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    Callie

    4.3 (984 reviews)
    PriceyMediterranean
    Closed 5:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 3 months ago

    Callie Photos

    Business Info

    CALLIE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Classy

    Recommended Reviews - Callie

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    Reviews With Photos

    Inside
    Aileen H.

    I was able to snatch a last-minute reservation at this very popular restaurant. After seeing this restaurant recommended by a Michelin star Chef based in San Diego, and being on the Michelin Gourmand list, I was really looking forward to eating here! To be honest, I was not impressed by the food. The ambiance was great. The interior was open, inviting, modern and elegant. It had good energy. The chicken came highly recommended, and it was good. Maybe it was because I wasn't very hungry and also because of the abundance of good Mediterranean food in LA and having had Mediterranean food in Greece and Turkey, I thought the food was good but not exceptional. We also got the baba ghanoush (eggplant dip) with puffy thin bread. That was good. I didn't like the flavor profile of the hanger steak. The broccolini was my favorite dish. It was refreshing. This dish exceeded my expectations. The flavor and texture were nothing like any broccolini I had before, and all the components of the dish worked beautifully together! Service was a bit hit and miss. We told our severs (our waiter 2x and the drinks person once) that we needed a split check and they still all forgot. I felt a bit rush as my friend and I were catching up and we kept getting interrupted. Pro Tip: If you decide to try this place, there is complimentary validated parking for 3 hours offered by the restaurant. The garage is a bit hard to find. It's located right next to the restaurant but very easy to drive pass it especially at night.

    Farmed and dangerous
    Thomas E.

    What an absolutely fantastic restaurant and meal. First off the ambience is just gorgeous, it's crazy how truly open the entire space is. Service was top notch, my water never went below halfway. Staff was friendly and checking in throughout the night and able to answer all the questions we threw their way. SUPER accommodating for gluten free with tons of options here. The menu is cool as it has a feast option that's more like a prix fixe set menu. We considered this but decided against it after asking what would be included with it. The menu presents the ability to sort of create your own adventure and so we went with that. Started off with the baba ghanoush, wow this one is incredible. It makes me question everything else I've ever eaten with the same name. The smokiness truly comes through and the depth and richness of the eggplant is captured in a way I've never tasted before. Definitely get this. The pita it came with was so fluffy and perfect as well, and they had no problem giving me a pita and my friend the gluten free crackers. The octopus was also one of the best I've ever had. Really nice portion when sometimes it can feel expensive for a little bit. It was so absolutely tender I couldn't believe it. With sort of like a crisp char on the outside, just cooked perfectly. Definitely recommend this one. Hanger steak. Another banger, the meat was tender, perfectly charred and salted. But the standout here was the sauce. Like give the saucier a raise cus this sauce was magic. I could eat this sauce on literally everything for the rest of my life and die happy. It's like they melded the best essence of every herb into a smooth clean emulsion that just turns the steak into something to die for. You could have given me a hamburger on top of this sauce and I'd have been happy. Broccolini and patatas bravas were nice sides, but didn't blow me away like the other dishes so I'll keep it short here. Lot of cool cocktail options that don't deviate too far from the classics but have fun twists. Thoroughly enjoyed the ones that I had - including farmed and dangerous which was an old fashioned riff. Also had a daily special cocktail that I forget the name, it had private barrel elijah craig which was exciting, but the cocktail was a bit on the sweet side and really lost the whiskey which was unfortunate. Nothing to complain about, was still great, but going back I'd elect for something else. Dessert we had the rice pudding which was surprisingly kinda reminiscent of a creme brulee. Lot of different flavors here with the dates and pistachio, it really is a fun one to try, especially if rice pudding is your thing. Worth noting it was a bit loud of an environment. The airiness of the room I think also echoes the sounds a bit more. We were also seated pretty close to the people to our left and right, like close enough we could easily hear their conversations and talk to them. Not something that bothered us, but something to be aware of, especially if you're looking for an intimate date night, maybe request a particular table. I really can't wait to come back!

