We were there for a Christmas party and the place was full. That didn't hinder the service at all, the staff were all really nice, professional and competent. The food was amazing, great choices, well cooked and presented beautifully. The servings were very generous and we
All left there full and happy. I would definitely go again and would definitely recommend it.
Omg this is the most fantastic restaurant. Beautiful food, friendly attentive staff, good wine and casual welcoming environment. Will definitely revisit
Great atmosphere, friendly service, delicious 😋 food and even better you get a huge plate of food and at average prices which is why we love it so much.
The Olive Tree Restaurant. is still the Best. great service very polite staff, good prices & the best, food. a pleasure to eat there.Joe Puglia.
We have been going to the Olive Tree for many many years and it never ceases to amaze us with the quality and quantity of the food, not to mention the fantastic staff. Last night we went for a family dinner and it exceeded even our expectations with two superb new dishes which were magnificent. Highly recommended!
Brydie Sheppard - Weller
+5
happernimg and exciting place
Waiter was fantastic! Warm, Knolagable and funny. Food was exceptional I had the Sydney Bay Oysters combined killpatric and Mooney
Best I've had by far in a very long time.
I will be recommending The Olive Tree 👌
We called in for a late supper, the staff were very welcoming & the food was terrific...whole fresh flounder grilled to perfection & amazing bug tails in creamy lobster bisque sauce....yummy!
Have organised dinners there every 3 months for 19 years. Great atmosphere. Scrumptious food, great service & staff always welcoming & friendly.
Heather Patricia Stone
+5
I went with a community organisation for a booked dinner. The food was both superb and plentiful, the staff found nothing too much trouble. Prices were fairly standard for restaurants and with absolute value for money. For the budget challenged there was also wide range of meals on special, and the atmosphere was inviting. Our organisation makes this an annual event, and many of us return with friends and family.
Have been to this venue a few times over the years and im always walking away satisfied great food and atmosphere is always welcoming.
Been going to this institution for 20 years, never had a bad meal nor bad service.
Amazing food and impeccable service! Will be back.
The food, service and temperature were all amazing! Looking forward to heading back there again. The drinks were also delicious and i loved that there was a great choice of food options to suit all dietary needs.
Great steak and great service at the olive tree.!!
I live across from the Olive Tree . Been there many times and never been disappointed. It’s a hidden gem in South Melbourne. Food is always great and the specials keep things interesting and not repetitive. The portions are also quite generous.
This place has been in South Melbourne for a long time. Only came in for Friday lunch and I was impressed. I loved the home cooked lasagna as I could taste its freshness, definitely not overly loaded with salt and highly processed sauce and cheese. My friend ordered the monthly special baby clams linguini it was very fresh and embedded with delicate flavours. Combined with friendly and warm service, I highly recommend this place to dedicated diners who appreciate the authenticity of flavour of food. Not recommend for fast food lovers or anyone with strong flavour pallet.
An absolute institution in South Melbourne! Visited here a couple of months ago after wanting to come to years. The staff were so friendly and polite. I had the Porterhouse steak - it as charred and cooked medium rare as I’d asked. Comes with veggies and a baked potato, pretty good value at less than $40 for such a good size (steak was 500g). Delish!!
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First time visiting here with friends who visit often. Love the look and feel of the place. Service was great when we arrived. Surprised there were no high chairs on offer, but made do with a booster seat. Started off with garlic bread which was flavoursome, warm and crunchy. We waited about 35 minutes to receive our food after ordering, and our little one was definitely losing patience during this time. Finally my dish arrived - the garlic prawn main for $38. This was a hefty price for what I received, which was a small frypan with 8 prawns and 1/4 cup of rice. I would never order this same dish from here again as I felt completely ripped off. The prawns were also slightly overcooked. My personal suggestion to the chef is to double the quantity to match it's price tag. My husband ordered venison cutlets served with a beetroot and applied chutney, chips and vegetables. The veal had a nice crunchy crumb to it but was very dry, even with the sauce. He borrowed our friend's steak pepper sauce which went well with the venison. Our suggestion to the chef is to serve this dish with a thicker, richer sauce. During the meal we felt the service go down. We had to ask the waiter several times to keep refilling the water bottle. The waiter also asked one of our friends to stack her cutlery on the plates he had collected - he must have been confused as to who was the waiter. For dessert I ordered the nutella and raspberry pudding served with ice cream. This went down a treat. I ended the night with an English breakfast tea, and was pleased to see a loose leaf blend as opposed to a tea bag. I would come back, but I'd do a bit more research as to the better meals to order.
