Bleu Olive

It was my first time exploring Bleu Olive in Durham, North Carolina, and I fell in love with the food. The service staff recommended the octopus dish, and they were absolutely right. I also chose the lamb, and it was the best decision I ever made—I ate every piece on the plate. The flavors were outstanding. However, the service was not as impressive. I felt uneasy with the server's attitude; he was a bit too Almighty. It might have been partly my hearing issue, but I believe that good customer service should make you feel welcomed. Despite this, the night wasn't bad overall. The server gave a great recommendation for the octopus, and I left a good tip.

Bleu Olive was a fun place for the 5 of us to enjoy talking about our day while having a family dinner. Everything was delicious and the only ding was we had to ask for bread after our dinner was served and what they brought was one small slice for each of us (5 small slices). They never asked if we wanted anymore and TBH it’s something an alert server should monitor. I could have asked for more but that is like asking for more water.. .you should not have to in a place of this caliber.

Don’t sleep on this absolute gem in Durham. I’ve probably been here more than 100 times for dinners out, work lunches, carryout meals, and drinks at the bar. I’ve never had a bad meal or even a single bad dish. That kind of consistency takes serious dedication. The head chef is world-class, the meals are delicious and original, the staff are all friendly, and the vibe is upscale but comfortable.

Blue olive never disappoints. I had the crab cake starter and then the special, scallops over risotto. Absolutely delightful. The service was exceptional too. If you're visiting Durham, make this one of your stops.

We had an amazing experience for dinner here. From the ambience to our attentive server, from the tasty wine to the impeccable food, the entire evening was more than we could have hoped for! We started with the octopus, calamari, lamb kefte, and crab soup. For dinner, I had the lamb loin (which was cooked to perfection), and my husband had the scallop special. Not photographed, our friends had the steak frites, and the red snapper (the fish of the day). To top off our evening, we followed dinner up with the goat cheese and honey cheesecake. We cannot praise this restaurant enough!!

Came for the grilled octopus appetizer, not disappointed! Service was good, only reason I didn’t give 5 stars for service was because we left early around 8pm on a Monday night and we were the last ones to leave. Felt like we had overstayed our welcome. Nice wine list. The lamb meatballs and sauce were delightful. The broccolini was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The pistachio crust on the cheesecake was perfect.

I had a wonderful evening! With an 8 pm reservations, we were promptly seated when I arrived a bit early. Vera, our waiter, was fantastic, consistently checking in. Ordering all our food at once worked seamlessly, with everything served at well-timed intervals, allowing us to enjoy both the appetizer and main course. The portions were great, although I regret not capturing a photo. Looking forward to returning!

The food was really amazing and the staff was very attentive. The beet salad was very bright and fresh and beautifully prepared. For an entree I had the grilled pork chop that was outstanding! The fig compote on top was so tasty. The root vegetables were nice and toasty and the blue cheese risotto added a nice interest. The moussaka was very tasty. A great evening!

We have been twice now and absolutely love the food at Bleu Olive. We had the exact same thing both visits. We started with the mixed dip appetizer. Those housemade crostinis are freaking perfect. There are four dips and all are delicious but our favorite is the red pepper/feta mix. Out entrees are the salmon dish and shrimp with pasta. The salmon is grilled and served over polenta and roasted root veggies with a beet relish and a green sauce similar to chimichurri. The combination of flavors is soooo perfect. The shrimp is over pasta and veggies with a light tomato sauce and it's scrumptious as well. Our server, Lila, was sweet and efficient.

Same excellent server roxane as 4 years ago! Ordered the same food as last time. Dolmades same recipe as four years ago but the saltiness annoyed my husband. Both if us have had better-tasting dolmades elsewhere. Didnt enjoy my beet salad this time. The beets tasted almost pickled. Some of the arugula was yellow (fresh arugula is green). The goat cheese seemed odd in texture. The pan seared salmon was ok and fresh. My husband said his salmon was overcooked. The creme brulee was tasty but my hysband thought the crust was burnt. I ate the lighter-looking parts of the crust. No reason to return here.

