Green Olive Restaurant in Columbia - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

We had the entire restaurant for us on a Saturday afternoon, but food was great and service to the point.

Service as amazing but the food completely lacked flavor. Chicken vegetable soup was full of veggies and chicken but was sadly bland and the chicken was somehow dry. The gyro wrap was okay, good amount of meat but again, flavor lacking.

It was a good place to grab a bite of your visiting the capitol buildings. Parking is a bit of a nightmare.

Had a delicious falafel sandwich 😋

Great lunch meal of shrimp and beef kabobs over bed of lettuce with probably best grilled fresh vegetables I have had at a restaurant. Great service. Location is good but road out front is being redone and inside is sort of 50s style.

I've been to Green Olive multiple times and have always enjoyed the wonderful food and service. The chicken Shawarma is delicious as is the Green Olive Feta Salad (a huge portion of chicken can be added for an additional charge). The appetizer sampler is delicious and the grape leaves and Sigara Borek are amazing.

Delicious! I had the lentil soup and the toboulleh. Both were excellent vegan choices. Would highly recommend.

We stopped in for a quick bite between events and it was SO GOOD! We ordered the sampler platter and the feta plate and loved them both! Great small meal for 3 with warm bread and delightful olive oil!! We’ll be back!!

My family ate there a few days ago. The food was good . I like the spiciness in the grape leaves and the falalel. My Dad enjoyed the lamb kebab .

Food was served quickly and was quite tasty. Our server, Vanessa, was super personable and professional. The restaurant was well ventilated and clean. Overall a good experience which prompts me to recommend Green Olive to those with a taste for mediterranean cuisine.

This restaurant has amazing ambience to dine in. My husband and I are vegetarians and a lot of good options are available here for vegetarians. The food is tasty and the prices are reasonable. We were served by David and he was polite and patient to hear us out and serve us what we wanted. Definitely will come back here when we visit Columbia!

Wonderful food-- so many flavors and delightful server!

Food was not at all good. Lamb was tough and dry, veggies had no flavor or spices and the printer was broke so our order did not get back to the kitchen for over 25 min, making our wait time for food over an hour. Our bill was over 100.00 which for good food would have been fine. However this food was no where near good.

The food and service are ok but nothing amazing

I throughly enjoy the food here. It is always fresh and flavorful. The servers are friendly and know the menu very well and can offer suggestions. My suggestion, in addition to all of the dishes on the menu, is the Turkish flat bread... the presentation is beautiful. The only thing I haven't tried is the pizza. Even when very busy, the kitchen is able to keep up with the patrons and there is never a long wait. I absolutely recommend the green olive!

I love this place. Food was awesome. I had the lamb cubes meal and the lentil soup. The flat bread to go with calamari meal.

Whether you’re a foodie or just looking for a satisfying meal, this place delivers. Don’t miss out on their flavorful offerings! The Lamb Kofta Wrap was an explosion of flavors! The juicy kofta, seasoned to perfection, was wrapped in soft pita bread. Each bite was a delightful blend of spices and textures. The Curry Chicken was a comforting bowl of aromatic goodness. The rich curry sauce enveloped tender chunks of chicken, accompanied by rice. The balance of spices was spot-on, warming both my heart and palate. let’s talk about the best part—the prices! It is durprisingly budget-friendly. It’s rare to find such quality food at such reasonable prices.

Delicious food with so many vegetarian options

First time here. Fabulous food and friendly staff. Definitely will be back. The bread is amazing!

The restaurant is downtown near the state capitol and has a parking lot next to it that is reserved during the day but is available for restaurant parking after 6pm if you can’t find street parking. The atmosphere was quiet, classy casual, with soft piano music playing in the background. At 6:30pm on a Wednesday there were only a few other customers there, and our server was attentive. The baba ghanoush was a bit bland but not bad. The chicken/squash soup and red lentil soup were both really good. The lamb kebabs were very good, and came with saffron rice which was tasty but heavy, and a good squash/zucchini/onion mix.

The Green Olive accommodated our very large party for lunch, and it was a fabulous experience. The service was excellent and the food delicious!! Highly recommend!

Very disappointed with the food and service. My family and I are pretty easy going and low maintenance when it comes to dining out, but this place ranks in the top 5 of worst restaraunt experiences of all time.

The food is delicious, and the service is good. We have been here many times and are never disappointed. Cozy and quiet <3

The Hummus and Flatbread was delicious and soft .... However, I did not like the Chicken Shawarma Entree. There is a hint of Sweetness, maybe cinnamon or nutmeg on the chicken...I say 6/10 but the Hummus and Flatbread gets a 8/10 for me ..$12-15 per meal. Good price, clean inside but there is a few leaks on the ceiling....I would return for the Flatbread and Hummus and there is lots of free parking on the side of the restaurant 😄

The food here is so good! The lebne has me hooked and the Turkish coffee is worth the weird street situation they have going

Very good Mediterranean menu. Pretty busy, may need a reservation. Food was excellent.