There are not many places like this still open in Melbourne. The old style decor is really cosy, food is divine (amazing rack of lamb) and service top quality. Highly recommend.
Initial approach the facade is looking a little worn/tired. Inside the decor and furniture is ageing and it is a little dark towards the back. The first question my 11yo asked was ‘why do they have a goat?’ referring to the mounted goat’s head on the wall. But it was clean. The service was good, although it dropped off during the course of the meal. It appears to be a very popular place (it filled up very quickly) I would have thought they would have wanted the table, but it was difficult to catch someone to get the bill. The food was good, simple food, done well. The only down side for the evening was trying to get the bill so we pay and get home. The positive is the service (initially at least) and that the food was prepared well.
Can only comment on the pasta because for some reason I went in thinking it was an Italian restaurant, I think the name threw me off.
Anyway, it was bellissimo, & decent servings. Price is very good for pasta.
The decor is fairly cosy/homely & has character.
Waiter was really down to earth as well.
I'll reassess when I go back & try their meat dishes
Well hidden between the towering south bank buildings and a true gem is The Olive Tree. Oysters have never disappointed me there. The decor is stunningly artistic and warm. Service is of the best quality. The service can only be matched and overpowered by the food. Food comes to your table with perfection and beauty. Everything about this place is beautiful, from the food to the service to the location. Can't wait to dine again.
Note: After a good meal a stroll along the saint kilda road into the city is always recommend. Even on a dull night there is a certain source of adventure in the air after eating at The Olive trees.
We had an extremely pleasant meal at the Olive Tree last night - so nice I felt compelled to write a review. This restaurant provides attentive service, excellent, tasty food and good value. My dinner of baby veal was delicious. Our waiter made us feel at home and the bill was very reasonable. We absolutely loved it and look forward to returning soon! A real gem.
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A first visit accompanying friends who eat there regularly.
Outstanding meal.
We shared oysters and Moreton Bay bugs for entree. I am very suss on oysters but these were sublime. Apparently the owner ships them in direct from a private Sydney supplier. Good sourcing, excellent fresh preparation.
The Bugs were incredible. Large, 4 in the one serve, beautifully prepared and delicious. Already I was starting to worry about handling mains.
I had good cause to worry. Ribs, 3 racks! Big, juicy with a great light BBQ sauce and vegetables on the plate. I couldn't finish them in spite of taste and presentation.
This was an outstanding and memorable meal. Service was welcoming and friendly, but in bursts. When it was on, great. But staff hard to find in between servings. All tolerable, it's just seems to be their style.
Pricing was a bit below what you would expect to pay in next door South Yarra. Excellent value.
My friends felt that this meal was up a notch on most, but acknowledged the oysters are always outstanding and the rest was just good choice.
I will be back next week and can see a new regular spot. I think my 3.5 rating is a bit harsh. It's not a 4, but then tonight's food was a 5.
Geoff Birtles
Recently went here after a few years. Food was great as usual. Had fried calamari for entree and chicken, avocado and prawns. Both very enjoyable and will definitely be back.
We ran into this place cause it was closer to the hotel we were at but bless my stars for this find. Amazing service, straight forward food that exceeds your expectations. After we got good suggestions on our beer and wine choices for the night, we ordered a porterhouse steak, medium rare of course, a rack of lamb and the prized Wagyu filet, definitely medium rare. The Wagyu was amazing, melting in your mouth amazing! The porterhouse and the rack of lamb were really good, but the Wagyu stole the show. Without a thought, a place worth visiting twice or more in the same trip!!
The Olive Tree is an oldie but a goodie. Don't expect anything flash as the decor is daggy but it's endearing all the same. More importantly, the food is great. Delicious, honest food. It's also BYO (with cheap corkage) so your already very reasonably priced meal becomes quite the bargain. They are famous for their steak but they are served on sizzle plates so the meat continues to cook. Therefore order one level less than normal so that it isn't over-cooked by the time you get half way through it. And it will take time as the serves are huge. The schnitzel (or parma) or the beef burgundy are personal fave's but everything on the menu is good with no fear of ordering a dud dish. It's not 5 star but it's great. You will leave full and so will your hip pocket.
