Olives Greek Taverna

I have mixed feelings about this little place. It was a really lovely spot near the canal, the décor was nice and it looked welcoming and the waitstaff was very friendly. When brought to our table on the patio, we were taken to one in the corner, behind a door that swung out (towards us) and right next to a staircase. Not really the most ideal seating placement but when every other table is full, I guess we’ll take what we can get.
The girl who seated us apparently was just a busser and didn’t know much about what was going on, but was really sweet about it. Then there was a guy who read off all the specials to us (which sounded amazing!) and he was also very friendly, but, apparently, still not our server. It was very confusing to have to go through 3 people to get to our actual server.
Finally, we order our food… only to find out that one of their specials had run out completely (?). Okay, that’s fine. Order something else. Then they were out of rice. RICE. At a Greek restaurant! I understand being close to closing, you don’t want to have to make too much food that you might have to toss at the end of service but come on. There was a party that came in after us and several other tables. Are you telling me that NONE of them ordered dishes with rice on them?
Of the food we received, it was delicious. Well seasoned, piping hot, really lovely. I’d come here again, maybe earlier in the day when I know they’ve not run out of things! And I’d hate to see what happens when it’s not a Tuesday night at 7 pm.

Very good Middle Eastern food. I like that they offer the Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) either hot or cold — I prefer cold. They offer 8 per serving. Tonight they had watermelon gaspacho w/​feta. There was a hint of spice on the back end. The sweetness of the watermelon and the tang of the feta. Definitely the best and most unique chilled soup I’ve had. Owner says in summer she serves grilled watermelon with feta topped with a balsamic reduction — I’ll be back for that!
CASH ONLY!

Really, NO CREDIT CARDS… if they are to cheap to pay the credit card fees, raise the price by 3%.

I had lunch here and was very pleasantly surprised. I had the Cajun eggplant gyro and Greek French fries and both had a ton of flavor. I love aladdins, but this seemed a bit more authentic. The one down side was the service. The girl didn’t even come to check on our table and we had to go find someone to pay. They also didn’t take cards, so make sure you come with cash or a check. Again though, the food was delicious.

Cozy, low-​key and cute. We tried three of the pizzas and all were good. The village platter appetizer is perfect. We’d go back, but do agree with past reviewers… start taking credit cards already.

I have been going to this hidden gem for almost as long as I have been in Rochester (8+ years). I have been to many a Greek restaurants all through the US (even worked at one in high school) and nothing comes close to this local legacy. The food is fresh, flavor filled and never disappointing — trust, I am very picky, I know good. BUT, while the food warms your belly, the family run and top notch accommodating service is what warms your soul. I recently walked in at 8:58, not knowing if they closed at 9 or 10 — it was 9. I was prepared to walk away because I am really not that person but they quickly insisted on getting me something, in turn, fired up the grill for my fav, chicken gyro. This isn’t the only time they have gone above and beyond, just the latest which compelled me to share the review. Thank you, Olives

Good food. Good prices. Good service. Perfect in the summer too.
I have always had a good meal, good service recommended it to many.

There are 4 things you can do to win the 5^th star
1) always serve side salad in a bowl NEVER on a small plate
2) join this century and accept credit cards
3) stay open later
4) answer the phone when I call for take-​out

I normally stick to the gyros. The service is pretty quick here, prices ok. The sweet potato fries here are excellent. I would skip the fish fry though unless you are ok with a very untraditional batter.

Good food service pleasant salads come with lots of greenery gyro was great. Kind of sad that they dont take credit cards in 2015 other than that its ok.

My children rave about this place! I finally went there with my husband and now understand what they are talking about! I had the fish tacos and they were the best I ever had. Excellent side dishes. Every thing was very fresh. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend!

Holy smokes this place is good. Fantastic food and service. Grab a seat outside and enjoy the evening.
We picked randomly from the menu and we were blown away!

This is the second time I’ve been to Olives. Our server was very nice and our food was excellent. We split the dolmades and each got a gyro, mine was cod and his was the spicy feta. We also got the Greek fries and they were too much to finish. The only thing I would change is the amount of garlic spread that was on the gyro. By the middle I had to take some out because it just became too much. I tried a bite of the spicy feta gyro and it was fantastic. I’ve only had gyros there and would like to go back to see how their other dishes are.