Excellent food and excellent service! Everything was phenomenal from the Greek pizza, to the gyros, to the shawarma, to the green olive burger. We can't wait to go back!

Great food. Parking due to construction is a nightmare

Came in here the other day and was NOT impressed at ALL! My gyro wrap was absolutely gross and the meat tasted undercooked. I was really upset with my experience here.

Food was pretty good (especially the bread with the mezze plate), service attentive. Weird setting.

Very quiet on a Wednesday evening. I've read some comments about the atmosphere, it is not fancy but I am absolutely fine with that. Our server David was efficient and very courteous. The food is typical Mediterranean, but that is why we go to Green Olive. In my opinion, their Damascus bread is better than any I have ever tasted elsewhere, a bit chewier and thicker than most. The appetizer platter was great. I felt the portions were generous (we had the spicy chicken curry over rice and the chicken tips over rice). Shepherd salad could use a bit more flavor, but it was okay. Overall, it was a very enjoyable experience.

We had the chicken shawarma. It was delicious. Very friendly staff. Great place to go before Town Theater. Very reasonably priced as well. So nice they have their own parking lot. Can always count on this place for a downtown restaurant!

Idk man. Store bought hummus is better

When I find a restaurant, I generally have a few meals before posting. I've been here three times and selected three different meals. The Gyro is good as far as sandwiches go. The soup is very good and I enjoyed it twice. However, I decided on a Vegetarian Curry and it's the worst I've ever had. It was watery and barely had the Curry flavor. It was more like soup than sauce. As a Jamaican, we like our curry rich and flavorful. I also enjoy Indian cuisine, so I have had great Curry dishes. Please, thicken the sauce because it makes a difference if you're serving it over Rice. I will go back for soup and the occasional Gyro, but no more curry dishes for me. 🍛

Great food and service and an excellent place to eat before you go to a show at the Koger Center!

Very friendly service. Food was fresh.

Food was okay, service was fair (not very talkative) .

Clean establishment with friendly, attentive staff and tasty food. That hummus 🔥

Given 3 pieces total for a kebab entree. Took double my quoted time for takeout. I wanted to like this place too. Terrible!

Food was bland, got the multi-appetizer and 2 entrees, none of it was good. How do you make hummus tasteless?

It had been a while since I had been here for lunch, but I thought the BBQ Chicken Pizza had more bbq sauce on it. I was disappointed, but was there with a group and didn't want to make a big deal.

Good food. We enjoyed the salmon and the gyro plate. Hummus and grape leaves were good. Saw Damascus bread and should have ordered that. Great service. Not great atmosphere. Not bad, just mid.

Excellent food and service, our server was very attentive, sorry I can’t remember her name

Very calm, relaxing atmosphere. There's only one waitress but we were seated and served quickly. The Turkish red lentil soup is comforting. The mixed shawarma platter has lots of juicy, tender, chicken and lamb both full of flavor over perfectly cooked and seasoned basmati rice. I took a bite of the pita burger and it was excellent, seasoned to perfection. We're coming back to try a pizza

I’m not sure why but the place was almost empty for dinner. I’ve heard that is normally pretty full. Maybe I just got lucky. The food and service was pretty good. I have never had a chance to try Turkish coffee, but I can say now that I have and enjoyed it.

Gréât expérience hère! Thé service was very friendly and quick, and the food was excellent. I had the Lamb Shawarma and Shepard Salad. The salad was full of flavor and I loved the dressing. Would definitely come again!

Best mediterranean spot In columbia. Also Abigail was the best waitress

Food was magnificent although I do wish portion sizes of the meats were larger. No complaints about the quality. Service was as good as a single server could do. She clearly worked hard and effectively but she wasn't always available because she was working hard.

Great Turkish Coffee; trying it is a must! Quiet Western Orchestral background music. Competent friendly staff. Above all, superb tasting food at decent pricing. Clean. Well lit. Good open spaces. Tastefully decorated. Busy but not with crowded feeling.

Excellent Turkish food with some Arabic Mediterranean influence. The lamb shish kabob is outstanding and the rice is phenomenal.

Great food. I had a Gyro Wrap & it was delicious. Every time we go to Columbia, Green Olive is a must for lunch. The Falafels and Calamari are also good choices. I cannot wait to get to Columbia again to try other menu items. The servers also made helpful recommendations.

Wow, so delicious! Had not had swama before. Tried the chicken swama and was not disappointed. Grilled chicken with cheese and tasty spices. Generous helping.....fresh salads and veggies for sides...all very reasonably priced. Wait staff excellent. Since it is on the other side of the state house from vista we found it easy to get seating. This will be our go to place before our Town Theater plays..

