Olive Tree Cafe

Olive Tree Café blew me away—easily the best Mediterranean food I’ve had in for a long time! The hummus and baba ghanoush were absolutely incredible—creamy, fresh, and packed with flavor. I ordered the souvlaki next, and it was tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned. Even though I was already full, I couldn’t resist trying the baklava… and I’m so glad I did. It was just right—flaky, not overly sweet, and the perfect finish to an unforgettable meal. Can’t wait to go back!

Site says indoor and outdoor seating. Chairs stacked up in the corners where you could not take them down to place them around empty tables…and no it was not even close to closing time. The hummus was alright, had better. Was missing a meal even after he read off what we ordered. Wasn’t in the bag and didn’t realize until we were home. Again, would have been caught if there was sitting available as advertised. And lastly, the guy that took the order, seemed not to be bothered when asking questions or even ordering the meals.

The food is amazing, that being said the atmosphere isn’t the same anymore, because of that minus 3 stars. The whole staff has changed and it’s just not the same atmosphere. They recently just changed the lighting to bright fluorescent school lighting and it’s really obnoxious, please bring the warm lighting back and the warmth of the original staff members. (The old staff members seemed like they genuinely loved working there and Olive tree was their lifestyle. New staff members seem like they don’t really want to be there and are just doing it for the paycheck) Will happily update this review to 5 starts if the atmosphere improves!

They’re open for dine in & take card for payment now! We’ve been going here for years, love the food.

Olive Tree Café has been my favorite Mediterranean spot since I was little. The food has always been fresh and flavorful, and even though ownership has changed, the menu has stayed the same and it’s still delicious. The taste is a little different than before, but it remains one of the best places for Mediterranean on the island. I love that they now accept cards and offer dine-in, which makes the experience even better. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming; perfect for enjoying classics like gyros, hummus, and lamb dishes. If you’re craving Mediterranean comfort food with a local staple feel, Olive Tree Café is a must.

Not sure if this is an issue with the new online ordering or what but I’m pretty upset with my experience this evening. I placed an order through the website, my dad picked it up, and drove 30 minutes home. When we unpacked the bag we realized they didn’t include the two hummus orders that we ordered and paid for. I’ve never run into this issue before, when I used to call to place my orders. But now it’s not worth it to drive a whole hour there and back and I can’t get anyone on the phone. Really frustrated and disappointed because the hummus is one of my favorite things from here. I do love the food they make

The Olive Tree used to be our go to mid week dinner place. Now they don’t take phone orders and you have to go down, order, and wait 30 minutes (you cannot dine in either). Too bad, it’s the end of an era. I hope they realize that speed and convenience were key parts of their success. Update - went down and put in an in-person order. The staff was polite and nice, actually much better than the old guy with the pony tail who ran the register. They are indeed open for dine in. The restaurant is under new ownership. Prices have gone up by about 15% and recipes are similar, but not quite the same. The dressing is off, the pita bread is either old or from a different supplier (not as soft or tasty as the old pita), and the produce isn’t fresh - some of the tomatoes were soft, almost rotten. The new owner seems to have gotten on the buy out an old business and revamp it by cutting costs and quality and doing things on the cheap. Disappointing that a local institution dropped a few notches. But I get it, the old staff, who were also the owners, wanted to move on. Sadly the old saying of “nothing good ever lasts” is true. Original Olive Tree - you had a very good and long run. Aloha O-Tree, akā naʻe ʻaʻole a hui hou…. ______ Update - The Olive Tree has gotten much better. We gave them another shot and they have gotten over the hump and have improved! E hoʻomaikaʻi ana ka Olive Tree.

The food is good. But small portions and very long wait! My kids were still hungry and I had to go home and make them extra food. Also they don't specify that some of their food has dairy.

Authenticity and quality for their food and service. ~ Everyone and everything is very down to earth every time I go here. This is what makes Olive Tree stand out - especially from similar places ~ If you are in the local area I highly recommend Olive Tree for great Greek food.

