Olivia's Cafe -- Lunch -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in October 2017 and contains a gluten free only review.

Lunch at Olivia's Cafe

Olivia's Cafe, a table service restaurant located at Disney's Old Key West resort, is an easy-going and low-key place to have a meal. After getting back from Disneyland, I needed to do errands and so, I decided to stop by Olivia's for lunch. I had really had my heart set on breakfast at Olivia's, but I missed the breakfast service by about 30 minutes, so lunch it was.

Atmosphere

One of the things I love most about Olivia's Cafe is the low-key, laid-back vibe. You'll feel like you've been transported to Key West, Florida, for sure. And, I'm always waiting for Jimmy Buffett to come around the corner -- not too far off really, since you'll hear Jimmy Buffett music, like Margaritaville throughout the resort.Olivia's Cafe includes both indoor and outdoor seating. I like to sit outside on cool days, since the outdoor seating area is covered. But, on this visit, I definitely didn't mind eating inside.Inside you'll find lots of tables and even some cozy booths.And, of course, you'll see nautical nods everywhere from large wooden fish on the walls to sea-side photos and paintings.

The Food

One of the reasons I like to go to Olivia's is the food. While, I wouldn't say the menu there is anything fancy, I've always had solid meal options and choices that fit just about every preference or taste.Like most Disney restaurants, Olivia's Cafe does have an allergy-friendly lunch menu. But, I always ask for both a regular and allergy-friendly menu when I dine at any Disney restaurant. That's so I can compare the menus and see what options I think could be easily modified. And, surprisingly, a lot of gluten free or even gluten free and dairy free dishes aren't actually listed on the allergy-friendly menu. That's because in order to make the menu, they need to cover multiple allergens. So, it's always a good idea to ask.On this visit, I was really looking forward to some gluten free and dairy free bread and Earth Balance vegan buttery spread. Having just returned from Disneyland, where they don't carry any type of non-dairy butter alternative, I was looking forward to having this option. Normally, when I go to Olivia's, when I ask for rolls, they give me Deanna's Gluten Free rolls. But, for some reason I received Udi's Gluten Free toast, which is both gluten free and dairy free. That seemed OK, until I got the bill later and realized that I was actually charged for the toast, instead of receiving complimentary rolls. Next time I go, I will definitely ask before ordering.For my entree, I actually spoke to the server about the Mallory Square Cobb Salad. I usually am able to order it without modifications. But, it wasn't listed on the allergy-friendly menu. She confirmed with the chef that it is naturally gluten free (including the blue cheese, which can often contain gluten).The Mallory Square Cobb Salad made with Romaine Lettuce with layers of Chilled Shrimp, Crab Salad, Bacon, Egg, Blue Cheese, Tomato, and Avocado with a Key Lime-Mustard Vinaigrette is gluten free. I believe you can modify it to be dairy free by omitting the blue cheese.This is a great summertime salad. I love the bright, crisp lettuce and flavors of the dish. The seafood is rich and buttery and pairs really well with the bacon, blue cheese, and egg. Add in the key lime vinaigrette for a pop of citrus that pulls it all together. This continues to be one of my favorites when I go to Olivia's Cafe for lunch or dinner.

Overall

Olivia's Cafe continues to be a solid restaurant with hearty food and charming atmosphere. I really love coming here for a low-key and less crowded meal that's can be a lot more relaxing than some of the other busier table service restaurants.Have you been to Olivia's Cafe? What do you enjoy about this restaurant?

Olivia's Cafe -- Dinner -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in August 2015. Olivia's, located at Disney's Old Key West Resort, is a great quiet and cozy dining location. I often dine here for breakfast when I'm looking for something easy and quick. And, I loved the super chill and relaxed vibe here. Recently, I stopped by for dinner and checked out the allergy friendly menu they now have at the restaurant.The last several times I've been here for lunch or dinner, I've ordered the Mallory Square Cobb Salad which has shrimp and crab on it and is insanely delicious. I was craving this again but oddly noticed it wasn't on the allergy friendly menu. I was able to talk to one of the chefs there who confirmed it could be made gluten free.While waiting for my salad, I was brought Udi's Gluten Free rolls (most locations carry the GNI Brand rolls, so it was surprising to see these) with Earth Balance vegan margarine. The rolls were a bit tough, so I didn't eat too much of them.My salad, on the other hand, was so delicious. Filled with avocado, bacon, tomato, chopped egg, crab, and shrimp and topped with a key lime vinaigrette, it was very fresh and flavorful. Perfect for a hot Florida summer evening. This salad continues to rank high on my favorite Disney salad list, so it's one I will definitely order again.Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Olivia's. Next time, I hope to try some of the other dinner entrees served there. If you're a DVC member, don't forget to show your member ID for 10% off.Have you been to Olivia's? What did you order when you dined there?