I had a business dinner at Bleu Olive, and it was surprisingly the best meal I had in a while. I'd recommend Bleu Olive if you're looking for a nicer meal at a pretty reasonable price. Mezze: - tasting of spreads: good to share for a group, 4 dips with warm pita, cucumber, and crostini - fried calamari: I usually love this dish, I think maybe skip it here, heavy breading, not a standout Salad: Beets with goat cheese, arugula, fennel, lemon sesame vinaigrette. I was on the fence about getting this, and it was actually one of the best parts about the meal! Big, juicy, fresh chunks bed of beets, a layer of goat cheese, then arugula, sparse fennel on top, with vinaigrette drizzled on the perimeter. The presentation is so nice, good portion, and the flavors complement each other well. Honey glazed lamb loin: perfectly cooked to medium. Meat was so tender and not dry, broccolini was crunchy, mushroom orzo flavorful. So satisfying. Dessert - goat cheese & honey cheesecake: recommended by waiter and SO good. Rich, cute presentation with whipped cream, fruit, mint leaf, relatively thick crushed pistachio base - chocolate tart: dense, hint of orange, also good but the cheesecake was better Service: Our waiter was professional and no problems orders. The restaurant was busy, but the wait for the food was very reasonable. The space: Nicely decorated with some wreaths and Christmas tree for the holidays. You can see part of the kitchen counter where food comes out, but can't see most of the cooking process. Medium-sized restaurant. Busy during a weeknight dinner, so do consider reservations. Lots of free parking, and that's always a plus.

When we recently went to Durham, NC, we were expecting BBQ, grits and all kind of Southern cooking, but a great Greek restaurant?!? We were thrilled to find @bleuolivedurham - a true hidden gem in the South. @bleuolivedurham is located in a strip mall area with an upscale interior. The service was fantastic but the food had us recommending this spot to all the locals! We ordered Grilled octopus Dip Medley with babaganoush, hummus, tzatziki and roasted red pepper dip served with warm pita Swordfish Mushroom Pasta Pot de Creme Trio with dark, milk and white chocolate The food was so so good that we were tempted to skip the rest of our weekend festivities to come back for more! Thank you @bleuolivedurham for bringing the Mediterranean to the South!

I have eaten here a few times here recently. If you are staying on the north side of Durham, it is convenient and great food. Good wine and cocktail selection, and the food is always prepared well and fresh.

Our favorite restaurant! It's close to home for us and feels like home when we're there. We enjoy the quiet, relaxed atmosphere where the wait staff are very attentive and welcoming. The hardest thing is choosing from the menu what delicious food and exceptional wine to order. Vicky Hershberger

The sampler dip starter was just ok, nothing to rave about. The caesar salad is overly mayonnaise-y. The rest of my party quite enjoyed their meals.

Service, food, atmosphere, lovely dining experience. Go for the Baklava , stay for the drinks! LOL

Food was excellent but food took an hour to arrive. No apps; one salad and 4 entrees. 1 glass of wine=$200 Will not go after 6 pm again. Nice atmosphere. No bread or anything to pass the hour....

I would give 3.5 stars. I had the salmon dish. The salmon was cooked good and I liked the Brussel sprouts. I did not like the polenta it came with. I am most definitely not a picky eater but for some reason I didn't like the carrots and I think it was potatoes that also came with it. I think it was the seasoning. I did not like how the hostess was sitting down at the table next to me and only got up when someone walked in. He had all his personal belongings on the table. That's very lazy and does not look good. But my waiter was very good to me.

It was a perfect evening. I started my night with a cocktail at the bar and was joined soon after by my husband who ordered a glass of wine while I was on the phone. I always want to taste what he's having so I sipped his wine. It was super tasty not over sweet. He said it was a Muscato, which some I am normally allergic to, but no itchy throat. I would try it again. He also had an insanely delectable clam chowder that had the best flavor I've ever had in a clam chowder. He also ordered lamb meatballs, which were really good they were grilled. I ordered the lamb shank and he had a lamb burger. My lamb shank came with broccolini and a risotto. Everything on my plate was perfect. Crystal the bartender also made us two Mexican mules that were just right. She also suggested that we go with the goat cheese cheese cake, not a mistake it was super good had just the right amount of tang and sweetness with a pistachio and honey base. The lighting in the place is pretty dim especially at the bar. The restaurant is nice not too loud and like I said, we really didn't notice too much more because it was pretty dimly lit. I ate all my food too fast to photograph it. I'll try to do better next time.

