Octapas Cafe — Restaurant in Olympia

Well once again I have come accross a gem in the culinary industry! Those that know me know I love Tapas and the ability with it to try many menu items rather than having ones dining experience be limited to a single entree. Octapas has not only perfected the tapas dining experiance but they have elevated it by creating extremely vibrant, fresh and authentic El Salvadoran/Spanish dishes that will make your mouth water and keep you wanting more!! As is typical with us (being the crazy foodies we are) we went all in on the menu and then some!! The long list included the Clam Chowder, French Onion Fondue, Chili Lime Wings, Dijon Brussels, Pan Roasted Cauliflower, Prawn Tacos, Creole Shrimp and last but definitely not to be forgotten the Pupusa!!! To save time on explaining each and every mouth watering dish let me just say this, every single item not only had depth of flavor, each one was vibrant in appearance , flavor and smell!! It is just what you would expect El Salvador/Spain and the best of the Pacific Northwest fusion to be!! Octapas has absolutly perfected the fusion of their Tapas.! I wish there were more Tapas establishments out there like this (Or any at all) because this is the way cuisine should be enjoyed, a little bite of everything in its perfection! Now let me regress a bit and talk about the Pupusa, you absolutly MUST go indulge yourself in this pillow of love!! Every item we had was amazing but this was by far my favorite!! With every mouth watering bite it was if I was sitting at a sidewalk cafe in El Salvador! To put it another way, I have never been but with every taste I was transported there!! Trust me you don't know what your missing so just go enjoy one.

We ordered a few of the house made cocktails and they were fantastic! Our favorite being their spin on the cosmopolitan! Best Cosmo we have ever had hands down! Cheers on the Beverage menu!! Won't be duplicated elsewhere so make sure to try a few! I even recommend the non alcoholic Boneyard CBD Soda! Good luck finding it anywhere else. Perfect relaxer after all the amazing food!

The atmosphere and decor is very inviting and co owners Jamie Brayshaw and Chef Rick Mullins mean seriouse buisness with their concept! I believe they have something no other establishment in the area offers and for that they have marked their spot and will be extremely successful! I know we will be frequent patrons!

So do yourself a favor, grab a group of friends or your significant other and go indulge yourself in a culinary marvel! You won't be disapointed!!

Bon...

Last night, my husband and I decided to try Octopas Cafe for the first time, and it certainly left a memorable impression. This place has a cozy atmosphere that makes it perfect for a date night, and the attentive staff added to the experience. Our server (I regret not catching her name) was fantastic—knowledgeable, helpful, and quick to assist with our questions and menu selections.

As a seafood lover, I went straight for the half-dozen oysters, which were exceptionally fresh and delicious. I also ordered the octopus, a dish that has been widely praised and didn’t disappoint. You can tell the chef puts thought and heart into every plate, as the dishes are creative and unique. However, coming from Russia, where the standard for cuisine and service is high, I do have a few notes. While the grilled octopus itself was excellent, I noticed some slightly charred spots—likely from a not-so-clean grill—which affected the otherwise perfect flavor. Similarly, the Brussels sprouts with Dijon were tasty but, by my standards, a bit overdone.

My husband ordered the filet mignon, which was flawless in terms of both flavor and presentation. The accompanying side was especially impressive, with a unique twist involving grape leaves. Even the carrots, which I don’t usually enjoy, were prepared to perfection. And, as for the zucchini served with my octopus, it was a fresh, creative touch that I loved—though, in my opinion, it could have used a bit less oil.

The speed of service was also notable; our dishes arrived promptly, and there was a nice variety of drinks. Being someone who exclusively drinks dry white wine, I was delighted when our server helped me choose a glass that was exactly to my taste.

All in all, we had a wonderful evening and highly recommend Octopas Cafe to anyone looking for a mix of fresh, inventive cuisine, excellent service, and a warm atmosphere. Just a few tweaks on the preparation side would make it even better, but we will...

I was visiting family from out of state. Dinner was our treat out for hosting us. They suggested Octapas and I was excited to try it. Because we were guests in town, I did not make any issue in the restaurant, but will definitely not be going back.

The menu was varied with a lot of great options. We started with a large order of the "baked" oysters. I put that in quotes because they were definitely NOT baked. They were large, quality oysters but were barely luke warm in the center. The mildly warm temperature combined with the size made for a very disgusting appetizer. Had they actually been cooked, I think they may have been good because the seasoning seemed nice and creative. (They had two options and we had half/half in our order)

For my dinner, I ordered the arugula Caeser salad with salmon. A simple salad, which I was fine with and expecting. What was shocking was the completely bone dry piece of salmon that was on it. It was thin and WAY over cooked. I cannot believe that a restaurant that specializes in seafood would serve salmon like that! My husband stated that he could tell how overdone it was from across the table.

Others at our table ordered the mussels and the shrimp and grits (I tried both). I think they both could have been good but were so overhanded in the hot spice that it was almost too spicy to eat! (Texas woman here who loves spicy food).

I will say that desert salvaged what would have been a terrible (and expensive) dinner. We had the carrot cake, which was good and the rhubarb bread pudding was very good.

Bottom line -- it looks like a nice restaurant that is tastefully and thoughtfully decorated and with an eclectic and fun menu. Now if they could just get a chef to...