The Olive Tree Cafe

Name: The Olive Tree Cafe
Address: 117 Macdougal St, New York, NY, United States, 10012
Telephone: (212) 254-3480
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.6

4.6

155 Reviews

$30 and under

Mediterranean

Top Tags:

Established 1969
Upstairs from the Comedy Cellar - Great food, great drinks, silent movies, chalkboard tables, GREAT FUN!

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 22, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Comfort Food, American
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–1:15 am Fri–Sun 4:00 pm–2:45 am
Phone number
(212) 254-3480
Website
http://www.comedycellar.com/
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual

Location
117 Macdougal St New York, NY 10012
Neighborhood
Greenwich Village
Cross street
Minetta Lane
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
A/C/E/B/D/F/M to W 4th St stop
Entertainment
Live music every Friday evening from 10pm -2am
Additional
Bar Dining, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Weekend Brunch

Popular dishes

Fried Calamari$12.00
Flour dusted calamari served with sweet chili sauce
Hummus$9.00
Served with pita, feta cheese, Kalamata olives, pepperoncini, roasted red pepper, cucumber, & house made cilantro sauce
Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders*$12.00
Pretzel crusted, mustard marinated chicken tenderloins. Served with honey mustard sauce
Buffalo Chicken Wings*$9.00
Classic Pluck-U wings served with celery stalks and blue cheese dressing
Sriracha Lime Chicken Wings*$9.00
Sweet and spicy wings served with lime zest
Jumbo Crab Cakes$14.00
Sweet lump crab blended with peppers, onions, Old Bay Seasoning and panko bread crumbs. Served with spicy aioli and ginger slaw
Truffle Fries$6.00
Thick cut french fries served with truffle oil and Parmesan cheese
Ahi Tuna "Nachos"*$15.00
Wonton chips topped with marinated tuna, sweet and spicy mango salsa, seaweed salad, pickled ginger and wasabi cream
Tex Mex Nachos$12.00
Fresh tortila chips served with refried beans, olives, fire roasted tomato salsa, jalepeno, shredded lettuce, cheese, and sour cream
Middle Eastern Platter$8.00
Hummus, baba ghanoush, cucumber salad

Pasta & Vegetarian

Macaroni and Cheese$12.00
Five cheese macaroni and cheese made with cheddar, swiss, Velveeta, smoked gouda, and parmesaen, topped with toasted panko bread crumbs
Ancient Grains$15.00
Gluten Free combination of amaranth, chia, quinoa, seasonal vegetables, and arugula served with balsamic vinaigrette
Pasta Caprese$14.00
Spaghetti served with fresh mozzarella, grape tomato, basil, olive oil and garlic
Olive Tree Lentil Soup$6.00
Red lentil soup

Entree

Chicken Kebab Platter$14.00
Two skewer of grilled chicken served with herbed couscous and grilled vegetables
Pan Roasted Chicken$20.00
Pan roasted half chicken. Served with vegetable quinoa, shiitake mushrooms and a pan sauce. Allow 20 min
Beef Borscht$15.00
Hearty soup with beef short ribs, cabbage, tomato, carrot, onion, beets, dill and apple. Served with black bread and sour cream
Chicken Cutlet$15.00
Breaded and pan fried chicken breast served with vegetables and mashed potato
Hamburger* or Cheeseburger*$13.00
Our blend of chuck, brisket, & short rib. Served with lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion, & Village Sauce on a buttered grilled bun Choose your cheese: cheddar, Velveeta, pepper jack, mozzarella
Sauteed Salmon*$26.00
Salmon sauteed and served with beluga lentils, vegetables in a brown butter sauce
New York Strip*$35.00
Served with parmesan truffle fries and a small house salad
Colorado Lamb Chops*$28.00
Grilled lamb chops served with sauteed seasonal vegetables and mashed potatos

Salads

Salad Dressings: Blue Cheese, Tarragon Vinaigrette, Greek Vinaigrette, Caesar, Ranch, Oil And Balsamic. Add chicken skewer to any salad: $4 per skewer

