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Rustic-chic dining with a simple menu of artisanal Italian dishes & a sizable wine list.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 2867 Maybank Hwy, Johns Island, SC 29455
Phone: (843) 737-4177
Website: http://www.wildolive.com/
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Wild Olive Restaurant | Johns Island
Wild Olive restaurant offers rustic-chic dining with a simple menu of artisanal Italian dishes and a sizable wine list.
MENU | Wild Olive
$12. Marinated Warm Olives. $7. Caesar Salad. romaine, radicchio … 2867 Maybank Hwy. Johns Island, SC 29455 [email protected]. . HOUR …
Book Your Wild Olive Cucina Italiana Reservation Now on Resy
Tucked into the heart of Johns Island, Wild Olive blends Italian tradition with Lowcountry charm in a warm, welcoming setting. Our menu showcases the best …
Reviews
Tuung Thunm
MUST TRY!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Had a wonderful dinner at Wild Olive!
The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, and the staff were friendly and attentive. The fried calamari was perfectly crispy and flavorful — definitely one of the best I’ve had in the area. The pasta dishes were fresh and delicious too.
A great spot for a relaxing evening on Johns Island!
Reservation is recommended
… more⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Had a wonderful dinner at Wild Olive!
The atmosphere was cozy and welcoming, and the staff were friendly and attentive. The fried calamari was perfectly crispy and flavorful — definitely one of the best I’ve had in the area. The pasta dishes were fresh and delicious too.
A great spot for a relaxing evening on Johns Island!
Reservation is recommended
Amy Jackson
Great restaurant. I had lobster risotto which was amazing. Didnt have any alcohol. I had the Blueberry Basil Collins. Definitely one of the best mock cocktails I’ve had. They do have an extensive wine list. My very picky non foodie husband had Lazy Sunday Lasagna with elk, venison, and rib eye. Very cheesy. Filling. He liked it. Which is high praise for him! Busy restaurant. Highly recommend reservations. We had a 415 reservation and the place was filled. We sat at high top tables and they were comfortable. You did not feel like you were stuck in a corner. Atmosphere is comfortable. A bit dark. Not a problem but our old eyes had trouble reading the menu. Enjoyed our wedding anniversary dinner! Wish I could remember our servers name. He was excellent. There when you needed him and very kind. Note: they do not have domestic beer.
… moreE Green
GLORY! This food was sent from above!!! Everything we had was amazing! From the focaccia & sourdough with special condiments to the chicken parm to the pappardelle….AND, the warm butterscotch blondie brownie with homemade apple gelato, toasted pecans, and caramel….DIVINE! Oh, and my daughter had the blueberry mocktail – it was so good! I can’t say enough about the service – everyone was warm, welcoming, and attentive, especially our server, Gracie! Ask for her and tip her well!
… moreStuart Satterwhite
A great place for a very nice meal. The staff is determined to make your meal perfect. The Calamari is tasty and the lasagna is flavorful. It could use a little greenery to cleanse the palate. The mushroom pasta special is excellent and a generous serving.
… moreKyle Tazuma
A must try!! I love Wild Olive because you can go fancy or just have a great casual meal. We went for my birthday and we had a great experience. The staff was very friendly and made us feel welcome. We made a reservation because every time we drive by the parking lot is full. I had the elk, it was delicious but needed just a touch of salt. I’m surprised how well the blueberry sauce worked on the plate, it didn’t take away from the potatoes or the broccolini. My wife had the wild mushroom pasta with a cream sauce. That was delicious as well, I finished it for her. I thought the portions were good for the price. We had the coffee toffee cheesecake which is to die for! I could eat it every day! Not too heavy, I could have easily eaten it by myself. The atmosphere was great, not too loud but not dead quiet either. The lighting was definitely dim but not hard to see. The decorations were comforting, like aged Italian vibes. We will definitely be back for another meal, I want to have some fish or pasta next time!
… moreChristopher Tissot
This is such a quaint wonderful spot. The warm olives were the unsung hero of the meal! They really care about the overall experience and the food was amazing. Gracie was such a fantastic server! Thank you for a great meal and experience.
… moreMelody Pham
The first time I went here in 2021, I thought it was mediocre. Then, after constantly hearing my friends say how phenomenal the food was, I decided to give it another chance. I’m glad I did because this has become my go to Italian restaurant. Go with what the reviews say are good and it won’t disappoint. Any of their pastas cooked with meat they do a phenomenal job. I always have leftovers because the portions are huge. The atmosphere is romantic and cozy, inside and out. The servers were always accommodating all of the times I went. They get busy fast so I recommend getting a reservation.