Saw a similar review trying to communicate with the new owners so they can make the right adjustments! - I've also been coming to the Olive Tree for over 21 years, so lots of interactions at different times of the year and different days of the week. Last night was a frustrating experience, placed our order online before leaving home on the Windward side, estimated ready time was 57 min (drive time ~45 min so not an issue since we could just sit and eat now) Well, after a total wait time of an hour and 40 min we finally received our food.. Understandable that new owners with a new POS system need time to acclimate..What was frustrating was while there waiting (already an hour in) at least 3 customers strolled in, ordered at the counter and got their food before us! How does that happen?? Sad to be saying this after being a loyal customer for so long - I'll stay away for a bit, hopefully they can take this constructive feedback and improve.

I haven't been inside Olive Tree Café, but I did eat the lamb souvlaki, sans napkins or utensils, in the back of a moving van. I was in Honolulu for a work trip and a local colleague and longtime Olive Tree customer suggested the place for an on-the-go dinner. He said it was a small, cash-only spot that had been around forever. He called in our order and picked it up, and was surprised to learn he could now pay by card. I got the New Zealand lamb souvlaki and it was delicious, with marinated, grilled grass-fed lamb and house tzatziki wrapped in a round of pita. The lamb was flavorful, the pita warm and pillowy. There was a simple side salad with a small container of dressing, and I ate those leaves with my hand along with the souvlaki. This was a fast, easy dinner, one I'd definitely have again if I lived nearby. Check it out if you're in the mood for a quick Greek meal in Honolulu.

This establishment has changed hands like so many other food related businesses in Honolulu. As consumers we need to adapt to the new management as with all other things in life. The food quality is the same which is good news. The staff are hard working, level headed and pleasant. My reason for the so so rating was the wait time. I order my food at six and as I completed my order was advised it would take 50 mins for my food. One has to be smart about timing. Fine in is open again which is good news for the community but it is all basically takeout so you are competing with many others. Perhaps a second location would be ideal? Anyway feeling very thankful for the previous owners and the crew that worked their poles off to feed us healthy and delicious food for decades. Much mahalos.

Alright you guys - NEW OWNERSHIP. Waiting with bated breath.. With time, we will see if they bought Olive Tree Cafe for the name recognition or genuinely intend to keep Olive Tree Cafe as Olive Tree Cafe. However...Big changes have already come in just the few weeks of new ownership. Ive frequented Olive Tree cafe every two weeks for the past 18 years. 1. The staff has changed. We will always love, cherish and now miss the OGs. And 2. Yes, they now take credit cards. The ambiance is likely to change too with younger ownership. I will continue to go to Olive Tree to get the last of the good out of it and to watch if 1. The menu changes. 2. The quality of the menu items decreases (most likely to happen with a buy out) 3. The crowd changes.

thank God the old owner sold the place to the chef.. The old owner was a complete idiot three years after Covid the fool would never let people sit down outside or inside his place he told everyone to get their food and just beat it ,,, now the new owner is smart,, he actually allows people to use credit cards he actually allows people to sit down in his restaurant he is not a dog hater like the old owner,, I give this place five stars and I only wish this new chef owner could've taken over the place a long time ago he's doing a damn good job

Bring cash or local checks only! 2025 January and take out only. Keep in mind. Ordered the Chicken Souvlaki, Lamb Shawarma, and Pita +Hummus. Food and service are great as always! I've been coming here since 2016 and will keep coming! Knocked off a star because I wish they would bring back the outside and inside dining from time to time. It was such a lovely atmosphere that I so dearly miss. They gotta do what's best for the business though, I get it. I'd still recommend anyone to take out.

