Decided to take a trip down memory lane and have a quick dinner here while I was back in town to visit family/friends. I used to love Olga's back in my school days, but this experience was pretty terrible. It seems like every time I go back to one of my old college and/or childhood haunts, I come away severely disappointed. Either my tastes are becoming more refined as I age (not likely given how much I enjoy Chinese take-out and Taco Bell) or these places are getting worse. So, let's start off with the good: SNACKERS! The snackers--grilled and seasoned bits of Olga's pita bread--and cheese dip continue to be amazing. Olga's pita bread in any form is good, but snackers alone are reason enough to stop in here, even if you don't order anything else. Now onto the bad...for starters, Olga's kind of seems like what you'd get if Applebee's decided to open a chain of Greek cuisine themed restaurants. It's not authentic and I don't get the sense they are trying to be. But the whole pseudo-Greek vibe comes off as a little contrived/forced. I ordered an Original Olga sandwich, side salad, and of course snackers. The lettuce in the salad was limp and soggy, indicating that at best it had been pre-dressed and left in the fridge, and at worst was full of old lettuce on the verge of rotting. The Olga sandwich (also known as a gyro in any place not Olga's) was lukewarm and the meat seemed like it was frozen. To top it all off I got really sick to my stomach immediately after eating here. For fast food greek-diner type stuff you can do a lot better. I wish their bread sucked so I could fully hate this place and swear it off forever. But I'll be back for snackers and to contract a mild stomach bug.
(2)
Kate P.
The food was amazing. The staff were very helpful and friendly. Atmosphere was calming and appropriate. I think this is one of my new favorite places. Club sandwich, salad and curly fries.
(5)
Nina M.
Excellent service. Delicious food. Got the regular Olga sandwich and iced tea. Server friendly and efficient. She even offered to give us to go cups for our tea. Lovely restaurant. I wish there were more of them near where I live.
(5)
Nancy T.
The food was wonderful but the womens bathroom floor was sticky and smelled really bad.
(3)
R. L.
Every Olga's I've been to has made me feel sick. The food is bad. The place is dirty and sticky.
(1)
Dietrich W.
Really my favorite lunch place in the East Lansing area. Plenty of choices, professional waitstaff, convenient location. And good value to boot.
(5)
Joe M.
I got the original Olga with extra "so much meat it won't close", fries and spinach pie. So much meat I could have made 2 sandwiches. I'll eat the pie tomorrow...
(4)
Emily Z.
I can not enter the state of Michigan with out a trip to Olga's. I fell in love with Olga's Express in the Meridian Mall but this location has more options and a much nicer less food court-ie atmosphere. Olga's bread is amazing its sweet, soft, and warm, oh and squishy too. My usual is the ham and cheese olga, with snackers and broccoli cheddar soup. Today I tried the fried zucchini and even though the dipping sauce taste like it should be used for shrimp overall they were delicious. Great for a lunch or a casual diner, what ever you do don't leave without trying the snackers. I have also heard they have delicious smoothies though I can not speak of this from experience.
(4)
Ben H.
Olga's is a good place for lunch, quick and always good- service is friendly too! They have a greek menu with also many other american choices as well. The soup, salad and snackers combo is the nest deal- can you say ALL YOU CAN EAT?!?!?! The iced tea is great too!
(5)
Patrick H.
Food is good and expensive for 'fast food' meals. It's a nice environment, but not worth the price.
(2)
Nicole B.
We were picking up a puppy about a 1/2 hour away & I was not about to miss an opportunity to get Olga's. It's been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Growing up in the St. Louis area we had them in our local malls. Now that I'm in Chicagoland I have to do without. I called in advance to order since we had the dog in the car. She asked if they could bring it out to me. What? "We have curbside," she responded. Perfect!!! We didn't even have to go in for pick-up. When we got there we were surprised to find that this wasn't a typical mall Olga's, but instead a stand alone restaurant within a strip mall. We pulled into the take-out parking spot & they promptly brought our order to the window. Awesome! Very friendly. The food was made as we ordered it & just as yummy as always. Very pleased!
(5)
Dallas M.
This is one of my favorite places, and always where I come when I come back to East Lansing. The snackers are amazing!! Original, with marina and cheese, or cinnamon sugar, the snackers are delicious. I loved the turkey club, and my friends usually get the original Olga. Zucchini fries are delicious here too. Great service usually, even when they are busy. I got a free dessert when I checked in on yelp! :-) highly recommend this place.
(5)
Lorraine H.
Usually I like Olga's, but this Frandor location leaves something to be desired. It's always cold in there. Like, *Freezing* cold. It's February in Michigan, for God's sake, turn the heater past 63. My server today was a young man who was very courteous, polite and attentive. Perhaps a little inexperienced? Time management problem caused a delay in getting my bill paid, and the to-go pop refill had way too much ice in it (hardly any pop at all). I did not really enjoy being seated in the back room when there were so many empty tables in the main room. The food was hot and good. I do enjoy Olga's menu. They have made new additions to the menu.
(3)
Chelsea M.