We got the Sunday Gravy lasagna and lamb ragu special. The bechamel and the elk/venison/ribeye on the lasagna were very good. If you like a more hearty dish, go with the lasagna. The lamb ragu was tender, savory, and surprisingly light. Most ragus I’ve had are pretty heavy. The rigatoni gives the perfect sauce to noodle bite.
… moreWe got the Sunday Gravy lasagna and lamb ragu special. The bechamel and the elk/venison/ribeye on the lasagna were very good. If you like a more hearty dish, go with the lasagna. The lamb ragu was tender, savory, and surprisingly light. Most ragus I’ve had are pretty heavy. The rigatoni gives the perfect sauce to noodle bite.
james blake
A must try restaurant. Fantastic service (Karen).
Pictured here is the Halibut, Ribeye, and Chicken Parmigiana. All fantastic, served hot and perfectly cooked. End w peach pie or blueberry cheesecake cake! The decaf Slow Motion Coffee…excellent.
Reservation a must and necessary weeks out (summer months). Tight seating, that was the only reason for 4 ⭐️ not 5.
… morePictured here is the Halibut, Ribeye, and Chicken Parmigiana. All fantastic, served hot and perfectly cooked. End w peach pie or blueberry cheesecake cake! The decaf Slow Motion Coffee…excellent.
Reservation a must and necessary weeks out (summer months). Tight seating, that was the only reason for 4 ⭐️ not 5.
Dave C
TLDR; A wonderful example of how poor service can color an otherwise incredible dining experience.
I had the pleasure to eat at Wild Olive over the weekend with some friends who managed to secure a reservation. The restaurant had come highly recommended by multiple acquaintances and has frequently been lauded as “my favorite restaurant in Charleston”. We were excited and had thoroughly thumbed through the menu prior to our arrival.
The restaurant itself is nice, nothing overly fancy but a tasteful, dimly lit space with a mix of modern and historic elements that creates a welcoming ambience; this is further reinforced by a small gift shop that lines the walk to the hostess. There is both a main dining area where you can admire a beautiful bar and a smaller, more intimate room where you have a direct view of the kitchen. The restaurant was well decorated for Christmas and the smaller room we found ourselves in was lined with framed photos… most of which are personal enough to seem like they may share some tangential relationship to the heritage of the restaurant but could just as easily be a random assortment of Italian locations and people.
For appetizers, we opted for the caesar salad and quail. A caesar salad is a must try for me at any location brave enough to offer it as an appetizer. Unfortunately, Wild Olive’s Caesar missed the mark entirely. It was severely under dressed, lacking almost any flavor, and quite small for the price. The anchovy I so craved was likely still in a tube somewhere in the kitchen. Our other appetizer, the quail, was remarkable. The apple and fennel perfectly complimenting the ricotta the bird was stuffed with.
Fortunately, our entrees did not have the same variance as our appetizers. Each of them was fantastic. Well plated, clearly made with fresh and unique ingredients, and oh so incredibly flavorful. I particularly enjoyed just how many unique protein options populate Wild Olive’s menu. The Angolotti features rabbit, the Sunday gravy a lovely mix of elk, venison, and ribeye with enough meat to make a vegetarian blush. Even the gnocchi special that included the lowly chicken somehow managed to surprise with how tender it was. The smashed potatoes side also scratched the deep seated truffle itch that exists in every human’s soul.
Desert similarly stood out, including a chocolate cake which defied all expectations with its airiness that was like an oxymoron when juxtaposed by its dense layered appearance. The coffee toffee cheesecake was also great – it wasn’t quite as dense as I enjoy my cheesecake but the toffee lining its surface more than made up for it.
So, am I so petty that a lackluster Caesar took what would easily be a 4 to 5 star review and brought it down to a 3? Absolutely not. The unfortunate truth of our time at Wild Olive was that the incredible meal struggled to be the focus in light of how subpar the service was. From the moment we interacted with our waitress, the proverbial “vibe” was off. Way off. It sincerely felt as though she was running away from our table. Questions would be asked only for her to be walking away mid answer. Every decision felt rushed. The real feather in the cap of the situation was a comment when the bill arrived – as i clicked beyond the tip a few questions about the restaurant flashed and she removed the card reader from the table indicating there was no need to answer those questions because “they’re about my service”. In so many words, we felt as though we were treated very rudely throughout.
