Oli's Kitchen — Restaurant in Marble Falls

Meeting a friend at Oli's Kitchen recently I was excited to see they had some interesting healthy and lower carb selections on the menu. I was prepared for the chips and salsa not being complimentary thanks to reading previous reviews, but this wasn't an issue for me as someone who prefers to eat low carb.

My friend raved about her Baja Fish Tacos, giving them a solid 5/5. Her portion of two tacos with rice and beans was $16.00. She also ordered an unsweet tea for $3.50.

I opted for the Pollo Rico Bowl with the mixed greens base and no beans, and this is where my experience was a bit different than expected. After asking more about what this dish was, I was under the impression it would be more of chicken atop veggies with a sauce, but it turned out to be a stir fry-ish style with the chicken sautéed or mixed with the sauce and vegetables (Brussel sprouts, carrots, broccoli), with cabbage and pumpkin seed, avocado, pico, and tortilla strips on top. While surprisingly tasty, it wasn't what I had envisioned, and despite specifically asking for no beans, my bowl still contained them. I did also inquire about adding cheese, and while I received a nod implying a response, it didn't arrive with my bowl. When I asked, it was brought on the side with a rather steep $2.00 upcharge. In hindsight, the dish didn't need the cheese, so I don’t recommend it. The cost of my bowl with the side of cheese was $17.00. I did think the flavor was great, but I would probably not order it again.

Like others who have mentioned the service, I'd echo that it certainly wasn't their strongest point. I felt rushed by our waitress and as if I was taking up too much time when trying to clarify menu items - which resulted in some confusion with my order. It was difficult to get her attention when we needed her and our drinks did not get refilled. While she was nice, her hurried demeanor and lack of attentiveness was a bit off-putting. But, the gentleman at the front was friendly when we were leaving – he even went out of his way for a specific toothpick request!

Ultimately, while the flavorful food and lower carb options were positives, the cost of our $39.50 lunch (before tip), combined with the less-than-attentive service, led to a lower rating. Oli's is a good option for those who follow a lower carb lifestyle and I will probably go back at some point, but be prepared to potentially encounter service that isn't very helpful and doesn’t align with the price point.

Just a heads-up: the lighting here is quite dark. It sets a mood, but if you struggle with low light or want to take clear photos without a flash, it's something...

A couple years ago, we came into Oli's and had a great experience. Charming server, solid food.

We came back tonight and it could have been much improved.

The good: The salsa is delicious.

The frozen cocktails are solid.

The food is generally lovely and well cooked.

The bad: We were initially sat at a table with a flickering light overhead. Borderline nauseating. They let us move, so no big deal.

The "top shelf" Margarita was a bit unbalanced. Stick to the house stuff.

We ordered the Bowl with Shrimp. We received the Cilantro Salad with Shrimp. It was just fine, but when we mentioned it to the server (just as an fyi), she tried to explain that the bowl has a salad or rice base, and we got the salad. True... but we quite literally had the Cilantro Salad, not the Bowl with a salad base. Also, she never asked us if we wanted to rice or salad base for the Bowl. She just got us the Cilantro Salad. Very confusing experience. It feels like the servers don't quite understand how the menu is presented.

Yes, chips are paid for. No big deal, in my mind. However... The chips tonight were a bit stale. Really good otherwise.

We're not in Marble Falls often, so sadly I doubt we'll go back again. Which is a shame since I do believe they have some great food...

Serving Staff seems a bit green, but they're definitely putting in effort and handle the basics pretty well.. By green I mean that when I ask the staff for a recommendation, the kitchen has something they are either extra proud of today or that they'd like to push. Ask for a recommendation and my waitress had none.

Food, drinks and atmosphere are top notch.. Had I believe what they called "the pig", a divine pulled pork salad with a perfect combination of flavors and textures. Spicy, but not overbearing, just a touch of heat and heavy on an exquisite flavor. Toughest critic in the family is our 2 year old son. He sampled everything from my wife's (she had a massive combo plate that they split and he got a good portion of my massive salad) and everything resulted in literally his applause. This is an impressive result if you but only knew how incredibly picky my son's beyond acute taste buds run.. But the clear winner was that amazing pulled pork with the other flavors of the salad for him. The combo was no slouch, but c'mon.. Pulled...