Oliva Trattoria

Came for dinner last night for the first time with friends. The gnocchi with brisket was amazing. My husband couldn’t stop eating it. The pasta with lobster and shrimp delicious. The gorgonzola pear salad a perfect start and the halibut with broccoli and potatoes wonderful. The noise level was high. The service perfect. The wine great! Looking forward to the next time.

«Meh» is the right word. Pizzicotto is Brentwood is worth the ride. Much better food and less expensive.

This place was mmmm… how do I say in Italiano? None Bene. Translation? Kinda sucks. My food came out barely warm. My man’s food came out cold.. to the point where he sent it back to be reheated. He ordered the lasagna, and asked our server if they could add fresh garlic to it. She made a confused face, and said they can’t «because it’s already cut.» Then she thought better of it, and said that they could add the garlic on top.
I was still stuck on «already cut». That means it’s pre made, and not fresh to order. Ewww. You can think I’m nuts if you want to, but you CAN make (individual) lasagna fresh to order of you have the proper kitchen prep. I know that because I’ve seen it done. For the lasagna to come out as fast as it did with only slightly warm top cheese, means that they probably threw it in the microwave. Super yuck. Even the garlic knots they put on the table looked old. The dominoes pizza shop a few doors down has fresher looking (and probably tasting) garlic knots. No thanks. So I didn’t try them.
My lamb chops were chewy. I didn’t taste the sides it came with because my potatoes were wrinkled. Wrinkled on ANYTHING means its… OLD! The only good thing was that there were several pieces of lamb, so I wasn’t hungry. The flavor though was just blah. I also had to send my wine back. It tasted more like red wine vinegar then red wine. The replacement glass of wine was pretty good and they had nice staff, so they get to keep a star. If it were just based on the food alone though, one star for sure. We won’t be returning.

Food was really good service was amazing but what really got me to put 5 stars was Pablo Bautista and our waiter Franklin on how they attended us. Perfect service is what I would call it.

It seemed like everyone in the restaurant was Italian, so I got really excited because I thought I was about to eat some real Italian food. That didn’t pan out that way and it left me a little disappointed. The bread was good and that was about it. The main courses were bland and I think they use frozen veggies. I would pass on this place.

I just had a business meeting in this restaurant around 7 p.m. the food was okay. . Prices overall are fear the restaurant was kind of empty at the time so the service was great sense we were almost the only table.
The valley parking outside was cheap and overall I like this restaurant. the food was kind of disappointing but they only eat spaghetti and the desert was great.
Honestly I don’t believe I will come back to this restaurant since its not exactly my cup of tea but I’m sure they all some people that will love this restaurant.
I believe the average age to this restaurant is 40&up
The place is very quiet and romantic which I really appreciate it in certain time. Then location is amazing exactly on the 101 exit of van nuys blv

Disappointed! I’ve been a regular costumer for more than 10 years. The food and service were excellent. The last 2 visits were a disaster. The sauce in the Spaghetti Mare was poor and the amount of sea food was minimal. The Caprese Salad had hard, very cold tomatoes, the mozzarella was tasteless as it was the dressing. The Calamari Fritti were cut to thin, and were pallid, not fried enough. I ordered a Pollo al Mattone. They brought me a dry Pollo drowning in a balsamic vinegar sauce. The sauces in the Fettuccine Funghi and the Gnocchi al Brasato were bland, to say the list. The wine was good.
I shall not return or recommend Oliva any longer.

I was here once before during the week and thought that the food and service were good.
I went back on a recent Saturday night and both the food and the service left a lot to be desired.
We waited 45 minutes for our food. When we flagged someone down to ask them to check on it, he came back and said that the chef didn’t answer him. After bread and salads, by the time the food came, we were pretty much full. (The Ceasar salad was mediocre.)
I had specifically asked if the meal which I had ordered contained pepper and I was told that it did not. Most people don’t ask whether a meal has pepper even though restaurants use it on food when it’s not mentioned on the menu so if I asked, it was obviously important! I was also told that the meal came with roasted potatoes and broccoli.
When the meal finally came out, there were no roasted potatoes but rather whipped/​mashed potatoes. The server said, «We ran out so I gave you those but I also gave you carrots.» I’ve never in my life had a server say that he gave us one thing because they didn’t have another without asking — not even at a diner. It is not okay to throw whatever you want on a plate without asking. Aside from the fact that it’s wrong, people have food restrictions and allergies. The potatoes that were served contain ingredients not contained in the roasted potatoes which I thought I was getting.
Then I looked and saw black specks on the carrots. Pepper? When I asked, he claimed that the black specks were broccoli. Black specks from broccoli? The main dish also had the black specks. He said they don’t cook with pepper but then he said he’d ask the chef. If it was not pepper, it was a spice not mentioned on the menu. It was on the fish, the carrots and the potatoes. The only thing that didn’t have this spice was the broccoli. Anyway, I just kept it and ate part of a $ 24 entrée that I didn’t enjoy.
At certain points, it was as if the server was in a running stance and about to take off before we were done speaking.
The dessert was good.

