Mere Ristorante Olbia — Restaurant in Olbia

I rarely write reviews, but my experience at Mere in Olbia was so appalling it deserves a public service announcement. From the moment the starter Il Fainè arrived, things began spiraling downward. It tasted like a piece of cardboard—dry, flavorless, and utterly joyless. I tried to stay optimistic, hoping the main course would redeem the meal. It didn’t. I ordered Curugiones, a dish I’ve loved for years. What I got was a travesty: rubbery pasta that tasted like it had been sitting in a fridge since last summer. The sauce? A sour, rancid version of ketchup—possibly expired. One bite was enough to make me gag, and I spent the rest of the evening battling stomach acidity. My girlfriend fared no better with her Ravioli Melanzana. Equally dreadful. We decided to cut our losses, pay the bill, and head elsewhere. But just as we were leaving, the waitress—who had been cold and inattentive throughout—suddenly turned into a banshee, yelling at us for not finishing our food. It was surreal, aggressive, and deeply unsettling. This was, without exaggeration, the worst meal of my life. The good reviews online? They can’t be anything but bought—there’s simply no way anyone with functioning taste buds would praise this place. And if any health inspectors happen to read this: please, do the public a favor and pay Mere a visit. Something is seriously wrong here. Mere is a culinary disaster zone. Do yourself a favor and steer...

We came here because this restaurant is listed on the osteria app (a must have if you’re traveling Italy and care about food). This app has never misguided us and we have come to know it as a reliable guide for authentic Italian food so this is what we expected.

So I reserved a table in the afternoon ( I was told it was completely booked out and the only possibility would be 7:30 p.m. which was ok for us) and came in the evening. thinking we could sit outside I was told that it wasn’t possible due to the wind - fair enough. So we were placed inside and ordered appetizers, oysters (decently meaty but on the expensive side) and a braised pulpo which was good. As primi we ordered two types of pasta, one supposedly traditionally Sardinian but I have to say both were rather bland. We were however extremely disappointed when we received the mixed seafood plate we wanted to share as secondi: it was a toos of fried seafood enough for two but with 1(!) slice of lemon and a little bit of honey. No other sauces, aioli or anything. I had to beg for another slice of lemon which then came (again only one slice). We skipped the dessert here and went to a nice gelateria instead. Overall very disappointed for the hefty price.

By the way, when we left at 9 there were barely two other tables occupied and people were allowed to sit outside. So much for...

Was trying to avoid another pizza restaurant after nearly a week in Olbia, so went on the basis of favourable reviews. Neither my partner or I enjoyed eating here. We swapped our outdoor table for one inside. (I personally don't like eating food on the pavement, where every pedestrian goes past your chair, especially on a busy thoroughfare). The interior doesn't go back very far, and with the front of the restaurant open to the street, I felt uncomfortable sitting inside as well. We were bothered by a few flies at our table (appreciate this is unavoidable to some extent). My vegetarian partner's first and second dishes were rather rudimentary - melted cheese on bits of bread with some jus swirls, and then some small pasta shapes with a cheese fondue type filling. Rather ordinary tasting and insubstantial she admitted. The dishes had the forlorn look of being put together without much expectation that someone would actually choose them. I struggled with mine and although the ingredients were translated online, didn't realise the beef would be raw for example, and the combination of an impressive number of ingredients listed for each dish, again didn't add up to anything lip-smackingly tasty. A disappointing experience. Certainly not recommended for anyone who is...