Planted in the middle of a neighborhood with no sketch factor, Olive provides a chic and convenient stopping-point for pre-show drinks and late-night nibbles. As might be surmised from its name, the Olive bartenders certainly know their way around a martini. Whether ordering a creative concoction from the menu or something standard and classic (Grey Goose, up, two olives, and an onion – a favorite), imbibing at Olive is a sure-fire start to a great night. And with their $5 5-7 happy hour, Olive is a value you’re unlikely to find anywhere else.

The drink menu is loaded with the interesting and bizarre—the chocolate and the rose martinis definitely catch your attention—but it’s the small plates menu that is the real surprise here. The truffle-oil thin-crust pizza offers itself up as the ultimate in stellar savory-ness, and actually may be one of the best of its sort in the city. Or if you’re doing pre-dinner drinks, the goat cheese and olives whet the appetite and get the taste buds going.

Located in upper Tenderloin, the bar is ideally situated for popping in before a Great American Music Hall show one block away or before dinner at Farmer Brown. However, if heading out on the early side, you run the risk of finding the place dead empty. On any given evening during the week, this tiny space might be packed to the gills or it could be just you and barkeep chatting it up. But with friendly staff, loungey décor, and laid-back tunes, having the place to yourself won’t feel like a bad thing.

Small and high-ceilinged, and with its trusty drink menu and inspired small plates, Olive is sure to become a popular pleaser. And as anyone who has gone away hungry from Alembic could tell you, you might want to hit up Olive while you can still get a seat.