Olympic Steak and Pizza

The seafood buffet on Friday's and Saturday's is AWESOME and it was only $14.95!!!!  I think I am going to make a weekly trip if I can.  :-D

Consistent quality and a nice clean eating area. I live in the area and have eaten here many times. They generally hire young entry level wait staff, but they are enthusiastic and the service is usually good. The pizza is better than average. I haven't tried the steak and I won't ('cause honestly, who would think a great steak could be had in a pizza chain restaurant?!)

As far as nicer options for a dinner with friends in Oakland, TN,  this place would probably rank second to Shogun for a quieter atmosphere. These two are just more conducive to conversation than the several, louder Mexican places in town.

If you have ever been to a NICE salad bar, you will be disappointed with Olympic's "iceberg lettuce" offering. While there is a little more variety of "salad building" options than the fast food pizza chains, it is nothing to get excited over. The daily soup however, has always been tasty, but then again I have a salt tooth and it doesn't take much to make me fall in love with a soup.

"Complimentary" soft frozen ice cream is always a treat for the kids, but again, nothing extraordinary by anyone's standards.

If I could give 3.5 stars I would, but this place is just not a 4, mainly because it is just a bit boring and i have had no menu items that are especially remarkable for creativity, uniqueness, and flavor.

If you like predictable places which are just a small step past average then you will probably like Olympic.

First of all, I am a sucker for salad bars.  I really don't know what it is about them, and the weirdest thing is that I can buy all of the same components in a grocery store, bring them home, and still not make as good of salad...wtf?  Anyway, the salad bar isn't the only reason to come to Olympic Steak and Pizza.  They also offer a really clean restaurant, with decent service, a nice family atmosphere, and some other pretty good food options.

Food: The first time I went to OS&P I was visiting Memphis because we were getting ready to move to the area. It was lunch and I had another hour or so before I had to be to my next house showing, so on my way down 64 I saw this restaurant and stopped-in.  Now, from the get-go I wasn't expecting anything that fantastic out of the food, so it's not like my bar was set that high.  I didn't exactly go into OS&P thinking that this was going to get a quality NY Style pizza, or a Steakhouse quality steak. I ordered the salad bar (sucker...), and a calzone.

The calzone was definitely not what I would consider a calzone.  I mean, maybe for this part of the country it cuts the mustard; but not for a NY'er.  The dough is too similar to a Pillsbury Croissant than a pizza dough, the sauce is too chunky so it makes it difficult to dunk the calzone around all of the extra chunks of crap in it, and there isn't that pronounced of a ricotta flavor for it to be considered a calzone.  It was disappointing.  The salad bar was as awesome as I had expected with a lot of fresh ingredients and a rather delicious banana pudding (though I think it is probably not homemade).  My only qualm about the salad bar is that whoever preps their vegetables is an idiot.  Yes, I said it...and idiot.  THe slices of tomato and cucumber are waaaaaay to thick for a salad.  Hey owner...either invest in a mandolin, or teach your prep cooks how to cut things and appropriate size. Eh...either way, salad bar always hits the spot.

On two subsequent visits I have tried their regular pizza, and their wings.  God...I think buffalo wings are one of those things that you either do right or wrong, and they do them wrong.  They were not crispy, the buffalo sauce tasted as if it were straight out of a bottle found in a local grocery store, and the flavor just wasn't what I consider a buffalo wing to be--and I have eaten many o' buffalo wings in my day.  The one nice thing about the wings was that it was served with a generous side of bleu cheese -- that I do appreciate.

The pizza is pretty good too, and it is all because they cook it properly.  The cheese is definitely their saving-grace from a mediocre dough and equally mediocre sauce.

Food: 3 / 5 (Unimpressive and pretty basic)

Service: Each time I have gone to OS&P, the waitstaff has been attentive, friendly, and considerate.  Honestly, that is all I ask for in my waitstaff.  Come to my table, greet me, take my orders, make sure my drink is consistently filled, askhow my meal was, and thank me for coming in.  If a server does this, I never have an issue with them.  Conversely though, I have never been wow'd by the service either.  That is no big deal, but it justifies its score.

Service: 3 / 5

Atmosphere: I really dig the atmosphere here.  Whoever designed the building, the furnishings, and the decor did a fantastic job.  The place is always spotless and inviting, it is well lit, and a comforting eating environment.  I have absolutely no qualms about the eating atmosphere.  They could make it better with servers who go the extra mile and be a little bit happier and more energetic.  I know, I know...it's hard to be incredibly enthusiastic when you are a server, though I have had some phenomenal servers over the years.

Atmosphere: 4 / 5 (More upbeat, energetic servers would make the experience better)

Price: You know, the price is relatively fair for what you get.  I think that the salad bar may be a little bit overpriced for what you get; but everything else is what you would expect.  I hate the prices of beverages in today's age because I can go buy 3 two liters at wal mart for the same price as some of these 'endless' beverages; but I wont; penalize them for something that is like this across-the-board at all restaurants.  Plus, I understand that this is a huge margin item for them in terms of profit.

Price: 3 / 5

Concluding Thoughts: In terms of places in Oakland, TN that you can go get a decent meal for a fair price, I think this is certainly one of the best.  Fortunately for them though, there is not any competition in the area yet because I think they would have a much harder time if there were.  Hold the phone though, I am presently getting my finances in-order, and Oakland, TN may have a brand new place to Yelp at soon.  I just hope if it happens, I don't get a critic like myself :-).  Seriously though, at the moment, this may be one of the best dining option in Oakland--unfortunately though, it is only mediocre at best.