Best Restaurants in the Olive Boulevard Corridor (2026)

Hot crisp fish is the order at this University City counter, whole and fried hard enough to hold its crunch under the accompanying sauce. Mapo tofu and salt pepper fried calamari round out a menu that regulars work through methodically. The kitchen keeps taking orders close to closing time and the staff stays welcoming about it, which says something about how the room is actually run night to night.

Bibimbap and bulgogi anchor this no-frills St. Louis room, a Korean counter that has been feeding the same stretch of the city for over a decade. Kimchi jjigae rounds out the short list of what people actually order. The dining room is plain and clean, service is direct, and the cooking has stayed the through-line even as the room around it has changed.

Crispy beef is the dish worth ordering at this University City dim sum hall, where weekend carts and a deep menu draw multi-generation family groups and anyone stopping in after a run to the Olive Boulevard supermarkets nearby. Har gow and siu mai cover the standard cart rotation. The dining room fills fast on Saturdays, and the owner works the floor seating groups as they arrive.

Wings, onion rings, and fries make up the order at this University City quick-service spot built for group and office orders. The kitchen gets large tickets right and moves fast, which is the whole appeal. A Philly cheese and a gyro also show up on the menu, though the wings and fries are the safer call for anyone ordering for a crowd.