The Olive Cafe & Wine Bar

Back again! Me and mine went for drinks and a cheese board, and had a wonderful time! Ryan the bartender was very helpful with our cheese selection. The cheese board was OVER THE TOP– beautiful display of cheese and charcuterie, absolutely dee-​lish. Hands-​down best in the 910!
Plenty of wine by the glass to choose from (I saw another review that said different– not sure if he looked at the list?) — my date had wine, and I enjoyed draft microbrew. All in all another great experience!

This little place is so cool! I spent a few hours in here sampling olive oils and balsamic vinegars. They do a wine sampler night that’s super fun as well. Excellent food and atmosphere.
As far as the balsamics go I really love the jalapeño!

Went with a small group on a Saturday evening and was surprised that the restaurant was pretty quiet. I love entering the restaurant through the shop, packed with cheeses, chocolates and culinary goodness. The restaurant is really comfortable; chairs, tables, everything. Our server was attentive, though at times, too much talk about his life etc., we were there to see our friends, not hear about his apartment.
We started with a cheese plate, which we assembled from a pretty extensive menu. The different options and cheese selections– it was perfect. Highly recommend.
We followed with truffle mac & cheese ($ 12), Southern egg rolls ($ 13), bruschetta ($ 10), olive oil poached shrimp sliders ($ 13), brussels and eggs ($ 9), and tuna tartare ($ 15). Hands down, the tuna tartare was the star of the night. Holy magical blend of lime evoo + grapefruit balsamic vinegar + avocado mash — it was like a lemon chiffon in the best way possible.
As for the other dishes; the mac & cheese was heavy on the nutmeg, the two eggrolls were stuffed with pulled pork and mac & cheese, and at $ 13, expensive for what they are. The Brussel sprouts were roasted perfectly.
As for the wine-​by-​the-​glass list, I found it really limited, only offering three options each of whites, reds and sparkling. I didn’t’ see anything I enjoy.
Overall, I’m between three and four stars, but the very limited wine list– for a wine bar, and the waiter hanging around gives it a three. We’ll probably go back when in Wilmington, because the cheese plate and tuna tartare are that fantastic.

Absolutely fantastic. We visited the shop and bar for drinks and apps. The wine selection is vast, and the bartender was helpful and knowledgeable. We had the shrimp bisque, truffle fries and popcorn. Everything had exciting flavor combinations using their house specialty olive oils, salts, and vinegars. It was hard to narrow down the choices of which oils and vinegars to take home. The shop has adorable gift items and a large wine, oil, vinegar, and cheese selection.

Love the atmosphere! The food and service is impeccable! Moving here from Arizona my wife and I have been accustomed to eating at some of the best restaurants in Phoenix and Scottsdale.
I would say it would rank very high if it was indeed located in Arizona!
Highly recommend the cheese board for starters!
Beer lovers try Drew’s Snake Bite menu!

So today we went there with expectations of good food, good service and a good selection of wines by the glass.
None came true. IMHO this place is in trouble with cost cutting measures in place in plain view.
1^st impression: the kitchen staff is also your host staff.
2) the wines by the glass selection was reduced to a mere 3 white, 3 red and 3 sparkling.
3) the service was absolutely atrocious.
4! The food was mediocre. (In addition to a menu that was reduced by 50% or more).
Tuna ordered rare, came out medium well. Pommes Frites came out soggy and Luke warm.
It’s a shame because this used to be a great place to come.
Did I mention the service was atrocious???

Tonight was our first time here but I can guarantee it won’t be our last. We had the tuna tartar, bacon pops, la Parisian and the truffle Mac n cheese. The portions on the appetizers were perfect for two people. We chose multiple appetizers and split an entrée and we still couldn’t finish everything. Every dish was delicious!!! The staff was very knowledgable with beer and wine selections. Both my husband and I bought bottles of what we were drinking to bring home for the weekend. I’m sure we’ll be back next week. A must visit if you are in Wilmington.

Went here for the first time today for brunch. Great experience and we will return. Food was amazing, staff was knowledgable and kind, the atmosphere was awesome! A new favorite!

I had the mussels, truffle Mac and lobster chowder. They were all very tasty and flavorful. The ambience and overall atmosphere was very relaxed and had a great vibe. I didn’t look around much at the store portion but plan to check it out next time I go. I will be taking all of my friends here. It’s a great place. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

I would recommend this place to Olivia Pope. I’m sure she’s never had a wine and popcorn combo like the one you could get at The Olive.