My first time here and was not disappointed! I loved the hummus, falafel and Mediterranean pita bread. So yummy! The service was fabulous and the atmosphere was pleasant. I’ll definitely be back to try more dishes!

It was ok but the waitress was snobby

A great place with delicious food. Far enough away from the events arena that crowds were not a problem. Friendly wait staff, clean and well appointed dining room, and excellent food! Will visit again.

Love their food and the decor is super cute and cozy. Highly recommend visiting here.

Truly phenomenal. You might not actively notice it from the outside. Don't even trust the Google images of how it looks, either. This place is legit. One of the best Greek restaurants I've ever enjoyed. Ever. Low key, quiet vibes, but the food was off the charts. Everything so authentic. The servers worked together to get everything out in perfect timing. We ordered three appetizers and four entrees, and even my picky kids devoured it. David was our server and he was sincerely so kind and competent. I can not recommend this place highly enough.

Delicious gyro with the salad on the side and a Turkish beer, was a bit late but I got a good servics

I had a wonderful experience here! Everyone was extremely nice and patient. The food was so delicious and tasted so so fresh. This is all food that my grandparents make so we were all pretty harsh critics but we all agreed that it was scrumptious! We ordered the hummus and pita apparatuses along with the grape leaves although I will say I enjoy the grape leaves a little bit more lemony, but it’s okay because everyone makes them a little different. For our mains, we got chicken kebab and shawarma. It was delicious and I highly recommend!

Great Restaurant! The owner is such a nice guy. Great food and Great atmosphere

Service was a little slow (they were busy) , but food was good

One of the best places to eat well. A combination of middle eastern and Turkish foods is served. The cook is also the restaurant owner and the manager. Spacious , clean and excellent location.

Took an extra 15 minutes to get our order. Food was crazy expensive, 18 dollars for a gyro?! I was expecting a large portion but it was not. Food was overall decent but, sahara on main is better and cheaper so I wish I stuck with it.

Tried the following: 1. Spicy feta cheese: 5 stars: flavorful 2. Lentil soup: great tasting, just had a little extra vinegar/ sour Taste but still very good. 3. Turkish bread: the best hands off of any places ever I have visited. So soft and well cooked. Went great with spicy feta cheese. 4. Turkish hummus veggies: great options for vegetarians. 5. Curry vegetables: good, although among the above orders, not as flavorful but still good. Will be back at this place when next time visiting Columbia.

Amazing Mediterranean food! Generous portions. Add a salad to the meze platter and you have meals for 2

I was on my way to someplace nearby today and decided to walk in to place a to go order here instead (my first visit ever). My food was great (tabbouleh salad and shawarma wrap); however, the service I received for my simple to go order is the reason for this review. Jalen M, thank you sir for being so pleasant from the time I walked in until I walked out. I honestly walked back to my car smiling because of my short interaction with you. Stay as you are young man, and you will surely reap your rewards!!!

We really enjoyed our meal at Green Olive. We had a Greek salad stuffed grape leaves, Gyros and chicken shawarma. The red lentil soup that came as a side with the gyros was very tasty. The salad was fresh and flavorful as was the gyros. The pita that the the gyros was served in had just the right texture not too dry not too soggy. The menu has a lot of gluten free options for those who need or want it. Service was fast and our waiter gave us good descriptions and recommendations for the food This is a great option to change up in cuisine In COLA city especially when you want something different from the many southern options in town

Appetizers were good but entrees lacked a distinct flavor, just tons of salt and seasoning ,if there were any herbs I couldn't taste them over the salt. Threw out a medical vape we had left over the weekend after only two open days had passed and was then gaslit by the same server we had over the weekend. Out of most drinks sadly and server had a very strange attitude, just some direct quotes so hopefully she learns a more appropriate inflection when dealing with people that are paying you (not the other way around). "No MAAM you may not" very loudly after trying to order a specialty beer/wine (2x) "Could you please clear the table for me?" After we had already pre-bused our table to help make room, felt completely inappropriate. We know how it feels to work customer service and have NEVER spoke to tipping customers like that, hopefully she finds something she likes more. Overall very uncomfortable experience and wish we had ordered take out or from somewhere else, won't be back.

Great food, great service. It’s usually pretty empty. Spicy feta cheese dip is to die for.

Friendly and Polite Service. Nice ambiance. Family Friendly. Good Vegetarian options. We ordered a combo platter of appetizers and a Kabab Entrée. Freshly made and Tasty.

Best Mediterranean food in our area

My mother and I went to this place and receive excellent customer service skills from Jalen.

Great food and service. I've never had a bad meal here. All of the food comes out fresh and hot. Every time I visit, I get the hummus plate, and it is delicious. Will continue to visit.

The Green Olive Platter and the Greek Salad are great.

I looove the grilled chicken kabobs, the soup, the hummus, the pita bread, the pidae bread. I try to eat here for lunch at least once a week or once every other week!