About once a year we dine at Olives. This time we were here with some friends. We had a reservation which was good since it was a busy Saturday night. The server was friendly and efficient and she answered all of our questions.
We started with an order of the Saganaki — I know it is goofy but I really like it when they flame it table side. Despite no fire here it was very tasty (and salty as usual). The pita was very fresh.
For our meals we had the spicy feta gyro (very good) with Greek Fries (nice and crispy, not soggy), the gyro platter (good but the chicken was overcooked and dry), the lamb meatball special (good, not great), and the salmon (I don’t recall the verdict on that dish).
Overall a pleasant experience. I’ll come back just for the spicy feta gyro… Oh yeah, don’t forget to bring cash since they don’t take credit cards.

The good: great hummus dip sampler
The bad: service every time we come we get forgotten or the waitress who is a blond middle aged waitress that we unfortunately get every time she’s annoyed or irritated by us. She forgets to bring our wine we asked for or extra out a chips. Then forgets us and we have to wait and keep asking for our check.
Oh and they only take checks or cash.
We enjoy the food. but unfortunately the service has never been good which is a shame.

The Good: I like the location right near the canal in Schoen place. They also have a nice patio for warmer days and when it gets colder out the white lights and wall art do a decent job of creating a grecian atmosphere. The food is solid (probably best Greek in Rochester), though not as spectacular as you might find in a larger city or downstate.
The Bad: The calamari has never blown me away and if there is one thing I want when I get greek food it’s good Calamari. In fact, I’ve gone to almost every incarnation of the now closed Mykonos/​Plaka/​Opa just for their delicious take on this crispy fried appetizer. It’s also a little more expensive than the competition, though I think its worth it since they give you actual food, rather than a half a plate of salad.
Times I’ve Gone: ~5
I Usually Order: Moussaka and one of the Dips.

We went for lunch on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The patio is very nice. But that is all that is good about this restaurant. The waitress was not friendly, she looked overwhelmed. When we settled a
our bill she became so friendly we felt like she was excited for us to leave. Now the food, Greek salad with one Greek olive?! The gyro meat was tasty but I had the Cuban and adding pickles to a gyro doesn’t make it a Cuban sandwich. The coconut shrimp appetizer was fine. I realized is was cash /​check only when I went to the restroom and saw the ATM. Not a problem for us but a lot of people carry plastic. I didn’t see a sign about it, maybe I missed it. We will not be returning to this restaurant.

Olives had some great aspects and some pretty disappointing ones.
The atmosphere and service were nice (although it took a while to get seated even though there were plenty of open tables) — it’s definitely got a homey feel.
Appetizers were not impressive. Felt the fried calamari was actually on the worse end of those I’ve tried — the Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) were good but not miles above canned. The salad was «OK» as well, a little disappointing because it’s typically pretty easy to excite me with a nice Greek salad.
The entrees on the other hand were excellent. I had a cinnamon-​spiced meat dish with golden raisins in pastry that saved the experience. Also tried a bite of gyro pita which, while good, didn’t really compete with Sinbads’ (Park ave) version and was roughly the same price.
They have plenty of outdoor seating and it’s tucked away nicely in a quiet part of Schoen Place for the most part away from screaming children and pigeons, which is a plus :)
Overall my verdict was that among Mediterranean restaurants it was vastly preferable to the nearby Aladdin’s but not as exciting as Sinbad’s.

Be warned, they do not take credit cards, though they do have an ATM. They can be a tad disorganized but it’s worth it. I’m no expert on traditional Greek food, but the food here is good with some exceptional standouts. Make sure you have some Baklava too.
If you’re feeling adventurous try the Retsina white wine.

Olives Greek Taverna is one of our go-​to places to grab a quick & healthy lunch. My wife & I both like a late lunch, which is a perfect time to visit Olive’s. I like their gyros & my wife usually orders one of their salads. They have some unusual takes on the gyro, btw… my fave is the Cuban. Staff is laid back there… don’t be surprised if your waiter sits down on one of the outside walls to take your order.
While I haven’t tried their Greek fries yet (not eating much fried food these days), it IS one of the most popular items on the menu. Crinkle cut fries with feta cheese and dill. Think of it as their take on poutine.
One of these days we’ll have to venture in for dinner. Till then, it will remain one of our favorite spots for lunch along the canal.