I was first introduced to this wonderful place through the State of the Art: A Cocktail Extravaganza. Though I don't remember the cocktail from this night, I did remember them for the following night when I was in Baton Rouge.
We showed up around 10 pm, at the tail end of their trivia night. So we decided to sit outside. Â Usually, you need to order at the bar, but someone came by to take our order at the table outside. I had their blueberry something. I was worried that it was going to be stronger than I preferred - which it wasn't. It was a great, light drink to sip on while sitting outside enjoying the light summer night.
The inside was nicely lit, comfortable and nicely air-conditioned. Also, the bathrooms are clean too.
If i ever find my way to Baton Rouge again, I'm sure that I'm going to make a stop here for drinks.
Pro-tip: There's a small street side sign for this place, then you need to go all the way in the back past all the parking and trees to be able to find this place.
My first encounter with Olive Or Twist was on Monday evening at the State of the Art Cocktail Extravaganza, where they were sampling one of my favorite drinks of the evening. I'll be honest and tell you that I can't recall what it was, but it was one of the rare drinks that had me coming back for seconds and possibly thirds, who can remember? Upon talking to the friendly gent behind the bar, I came to learn that his establishment is not in NOLA, but in Baton Rouge. What a coincidence! I was scheduled to be in BR the very next evening for their first Yelp Elite Event at Caliente Mexican Craving. I made immediate note that an after party at Olive Or Twist would have to happen.
And yes, it happened and wow, does this place live up to all expectations. We arrived at the tail end of a bustling trivia night, so we opted to sit outside on their small, but lively patio. These 'tenders are serious mixologists, ie, they ain't playing. Spy behind the bar and you'll see juicers and an array of bar paraphernalia. I didn't ask, but I'm sure their sour mix ain't in the gun, if you catch my drift. I was already pretty soused from the earlier party, so I stuck to one fabulous concoction: the Blackberry Sage and it is perfection in a frosty tin cup. Gingery, fruity, boozy and not too sweet. Oh yes, yes yes: (in the spirit of the bar's namesake)
"Please, sir, I want some more!"
LOVE. THIS. PLACE.
The only thing I wish for this bar is that it were located in an area of BR with more bar-hopping traffic because I think it could blow away anything around it.
The first time I went to Olive or Twist, I was wowed. The cocktails, obviously, are fantastic. They are crafted with ingredients I've never even heard of, and they taste like things you've likely never tasted.
One of the owners sat down at the bar and chatted my date and I's ears off for over an hour, which I loved. You could tell he truly loves what he does. My date had been ordering beer (they have a decent selection of craft beer, and he's not a cocktail guy), and by the end of it, the owner offered to comp all of the beer on our tab if my date would agree to buy /enjoy a cocktail. We easily agreed, and all part of his plan, my date loved the cocktail made for him.
Something that more restaurants and bars should do, this place has a VERY well-run social media page. They take the time to update the public with their drink of the day every single day.. and there is always a high quality photo attached. The drinks are constantly rotating, and no experience here is ever the same. Five stars for such a great bar.
EDIT: Do be aware that in a specialty cocktail bar such as this, you do wait longer for a cocktail. I saw posts about not being approached, and while those reviewers may be perfectly right about that, each cocktail takes longer to make. If a bartender is making a 7-minute cocktail, serves, performs payment transaction, etc.. it could be 10 minutes before they approach the next customer. It's the the type of place you walk up and snag a popped Bud Light. And I like that about it.
Once served the drinks are good. If served the atmosphere is good. Have gone 3 times now and each time it forever to be served. Our last and final time there we sat for over a half hour and never was acknowledged. Even stood up and waived my hands. So we just left and spent our 100s else where.
Review Source:Why hello there. Â What's a nice bar like you doing in a town like this?
Man - what a pleasant little surprise Olive or Twist is! Â The craft cocktail scene in Baton Rouge is pretty limited, so I was absolutely thrilled to discover that this place had opened in the last few months (and just around the corner from the hotel where I stay every week!). Previously the only other place to go for craft cocktails was The Cove... and not only do you have to deal with smoke there, but the bartender quality has gone way down recently.
So. Olive or Twist. Â It feels like a little sliver of a big cocktail town has been carved out and relocated to BTR. Â A great bar top & bar back plus comfy and cozy chairs around little tables work well together for the decor and ambiance. Â The bar tenders all look the part with their vests and suspenders. Â And the menu... oh the menu. Â So many excellently crafted cocktails with innovative ingredients and combinations. Â Everything I tried was well balanced and delicious - my only regret is that the menu is so large that I was only able to sample a tiny portion of it!