Really good tasting Greek food. There is usually a line after 6:00 and Yes, there is a constant struggle for that elusive parking spot if you want to park inside their tiny lot. Post Covid - Take Out & Cash only! No more Dining inside or on the outside patio. Bummer! Good news is the food is still made fresh & still has that authentic Greek taste! Sad news of the Owner passing away on the door with a temporary closing over next weekend, but business and its focus on quality continues to thrive. I will try calling ahead next visit to hopefully decrease the wait as each order is prepared fresh! Five Fabulous Stars and a prayer with condolences to the family and friends of the Family Owner Savas Mojarrad.

Won't be going back they now have you order online that is very cumbersome, you can't talk to anyone about your order, making to difficult to enjoy. aloha olive tree

Very delicious food and reasonable prices. Only take out and only cash accepted. This place is busy even though it is just take out, keep that in mind when you order. I called in 10 mins after they opened and still had a 30 min wait but worth it. Ordered chicken souvlaki and shaorma, both served on a warm pita and a side salad. Well seasoned meat and tasty vinaigrette salad dressing. Had a side of hummus and tarama salata. Very flavorful hummus with garlic flavors. Baklava crispy top and soft center filled with walnuts and drenched with syrup. If you don't like sweets this is not for you but if you like sweet treats, I highly recommend. Small shared parking lot. Really nice staff.

Very popular a great place for lunch or dinner. Can't go wrong with the daily specials.

So happy Olive Tree Café is doing dine-in again after 5 years of takeout only! This place has been a longtime favorite, and it's awesome to finally sit down and enjoy the food. It still has that chill, neighborhood gem vibe, and they now accept card!! (Duh it's 2025, why wouldn't they?) It's still BYOB, which is perfect if you want to bring a bottle of wine and keep it casual. I was also able to chat with the chef, who's been with Olive Tree for 25 years! It's always cool to meet the person behind such consistently great food. After you place an order, they will call your name out when the food's ready to pick up. So make sure you're paying attention to avoid having your food sitting for too long. I would happily wait an hour for my food here, since it means a delicious, quality, and BYOB meal. Olive Tree is back and better than ever!

We did take out because that's all they offer. Outside is dated. They weren't busy maybe two orders ahead of us. Still waited almost 30minutes for some pita & hummus, lamb souvlaki. We went to our car and had a few bites and everything was cold. We waited a while just to get cold food. It was very bland too.

Love this little gem in Kahala. The food is always spot on. We pick up our go to picnic meals every few weeks: souvlaki plates and a tabbouleh salad, hummus, or dolmades to start. It's impossible to skip a slice of fresh baklava for dessert. Super excited they're reopening dine in!!!!

My chicken pita wrap was good but I wish it had more sauce, more chicken, and more toppings in it. It's a little on the plain side for me. Pita is good though. And a bummer that they're cash only.

Honestly, this place used to be so fresh and delicious, so I was really looking forward to my to-go order. I got the eggplant baba ghanoush and the shawarma. The order was ready pretty quickly, which I appreciated--but unfortunately, they got my order wrong and I didn't receive what I asked for. The pita was stiff, and the lamb patty tasted like it had been frozen and reheated. It didn't feel fresh at all. Overall, it didn't reflect the quality or authenticity of traditional Greek cuisine I was expecting.

Used to dine here frequently pre-covid, but then they stopped allowing dine-in. Just went back for the first time in years and the quality is just as delicious as I remember. And even better--the service was quick on a Sunday night and they take credit cards! Excited to make it a regular go-to spot again.

I havenʻt ordered from this place for at least a year. some changes Iʻve noticed: they now take credit cards. You have to go in and order. no telephone orders. i ordered my usual chicken soulvlaki with pita bread and salad, and a side of babaghanoush. I noticed the old timers during savas days were no longer working the kitchen. When I ate my babaghanoush it was kinda chilled. donʻt recall it being chilled before. it didnʻt look freshly made like before? but it was still delicious with a smokey flavor. re: the chicken soulvlaki with pita. when i opened the box, everything looked very rushed in terms of placing the pita over the salad paper, not like the old dayz, also the salad dressing didnʻt seem to have the bit that it used to have during Savas days, and the pita bread was soft but the flavor of the souvlaki didnʻt have the ultimate freshness like before. the pita became a little soggy, but still a joy to eat. I will continue to go there but this latest experience wasnʻt to joyful. am hoping their avegolemo soup is till good - will remember to order that next time.