The experience is a reminder that dinner out is kind of like family – you don’t decide who your waiter is when you sit down. But a difficult uncle can absolutely become the only thing you remember about an otherwise incredible Thanksgiving Turkey. Unfortunately for us, while I’ll certainly echo the recommendation for Wild Olive to others, it will always be accompanied by the story of how our service was amongst some of the poorest I have had the misfortune to have received.
… moreI had the pleasure to eat at Wild Olive over the weekend with some friends who managed to secure a reservation. The restaurant had come highly recommended by multiple acquaintances and has frequently been lauded as “my favorite restaurant in Charleston”. We were excited and had thoroughly thumbed through the menu prior to our arrival.
The restaurant itself is nice, nothing overly fancy but a tasteful, dimly lit space with a mix of modern and historic elements that creates a welcoming ambience; this is further reinforced by a small gift shop that lines the walk to the hostess. There is both a main dining area where you can admire a beautiful bar and a smaller, more intimate room where you have a direct view of the kitchen. The restaurant was well decorated for Christmas and the smaller room we found ourselves in was lined with framed photos… most of which are personal enough to seem like they may share some tangential relationship to the heritage of the restaurant but could just as easily be a random assortment of Italian locations and people.
For appetizers, we opted for the caesar salad and quail. A caesar salad is a must try for me at any location brave enough to offer it as an appetizer. Unfortunately, Wild Olive’s Caesar missed the mark entirely. It was severely under dressed, lacking almost any flavor, and quite small for the price. The anchovy I so craved was likely still in a tube somewhere in the kitchen. Our other appetizer, the quail, was remarkable. The apple and fennel perfectly complimenting the ricotta the bird was stuffed with.
Fortunately, our entrees did not have the same variance as our appetizers. Each of them was fantastic. Well plated, clearly made with fresh and unique ingredients, and oh so incredibly flavorful. I particularly enjoyed just how many unique protein options populate Wild Olive’s menu. The Angolotti features rabbit, the Sunday gravy a lovely mix of elk, venison, and ribeye with enough meat to make a vegetarian blush. Even the gnocchi special that included the lowly chicken somehow managed to surprise with how tender it was. The smashed potatoes side also scratched the deep seated truffle itch that exists in every human’s soul.
Desert similarly stood out, including a chocolate cake which defied all expectations with its airiness that was like an oxymoron when juxtaposed by its dense layered appearance. The coffee toffee cheesecake was also great – it wasn’t quite as dense as I enjoy my cheesecake but the toffee lining its surface more than made up for it.
So, am I so petty that a lackluster Caesar took what would easily be a 4 to 5 star review and brought it down to a 3? Absolutely not. The unfortunate truth of our time at Wild Olive was that the incredible meal struggled to be the focus in light of how subpar the service was. From the moment we interacted with our waitress, the proverbial “vibe” was off. Way off. It sincerely felt as though she was running away from our table. Questions would be asked only for her to be walking away mid answer. Every decision felt rushed. The real feather in the cap of the situation was a comment when the bill arrived – as i clicked beyond the tip a few questions about the restaurant flashed and she removed the card reader from the table indicating there was no need to answer those questions because “they’re about my service”. In so many words, we felt as though we were treated very rudely throughout.
The experience is a reminder that dinner out is kind of like family – you don’t decide who your waiter is when you sit down. But a difficult uncle can absolutely become the only thing you remember about an otherwise incredible Thanksgiving Turkey. Unfortunately for us, while I’ll certainly echo the recommendation for Wild Olive to others, it will always be accompanied by the story of how our service was amongst some of the poorest I have had the misfortune to have received.
Kinga Szaniszló
Literally everything was delicious! The baked potatoes are absolutely diabolical!
I could’ve had a whole plate of just the potatoes… I ordered the elk and it was perfectly made and flavorful! The peaches and cream pie hit the spot so all together we had a great experience! Our server was awesome, theres nothing to complain about!
I highly recommend reserving a table ahead of time cause they do get super busy (rightfully so)!
We will be back for sure!
… moreI could’ve had a whole plate of just the potatoes… I ordered the elk and it was perfectly made and flavorful! The peaches and cream pie hit the spot so all together we had a great experience! Our server was awesome, theres nothing to complain about!
I highly recommend reserving a table ahead of time cause they do get super busy (rightfully so)!
We will be back for sure!