10/08/09

Great for every occassion we even had our reception here!!

by Jenafr

My husband and I started frequenting Oliver Twist for our date nights before we were even married. as its one of our favorite spots to dine. It didn’t matter if we were celebrating or having a relaxing night out. We have been to the variety shows enjoying the live music, watched the exotic belly dancers and even attended some of their events. Oliver Twist is so versatile! The tapas are excellent and the Martinis delicious! The staff is always pleasant and the service is great! Perfect place for an intimate night out or for a gathering with friends! We loved Oliver Twist so much we even had our wedding reception there. There wasn’t much need for decorating as Oliver Twist has the perfect decor and atmosphere. It’s naturally setup for an intimate dining experience with lounge seating which invites people to sit down and have a conversation over a glass of wine. The Staff was amazing. I didn’t have to worry about anything. We met with Steve, Alex and the Chef to explore the list of possibilities for the reception seating, set-up, and dining experience. Everyone was very accommodating. They stayed in touch with us and responded to all our questions. So when the big day came there were no last minute stressors. The food was excellent, the staff was as always accommodating, and it was our perfect day. People still compliment us on how much they enjoyed the reception at Oliver Twist! We still go for our date nights and bring new people to enjoy this special place!

• Pros: Atmosphere, Tapas, Martini & Wine List, Staff
• Cons: None

04/04/09

disappointment

by jln333

Food was overpriced, and sort of thrown together. The "twisted chicken" was just leftover spinach-artichoke dip, spread on a peice of chicken, with puff pastry. Server/host (?)--same person, didn't care about us, since the tip was automatic--20%, which is too much for an auto tip. Won't return.

• Pros: wasn't crowded
• Cons: entrees overpriced, service so-so

03/15/09

Surprise me!!!

by swisscoco

I had an excellent dinner and evening here!!!

I went with a friend and we both ordered 4 Tapas and a bottle of wine. We were comfortably full afterwards, not stuffed, but again, TAPAS is suppossed to be light dining!

Gorgeous decor, comfortable to sit and drink wine and chat...

This place deserves five stars. I recommend to go back every chance you get. This place has great food, atmosphere and service.

• Pros: Great food, good music, and a phenomenal martini list.

03/02/09

Nice Atmosphere, OK Service, OK Food

by Newtothecity

I recently went with a large group of people and found the atmosphere to be very inviting. I do agree with previous reviewers in that the place seemed understaffed, we had 1-2 waitresses for at least 50 people. the food was OK, i have had much better tapas for much cheaper prices, so I would consider it average, but nothing to write home about. I did have an incident choking on the jerked chicken and the waitress and the manager seemed aloof to the fact that I was actually choking and could have cared less...thank god for friends!. The belly dancer was a snooze! I was looking forward to REAL bellydancing, but alittle disappointed (because I was having fun with friends, it didn't really matter at that point). The DJ...was OK, one member of our group had to go and "encourage" him to play music people could actually move to!. I do believe other reviews which paint the manager as a A**! he actually laughed when I choked because to him it was "just jerked chicken" although he removed it from my tab.

All in all, I will return, but I WILL not go hungry, I will go for atmosphere and maybe a coke..LOL. this place is surely overpriced. But is was one of the better times I have had (minus the incident) since I have moved here

• Pros: Atmosphere
• Cons: Service and Price

01/10/09

Most pleasant experience!

by MelanieLa

This is probably the most sophisticated restaurant in North Raleigh. The staff is courteous, charming and attentive, the food is great, and the atmosphere very inviting. Loved it!

• Pros: The food was delectable and beautifully presented
• Cons: Could not get enough of those martinis!

01/03/09

It WAS the place to be...

by jackandjill27613

Two years ago, this was the place to be. The food, drinks and music were wonderful. Everybody who was anybody was there. They even won awards for having a great bar and the best DJ. Now, it's totally different. Everything has changed and not for the better. My suggestion to you, DO NOT waste your time. You will be dissapointed!

• Pros: location
• Cons: everything else

12/30/08

Will Definetly return

by FIRSTCLASSTNG

The friday after Christmas was my first time going there. i met up with some co-workerd who hadn't been except for one. This place has a excellent ambiance and clientele. I really enjoyed myself, and i will definetly be returning in the future. The only problem that i had with the place was the DJ. He was absolutely horrible!!! That is the only reason this place didnt get 5 Stars. Even though it is a lounge, to have a DJ means that he should be able to play suitable music fand keep the patrons on their feet and wanting more. One song would get the people up, then the follow up song would sit them right back down... The drinks were great!!! Co-workers and i made the best of the poor music however... I'll definetly go back if that DJ isnt there!!!