Caesar Salad$10.00
Romaine lettuce, Caesar dressing, croutons, Parmesan cheese
Caprese Salad$11.00
Baby mozzarella, grape tomato, basil and arugula with balsamic vinegar reduction and extra virgin olive oil
Chopped Cobb Salad$14.00
Seasonal greens, egg, grape tomato, cucumber, grilled chicken, bleu cheese crumbles, avocado, and bacon served with your choice of dressing
Greek Salad$13.00
Romaine lettuce, grape tomato, cucumber, pepperoncini, feta cheese, roasted beets, red onion, Kalamata olive served with Greek vinaigrette
Olive Tree Salad$14.00
Rustic cut classic Israeli salad blend of tomato, cucumber, peppers, onions with a lemon oil dressing
Country Harvest$10.00
Romaine lettuce, goat cheese, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, roasted beets

Sides

Market Vegetable$4.00
Chef selection of grilled vegetables
Couscous$4.00
Herb and butter sauteed Israeli style couscous
Side Salad$5.00
Mixed Greens, tomato, cucumber, radish with tarragon vinaigrette
French Fries$4.00

Cocktails

Want something not listed? Be sure to ask your server - we have a full bar!

Homemade Pineapple Infused Vodka Martini$14.00
Vodka infused with fresh pineapple. Served straight up or on the rocks
Cucumber 75$14.00
Hendricks Cucumber Gin, Crop Cucumber Vodka, fresh lemon juice, fresh cucumber, simple syrup, champagne
The Best Arnold Palmer Ever$14.00
Olw's Brew Classic English Breakfast tea, Reyka Vodka
Passion and Heat$14.00
Dobel tequila, Ancho Reyes, Cointreau, fresh lemon juice, passion fruit puree, jalapeño syrup
Old Fashioned$14.00
Bulleit Bourbon, simple syrup, aromatic bitters, orange twist
Pick A Mule$14.00
Your choice: Sailor Jerry Rum, Jameson Whiskey, or Reyka Vodka served with Ginger Beer, lime
Wildberry Martini$14.00
Hendricks Gin, peach schnapps, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, fresh berry puree
The Bee's Knees$14.00
Brooklyn Gin, fresh lemon juice, honey syrup

Vodka

Absolut
and flavors
Tito's
Grey Goose
Ketel
Stoli
and flavors
Reyka

Gin

Bombay
Bombay Sapphire
Botanist
Hendrick's
Tanqueray
Brooklyn Gin
Tanqueray 10

Rum

Bacardi Light
Bacardi Limon
Mount Gay
Myer's
Goslings
Malibu
Sailor Jerry

Whiskey

Jack Daniels
Jack Honey
Crown Royal
Seagram's 7
Bulleit Rye
Jim Beam
Jameson

Bourbon

Knob Creek
Woodford Reserve
Woodford Double Oak
Bulleit
Maker's Mark

Scotch

Dewars
Johnnie Walker Red/Black/Gold Labels
Glenlivet
Chivas
Glenfiddich
Macallan

Tequila

Patron
Patron Cafe
Casamigos
silver, reposado, anejo
Hornitos
silver, reposado, anejo
Dobel

Draft Beer

Bud Lite$5.00
Stella$6.00
Blue Moon$6.00
Sam Adams Lager$6.00

Bottled Beer

Domestic $5, Microbrews/Imported $6

Bud Lite
Corona
Magners
Heineken
O'Doul's
Non Alcoholic
Angry Orchard
Miller Lite
Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn East IPA
Brooklyn Brown Ale
Sierra Nevada
Yeungling

Wines

Sangria Pitcher$35.00

Champagne & Sparkling Wine

Freixenet Brut$40.00
Moet Imperial Brut$150.00

White Wine

Pinot Grigio - Ruffino$10.00
Chardonnay - Kendall Jackson$11.00
Sauvignon Blanc - Sileni$10.00
Riesling – Anthony Road$10.00

Rose

Chateau - Beaulieu$10.00

Red Wine

Merlot - Kendall Jackson$11.00
Malbec - Diseno$10.00
Pinot Noir - Trapiche$10.00
Cabernet - Domaine Bousquet$10.00
Shiraz - Crane Lake$40.00