I've been going to Olive Tree for years since Savas opened it up . There are new owners now . We were so excited to hear that they opened up outdoor seating again & that a former employee bought the restaurant!! It was a big disappointment. Our wait time was over 1 hour for a hummus with pita bread & a soup ! We were told it was a 35 minute wait after placing our order in person in line. We were fine with that to finally be able to sit outside at the tables. I did notice when we arrived that 6 tables outside & 3 tables inside had people Just sitting there with no food. After waiting 45 minutes , I had to go inside to ask where our order was. After another 15 minute wait - they finally called us to pick up our small order of 2 items - 1 soup & 1 hummus with pita. I'd say the 1 hour wait time has really changed our feelings about the experience we had always had at Olive Tree before . I do wish the new owners well & we do understand there may be months of transition of new ownership to smooth things out but we won't be going back for for a long time now. This review is only written to offer feed back to the new owners about our experience

Awesome place for Greek food and music talk story bring wine..good times we also love suvlaki baklava and greek salad is a must!!!.

I dont understand why so many people eat here. There are so many other places that is way better. Here, the portions are so small for the price. The amount of meat is so little. The lamb is so chewy and no flavor. What is good is their hummus and dressing for salad. I wouldn't come back to eat here. Go anywhere else.

Nice spot with good food. The service is kind slow so is better to make a phone call . the price is ok . The place is not that big but well designed. They have so many Greek food options. Such as Hummus, Gyro and falafel etc. The parking is easy since they have a space for that. Have fun

Cash only place. The food is good, but it doesn't have gyros or moussaka. It's more of a Greek Street Food place than an actual taverna, like Leo's Taverna or Greek Marina. The service is good, even though it kinda takes a long time. Inside, the place has a lot of Ancient Greek artwork.

Ok gave it a chance. New ownership and not going well. 55 minutes wait for one plate. Vibe is gone from my favorite Kahala spot and unfortunately will not return. Food quality dropped as well....

Everything was great. Welcoming staff, updated furniture, and of course....food was delicious! Also, prices are so reasonable. Embarrassingly enough, that was my first time trying out Olive Tree but definitely will not be my last. If you're lucky, you can catch a drone show at The Kahala Hotel from your seat!

Food was excellent! Lamb and mussels are must have. The inside vibe is fun and very inviting. Would recommend to everyone!

They just started dine in last week. The other owners were bought out. Most of the staff is new. They are not taking phone orders for takeout. This used to be our go to place for a quick takeout. Not now under the new ownership. Very long wait for take out, about 30 minutes. I found the lamb and fish souvlaki to be dry. Pita bread was overcooked and dried out. Too bad this place used to be great.

cute little place... had us a few plates... babaganosh... falafa... hummus... an orzo dish... and piesta di resistance... lamb soulvaki... bomb!!! enjoyed the ambiance and quaint setting... will definitely return again

The best Greek food on island and prices are very reasonable! The Lamb shank special is my favorite!!!! It's so good even friends who don't usually eat lamb like it! Love the fresh made hummus, salad dressing, shaorma, mussels, soup and Chicken Zafron too. The outdoor dining area just reopened and can use credit card too! Great to see Chef Lloyd is still running the kitchen after all these years!

Been coming here the past year. Now has credit card transaction and done in availability too. Their dishes are wonderful, tasty, grape leaves are thumbs up and service was fast. Get there early at 500 cuz they can pack a line in a hurry!!! Great job olive tree cafe!!

