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Olive Tree Restaurant is a longstanding dining establishment located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It offers a diverse menu that spans hearty breakfast options, classic American lunch and dinner entrees, and a variety of sides and soups. The breakfast selections include traditional dishes such as eggs cooked to order, corned beef hash, and the Shipwreck, a signature plate known locally. At lunch and dinner, patrons can find staples like hamburger steak, fried chicken, breaded tenderloin, and chicken fried steak. The atmosphere is casual and welcoming, reflecting a neighborhood eatery where comfort food is the focus. Olive Tree emphasizes straightforward, familiar flavors served in generous portions. Its menu caters to those seeking dependable, no-frills American comfort food throughout the day. The combination of a broad selection and an unpretentious setting makes Olive Tree a notable choice for diners looking for classic meals in a relaxed environment.
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Amenities & More
Service options
- Takeout
- Dine-in
- Delivery
Highlights
- Great coffee
- Serves local specialty
Popular for
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Solo dining
Dining options
- Breakfast
- Brunch
- Lunch
- Dinner
- Dessert
- Seating
- Table service
Amenities
- Restroom
Atmosphere
- Casual
- Cozy
- Quiet
Crowd
- Groups
- Tourists
Reviews for Olive Tree Restaurant - 2925 Williams Pkwy SW
Review highlights
Based on 210 reviewsOlive Tree Restaurant in Cedar Rapids has cultivated a loyal customer base by consistently delivering quality food and attentive service in a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere. Patrons frequently highlight the generous portion sizes and reasonable prices, making it a favored spot for hearty breakfasts and family gatherings. The staff’s friendly and accommodating nature contributes significantly to the welcoming environment, encouraging repeat visits. While the ambiance is understated and comfortable rather than trendy, it is appreciated for its quiet, homey feel that suits a broad range of diners. Recent relocation has caused some initial confusion, but the restaurant’s core strengths in food quality and service remain intact. Overall, Olive Tree is recognized as a dependable local favorite with a warm atmosphere and solid value.
A family favorite over the years. The owner and staff are wonderful. Great food and fantastic service. Love this place!
I really enjoyed coming here for the first time. I've been passing this place by for years not knowing the food treasures it holds for my palate. Had breakfast here with some family members and we really enjoyed it. The food tasted great. The portions are big and filling. The prices are just right. The service was great. The waitress was very nice and attentive to our needs. She also gave us some history on the owners and the restaurant. I even met a regular there who advised that she was hooked after her first time there as well. The restaurant is small inside, not meant for a crowd of people. But the ambience here was very homely and comfortable. I love these types of mom and pops restaurants. If u haven't been here, please find some to time to go here and eat good. U will fall in love with this place. I will definitely be going back! Next time....Dinner!
The waitress Angie is outstanding very friendly makes the environment very comfortable and wanting you to come back for more the breakfast is very good and filling sometimes I have to bring the remaining food home.
Love this place. Can't beat the prices, the food is consistently good, and their regular server is a gem. Note they recently moved to the former zio johnnos by the old SW side Kmart. I thought they closed for a minute as there is no signage on the old building.
Some places have a feel, like the place itself has a specific character. Such a place is the Olive Tree. It is not a hipster vibe. It is not trendy or even cool, it is comfortable. The ambiance of the place is subtle. It is unassuming, quiet. I walked in at 6:40 am. on a Tuesday. Unsurprisingly, the restaurant was fairly subdued, with a few groups of three to four retired gentlemen discussing matters of state amongst themselves. I stood for only a moment at the front of the dining room when one of the patrons glanced up at me and kindly offered, “sit anywhere you’d like”. Right away, I began to get the mood of the place, personal and relaxed. I took up residence in the nearest booth and waited for perhaps 10 seconds before a waitress offered coffee and a menu. So far, so good, but let me digress for a for a few words about the waitress. I asked her name and asked if she would be okay with being mentioned in my review, as is my custom. She was thoughtful for a moment and then informed me that she was just filling in, just helping out, and offered up the name of a hard-working waitress who was a member of staff. Again, that feeling, the personal nature of this place. Here was a competent individual, taking care of the diners present with a smooth practiced hand, and she didn't even work there. She was “just helping out”. Another subtle but defining clue as to the friendly, member-of-the-family atmosphere. The menu is not elaborate in any way. It is, in fact, a distillation of the classic diner breakfast offerings. One, two, or three eggs, with ham, bacon, or sausage. A shipwreck of eggs scrambled with potatoes, meat a dollar more. Steak and eggs, a breakfast sandwich, and a few omelets, with the most exotic being the Western. Also, an assortment of pancakes and French toast, which, as many of my readers might know, mean little to me. I chose the sausage and cheese omelet, plated with American fries and toast, a steal at $7.25. Not being one to leave well enough alone, I added griddled onions to the omelet and cheese to the ‘fries. I had written only a few sentences when my food arrived, piping hot and ready to devour. The American fries were well crisped, with melty squares of American cheese on top. For some reason, completely unknown to me, a melted square of cheese always brings a smile to my face. And I was smiling broadly as I took in the slightly browned, perfectly done folded omelet. There are a few different ways of constructing an omelet, one of those involves using a fair amount of flat-top real estate to pour out the egg mixture to a relatively thin layer, then using a spatula (or two) to fold this up into a package around the filling. I have a deep fondness for this method as it creates thin, perfectly cooked layers of egg, which one’s fork seems to glide through. The sausage was plentiful, the onions were perfectly done, and the cheese was in just the right amount. Simply delightful. I took my time, savoring bites of the yummy, cheesy fried potatoes, and enjoying the texture of the eggs. As it is with every delicious breakfast, it was over far too soon. As I finished my cup of coffee and scribbled a few more notes, I took a minute to look around. The place had begun to fill, being now about 10 minutes ‘til eight, and every single customer, with no exception, was happily chatting away, quite comfortable in their favorite neighborhood place. @RickiGoesOut
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Quick info
Opening hours
- Monday (Today) 06:00 AM - 02:00 PM
- Tuesday 06:00 AM - 02:00 PM
- Wednesday 06:00 AM - 02:00 PM
- Thursday 06:00 AM - 02:00 PM
- Friday 06:00 AM - 02:00 PM
- Saturday 07:00 AM - 02:00 PM
- Sunday 07:00 AM - 02:00 PM
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