Cold Beverages

Soft Drinks$3.00
Iced Tea$3.00
Bottled Water$4.00
Aqua Panna or San Pellegrino
Juices$4.00

Hot Beverages

Hot Chocolate$4.00
Tea$3.00
American Coffee$3.00
Cappuccino$4.00
Espresso$2.00
Machiato$3.00
Latte$4.00

What 155 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

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C
Casper
New York Area
69 reviews
vip
4.0
69 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Such a perfect place to meet friends. It has been my go-to for decades. Rare place, these days, that has such history. The food is reliably delicious, the service is as if we have been friends for years, Charlie Chaplin movies make it home.
FF
FoodieFirst
New York Area
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 3, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience5
Great music and community vibe. Its a casual spot and gets loud on Mondays with the band but WOW are the amazing. Incredible musicians and comics (its above The Comedy Cellar) in and out - you never know who you are going to see and hear!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Orlando
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 1, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience3
Food was really good! Nothing fancy but we were not looking for fancy. We went to the comedy show first, had a great time, went up for dinner. Had the Greek platter and cauliflower bites, both exceeded our expectations. Casual and relaxing, glad we went.
RD
RichD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Definitely recommend The Olive Tree restaurant. The food is outstanding. Perfect way to start the night before seeing some of the best comics in the world perform at The Comedy Cellar which is right downstairs from The Olive Tree, or the other rooms that are right around the corner from the restaurant. Its obvious this establishment cares about the quality of the food. Presentation, portion and taste were all excellent. Service was excellent as well. If you come to the NYC and want to go to the best comedy club in the Country, do yourself a favor and have dinner at the Olive Tree to start off your night.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Servers were great, food was great. Can’t speak highly enough.
JT
JustTheTwoOfUs
Tahoe
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on March 18, 2022
overall4food2service5ambience3
The location was great, the server made all the difference - only female server we had our entire weeks worth of NYC restaurant her attitude, attentiveness, honesty, etc. meal was adequate.
DR
DianaR
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 14, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Literally the best evening I had while visiting NYC, together with a night at the Comedy Cellar it was the most fun and vibrant place and a perfect night overall.
S
Shannon
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on February 19, 2022
overall2food5service1ambience5
The food here is amazing, but the business is suffering due to the GM’s erratic anger issues. Very high staff turnover creates lots of problems. Business is extremely disorganized and unprofessional. I won’t be back.
RD
RuiD
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 18, 2022
overall4food3service4ambience4
The food was OK, but you don't go there for the food.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on February 15, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience5
Cozy atmosphere, great music, decent drinks, good food. To be honest, I could have done without the server flirting with my date… I get it, he’s cute.
TT
ThomasT
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 20, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had the food from the Olive tree cafe at the Comedy Cellar. The Cheese Burger was really good. My Girlfriend and Parents had the mac and cheese and it was also very good. The server was amazing!
l
luv2eatout
New York Area
139 reviews
vip
5.0
139 reviews
Dined on December 13, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great food - this time we had cheeseburgers and fries -delicious! Our server was wonderful. Always a good meal - love coming here.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on December 13, 2021
overall3food3service5ambience3
It was nice, tiny bathroom downstairs, but it’s all part of the vibe
OT
OpenTable Diner
N. Ireland
7 reviews
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on December 12, 2021
overall4food4service4ambience4
We ate here before going to the comedy cellar. The meal was affordable and very tasty. Staff were friendly and attentive. Lovely ambiance inside the restaurant.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Chicago
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 27, 2021
overall5food3service5ambience5
If you are looking to enjoy your life, this is the spot.
VD
VictoriaD
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 19, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience4
The choices on the menu were an excellent example of Middle Eastern food as well as a mix of popular American food. The lamb kofta was perfectly seasoned and the Olive Tree salad was enough for two. All the ingredients were fresh.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 19, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding service— great family owned restaurant. The food is some of my favorite in the city, and the people are welcoming and kind. Thank you!
TB
TattoosByFabian
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 17, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere, friendly staff and good food. Thank you
GT
GlennT
Indiana
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 16, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Good and atmosphere were excellent. Staff also reserved a table for us on the Comedy Cellar where we had reservations for the late show and kep us informed as to our timing.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New England
2 reviews
vip
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 12, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding service— great family owned restaurant!
DG
DebbieG
Toronto
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on November 7, 2021
overall4food4service5ambience5
Service was excellent. Very friendly . Provided good information about NYC.
CR
ChrisR
New York Area
7 reviews
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on November 4, 2021
overall4food4service4ambience5
bring back falafels on the middle eastern platter!!
EB
EricB
