Olive Or Twist

Suprised I loved it!. I had to go to a business social event at Olive or Twist and I was not looking forward to it. I don't hang out downtown very much and after reading some of the reviews about the bartenders I planned on leaving early.

To my suprise, the staff was very friendly and made some of the best drinks I have ever tasted.

We started the event upstairs in a private lounge area and they had a buffet ready for us. The food was not just good but great! I didn't know if it was just that I was starving or the food was really that good but we all dug in and ate everything as fast as they brought it out.

I couldn't believe the number of special drinks they make here. The drink menu is huge. We were all ordering different drinks and sharing with eachother. Every drink was better than the next. The bartending staff was great. They were friendly, fun and fast.

After the event, my girlfriends and I went downstairs to the restaurant and ordered some appetizers to share. The server helped us chose what to order and her recommendations were perfect. The calamari is the best. They should bottle the sauce and sell in the store!

The only negative thing was the decor or lack of it.

Great place, Great product. Great service, Now make it look as good as it is.

I'll definitely be back.…

Good food, nice atmosphere; more than just Martinis.. We went in just to sit and get something cold, thinking about hitting one of the other restaurants on the block for the main meal AND WE ENDED UP STAYING FOR HOURS. I loved that they had big salads; I got the Chicken Ceasar salad (fresh/good) but wished I'd ordered my friends' Seared Tuna salad...that sauce was so different. Next time I'm getting the clams, saw a lot of those being ordered (think they're on special). I'll get my Gimlet again; cool and fresh ; low carb never tasted so good (and it's big enough to enjoy a long time). Our server was really nice without being a pest. People were mentioning Brunch...noting that the brunch is worth trekking downtown on a Sunday, so I'll be back. I really liked parking was near so we didn't have to walk a long way late in the dark and there were people around, so we felt safe.…

Delicious before or after Byham Theatre (or work). I enjoyed the Riesling but should have ordered my friend's Melon Martini! We shared that Calamari ... really flavorful sauce and light crispy batter, just perfect. Noticed others gathering for drinks then dinner, so the locals must use this as a quiet getaway.

The beauty is there is PARKING almost next door so you need not hike far to your car... parking after 5 was $5, so much easier than driving around and around looking for street openings.

I liked the service; she asked if we liked the drinks. I think she would have found me other wine if I really didn't like it. And she made certain we liked our food too.

They seem to be making an extra effort to keep all the diners happy... (didnt get that feeling at the big hotel down the street).

We liked the candles at all the tables; nice touch.

Nice time. I'll be back next time I'm in town…

GET THE CALAMARI. And a Lemon Drop Martini.. What a fun place... just don't expect to sit for a meal on Friday (or Saturday, am told) at 7pm, because it's busy. Understated decor; I like that they left the exposed brick. We did the short walk over the bridge to PNC Park, so plan to meet after a Pirates game. Also, you can meet friends for shopping... Saks is just over a mile on 6th. My server met me with a friendly smile and checked back appropriately, not overbearing & made the right suggestions. It's a surprising little jewel downtown, so glad we found it.…