The Olive Tree

The food was acceptable, but the overall experience leaned more towards a Turkish‑style Mediterranean feel than anything Italian. The dishes were rough and unrefined, even the tiramisu arrived unevenly cut and carelessly presented, and there was no change of cutlery after the starters, which is unusual for this type of place. Service felt similarly unpolished, with staff coming across as brusque rather than welcoming. It’s not somewhere I’d be keen to return to.

What a lovely little restaurant. We were visiting York for the night so not sure where to go and booked here. Fantastic service and beautiful food. Opposite Clifford tower and within easy reach of the Barbican theatre. Will definitely return when we’re back

Had a birthday meal here with the missus (who loves Italian cuisine), and was a little disappointed that the menu was a bit one dimensional, with the mushroom sauce served with almost every dish, and the amount of seafood offered. It didn't quite feel genuinely Italian. But, we spotted the 'Olive Tree Steak',and I have to say, it was one of the best steaks I've ever had. Absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Would definitely recommend for the steak alone.

It’s not often you get a treat for both sets of cheeks. The food was sublime, but we all know that good décor can enhance the flavour of already delightful dishes. The attention to detail extended even to the stationary vehicle of the meal — the unsung hero of relaxation — the humble chair, which was the true standout. Faux leather, masterfully crafted for a caboose. A dark walnut veneer blended elegance with durability. You know that if they’ve paid this much attention to the chairs, then your entire dining experience will be second to none. Rest assured, your buttocks are in safe hands.

Wow!! An exceptional first dining experience in York at The Olive Tree, located right opposite Clifford’s Tower! The food and drinks were absolutely amazing. Karin was an outstanding head host and chef, ensuring our meals were perfectly prepared and beautifully presented, while also offering us drinks to enhance our celebration. Safa provided excellent service, making sure we were completely satisfied. We visited mid-week and, while it wasn’t as busy as a weekend, the atmosphere was still warm and inviting. The quality of service and food was outstanding. If everyone in York is as welcoming as Karin and Safa, we cannot wait to return! We highly recommend a visit and would not hesitate to come back.

Went today for Valentines day, me and husband in York for his birthday, went as walk in guests, got a nice table for two, had our starters, then waitress got us another table in window, a better one, we didn't even ask to be moved 👍. Our main courses arrived later, lasagne and fillet steak. Desserts to finish, Tiramasu and profiteroles. We also had 2 bottles of rose wine too. Bill was a very reasonable £110. The service off the staff was excellent, and it was extremely busy too, but nothing was a problem and we left very satisfied with everything 😀.

Overall a fair dining experience. Service was good. Setting is nothing special. Food was tasty with a couple of exceptions. The lasagne, chicken dishes, and pasta were very tasty. The tiramisu and cannoli were dreadful, dry, and claggy. Should have sent the latter back, but were with friends for a quick dinner.

Amazing service and food. We brought our one year old to dinner and they were so gracious with him and us. I had the lasagna and it was delicious! My husband got the chicken entree and the sauce was to die for! The staff was welcoming and lovely. I cannot say enough great things about this restaurant.

I quickly picked the Olive Tree based on a quick scan of its rating, not noticing that all reviews are 2-10 years old. While the staff was friendly and our wine decent, we found the food very lacking. The spaghetti with meat sauce could have been prepared out of a can and Tesco packet, and the seafood paella (for two) was almost unrecognizable; basically cooked riced with tomato sauce and a few bits of what appear to be canned clams and a couple pieces of calamari. We tried a couple of bites but found it inedible and left. On the plus side, great view of the Castle tower outside.

After not being able to travel to the UK for several years (COVID), we did a bit of a whistle stop with family visits in Glasgow and Edinburgh/Queensferry and headed to York for a couple of days. We'd been forced to travel by coach due to industrial actions with rail travel and it was a bit of a slog. We'd arrived in York early evening and checked into our Airbnb. We decided to walk toward the city centre to check it out, after walking around for quite some time, as we approached the York Castle, we noticed The Olive Tree restaurant across the street from the castle. It was about 6:00 pm and the restaurant was nearly empty. The hostess seated us quickly. We ordered the Bruschetta and the Avocado with Prawns for starters and they were both very good. We had the Spaghetti Bolognese and two specials; Italians Sausage Pasta and a broiled fish dish. The food was absolutely fantastic! We'd had little in the way of expectations as we were really just looking to grab a bite (after ploughing through M & S sandwiches and Walker's Crisps on the six-hour coach journey) to fill us up before heading back to the flat. We found both the service and the food to be well-beyond our expectations -and, we noticed that food delivery services were continually coming to the restaurant during the time we were there, suspect most of the establishment's business may now be for take away.

Booked a table for 8 people for a special birthday meal just 48 hours in advance after our booking elsewhere fell through. Staff were very accommodating and a warm welcome was received. Food and drinks orders taken promptly and service was efficient and unobtrusive all evening. Food was brought out quickly and was on the whole, very good. One or two dishes were a bit on the skimpy side, portionwise. Overall, a nice evening which was enjoyed by all.

Really delicious steak I had for the main course, so did the starter. The King prawn is highly recommended.

Best place we had dinner at! The service wad great, the menu options looked great and my food was delicious. I had the rocket salad and based on that i knew this was an excellent place. My main course was the salmon and shared the chocolate cake and lemon tart. I highly recommend this place.