Oliveta Restaurant — Restaurant in Tirana Municipality

Will be detailed because Oliveta deserves it.

Smooth what’s app reservation, whole menu is Halal. Nice calm and cozy decoration in the restaurant. Menu is well put together. The chef came to take orders and suggest their signature dishes, very nice gesture. Took different dishes to get a taste of many items on the menu, overall food was balanced, well designed, rich in flavours, and joyful to the taste buds. Our experience ended with a complementary desert which were loved.

The menu still being adjusted based on chefs strong points and customers feedback, which is great concept for improvement to have the whole menu delivering the same richness of flavour as well as restaurant’s identity.

Here is more about the food the base for Musakaa and the beef cheek were the same, as I expected at least slight different flavour switch as its two different dishes. Musakaa was in main courses section yet portion wise was maybe more a starter. The starters bread could be enhanced with some flavour, who says no to a toasted bread with a touch of garlic. The Feta cheese dish was very creative yet missed a slight touch of something extra, maybe thinner feta slice, maybe more sweetness for balance of saltiness or maybe it’s just me who isn’t a Feta fan. The beef linguine was our least favourite, plain in flavours. Thicker and richer maybe parm cheesier sauce, touch of spices for extra kick, the dish was just not comparable to the other dishes. The orders could be written, for convenience, but I know rest knows what’s best in that regard. A website for the restaurant ,with updated menus other valid info would be a recommendation.

Cash card topic should be less important for a restaurant with this quality and high potential.

Oliveta I’ll see you again 😉. Really best in Albania,...

We came to Oliveta with high expectations after seeing so many 5-star reviews and beautiful food photos on Google. The place itself looks great, the atmosphere was pleasant, and the waiter was kind — everything started really well.

Unfortunately, the food didn’t live up to the expectations. The octopus appetizer on chickpeas was overcooked and the flavors didn’t blend nicely. The chickpeas felt too heavy, and the oatmeal that was supposed to add crunch didn’t really work. The salad had green pearls that looked like caviar, but instead of popping, they had a strange chewy texture. The lamb shank, which should have been the highlight, was completely bland and looked nothing like the photos online. The potatoes on the side were stiff instead of soft or crisp. The kids’ penne with chicken and cream was actually good, but overall, we left disappointed — especially considering the price.

After posting my review, the owner replied publicly with very harsh accusations, even saying we didn’t pay the full bill. If that’s really the case, I truly apologize — it was not intentional, and I’d be happy to cover any difference if something was missed.

As for what they mentioned: yes, we were with kids, but they were supervised the whole time. The restaurant doesn’t have a diaper-changing table or space for a stroller in the restroom, so we had no real option but to change the diaper discreetly while the restaurant was empty.

It’s a shame that instead of trying to understand what went wrong or take feedback, the response focused on personal attacks. We left feeling more disappointed by the reaction than by the meal itself.

In short: great-looking place, nice staff, but the food was bland and didn’t match the hype or the many...

Last & final edit: you don't need to apologize for your "high standards" but for the insult of calling me a liar. Why would my review be unfair or misleading if it is just based on my own experience? Did you taste the food that I got? No worries I've found plenty of great restaurants in Albania and I don't have any kind of "budget", I just compare the prices for value and include them in my overall rating. The experience at Oliveta was a big exception and your childish and unreflected reaction makes it even worse. "Gatuaj me shpirt, shërbe me dashuri, respekto çdo produkt dhe çdo klient."

Edit: Excuse me? Why would you think that I'm not a genuine guest? Do you call me a liar? I can only rate my own experience and it was dry and it was a small portion. Possible that other guests had a better experience, but we didn't and I've eaten lamb a lot. I attach a picture of the lamb shank, is this really a fair sized portion? (22/06/25) I could also upload a copy of my bank payment if you want? By the way: 16€ is a lot in Albania, we've been to many restaurants all over the country and I never paid more for one dish, even in fancier restaurants. Your missing ability to accept critical comments and your arrogance to think that you are failproof and never make mistakes is really pitiful. You may reconsider these kind of gaslighting comments in the future.

Dissapointing experience, we expected much more after these great ratings. Food was pretty expensive for Albania but didn't taste that great. Lamb Shank was very dry and the portions are small. Service &...