Olive Branch Mediteranean - Italian

We recently dined at this restaurant for the first time, and based on our personal experience, we won’t be returning or recommending it to our friends.

Wonderful experience!! We came in on Sunday afternoon and sat in the back because we have small children. Our server, Dylan, was literally the best server we have ever had. He went above and beyond for not only us, but most importantly our daughters. The food was incredible and atmosphere super cozy. We will definitely be back again!! Thank you!!!

Great overall experience, food was great, service was friendly, food took very long to get, place is beautiful and has a cozy feel with a great water view.

My parents and I went there for dinner, hoping to find a really good Italian place. I hate to say we were really disappointed. They made my father‘s food incorrectly, and my meal was subpar when they came back and asked me how my food was. I told him it wasn’t that great. They came back and said oh they didn’t make it the way we normally make it, but didn’t offer to take it off my bill I won’t be returning and will make sure that I tell everyone that asked me

Usually frequent the restaurant but after last night's meal...over cooked and tough. 4 meals and all of them were tough and over cooked that they were extremely hard to cut. Approached the owner who said it was the same chef. Asked the waiter what happened and he said there was a new assistant chef that they were training. I would recommend not going for a while till this person gets their job in tack. Terrible meal...I loved this restaurant. Wont go back.

Excellent veal parmigiana

I have dined here on numerous occasions. In the past, the food has been excellent. On this evening, my companion and I were very disappointed in the quality of the meal. For the price, we expected fine dining.

We paid $18 for a French dip sandwich…it was some slimy roast beef one slice of cheese on a hot dog bun…the chicken Alfredo wasn’t much better. Something is wrong with this place…do they have new owners or something???

Food was so so. My lasagna was ok but my dates grilled salmon was overcooked, the vegetables didn't have any flavor/seasoning, and the mashed potatoes were the inside of a baked potato.

We just finished our lunch. I had the gyro plate. It came with fries and a Mediterranean salad. It was delicious. A little less meat than I expected, but our server happily got the chef to add more on the side. The caprese` starter was excellent. My husband had the baked ziti with sausage and meat sauce. He said it was spectacular and the bite I tasted was very good. We had plenty to eat and enough to take home for later. Very positive experience. We sat inside and our service/server was the best. We will return for a dinner soon.

Great food and a great atmosphere

Wouldn’t serve 7 people - made us leave. 4 Adults, 3 kids 4:50pm April 13th 2025

Birthday Dinner Review – The Olive Branch Mediterranean Bistro, Mount Dora

We chose The Olive Branch in Mount Dora to celebrate my birthday, and it was a memorable experience — with standout food and a few inconsistencies in the atmosphere.

I’ve always loved a trio of chicken parm, fettuccine, and lasagna. While that combo isn’t on the menu, I made it happen by ordering the chicken parm with fettuccine and a second full entrée of lasagna. Christi had the chicken parm with spaghetti.

We started with the bruschetta, which was incredibly fresh and flavorful. Each entrée came with soup or salad, and since I ordered two meals, I got both the French onion soup and the house salad with blue cheese — both were excellent.

The entrées looked fantastic. The chicken was pounded thin, perfectly breaded, and cooked beautifully. The lasagna stole the show — it was rich, cheesy, and easily the best I’ve ever had. If they offered a trio plate, it would be a signature item.

The atmosphere, however, was a bit confusing. Inside, there are plain black square tables with wooden chairs, stemware, and candlelight. But the vibe is conflicted — they use paper napkins and c-fold towels as backups, which feels more dive bar than fine dining. There’s a lovely outdoor patio with live music, adding to the identity mix. It feels like the restaurant is stuck between upscale and casual without fully committing to either. A few small upgrades in presentation and service materials could go a long way in elevating the experience to match the quality of the food.

For dessert, I had the crème brûlée, and Christi had the tiramisu. Both were beautifully plated and solid 8 out of 10 — a very satisfying end to the evening.

The bill came to $184 (non-cash), including cocktails, wine, an appetizer, two full entrees, and desserts. Price-wise, it’s on par with upscale dining, and for the quality of the food, it mostly justifies the spend — but the ambiance and details need to catch up to the pricing.

Would I come back? Absolutely — especially for that lasagna. But I’d love to see them lean into either being truly upscale or fully casual… and not somewhere awkwardly in between.

Great food, great atmosphere!

Service was outstanding! Restaurant atmosphere bright and cheerful, very clean. Seafood dish was very good; however Chicken Francaise was quite bland (tasted boiled), rice overcooked, and too much lemon.