Came here for brunch with a group of professional friends. I normally don’t start with the negative portion of the review, but given that my party was a total of 7 people and this brunch had to be planned 1 month in advance to accommodate everyone’s schedule, I was severely disappointed to discover that the reality fell far short of what was represented to me. Here’s why I would NOT come back:
— Bait and switch. Went on their website to research what they have and there was no brunch menu. I called the restaurant before making the reservation and the manager was very nice and emailed me a copy of their brunch menu. However, even the manager was surprised that their website did not have their brunch menu, which I could not understand. Marketing and advertisement seems to be in the purview of a manager’s job. By the way, their brunch menu is still not on their website, so this «mistake» has not been fixed. Arrived at the restaurant today to discover that the menus did not match. I was emailed a 2 page brunch menu with various choices and the brunch menu today was 1 page. Severely limited options, which was so not cool. As the organizer who did her research, I was upset that I was shown one thing and given another upon arrival. Unprofessional and not good customer service.
— Small portions. For the prices charged for the portions, not worth it. I specifically chose this place because it was not a buffet brunch so that our group would not have to wander back and forth to the buffet. This would facilitate better group interaction, especially because this was a professional meeting. If I wanted better value for money, I would’ve chosen a buffet brunch.
— Not very vegetarian friendly. Because I was shown a different menu, I thought the vegetarians in our group would be accommodated. That did not work out.
— Inside was too cold. All of us were in summer clothes and we all made that observation upon leaving the restaurant.
Pros
— The quality of the food was pretty good. The food was pretty tasty. For the most part, most people in the group had no complaints about the food. One of my colleagues thought her waffle was too sweet, which is understandable. Given that you add syrup or whatnot on your waffle, you wouldn’t expect it to be sickenly sweet on its own.
— Service was good. Our waiter was attentive and responsive. He refilled our drinks regularly. He was on top of his game in keeping everyone’s order straight, especially because we needed separate checks. Points for that.
— Not a bad layout. I like how the restaurant has a small shop inside that sells chocolates and some other sundries.
Final Answer
I do not plan on returning. The only reason why I am giving this restaurant 2 stars and not 1 is because the quality of the food and the waiter’s good service. I do not like being promised one thing and then actually given something else. I do not appreciate being misled. It is unprofessional and bad customer service.

Four of us recently had a most enjoyable evening at The Olive Café. The service was very good and the food was excellent. It’s a rare treat to find a place that has both an imaginative and a well executed menu, and this place has them. We had the crab fritters, salmon tartare, scallops, kickin chicken wraps and the shrimp pintxo pasta. Every dish was very good! And the portions were ideal (not 2,000 calorie behemoths). To add to the pleasure we learned that Wednesdays is half-​off on bottles on a very good wine list (I particularly appreciate a wine list with French selections — and what you don’t finish you can take home with you). This was our second visit here and cemented our initial impression that Wrightsville has a first class dining place.

Always inventive
Present the most unique menu in Wilmington
Also have fine assortment of wines by the class

I work next door and struggle not to get a cappuccino daily! One of the best I’ve ever had. Pair it with a chocolate truffle from the case, and I’m in heaven!

Wonderful experience here from starting with a glass of rosé to eating my lunch entrée. Went here for lunch with my sister and mother. You must eat the maple bacon pops! They were the best bacon apps I’ve tasted! Also, we got the truffle mac and tuna tartare stack special (both amazing). The Charleston crab soup was good but more like a stew than a she crab. Place is roomy with a bit of a southern trendy look. Dessert display looked yummy but we were too full to indulge– next time for sure!

I look forward to date night every week at The Olive Café! The environment and atmosphere are perfect with live music that is not too loud. (My biggest pet peeve is having to yell at my date from across the table.) The menu has it’s staples: mac and cheese, filet, cheese and meat board. But, the chef is able to be creative with nightly specials which are always amazing.
The bar is in a league all its own. I can order «a delicious martini», and Ana will create something off menu and absolutely amazing. I can always count on great glass of wine or bubbles too!
With a private room and 2 large party tables, I would recommend the Café to groups and special events. I plan to host my dad’s retirement dinner when he comes to visit over the summer!

This place has a nice atmosphere and pleasant staff.
The wine selection is great and the chocolate and dessert counter is stellar.
The food was just okay. We got a few things, but what ruined it for me was the mac & cheese which was just dry macaroni and cheese baked on top — definitely not great at all.
The prices are high for what you get. It’s an ok spot, but not anything to rave about.

I came here for brunch on a Sunday, the last day of my vacation in Wilmington, and it was incredible!
We sat the bar and were served by a beautiful and attentive bartender (Ana?). She recommended the Croque Madame (ham, gruyère, egg, on an english muffin and covered with a bechamel-​like sauce) and the Shrimp and Grits (the grits were creamy and had cracked pepper, which was awesome, and the shrimp were perfectly cooked).
Both dishes were great.
Also had a really good Americano and evened that out with an Italian drink called a ‘Spritz’, which wikipedia says is a wine-​based apertif from northern italy (duh.)… anyway It was perfectly light and refreshing and also came recommended by the awesome bartender who was awesome.

Great place — Anna the bartender is so knowledgeable about wine, and provides top notch service. There are some bargains by the bottle here, too. I’m not sure how they manage to price their bottles within a few dollars of the vineyard itself, for example, as is the case of the Elyse Petite Sirah.
Truffled deviled eggs, candied bacon, roasted olives, chicken lettuce wraps — all favorites of mine. You won’t go wrong with anything on the menu here. Excellent selection of cheese and charcuterie, as well. Don’t be afraid to ask for suggestions!

Licking your Plate is Mandatory! Just kidding. The food is fabulous. My hubby and I had the opportunity to eat lunch here.
The Mac & Cheese was wonderful and I had the Bru sket ta which was equally great.
We will be returning for dinner and the wine tasting on Friday!