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in May 2015.Olivia's located in Disney's Old Key West Resort is one of those restaurants I love to dine at. With a charming atmosphere and relaxing vibe, you'll feel like you are in Key West any time you dine here.In fact, I've dined here so much, the chefs and servers tend to recognize me. The team here is known for remembering faces of frequent Disney Vacation Club vacationers, and I'm sure as a special diets diner they remember you even more. After we arrived, we were greeted by Chef Corey who said, "You've been here a bunch of times before, haven't you?" Why yes, yes, I have!Because I've been there many times, I knew exactly what I wanted. The poached eggs and hash have been a staple of mine for the last several times I've visited. I love sweet potatoes and hash, plus poached eggs. Well, those are a win-wins for me. The only thing I can't get with this dish is the Hollondaise sauce, which isn't a huge loss for me, given how tasty everything else in this entree is.In addition to the hash and poached eggs, I also got Udi's Gluten Free white sandwich bread toast along with Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread (they do not carry the soy free version). I'm so glad that Olivia's carries both of these products, as they make the breakfast complete.The dish on this visit was delicious, though my eggs were a little more hard poached than I would have liked. I love a good runny poached eggs with hash and toast any day!Overall, Olivia's continues to be one a great location for a quiet and relaxing breakfast at Disney. It's truly a hidden gem of a restaurant, one that has great atmosphere, service, and food.Have you been to Olivia's? What did you order when you dined there?

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in February 2015.Olivia's at Disney's Old Key West Resort is one of those restaurants that I find myself frequenting quite a bit. I've probably mentioned it a million times but I love the relaxed vibe and Key West theme that the restaurant and the resort offer guests. There's just something so chill about it.One of my recent staples for breakfast at Olivia's is the Sweet Potato Hash with Poached Eggs. It normally comes with hollandaise sauce, but since that contains dairy, I get the hash sans sauce. Which is actually OK because it's super delicious even without the sauce.On this particular visit, I didn't branch out and try anything new. In fact, I was looking forward to the hash and some hot tea. My visit came directly after the Princess Half Marathon 5K race, which my mom ran (yay, mom!) but was absolutely frigid in terms of temperature for Florida. Yes, the Frozen 5K theme definitely transferred over to the weather -- it was a balmy 33 degrees. In Florida terms, that is FREEZING!  Thankfully, when we arrived I was able to get some hot tea pronto. I love getting my own little tea pot to enjoy. Often table service locations will only bring you one tea bag but multiple pots of hot water. Thankfully, Olivia's kindly gave me fresh tea bags with every new pot of hot water...and on this visit, there were plenty of pots!  The chef who assisted me did a great job with my hash. The eggs were well poached (important, as I always enjoy a good poached egg with a runny yolk) and the toast was well toasted. They also had Earth Balance Vegan Margarine on hand (not the soy free version) for the toast.Overall, this was another delicious breakfast at Olivia's. Next time I might branch out and try something different on the menu, but I always have my go-to sweet potato hash as a breakfast staple in my visits to Olivia's. You can also read a review of the sweet potato hash from Alexis at Gluten Free in Orlando. Have you been to Olivia's? What have you ordered for breakfast there? 

