The Olive Branch in Leeds

Edit: I had the tapas as a 2nd try after my previous original review below, and it was really good, avoiding the falafel, but pretty expensive for me at roughly £30 for 5 or 6 dishes, but I guess tapas is expensive if you can eat a lot. Original review: I would genuinely actually rather go hungry. Asked for falafel and espresso, expecting a wrap or an open plated salad with 5 or 6 decent sized falafel. Received pretty good espresso, but the falafel was presented in a trio of tiny overcooked balls on top of shop bought hummus and with a side of shop bought tsatsiki that had 1 lump of cucumber in it, and some stale bread on the side. The salad was a few lettuce leaves with sugary balsamic goo which is completely the wrong flavour combination... Vinegar and falafel!?? Pomegranate molasses is vinegary, and a middle-eastern ingredient, but again, that does not go with falafel. As for the taste and texture, it was more like a thrice microwaved onion bahji... It was either shop bought or they used canned chickpeas resulting in deep fried spicy mush. Completely the wrong spices and flavour profile. I usually make my own falafel, so so so wish I had've stayed home! Staff were really friendly, I feel sorry for them... Good people working in a place like that. There were families also there, and so only kept my comments to a polite minimum, but I couldn't not tell the truth over such an abysmal disgrace. And all to the tune of just under 10 pounds.

Excellent food with a great ambience

Excellent service from lovely staff Darcy, Olivia other staff name began with M .., Food was delicious and hot really highly recommend this restaurant in Leeds! Regards Dominic Borsberry

Deliciously tasty wholesome food, caters for gluten free and vegetarian. Excellent customer service - very welcoming, friendly and attentive. Relaxing decor. Highly recommend a visit.

Live the food here, especially the special salad.

The Imam Bayildi was enjoyable but the stand out was the Strawberry Cheesecake and the Bombay Bramble cocktails

The food and service were fantastic. The atmosphere was lacking slightly, but only because it was really quiet when we went in.

Very good find, very pleased with everything.

I’ve eaten here numerous times and I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal here. Large menu, yummy bread that comes with a lot of starters and good portion sizes.

It's a pub bar, not a Mediterranean restaurant as stated on Google. False advertisements

Very friendly staff, delicious food and great quality

Lovely food, great service, will definitely visit again

The food was amazing and the waiters were very friendly. Definitely recommend it

Good food in unpretentious surroundings, served by friendly team. Everything a neighbourhood restaurant should be.

Excellent service and very tasty food

Great evening. Food was almost perfect . Had the mixed grill . Meat and lamb chop needed a minute more cooking to make it more tender . Service was excellent. Lovely relaxed atmosphere. Much nicer than Alwoodley branch Will definitely return

This is a brilliant restaurant, the staff are great, nothing is to much trouble. We had the Tapas, salt and pepper squid, Grilled Prawns, Lamb Ribs and Beef Ribs, cooked to perfection, the meat was tender and the Prawns were very tasty. Good sized portions and not expensive. Cant wait to go back.

Really nice food, well presented and good portions.

Food was great, really enjoyed the chicken especially! But unfortunately the service was not that great… We felt neglected throughout our time there. We wanted to order the dessert but the staff left the menu and never came back- obviously we gave up ordering the dessert. I needed to ask for the bill by actually going to the till. Also, no one came for taking the payment, we again walked to the till to make the payment. (I think we waited the fair amount of time and should be table service) This happened to us when the restaurant was not that busy.

I do like this place and the food is really good. It is a little quiet though even when a few tables are full. What I do not understand though is why tzatziki starter is £5-6 and then a king prawn starter is also £5-6 - it leads you to think they just make their prices up.

Great value for money and service 🥰👍🏽

Wonderful new addition to Street Lane. Good atmosphere, food, and friendly service.

Food more than ok. Really nice pizza and my partner had Turkish food who enjoyed. Also abundant. Fair price for food quality. Terrible music though and to loud. Also location is not very exciting. Overall positive experience.

Food okay for this price, I expect salad to look like a salad, not 2 small pieces of tomato and one slice of cucumber, staff very friendly and helpful.

