Olive Lounge & Grill

It was one of the hottest days of summer, and my partner and I were in the Takoma Park neighbourhood on the hunt for somewhere to grab Happy Hour (HH)! We strolled the beautiful and quaint neighbourhood for a little, until we found Olive Lounge!! After taking a glance at their HH menu — our decision was easy, the food and drink options were just what we were looking forward to!! I can happily report that the food was DELICIOUS & truly represented what you would want from a Middle Eastern restaurant. I was ecstatic to have their grilled halloumi 🤤 & their beef and chicken kabob with kidreh and tzatziki was 10/10!!! The aromatic seasonings and flavours with the kabobs were divine, and perfectly complimented the kidreh (spiced rice, garlic, chick peas). My husband had the Takoma Burger which was equally fantastic - and only $10 with a side of fries on Tuesday!! We will definitely be back to explore their HH and dinner menus more!!! This restaurant is definitely worth a visit (or several)!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Olive Lounge and Grill is a hidden gem in Maryland! From the moment you walk in, you’ll notice the space is smaller and more intimate, but don’t let that fool you—the food is absolutely spectacular. The cozy setup allows for a unique experience, with the ability to enjoy a more personal vibe whether you’re seated by the bar or near the open kitchen. I started with the bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with blue cheese, and they were incredible. The smoky bacon, creamy blue cheese, and sweet dates combined to create a perfectly balanced flavor explosion. The Greek Salad was next, and it did not disappoint. It had the perfect balance of crisp, fresh vegetables, tangy feta, and just the right amount of dressing. It was light, refreshing, and a great lead-up to the main course. Speaking of the main course, I couldn’t resist the French Rack of Lamb made with Australian lamb. It was cooked to perfection—tender, juicy, and seasoned beautifully. The flavors were bold yet refined, making every bite unforgettable. The warm and inviting ambiance, paired with attentive and friendly service, makes Olive Lounge and Grill a place I can’t recommend enough. If you’re looking for exceptional Middle Eastern cuisine in a cozy, intimate setting, this is the spot. I’ll definitely be back!

Good service and fresh food. We ordered the falafel sandwich and chicken tacos. I wanted it with pita but it came as a wrap but I didn’t mind as it was delicious. The chicken was very tasty. Grape leaves were so good. Would definitely come here again!

This spot is a local favorite, with everything you want in a neighborhood restaurant. Independent owners, plenty of seating, nice outdoor area, friendly service, and great food. They have great bar food like sweet potato tater tots and great middle eastern food. Great place for vegetarians - the vegetable lasagna is amazing. Virtually all of us locals know and love Olive lounge.

Yum! Had a late lunch here yesterday and sat on the patio to enjoy the awesome weather. I didn’t know what to expect, but the quality of the food was excellent! Our starter platter had fluffy falafel (I hate when they are dense like hockey pucks, which these definitely were not!!), vibrant and flavorful hummus, and an eggplant dip that had a really nice but subtle smokiness. I had the salmon burger which was tasty and my friends enjoyed the salmon and chicken entrees. This restaurant was a great discovery and I will definitely be back!

We recently moved to Takoma and the Olive Grill has become our regular place. We love everything about this place! The food, the drinks, the atmosphere and the staff. The layout allows you to match your experience to expectations. Outdoor seating, a bar area and sit down restaurant space. The happy hour specials are a deal. I love anything lamb, the dips, the falafel, shawarma, the list goes on. Come and support this family owned gem of a local restaurant!

The food is delicious. The service is nice and friendly. It's highly recommended.

Chicken Wings and stuffed burgers were great. They also have a nice selection of beers on tap and in cans.

The Olive Lounge and Grill is one of those places I hesitate to write about, for fear it will become impossible to get a table there. However, since it is already so popular, perhaps the secret out in any case. The core of this family owned restaurant is Middle East food - the restaurant was started two generations ago by brothers who hailed from Ramallah. They do this cuisine extremely well. But you can also get regular pub fare - Tuesday night is $10 burger night, Thursday is $11 nachos locos. And then there are some outstanding entrees that are not usually associated with the Middle East, like French cut lamb chops with grilled onions and peppers and a choice of couscous, rice, or kidhre. Besides the homey atmosphere, friendly staff (most of whom are family members, who are still hands on at the restaurant), I really appreciate the prices. Although they have gone up a little like everywhere else, they still feel approachable. Thanks, Olive Lounge! We love having you in the neighborhood.

