Oya Mediterranean Restaurant — Restaurant in Denver

I stopped by Oya because I was craving Mediterranean food — grape leaves in particular. Unfortunately, the experience left me disappointed on multiple fronts.

Pricing Issues The menu listed grape leaves at $6.99. When I went to check out, the bill showed $11.99. I was then told the entire menu is incorrect and that it would not be updated for another month and a half. Customers are only informed of this after confronting staff, which feels misleading. I had to manually input my own credit card information into their system in order to purchase.

Food Quality & Accuracy I specifically asked if the grape leaves were made in-house and was told yes. What I witnessed, however, was them being pulled from a cold station, microwaved, and placed in a to-go container. If these are “house-made,” that’s a questionable way of preparing them. If not, then the claim is misleading. In addition, they were dripping in oil. For fresh grape leaves, I would half expect them to be sautéed or grilled to be reheated. Upon consumption, two of them were still cold, one lukewarm, two of them mediocrely warm.

To add to the confusion, I was served a burger instead of my grape leaves which I did not realize until I walked out of the restaurant and wanted to have a grape leaf on my walk home. When I turned back and re-entered the restaurant and questioned this, the cashier asked, “Then who ordered the burger?” 3 times — even though I was the only customer in the restaurant. I ended up with both items, but there’s no reason for such a mix-up when there were no other orders. The cook did apologize for the mixup so I will give him that though I don’t feel the confusion was made by him.

Food Safety Concerns The cook went into the back before preparing food. I cannot confirm whether or not he washed his hands, but everything happened quickly, and it left me uncertain about the standards being followed. While he did wear gloves(appreciated), ServSafe 101 is that handwashing comes first. I noticed at least two handwashing stations right in the kitchen. Neither were used.

Timing My order was placed at 7:07 PM. I didn’t leave with the correct food until 7:22 PM. A 15-minute wait wouldn’t normally be an issue, but when you’re the only customer and the order still gets confused, it raises questions about organization.

Summary Oya might have potential, but between misleading menu prices, questionable handling of food, and a glaring lack of attention to accuracy, I can’t say I’d return anytime soon. Hopefully management addresses these issues, because as it stands, it’s hard...

This place is a hidden gem! I tried their chicken scallop sandwich and it was absolutely delicious—crispy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked. Their burgers with eggs were also spot on, juicy and packed with flavor.

They also offer some special platters that were incredibly tasty and definitely worth trying. You can tell they put effort into both the quality and presentation of the food.

The restaurant is very clean, the staff is super friendly, and the service is excellent. On top of all that, the prices are very reasonable for the portion and quality you get.

Highly recommend this spot if you’re looking for a satisfying meal in a welcoming and well-kept environment. I’ll definitely be...

AMAZING. WOW. (terrible pictures because we couldn’t even wait to eat). food was phenomenal, every piece was homemade. the baba ganoush, hummus, dolmas, chicken shawarma, and tawook wrap. everything was top notch. the absolute best kind of personal service, hole in the wall experience. owner through in a baklava plate on the house. no frills, just fantastic food. 10/10 no notes,...