Callie Restaurant

I was cautiously optimistic after hearing about this place, but a bit apprehensive about portion size and cost, and reviews about the service. Turns out, I had no business being the slightest bit worried!!!First the service. The waiter suggested drink pairings and also suggested a better coursing than we came up with when ordering and he was absolutely right. Service from all the staff was prompt, efficient, friendly, and effective. But the star was the food. Every dish we had was not just good, but fantastic! Starting with the babaganouj, which was earthy and citrusy, but not in a "let's hide the eggplant" way, then the beef tartare which was exploding with flavor that changed with each bite due to the chili oil, sauce, and caraway crackers served with it. An amazing start to the meal. At this point I needlessly worried again, as I've been to too many places where the starters were great but the mains left me disappointedNext came the prawns, which were delicious down to the head juice. The star of the night was the Australian black truffle bucatini. Simple, fragrant, and PERFECT. Finally the duck breast came out, and I again was prepared to be let down a little because it was served medium rare, and I prefer it rare. But again, a waste of worry as the morels that were served with it made it a really unctuous bite. The surprise of the night was the Setas con Migas, a mushroom dish with fried egg but that description simply did not capture the incredible milieu of flavors working in perfect harmony. We finished with an espresso tequila martini that was the perfect dessert for me. Portion size was not as small as we were led to believe from other reviews and I felt they were fair for the price and execution. Overall an expensive meal to be sure ($380 for the two of us with three cocktails apiece), but absolutely worth it IMHO. The only thing I would improve is that the restaurant gave a Hyatt lobby vibe and was a tad loud. A minor complaint given the rest of the evening Run, don't walk, and enjoy. One of the best restaurants in San Diego.

Validated restaurant parking is located on Eleventh Avenue (the Google Maps took me to the wrong side). This is a lovely restaurant, with a warm yet elegant ambiance. Service was quite attentive and friendly. We opted for the Mediterranean Feast so that we could try a bit of everything (each dish is similar than if you purchased a la carte). We did not request any modifications. If I came back for another visit, I would order the 3 spreads and the ravioli. - Pistachio avocado labneh: Tart creamy dip with variety of vegetable crudites (pickled radish, tomato, carrot, some other vegetables) - Hummus: Perfectly seasoned, the amount of salt and hint of garlic was on point. - Babagaboush: The eggplant was well blended & flavorful. The grilled onion was a nice touch. Out of the 3 spreads, I think I liked the babaganoush the best. - Japanese kanpachi: The fish was tender. There was a bit of heat from the pickled serrano peppers. My partner liked it (I don't like sashimi)- Ravioli: Al dente pasta with a delicious creamy sweet corn filling. My favorite dish of the night! But it was so small for sharing. - Tomato fatoush: Tart dressing. Crispy pita chips. I guess I would call this a good palate cleanser, but I would never order a salad a la carte when eating out. If I want more food, I would order real food. - Seared ahi tuna: Nicely seared exterior with tender moist interior. I am not a fan of seared ahi tuna, but this is a pretty generous portion if you are a fan. - Passion fruit pavlova: Tart passion fruit puree with a creamy goat milk yogurt. Some airy merengue provided a textural contrast to the dish. I am not a huge fan of fruity desserts ( give me that chocolate cake instead) so would not otherwise order this dish on my own.- Uni toast: We ordered this a la carte because it is a popular dish that was not included in the feast. It was pretty good, although the jamon iberico tasted a bit more bitter than I expected based on my past experience eating prosciutto. I am glad to have tried it but would likely not order again.

We went to Callie on a friends recommendation. So happy we did!Callie is located inside a big building. Makes it a little harder to find - but one of the great things is they have parking in the same building! And they validate your ticket - this was a pleasant surprise vs most other places you have to spend 30 min trying to find a lot or street parking. The restaurant itself has a cool vibe - definitely higher end but with a friendly not stuffy vibe. They have an open kitchen so it's fun watching the food get prepared and sent out. The menu is has a lot of options and they are all good. The items individually are a little pricey - come for the family style tasting menu - a great value for the price and it comes with a ton of food. The 4 of us were stuffed!All the food had great combinations of textures and flavor. Some things a little sweet, some spicy. The crudite plate and hummus appetizers were awesome. Served with fresh pita bread to dip. So yummy. Servers were attentive and knowledgeable. All in all we had a great time. Food was awesome. We will def be coming back next time we are in SD.