This was our first time trying this restaurant, parking was convenient with a small lot ($5/day) behind the restaurant. They have a nice outdoor dining patio with heaters out back. If you go in the back door off the parking lot and enter through the patio space, you come into the cute bar area. The main dining room is through a hallway and down a few steps. If stairs are an issue, enter through front off Carroll. Dining room is nicely decorated in a Middle Eastern vibe. In winter I can imagine this front area might be chilly, when the front door opens, outside air blows in. We got little chilly on a 60° day as we were sitting near the door. Service was excellent and any questions we asked, she tried to answer to best of her ability. We were a group of 3 and all ordered something different. From prior reviews here with photos, I wasn't sure if I wanted to order a flatbread or app to share. Would it be too much food before sn entree? Well, I should have as I decided to get the chicken Kabob entree. Flavor was excellent, chicken was tender and very flavorful. Basmati rice was plentiful and cooked just right. Only thing was portion size for chicken was very small and I still was hungry, which left room for dessert. My hubby ordered the Chicken Shawarma. His portion size of chicken was great, at first he really liked whatever spices were used in the marinade & cooking process, but he said after a while he grew tired of it & couldn't finish because he started to turn off to the spices. I did try a bite or two and to me, it almost tasted like a "soap" flavor. Not appealing to me at all. My friend ordered the rack of Lamb. The said it was delicious but she came across couple fatty bites that had to be spit out. For me, I noticed it looked rare along the bone. I'm not familiar with how rack of Lamb is cooked or served but couldn't help wonder if it was done. Then we did order dessert. I became a fan of Kunefe from another restaurant that I love, so any place I see it on the menu, I want to try. Although any place has a tough dish to fill. The waitress brought out a nice display tray of what they offer for desserts and she went through them all and explained a couple of them were housemade, Baklava and Kunefe being those and that's what we ordered. I'd say stick to desserts that are not housemade as the Baklava was not good. Out of the 2 served, I only photographed the better looking one. I did get the Kunefe and it was ok, but when comparing to another, I wouldn't order again and even one of my FB friends who is middle eastern & saw the photo, she thought it didn't even look good. I would love to come back as I really wanted to try the Mezze platter and flatbread and also to support a family business. I believe here everything is based on your taste appeal to various spices and everything was enjoyable except for dessert. For those who like specialty teas, the spiced tea (served cold or hot) was delicious, touch of cinnamon in the background. If your not sure, request a sample to try before ordering to be sure. I had it iced and loved it, unfortunately, no refills and our friend received hot with honey which I'm sure was delicious. Once it got busy, service attention did get less attentive as there was only 1 waitress. They do charge different cost for cash vs credit here.

Cute place that is half bar & grill and half middle eastern fare. We were looking for the latter when we came on a weekend for lunch so it wasn't very busy. We ordered the grilled cauliflower, hummus with lamb, and a chicken shawarma pita all to share. My favorite was the cauliflower, it came with a sauce I can't remember well enough to describe except for not being a toum or a tahini like I would have expected. The lamb on the hummus was chunks rather thanground meat (which I was expecting simply because of how an old haunt that used to serve that dish did) and the lamb was very good but i found the hummus quite mid - heavier on lemony or other tart notes than on tahini as I prefer. The chicken shawarma was decent quality but the chicken didn't have the flavor profile I was used to for shawarma and to me seemed bland (though the sauce helps). My husband enjoyed those more than I did, but admitted he too prefers a more tahini driven smooth hummus. I would come back and try other stuff (they have some Latin food among others) if in the neighborhood, but for shawarma and hummus that requires a trek anyway, it won't replace our favorite in Rockville.

Very quaint. Simple straight forward neighborhood establishment that has simple charm. My bartender was very good at making drinks. So I will be back looking for her.