Friendly and fast service. Great food. Comfortable environment. The owners are great. Definitely on the come back to list.

Lunch portion of gyro plate (rice, shaved lamb, vegetables) which came with a side salad of choice (not pictured). Not many workers, forgot an extra dressing I had requested, did refill beverages.

Had lunch at the Green Olive for the first time and it was great. The staff and service was very good, even with there being short of waiters. Enjoyed the food and will be back. Best time to go is when school is out.

Delicious food and the server was very attentive. Fresh ingredients and friendly atmosphere.

Fresh flavors and filling. If you have never had Mediterranean food, this is the place to start. We started off with their sampler. Baba Ganoush (smoked eggplant dip) Hummus (ground chickpea dip) dolmas (the cold ones - stuffed fermented grape leaves with grain) and Falafel (chickpea fritter) it comes with baked fresh lavas bread Everything was delicious. The Baba ganoush and Falafel were amazing! Then we had the gyro platter and mixed kabob. Came with rice and seasoned squash. Excellent. We definitely be going back!

Very, very good food, but our waiter was more green than the olives. Fairly quiet as we'd missed the lunch crowd, but he still had problems bringing items out. Our soup & salad came out quickly, but we asked for drinks prior to ordering food. We had to remind him to bring the drinks. When we did our checks, my colleague paid with a card & I chose cash. Counting isn't his forté. Still don't know why he went into his own wallet for my change. A young lady, another waiter came to his rescue & she was equally confused by his lack of match skills. Again, he was a very nice, but very green. Dos not apply to the food. We'll definitely eat here again, but we're getting it to go.

Delicious food and terrific service at an affordable price!

The marinated lamb chunks were excellent: flavorful and juicy. Everyone in our group of four was delighted. The bread around the falafel was surely baked in house, so fresh, soft and perfect. Really good food at a really good price. Service was also excellent.

I've always loved the food here and that hadn't changed. Like a lot of places, they're short staffed right now so the service was not good. There were only two people that seemed to be working front of house: host, wait and cashier... two people doing all three of these things. Which I understand not having enough employees but I do think the two who were working could be trained a little better. Never run in the dining room, no matter how rushed you feel. Don't run away after dropping something off, give the customer time to tell you everything else they need at one time to save you trips and your tips. Pre-bus! Never go back to the kitchen empty handed. We were surrounded by stacks of dirty dishes at our table and all the ones around us. You'll feel less rushed if you drop off the entrees and then take the appetizer plates to the kitchen.

Great food great atmosphere friendly staff I would highly recommend

If you’re looking for a nice quiet dining experience in downtown Columbia, please check out the Green Olive Restaurant. The service was great, the atmosphere was inviting, and most importantly, the food was delicious!

Highly recommended! Great food!

Came during early dinner hours. The server/hostess was knowledgeable as to what was and was was not gluten free as my wife has a severe allergy/Celiac's. The food came quickly, was well seasoned & presented, and was just good. Best of all, I am full. Great food & great service. Can't beat it.

Excellent food! Kind employees!

If I could rate more than 5 stars, I would! I ordered to go at the counter. The hostess was super friendly and so sweet. The food was out quicky in 10 minutes. The grape leaves were delicious, and I swear the gyro wrap was the best one I've ever eaten. The bread was fluffy, the taziki sauce was just right, the meat was cut thick and so flavorful. That gyro tasted heavenly. I wish I had photos to share, but the food looked so good that I couldn't wait to eat it. This was my first time eating here and I will definitely be back! Update, the tabbouleh salad was delicious too!

Hmmmm wow their food slaps and their staff is so nice love coming here

The food and service were amazing. They have a great choice for vegetarians. Loved their hot sauce. Will definitely be visiting this place again.

Great place for authentic Turkish food kafta wrap here is great

You all think waaaay too much of your food. 5 tiny shrimp, not Jumbo, and they weren't even on the kabob. Other themed restaurants give 2-3 real kabobs for the same price and they are actually what they advertise. First and last time ordering from here.

Had the gyro and side ceasar salad to go. Staff were very friendly. Food arrived quickly. Gyro was very good with just the right amounts of feta and sauce - Not a mess but just enough to give good flavor.

Cozy atmosphere, lovely staff, and delicious food!

The below photo is what I was given as a large shepherds salad. It should’ve had feta but has none. I could’ve whip this up in two minutes for $.50 while they charged about 10. Second photo: supposed to be vegetable shish kebab, not grilled and no flavor. But vegetables are raw. They should be mortified by selling this

Food was good, but I still like NoMa the best.

Seven of us dined inside and the server was great and our food was delivered to the table in a reasonable amount of time. The Gyro's and other sandwiches were great.

Loved the people, the atmosphere, and the food. Was something new and different. I will definitely be going back.