    ALEPPO CHICKEN and CRUNCHY EGYPTIAN CARROTS
    Nachelle M.

    I'd definitely come back for the lemon uni tagliatelle and the Aleppo chicken. The Aleppo chicken was full of flavor, with lots of spice and a creamy sauce underneath that balanced everything out perfectly. It had just the right amount of kick. The lemon uni tagliatelle was tangy, creamy, and rich, with perfectly cooked pasta and plenty of sauce in every bite. The dessert could use some improvement. We tried the pavlova, but it wasn't as memorable as the savory dishes.

    LEMON SAFFRON LINGUINE
    Paul K.

    Had a good time trying this highly acclaimed restaurant in downtown. Big plus is validated parking in a covered garage in the same building as the restaurant. Although the food was a good quality, the prices are also quite high, so the overall experience is only worth it if you're looking for a great ambience with sophisticated food. I found the baba ghanoush to be one of the best dishes with a nice smoky flavor paired with fresh pita that is made in house. I found the hummus to be rather bland, tasted mainly of olive oil so would definitely favor the babaghanoush to start. For the main dishes, I think the saffron lemon pasta the highlight; the sauce was very well balanced, and the saffron flavor shines through. I found the Aleppo chicken (although widely acclaimed on here) to have a rather peculiar spice on top that I was not a big fan of. The hanger steak was tender, but not particularly flavorful. Overall, I think this place hits the mark on ambience, good service, and sophisticated food although it has the very high prices to match. If you're looking for just pure food quality, I think there are certainly other places that are better but if you're looking for the whole package, Callie is hard to resist.

    Verna C.

    Sunday Funday Dinner with friends - we made a reservation on OpenTable. We were seated in 5-10 minutes. The servers were attentive and explained a lot of the menu items and loved what their recommendations were. There were 4 of us and we shared all the dishes from the appetizers to the dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious. Location was easy to find and parking validation was perfect in the same building. The restaurant was beautiful, not loud but pleasant. We would definitely recommend.

    ALEPPO CHICKEN
    Nicole K.

    First time at Callie and it did not disappoint. We did the Mediterranean Feast for $80 per person and it was a good experience. The portions were actually good size especially the chicken dish and we were so full by the end. Everything felt super thoughtfully made and really flavorful. You can tell they care about the details. The only thing we didn't love was the fish dish. It was super salty, but that was honestly the only complaint. The flavors would have been great if the salt was toned down. Besides that everything else felt really balanced and so good. The drinks were delicious, the service was top notch, and the vibe is just fun but still feels special. I also love that they have an attached parking garage with three hour validation. That makes such a difference downtown. Next time I think I would just order specific dishes instead of doing the feast because it did not feel like a huge deal compared to ordering off the menu. But we will definitely be back!

    JAPANESE KANPACHI
    Gabrielle P.

    I don't know why it took me so long to try Callie--I've been seriously missing out. It's been a while since I've had a multi-course meal where every single dish hit, but this one delivered from start to finish. We did the Mediterranean Feast tasting, and honestly, it's a steal for what you get. You start with a trio of dips--hummus, avocado labneh, and babaganoush--served with fresh pita and crudité. Everything tasted incredibly fresh, the hummus was perfectly smooth, and the lemon olive oil on top tied it all together. Pro tip: save some of that pita...you'll need it later. The kanpachi came next--simple presentation, but packed with flavor and sliced perfectly. Israeli hot sauce and black lime salt combo *chefs kiss*. For the pasta, we swapped into the truffle cacio e pepe bucatini and wow...easily one of the best parts of the meal. This is where that extra pita comes in--use it to soak up every last bit of sauce. Trust me, you're not leaving that behind. For the entrée, we had the Aleppo chicken. I almost never order chicken at restaurants, but this completely changed my mind. It was hands down one of the best chicken dishes I've ever had--easily a standout. We also tried the crunchy Egyptian carrots, and the pickling on them was so good. The cashew dukkah added a really nice texture and flavor. To finish, the Meyer lemon pavlova was light, balanced, and super refreshing--exactly what you want at the end of a meal like this. Highly recommend Callie. The food is actually that good--you won't leave disappointed or hungry.