Best Greek food in the state. Love the slavaki, salad, and baklava. Stoked they take CC now and dining is open. No more ATM trip, can go there anytime and get healthy food for the family dine in or take out. Great ambiance with the Greek music too. Just like back in the day.

Olive Tree Cafe is good and I am glad that they are on island. The food is top-notch and we will continue to go there. This review is more so of a gripe against the payment system if you order online. While I am glad that there is the option to order online now, be aware of the pre-selected tip that is set for the online order. The amount that I was quoted before tax was very different from the amount that ultimately ended up on the screen after I hit pay. It was very clunky to read on the phone. I went back through the website on my phone to see where things could have gotten lost in translation, and sure enough a tip amount was already selected. I am very much against this practice. People who want to tip should feel free to tip, but the default should not be a preset amount that possibly catches people off guard when ordering.

Take out only, call ahead, or you will wait 15-20 minutes with nowhere to sit. Would be be that hard to put a bench outside? Friendly staff, lots of regulars, cash only. Went there for baba ganoush and hubby got a lamb souvlaki. He said it was good, BG was so so, baklava same. Open for dinner only. Modestly priced for what it is. On the corner of a shopping mall, not too far from Whole Foods. No Greeks evident in theiir open kitchen but aloha served.

Best Greek/Mediterranean food in Oahu,hands down. My favorite place to eat and it's cash only. The service is cool, unusually just call in the order. Pro tip. It's take out only right now but hopefully they allow indoor seating soon! Very clean and nice inside. Def coming back next time on Oahu.

Good luck getting through to them on the phone. I suppose maybe it's because people are calling to order but I just called 55 times in the course of 20 minutes got the answering machine three times saying that they're busy and there's no way to order online so I'm settling for sushi tonight.

It's basically all Greek to me! Olive Tree Cafe has been here in Kahala Korner since I can remember just right outside Kahala Mall and thought this would be perfect as I was craving something Greek...specifically Tzatziki Sauce! Souvlaki it is! New Zealand Lamb marinated and grilled is served in a warm pita with the amazing tzatziki sauce and I also got the Greek Salad (greens, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, peppers, onions, feta and olives) with a side of lemon herb dressing. Souvlaki is just gorgeous!! Served with a side salad as well (oops!) I ended up stuffing the salad in the pita lol and omg what a happy dance moment as it was just so flavorful and the explosion of it all satisfied my cravings!! The salad was okay...super fresh and yummy don't get me wrong, the dressing was a perfect and added so much freshness to the salad, after I ate the olives and feta the rest was basic and I guess since the Souvlaki came with a small salad I was over it half way through. Walking in they seem to embrace the pandemic takeout only vibe as the inside is quite small all the tables are flipped over even on the outside, and as myself and others ordered were told it will be 20-25 minutes and to wait outside. As everything is made to order I didn't mind at all and appreciate the time it takes to make each dish which I did time it just right as I entered back in it was just done. You pay when you receive your order (Cash or local checks only) and the dude made a specific point to the receipt and said there is our phone number on the top and to please call next time so I didn't have to wait. As we all didn't mind waiting so for some reason it does bother them, even as a person who called in her order for pick up he told her she was too early and to wait outside. That type of vibe is very negative and I didn't like but hey that's their system...we still Olive you! Thank you

A change of ownership has this writer deciding not to return to the restaurant--at least until it gets its act together. The restaurant doesn't answer their phones, the website they use for orders is wonky and sometimes off-line, and all the front-facing staff are new, inefficient in their roles, and without a hint of customer-service friendliness that the former staff had. The fact that all of the former staff left speaks volumes.

Always consistent suvlacki. Wish they would open sit down restaurant. Chairs on tables not ideal. Take our us good. But can we have sit down again?

Had the mussels, salad, babaganoush and baklava tonight. It was so good. The dressing is my favorite! So glad that they have dine in again they also take credit card. This is by far the best Mediterranean food on the island.

