Black Olive Family Diner — Restaurant in Columbia

I ate here with my family at the request of my daughter, age 17, who declared that her next meal absolutely must be had at a diner. We are not regular diner-goers, but I had heard from several friends that they liked the food at the Black Olive.

The restaurant was clean and attractive, and we were given our choice between a booth and a table, something I appreciated because my wife and I are plus sized people and sometimes are not comfortable in a booth. The atmosphere was welcoming. As I age I find that I mind a lot of excessive noise or music, but this was not a concern on our visit.

Our timing was bad - we arrived at 3:00PM on a Thursday - and I wondered what portion of the menu would be available at that odd time. Part of the fun of eating at a diner for my group is that my son can gnosh on pancakes while my daughter can order shrimp and my wife can get a burger all at the same time, a novelty not possible at home. The happy answer was, all of it! The entire menu was available for order, including breakfast and all of the daily specials. And the menu did not disappoint! Sandwiches, hoagies, paninis and cheesesteaks? Check. Imaginative, delicious-sounding salads? Check. Home-style dishes like chicken parm, and chicken croquettes? Check. Robust breakfast selection? Check. Steak and seafood? Check! So many options! After having avoided eating out for a year due to the virus, the range of choices had us feeling giddy.

What did we order with all that culinary power at our disposal? Two burgers, one hoagie, wings and a salad! So unimaginative of us, but that is what repeat visits are for!

My son got a bacon cheeseburger. From the contented sounds he made, it met his expectations. My daughter ordered mild wings and a side garden salad. The salad was beautiful and generous in size, so much so that she worried that she had been brought the large size instead of the "side" size. (She hadn't - it was just a really nice portion.) My wife got a cheeseburger hoagie, which was served on a sub roll with chopped tomato, lettuce and onion heaped on top. I ordered the Crabby Burger, a hamburger topped with a crabcake and served on a soft, lightly-toasted bun that was to die for. All of the food was cooked per our orders and served hot and quickly. The fries were superb and plentiful. My crabcake tasted delicious atop that juicy burger, with the sweetness of the crabmeat coming through in every bite. Both kids raved about the ranch dressing, which they applied liberally to their fries and salad. We learned from the waitress that the Black Olive makes their own in-house. To summarize, universal meal satisfaction!

The hostess and waitress were both friendly and a man who I assume was the manager checked on our enjoyment of the meal. They made us feel very welcome! Drinks were refreshed regularly and quickly. Mask etiquette was observed by all staff.

To top it all off, our bill came to just $43, plus the tip. A family of four eating out for less than $50? Yes! We didn't order expensive meals, but all of the prices on the menu seemed very reasonable. I would have expected to pay 20% more for the quality of food received. This makes me want to support the Black Olive with future visits even more!

We will be back to the Black Olive again, and we will bring friends!

Update 3/29/22: We had another very enjoyable meal at the Black Olive this evening. As before, the place was clean and the wait staff friendly and attentive.

Both my wife and I got salads with chicken on top, and the chicken was tender, flavorful, and hot. Salad greens were fresh and the salads were appealing to the eye.

Our only disappointment was that the Oreo cake didn't taste quite as awesome as it looked, but was still enjoyable. I was tempted to request that the country music playing from the overhead speakers be reduced in volume a bit. But my wife and I had a good laugh at some of the more cringe-inducing lyrics while waiting for the food, so...

I was just now given a rating my business page from the owner of this establishment because i rated it 1 star. Now i will give my reasoning as to why. (I have changed my rating to a 3 star because their food is very good although they really should wear gloves)

I worked for this diner for about a month and i was sexually harassed and called "fat" by the manager. I had informed another manager and the owner of what had happened and they did nothing! I then resigned my position after being told by previous employees that it also happened to them and nothing was done. Not all of the managers are terrible but there are only 3.

I will admit the food is very good here but the prices are very high for the area it is located in.

The owner is a very nice man other than the fact he didn't take care of me being harassed by his own staff and is now harassing my business page due to this review and calling me a liar when I have the messages that were exchanged. Feel free to get a great bite to eat!!

Also given the fact the owner is now making things up and arguing through this rating, says alot. To the owner, you can call my attorney and stop slandering me online because of the review I gave for your business. I have everything needed for a lawsuit and you have nothing because I did nothing wrong to you at all and gave you a week to take care of the situation and you didn't. I bid you a good day and wish...

This place is our go to place for dinner with many many choices on the menu. I have had many different meals and I really don’t remember any of them being sub-par. We were there the other night and I was in the mood for a cheeseburger. Well I wasn’t hungry enough for the huge burger that came out on this amazing bun with its very fresh veggies and extra large order of fries that came with it. I think it was an 8 ounce burger and very juicy and delicious! I have gotten salads as well and the portion sizes have always been too much to eat. Needless to say, I either leave the leftovers behind or take them with (depending on what it is). Mike, the owner is always out on the floor making sure everyone is enjoying theirs meals and greets his guests with a nice smile. The staff is always always pleasant and quick to serve you. All the way down to the bus staff that are very pleasant and make sure your empty plates are cleared off your table as he walks by. The restaurant is always clean and never had any issues with having to wipe crumbs off the seat as I do with some other establishments. Bathrooms are clean as well. When I walk into a restaurant and there is signs of dirt or nasty smells, it always hinders my dining experience and usually is a sure sign the place is not going to be a good stop. I would strongly recommend this diamond to anyone that had not stopped in to...