Oliver Cafe/Lounge

LOVE this place!  Healthy delicious food for a reasonable price that is nice inside!  Just wish it stayed open later on weekends.

I've had lunch at Oliver Cafe twice now with a client in the area.  The first time, I thought the place was pretty good.  I really should have taken notes like I saw another Yelper do one time because you tend to forget the food if you don't write your reviews right away.  I know, tsk tsk.  But life comes at you fast sometimes, ya know!

I think the first time I had the Ahi Tuna Wrap <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oliver-cafe-lounge-beverly-hills?userid=muK3bAO2dRwP79SBnppQ5g#fI5xG23WHms9yOTJuOd9nA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a> and the Organic Kale Cranberry Apple Salad <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/oliver-cafe-lounge-beverly-hills?userid=muK3bAO2dRwP79SBnppQ5g#VPHQ5lPJANAK-0GwwGvlfA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  The wrap was simply delicious. It wasvVery savory and hands down a great choice for a meal.  The salad was a complete winner in my book as well!  So fresh and tasty.  The honey lime mint dressing really gave the salad a nice zing.  I'd definitely order this again.  The combination was excellent!

On my second visit however, I wasn't really keen on what I had.  I had split a Chipotle Barbecue Chicken salad with my friend.  We were toying with this or the Chicken Curry salad.  We asked our server what she thought, which, looking back, might have been a wrong idea.  Not to be stereotypical but she was Latina and said she really liked the Chipotle Barbecue Chicken which is why we went with that.  Upon eating it, I thought the salad was not very flavorful and that the chipotle sauce was somewhat bland.  I should have gone with my gut and ordered the Chicken Curry but I'll know better next time.

<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=74iW3zO1dHNIEW3Sl24XJw&userid=muK3bAO2dRwP79SBnppQ5g">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>

We also split the Chipotle Chicken wrap which sounded very appetizing when reading the ingredients on the menu.  However, this also fell flat in that it was not very flavorful.  Again, I was not wowed by the chipotle sauce flavor as I thought it was too mild.  I had to resort to dipping my sandwich in some of the dressing for the salad to increase its flavor value.  Disappointing.

<a href="http://www.yelp.com/user_local_photos?select=HDwFOHc2vbsyn4P6Hff-_w&userid=muK3bAO2dRwP79SBnppQ5g">http://www.yelp.com/user…</a>

The servers were friendly and attentive enough but the dishes here are hit and miss so you really have to know what to order to be satisfied with your meal.  Based on that, if I were to return, I would order what I had ordered on my first visit for sure because those were seriously some good eats.  Definitely skip the chipotle anything because you will be disappointed.

I'm writing this review as I sit at the bar watching the bartender run around this tiny cafe/lounge greeting people and taking their orders... I'm the only black guy here at the moment, the only person sitting at the bar and not one person has acknowledged me yet after waiting 5 minutes. I really hope race isn't the issue but I can't blame it on them being busy neither because including me, there's only 8 ppl in here dining and there's a waiter, waitress and two bartenders on staff.

Bartender closes one tab and returns back to the table to return their card.... Bartender comes back to close another check and hands me a menu and I order a Stella... A waitress came to put in an order for a table, looks at me then smiles... A man who could've been a table busser came behind the bar and asked if I have been helped and I advised I've ordered a Stella and is waiting for it... Bartender comes back to close another party of two and realizes he never gave me my Stella so he finally does... exactly 20 minutes after my arrival sitting at the bar.

My lunch break was only 30 minutes smh. Nobody cares!