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    Elia

    4.3 (165 reviews)
    Open • 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Elia Photos

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    ELIA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Upscale
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Elia

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    Reviews With Photos

    Dolma
    Amruta D.

    It's rare that I leave a restaurant genuinely disappointed, but unfortunately this was one of those experiences. We chose Elia for its menu and ambiance. Although I had requested a quiet table, we were seated next to a busy walkway. The staff was welcoming, and our cocktails and appetizers were decent. The biggest issue was the service. Our main course never arrived. After about 30 minutes, our server brought us another table's check, and only then realized we were still waiting for our food. Even after another 15-20 minutes, there was still no food. We finally asked them to pack it to go. The explanation was that the kitchen was busy, but the lack of communication and attention was disappointing. The food itself was okay but bland and not worth the price. Nice ambiance, but the service completely overshadowed the experience.

    Cielita C.

    First time trying this place suggested by a friend. Really enjoyed the food & ambiance for a dinner reservation. The staff were very friendly & attentive. The food's pretty good too! Parking can be difficult around this area. Overall, pretty cute place for a date night.

    Lamb and beef gyro
    Sho R.

    I stopped by on the afternoon for lunch. $25 for an appetizer and entree was a better value. Chicken slider was my favorite item. That was an appetizer. Melitzana was my other appetizer, which was good too. Lamb and beef gyro entree was a good entree. Sea bass was my other entree, which I thought was ok.

    Keftedes ($22)
    Sandee L.

    Nice outdoor seating in the outdoor parklet and very spacious indoor seating. The three of us have decided we like a variety of starters, family style, when dining out, so that is what we started out with. We got the dip trio which was light and refreshing. Lamb and beef meatballs were ok, shrimp was very good, and grilled artichoke had a strong smoky from the grill: different, but in a good way. The portions were a bit small, so we ordered the seafood paella. The seafood paella came with a full on lobster tail on the side. I found the clams and mussels a bit on the fishy side. All in all, it was ok. Including tax and tip, over $200 for the three of us. Expensive for just "ok" food.

    Seafood paella. Order this. Delicious and well cooked.
    Chang S.

    The food and ambiance was great. Service was friendly but slow and the apps came out fast but entree took a bit long. Food ratings are below: 5 - the fried calamari was lightly battered and fried to perfection 5 - seafood paella was delicious and the seafood was cooked well with a generous lobster portion 5 - kumimdo oysters were fresh and sweet 3.5 - chicken skewers were cooked well but seasoning wasn't as balanced as I've had at other places. 3.5 - lamb riblet was well seasoned but on the dry side.

    Complimentary bread with olive oil
    Mariel M.

    Food: 2.5/5, Service 5/5 Came here for early Mother's day dinner, and the service here definitely made the experience for me personally! From the start, the staff was outstanding! They have outdoor seating, and were dog friendly which we really appreciated! They also have heaters that did a great job keeping us warm while we dined. I'm typically a fan of greek cuisine, but I wasn't the biggest fan of the options here. To start, we shared a bunch of appetizers, and got the calamari, pita with various dips, octopus and fried olives. The calamari was just okay, but the dips were really tasty and fresh! The octopus was a surprising standout and had great flavor and char that I loved. I thought frying olives would help me like them, but I can confirm I'm still not an olive fan haha. Their main courses seemed to highlight lamb, which I'm not the biggest fan of, so I decided to play it safe and just get the chicken skewers. Pretty standard chicken skewers, nothing really stood out. Despite Elia not having many options that appealed to me, I still had a great experience, and would definitely recommend for those who like the options they have here!

    Katie Y.

    Great food - we've been twice in a short time frame. Similar to Evvia but easy to get a reservation! I would recommend outside when it is warm. Entree wise the paella is sooooo good.

    Shatshuka
    joyce l.

    Total impromptu girls brunch. We had the best Time The Greek breakfast platter was A treat! I don't believe we had the simit, but the pisi was a crowd pleaser, fried and a tad bit sweet. The fig jam And honey were delish!! Two friends had the shatshuka (they couldn't Taste the lamb, in case you're not a lamb fan). I had the lobster omelet which was fine. Another friend had the chicken sandwich which was good. I really want To come back for the grilled Octopus. I haven't had since my trip to Greece in June! They were really nice, despite a language barrier with some staff. We really enjoyed our lunch. Hope To be back!

    Joey V.