This is a decent stop for a quick lunch. I think their sandwiches are fine, but I really like the unlimited soup, salad, and snackers combo. The snackers are good, and I think the cheese spread is delicious. I like Olga's for a lunch meeting. It isn't too loud and you can usually get seated quickly. Is the food they serve outstanding? Probably not, but it is what is and that's not bad.
(3)
Tracy F.
Three cheese Olga, original Olga and the spinach pies are to die for!!! Love Olga's!!!
(5)
Robby R.
Not bad. Worth 4 stars ...for east lansing. Grilled Veggie wrap was a tad greasy. Yogurt sauce is no tadziki (sp?) - way too bland. Olga is a Russian name, not Greek! But i guess this place isn't Greek. In jersey, many diners are faux greek, and this place is a faux diner.
(3)
Alexandra K.
As I say in my original review, I've been eating at Olga's for years. My uncle knows her, and the original Olga's is a few miles from my hometown. The food has stayed the same, while the prices have suddenly far exceeded the worth. Why should I pay $7 for a tuna olga that used to be $5 a year ago? I think it is officially becoming over priced, but the quality is still high.
(4)
Erich Z.
Olga was an old Greek woman who started a restaurant from her kitchen. Legend has it that Olga was a long time sufferer of leaky gut syndrome. She endured gastrointestinal motility problems for many years, eventually coming to the conclusion that all of her problems were due to the food that she was forced to eat every day for nourishment. Finding such hatred for food, Olga sought revenge. She began a line of pseudo-Greek restaurants where the cooks were instructed to cut every corner in the preparation of dishes, and the menu writer was given free reign to price the meals as high as possible. The result is our modern Olga's Kitchen chain. An "olga," made of imitation SPAM, is priced at $7, and comes with nothing. A side of fries are an extra $2, and cola another $2. The food is on par with a poorly run McDonald's, but diners are forced to wait for Waitresses to serve them, making Olga's the most inconvenient restaurant possible. Go there if you must, but you've been warned.
(1)
Louise W.
Oh, I wish I'd read James C.'s review ahead of time. I went to the Olga's Kitchen in the Meridian Mall in Okemos. In my defense, I was waiting for a movie, I was hungry, and I didn't really want anything deep fried. Besides, I'd never heard of Olga's Kitchen and I admit I was intrigued. When the food came, I was completely bewildered. My vegetarian sandwich was a kind of pita pocket (sorry, "Olga bread") filled with tinned Asian vegetables such as water chestnuts, no sauce, and a side of.... yogurt. Undoubtedly one of the weirdest combinations I've ever had. And no - it wasn't very good.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Alan K.
Decided to take a trip down memory lane and have a quick dinner here while I was back in town to visit family/friends. I used to love Olga's back in my school days, but this experience was pretty terrible. It seems like every time I go back to one of my old college and/or childhood haunts, I come away severely disappointed. Either my tastes are becoming more refined as I age (not likely given how much I enjoy Chinese take-out and Taco Bell) or these places are getting worse. So, let's start off with the good: SNACKERS! The snackers--grilled and seasoned bits of Olga's pita bread--and cheese dip continue to be amazing. Olga's pita bread in any form is good, but snackers alone are reason enough to stop in here, even if you don't order anything else. Now onto the bad...for starters, Olga's kind of seems like what you'd get if Applebee's decided to open a chain of Greek cuisine themed restaurants. It's not authentic and I don't get the sense they are trying to be. But the whole pseudo-Greek vibe comes off as a little contrived/forced. I ordered an Original Olga sandwich, side salad, and of course snackers. The lettuce in the salad was limp and soggy, indicating that at best it had been pre-dressed and left in the fridge, and at worst was full of old lettuce on the verge of rotting. The Olga sandwich (also known as a gyro in any place not Olga's) was lukewarm and the meat seemed like it was frozen. To top it all off I got really sick to my stomach immediately after eating here. For fast food greek-diner type stuff you can do a lot better. I wish their bread sucked so I could fully hate this place and swear it off forever. But I'll be back for snackers and to contract a mild stomach bug.
(2)Kate P.
The food was amazing. The staff were very helpful and friendly. Atmosphere was calming and appropriate. I think this is one of my new favorite places. Club sandwich, salad and curly fries.
(5)Nina M.
Excellent service. Delicious food. Got the regular Olga sandwich and iced tea. Server friendly and efficient. She even offered to give us to go cups for our tea. Lovely restaurant. I wish there were more of them near where I live.
(5)Nancy T.
The food was wonderful but the womens bathroom floor was sticky and smelled really bad.
(3)R. L.
Every Olga's I've been to has made me feel sick. The food is bad. The place is dirty and sticky.
(1)Dietrich W.
Really my favorite lunch place in the East Lansing area. Plenty of choices, professional waitstaff, convenient location. And good value to boot.
(5)Joe M.
I got the original Olga with extra "so much meat it won't close", fries and spinach pie. So much meat I could have made 2 sandwiches. I'll eat the pie tomorrow...
(4)Emily Z.