Olivia's -- Lunch/Dinner -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in July 2014.When I want to get away from it all and have a low-key and relaxing meal, I head to Olivia's at Old Key West. I don't know if it's the Jimmy Buffett music or the easy-going back cast members and guests, but there is something calming about visiting the Old Key West Resort. It's one of my favorite places to stay on property, and I absolutely adore their restaurant, Olivia's Cafe.Olivia's is located near the Hospitality House (i.e. lobby/check-in), and even though it's amidst all the action, it never feels bustling or crowded. It's food is very Key West inspired - seasonal, seafood, and full of flavor. I usually head there for breakfast, as I love their breakfast options (especially the sweet potato hash with poached eggs). On this particular occasion, I stopped by for lunch before heading out to the Mall at Millenia in Orlando for an afternoon of shopping. Though the mall does have a California Pizza Kitchen that I'd like to check out - I've heard fabulous things from Gluten Free in Orlando & Eating Out Without - but I had dinner at Boatwright's that night, and I knew I was going to need a bit of a lighter meal. I was greeted by my server Jerry, who has assisted me many times and is very attentive. I think my only sort of "complaint" about the service was that the hostess seated me in the middle of the restaurant. As a solo diner, that can be a little odd when you're right in the middle of the action! Thankfully, I was given some art work to color!Chef Paula, the location's culinary intern, came out to chat with me about the options. I was most keen on getting a salad and asked about the Mallory Square Cobb Salad which came with both shrimp and crab meat, along with standard Cobb salad accompaniments (bacon, egg, avocado). The dressing was a key lime vinaigrette which sounded amazing (and was!). She said she needed to double-check to see if the seafood had butter in it, but she thought it was made with extra virgin olive oil (it was).Once we were cleared with that, I was able to enjoy a generous portion of this Cobb salad. As a Cobb salad fan (and a huge fan of the Brown Derby Cobb Salad), I had high hopes for this. And it did not disappoint. The seafood was perfectly cooked and seasoned. It had a hint of Old Bay in it, which I adore but can be overpowering if used too generously. This was perfection. The bacon, hard boiled egg, and avocado married well with these light but rich proteins. And the key lime vinaigrette was the perfect light dressing to bring it all together. I may or may not have inhaled this salad. It was that good!Overall, I really enjoyed my lunch at Olivia's. I still think the Cobb salad at the Brown Derby is my favorite salad on property, as far as a full meal salad, but this is a very close second. I wouldn't hesitate to order this again, and likely will the next visit! I give this a solid 9 out of 10! The perfect meal salad for the summer in Florida.Have you dined at Olivia's? What do you like to order there? 

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in April 2014.When it comes to a relaxing destination on Disney property, Old Key West resort can’t be beat. It’s one of my favorite Disney resorts to “get away from it all.” I frequently find myself wanting to stay at this Disney Vacation Club resort just to relax and skip the parks. Whenever I visit, I’m immediately transported to Key West, Florida – with the low-key vibe and frequent sounds of Jimmy Buffet. Add in some terrific Key West inspired food from Olivia’s and your vacation is complete.On this particular occasion, I stopped by Olivia’s for breakfast during my weekend stay for the Gluten Free Living Conference held in Orlando. I knew that I had a busy day ahead of me, and I wanted a solid breakfast before I hit the expo and conference (and all the sweets that awaited me there).On the last visit to Olivia’s I had been pretty impressed with my breakfast – it had been the best one I’d had at the restaurant to date. I was looking forward to an equally good meal this time. I have to say that one of the things that I love about Olivia’s is that the cast members totally remember you here. Even though I’m not really a regular, they do seem to recognize familiar faces and address those guests by first name when they’ve been there a lot. I also really enjoy the atmosphere too. It’s very relaxed and casual. Our server this visit was Jerry, who has assisted us before. My family joined for coffee and some fresh fruit but didn’t order anything else because they had reservations that day at Kouzzina (lucky ducks). I wanted something different, and I was very curious about the sweet potato hash that was on the menu.Chef Paula who was a culinary intern, assisted me on this visit. I asked if the sweet potato hash entrée was safe, and she said it was – minus the hollandaise sauce. It was served with poached eggs (which I really love) and toast. I was able to get Udi’s white sandwich bread toast and Earth Balance vegan margarine with the hash. When I got my entrée, I have to say, it looked great. The hash has regular potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, and ham in it. Now that’s my kind of hash! The poached eggs on top were cooked perfectly. I find that getting perfectly poached eggs is a bit of a gamble sometimes, so I was very pleased to have well poached eggs. If you’re an egg yolk kind of person like me, you know how important it is and how delicious runny egg yolk is over hash or any type of breakfast potato (and if you’re not an egg yolk fan, you don’t know what you’re missing!). The hash was outstanding. It was a little onion heavy, so if you’re not an onion person, you’ve been warned. But, I thought it balanced really well with the potatoes and ham. Add in the toast, and this was a very hearty breakfast. I’m going to say that this was officially my favorite breakfast item at Olivia’s. It was really excellent. Even minus the hollandaise, it was a great choice. I’m pretty sure this is what I’ll be ordering again next time. It was that good!If you get the chance to pop by Olivia’s, I would highly recommend it. The food tends to be a bit basic at breakfast time, but this sweet potato hash with poached eggs will knock your socks off! I give this visit a solid 8 out of 10 for an excellent entrée, great service and terrific atmosphere.Have you been to Olivia’s? What was your favorite item to order for breakfast?

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in September 2013.