I love this place!!! The servers are always very funny and great and the food is delicious. I think this is my favorite spaghetti I’ve ever have had in California. I will continue to come here to satisfy my Italian cravings.

I never log into Unilocal to complain about a resturant. But I took six freinds to this place tonight and it was really bad. I have gone here a couple of times in the past and it was fun and pretty tasty. Tonight the service was horrible from having to waive down and actually go look for a server three times, a vegan who explicitly reviewed her requirements and was served with cheese in her pasta and one person’s order that was completely forgotten. The server also would gruffly bump into us with every dish or plate change. So many good places to eat in Sherman oaks, take your dining dollars where they appreciate you… I recommend Panzanella..

Delicious food, friendly staff, great operation overall…
We went for lunch meeting today… we knew we were picking an appropriate location but walked out happier then expected.
Great job guys… the attention to our table didn’t stop the entire time.
The chicken piccata is my favorite… tender chicken with the delicious lemon caper sauce that comes with good balance of potatoes, broccoli and carrots… yum!
The pizzas are a good choice also. Thanks for the delicious tiramisu, cheesecake and the chocolate cake Giorgio!!!

I would have given 5 stars, but the review is really about the server, he was the reason our first visit to Oliva was absolutely wonderful.
Additionally; the bread is probably the best treat you could imagine!
They are smart because, they will not bring the addictive treat of fresh bread coupled with the side of sliced red tomatoes, seasoned with fresh herbs to your table until you have ordered your food because you would never order a main dish.
Honestly, you could live on this carb fest if you don’t mind the extra inches around your waistline.
Just do more cardio was my answer to this dilemma.
I had the Fettuccini with fungi. it is was o. k and, we also special ordered the chicken Milanese with mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables, unfortunately, it was very bland, but this won’t stop us from trying something different next time.
The waiter was the main reason for our wanting to return and try something else.
Oliva has a fantastic ambiance for this quaint family neighborhood, it reminded us of the restaurants at our old favorite dining spot located on Larchmont.
If you want something fresh and desire excellent service you should really check out this lovely restaurant.
There is plenty of street parking if you do not mind walking.

Service was slow and bar was pitiful. Meal was served late and cold. Off night? Perhaps. We were comped a few extras and they made it right in the end. The taste of the food was very good.

Very good food, not cheap but worth it, especially for a nice romantic meal.
Drinks are good, bread is delicious and the service is superb.

I had a few friends talk about this place and so I had to go check it out .
The parking anywhere in this area is usually pretty bad. I had to park several blocks in a neighborhood.
The atmosphere inside is very mom and pops old school Italian. There’s lots of old world paintings and pictures, but the brick detailing inside and lighting makes it very nice. It feels bigger than it is but still has an intimate feel.
The appetizers were really good. We had a Tuscan style pizza, which had just the right ingredients and amount of sauces. Our shad traditional mozerella squares, tomatoes, and prosciutto on top. It was a little salty, and the dough/​bread was a little powdery, but that’s as expected in a traditional pizza .
We also had bread with the Olive lol and it was decent. NOT better than Olive Garden though…
The main courses were very small in portion size compared to the price. They were very well made in the traditional sense, but some seemed overdone and under utilized.
The dishes didn’t have a lot l sides in them, no extra veggies or anything to make them look nice. The gnocchi and ravioli were perfect examples. It was JUST the dish, nothing else along side of them, no garnish either. At this price point, I expected a little more.
My Chicken Caesar salad was pretty good. Very normal, nothing special about it.
I had the crème brûlée cl the dessert. It was very good quality, but I was shocked it wasn’t served with any kind of mixed berry compote! Again, very surprised they didn’t do this at this atmosphere and price point.
Overall, it’s a nice place… but maybe not nice enough to go back unless you got cash to spare.

this place is legit Italian as good as the food in Northern Italy when i lived there.
The lasagna is fantastic and worth every calorie — a great starter to share. The Pizzas are wonderful as is the calamari. Some great pasta dishes are the Penne Norma and the Ravoli in the pink sauce — another great starter is the eggplant parm. OssoBucco and Chicken Parm are great entrée and you really will feel the authenticity.
This place isn’t expensive –it is great for family or a date night. Even fantastic tiramisu.