Love going there...haven't been in a while since pre-Covid when we could dine in. Unfortunately STILL can't dine in. But they were still pretty busy so that makes me happy. Don't forget cash or checkbook. They don't accept card...luckily I always have a check on me since I had only enough cash to throw in a tip. I only went for Baklava for the Hub's Bday. I bought the last 11 pieces. Most places are half the size...theirs are like Napple-sized! Hubs is very particular, but it got his approval. He said could be flakier...but I did buy it the night before so not sure if that had anything to do with it. Also got 2 piecse of ouzumisu...their "tiramisu." I don't like ouzu so didn't think I would like it much. It was very good. Super light and not too sweet. I'm not a dessert person, so you know it's not too sweet if I can handle. Can't wait for them to re-open the dining, but til then I guess I just need to do take out. It's right outside the mall, close to my yoga...so convenient especially since that parking lot is sooo manini.

We had the lamb and mussels. The lamb was surprisingly great considering I live where there's a thriving Afghan and Mediterranean community with good lamb all around, yet the lamb here was among the best. The mussels were hands down the best I've ever had anywhere! Love the vibe and outdoor seating. Can't wait to eat here again!

#1 comment. BRING CASH. They do not accept credit cards. Call ahead for your order, you will be happy you did. I'm and out. The food is fresh and cooked to order. The organic chicken breast is seasoned well and goes great with the Greek salad and mouth watering dressing with vinaigrette and feta cheese. The Baba ghanoush with fresh pita is amazing! Get 2 orders, you will want more! Friendly staff, great service. Our go to for Greek food. Enjoy!!!

Prices are right, especially in these hard times. The food is consistent (we've been going for over 10 years). Cash only.

New owners over 4 of July 2025. The iconic chalkboard is down. The tzatziki sauce for the first time in 30 years has changed. It was very salty first day reopened on July 7th, instead of the traditional yogurt style, it had a cumin (?) spice to it. More India than Greek. Can't comment on anything else for now but I have a bad feeling..... good to see other old timers are aware of the huge difference in quality. Thanks all

Yay! My Favorite place has opened again!! Love your Babaganosh, best place in town!! I'm so happy you're bringing back the old school flavors! I am your customer for life! Congrats and looking forward to many family dinner DINNING ins! Thank you for bringing back the dine in!!

The place is a little quirky, but the food is good, fresh and even addicting. They offer a limited menu of Mediterranean Cuisine for carry-out only. (Dine-in never reopened after the pandemic.) It is best to call in your order and pick up about 20 minutes. They only accept cash, no cards.....no exceptions. I ordered the fresh fish souvlaki. I think the fish was mahi mahi. The pita tasted freshly made and there was plenty of fish. The fish was covered in a delicious lemon/garlic dressing. Salad on the side was included and could be added to the souvlaki. I loved it. I also ordered the tabouli salad. The salad came with 2 generous heaps of tabouli that was very fresh and a garlic/lemon sauce on the side. Very good. I also had a serving of the misu cake. The cake was excellent, light and moist. I'm told it is made with ouzo. They got our order correct, but we reviewed it before we left. The place gets very busy as this is a local favorite.

Delicious, high quality, healthy meal. Always enjoy their baklava. I do miss when you could dine in since the restaurant is beautiful, but it's still good otherwise. Remember to bring cash. The parking lot is kinda difficult so I would recommend parking at the mall and walk over.

Easy no frills just order and go. This place has been around for a minute and has some of the best Mediterranean food out there. I'd definitely recommend to order ahead and then make sure you have cash since it is a cash only place. Got their special of the day and the babaganoush (roasted eggplant dip) similar to hummus but I think more flavorful. The line and wait isn't long if you call in a phone order but you can always go in person and order. Outstanding service and quality of food for some good Mediterranean dishes. Definitely recommend.

One of the best Greek restaurants I've been to. Great food and fun place to eat. Bring your family and friends.