12/17/08

Overpriced, Mediocre Food, Discourteous, Unprofessional Management

by KellyMcB

Our company held its Christmas party for 22 at Oliver Twist. Though prices were about 15% higher than other venues we explored, we thought the atmosphere seemed conducive to an enjoyable party. What an utterly disappointing experience. The management could not have been more appallingly Unprofessional nor the food more lacking:

When we arrived at 6:55 for our party at 7:00, nothing whatsoever had been set up. It was after 7:15 before the first glass of wine was served.

Only 1 waitress was assigned for 22 guests, and though she did an admirable job under the circumstances, service was miserably slow. (An 18% gratuity was added to our bill.)

The food was pathetic. Our food charges totaled $33.42 per person -- nearly TWICE their average entree price. No one had more than one small cocktail plate of the less-than-mediocre food, tasting straight out of the freezer bag to the fryer. Their definition of a $4 serving of shrimp is lacking, to say the least. Everyone left hungry.

Dishes remained empty and uncleared on the serving table for at least an hour.

At 8:45 (well before our 10:00 contracted time), the hostess rudely tried to remove seven of our guests from a table that had been committed, in writing, to our party. They had acccepted a reservation at 9:00 for one of our tables! When I complained about it, I was left cooling my heels up front 10 minutes waiting for management to respond (which he never had the courtesy to do).

The management was extremely evasive in their negotiations for this party, trying to cram us into a wholly inadequate space, and making numerous comments about ?lost revenue? (seems like our party, with food and another $30/person in drinks, was pretty good revenue), which was why we were careful to be very clear on our part and also to get everything in writing. All alas, to no end. Be forewarned about scheduling any functions here ? you'll feel more welcome and fed and have a better time almost anywhere else!!

• Pros: None
• Cons: Poor management, mediocre, overpriced food

10/08/08

Great Food and Atmosphere

by odiwams

OK, I love this place, am in the service industry, have read all of the reviews and have some feedback. Firstly, it cracks me up that some people claim the place is too quiet and empty, while others claim it's too loud and crowded. This is a lounge, people, which means that it's expected to have a slower dinner crowd and a busy late-night rush. Atmosphere is all about whether you come at traditional dinner time, cocktail hour or party hour. Coming in at 7:30 to dine at a tapas lounge and finding it virtually empty is not a bad sign; it's typical for a lounge open until 2 am. Most diners don't want to be in a packed place during dinner time anyway, as it does tend to become noisy and less intimate. Secondly, I have had great service experiences here and it is definitely intended to be slower-paced as it again is a LOUNGE where people stay for hours. My recommendation is that if you are in a hurry or want a faster pace, mention something to your server at the beginning of your visit and I am confident she will accommodate you. I also know that the chef cooks everything with just himself and his small kitchen staff, so if some of the tapas take a few extra minutes to get his seal of approval, it's worth it. As for food quality and taste, I know they've revised their menu a few times since opening to eliminate the weaker dishes, which is typical of 99% of dining establishments in their first couple of years. Unfortunately sometimes you have to learn what doesn't work in order to perfect what does. I go there a lot and have had everything on their current menu at least once; I like it all. This is the only place I can say that about which is why I keep coming back. If you are particular, ask specific questions about menu items so you get something that suits your tastes. The martinis are great and they always have at least one on special. There is live music during the week and a DJ/belly dancer on the weekends. Like I said, I love this place.

• Pros: Ambiance, Delicious Tapas, Martinis, Music
• Cons: May not be suited for someone seeking a traditional restaurant experience.

07/31/08

Good surprise

by foodietillidie

By accident my family and I chose to dine at Oliver Twist - only because it was close to my sister's and seemed interesting. We were very satisfied with the tapas-all very delicious, made with high quality ingredients and prepared expertly. We'll definitely go back but we won't order the two teensy tiny lambchops that were on the menu for $11; just not worth it and not the best tapa that we ejoyed among the others that night. The seafood crepes were so delicate yet filling and the fish tacos were fresh and crunchy with sweet and tangy salsa. We may have been lucky, from how the bad reviews read, because we didn't run into the owner (Steven I believe rebecca said his name was back in Mar.) and the service was ok. My experience was a good one but anyone deciding whether to come here or not should read all of the reviews and be prepared. Myself- I'll keep coming until I have a bad experience since my family liked it and want to go back.

• Pros: Ambience and martini specials
• Cons: Quality of service does not rank as high as other qualities but still ok