Tony Ricci
We desperately wanted to love this place, and as far as atmosphere and service goes, it was actually great. But when eating out, food is what counts most. Even if service or atmosphere sucks, great dishes will always carry the day because in the end, you can just order takeout! Our anticipation began with the loads of ecstatic reviews (sorry to throw this outlier in there). Aside from the dessert….the food was more bland than anything I’ve experienced in a long time – and my two dinner mates agreed whole-heartedly, but perhaps our party was spoiled, having traveled widely and eaten at many places in the Mediterranean and elsewhere in the world, to include California. To keep this short, I’ll list what we ordered and rate each: 1) Tabouleh – it was average. Very low on bulgur wheat, but okay. 2) Lentil soup – thin and so bland even our vegan mate who ordinarily shuns table salt couldn’t stop asking me to pass the salt, which due to my own need for it, gave her only reluctantly. 3) Harira beef stew – bland. Of note, the Harira beef stew is one of ONLY three (3) dishes on the menu labeled as hot. My partner couldn’t (and still can’t) get over how…empty it was. I tried it, and we agreed: Both of us have had ketchup that tasted spicier. There wasn’t a hint of hot or spicy flavor. Of really much other than tomato soup. 4) Hummus dish – like the tabouleh, it was average, but nothing to order again. The hummus I had in Jerusalem and Baghdad was…oh wow, so good. What DID stand out in a positive way was the desert. The baklava ice cream was thick, super sweet, and plentiful. The chocolate cake with pistachio was also fantastic, but good deserts can be had almost anywhere. As excited as we were to find this place & drool in anticipation after ordering from the wonderful sounding menu, we left feeling disappointed. Unless you go just for the desert & drinks, I cannot recommend this place. Unless you have no idea what legitimate Mediterranean food tastes like. Or if bland is your favorite flavor. In summary, the Olives Branch was to Mediterranean food what the Olive Garden is to actual Italian food: No relationship except in the name.
… moreMike Carmona
Good hummus and steak frites. Beef and lamb kebabs were ok, bit dry.
… moreAndy Buckner
Been going here for a few years now with my family. It has been a great destination for us to meet as I live in San Diego and my parents live in SJC. We have celebrated holidays and birthdays here and it has never disappointed. As we mainly go on weekends, Tony’s service to us has been especially great as he has always taken a moment to explain any questions that we have had about the menu/services and he even took time to explain what a hookah was, even though we don’t smoke. Highly recommend!! Looking forward to our next visit very soon.
… moreBig D
Food was very authentic middle eastern and delicious.
The server/owner was very -very nice and helpful with suggestions.
They had Lots of great Vegan options and non vegan as well.
The Only small complaints was they were just a little understaffed to handle the amount of people eating here and the To-go orders. Everyone was working extremely hard and at a fast pace.
It took just a little bit longer than I would have liked between courses… but it was also relaxing at the same time because you weren’t rushed.
The music playing was great and upbeat but a little bit on the loud side. Maybe I’m just getting old haha!
The amazing food definitely stole the show. Everything was a perfect size for the price …not skimpy but not huge either. It was just right!
I look forward to going back again soon!!
… moreReine Blanche
We stumbled upon this place and decided to give it a try. We ordered a shared beef and lamb wrap for almost $19. Despite the nearly empty restaurant, we had to wait quite some time for our food to arrive.
The presentation looked nice, but the experience quickly turned sour. The only hot item was the French fries. The wrap’s filling was overwhelmingly pickled, and to our surprise, there was no lamb .
The long wait and subpar food made us wonder why the place was so empty. To add insult to injury, the bill included an extra dollar not listed on the menu.
Needless to say, we won’t be returning and strongly advise against it.”
… moreNancy Sottile
Everything was delicious! We had the hot platter, chicken shawarma was the best Ive had! My picky eater son loved the beef soup, lentil soup was yummy, the eggplant cooked to perfection, the rice pudding and the baklava ice cream?! to die for! Have I said enough?! Or shall I keep going? The service was amazing! Our server and who appeared to be the owner were very attentive. I don’t normally leave reviews so when I say Trust! Do!
… moreDzmitry Mik
I rate it 3 out 5 because of the way they cook the seafood – it is fried in oil but not grilled so the taste it really different than you expect from Mediterranean food.
Customer service is average, they do not pay much attention to the customers.
It also smells fried oil everywhere, so you need to change your clothes not to smell like a fast food guy.
Location is good and nice.
Atmosphere is friendly. They have hookah if you like it.
… moreNicholas Homsi
Excellent food. Excellent service. Great ambiance to take family any day of the week. Tony, Aiden, Melvin and the whole crew will take care of you beyond belief. Would definitely recommend to any family and friend. Will continue to be a repeating customer for the years to come. Thank you for everything you guys do. Job well done.
… moreMike
What an incredible first experience! Tony our server was attentive, enthusiastic and sincere while serving our larger family dinner. Everything from the appetizers to mains were cooked to perfection, and all dietary allergies were confidently taken care of. I rarely write reviews but tonight’s experience was well worth it. Thank you!
… moreCathy Reina
The food is so delicious! Everyone had a different dish. We also had an a variety appetizer platter and Calamari. We shared two desserts. Baklava ice cream and rice pudding. You won’t be disappointed with the food!
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