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on November 4, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
THE place to go if you are going to see a show at the Comedy Cellar. Good food and service, and great people watching from the window seats to the people coming and going on the street.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on October 28, 2021
overall4food4service3ambience5
We were doing a comedy show and went here for dinner per the recommendation of the comedy cellar. Had a nice experience. The Greek salad was amazing. The veggies on my chicken kebab plate were great too. The chicken itself was average.
MG
MichaelG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 25, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our server was great and superful helpful! The food was great and the feel was very relaxed. Overall a great stop before going to The Comedy Cellar.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 22, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
The ambiance is perfect , Aryal was a great host and everything was lovely
GW
GinaW
Houston
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 22, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Olive Tree is always outstanding!! Service and food is fantastic and has great energy. The restaurant is upstairs from the Comedy Cellar so you never know who you may meet.
L
Lisawitz
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on October 16, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
The staff was great. The lamb chops were delicious and they had no issue with subbing the mashed potatoes for coos coos, which was fantastic. The out door area looks great. Bonus: a chat with a few comedians!
AB
AlanB
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on October 11, 2021
overall1food1service1ambience1
Had reservations for 5pm. Got to the Olive and the lady there said "nope" they don't open until 6pm. She said Open Table had it wrong. But even their listing on Google said 5pm. If they can't get their hours right, do you think they clean properly? Plenty of other places in the area that know how to run a restaurant.
F
Fritz
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on October 8, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our early dinner at the Olive Tree Cafe was such a wonderful NYC experience! The quaint restaurant/bar was a great place for my daughter and me to eat before our early show downstairs at the Comedy Cellar. Our server, Maren, was so much fun, and when we could not decide which entree to order, her recommendation of the salmon dinner proved to be the perfect choice for us! It was absolutely delicious! The entire evening was our favorite take-away from this trip, and we will definitely repeat the experience the next time we visit our favorite city!
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Last night in NYC, trip was postponed because of Covid so we were thrilled to be there. So easy to have dinner before the show at Comedy Cellar. The staff was terrific, made sure we had all the information about the show etc. Food was so good--I had the Mac & cheese, my husband had chicken cutlet. Delicious! Our server treated us so well. We highly recommend The Olive Tree.
M
Maribel
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 20, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
First experience at a comedy, was definitely on my bucket list of things to do. I must say they met and exceed all my expectations, the presenter was my absolute favorite !!! Super funny and really kicked the show to an amazing start !!! Definitely going back. Amazing, amazing, and amazing.
JC
JenniChaz
Philadelphia
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on September 18, 2021
overall1food1service1ambience1
Arrived at 4:30 for our 4:30 reservation but they were closed. At 4:35 we decided to go to another restaurant. Around 5:45 we walked by and they were open so we popped in to say hey we we had a reservation but you weren’t open. The response we received was “OK”. Not an apology or explanation just “OK”.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on August 21, 2021
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always a great atmosphere to catch up with old friends. Menu more limited than in the past, but borscht, chicken wings and Middle East platter are still amazing.
TW
TatumW
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 8, 2020
overall5food4service4ambience5
great place. good idea to visit before going to the comedy cellar
m
michaelh
New York Area
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 26, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience4
Terrific food and the places serves as a green room, of sorts, for the Comedy Cellar, which means you are likely to see famous comics coming through
DS
DianeS
Montreal
7 reviews
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 24, 2020
overall4food4service4ambience5
We were pleasantly surprised by the quality and portion size, both very good! The chicken kebab had a wonderful taste and the greek salad was excellent!
FF
FFYA5
New York Area
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2020
overall5food5service2ambience5
I love this place one of the few nyc old places that I like to go to once in a while the menu has changed a lot but it good I use to love going there for falafel a bit disappointed that it’s not on the menu but other than that I will give it a 5 star :) going there makes me feel 20 again 🥂 and the band was great !
NY
NYmeeting
New York Area
43 reviews
vip
4.0
43 reviews
Dined on February 14, 2020
overall4food4service4ambience4
Went for Valentine's Day and it was really nice -- not too too busy -- just busy enough and the food was very good along with good service -- I prefer a little less ice and sugar in my mixed drinks, but the Manhattan was pretty good too.
A
Anonymous
New York Area
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 11, 2020
overall5food5service5ambience5
I had not been here for quite a few years, when we used to dine at the place fairly often. So glad they are still around after all these years. I came back with a former colleague, and we both loved it. The food - we had the Mediterranean platter and parmesan fries - was delicious and plentiful. One portion was more than enough to feed both of us. And the prices are absolutely reasonable by Manhattan standards. The ambience was really nice and as I remembered and cherished it, with a cosy atmosphere, the Charly Chaplin silent movies still playing on a large screen, and chalk on the slate tables for the creative. Great value for money. I'll make sure I won't stay away too long.

