About Oliver’s Osteria
Beyond their size, small businesses are defined by their spirit. And at the helm are their intrepid founders—scrappy, ambitious, and resilient. They invent and build things despite uncertainty, because it’s what drives them. Their risks lead to innovation that moves the world forward. And we need them.
I love coming here for their truffle dishes since I’m a truffle lover. They offer truffle menu and price wasn’t bad at all. Located in Laguna Beach, now they also opened the location in Irvine, Quail Hill. Both locations have outdoor patio which also dogs friendly restaurant that we love taking our fur baby with us. Staffs are nice, cozy ambiance, good food. We usually make rsvp anywhere we go. They do take walk in. There are plenty parking in Irvine location. As for Laguna Beach it’s just a little harder in the weekend but still can find one.
The best Italian restaurant in the USA! I used to live in Italy for 3 years and I know what is the real italian food. All the staff speaks Italian, including the Italian chef.
This place was amazing. Chef Eric and his staff were welcoming and warm from the second we walked in until we left. We purchased the chefs pairings and were wowed more by each course. Going back is not even a question, we plan to take the rest of the family. They made you feel well welcomed and like family. The food was the icing on the cake.
This was a good visit to Oliver’s but had some room for improvement. It was a Thursday evening, not packed and we were seated promptly. We started with the peach & burrata salad- fresh summer flavor- creamy burrata, an almost pickled- like peach, sweet balsamic reduction, and I’m a sucker for the light play of arugula that gives that little bite. We also had the octopus appetizer- a bright dish with fresh microgreens atop the squid, another great summer starter. Next, we went for the evening’s specials- both with truffles. I had the scallops with truffle over spinach and light cream sauce. This was good but the cook or sear on the scallop was missing. I had hoped for a nice sear with that light outside crust, and the dark truffles overpowered the dish at times. My husband had the white truffle risotto and this is the dish that shined! Risotto is an art form- too thick and it’s gummy, too wet and it’s soggy. This was neither. An absolute stunner- The risotto was velvety, creamy, rich in flavor and paired perfectly with light/white truffles that adorned it. It was such perfection it didn’t even need a protein. Here’s what took the rating down one notch. We were excited for desert and ordered two affogatos (cup of espresso w a scoop of vanilla ice cream). We didn’t see them for about 25+ minutes. This just felt too long to wait for a simple desert drink at $16 a cup, and made the evening experience drop. We may give it another try and go for the chef’s tasting menu. Thank you 😊
Misrepresented Michelin Chef’s Table experience. We reserved the $95 Michelin Chef’s Table expecting a five-course experience led by Chef Erik, as stated on OpenTable. Instead, there was no chef interaction—just standard service from a server. We waited 20 minutes with only water before receiving wine or the first course. The menu on OpenTable listed five courses, but we were only served four, matching the restaurant’s website—not what we paid for. Food quality was average and did not seem up to par for a Michelin-level experience. For example, a seared scallop was served on mashed potatoes (per the server explaining the dish). The size of the courses were very small which would be ok for a 8 or 9 course tasting menu, but not appropriate for this menu. Service was inconsistent. The host dropped menus and walked off. We received a cocktail menu but were never asked if we wanted to order. The restroom was not clean—trash on the floor, no soap, and a faulty door latch . This was promoted as a Chefs Table experience with a Michelin Chef. Upon further investigation, we found While the restaurant was previously listed with a Michelin Plate in 2021, there’s no current recognition distinction on the official Michelin site.