Meals reasonably priced and delicious. We had meals including pasta, steak , roast duck (superbly done) and a veal parmigana - all really good. Crepes to finish are divine. Overall great value - we eat there often and haven't had a 'dud' meal yet. Nice low key atmosphere, (tables set well apart so you're not sitting on top of others ) very attentive professional staff. Highly recommend.
Very very cozy and great food. You can just relax there with your bottle of wine for a good few hours and the staff are very friendly, definitely recommend it.
Directly opposite my office, this place is deceptively good. The serving portions are huge, and whilst they haven't invested in the exterior of their building, the food quality and service is excellent.
I take my team there quite often and really like it.
It’s a European style bistro, with warm wood panelling inside. Very welcoming and made me feel like I was in France on a cold winter’s day. The menu is slightly blended French and Italian...
Liked it but better food elsewhere. Ok so the food was ok, as was the service but there are much better places to eat elsewhere. We've eaten here twice as it's local and both times the food has been decent but nothing spectacular. I find the staff really push you to order as many courses as possible. They shun you for not ordering wine or entree. The portions are big but I could tell there was flour in my pasta sauce. Not very traditional. The price is expensive for the quality of food. I've heard the steak is good so I will probably try at some stage. Place is nothing to write home about
Hosted a group of four and enjoyed a sumptuous dinner. Be prepared for the generous servings.
Table service was good - no hovering but available when needed.
Only glitch was on arrival with receptn not initially able to spot my booking (I could see it in the book) and shortly after telling one of my guests no booking in my name.
That was the only downside to an otherwise lovely dinner and experience.
Awesome food, great value for money, one of the great steak houses of Melbourne. Been going for over 20 years with a regular wine group. Food is always top quality. Over the 100's of times Ive been, only once Ive sent back a meal. Steak was blue, instead of med / rare. (but hey it was a busy night) Seafood dishes are always fresh, pasta's dishes unique (including regular favourites), and the monthly specials always something different and cater to everyone's tastes. BYO on wine that is attractive, along with a good wine list
Original family owners for over 45 years. My only slight negative, the owners serving could learn to smile and perhaps interact with the clients a little.
Thumbs up. Seamless experience from start to finish! I really had a great time. Easy to book online, good efficient service and tasty food with great portion sizes at a reasonable cost... pretty much everything you could want! Plus a nice cosy environment. I will DEFINITELY be back, thanks for a great night.
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Very nice, warm, quirky restaurant.. Were invited to this restaurant on Saturday evening with family and friends as a recommendation. Tucked away, just near the Domain tram interchange this quaint little restaurant in Park Street is not what I expected. Arrived and were greeted warmly and promptly had menus and water on our table quickly. Ordered a basket of garlic bread for starters, which arrived promptly whilst we were deciding on our mains. Good menu selection with a specials board as well. I had the eye fillet steak with pepper sauce, others had lasagne, calamari rings and beef burgundy. Also had a glass of their house Merlot, very nice wine. All meals were served within 20 to 25 minutes, very adequate considering the slab of steak served which was cooked very nicely. Only glitch was the easiest dish ordered, lasagne, took another 10 minutes to come out, whoops, but very nice when it arrived. Staff were attentive and very helpful and polite. Finished with Banana crepes, strawberry crepes and a chocolate and ricotta tart on the specials board, all very nice. Good quality food, very quirky and comfortable setting, great service, good friends and good food all made for a great night. Will go again for sure.
Fabulous Simple Italian Food - We will be back. There were 11 of us for a Birthday party. I ordered the Venison and could not believe the plate - lots of vegetables, mushrooms, carmelisized onion, snow peas, and the venison was fantastic. Cooked to perfection, slightly pink inside and had to chew on the bones as it was so delicious. Everyone was thrilled with the standard - no one had any complaints. And the pricing was unbelievable - $26.00 - We will all be back again when on that side of town. The Eye Fillet apparently was sensational. And it came with potato in the jacket, tomato, and greens. Sure the decor is stuck in the 60's but does not compromise on the atmosphere and the food. These people have been around for 30 years of more and they are doing something right considering they do not advertise.
Wow - what a nice surprise. Perfectly cooked steak and friendly fast service. Good old fashioned menu and great value. I'm coming back!