Came here randomly on a Monday and had the best experience! Their Mezza platters are only $15 (normally 27) on mondays and it's really the best deal ever. You get pita bread, a bunch of falafel, stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh, hummus, baba ganoush, and a Mediterranean dip. It easily fed 3 of us with plenty leftover. Service was fast and friendly.

The happy hour was truly delightful, and the service was commendably swift. The gin and tonic was expertly crafted and satisfyingly strong. The culinary offerings were unique, and I wholeheartedly recommend coming here.

Awesomeness place great food Russell the waiter the nest ! We will be back here! Very family oriented place definitely seems like a mom and Pop place

Cute, little neighborhood bar/restaurant, with an outdoor seating area. My friend and I just stumbled across this bar/restaurant. The food was good. I had the baked stuffed eggplant and he had the falafel plate. The service was not very friendly. The server said she wasn't going to serve my friend any beer because she thought he was drunk. He hadn't been drinking at all, so that was a bad call (and rather rude) on her part! I doubt I'll be coming back. There are plenty of bars where I live and the service there is much better.

I love having this reliable spot in our neighborhood. Their menu is extensive, and while I do love the buffalo wings, the kebab and shawarma is where they truly shine! Check out their website for daily specials too. Staff is always super friendly, and while the front area seems small, there's usually plenty of space towards the back bar down the narrow hallway. I do carry-out from here pretty often as well, and it's always just as good as dining in.

We love this unassuming little nook in Takoma Park! We recently tried the wings, egg rolls, spinach, and rice & chickpeas. Everything was fresh, crunchy, and delicious. Excellent service and cozy atmosphere. Love it

The Monday happy hour Mazza Platter $15 feeds many. Crispy falafel, fragrant olive oil on the Mediterranean dip, tasty babaghanoush, fresh tabbouleh, grape leaves. Family owned, friendly staff, and attentive service.

Food is basic, yet they can't manage a plain, unsweetened iced tea. You can have only two bill tickets per table, so bring cash if you need more than 2 bills. Other restaurants manage--I would have paid a small service fee to pay my own bill with a card--but they refused to even offer. Nice idea to have an in-town place, but evening hours are odd and experience really isn't welcoming and overall isn't that great.

The food is delicious! We ordered through Grubhub and noted an allergy on a couple items and they made sure to note where the allergen was in the rest of the order, too.

I wanted to start by saying a big thank you to Chris, the wonderful Manager at the Olive Lounge & Grill. I had the opportunity to work with Chris for the Grand Opening of Takoma Music School last weekend. Not only did Chris make sure we stayed within our client's budget, but he also went above and beyond to make sure our 200+ guests' were well taken care of with food. We were able to break the delivery times into two to accommodate guests coming at different times between the 8-hour event. We loved the food, the service, and the attention to detail. I highly recommend this amazing restaurant with friendly staff for your catering needs.

Thank you to Angela and all the staff for providing such great service and food for my daughters college graduation dinner! The food was awesome, the service amazing!

Finally, the contest is complete. In the best-burger- in-Silver Spring and Takoma Park-- goes to Olive. Not the old Republic, not Tak Bevco, not Zinnia, not anywhere in Downtown Silver Spring, and not Busboys. Olive wins. And on Tuesday, it's a cheap burger.

My wife and I got take out. We ordered a Gyro and Falafel Bowl. Gyro Pita Wrap 3/5 - I've had gyros that are the size of a Chipotle burrito. It's been awhile though. For some reason so many places are making them tight and skinny now. I'm sure this is just a certain style, but I prefer the ones that are plump and full of lamb, feta, tzatziki, and flavor! Although this gyro was the tight and skinny version, it had a decent amount of lamb, and the flavor was on point. It could have used more tzatziki. Actually I'm not even sure if there was tzatziki included in the gyro, we had to use the tzatziki from the falafel bowl. Also, the pita doesn't seem to be homemade. Falafel Bowl 4/5 - It comes with 6 delicious well seasoned pieces of Falafel, Basmati Rice, Tabuleh, Onion and Tzatziki. For $13 this meal is a far better value than the Gyro Pita Wrap for $10. Our takeout bag was missing cutlery, and napkins. But we let them know, and they were quick to correct the mistake. If the gyro gained weight, tzatziki, and was wrapped in homemade pita + If the falafel bowl had come with a few pieces of homemade pita and pickled banana pepper I would have given 5 stars.