 I always eat breakfast at Olivia's Cafe when I stay at Old Key West Resort. There's just something about it's relaxing vibe & charming atmosphere. I always feel like I am at Key West, just relaxing and listening to Jimmy Buffet. One of the great parts about Old Key West is that everything is tailor made for Key West living and Olivia's is no exception. I always enjoy grabbing breakfast here.On this particular occasion, we stopped by for a late breakfast. One thing I will say is that I never feel like this place is busy. Is it just that people don't know about it? I don't know, but it always seems rather low-key. I like this but I also don't want it to ever close, so I hope that maybe they're busier at different times of the day. I've had lunch here and I remember it being much busier then. The other thing I always notice is there are either big groups or just groups of 2 scattered through the restaurant. Kind of funny how it's not much in between.

 I was greeted by Chef Julie, who I'd seen the day before at Good's Foods to Go (I needed to grab some allergy chicken tenders, of course). Chef Julie used to be at the Polynesian and has a real reputation for being very accommodating for special diets, so I'm always glad to see her. She, of course, recognized me from the day before. The last time I'd visited I'd had the breakfast Cuban, which I liked (see review HERE), but this time I decided to go for the modified version of the Pancakes & Eggs entree. I asked for the allergy Mickey waffles (Bob's Red Mill version, thank goodness), scrambled eggs, and ham.

Look at all those Mickey waffles!

This was by far the best breakfast that I've had at Olivia's. Not only were the eggs really cooked well, but the ham was nice and tender and the allergy Mickey waffles were the best I've had there as well. Really crispy. The way Mickey waffles should be! I also got REAL maple syrup, not that terrible corn syrup maple syrup they had at Contempo Cafe recently. I will say, it was a lot of food, though apparently I was very hungry, as I quickly devoured it all (minus 1/2 a Mickey waffle that I gave to my mom, who really loves them).While I wouldn't say that the food at Olivia's is spectacular, I will say that it's good solid, tasty food. I always feel satisfied after my meal and will continue to keep this as an Old Key West tradition. Overall, I give this visit a 7 out of 10. A definite OKW tradition!

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place in May 2013.

 Put on your Jimmy Buffett and your best Key West inspired duds because it's another visit to Disney's Old Key West Resort and their table service restaurant, Olivia's. Having been to this restaurant many times, I'm always reminded why I enjoy the atmosphere of this location every time I visit. I love how casual and low-key it is. The relaxed vibe is why Old Key West is such a great place. I also like that they can accommodate me at Olivia's. On this visit, we actually stayed at OKW and decided to pop over for a late breakfast after the Disney 24 event. We were all quite tired from the previous day's festivities so this proved to be a perfect uncrowded location.

Menu outside of the restaurant

The last time I went to Kona Cafe, I was told that Chef Julie was now over at OKW and this visit I got a chance to see her. She's very nice and was very accommodating. The chef who assisted me at Good's Foods to Go the day before was also with her. Normally I get their Olivia's breakfast--basic eggs, breakfast meat, etc. however I really wanted something a little different that morning. So I asked Chef Julie if she could make a breakfast Cuban with no cheese and on GF bread. They have the Udi's sandwich bread there, so she said they could do a variation of it. The major changes were the switch of bread which was toasted rather than pressed and fruit instead of breakfast potatoes. Their breakfast potatoes here are loaded (and I mean LOADED) with dairy. Sometimes they'll make me plain potatoes but today they offered fruit. I was actually fine with that. I sort of pigged out the day before. Plus a breakfast Cuban seemed pretty filling.

View of the restaurant while waiting for our meal

When the Cuban came out, I was pleasantly surprised. I actually think I'd get this again over the Olivia's breakfast. What I liked about it was that they had ham and roast pork on it, scrambled eggs, and tomato. It was just a nice change of pace from some of the other breakfast items I tend to get. The fruit was OK. I really am not a melon fan and it seemed like I got an awful lot of it. Next time I will ask for specific fruits.

My breakfast Cuban and fruit!

In general, I wouldn't say that Olivia's food is super spectacular. It's never going to be my favorite place for breakfast, but it's not bad either. It's a basic place with moderately good food. I wish they had some better potato options handy but I think this particular breakfast didn't warrant potatoes. I do like the Key West inspired theming and the low-key vibe. I would definitely get this breakfast option again.Overall, I give this a solid 7 out of 10.

Olivia's -- Breakfast -- Table Service -- Old Key West

*This dining experience took place December 2012.