I thought it was good. The steak I had was delicious and the house wine delic at 7 a glass. Everyone at the table liked their meals, risotto etc. the service was exceptional. I wouldn't rave about the food, but I thought it was good.
Lamb rack was overcooked but was still tender and honey mustard sauce made it really delicious. The duck was overcooked and wasn't that great. The garlic prawns were drowned in garlic butter but was relatively tasty. The profiteroles were absolutely terrible, like they had been sitting in the fridge for days. Soggy choux pastry and custard was a bit too tangy. Chocolate sauce was delicious tho, reminded me of maccas fudge sauce but in a good way. Overall it was a pretty good experience, and the service was friendly. Ignore the 70s decor and have a try, although not sure if I would be happy paying full price for the meal
Best atmosphere.... And the steaks amazing too... Always loved this place.
Amazing food, great service. One of the best risottos I've ever had, the duck was cooked beautifully & added great depth of flavour to the dish. My partner had the veal parmigiana which was a very generous size & came with perfectly cooked beans & very tasty & creatively presented mash (go there, you'll know what I mean ;)
The service was friendly & efficient. The decor inside felt like an authentic French bistro, warm & inviting. The prices were very reasonable & portions generous. Can't really fault it. 10 out of 10. Will definitely be back.
My husband and I went to The Olive Tree last night for the first time and we really didn't know what to expect. We ended up having a lovely evening and the food was exceptional. The service was great and the food was well presented and very satisfying. The decor was lovely giving a warm atmosphere. I would definately recommend this restaurant to first timers and we will definately be going there again.
Back after a few years. First time back to The Olive Tree after a few years away overseas.
STILL AMAZING.
We came on Saturday night and booked for a table of five.
Shared some entree's to start every thing was just as good as I remember. Oysters Kilpatrick a highlight.
Some amazing scotch fillet for main. Tender, juicy and very large in size.
To full to have dessert. But what the table next to us had did look good.
The Wine list was great with good value wines. I remember it used to be better however.
Service and atmosphere was outstanding.
Glad to see it's still one of Melbourne's best place for steak and oysters.
Will most definitely be back again and again and again.
Old Gem Rediscovered. OMG ! The rediscovery of the century - I remember going there with my folks when I was little some 20 years ago.
Yes the décor is somewhat dated, and the menu hasn’t really changed much either. But that’s part of the charm... Not much has changed!
Great food & friendly service. We were never pressured to order something more.
Majority of meals are seafood or Beef – but what else would you expect from a Steak & Fish House?
Not many Vegetarian options; although keep a look out for Gnocchi with 4 cheese sauce. Amazing
4 kids 4 adults, amazing service and great value. Very happy
Loved it great good great service made for a very enjoyable birthday am sure I will return many times
Nice place. The food was very good, especially baby goat; vine selection was also fine; the service is friendly and bit too slow.
My partner and I have been to the olive tree several times together. We always get the same thing, a dozen oysters Kilpatrick and eye fillet with garlic sauce. Every time we go, we always have an incredible meal. The food is fantastic, the best oysters in town! The wait staff are friendly and attentive and contribute to a great night out!
One of the best. Without doubt one of the best restaurants in Melbourne. Have been there many times, standard in service & food always excellent. Try the chicken with avocado and mash potato - 10/10
Peaceloveandfoodiness
+4.5
Wow!!!. This hidden treasure in South Melbourne is just phenomenal. Loved my scotch fillet with veg and mushroom sauce!!!!!!! I have never had such a beautifully cooked steak! I order steak a lot when I go out for dinner and this is the BEST I have ever eaten, by far!
Our service was attentive and friendly, the atmosphere was lovely and our entire party of 15 diners loved their meals!
Thank you for a great experience :)
Disappointing. Orders mucked up on multiple occasions. Wait too long. Steaks cooked inappropriately. Meals came at different times. Service unfriendly. Food (salads, chips etc) missing..
Iv been to this restaurant many times over the last 3 years-and that's because it ticks all the boxes for me. It's affordable,friendly staff,honest tasty generous food and you can byo wine. We love coming here for a mid-week dinner after a long day at work. You can have a warm comforting meal without breaking the budget, and bring a nice bottle of vino from home helps keep the cost down too. They usually have some really good specials on too, or if you feel like a pasta-they are very generous serves,while very light on the wallet! - we keep coming back!
Great hearty meals, good prices, friendly service
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