Honestly, I would give this place 5 stars except for our experience last night. We’ve been here several times and we’ve always been delighted; friendly and professional service, delicious food and a comfortable, homey atmosphere.
Last night we took my father-​in-​law there for his 81^st birthday. The waiter came to get our drink order, asked if we were going to be drinking wine and suggested a bottle, raving about this new cab they just got in. Ok, that sounds great. Now I will admit, off the bat: our mistake — we didn’t ask how much it would cost. But this is a homey, pretty low-​key place so I figured, how much could it be? $ 65? $ 75? Maybe $ 80? It’s his birthday, what the heck…
Because if it’s over about $ 80, at a place like that (not a «shi-​shi» upscale place or a Hollywood hot spot), one would expect the waiter to say something along the lines of: «Well, it’s a little bit more expensive but we’ve got this great wine…» Or something, providing an opening for the customer to ask how much it is.
When we got the bill, it turned out to be $ 110. Yes, it was ultimately our mistake. But here’s the kicker. When it was time for dessert he said «Ok, here’s the deal: you can order one dessert, and you get the other one free». We explained how full we were and there was no way we could get two desserts, but everyone agreed that since it was my father-in-law’s birthday, he should go ahead and get one anyway. Ok, twist our arm. So we ordered one… And he charged us for it! I have never been to a restaurant where they charge the birthday person for a dessert… that’s just bad business.
BUT, if you know it’s an old man’s 81ST BIRTHDAY… and we just bought a full dinner (apps, the works) and a $ 110 BOTTLE OF WINE and you still CHARGE US for the cake??! That is just CLASS-​LESS, in my opinion, and not AT ALL what I would expect from a place like that.
We were too stunned to say anything, so we just paid the bill and left. But I have to say, it kind of ruined a great night for us, and I just can’t seem to shake it. It’s just not cool. Forgive the expression, but it’s a douche-​y thing to do.
It’s interesting because at one point the waiter was telling us about how he got fired from his last restaurant for up-​selling his customers on wine. Ha. We should have been clued in then! (Honestly, it was a rather inappropriate conversation to be having with your customers, and at the same time, quite revealing).
The thing is, I waited tables for 10 years. I know the deal. I get that you want to up-​sell as much as possible. But be cool about it. Let your customers know if the bottle is way out of line with the rest of the prices in the place… and even if you don’t…AT LEAST THROW IN THE CAKE.

Went for an early 5:30 dinner. We were the first people to arrive so I hoped that service would be impeccable… it was not. It wasn’t terrible but I had hoped to have a great experience similar to the experiences of other reviews.
Overpriced wine.
The Italian Brisket I ordered was really delicious. Really tasty! My fiancé got the eggplant– something that I couldn’t pronounce. Not very traditional. It was roasted instead of being breaded. It didn’t come with pasta or a side, which was disappointing, but not a deal breaker. We just would have liked to have been informed about sides. Kinda pricey for what you get.
Will we be back? Probably not.

Service was flawless. It was a Monday night, it was fairly late, fairly slow, yet I was left with the impression that service was and always is impeccable. I had to start with that.
Food was good, but it wasn’t mind blowing. Had the mares spaghetti and I think it was called osombroso (or something like that) lamb and they were both hefty portions. The spaghetti wasn’t al dente, more firm/​semi-​soft. The mashed potato with the lamb was amazing, and the lamb meat was peferctly tender, fall-​off-​the-​bone good. Had a glass of pinot noir that really complimented the lamb well, too. Had homemade tiramisu for dessert which was gone in 5 minutes –get it!
Ambience can definitely be romantic. It’s cute inside, a lot bigger than it looks on the outside. Overall, I’d go again. They have a large menu and there were a few items I’d love to try.

The food was good, they tiried to find us a quiet table (I’m hearing impaired) and it was quiet as soon as one overly-​loud table left. But people are supposed to have fun and I cannot deny them the right to be slightly louder just because they are having a good time.
Food was good all the way around, we passed samples of our orders around to each other.
I’m having to get used to the expensive and small wine «pours» in LA, we tend to use more of the glass in Colorado. The wine was good but not exceptional, especially for the price.

Super endroit, je conseil cet endroit à tout les ressortissants français, autant touristes que résidents américain, le service du Oliva est super, dès que son verre est vide il est tout de suite remplis par un serveur, la nourriture est superbe avec vraiment pas mal de choix.
Le seul petit défaut serai les télévisions qui attire l’œil au cours du repas, à part ça super endroit pour des dîners !
Great place, I recommend this place to all French people, both tourists and U.S. residents, the service of Olivia’s restaurant is great, when the glass is empty it is immediately filled by a server, the food is superb with really lot of choice.
The only flaw will be the eye-​catching television during meals, other than that great place for dinner!