    Very nice setting right in the heart of downtown San Carlos. The ambiance was great. Nice inside and outside dining. On top of that, the outside dining has very warm and thick quilts that you can use..who does that? I have never seen that before, so thoughtful and nice. The colors and inside and outside decor remind you that you are in the mediterranean, perhaps Greece, but could be anywhere. Okay so we decided to order appetizers and drinks and they were good. Would I say that it is strictly or authentic to Greek, probably not. It does seem mediterranean and their menu attests to that. They even have their take on Spanish Paella, but not the same as authentic typical Paella so I am told. I would say this is more mediterranean cuisine style, perhaps Turkish with having some Greek plates highlighted. The service was great and attentive. I think for what we ordered and having only one drink each, no coffee or dessert it was a bit steep. We had one appetizer we shared, and we each had our an appetizer, we each had 1 glass of wine. That said, by the time we got our bill, it was about $70.00 each which included tip. SO just figure rule of thumb...about $25.00-$30.00 per item, which would also cover your drinks and tip.

    mushroom risotto
    Antara S.

    Absolutely beautiful ambiance. The decor is breathtaking taking. Food was good as well, and the service was kind. They give a lot of yummy free bread to start which we devoured with some olive oil. Ordered: - Evil eye martini: delicious, pretty strong, def one of those drinks that are for pics - Prawn appetizer: best thing we had tonight. In a delicious garlic and wine sauce. Olives in it are delicious too - Truffle mushroom risotto: it was okay, not super flavorful kind of underwhelming - Bucatini: DELICIOUS! lobster was amazing and fresh, and went perfectly with the creamy lobster bisque sauce. Noodles were cooked to perfection - Chicken skewers: my mom got these and said they were so-so, not super flavorful. She loved the side salad - Greek yogurt cheesecake: so unique and yummy. Great consistency, not too sweet and loved the mango coulis and berry puree Overall, great spot in San Carlos. It is worth it to come here for the ambiance alone - truly gorgeous.

    Shrimp
    Judy C.

    Came with 2 friends for dinner where we opted to share 4 appetizers and a salad instead of having a main. We were seated outdoors so it had a more casual feel than the indoor seating. Service was friendly and attentive; I was impressed by how they kept our water filled throughout the night. The food was fresh and flavorful although there were a couple of dishes I'd skip the next time. My friends and I ordered: - octopus - super tender. Only wish it was a little bigger - prawns - prawns were overcooked. The sauce was delicious though - saganaki - great dish if you love squeaky dish. The flambéed brandy added a nice sweet nutty aroma. - beet salad - interesting presentation and a good refreshing dish - pikilia - recommended by our server. All 3 dips were great but my favorite was the bell pepper one - lamb riblets - just ok. If I'm craving lamb, I'll try one of the mains next time.

    Fancypants X.

    2.75 stars rounded up. If we eat with our eyes first, Elia's plating does little to whet my appetite. Of our shared dishes, I tried: -- Crispy Burrata: the flattened pan de mie base made the appetizer seem cheaply thrown together. A more-substantial piece of bread would have better complemented the thick ball of cheese. Too many competing flavors with balsamic, pesto, AND tomato jam. -- Crispy Olives: enjoyed popping these one after the other after heartily dipping them in the accompanying tzatziki. -- Beet Salad: I thought the stacked beet & goat cheese was an odd preparation. And overall, the salad was visually unappetizing with the yogurt dressing mixing with the beets to give the dish an overall pink hue. -- Filet Mignon Souvlaki: the dish looked bare bones which called attention to the price we were paying for one skewer. Tender steak but the taste was not to my liking. -- Poached Pear dessert: off-putting, unnatural neon coloring to the fruit. The pink back-lit walls inside are certainly pretty & the beautiful covered patio is perfect for the heat wave we're currently experiencing; however, Elia's offerings were middling, & they fail at their attempts to make their food appear upscale.

    Beets salad.
    Valerie M.

    A fairly new spot right in the heart of Laurel Street, and we were instantly drawn to the beautiful blue, Greek-style outdoor setup. Spacious enough for the dogs to stretch out and relax, which made it even better. We came on a sunny afternoon and ordered a bunch of small bites -- all very traditional and served in a distinctly Greek way. They even cut the baked cheese right in front of us, which was such a fun touch and really showed their pride in Greek culture. Highlights definitely were the fried olives -- crisp, savory, and addicting. The beet salad was both delicious and gorgeous on the plate. And yes, they even offer Greek-style porridge for something a little different. Overall, Elia is a beautiful addition to San Carlos. I'll absolutely be back, especially on dog walks through Laurel Street. Perfect for: sunny afternoons with friends and dogs, or even on a first date. If you wanna try something a bit exotic.

    Seafood paella

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    Ask the Community - Elia

    What is there corkage fee?

    $30 per bottle

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