menu were flawless and not to mention her incredible sense of humor. There is nothing better than craving a certain something and being served only the best above and beyond your expectations. The attention to detail, management and everything inbetween is the reason we will forever be repeat customers. Thank you Tutu (manager), TK and all of the Olive and Oil staff and team for making our dining experience one to remember.

Written 21 October 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gwendoline l

Durban571 contributions

New look, same awesome experience, if not better

Jul 2022 • couples

New decor which is really cool. Service and food as good as always, good variety of vegetarian and gluten free options. Mushroom and truffle pasta, and moroccan chicken pasta highly recommended. Nice vibe atmosphere. So glad they open again.

Written 8 July 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Discover43588520268

Durban1 contribution

Poor meal

Feb 2024 • couples

Took a chicken salad takeway. Very tough and dry chicken which had pieces of bone in it. Salad 98% lettuce with very little else. Very poor compared to our previous sit-down meal which was fantastic and reviewed as 4 stars only due to very poor service.

Written 23 February 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gwendoline l

Durban571 contributions

Best restaurant in Hillcrest

Oct 2022 • family

Revamped with awesome decor. Great food and service. Very flexible as they always make a special dish for me that is not on the menu. Good wine selection and according to hubby- they have the best pasta in town.

Written 19 October 2022

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

alant889

Durban71 contributions

Olive and Oil

Nov 2020 • none

This is a great family venue situated within the Lillies Quarters complex in central Hillcrest. A quiet venue with an affordable menu. Caters for lunch and dinner and has an open area on the verandah.

Written 31 December 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DavidBo48

Cape Town Central231 contributions

Very enjoyable evening out

Jan 2020 • family

Took some searching to decide where to eat in Hillcrest. Happy with my choice and that I was give a table I had requested on booking. Service was friendly quick and efficient. The food was very good tasty and well presented. Happy with my venue choice.

Written 25 January 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Robynne L

Pietermaritzburg4 contributions

Awful

Dec 2024 • business

Service was shocking - food not even average. Where do you get a pancake that you need a steak knife to cut. Had to wait for more than half an hour for a glass of water.

Written 13 December 2024

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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