Dined here earlier this evening for my birthday. A couple of friends had raved about this restaurant, so I was excited to give it a try. I was given a happy birthday card upon arrival, cute. The hubby and I ordered a few items to share:Uni toast (2.5/5): didn't taste any uni, pretty much only tasted the saltiness of the prosciutto. This was overpriced at $29 for 2 bites. Beef tartare (4/5): had a kick of spice. The yogurt was very good, but I wished there was more of it.Aleppo Chicken (3.5/5): a LOT bigger than I was expecting, quite a generous portion. It seemed like it was half of a whole chicken. Flavor was good, although a bit salty for my liking. Other reviewers overhyped this dish. The skin was crispy, but it is just chicken breast, nothing special. Dry Aged Duck Breast (5/5): this was on their special (limited availability) menu. The first bite was alright... but as I kept eating, it was yummy. The duck was the star of the night.Bummer that they don't do complimentary birthday desserts like other restaurants do... I would've much preferred a dessert over a greeting card haha. Overall 3.5 stars.

Restaurant for Fancy Mediterranean Food Absolutely loved - Kanpachi 5- super fresh and delicious!!! - Uni Toast 5- wow this was the highlight, wish we got more but it was so good! Melts in your mouth good! - Corn and Shishito peppers ravioli 4.5 - Lamb 4.5 - Dry Aged Duck Breast 5 - hands down the best duck we've had!!! - Patatas 4- verry strong flavours but good; crispy potatoes) - Babaghanoushi 5 - the best we've had! Pita bread was delicious as well! - crispy Arancini 4- fancy mozzarella sticks Drinks - Nogroni 3.5 - the VPS 4Customer service: Wonderful! Parking 3 hour free validation Top restaurant we've been too in a bit! They do charge 20 percent tip included and 4 percent surcharge Ambiance -subtle and not too crazy, modern vibe. We will be back again, thank you for an amazing experience! Keep up the great work!

Ideal For: great mediterranean cuisine, good wine, dinner with family/friends.Our faves: lamb chops, whipped burrata, duck & korobuta pappardelle, hummus, patatas bravas.Keep in mind: Bib Gourmand Michelin Distinction, voted one of the best restaurants in the US, reservations encouraged. Other notes: the servers were amazing but the hosts were extremely rude, for this reason I wouldn't give this place 5 stars.

Callie continues on after all these years like a well-oiled machine. The location in East Village is a bit difficult to navigate, but planning can alleviate any issues you may have.The reception area of Callie still recalls a downtown office building, which, of course it is. I was taken to a table hard by a busser's station, but when I demured and pointed to another table, the request was granted without undo angst. The menu seems mostly the same from what I recall from a few years ago. There is nothing wrong with that---the tried and true can still be good, no? Conner was my assigned waiter, and he was perfectly efficient and earnest. Jesse was the sommelier on the night of my visit. He had a sense of humor and the desire to discover wines, which came across and was refreshing. I think I drank a French Burgundy that night. I discussed with Jesse the habit of Callie to remove the wines to central high tables to open, which can sometimes be troubling for the customer, depending on the location of your table. Chelsea poured the water with a smile and Erin the manager stopped by for a little chat.

If I could give Callie a million stars I would. Ever since I first tried it last September, it's been on my mind. The service is amazing, friendly, and attentive. We even got a free drink! I don't mind sitting at the bar because it's so beautiful inside with the high ceilings. Here's a breakdown of my highlights, I've tried most of the menu:-The Uni Toast: A must-have appetizer paired with...-Japanese Kanpachi: This is my in my top 3, with the Israeli green sauce and Jalapeño finishes-Aleppo Chicken: There's something so unique about this dish, literally my favorite chicken ever -Egyptian Carrots: Another must-have, their take on carrots with the cashew cream is divine -Hanger Steak: A smaller entree but nice and tender with another stellar green sauce

What a treat! Unassuming from the outside we showed up at 5:45 on a Saturday and it appeared to be quiet but once inside it was completely full and bustling.We tried the special focaccia with whipped ricotta and pesto, fantastic and so light! For mains I had the octopus and my husband the halibut which was catch of the day and the veggie we shared was also a daily special and my husband called it elevated cream of mushroom (in the best way possible) it was so creamy and delicious. We had the tahini chocolate chip cookie for dessert and it was like a Mediterranean pizookie, service was attentive and on point. We really enjoyed this fresh, modern Mediterranean take and will surely be back next time we are in town.

Ambiance - it's underneath some apartments but inside is cute with nice decor Service- fast and friendly Food - amazing..such unique flavors. I had a drink that had smoked eggplant and didn't taste.like eggplant at all. We also got the babaganush..with pita and veggies and chill sauce and gf crackers..the carrots..potato bravo..lamb dolmas..chixken..fish..all so good. The dolmas was a little undercooked but still good. I loved everything else..chicken was juicy. For dessert..we got the cookie with gelato..sorbet..and rice pussing..my fav was the cookie for sure.