Blue Olive

Love love love this local joint. There jalapeño infused tequila makes a genuinely spicy margarita that you’ll want again and again. Have stopped in during happy hour and had the hummus & baba ganoush and both were delicious. The last time I was there my significant other and I split the moussaka. The flavor was wonderful and portion was perfect. Will definitely return to try more menu items again.

Stopped in for lunch today for the first time. It’s small and cozy. Friendly service. Clean.
The hummus is the best I’ve ever had. So smooth and flavorful, it was a good thing. Seriously.
The Cucumbers and Tomatoes were fresh and perfect; not sure where they are getting their produce because I haven’t found a good cucumber in months! Greek salad was delicious and fresh — loved the vinaigrette dressing.
Gyros had good flavor — My only critique is that the meat was a bit overcooked. They still tasted great, but I can only imagine how much better if it was a bit juicier.
There is no fountain soda, which was a bit of a bummer to me as this is one of my weekly treats to myself. Water is self serve and plentiful.
I’m looking forward to going back as I was unable to try the baklava — I was too stuffed this go around.

This is truly a NW gem! I have never been disappointed. The food is predictably good, well priced, the service is outstanding and the wait staff and owner are very friendly — always. They also cook with natural and organic meats which just makes this an easy choice for any meal. Just had their Mediterranean omelette this morning! Amazing!

Consistently good food at a reasonable price. I’ve enjoyed every dish I’ve ordered here. I even had them cater an event once, and our guests went crazy! The owner came over and set everything up with his son and mother; I loved that it was a family affair. You could see the pride he took in his cooking.
I used to live a few blocks away, so this was a regular takeout joint for me. The platters will definitely provide you with enough food for dinner and lunch leftovers the next day. The outdoor seating on the sidewalk is nice in the summer. Inside, I would recommend the bar as the dining room feels a bit too large to me.

My favorite bartender in Portland works here! Not to mention the happy hour food (3-​close) is phenomenal! Get the following:
1. Garlic shrimp
2. Chicken skewers
3. Mediterranean salad w/​chicken
4. House red (canyon road, yum)
All come in around $ 5 and are on the smaller side in terms of portions but a great experience all around!

We came here for happy hour and I thought that it was pretty awesome that during the week happy hour was 3 to close. The atmosphere was kind of classy and a little too uppity for me, that’s not my typical scene.
They had a long happy hour menu and we ordered 5 different dishes to share. The food was great, but at $ 5 for one chicken skewer, I wouldn’t really consider that a good happy hour. I had to order a $ 5 salad, so I wouldn’t be left hungry. Maybe if the skewer came with rice, it would have been more worth it. We also got the humus platter that came with bubba ganush and a couple other different humus’. I loved the Bubba ganush. That was a pretty decent size for the money.
The service was very attentive and on top of things. As far as some great mediterranean with a good happy hour this was pretty close, but I think I could have better.

Went there for happy hour and they have a great selection of HH food and drinks. The drinks were awesome and the food was delicious. The waitress was really helpful and friendly, which made the experience that much better. I will definitely go back to try their dinner menu.

The service was slow as was the kitchen on a not so busy afternoon when we went. The food was decent but nothing really stood out to me and I’m a big fan of Mediterranean food especially Greek. The ice tea kind of sucked too, it just didn’t taste fresh. We had a combo plate that had tzatziki, hummus, pita, spanakopita and more, I do like that they had this option as it’s plenty of food and you get to sample things. But overall we just were not that impressed for the price, but if you want Greek and you happen to be nearby it’s likely to satisfy you none the less.

Picked up a takeout order and was pleasantly surprised. It was a busy evening when I came to pick up the food but it was ready in time and the portions were more than enough. The Mediterranean vegetable platter was excellent and my bf enjoyed his lamb kebobs, rice, and veggies. Indoor/​outdoor seating, and large bar area w/​TV’s.

I really like this place it’s my go to spot for good service, good wine & food that will put a smile on your face when you leave (probably a little stumbling) put that’s what good Greek culture and food is all about.

Came here for lunch on the weekend, which I don’t think it’s what people usually go for.
Had the burger with fries which was only $ 8. AWESOME. Food is great overall. Friendly staff, and I can tell that people come here at night for dinner and drinks. Granted, they don’t have a HUGE selection but enough to choose from. I shall be back!

Boyfriend and I swung by here for a late-​ish dinner since a) it was nearby, and b) I was feeling a little under the weather after all the beer that I’d imbibed during the day.
Now, I’m generally always gung-​ho for Greek/​Mediterranean food. I love the stuff, and so does the Boyfriend (he would bathe in hummus if burritos weren’t an option). The food here was pretty decent. Nothing amazing. I ordered what amounted to a meat lasagna (very filling, but nothing I couldn’t find at an Italian restaurant elsewhere). Boyfriend ordered some lamb, which was also good, but I think he said it was a tad overcooked.
The woman who ran the bar and the restaurant was very friendly, but a little inattentive in terms of attention. We had finished eating for almost 20 minutes before she noticed and came over to our table… to ask us if we wanted dessert. After we declined, it took another 15 minutes or so before we were presented with the bill.
Judging from other reviewers, apparently slow service isn’t unusual, even if there isn’t a lot of other business otherwise. There were a few other parties in the restaurant/​bar, but nothing that seemed as though it would warrant the long wait times. I would go back, but I’m not sure I would opt to order food again.