Great lunchtime treat between meetings. Friendly, quick, good value for money and delicious! Will definitely be returning 😊

Went for the first time last night with a friend, the food wasn’t great. Got the cold mezze to share, looked like it had been sat in the fridge for awhile, the salad defo wasn’t fresh, there was no taste at all to the stuffed vine leaves which are normally one of my favourites at Middle Eastern restaurants, Hummous was defo store bought and not made or has been in the fridge too long. Mains: mixed meat platter, Hard and chewy no taste to the meat.. got the Turkish pizza also which was probably the best thing but even that was quite bland.. service was ok had to call them over a couple of times ourselves.. Atmosphere was standard nothing special.. Food 2/5 Service 2/5 atmosphere 3/5. Total £80.40 including service charge.. which I don’t mind paying if the food was good..unfortunately it wasn’t..

Found the staff extremely rude and unprofessional Sulking on a hot sunny day!

The most amazing food!! Wow thank you!! Will be coming again! The tribute was amazing!!!

Great food, great service. Very quiet but it was a Monday.

An excellent choice for a lazy afternoon , great staff, and they have theme events that you can enjoy.

This is a good local place, has good parking around it and easy to order and eat for friends or family to get together. The service is good.

Visited for my Sister's surpise 40th Birthday party. There were 30 plus of us and the service was great. Food was so tastey. Authentic Turkish cuisine.

Exceptional doorman (Marcus) and nice venue but its all let down by a clueless barman who does not acknowledge customers and serves whatever is in front of him. Great if you want to wait 15mins for a drink when the bar is near empty, Will not be going back.

Loved it great food and service. Only down side was it was freezing cold which was a shame. Didn't seem to be any heating.

Superb as usual. Fantastic food and service.The best place in Leads.Easy parking and great people.

Had a lovely lunch here, the food was so good, and the waiter was very attentive.

Random bar/ club on street lane, could be nice in the summer.

Definetely going back, very nice food perfect for some chill time and good food, very comfy and giving that home feeling 😀

Booked in the afternoon for same evening for 5 of us and was an easy process. Very friendly staff and great atmosphere - sat comfortably for a couple of hours and didn’t feel rushed. Great food and drinks - we had mixed grill, sea bass, lamb dishes amongst us. Was particularly impressed by Olivia’s service - very kind and thoughtful. At the end of the meal, she asked quietly if our young daughter could have a lolly before offering it which I thought was very considerate.

Dine regularly here. The new menu is amazing and the food is always on point. 10/10.

Restaurant was less than half full, but starters took 1 hour to arrive. Understaffed due to a quiet night? Too many online collections? Been numerous times before with no issues, but not good enough last night.

Food was okay but being tapas we had to request that not everything should be brought at once. With two at a time it was nearly cold before we finished . Each dish £4.50, some not worth more than £2.00, so choose wisely. Place was empty when we went in at 12.15 and only got two more couples while we were there. Prefer the Olive Branch at Alwoodley.

Made a visit to this restaurant first time for a friend’s birthday. It was recommended as I had been told the food and service was very good. Unfortunately I was disappointed by the starter and main course I had ordered. On serving the starter I noticed the portions were instantly small but what was most surprisingly, it appeared one of item from the mixed seafood was reduced in size. Then on serving the main course it had happened again with one of item from the mixed grill! The point is the portions were already small and to make things worst, it was so conspicuous that some items had been deliberately reduced in portions by dividing! It was my first visit to this restaurant and I am sorry to say it would be my last!!! I recommend they should be more generous with their portions, as previous photo’s illustrated online did not reflect on what I was served!!!

Sorry, l didn't take any pictures. It was a lovely Sunday lunch. Great service and atmosphere 👏🏾

Always quality food and service Staff friendly and happy to chat Food is excellent and great selection of wine and beers Highly recommend No rush and a warm atmosphere

Being going there for years and the excellent standard has never changed. Service fast friendly and the food is great. We had our Xmas lunch there and thoroughly enjoyed Happy Christmas every

This lunch with my family party of 7 was a very special occasion for me, my 75th birthday and it was booked as that. We received no welcome and the service was appalling despite the fact there were very few other customers in at that time. It took ages for the waitress to initially ask if we wanted drinks and after taking our meal orders, did not once approach our table again to ask how our food was or if we required anything else. The waitress was not friendly or welcoming and definitely dampened the atmosphere of the day. The restaurant looked tired and scruffy as the vinyl leather was peeling off all the furniture. It’s a great shame because the food was great. I certainly won’t rush to return in a hurry! My advice would be to employ staff who know how to engage with customers in a friendly and proactive manner asap.