I recently moved to the dmv and I'm so exited to have found such a good Mediterranean restaurant! It reminds me of back home, the service and the food were both amazing, definitely coming back to try everything else on the menu! The Turkish coffee is so authentic, along with the baklava!

Are you looking for a charming, family-owned business with the best falafel around? Olive Lounge delivers every time. It's a cozy spot with 4 different seating areas that give it a classic neighborhood feel whether you're sitting under the string lights in the alley or at the bar. The service is excellent, as is the extensive drink and food menu that is complete with daily specials! I can honestly say that I never liked falafel until I had it here. It's truly no wonder that they've been around for 50 years.

What can I say other than this is a really great neighborhood restaurant and bar!! We had family in town for the new year and decided to walk here for dinner/happy hour! We were seated right away and the service the entire time was really great! We ordered the fried pickles and nachos as an appetizer and both were stand out options! The nachos were the clear winner though as they were just loaded with seasoned chicken and lots of fresh toppings! And it was more than enough for 6 people. We did ask for it without beans since I am allergic and didn't come our right at first but the restaurant was quick to fix the error! We all ordered different things for dinner ranging from gyros, to quesadillas, etc! All very great! The HH specials were also nice including the Wednesday night special on bottles of wine! I think it's safe to say we have found our new go to neighborhood restaurant!

Old fashioned local bar with amazing food, friendly staff (even one that bakes cookies, pies, and cakes)! Food is very reasonably priced, big portions and made fresh to order! Please to now‼

Came here for drinks and dessert and everything was perfect. The dessert was good and the prices were very reasonable.

Great food and friendly staff. The management and staff were excellent in planning and catering a family event.

Four or us enjoyed dinner here this evening. All food items were excellent and courteous service was provided promptly by our wait person. Happy Hour specials were appreciated and the restaurant did not feel a need to hurry us from the establishment immediately after finishing our meal . We all agree that we would return another time...

I finally tried this place for the first time yesterday. My family and I sat inside. First, I really like the interior of the restaurant. It's small, but clean with a lot of interesting lighting to stare at. Second, the service was exceptional. Third (but most importantly), the food was great! The pita is thin and crispy, the chicken shawarma sandwich is well seasoned and satisfying, and the Greek salad was fresh and delicious. I'll be coming back soon!

Great spot. Fresh falafel, incredible hummus. Good happy hour specials, decent beer list with local beer on draft. Wine list could use some improvement - nothing from Greece, Lebanon. They've got a "mug club" if you're a regular. Will be back!

This place is soooo good. Gave 4/5 because service was a little slow but they obviously need to hire more servers to accommodate demand so not super their fault. Lots of food options and super delicious. Falafel was the best I've ever had! Spinach was a little bland but I like my sautéed spinach with lots of lemon and garlic. Will definitely be back.

Cannot say enough how awesome this place is!! We were a party of 9 celebrating a college graduation when our previous reservation turned out to be an awful place. I called and Angela said she would hold a table for us which they don't normally do. The service was GREAT and the food soo good and fresh!! Angela literally saved the day and they let us stay past closing. Go here! Support this family business and tell Angela I sent you!!

I found this place on yelp. The service was excellent, the food was good, decent beer list & nice seating, The bathroom was clean but don't know why they're labeled men-women when they're single stall bathrooms.

I've been dying to go to this place since I'm Middle Eastern! The food was a good portion and the options are great. They were super busy and low staffed so it was slightly slow but I sat outside so I was thriving and didn't mind waiting.

Best wings ever! I love this place. I've been going there for years. Great service, friendly staff, very Cheers-like. And best goddamned wings this side of Buffalo. And I should know because I grew up in Central NY where wings are kings.

My family and I have come on and off for years, as it is sort of out of the way for us; however, every time we come, we are so happy we did. Last week, we picked up kibbeh, grape leaves, hummus, falafel, and shawarma sandwiches. What an amazing feast we had. We are Lebanese, but absolutely love the cooking at the Olive Lounge & Grill, and although we typically get food from here to go, the food is always so fresh and warm by the time we get home. The staff are kind and inviting, and are great to talk to as you wait for the food to come out. We've typically gone at off hours, so waiting for a place to sit or for our food to be ready has never been a problem. I would love to return to dine in during dinner on a weekend, I bet it is a great atmosphere. Thanks for making some of the best Mediterranean food around! Can't wait to come back soon.

