Oliva Restaurant - Cocina Abierta

When we first arrived, they seated us right away, but when we tried to order, they told us we’d need to wait around 40 minutes before we could order because they were “too busy.” I didn’t really understand why they seated us in the first place if they couldn’t serve us. It made the entire experience confusing and unpleasant.

I ordered the mushroom risotto, but it was nothing like what I expected. The dish didn’t resemble a traditional mushroom risotto at all, instead, it was filled with unexpected vegetables, including tomatoes and peppers, which completely changed the flavor and presentation. None of these ingredients were mentioned on the menu!

When I complained about the dish, they refused to change it and only after a long argument did the waiter finally agree to cancel it. He even told me that if I didn’t want vegetables, I should have said so, but how could I know when it’s not listed in the menu? He also mentioned that they add vegetables to other dishes without saying so. That’s completely unacceptable.

Very disappointing experience. Definitely wouldn’t recommend.

(The pizza...

Visited Oliva with a group of friends and had a mixed experience.

We had a reservation for five people, but were seated at a table for four, with no extra chair or cutlery provided. We had to fetch these ourselves, which gave the impression that the staff were overwhelmed or inattentive. Unfortunately, that theme continued: a drink was forgotten, and service was slow. It seems the restaurant could benefit from having more waiting staff, particularly during busy times.

As for the food/drink, it was a bit of a rollercoaster. The ceviche was fresh and the wine selection was impressive. One of my friends said her ravioli was the best she’d ever tasted! On the other hand, the Waldorf salad was a huge letdown. What arrived was essentially a chicken salad in a curry sauce, bearing no resemblance to a traditional Waldorf (no walnuts or grapes to be seen). The chicken casserole was a salty chicken broth with a few bits of crunchy veg.

I’m very confused about how their rating is so high. Sadly, we...

I stopped by Oliva before heading to a Cholita Wrestling show. I had over 2 hours before our bus left, so when they advised of a 40 minute wait on the food I wasn't worried. They recommended drinks and appetizers while we wait, so I opted for a Bolivian lager and the BBQ pork belly appetizer. The beer arrived 45 minutes later followed by the appetizer at about the hour 10 minute mark. The pork belly was warm not hot, which was ordered because I watch the kitchen staff hand it to out waitress. At this point I was nervous for the main course because we only had and hour left. I order the Spicy Chicken from the Bolivian section of the menu. It arrived at the hour and 45 minutes mark. It, like the pork belly, was warm, but what was more concerning was it appeared undercooked. Thankfully, I only had time for 2 bites before having to rush off to the bus. The location is beautiful, but the food ans service on this day...