This place is a waste of time. They advertised for a dj for new years eve. Now they were informed that every dj charges double prices to bring in the new year .but due to the establishment are all foreign nationals do not want to pay the money offered. When phone calls are made on regular basis you are speaking to a foreign national who doesn't clearly speak good English. Maybe need English lessons Do not go here..

went for christmas dinner on christmas day booked in for two it took four hours before we had finished. We were acparty of eight took ages before they came to see what drinks we wanted . Then when it came to starters they came out with six and then left us and went on to other tables i had to ask about the two missing starters . Then they came back and asked what we had orderd . This sort of service continued with the mains as well having to ask for meals that had not been brought out . Veg was cold turkey was nice . over all poor service and not organised in the kitchen .Will not go back spoilt the day .😡😡😡😡

Really good food and so attentive, when one of our party asked for a meal without cheese as they are lactose intolerant, the waiter came back to warn that the batter on the squid starter had milk in it. The caramel cheesecake dessert us to die for.

What a fabulous place. Amazing food and great staff. Highly recommend.

Tapas bar is different from the main restaurant! Not clear to us on our first visit!

Thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this eatery,more people need to try it

3 years ago Very friendly staff. Delicious food. Our family favourite 😊 Update on 28/09/2023 Went with work colleagues today for lunch Food was delicious as always but portion sizes have definitely become smaller (for set lunch menu) compared to previous visits.

Had the lunch set menu . It was extremely small and insubstantial portions . The taste was good . For the price it is not worth it . Will not recommend to friends.

Lovely food and atmosphere. Thank you

Great food, great service, relaxing atmosphere for a Sunday afternoon. Thank you.

Just had a nice family meal for four here tonight, the food is amazing and will definitely be coming again. Great choice of starters and mains to suit various dietary requirements. Great staff too, thank you :)

Excellent quality Sunday lunch( from £9.99!). Underrated, great presentation and quality, will definitely visit again. Atmosphere 4 stars because large venue , small number of customers

The food was absolutely delicious. The service was a bit slow but to be fair it was quite a busy night and there was a large party in there. So I'd definitely eat there again. The menu has a good varied selection of fish meat and veg dishes. There was also a good deal at the time so the bill was really reasonable.

I emailed to book a table i did this 3times got no reply dont think i will bother with this restraunt

Loved catching up with family over lunch here

Unlike its counterpart in Hebden Bridge this place is average at best. Grubby tables and filthy sauce bottles….just give them a wipe! Wouldn’t go back.

Thankyou to Jess for going above and beyond with the decorations for my daughters 18 th birthday . Lovely service x

Food was actually quite nice but the service was awful.....the waiter was overly 'nice' and so apologetic for the rubbish service blaming everyone but himself yet he was so overtly trying to show he was in charge ......would go again as food was nice but the lady I was with had visited before and thought the service replicated what she'd had previously ....

Lovely restaurant, friendly staff (Jess) Brilliant food (swordfish & Lamb chops ) would recommend and will be back 😊

Nothing special, mediocre food at best, lacks that authentic Turkish care and flavor. Small portions.

The service was very slow. No one came and asked if we needed anything. We had to go and ask for drinks and for the bill at the end. Some people enjoy this laid back attitude but to me it felt more like they couldn't be bothered. It is in danger of becoming a bit tacky now in there with the new bar next door. :the food was ok. The pudding was a generic chocolate cake from costco . The liqueur coffee was vile. The cheapest whiskey and then squirty cold cream on top. I think the olive branch needs to work out who it is as it seems to have lost its way along the years. What started out as a perfect place to taste the med has become a greasy spoon in magaluf ..

First time visit, lovely decor, ( tho not really sure about the screens playing on the walls. great service from the staff.Only had drinks on this occasion ,but will be back for more xx

Amazing place! Great atmosphere, drinks, dancing. The staff are great. Had so much fun.

We visited this restaurant on 29.06.23 for a family meal and we were delighted with how the food was presented and how it tasted we ordered Babaganus 1 Meat Platter 2 Chargrilled Mixed Grill 1 imam Bayildi Garlic Bread- withCheese & Tomato 4 Diet Coke 1 child’s drink We couldn’t fault anything with the service or the food well done

4 stars as haven't eaten here. However, really enjoying the drinks. Reasonable for Street lane. The cocktails have gone up a level, it's relaxed and friendly. Went for one and stayed for three.