    Creme brulee
    Amy K.

    Located in downtown San Diego. Beautiful upscale restaurant with culinary delights. Parking is a little challenging here, so take rideshare or public transportation. Otherwise, prepare to pay $30-$50 for parking. I suggest you make reservations if you're coming Thursday to Sunday. We ordered a set course, the Mediterranean meal for 4 people. Delicious, can't get enough. We all loved it! Every single dish was exquisite. It came out to around $500 for 4 persons and was worth every penny. We were all full, and I had a little food to take home as well. Service was amazing as well, they were busy but on top of it. Thanks for the wonderful food and experience Callie!

    Elizabeth P.

    Loved the chicken main. 5/5 Beets salad 5/5 Potatoes 4/5 crispy Beef tartare 3/5 Hummus and pita bread 5/5 Mushroom side dish 4/5 Leman pasta 0/5 - super sour and salty unfortunately Tahini cookie with fig ice cream- super salty 2.5/5 Good customer service. Celebrated valentines here. It's super loud, you can hear everyone talking. I wish it was better insulated but it's super loud every time I come here!

    Pumpkin caramelle
    Hannah S.

    Amazing service!! Amazing!! Very attentive and made the experience feel premium :) Food was stellar - obviously expensive (and small portions) but excellent quality ingredients. Favorite was the pumpkin pasta and crudités. Have to also get their pita! It's too good!

    Passion Fruit Pavlova
    Seetha G.

    Celebrated our anniversary at Callie with our family of four, and it turned out to be such a great choice for a special-but-not-stuffy night out. We kicked things off with Patatas Bravas (just ok for us) and the Setas Con Migas, which were so good -- earthy, comforting, and full of flavor. For mains, I finally tried the famous Aleppo Chicken and WOW -- absolutely delicious and a huge portion (easily shareable). My husband had the Harissa Grilled Lamb Chops; I'm pretty picky about lamb chops and thought they were good-not-great, but he loved them, so that's a win. The kids were very happy with their choices: Lemon Saffron Linguine and the Duck & Korubotta Pork Ragù Pappardelle -- both excellent pasta dishes without being boring. One standout for me was the "Sans Booze" menu. I was genuinely impressed by the variety and creativity. The kids and I tried a few, and they were actually flavorful and balanced -- not just sugary syrup with food coloring. My husband also loved his cocktails. Dessert sealed the deal: warm tahini chocolate chip cookie, passion fruit pavlova, and Turkish rice pudding. All were excellent, and we each had a different favorite, which says a lot. Overall, Callie delivered on food, drinks, vibe and great service-- perfect for a family celebration or a date night. Would absolutely come back (and order that Aleppo chicken again).

    Dirty martini and "Kook Juice"
    Scott C.

    Perfect Xmas Eve dinner for two. Service was attentive and the space is large and airy. We were seated at a small table for two in the center of the dining room, but it never felt loud or crowded from the rest of the fully-booked restaurant. Since we were there for a special pre-Christmas service it was all prefix and coursed out, with a few options to select from on a few courses. Drinks were good. The standard dirty martini was well made, and the Kook Juice I ordered had a nice smoky/sweet balance from the combination of mezcal, passion fruit, aleppo, and lime. Our first course of spreads and breads was a nice collection of flavors, textures, and temperatures. The avocado labneh and crudité were chilled over ice, while the pita was steaming hot and fresh-baked. Almost seemed like a wheat pita which was a nice variation. The babaghanoush was the standout dip, but all had a reason to be there. Second course was the spiny lobster and it was incredibly rich and garlicky, served with crusty bread that I did my best to sop up every drop of the flavorful oil with. The lobster had the consistency I prefer, of butter-poached shellfish. Third course we upgraded from a risotto to the highly-recommended-by-our-server white truffle gnocchi, and he did not lie. The castelmagno fonduta was somehow so creamy and velvety, yet also light and smooth. No cheese pull here, and I mean that in the best way. The handmade pillows of potato gnocchi and fonduta topped with shaved white truffle and crunchy toasted hazelnuts made for such an irresistible combo it's no surprise it was my favorite bite. Fourth course was our shared main, a cut of swordfish, grilled with Spanish spices and served with pomegranate seeds and cherry tomatoes over a sharply acidic and smooth sauce. Delicious by all counts. To round off the night with something sweet, our fifth and final course was Turkish rice pudding, which I enjoyed but my husband did not, citing the strong cardamom notes, which were admittedly prominent. I thought the other coffee and pistachio favors were nice compliments to the cardamom favored pudding. It took us some time to make our way to Callie after hearing the buzz for years and safe to say we're new to the fan club.

