Olives

Pros: The olives, the flatbread
Cons: So-so service, overpriced for this type of food

This is a review of the Las Vegas branch of Olives, which is located in the Bellagio Hotel.

Las Vegas is famous for many things, but understated elegance is not one of them. With its fine art gallery and botanical gardens,...

Pros: the food, the food and the food
Cons: price, wait, volume of patrons

I've lived in Boston for five years, I'm a wannabe foodie, but I had never been to Olives until this summer. It was worth the wait. My fiancé and I went for my birthday in July. We decided to go on a Thursday night, hoping the wait wouldn't be horrendous...

Pros: Fabulous food and drink
Cons: Best to go on a date or an expense account

This is one of the best restaurants in Boston. If you go, make sure you get there before 6 p.m. or you'll have a 2 hour wait. (Larger parties can make reservations in advance).

I've been a fan of Todd English's since he was the main chef at...

Pros: Excellent food, atmosphere
Cons: Don't take reservations, parking

I was saying to a friend the other day that I haven't been wowed in a while. Perhaps it is the peril of being a food writer--rich ragouts and flaky filo at every turn. I know, I know, poor me.

But I went to dinner a few days ago and wild...

Pros: Fine, Delicious, and Unique Food, Fine Service
Cons: Long wait, no reservations for small parties, noisy and crowded

"I wish I could skip the appetizers to have more room for dessert. But how can I pass up something this... appetizing?"

Can any restaurant be worth the kind of wait that frequently exists at Olives? Good question -- I've always...

Pros: The Food and the Atmosphere
Cons: Impossible to get a table without waiting

Every person has a few restaurants that they swear by in each city. I have been fortunate to have enjoyed dinner in some the country's best dining cities (NY, Seattle, San Francisco) and I would rate Olive's as on of my two favorite restaurants of all...

Pros: huge variety; unbelievable food
Cons: reservation policy sucks

I moved out of Boston a year ago, and probably miss Olives more than anything else in the city. New York just doesn't have anything like it (at least until Olives New York opens later this year in the new W hotel). When I go out to one of New York's...

Pros: My favorite Boston restaurant
Cons: Long wait, no reservations

I heard about Olives from a friend in 1992 back before kids and mortgages. They had gone and were effusive. It took me and my wife about 5 years to finally go, and when we did we were blown away. Back before children (BC) we used to go out to...

Pros: Incredible food
Cons: No reservations accepted for parties less than 6.

Olives is my favorite restaurant in the Boston area. The fresh ingredients combined with the inspirational cuisine make this an ideal spot to eat well and enjoy great company. I can't help but always order the same main course: the butternut squash...

Pros: Really can't think of any.
Cons: High priced, bad service, bad parking.

We went to Olives last year for our anniversary. Our experience with the restaurant started off on the wrong note when we opted for valet parking - it was the middle of winter so we decided to opt for this. The valet parked the car right in front of the ...

Pros: Great atmosphere! Excellent Food! Awesome Bartenders!!
Cons: Not have enough time in your Vegas vacation to visit this restaurant each night.

My friend and I just recently visited this outstanding Bellagio restaurant in April 2004. After seeing the 2 hour wait at the Bellagio buffet, we decided to try this quaint, classy restaurant instead. First, the hostess squeezed us in on this extremely ...

Pros: Food! Food! Food!
Cons: No Reservations..but I don't care

The food! The food! Todd English and his wife get it right. Not your average Boston place (which can be a good thing). To me it is very New York. No dress code! Just lovers of fine food. Order the desert while you order your dinner and you will not...

Pros: Great decor, nice bar, good location,
Cons: Average service, uninspired cuisine.

Olives has completely lost the inspiration it once had, now providing food and service quality at near Cheesecake Factory levels. The rushed staff smile but are not really engaged. I had to ask twice for the wine list, and even then ordering a $54 Riesling felt like asking for an extra ketchup packet from the back of line at a highway rest stop. When the wine came, it was SO COLD there was literally ice frozen solid on the outside of the bottle. The bread was neither warm nor fresh. Appetizers were just ok, tuna tartar completely overwhelmed by sesame oil. Entrees were lukewarm, pasta watery, risotto tasteless, no inspiration at all. The only redemption came from the vanilla soufflé dessert which was excellent. Overall, pass!

Pros: Food was tasty
Cons: VERY snobby service!

We made a reservation at Olives in order to view the fountain show at the Bellagio at dusk. Our server was kind enough until she realized that we weren't ordering alcohol, we weren't ordering salads...we were just ordering an entree. She treated us like paupers after she realized that we simply wanted to each order an entree. The party at a table opposite us received wonderful service, though, as they ordered several bottles of champagne, salads, etc. My husband and I both felt as if we were being punished for ordering only the "bare minimum." We weren't thrilled with the Bellagio in general either. It is very crowded and way overpriced for what you receive. We do, however, highly recommend THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. Much better service, much less crowded, and a MUCH friendlier staff!