The Olive Jar

Had dinner here and was pleasantly surprised. Great food and wonderful entertainment from their owner who sang. Will be back.

I was disappointed with my lasagna, it had very little meat if any, just a couplw of broken pasta sheets in a whole lot of tomato sauce and cheese.
The 2 stars because my partner enjoyed his pasta marinara.
Service was somewhat friendly but apart from taking our order, and when we finished our mains the table was cleared, they never came back for dessert or to check if we wanted more drinks.and we had to ask for water before too.maybe we looked like we couldnt afford anything much after paying 30 bucks for 3 dollars worth of ingredients on my scratched teflon pan which they use as plates.

The food at this joint is delicious.
So authentic.simple but fantastic.
If you love pasta this place makes it all on the spot.a lady rolling pasta at the front is great to see. 5 stars!

Love this place. Traditional run Italian restaurant since 1968. Giovanni and Teresa have the passion to serve great food, service, simple but want to transport you to southern Italy. Thwy definitely achieve this! Ohh the singing by Giovanni.that's amore.is the ultimate touch. Love your work. Superb!

An amazing Dinner and a show! Owner Giovanni’s unexpected singing concert after dinner absolutely made our night.food was rustic and hearty and the homemade limoncello was delicious. Thanks for making our mums birthday one to remember!

Authentic little Italian restaurant that makes great pasta, pizza and the best tiramisu. Lovely service.

This was by far the best dinner & experience I have ever had! If there was a rating for 10 star, the olive jar would far exceed this.

The lovely Gio sang for us and it gave me goosebumps and left me feeling extremely happy! This family owned business makes you feel as though you’re in Italy and experiencing fine Italian culture!

The food was the best pasta I have ever had, melts in your mouth and is pure.

Highly recommend coming here! We will continue to come back everytime we are in Melbourne.

A fantastic little pasta house. Great takeaway. We dined a couple months ago with some friends and tried various pastas to share amongst ourselves. They were all delicious and so tasty. My favourite though was the gnocchi godfather. We also tried the homemade wine and tiramisu. All very good. Going to brag on about this place to all my friends. Well done team. Keep making great food.

Delicious. I grew up in Carlton and have eaten at almost every Italian place in this area and The Olive Jar is one of the restaurants that really serves up some awesome pasta and great pizza. Traditional cooking. Autentic chefs and authentic owners. Homemade wine and more. The owners and staff are lovely and never fail to deliver quality food with a smile. Ohh let's not forget about the singing waiter. A brilliant touch! Well done team.

Had a birthday there we brought our own cake and they charge u $5.50 per person for cutting the cake and washing Ur plate and service fee apparently absolutely ridiculous never been to a restaurant and had to do that! Food was a bit bland none of us really was happy won't be back!

Fantastic little Italian place run by husband and wife. Great vibe, great pasta, great hospitality, great entertainment. Win win win.

So amazing! One of the best Italians in Melbourne without a doubt. Food and wine were incredible and the bit of live entertainment makes the experience even more fun! A must visit

Didn't expect food to be this good.fresh, all handmade, and in big portion.will visit regularly from now on.

First time we have ever dined here and it is now our new go to restaurant in Carlton. Laid back rustic Italian atmosphere. I had the spinach and ricotta Agnolotti pasta and it was to die for. Best pasta I have ever eaten. My partner had the wild boar which was slow cooked and meat falling off the bone. So full of flavour. For dessert we had Tiramisu which was perfectly balanced flavours. Best chef in Carlton! Thank you

Dined in tonight for a quick meal and I was pleasantly impressed. Lovely homemade pasta. Great service, very welcoming service which was lovely. The waitress was super friendly. Good work guys.check them out

We had a wonderful time at the Olive Jar to celebrate my dad's 80th bday. Praises from all the guests about the delicious authentic Italian dishes and lovely smooth house wine. The desserts are also fabulous, the kids loved the sorbets and the tiramasu is just sublime. All staff so very kind and accommodating. A very relaxed, rustic and family friendly vibe. Decor so atmospheric. We also enjoyed Giovanni's serenades, made it extra special and fun. Thank you to all the staff on front, service and kitchen
Highly recommend for family gatherings. My sister and I also enjoyed our cocktails when we went out for dinner for 2.
Will return with friends to enjoy the food, wine and the warm and welcoming vibe of The Olive Jar!

Can't imagine a better place to celebrate my 25th Birthday for dinner!

It's not often you find a place that transports you into the world of the cuisine they serve AND makes you feel at home all at the same time - the Olive Jar is that hidden gem.

A place that is of character and warmth, much like its delicious pastas, served in the pan! * I recommend their Wild Boar Ragù special**

Giovanni and Teresa are the definition of hospitality with passionate service, genuine care, and performance *Did I mention the chef is a singer? * Giovanni will serenade and sway with you!

12 of us danced and sung the night away while enjoying the home-made wine!

An unforgettable evening - this was my second time and I can honestly say it will be some of many to come.

Thank you so much for making my birthday special and wonderful.

#AMelbourneFavourite
#hiddengem
#authenticItalian

Food was fine, the pizza came out burnt on the edges, the food was not spicy. Overall pretty eh experience but of you need Italian food and nowhere else is open go for it.

If you are looking for authentic Italian food with amazing service look no further than The Olive Jar. We booked this restaurant for a 21st birthday lunch and Giovanni and Theresa went above and beyond to make sure our day was a memorable experience. The sensational food, wine, entertainment and the Cosy ambiance of this restaurant is hard to top. Thanks for helping to make our special day a wonderful experience we will be back

One of the best Italian pizzeria and pasta di fresca fatta (fresh made) by far around.incredible authentic dishes served in the old fashion style, truly authentic and tasty.mind you! You cannot get more authentic than this place any where in Australia (all served in fry pans). I suppose only in small villages and trattorias by scelta in Italy.great service, great atmosphere and wonderful people as hosts, great entertainment. Our recommendations for the olive jar IS extremely high In our experience and opinion.great stuff and thank you all.