Very much enjoyed a light dinner at Bleu Olive. Located in a strip mall, wait to be seated, and make a reservation if you are able to plan in advance. There is a good amount of parking available in the shared lot. We were seated at a table for two near their 'wine cellar'. It was a nice, quiet corner. Our waiter checked in right away to let us know he'd be right back with waters. Menu is on-line: scan the QR code at the table. If you really want a menu, the waiter will get you one. We ordered a Greek salad, one of their 'dips' appetizer and lamb meatball app. Everything was well prepared and well seasoned. The waiter was excellent keeping an eye on us and our water glasses filled. The ambiance here is upscale without being stuffy. The glassware and flatware both heavy, good quality. Cloth napkins are soft and pliable Prices are in line with quality of food, service and surroundings. We would dine here again.

Always a delicious meal at Blue Olive. The service is outstanding as well. The Salmon plaki is my absolute favorite!!

We went in & the waiter told us the specials. I had the salmon & hubby had a steak special. Both meals were excellent,seasoned nicely & cooked right. All the sides were yummy as well. We enjoyed the atmosphere as well. Will be back!!

Best hummus I've ever had, great service and ambiance. We sat near bar, comfortable and convenient.

The food was so good, a little on the pricey side though. But I would say the service was pretty good, which isn't too common in my experience. It's in a strip mall type setup, so the parking lot is large. That being said, I thought the portion sizes were also large. You win some and lose some.

First time dining here. Many nice reviews and good word of mouth among our friends. We were celebrating our wedding anniversary and dining prior to going to the Carolina Theater to see Kathleen Madigan ( what a GREAT show). I won't bury the lead. Dinner was excellent. I had the Mushroom Linguine and my wife had the salmon. My dinner was absolutely delicious. The serving was more than adequate. The linguine was perfect and the mushrooms and spinach likewise. The cream sauce was delicious and covered the dish in perfect proportion. My wife's salmon was prepared beautifully, slightly blackened. The veggies were fresh and delicious. My wife and I each had a glass of wine. My Pinot Noir was obviously from a bottle long opened. It was rather bitter. But unless the wine is like vinegar I'm not sending it back. Not that guy. But it was close. Service was ok. Nothing special. Took longer than expected for our server to take our wine order and even longer to get the aforementioned below average wine. Dinner, however, was served promptly. I felt sorry for the young "prom couple" next to us who ordered cokes that never came until they reminded their (and our server) as well as their bread that didn't come until just before dinner arrived. It was late arriving. Last thing. When making a reservation through Open Table their is a menu where you can identify if the reservation is for a special event. I did, in fact, note that is was our anniversary. Was there even the slightest acknowledgment that we chose Bleu Olive as the venue for our anniversary dinner? Nope. Nothing. How hard would it be to come up with an uncomplicated system to ensure you acknowledge milestone events that YOU ask for? So, summary... Food -Terrific Ambience-OK Personal Touch-Wanting Service was ok. To be fair I have no idea how many tables

Dinner last night was great!! The Beet salad was one of the best I have ever eaten! Service was exceptional...Lulu was the best! Highly recommend for a great evening out. Very nice, soothing lighting that made for a relaxing atmosphere

Tried to go back and got lip at the door again. Stop greeting paying guest with snotty attitudes, would have went somewhere else but reluctantly agreed to meet family here. We got passed the door and sat down. Food was OK service was lacking, got drinks brought food and disappeared. The Meal and the mood was ruined by the greeting though. How many chances do you deserve? I am probably done for good this time!

Good spot that stays busy to grab dinner or just a quick appetizer and a cocktail also. We came for the latter and ordered the hummus with cucumber and pita slices. Good flavor and it tasted nice and light. We will come back to try a full dinner here soon since I love Mediterranean cuisine.

Bleu Olive is my favorite restaurant in Durham. The food is always delicious and the service is great. I've eaten many of the dishes on the menu and have not once been disappointed. Yum!!

