Wild Olive

Best place in Charleston! I’ve lived here for a year and everyone has been telling me to take the drive to Wild Olive– so glad I did the night before I move back up north! Started with appetizer special of peaches wrapped in prosciutto with gorgonzola sauce and pecans. Got the Pappardelle entrée– AMAZING! My mom got the gnocchi and my dad got the wreckfish special, both of which were great. Then finished the meal off with delicious homemade bourbon gelato on a hazelnut blondie, which was heavenly. Lovely atmosphere, great prices and my parents loved it as well, what more could you ask for?

My family and I have been coming here for a few years now and it quickly became a favorite. I try something new every time I come. My husband said the wreck fish special he had might be the best meal he’s ever had. Service is good, drinks are decent, gelato is fabulous. Definitely worth a visit!

My family LOVES Wild Olive! We go here for birthdays and just about every special occasion. Why is it our favorite? The food is bar-​none and the staff is accommodating, kind, and courteous. My favorite dish is the Lamb Sausage Lasagna. It’s tender house-​made pasta noodles are stacked in rich tomato sauce decked with goat cheese and earthy lamb sausage. I always leave with leftovers because the portion is huge, but love it just as much if not more the second time around. If you are looking to order a starter, GET THE CALAMARI! Hands down the best in Charleston if not the best I’ve ever had. You will not be disappointed if you go here!

Fabulous! The food is divine. This place does pasta right. We came in for our first visit after seeing it listed as one of the top 10 restaurants in the Charleston Area and were not disappointed. We ordered ½ portions of the Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, Pappardelle with guanciale, Ricotta gnocchi with marinara and a side of Smashed fried potatoes with truffled aioli, scallion, parmesan. The pasta had a wonderful texture and all the sauces were quite flavorful. On the menu, the gnocchi had goat cheese listed (so a ricotta and goat cheese gnocchi) but we could not taste any of this. The potatoes were amazing. My husband, who does not like anything «truffled» could not get over how wonderful this was. I’m so glad when I brought it up with the server she insisted we get it. She was so good about suggestions and letting us fix our «courses» so that we wouldn’t overwhelm our 2-​top (or stomachs) with too many dishes at once. The Pappardelle was delicious, but if you are not familiar with guanciale, you would have to search for it in this dish. We only «found» it when we tasted bits of «burnt bacon.» Still a tasty dish. We also had the Hazelnut Blondie, brown sugar bourbon gelato, bourbon caramel sauce which was fantastic, super flavorful, and rich.
It was so close to a 5-​star experience, but the service was slow and we felt a bit ignored. This was a first time and I felt like they could’ve given a better first impression. We made a reservation on OpenTable (and even mentioned it was our first visit) but we were still sat 10 minutes after our reservation (on a Thursday evening) which is understandable. But there were several times where we’d be finished with food and it would take 5 – 10 minutes before someone would check on us or we’d be noticed. I ordered dessert and my husband ordered coffee when the server brought the dessert plates and spoons, but the coffee was forgotten about until I was almost done with my dessert. There were only quick «sorry» after we had been sat late, or the coffee was forgotten. I guess if we were regulars who ordered bottles of wine (like the table next to us) we’d have received a bit of attention. Too bad service doesn’t match the quality of the food. But we still plan to come back.

My boyfriend’s family and I throughly enjoyed dinner at Wild Olive. Plenty of vegetarian options for me. The wine selection is impressive. The service was impeccable as well.

Absolutely loved this place! We were in from out of town and we’re looking for a place with a good wine selection and great food, and this place definitely fit the bill! All of the produce is grown on the island, and all the protein is local too. Our waitress Whitney was very nice, super informative, and made our experience even better. Tonight was the start of a new tradition!

Fantastically amazing food and service!!! Marco was friendly, knowledgable and a very skilled mixologist!!! Food was farm to table fresh and crazy good!!! You have to try the «crack potatoes» even if you have to order them as an extra side!

The food here is excellent. Also a fantastic wine list. Top notch service. The décor in the restaurant is very old fashioned and makes me feel like I’m sat in my grandma’s kitchen with the old fashioned chairs. The décor is the reason for the 4 stars and not 5.
They always have great specials and it’s hard to choose what you want to eat. Also love that their pasta dishes come in half or full size servings.
It’s not cheap to go here but worth the money.