    ALEPPO CHICKEN
    Liz R.

    I now understand why Callie has such high reviews. It's good! And beautiful! And delicious! We started by parking in the building's underground parking lot which made for a much better experience dining downtown. Parking is validated at the restaurant. Our reservation was for when they opened at 5pm so the entire lobby was full of other people with reservations, plus about a dozen people waiting to claim a first come first serve bar seat. We were promptly seated at a comfortable table that had a nice view of the open faced kitchen. For our party of three, we ordered some hummus and babaganoush with pita and bread (yum), plus some crunchy carrots, potatas bravas and two entrees - the chicken and hangar steak. Not a bad bite was had at that table. An odd compliment from me, but my favorite item was the Aleppo chicken! This is a great restaurant for a special occasion or simply a date night where you want some high quality eats. Just be sure to make a reservation several weeks in advance.

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    Page 1 of 25

    Callie Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Callie

    Are small children allowed?

    I did see families there with young children.

    Is the restaurant pet friendly?

    No, not even people friendly.

    Can someone explain the Mediterranean Feast?

    The Mediterranean Feast is a representation of their menu served family style. The food is absolutely fabulous each and every course. I usually am hard to please with a chicken course, but their chicken is out of this world! I went with my wife… Read more

    How long does the dining experience take?

    It really depends on what you order but really you can just go at your own pace. Last time we ate there we were there for 2 1/2 hours but we did the Mediterranean feast. We had rounds of cocktails lots of wine and took our time. A place like this… Read more

    Hows the Mediterranean feast?

    It's amazing! Its a best of from their regular menu. We added a few specials and had a memorable experience.

    Do they accept walk ins?

    Maybe for the bar... but tables need to be reserved months in advance

    Do you have a corkage fee?

    Going to Padres game on Thursday 9/29/22 starts 6:40 1) Do we need a reservation? 2) will 3 hour free…

    You definitely need a reservation. I am not aware of free parking, but cannot say for sure.

    How big a group can you accommodate for dinner!?

    I think you need to call if it is bigger than 6.

    Do they have any halal meat?

    Did NOT say it. The Lamb Chops did NOT even taste like lamb, NOT even good...so Halal or not means nothing here :(

    Does the whole table have to order the Mediterranean Feast or can one person alone choose it?

    Everyone would have to participate in the feast option. The variety of dishes expands with bigger groups as well.

    Do they have valet parking?

    We do not offer valet but have free parking (first 3 hours) in the building with validation.

    We have a small dog. Is restaurant dog friendly?

    No dogs seen there, totally NOT support or blind dog friendly attitude of hostesses & Floor Managers, yuck!

    Do they have outdoor dining?

    I did not see outdoor dining.

    View All 18 Questions

    Tahini - The Esquire Pita Sandwich with chicken Sriracha Tahini, French fries and mango lemonade.