The owner here is great - when he found out I was from out of town, we spent quite a while chatting about the cocktail scene in Atlanta and around the country. Â It was great to connect with another cocktail aficionado and be able to gush about his amazing menu.
I would like to see a slightly larger and more diverse food menu, but the items I sampled were quite tasty! Â I especially enjoyed the pork sliders.
The only real improvement I can suggest for Olive or Twist is around staffing and table service. Â I was there on a Tuesday night while trivia (ick) was going on, and as a result the bar was packed. Â Unfortunately there were only two bartenders and the owner, which meant the service at the tables wasn't great. Â Craft cocktails take serious time and effort - for busy nights, a 3rd mixologist or someone dedicated to waiting tables is definitely needed.
My minor gripes can't offset  a 5 star review - the drinks here were amazing, and it's the only place you'll find of its kind in Baton Rouge.  Olive or Twist would be perfectly at home in Seattle or Austin.
Some of the best drinks I've had in Baton Rouge...really! Â The French 75 at this bar is out of this world! Â I really like that the bartenders want you to enjoy your drink and aren't only concerned with making as many drinks as they can. Â I wish the bar was bigger and there was a better outside area BUT the drinks will keep me coming back until they need to lease a larger space :o)
Review Source:My girlfriend and I went here on a date last Friday and it was a big hit. The place is a little small so seating is at a premium. We were able to find a stool for her at the bar. I had the Pepino Diablo and a Pimms Cup and she had the Carry me Away. The drinks were delicious, and you can definitely tell that the bartenders put a lot of effort into making each one. The Pepino had Jalapeno Tequila and cucumber juice in it and it was perfectly balanced.
We also shared the Muffaletta and for a one man kitchen they were pretty good or we were just really hungry. The crowd is a bunch of Yo Pros and everyone was very friendly. I will be back there very soon because the $10 drinks are worth it.
So I came here for the Yelp event on June 20th to meet our new community manager in Baton Rouge, Jonathon. It was a great time and though it is irrelevant to the review, Baton Rouge is lucky to have a guy like him as our community manager.
Olive or Twist is craft cocktail bar and you can tell the moment you walk in. The design of the bar is excellent. It definitely doesn't feel like any other bar in Baton Rouge. There's no way around it, this place screams trendy.
Since it's a cocktail bar, I should probably mention the drinks. I ordered a Sazerac because I didn't feel like being adventurous. That being said it was a pretty solid Sazerac and it had a decent price of $5 during happy hour. They also have a pretty respectable beer list, though it is a bit light on pale ales/IPA's.
The staff was accommodating and friendly. They clearly knew their menu and were more than wiling to help you decide what to drink. One bartender even made an excellent caramel apple shot.
Overall Olive or Twist is an excellent place. It seems like this would be a great place to bring someone on a date if you want to grab a drink or two.
I found this place randomly, and I am so glad that I did. They have a really awesome happy hour with lots of options for drinks. I had the lemon drop and the loopy drop. Both were sweet with great flavors, and they were CHEAP!
They have a whole list of drinks and appetizers for only $5. I would definitely suggest going. Not only were the drinks delicious and reasonably priced, but the bartenders are really nice and friendly.
Overall, I will definitely be back.
This is a fun place to visit with friends and have snacks and cocktails. The inside is very comfortable and the outdoor seating is a good option on a pleasant day. The place still has that new bar smell. It is also located right next to Martin's Wine Cellar so you can go buy some bottles to take home after you get sauced up.... with your designated driver.
Tip: Happy Hour is a good time to visit. This is when the prices come down to reasonable on drinks and grub.
After wrapping up afternoon business in Baton Rouge, I was looking for a nice spot to have a refreshing cocktail and catch up with some friends. I had heard about Olive or Twist for the past couple of weeks, so I decided that it would be a nice place to have a cocktail while waiting out Baton Rouge traffic over the course of a few hours. They have a fantastic happy hour with very affordable pricing. I ended up getting the Ginger Mojito. My wife got the Hummingbird. Both were light, delicious, and refreshing. Literally some of the best cocktails that I've had in quite sometime. I highly suggest swinging through to Olive or Twist, behind Mcalister's and Investar Bank on Perkins road. They open up right around 4p, so if your in need of a delicious drink. Try this place out. Enjoy!
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