I can not enter the state of Michigan with out a trip to Olga's. I fell in love with Olga's Express in the Meridian Mall but this location has more options and a much nicer less food court-ie atmosphere. Olga's bread is amazing its sweet, soft, and warm, oh and squishy too. My usual is the ham and cheese olga, with snackers and broccoli cheddar soup. Today I tried the fried zucchini and even though the dipping sauce taste like it should be used for shrimp overall they were delicious. Great for a lunch or a casual diner, what ever you do don't leave without trying the snackers. I have also heard they have delicious smoothies though I can not speak of this from experience.
(4)Ben H.
Olga's is a good place for lunch, quick and always good- service is friendly too! They have a greek menu with also many other american choices as well. The soup, salad and snackers combo is the nest deal- can you say ALL YOU CAN EAT?!?!?! The iced tea is great too!
(5)Patrick H.
Food is good and expensive for 'fast food' meals. It's a nice environment, but not worth the price.
(2)Nicole B.
We were picking up a puppy about a 1/2 hour away & I was not about to miss an opportunity to get Olga's. It's been a favorite of mine since I was a kid. Growing up in the St. Louis area we had them in our local malls. Now that I'm in Chicagoland I have to do without. I called in advance to order since we had the dog in the car. She asked if they could bring it out to me. What? "We have curbside," she responded. Perfect!!! We didn't even have to go in for pick-up. When we got there we were surprised to find that this wasn't a typical mall Olga's, but instead a stand alone restaurant within a strip mall. We pulled into the take-out parking spot & they promptly brought our order to the window. Awesome! Very friendly. The food was made as we ordered it & just as yummy as always. Very pleased!
(5)Dallas M.
This is one of my favorite places, and always where I come when I come back to East Lansing. The snackers are amazing!! Original, with marina and cheese, or cinnamon sugar, the snackers are delicious. I loved the turkey club, and my friends usually get the original Olga. Zucchini fries are delicious here too. Great service usually, even when they are busy. I got a free dessert when I checked in on yelp! :-) highly recommend this place.
(5)Lorraine H.
Usually I like Olga's, but this Frandor location leaves something to be desired. It's always cold in there. Like, *Freezing* cold. It's February in Michigan, for God's sake, turn the heater past 63. My server today was a young man who was very courteous, polite and attentive. Perhaps a little inexperienced? Time management problem caused a delay in getting my bill paid, and the to-go pop refill had way too much ice in it (hardly any pop at all). I did not really enjoy being seated in the back room when there were so many empty tables in the main room. The food was hot and good. I do enjoy Olga's menu. They have made new additions to the menu.
(3)Chelsea M.
This is a decent stop for a quick lunch. I think their sandwiches are fine, but I really like the unlimited soup, salad, and snackers combo. The snackers are good, and I think the cheese spread is delicious. I like Olga's for a lunch meeting. It isn't too loud and you can usually get seated quickly. Is the food they serve outstanding? Probably not, but it is what is and that's not bad.
(3)Tracy F.
Three cheese Olga, original Olga and the spinach pies are to die for!!! Love Olga's!!!
(5)Robby R.
Not bad. Worth 4 stars ...for east lansing. Grilled Veggie wrap was a tad greasy. Yogurt sauce is no tadziki (sp?) - way too bland. Olga is a Russian name, not Greek! But i guess this place isn't Greek. In jersey, many diners are faux greek, and this place is a faux diner.
(3)Alexandra K.
As I say in my original review, I've been eating at Olga's for years. My uncle knows her, and the original Olga's is a few miles from my hometown. The food has stayed the same, while the prices have suddenly far exceeded the worth. Why should I pay $7 for a tuna olga that used to be $5 a year ago? I think it is officially becoming over priced, but the quality is still high.
(4)Erich Z.
Olga was an old Greek woman who started a restaurant from her kitchen. Legend has it that Olga was a long time sufferer of leaky gut syndrome. She endured gastrointestinal motility problems for many years, eventually coming to the conclusion that all of her problems were due to the food that she was forced to eat every day for nourishment. Finding such hatred for food, Olga sought revenge. She began a line of pseudo-Greek restaurants where the cooks were instructed to cut every corner in the preparation of dishes, and the menu writer was given free reign to price the meals as high as possible. The result is our modern Olga's Kitchen chain. An "olga," made of imitation SPAM, is priced at $7, and comes with nothing. A side of fries are an extra $2, and cola another $2. The food is on par with a poorly run McDonald's, but diners are forced to wait for Waitresses to serve them, making Olga's the most inconvenient restaurant possible. Go there if you must, but you've been warned.
(1)Louise W.
Oh, I wish I'd read James C.'s review ahead of time. I went to the Olga's Kitchen in the Meridian Mall in Okemos. In my defense, I was waiting for a movie, I was hungry, and I didn't really want anything deep fried. Besides, I'd never heard of Olga's Kitchen and I admit I was intrigued. When the food came, I was completely bewildered. My vegetarian sandwich was a kind of pita pocket (sorry, "Olga bread") filled with tinned Asian vegetables such as water chestnuts, no sauce, and a side of.... yogurt. Undoubtedly one of the weirdest combinations I've ever had. And no - it wasn't very good.
(1)