    Tahini

    4.6(1.4k reviews)
    8.4 miKearny Mesa
    $$

    We've been to Tahini before but decided to make a special trip to Tahini to support them after…read morehearing they've been constantly harassed with hate messages/crimes -- which is so horrible and sad. The food is was great and one of my favorite spots when I'm craving middle eastern wraps- I did built your own pita so of course I like the ingredients. I loved my pita bread (it's much different from the Greek style if you haven't tried it before!) and the enjoyed the steak in particular. It had a lot of warming spices (nutmeg and cinnamon maybe?) and the flavor is pretty unique! I added bell peppers, pickled cucumbers, lettuce, tomato, red onion, tahini sauce, and garlic sauce. I also got a piece of falafel - I always gotta judge a place by their falafel and this one was crispy on the outside and soft in the inside which was perfect. Next time I need to try the halloumi cheese stix with fig jam! Place was very clean and the decor was nice. I also love the Finjan coffee spot next door.

    The food here is genuinely outstanding - fresh, colorful, flavorful, and made with care. Every time…read moreI eat here I'm reminded why I keep coming back. The staff is also consistently warm and kind, which makes the whole experience feel good from the moment you walk in. My only real frustration is with the wait times on online orders, and it's significant enough that I have to mention it. I work 10 min away and only get a 35-40 minute break. The app consistently quotes around 20 minutes- but honestly, 20 minutes shouldn't even be necessary. I've stood there and watched them make a bowl. It takes about two minutes. Other similar restaurants have my order ready in five minutes, consistently. So when the app quotes 20 and then I still end up waiting at the 20 minute mark on top of that - in a nearly empty restaurant - something is off. Today this happened (I hit the 20 min mark with no food), and I had to go up and ask them to make my order. This isn't a one-time thing either. It's happened enough times over the years that it genuinely deters me from coming here on my break. To their credit, there was a stretch where it seemed like they had it figured out, so I know they can do it. I just wish that consistency would stick. If you're not on a time crunch, absolutely go. The food alone is worth it. But if you're relying on a quoted pickup time, build in a buffer- a bigger one than you'd think you'd need.

    Photos
    Tahini - Interior of the restaurant

    Interior of the restaurant

    Tahini - Close up of the OG Pita. Packed will delicious meat!

    Close up of the OG Pita. Packed will delicious meat!

    Tahini - Interior

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    Interior

    Alforon

    Alforon

    4.6(1.9k reviews)
    6.0 miRolando
    $$

    I have eaten there so many times I can't even count. Their food and their restaurant is my favorite…read moreplace to eat in San Diego. George and Samia are the most wonderful people in the world. George will come out of the kitchen and explain, in detail, every item on the menu. I laugh when I read or even see a subpar review of Alforon. Those people are either high on drugs or never experienced excellent food before. Chicken Tawook, Tabouli salad, house pickles, everything is off the chart and that's just the for starters. You can close your eyes, point to a menu item and have the best meal of your life. Explore their whole menu, you can't go wrong with a single item. Hands down off the chart and excellent food by two of the nicest people you will ever meet in your life.

    First of all let me say that the love dessert has me hooked. Best thing here! One of the most…read moreunique and tasty things I've tried in a while, and that's saying a lot w my sweet tooth. I love the floral and pistachio taste, and it doesn't leave you feeling heavy afterwards. The mint lemonade is also a must have- tastes like it came from the garden in the best way possible. For savories, I had the spinach and cheese bajeen, baba gannouj, and the lamb fatteh - all had a lot of flavor and tasted homemade. I love trying new foods so will have to come back with more friends and try other things on the menu. The downside of this place was being seated on the right side of the restaurant near the carry out section. This was the pit of despair. I noticed that most of the staff goes to the other end first, and as a result 4 tables got seated after us and all of them had food on their table before we managed to flag one of the staff. It was definitely busy in there but he replied that he was simply going in order, but apparently order or left side to right side instead of arrival. I recommend trying to get seated on the side w the stained glass windows for better service. Other than that, the experience overall was pleasant.

    Photos
    Alforon - Inside seating

    Inside seating

    Alforon - Ouzi Lamb Special

    Ouzi Lamb Special

    Alforon - Lamb fatteh

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    Lamb fatteh

    Callie - mediterranean - Updated May 2026

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