Olea Mediterranean Kitchen — Restaurant in Swansboro

Wow, I’m kinda embarrassed to even write this review because of how petty it sounds but I’m just kinda shocked. I called and placed a to go order at 1:17. I was told it be ready in about 15 mins. I showed up around 1:45. Upon arriving it took a little bit for someone to come to the window, no big deal. He tells me he’s waiting on the sweet tea I ordered because they had to make a fresh batch and he still has to strain it. No problem. I finally get my food around 2. But I had a feeling to try the tea first because he mentioned he had to add a ton of ice which is understandable if it was warm, when he handed it to me there was no ice. But also I wanted to make sure it was sweet tea instead of unsweet. Sure enough it was unsweet. So I had to stay at the window and hoping someone would come back so I could ask them to get the correct one. Because usually their sweet tea is amazing! Well when he comes back he’s like “no, that’s sweet tea!” I said it just doesn’t taste like it usually does. He told me that maybe it’s like that because he had to add a lot of ice. Keep in mind within seconds of him handing me the “full of ice” that he claims, there was no ice. So I asked can I just get a soda instead and give him back the tea. He said no, he said even if he would do that he would have to ask his manager permission but he couldn’t do right now because he’s busy with other customers. Am I not a paying customer? Not only that but before that happened I ordered no tomatoes on my salad and still got tomatoes (I didn’t find out until after I left). I asked for utensils and didn’t get those. I asked if he could make sure the Taziki is in the bag and I asked for ketchup and the red sauce. He said that to do that I had to pay for it but goes to say one of my meals has it already. (I wasn’t asking for extra). I’ve gone here a couple times and usually the staff is very polite and helpful. I don’t remember ever paying for the spicy sauce for the meals I get. This person was beyond rude on so many levels. The facts I couldn’t trade out a drink for a equal value due to it being made incorrectly is crazy. This was nearly $35 for 1 platter meal of chicken, unsweet tea, and cauliflower. That’s insanely expensive for what you’re getting.

Not sure how to reply back, I went to upload my dash cam video that got the conversation but unfortunately it doesn’t give me the option to post videos but yes I did offer to leave only after I had been waiting a while, after he was laughing and repeating what I said, after he said numerous times he had other customers, and after he said I would have to wait even longer for a manager for me to hand him the tea in exchange for a Coke. So after all that I did “it’s okay, I can just leave because I didn’t know it be that big of a deal” he said have a good day and I said you to. Everything was fine until he started repeating me as if it was in a mocking manner and laughing. Saying it was as fresh as it gets, I wasn’t questioning the freshness. I simply just wanted to swap it out. Like I mentioned before, the staff has always been professional and kind prior. I wouldn’t have made a complaint but after all the things that added up with this particular situation is why I was a...

We stopped by here for lunch (11AM) on a Sunday in early April from Wilmington to NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll. My wife really wanted a gyro and we found this restaurant on google on our route. It had great reviews and we decided to give it a try. It's located in a nice shopping center and even has a drive through! We ordered over the phone for carry out as we are still not comfortable eating inside restaurants especially with our 3 younger kids. Luckily they had a nice patio seating area just adjacent to the restaurant with umbrellas and even decorated string lights which I'm sure would be amazing in the evening or at night. The restaurant was very clean and modern on the inside and had very nice bathrooms as well. All employees that we could see had on masks the whole time.

We ordered: • Falafel Hummus Combo - Our super picky 5 year old loved the warm pita and hummus. He started to dip the fries into it once we ran out of the pita bread (came with 4 halves but we used 2 halves for something else). The falafels (4 total) were fantastic and fried perfectly. Nice and crispy on the outside.

• Village Fries - the lamb we used with the pita bread from the falafel hummus combo and my 11 year old and I each had one. It was fantastic. There was enough fixings left that we ate it with the rest of the fries. We would probably skip this in the future as there were better options on the menu to try.

• Chicken Shawarma Wrap - my 8 year old loved this. He said it was the best of all the items we ordered. He said this is the one way we could get him to eat tomatoes. We each had a bite and it was great. It had a little spice to it and that was perfect. We would order this again in a heartbeat.

• Lamb Gyro Wrap - this was really for my wife's cravings and it was very good. The fresh vegetables were just the best. We would also order this again hands down. It was hard to pick a favorite between this and the chicken shawarma wrap.

• Baklava - we always have to get this when we go to a Mediterranean place. This was very very good. My wife thought it was perfect, I thought it was a little dry in that it could use maybe a little more honey but that is me just being very picking with my baklava. Everyone loved it and we would get it again for sure as you can't just find good baklava anywhere.

Overall great restaurant, great atmosphere, great good and if we are ever in the area again we would visit again without a...

I've known ole Sam and his dad for a few decades.... I respect them, enjoy their friendship... and frankly... love their restaurants. Which is saying something, because I am seldom one who eats out. My great aunt Sylvia married Nikolaos Pappas just outside of Chicago back in 1929. He worked for the Nickle Plate railroad as a conductor... she worked for many years for the Chicago Tribune. He passed away in 1969, Aunt Sylvia lived on until 1980. The gray house that they lived in all those years was always pristine inside, and was the last house standing before being demolished in 1984 during a redevelopment project. Some folks wanted to preserve, save it, and move it.... but the developers didn't let that happen. But Aunt Sylvia mastered Mediterranean cooking, first to please Niko... later just because she loved it too. Between 1966 and 1978 we visited Aunt Sylvia often, and every time we had a feast, Moussaka, Souvlaki, Pastitsio, Baklava, Spanakopita, Galaktoboureko, Tomatokeftedes, Dolma.... oh... she made them all... and growing up, I learned to love them all, and the time and effort that went into them. Mediterranean cooking utilizes unique spices, and layering... but most of all... real Mediterranean cooking requires an intangible element... LOVE... love of healthy, natural, fresh foods, and love of the people you are making it for. Yesterday I visited one of the great gems we have in Swansboro... I hadn't been there for quite some time. Sam's hair is a little grayer these days.... but he is still as energized as ever making every customer in his restaurant feel welcome and valued. It was early for the dinner hour, and yet... he already had a line. Just as one comes into the door they are greeted by all the aromas that a true Mediterranean restaurant should have... the festive music, the tyle on the walls... it's not fancy... it's real... and that's what I love about it. I ordered my favorite Moussaka. My brother got the Souvlaki. One thing about Sam... he doesn't skimp on portions, quality, or flavor. For a little while in my mind, all the surroundings of the restaurant faded to the rich walnut walls of Aunt Sylvia's house, and the deep maroon clothed table I dined at many a time as a youth. When a meal can do that for you... it's really good food. Olea is a special place. More than just a restaurant for many of us. It was good to see my...