Olive Lounge is definitely a neighborhood gem worth visiting/ordering from. The food variety is welcomed and delicious, the weekly deals are fun and customer-friendly, and you'd be hard pressed to find better service--both dining in and ordering out. In my experience, they take Covid protocols very seriously and created awesome outdoor dining spots which are cozy and dog and kid friendly. Recently, I placed an order for delivery. It arrived impressively fast. Inadvertently, a piece of the order was missing but was promptly handled and delivered quickly, which is not always a guarantee by many restaurants. The team handling the inquiry went above and beyond. Thank you, Olive Lounge! Feel lucky to be nearby!

I re-download Yelp just to leave this review. Me and a co worker were standing outside in the heat trying to get donations for a charity to help the children in our local area (during summer). When we went inside to have some iced cold water, we were charged $7 for two small 16oz cups of tap water. We were positioned by the window as well as told them what we were doing and we were still charged the $7. Our only other option was to walk 5 minutes to a starbucks and get 4 large free cups of iced cold waters. I was interested in dining with them at first but now I will choose to not give my support.

I love this place. Service is always on point. Food is delicious and the prices are reasonable. I'm a simple girl and I usually stop in for some chicken wings. I'm picky about my wings they have to be fried hard and crispy. Olive Lounge nails them every time. They also have a nice outdoor patio where I can enjoy the wings :)

The mango margarita was really good and the salmon burger and fries were very tasty. I absolutely love the buffalo wings yum

Overall...a great place! Our first stop in one of the many eating choices we had planned during our trip in DC. A little hard to find since it's technically in the back at the far end of the restaurant. It's a small yet unique looking establishment that has TVs playing all kinds of sports and a good number of seating. Service: outstanding! Everyone seems to work together to ensure excellent customer service. We had more than one server check in on us and they didn't overcrowd our table as we took our time looking over the menu. When looking over the cocktail menu, the bartender actually walked over and allowed us to try a sip of the arak (a liquor in one of the cocktails) just so we could know for sure if we wanted to order that specific one. Food: we ordered the appetizer of olives since we just happened to love olives. Salty and sour, I actually really enjoyed eating it with my salmon burger. The burger itself was good, but not the absolute best I've ever had. We both happened to order cocktails as we ate and were pleasantly surprised with how well they were made. I forget the name but I had the Tito's with various fruit muddled in. Absolutely delicious!! I could honestly have drank 2 more of those. 4/5 - because service is great and the drinks amazing! It's definitely a hole in the wall that everyone should check out

The olive lounge is very good wines and they have the most delicious buffalo wings. I would recommend this restaurant/bar to anyone. Thank you, Sheila Cole.

Simply delicious. Made it out for happy hour and everything was so good. Located in Takoma Park, a very short distance from the Takoma Station. The back of the restaurant is situated like a small bar, room for about 20 people to chill out and have a beer and order food. The front is the actual restaurant. I ordered the lamb small plate which was 3 lamb shanks and mixed peppers which was absolutely delicious. Also has the Mediterranean hummus, spinach dip, fries, salad and drinks. Lots of food for a very cheap price. The staff was extremely friendly as well. Lots of parking in the back. Will return!

Olive Lounge did a fantastic job with our (large) takeout order. From burgers to falafel to quesadilla and even a kebab, everything was really well seasoned, perfectly cooked, and very delicious. I've had their stuffed burgers twice, and I've got to say, this is what you want to order if you're a carnivore. Juicy, flavorful, and well proportioned, they're delicious and rich without being too filling or making you feel too gross (esp if you get them with a side salad rather than the fries--they just don't travel all that well). I got mine with cheddar, jalapeno, and avocado the first time, and bleu cheese and mushrooms the other. Both were sublime and perfect. Since Olive Lounge shares their kitchen with Middle Eastern Cuisine, you can get all the goodies from that side of the street, as well. They make great falafel and perfect rice, and their chicken kebabs are a favorite in our house, too. The people who own and operate OL and MEC are just lovely--a family-owned business means attention to service, detail, and honoring family recipes, which as customers we benefit from greatly! Can't recommend enough. A fantastic little biz in the heart of TkPk.