We arrived about 40 minutes before closing. We were not rushed and were welcomed like family. My wife and I sat at the bar and had a drink. Very good service and a good selection of beer and wine. Thank you for good customer service.

I made a dinner reservation here for a Friday night. I was able to get on for the same day. When I arrived the hostess was welcoming and I got seated quickly. There were quite a few customers and there was a good ambiance for a date. The waitress was prompt and checked on me at appropriate intervals. I started with mussels as an appetizer and they were tasty. The sauce that the mussels were in was really good and it was a good portion. I also had a Shirley temple to drink and moussaka as my entree. That was my first time having moussaka and it was good. The portion was plenty and I took some home for leftovers. It was still good the next day. The menu is a little pricy but it's worth the cost. No complaints.

Great menu selections along with attentive staff make Bleu Olive a wonderful place to go!

Ordered a cheese burger medium rare. It arrived well done! They corrected their mistake and brought out another burger. It was medium, not medium rare, was dry and had no flavor. The cheese was a slice of Americn cheese, and the bun was stale. Stick with salads and avoid the chef!

This place was absolutely incredible. Surprised by the tasteful decor and ambiance, complimented with fantastic and efficient service, Bleu Olive has everything to offer. We enjoyed some tasty wine, the bread service was delightful, and the Kalamari and lamb appetizers were some of the best I've ever had. Really enjoyed the Moussaka as well for my main entree, something I've never had before, and i only wish i had more. Highly recommend in the Durham area!

The food was exemplary. The steak was cooked to perfection and the risotto and broccolini were also perfect. The Greek salad was good but different. Instead of a balsamic dressing, it needs a rich olive oil with a heavy lemon base dressing laced with Mediterranean spices. Ditch the beets.; more olives and where are the cucumber? Being from the Napa/ Livermore area, we highly recommend you change your wine selections. The wine list was mediocre. But....the restaurant food was very good. We will come back but will bring our own wine and pay a corkage fee until they improve the wine selection.

The food is delicious!!! We came here with some friends and the experience was great. The service is excellent, staff is friendly and it's not noisy so you can enjoy. We had the grilled octopus and also the calamari to start and both were excellent. The fish of the day was the Mahi and I was not disappointed. The goat cheesecake is a great if you feel like trying something different.

Bleu Olive never disappoints. the lunch menu is great I especially like the salmon. we don't live here but come to go to Duke Hospital - and we eat here almost every time. The service and food is always good

Takeout for front porch dining...supporting our locals and eating REALLY good at the same time. #YelpsBigNightIn @yelpnctriangle One of our fave places--- and does not EVER disappoint. Delicious steak frites and most tender lamb tenderloin w mushroom risotto. Ordering was easy, foods were ready/on time and the owner/staff are always so friendly.

What a great find across the street from the hotel. Sometimes you think you need to work harder to find a 5-star dinner. The atmosphere is elegant but you can feel comfortable in either jeans or dressy clothes (we wore jeans). The food was truly enjoyable! FAVORITES (only visited once) - Moussaka. OMG. You have to order this. The tender lamb and eggplant, topped with decadent potatoes with goat cheese béchamel. It was divine. - Paella. Shrimp, muscles, chicken and high quality sausage. Had a really nice (and not so subtle) smoky flavor. The risotto was nice and creamy with a wonderful tomatoe sauce. It really warmed the soul! TIPS - Complementary bread was good. The olive oil dip had massive chunks of garlic, and was too garlicky strong. Recommend asking for butter or oil without the garlic. - Grilled octopus. I am big fan of octopus and found this to be slightly less tender than optimum. The flavor balance with the diced olives and pickled onions was spot on delicious. - Wine list was very respectable with good options and many options. We opted for a bottle of Italian Camenere that was delightful

We had a wonderful experience. the food was delicious, the service impeccable and the atmosphere warm and welcoming

Food was delicious, the lamb and octopus were highlights. It may be a little salty for some palettes. It is on the pricier side but the portions are pretty average. Our server was very kind and gave great recommendations. Reasonable wait times for the food we ordered. Very quiet, fine dining environment, not needed to dress up, but don't show up in your gym clothes.