The food was great!
The service however, was terrible!
1. We didn’t get silverware or napkins with our meal. We smiled and ate with our fingers/​pita.
2. Though the place wasn’t busy, we were highly ignored.
3. We had to flag the staff down who came to give us a cursory glass of water– once throughout our meal.
4. After waiting 15 – 20 minutes for our check, we went to the bar to get it, where we were told to wait at our table for it. Another 5 – 10 minutes later, we finally received our bill. Geez.
Probably won’t go back. The food isn’t worth the frustration of bad service in a foodie city like Portland.

The Hot Mezza Plate for $ 19 was plenty of food for two, it included a variety of food: calamari, Dolmas, Spankopita, to Baba Ghanouj and Tzatziki sauce with pita bread. Love the location on 21^st, the warm evening made it perfect for sitting outside to dine and people watch.

Disclaimer — we didn’t stay for the food.
There were two separate dining areas. One was near the bar, dark, and kind of hot. There was no fan or air conditioner. The other part was very brightly lit, a little too family-​friendly to my liking, and just reminded me of a garish Chinese restaurant.
Maybe the food is great but it definitely doesn’t have an ambiance to my liking.

Can’t believe after all the time I have spent up and down NW 21^st that I hadn’t stopped in at Blue Olive!
Upon entering the bar you are greeted by a dimly lit area with high boys, decent sized bar, and some simple, but neat décor. Being that it is Mederteranian food, they did have some interesting music in the background.
Came in during Happy Hour without even knowing it. $ 6 cocktails were a treat. They had a great selection. My choice was something along the lines of «Rose petal…» liquor infused with roses, it was quite the treat. Very floral and delicious.
For another $ 6 you can get the dip sampler plate with regular and red pepper hummus, baba ghanouj, and some yummy fresh pita.
The mederteranian salad was good, but interesting as it came with roasted potatoes.
Plenty of great menu items to choose from.
I will certainly be back here. Wasn’t super crowded and the atmosphere was nice.

Very good Mediterranean food. The place was nicer inside than some of the other businesses around. My sis and I walked in after finding most of the Lebanese/​Greek places closed until late afternoon. We ordered:
Pan Fried goat cheese with lemon — I’ve never seen this dish before so curiosity took over and we ordered it. It’s a great choice the cheese had a nice browned crust and came out sizzling still in the pan. The server squeezed some lemon on top that gave a fragrant aroma and enhanced the flavor.
Roasted Lamb shoulder — very tasty the lamb shoulder wasn’t too fatty or lean. Roasted to perfection. Went perfectly with the greek salad and rice that came with the dish. This is one of the low cost dishes for lamb. Usually lamb dishes at Mediterranean restaurants cost $ 15+ but here it’s $ 13 very affordable.
Service was wonderful. The server made lots of suggestions and even brought the house spicy sauce over for the food. It was very tasty. I would come here again.

This was the first thing I ate after arriving to Portland for a little vacay. I was having a terrible week and feeling über nauseated so this may have deterred the review.
We came in for happy hour and there seemed to be only one guy manning the place because it took awhile for him to address us. I got the calamari and the boyfriend got a burger. The burger which came with fries was a fantastic deal and super flavorful. I hate to say this but the calamari was boring and dwelt in my stomach on the wrong side. The tartar sauce also accompanied it but I like my calamari more crispy. I also got their house sangria and it was disappointing. It tasted like watered down wine with a citrus twist and lacked the sangria fruits. I think I got a questionable piece of apple that met me at the bottom.
The service itself was sweet. The bartender and busser was inviting and friendly.

I love love love love love Blue Olive.
I think the staff is ridiculously nice. I only went in there once and the second time I visited, they knew what I previously ordered and my name. What amazing memories!
I like the lentil soup. I think it is very hearty and delicious with pita bread.
My favorite thing on the menu is «Chicken Kebob Sandwich,» which is pita bread rolled with slices of marinated natural chicken, lettuce, tomatoes & pickles served with Tzatziki. it’s only $ 8.00 and comes with two boiled potatoes and also a side of mediterranean salad or some french fries.
Honestly I think it’s great food at a low price and healthy.

Twice now I’ve been to Blue Olive. Each time we received a friendly welcome from the folks that run the lovely place. I like the décor, interesting picture frames all around and warm, cozy colors.
There’s a nice variety of items on the Happy Hour menu. On my first visit, my pal and I tried the Dip Sampler Plate that comes with flavored humus, baba ghanouj and pita bread. More recently, a group of us were there for a late night happy hour and we shared some calamari which was excellent along with some really terrific cocktails. I am a big fan of any liquor that is anise based so you know I love Ouzo. The Mediterranean Mai Tai was right up my alley; a cocktail with Ouzo. I had two and whoa, they were strong.
The highlight for me was the dessert. We shared an ekmek and a bougatsa. My recommendation, if you go for dessert, get them both and take a little bite of each one and mix them together.
I hear they make a mean falafel sandwich. Gotta go back to try that.