Olive Tree Restaurant — Restaurant in Cedar Rapids

Some places have a feel, like the place itself has a specific character. Such a place is the Olive Tree. It is not a hipster vibe. It is not trendy or even cool, it is comfortable. The ambiance of the place is subtle. It is unassuming, quiet. I walked in at 6:40 am. on a Tuesday. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant was fairly subdued, with a few groups of three to four retired gentlemen discussing matters of state amongst themselves. I stood for only a moment at the front of the dining room when one of the patrons glanced up at me and kindly offered, “sit anywhere you’d like”. Right away, I began to get the mood of the place, personal and relaxed. I took up residence in the nearest booth and waited for perhaps 10 seconds before a waitress offered coffee and a menu. So far, so good, but let me digress for a for a few words about the waitress. I asked her name and asked if she would be okay with being mentioned in my review, as is my custom. She was thoughtful for a moment and then informed me that she was just filling in, just helping out, and offered up the name of a hard-working waitress who was a member of staff. Again, that feeling, the personal nature of this place. Here was a competent individual, taking care of the diners present with a smooth practiced hand, and she didn't even work there. She was “just helping out”. Another subtle but defining clue as to the friendly, member-of-the-family atmosphere. The menu is not elaborate in any way. It is, in fact, a distillation of the classic diner breakfast offerings. One, two, or three eggs, with ham, bacon, or sausage. A shipwreck of eggs scrambled with potatoes, meat a dollar more. Steak and eggs, a breakfast sandwich, and a few omelets, with the most exotic being the Western. Also, an assortment of pancakes and French toast, which, as many of my readers might know, mean little to me. I chose the sausage and cheese omelet, plated with American fries and toast, a steal at $7.25. Not being one to leave well enough alone, I added griddled onions to the omelet and cheese to the ‘fries. I had written only a few sentences when my food arrived, piping hot and ready to devour. The American fries were well crisped, with melty squares of American cheese on top. For some reason, completely unknown to me, a melted square of cheese always brings a smile to my face. And I was smiling broadly as I took in the slightly browned, perfectly done folded omelet. There are a few different ways of constructing an omelet, one of those involves using a fair amount of flat-top real estate to pour out the egg mixture to a relatively thin layer, then using a spatula (or two) to fold this up into a package around the filling. I have a deep fondness for this method as it creates thin, perfectly cooked layers of egg, which one’s fork seems to glide through. The sausage was plentiful, the onions were perfectly done, and the cheese was in just the right amount. Simply delightful. I took my time, savoring bites of the yummy, cheesy fried potatoes, and enjoying the texture of the eggs. As it is with every delicious breakfast, it was over far too soon. As I finished my cup of coffee and scribbled a few more notes, I took a minute to look around. The place had begun to fill, being now about 10 minutes ‘til eight, and every single customer, with no exception, was happily chatting away, quite comfortable in their favorite neighborhood...

I really enjoyed coming here for the first time. I've been passing this place by for years not knowing the food treasures it holds for my palate. Had breakfast here with some family members and we really enjoyed it. The food tasted great. The portions are big and filling. The prices are just right. The service was great. The waitress was very nice and attentive to our needs. She also gave us some history on the owners and the restaurant. I even met a regular there who advised that she was hooked after her first time there as well. The restaurant is small inside, not meant for a crowd of people. But the ambience here was very homely and comfortable. I love these types of mom and pops restaurants. If u haven't been here, please find some to time to go here and eat good. U will fall in love with this place. I will definitely be going back! Next...

Everything is home made in this restaurant.If you are looking for fancy, look elsewhere but if your looking for good home cooked food, this is the place and it is very in-expensive too. Breakfast is served all day and it is the best you will find anywhere. Average meal price is between $5.00 and $10.00. This is our new fav breakfast spot in Cedar Rapids. It's small but does not disappoint at all. The food is so good! I want to try their lunch but when I think of this place I just crave their breakfast...