I can't believe I've never reviewed Bleu Olive!! It's one of our go-to's for a special occasion. The menu and food is incredible. The seafood paella is my fave. Flavorful, scrumptious, delicious! My husband loves their lamb - both the rack of lambs and sirloin. The moussaka is a Mediterranean staple and yummy. Their apps are FIRE. I could just eat the apps (except their mains are so good too so maybe not). The lemon chicken soup (I can never spell it) is perfect, hearty and hot. The sautéed calamari is amazing. Both mussels (spicy and non) are great. I usually love spicy but the non were actually better - and both come with delicious giant pieces of bread. Im drooling thinking about it. Its kind of in the middle of no where in Durham but a classy, dimly lit restaurant perfect for a date or small group. The service is good. It's on the pricier side but worth it!

My family relies on this great place sometimes too much both for in-person and sometimes take-out pandemic dining. So we took a break for a while. But we went back tonight and it was so pleasing to all of us! Good salad, good octopus(!), good *spicy* mussels (almost too many!) for starters. Then a great lamb loin, and two terrific orders of the sumptuous -- with veggies and orzo -- fish of the day. The wine list is a bit bizarre but that makes it exciting because we haven't heard of them before. Excellent cocktails as well. We had a very fun time, as we hoped for!

I am first going to qualify my 5-star rating by stating that this restaurant will satisfy pretty much all casual diners. With that being said, I do have some criticisms to share and I'll cover those as they apply to the following sections. First, let's talk about the restaurant's ambience. It is a smaller place that isn't extremely loud or over bearing. It is lit with low, warm lighting, so this is a great place for a romantic date. However, it is loud enough so that it likely hampers low, intimate conversation. And this might be a personal preference, but I believe in experiencing my food to the fullest, which includes being able to see it! It is difficult to enjoy the plating and the colors of a dish in a place that has your rods on overdrive. And they take great care in their dish presentation, but I'll talk about that later. And in terms of the noise, it seems overly loud not because of the patrons, but bc the music is turned up just a bit too much. It just seems a little disjointed with how dark the restaurant is. Taking all that into consideration, I'd say most patrons wouldn't take notice of my criticisms. However, that doesn't mean they wouldn't have a more enjoyable dining experience if lighting was a bit more nuanced and shed a soft spotlight on the food and pretty drinks, and if the stereo system wasn't more strictly managed to reduce the noise pollution caused by overly loud music, which then causes the patrons to have to speak up. Again, casual diners will likely enjoy the soft lighting and the not even notice the noise. Next, the service is polite and helpful, but not perfect though. My main complaint is that I received my appetizer AFTER my entree. Obviously, this is an issue that would cause a casual diner to wonder at my 5-star rating. I have worked in and frequented many restaurants. This just happens from time to time, and I guess I'm just forgiving of this. I was sitting in the "bar area" of the Bleu Olive so my server was the bartender and she had plenty of patrons to attend at the bar. Also, my entree did not take long to arrive. And I also placed my appetizer order when I placed my entree order which is something I do not recommend to other patrons if you really want to prevent this. The one thing that I enjoyed about my server was that when I placed my order, she assured me that I was making a very good decision. This could just be a general response she gives to all, but I could just tell that she genuinely liked my choices. Haha! Lastly, the FOOD! Great food! Good portion sizes, though if you are known for having a monster appetite, this probably isn't the place for you. I could see some people look at the price, then the amount of food and think that they weren't getting their money's worth. If the primary way you judge a restaurant is based on the volume of food to price ratio, don't patronize the Bleu Olive. Based on what I ate, what they lack in food volume, they make up for with flavor, presentation, and just the overall thought needed to make a balanced, delicious dish. I ordered the Grilled Polenta and was stunned at how buttery it was and how the beets, root vegetables, and pesto complimented it so well. The only critique I have of that dish is that I would've enjoyed a splash of acidity to balance out the buttery polenta. But, I like butter so I won't complain much. Ultimately, the portion size of the dish was perfect for me as I wouldn't have been able to handle much more. recommend. I'll be back! I'm glad I chose to stay at a hotel in the same area, otherwise I never would've experienced the Bleu Olive.