FAQs

The Olive Tree Cafe is rated 4.6 stars by 155 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 22, 2022

May 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 6 times today

117 Macdougal St New York, NY 10012

Additional information

Cross street
Minetta Lane
Neighborhood
Greenwich Village
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–1:15 am Fri–Sun 4:00 pm–2:45 am
Cuisines
Mediterranean, Comfort Food, American
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Street Parking
Public transit
A/C/E/B/D/F/M to W 4th St stop
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Entertainment
Live music every Friday evening from 10pm -2am
Additional
Bar Dining, Beer, Cafe, Cocktails, Full Bar, Weekend Brunch

Website
http://www.comedycellar.com/
Phone number
(212) 254-3480

The Olive Tree Cafe

Make a reservation

Additional information

Chicken Cutlet

Middle Eastern Platter

Olive Tree Salad

Shared Dishes

Fried Calamari$12.00

Hummus$9.00

Pretzel Crusted Chicken Tenders*$12.00

Buffalo Chicken Wings*$9.00

Sriracha Lime Chicken Wings*$9.00

Jumbo Crab Cakes$14.00

Truffle Fries$6.00

Ahi Tuna "Nachos"*$15.00

Tex Mex Nachos$12.00

Middle Eastern Platter$8.00

Pasta & Vegetarian

Macaroni and Cheese$12.00

Ancient Grains$15.00

Pasta Caprese$14.00

Olive Tree Lentil Soup$6.00

Entree

Chicken Kebab Platter$14.00

Pan Roasted Chicken$20.00

Beef Borscht$15.00

Chicken Cutlet$15.00

Hamburger* or Cheeseburger*$13.00

Sauteed Salmon*$26.00

New York Strip*$35.00

Colorado Lamb Chops*$28.00

Salads

Caesar Salad$10.00

Caprese Salad$11.00

Chopped Cobb Salad$14.00

Greek Salad$13.00

Olive Tree Salad$14.00

Country Harvest$10.00

Sides

Market Vegetable$4.00

Couscous$4.00

Side Salad$5.00

French Fries$4.00

Cocktails

Homemade Pineapple Infused Vodka Martini$14.00

Cucumber 75$14.00

The Best Arnold Palmer Ever$14.00

Passion and Heat$14.00

Old Fashioned$14.00

Pick A Mule$14.00

Wildberry Martini$14.00

The Bee's Knees$14.00

Vodka

Absolut

Tito's

Grey Goose

Ketel

Stoli

Reyka

Gin

Bombay

Bombay Sapphire

Botanist

Hendrick's

Tanqueray

Brooklyn Gin

Tanqueray 10

Rum

Bacardi Light

Bacardi Limon

Mount Gay

Myer's

Goslings

Malibu

Sailor Jerry

Whiskey

Jack Daniels

Jack Honey

Crown Royal

Seagram's 7