This is one of our favorite Charleston spots, and not just for Italian. I don’t think we have ever had a bad experience. We hit it again last night so thought it finally deserved a few quick words.
We always start with the fried calamari and so should you. It’s fried to perfection and has an aioli glaze drizzled on top that is so good that we always get an extra order on the size.
Their pasta dishes are great and they allow you to order the half or full size depending on your hunger. We have tried almost all and have yet to be disappointed. They have a great selection of entrees from steak to chicken parm and a wonderful lasagna. All orders are generously portioned and seasoned to perfection. Make sure to always check out the specials. I had the grouper last night and couldn’t get enough of it. Great wine list and dessert menu so be sure to save room.
Make sure you always have a reservation when going and ask to sit in Mel’s section. While the entire staff is great, Mel is our favorite. She is so personable, fun, and super knowledgable on the menu and all things Wild Olive.

I really can’t say enough about how good this restaurant is. The pastas are sublime, sauces are unique and artfully prepared. Service is always on point from bar to Comunity table to dining room. There is a reason it is always packed and why the wait is always worth it.
You can go for small bites or spend the evening with friends and food, but you must go.
Definitely one of my Charleston favorites.

This is one of my favorite restaurants anywhere. Everything is so fresh and uniquely made. Fried calamari and smashed mash potatoes are noticeable standouts. Grilled octopus is also amazing, i was skeptical to try but I’m very happy I did. Definately listen to their daily specials.

Really good!
Great for kids, my kids loved the spaghetti and the meatball!
The gnocchi and the carpaccio were delicious!

Omg this place is amazing! I went for a birthday dinner, we made reservations at the community table. The service was great and the team that waited on us were so witty yet attentive and didn’t miss a beat. I got their butternut squash soup and Brussels sprouts. I also tried their special ravioli… it was stuffed with short ribs. I could’ve died happy after the ONE bite I stole from my neighbors plate. The soup was amazing. The Brussels sprout were meh… they seemed super vinegar-​y or had tons of lemon juice. Couldn’t place it, but I’d skip that side next time.
Overall, totally recommend.

Great Experience here!
I’m usually hesitant with pasta when it comes to restaurants, because it’s usually just middle of the road fare.
So I didn’t order pasta, I got the Beef Carpaccio (parmesan, horseradish aioli, sea salt). It’s a real sweet with a salty, full meat flavor. Reminds me of a tartar dish (rare flavor).
The smashed fried potatoes was great too. Fluffy potatoes with crispy potato skins and covered in a creamy aioli and parmesan blend.
I suppose I went meat and potatoes at a pasta place, but others in the group had really great looking pasta entrees as well…
BONUS TIP:
Even though I was with a big group, I imagine this place works best as a date spot… Hear me out…
Get the full experience without being super stuffed,… by splitting an app, splitting and entrée, and splitting a dessert.
So many good items, I believe it’s a solid strategy …

Favorite Italian restaurant so worth the drive. We had reservations at 5:30 and arrived at 5:15. They wouldn’t seat us until 5:30 despite the numerous empty tables. Thought that was a bit odd but the food made up for it. While waiting at the bar I had a strawberry basil drink with a scoop of gelato which was tasty.
Most of the pasta is homemade and the table bread tasted homemade as well. I had the gnocchi and the tomato sauce was amazing. Others in my party had the sweet potato ravioli which was delicious but I recommend the smaller portion.
Another table ordered coffee which smelled great so I had a cappuccino with the tiramisu (also homemade!).
Everything was delicious and I’ll for sure be back!

Amazing! First, I’m not a big drinker, but I couldn’t resist the Strawberry Basil Mojito. Even at $ 9 a pop, I still had two and would’ve had another if I wasn’t driving. Next, the chef sent out a a risotto ball filled with sausage and cheese, which was also fantastic. I then had a Caesar salad they was definitely high above average. And for my meal I had the bolognese pasta and a side meatball. Excellent. And the pasta was done perfectly al dente. I held off on dessert because I was full, but was seriously tempted based on how great everything else was.
The wait staff was all super friendly and responsive, as well. And I’m kind of a pain in the ass. Would definitely return.

