Not to be confused with Olive Garden, The Olive Tree Café is a small Greek cafe located near the Kahala Mall. It’s self-serve in almost every way. Don’t expect to be seated or waited on. My wife and I go almost every week. We just can’t get enough of their mouth watering Greek cuisine. Apparently, neither can the rest of Honolulu. The Olive Tree always has a packed house. If you arrive at about 6 p.m. you may be standing around for a while. You’ll need to be on your toes and keep an eye open for a spot if you plan on getting a table. It’s not easy. So if you see a table opening, slam a wine bottle down as your conquering flag!

Olive Tree Cafe Pita and Hummus

The Olive Tree runs a tight ship. They can be Soup Nazi’s when it comes to obeying their rules. So if you like the food, stay on their good side. Don’t bring a large party. Six people is pushing the limit. The cafe is BYOB, but that doesn’t include canned beverages. They’re fine with bringing a bottle of wine from Safeway, but God forbid you try to smuggle a can of Dr. Pepper in the doors. Don’t bring any of your pets, no matter how well behaved they are. The Olive Tree’s full 10 commandments are posted just outside the door. Most of it is common sense and a matter of respect, but you may want to glance it over just in case. If you stick to the code, you’ve got nothing to worry about.

As for their food, it’s among my favorite on the island. Everything I have tried is fantastic, but I’m addicted to their Souvlaki’s and pita and hummus. They have chicken, lamb and fish options for the Souvlaki, all of which are amazing. Vegetarian and Vegan options are also available. They have falaffels, pita and hummus, giant beans (Yes, giant beans), salad and more. There’s a wine shop next door with great imported wines as well, but wine glasses from The Olive Tree cost 50 cents each. The wine selections are spectacular as well, and most bottles are in the $10 to $20 price range.

Olive Tree Cafe Falafel

The Olive Tree is a great place to bring a few friends, share a bottle of wine, some great food and talk story for the evening. It’s a relaxing atmosphere with a crowd of mostly young adults. Oh, yeah–don’t show up for lunch or you’ll be standing in an empty parking lot.