Having not been to this restaurant for a couple of years, I feel that on this visit, my dining experience fell somewhat short from last time. First, on the positive side, the service was excellent and the food of a good quality, particularly the Chicken Shish. However, portions were noticeably miniscule - the side salad to accompany the starter need not have been there, there was so much of the plate left uncovered. The major letdown for The Olive Branch, however, were the tired and torn furnishings that greeted you on being seated at the table, surely an impression the owners did not want to leave their clients with. To summarise , The Olive Branch needs to improve on its value for money and its presentation if it wants to fulfill the potential that it no doubt has. Sadly, it did not hit the mark.

I liked it here. Food is nice, typical Turkish / Mediterranean fare, it lacks a certain wow factor if I'm honest that would make me want to come back more regularly but is good value for the price. The restaurant is nicely decorated and service was good.

Great food and service. £17.95 for starter and any main course Monday to Thursday. Great value and lovely atmosphere. Will return

They bring us Old bread and the food oily and not tasty 👎 👎the service was okay.I don’t recommend .

Cool environment, friendly staff!!! The food was top much🤩

We had the special mezze which was fabulous. Lovely food, attentive staff, great decor. We will be back soon!

☀️Great menu with lots of choice, fresh & tasty food, speedy, friendly & attentive service, nice environment, fair prices. Thank you ☀️

Love it food is amazingly tasty, very well priced good variety of drinks too, staff warm and friendly

The food was sub par, the meat wasn't fresh and the bulgar was stale. The atmosphere is good but the food was just not fresh, unfortunately I wouldn't go back.

Went for lunch here, absolutely loved it. Great food, service was amazing and atmosphere. Highly recommend

Went for a meal tonight wiv our son & his fiancee Vicki & my wife julie to celebrate mother's day!!! Wat can I say meal,service,atmosphere & company fantastic guys ty so very very much defo cme bck!!!

Nice food and a pleasant atmosphere. Good choice for vegetarians too. The only issue we had - and have been there twice - is that if it's cold outside and guests leaving stand in the doorway and don't close it, then there can be a freezing draft blowing in which is quite uncomfortable. You have to keep asking people to please close the door.

Great restaurant! Lovely staff, delicious food and environment really chill. Tried suggestion from staff as slow cooker lamb. Delicious dish. Definately coming back! Good pricing too, adequatw accordingly to the full meal. 2 people, 2 drinks, 1 starter and two main meals arround £50.

absolutely gorgeous kofte followed by the most tender and tasty chicken shish. Highly recommend.

A great find! Presentation of food was simple, flavours were great, service was friendly. Will be going again.

A local gem - friendly service, large portions, and good Turkish food. I love the vegetarian mixed mezze main course. The calamari is great, the sigara boregi are lovely.

Always a great experience dining here. Very friendly and amenable staff. Parking can sometimes be difficult, but still worth it.

The meat was overdone, Very tough. Other than that was nice place.

The food isn't as it looks on the website food portion size too small compare to what you are paying for.

Lovely food and friendly staff.

Delicious food, good value and very friendly staff.

Been visiting this restaurant for 10 years and was really disappointed with my last visit, one of the dips on the sharing platter was fizzing and my friends lamb was raw, the manager didn't take the food away he just left it on our table, which was quite off putting....we were celebrating a friend birthday, we weren't impressed, not sure if I will return.

Excellent food and service. My swordfish was cooked perfectly. No children's menu but the staff more than willing to adapt items on menu to suit. All members of our party were very pleased with their choices. Unfortunately it was very cold outside and in, and the TV fire had little effect! Make sure you wrap up in the winter months! Also there are no soft furnishings to absorb the noise and we happened to be there with a large group whose harsh, piercing laughter affected the comfort of, in particular, older people. This is not a complaint but merely an observation and useful information for those people using hearing aids.

Very nice Turkish restaurant. Tasty food, friendly service and reasonable prices. Big portions. The kids enjoyed their pizzas. Thanks for a great meal out.

Had a drink 🍸 🤪 hot chocolate was good and cocktail tasted good I was told. Nice inside some seating outside with heaters, nice atmosphere good service will go back and try some food next time

We enjoyed the vibe, food, and great service so much that we all decided to arrange our next catch up date here.

Great tasting food, brilliant service & reasonable price!

A surprise dinner date. The food was lovely, great atmosphere and the customer service we received (Aishah?) was equally brilliant. We will definitely be visiting again.