How have I never reviewed this place? I think I’ve eaten here more than any other restaurant in Charleston, because it is THE BEST RESTAURANT IN CHARLESTON. No other place can beat the combination of food quality, service, wine list, ambiance and dedication to customer satisfaction that Wild Olive has.
I don’t even know where to start, which is probably OK because there are clearly many other glowing reviews that have said anything I will say. A few tips:
— the calamari is the best in town if not the country. it is fantastic
— ricotta gnocci feels like you are eating clouds of dream food
— i have never eaten anything here that wasn’t DELICIOUS
— the truffle smashed potatoes are excellent with your eggs as leftovers the next morning
— trust in the wine recommendations. they know their shiz.
Even with the recent price increase, it’s still very affordable when compared to similar places in Charleston. If you don’t drink, you can get out of there for under $ 50/​couple with a full belly.
It is COMPLETELY WORTH THE DRIVE. Go!
PS. I know how it is I have never reviewed this place: I wanted to keep it for myself. Secrets out.

I’m mad that we haven’t gone sooner! The dining room is cozy and warm. Our waiter came over and greeted us with champagne and wished us a happy anniversary (we made a rez and told them). Everything we ordered was so awesome that we practically licked our plates clean. Our waiter made us feel like we were the only people in the place.
Don’t wait for your special event to try this place out. Go now and go often!

Wild Olive is one of my absolute favorite restaurants in Charleston. Definitely in the Top 10 (maybe even 5)! You must try the calamari appetizer. The garlic aioli and the tomato sauce make a wonderful combination. Whatever you order for your meal, order a side of the truffled smashed potatoes. The scallops are usually always on the menu, and they’re wonderful. I love the seasonal summer ravioli with the sun chokes and caramelized onions — I wish it was on the menu all the time. The nightly specials are always great as well. The dessert budino with the peppermint gelato is perfect for the holiday season (or any season for that matter), and I could eat the mascarpone cheesecake every day.
All servers are fantastic, but a special shoutout must be given to Jon and Mel. They are both always extremely knowledgable on the specials, wine list, and menu. They’re very attentive and personable and will not steer you wrong. They always makes the experience that much better!
If you can’t get a reservation, try the bar or the community table. This is kind of a random comment, but I find the chairs uncomfortable for some reason. I will admit that I love a booth, so maybe this has something to do with it. The ambiance is great and can be romantic for date night or just right to bring the family. You won’t be disappointed!

So worth the drive!
We ventured here on a rainy evening toward the end of our stay, anxious to get in one date while our parents generously stayed in with the kiddos. This spot is a little distant when you’re staying on Kiawah Island but entirely worth it.
We had reservations but hadn’t made any specific seating requests. I also prefer a booth, though, as despite being an adult I much prefer to tuck my legs up under me to keep me warm, especially if I can cuddle up with my hubs on the same side. When we were sat in the middle of the room, I later approached the hostess to see whether we could instead be seated in the large but empty booth right behind us, acknowledging that it was probably going to be needed for a larger party. She looked, but agreed with my assessment, and I headed to wash my hands. Upon my return I found my husband seated in the booth. Score! So much cozier on this wet night.
The menu and specials had us salivating from the word go, so we had trouble narrowing it down. For starters, we tried a special carpaccio, a meat that had been aged for days and days — very tasty, but I wouldn’t get it again (by the sound of the other reviews, I’d go with the calamari.) Did not knock my socks off. The grilled octopus, on the other hand, worth every sumptuous bite, ohmygosh — super tender, well seasoned and not a bit chewy. The other star of the evening, in my opinion, was the decadent ricotta gnocchi. I also had to keep an eye on my portion of the scallops or I might not have gotten any. We also ordered the brussel sprouts on the side, which was completely unnecessary given the size of our order, but I’m glad we did all the same. We took those home and devoured them the next day.
The only real disappointment was the dessert. We had a warm chocolate bomb that did not impress, despite me being a huge chocolate fan. Just overall kinda boring, maybe a little bit dry. We took a tiramiso home to our babysitters that was good but no memorable.
The cocktail list is fairly long and we had two very good ones with whiskey.
We’d return in a heartbeat!