Entrance to Olivia's at Old Key West Resort

If you've ever been to Old Key West Resort (Disney's original vacation club villas), you're familiar with Olivia's. It's this resort's table service location and a well loved DVC restaurant. Prior to this visit, I had only been one other time, but had had a good experience and was looking forward to visiting again. What I most loved about this restaurant was the quiet relaxed atmosphere. Many restaurants on property are filled with hustle and bustle, and sometimes it's nice to be in a quiet low-key environment. Olivia's definitely reflects the atmosphere and vibe of the Florida Keys.On this trip, I headed there with my family for breakfast. We were headed to Universal Studios that day, but I'd been after eating at Universal on the last several trips, so I wanted to eat at Disney. Old Key West was fairly accessible and easy for us before our trip over to Universal.The first thing you'll notice about this resort is that you almost feel like you're in the Florida Keys. Lots of great island flair. It was also nicely decorated for the Christmas holiday with island inspired wreaths and ornaments.

It's an island inspired Christmas!

We got to the restaurant fairly early because of our travel time over to Universal, so it was pretty quiet in there. We had a nice corner table, so we could really take in the decor.

Dining room at Olivia's--Love the fans!

We were quickly greeted by Chef Brian who started to give me some options. I more or less knew what I wanted, and I asked about the Olivia's Breakfast which is like American at most Disney breakfast locations. It came with eggs, breakfast potatoes, toast and choice of breakfast meat. Chef Brian said their regularly served breakfast potatoes were loaded with dairy but that he could easily make me breakfast potatoes without dairy. He also said that they could do the Udi's toast or bagel. They also had Earth Balance on hand. I also inquired about the allergy friendly pancakes/waffles and he said they could make them. I asked which they use Namaste or Bob's Red Mill and he said that they do have both on hand. This is good to know if you have certain allergies like corn or potato because Namaste is a better at covering more than just gluten and dairy free. I asked if they could do the Bob's Red Mill (my personal taste preference) and he was happy to oblige. So, I ordered a side of Mickey waffles. Yum!

Olivia's Breakfast Platter

First up was the breakfast platter. It was good--nothing really special per se--solid breakfast. The scrambled eggs were slightly overcooked, not the best I've ever had. The ham was also just OK, but I was glad to have it as an option because in a lot of places it's just bacon and sausage. The breakfast potatoes were excellent. They were deep fried and nicely seasoned with salt. The Udi's toast was great as usual, but probably my only slight complaint was that it needed to be toasted more. I love that they had Earth Balance. Anytime I get Earth Balance, I'm so happy!

Mickey Waffles!

The Mickey waffles were pretty good. Not as crispy as Kona or Kouzzina, but good. I always love a good Mickey waffle. These fit the bill quiet nicely.

My breakfast--quite the bounty!

Overall, the breakfast was really pretty good. If you compare it to a lot of non-Disney owned restaurants, it down-right rocks. I'm just always glad when I get to eat breakfast at Disney because I get gluten free/dairy free toast and waffles and even vegan margarine. It's just such a treat.

Photos throughout the restaurant

I would definitely recommend Olivia's to anyone. It's got a great vibe and lovely atmosphere. It's not just for DVC members either--It's just a great all around place to enjoy and relax.A solid 8 out of 10.

Olivia's -- Table Service -- Lunch -- Old Key West

**This dining experience took place in April 2012. 

 

*Sorry, I was so hungry that I forgot to take pictures!I like eating at places off the beaten path, but have never wanted to venture to Olivia's simply because I thought it would be too remote. During my sister's recent visit, she requested Olivia's because the menu sounded good and also because her daughter's name is Olivia (and she would get a kick out of it). So, off to Old Key West we went. We decided on lunch because it seemed reasonably priced and had fairly good menu options.Unfortunately, I've been having gallbladder problems (yep, it's going to have to come out), so I need to eat not only gluten free/dairy free, but also low-fat. So, I've been more conscious when eating at WDW in the past month or so.Upon arrival, the chef greeted us and asked what I would like. I think I could have had a lot of the menu options (modified, of course), but worrying about the fat content, I asked for something custom. I really wanted something light (i.e. not a heavy burger). I was interested in something seafood (which can have a higher fat content). We agreed on a seafood salad sandwich with the mayonnaise on the side and a fruit salad instead of fries.What I received was quite good--crab salad with old bay in it (or some similar type of seasoning) and mayo on the side. I also had fresh fruit--strawberries and blueberries. The crab salad was on a udi's bun (which I now love!); I ate it open face sandwich style--meaning I only ate 1 part of the bun.The others eating with me liked their sandwiches; my mom got the Cuban sandwich (which she said was very good) and my sister had the shrimp po'boy (which she loved). Overall, I didn't find the food to be amazing, but it was solid.I would give this a 7 out of 10 for options, service, and general ambiance. I hope I get a chance to go back there sometime with less dietary restrictions (related to the gallbladder), and so I can post some pictures!