The paella was delicious, and well cooked. All of the spreads were amazing, and pita was the best. Very fresh. The polenta had an earthy taste and was the highlight of the dinner. For desserts, we ordered the creme brûlée and the cheesecake. They were okay. The lighting is really cool and you can never go wrong for a date here.

Spectacular food and service. The avgolemono soup feels like you're in Athens, with the bits of chicken a surprise rather than an afterthought. The lamb bolognese is something I'd order over and over if not for so many other choices. Try the special Greek wines -- quite lovely.

My customer's wife chose this restaurant, and what a fabulous experience and extraordinary evening we had!!! We started with calamari as an appetizer and variety of drinks... Their bartender is outstanding!! I ordered the flounder over risotto, along with several others, while Bill and Syd ordered the lamb. We shared a bit of tastings, but i can tell you, my flounder was out of this world !!! I would highly encourage you to give Bleu Olive a try !!! I'll be back ;)

Food was excellent and very good service. Easy excess off freeway. Parking was easy to find.

Had lunch with friends today. We informed server that there would only be 4 of us instead of 5 and although already seated we're told we might have to move if they needed the table. We were informed we could stay when she came to take our orders. Food came quickly, I ordered the chicken shawarma with a side salad. The chicken was tasteless and dry. The pita wrap was so dry it was like eating a soda cracker. We decided to have dessert and I chose the spiced crème brine which was delicious. I also had hot tea. I box of tea bags was brought out to choose from which was nice. Individual pots of hot water were brought out. When I added the water to tea bag the bag opened up causing the cup to fill with tea leaves. Oh well drank around them. Nice linens and atmosphere but the prices were very high especially for the quality of the food received. If I have a choice I will not return or recommend this restaurant. This was my first time.

An established, elegant favorite of our group. Portions are adequate, seasonings unusually flavorful and food selections novel. A little pricey but worth the cost. The decorating is old-time; it needs a facelift. However the atmosphere is subdued and relaxing. Put it on your list of Triangle go/to's!

What a wonderful location north of I-85! The pork chops... risotto... chocolate martini... wonderful service, beautiful ambiance. Wonderful location for a nice, elegant meal

This is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. I love coming to Durham just so that I can eat here. The service is outstanding--always professional. Great descriptions of specials and knowledgeable about the dishes. I had the honey glazed lamb tenderloin (see pic) and a glass of Pinot Noir. For dessert, I had the orange dark chocolate torte. The dessert was delicious. I also had a taste of my friend's goat cheese and honey cheesecake. I actually liked that a little better. The chocolate was incredibly rich. I HIGHLY recommend this place. If you like Mediterranean food, you need to eat here. Quality ingredients, super staff, incredible food.

Lovely restaurant featuring Mediterranean inspired food. Have only been for lunch, had the falafel wrap with side salad, friend ordered the lamb kefte pita, equally good. Split the chocolate orange torte, highlight was the house made five spice gelato, unbelievably delicious! Inside and outside seating, service efficient. A great option amidst all the fast food places in the area.

Just Outstanding! The service from Eric was attentive, courteous and on point. I so enjoyed the lamb with mushroom risotto. The hummus was fresh and garlicky like I like it. Crispy Brussels sprouts were crunchy with a sweet balsamic finish. My husband thought the paella was delicious, flavorful with an assortment of seafood served piping hot. We will be back with friends. This spot is not to be missed.

Very poor service. The food was good , but the waiter was extremely rude. When we shared our experience with the manager he displayed no empathy. He just said "ok, I will talk to him". I do not recommend this place AT ALL

We enjoyed very good food and wine and great service as well. Always consistent every time I've eaten here!

This a great location and good food for those who like Greek food. If you like wine, you better have a phone with you. The do not provide a printed wine list! You have to scan the QR code to see it! The server said he could describe what they had and he had no further options or explanations. May not return.

The food is exceptionally good, but the manager/host sets the tone for your experience there. And he's rather rude and doesn't care. I've been a handful of times with my parents when I'm in town, and it's always the same guy with Yanni-live-at-the-Acropolis hair up front. He was super short with us last night when we were in with a less able family member and asked for accommodation. It's a shame he's the public face of things since the service at table and food are so good. They also have a posted note on each table stating for you to essentially hurry up and eat so they can get more bodies in.