The veggie quesadilla and the spicy chicken quesadilla are amazing. The peach Cosmo is to die for! For a hump day it was packed, every table but still easy enough to talk and hear one another if your seating next to each other. The atmosphere is super cute and it's hidden behind the middle Easter restaurant. You have to walk through to find it but the liveliness of the place can be heArd from the front door. There is a back door to a parking lot (not sure if paid) but it enters directly. This is a lil hidden gem in downtown TP that I am thrilled to find. If you get lucky enough to have Max as your server than treat him just as well as he will treat you! I will definitely be back multiple times and refer to others. I gotta try the wings, stuffed burgers, and sandwiches!

Amazing service. Besides the food being great, the service was lovely. Amazing workers and great ambiance. Angela is an angel on earth. She is amazing and made dinner so much fun! She is a great person and I cannot wait to see her again. Would DEFINITELY recommend.

WARM. Friendly. Kid friendly. Great food. Great service. A favorite hometown spot any night of the week.

We have been here many times and will keep coming back. Love the stuffed burgers, lamb, quesadillas, combo appetizers, etc. I think we tried almost everything and really loved it all. This is part of another restaurant that is also very tasty which we found out once Covid hit. That place has excellent food! But it's more a dinner type food and not a random beer and munchie type. I think what we love most is the atmosphere though. We usually sit outside (sometimes with our pup) and have a few drinks. There are plenty of regulars who seem nice. I also like the random variety of ppl who come. We look forward to our next visit!

A funny thing happened tonight, I thought I'd surprise my husband with take out from Olive Lounge and he evidently had the same idea. NOT a bad thing to have excessive amounts of delicious healthy food on hand. We both ordered the Mediterranean dip because it's addictive! Tonight we tried the Fave Bean dip and it was amazing! I always forget to take pictures, but I assure you, whether it's take out, or dining in, we have not had a bad meal from here. Service when we eat there has been exceptional even throughout the pandemic.

What could I add that hasn't already been said? Amazing happy hour. Kid friendly in the early dinner hours. The staff know us now and always welcome us back. Happy hour is one of the best in the area. Wings, burgers (Tuesday!), Wine night? All worth your time and attention. Personally love the fried cauliflower (it's not breaded! Perfect for Keto /low carb). So many appetizers too. Perfect spot for a light dinner or a beer. The only downside is it's small so it can be hard to find a seat (especially if there is a good sporting event on). Stop by. Check out their happy hour. Stay for more.

This place has really good food and really friendly servers FOOD: 5 AMBIANCE: 4 SERVICE: 5 VALUE: 5 OVERALL: 4.5 I come here every so often with my teammates and we are always welcomed with fantastic service. Love all the selections of middle eastern cuisine as well as burgers and wings. My favorite is the kibbeh. I am not joking, I think this is the best in the DC area. It is the perfect crispy outer shell, and inside is fluffy lamb and beef with rice and a mouthwatering blend of spices. It's served with yogurt and I ask for a bit of sumac, though I wonder if they have zaatar :) Other typical orders among our group are : falafel with hummous (falafel is ON POINT), fried pickles, quesadillas, burgers, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, etc. The portions are great, the prices are wonderful, and the servers are so friendly, attentive, and knowledgable about their beers and food selections. The only thing I would suggest is to put a little time and renovation investment into the bathrooms, layout of the "dining room" and the floor (where the tiles are coming apart) Other than that I really am in love with this small, warm, and neighborhood-y gem. Cheers!

Was disappointed by a Mexican restaurant nearby and left there without even ordering anything. Walked up the street and found this place .... Great burger and fries and tried a Moscow Mule for the first time .... Nice place, great burger, great service! Will go again sometime.

Lamb shawanara was overcooked to the point of being tough. Takeout took far too long. Maybe they were having a bad day! Server that took my order was very pleasant and quite professional. May give them another chance too possibly make up??