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Callie Restaurant

Name: Callie Restaurant
Address: 1195 Island Ave, San Diego, CA, United States, 92101-7230
Telephone: (619) 255-9696
Price range: $50 and over
Rating: 4.8

$50 and over

Mediterranean

Make a booking

2 people

16 Feb 2025

19:00

Booked 48 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Innovative
Hot spot

Callie represents Chef Travis Swikard's debut solo project after spending a decade working alongside the esteemed Chef Daniel Boulud in New York City. The restaurant’s name, "Callie," comes from the Greek word "kallos," meaning "the most beautiful," and embodies its blend of Mediterranean cuisine with local ingredients and terroir, from sea to land from San Diego, Swikard's hometown. In 2022, Callie was acclaimed as one of America's top new restaurants by Esquire and Robb Report, and received both a Bib Gourmand and a Plate from the Michelin Guide. Callie is a dedicated supporter of Feeding San Diego, having contributed over 1 million meals to those in need in San Diego since its launch. Swikard is set to open his second restaurant in La Jolla in 2025.

Why they're an Icon

Executive chef: Chef Travis Swikard

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand
2024
MICHELIN Bib Gourmand
2023

From the OpenTable editors: Chef and San Diego native Travis Swikard is an alum of iconic restaurants like DANIEL, and that pedigree shines at this sophisticated Mediterranean spot named one of Esquire’s Best New Restaurants in America in 2022. Feast on plates like lemon saffron linguine or harissa-grilled lamb chops, or go all-in on a five-course family-style tasting menu. Either way, a meal in the inviting space decked with blue tiles and lush greenery feels like a lively dinner party on every visit.

Additional information

Dining style
Elegant Dining
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Mediterranean
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sun 17:00–22:00
Phone number
(619) 255-9696
Website
https://www.calliesd.com/
Dress code
Casual Dress

Location
1195 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101-7230
Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2024
2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
Area
Downtown / Gaslamp
Parking details
Our parking garage is located in the building, but because of the one way streets downtown, the entrance is on 11th Avenue between J St and Island Ave, on the right. The parking garage has a sign '1155 Parking' over top and is through LAZ. For security purposes, the gate will be down when you pull up, you will press the kiosk for a ticket. Once you've parked, take the elevators in the center up to the lobby and be sure to get your ticket validated by a host. Validation is good up to three hours.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine

Experiences

Mediterranean Feast - Parties of 7 & 8
US$75.00 per person
Multiple dates available
Mediterranean Feast - Parties of 7 & 8 For the ultimate dining experience, choose The Mediterranean Feast, a 5-course, family-style menu priced at $75 per guest. This menu, curated by Chef Travis Swikard, provides a full culinary journey from spreads to dessert. While the Feast is required for parties of 7 or 8, it is also available to all guests without advance notice. When booking, please let us know of any dietary restrictions so we can accommodate them. To secure your reservation, a credit card is needed, but no charge will apply unless you cancel with less than 24 hours' notice or do not show up. In those cases, a $10 per guest fee will be charged to the credit card on file.
Callie's Valentine's Day Lovers' Feast
US$145.00 per person
14 Feb 2025 - 15 Feb 2025
Celebrate Valentine's Day with us on February 14th-15th! Chef Travis Swikard and team have a very special 5-course lover's feast with an optional wine pairing and exclusive Valentine’s cocktails planned for you and your valentine. Please note that only the Valentine's Day menu will be offered on these days; a la carte dining will not be available. Please inquire about any dietary restrictions. No-shows or cancellations less than 1 day in advance may be subject to a charge of $10 per person. Tax, 20% service charge, and 4% surcharge will be added to all checks.

What 324 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

San Diego
Mediterranean

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Callie Restaurant in San Diego offers an extraordinary dining experience with "amazing food and service." Guests rave about its Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, featuring standouts like Aleppo chicken and truffle pasta. The restaurant's ambiance is "inviting" and "vibrant," perfect for special occasions. While some find it pricey, most agree it's "worth every penny."

324 Reviews

V
Vic
VIP
San Diego
55 reviews
5.0
55 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
This is a 5 star experience! Our party of four tried four different cocktails, 12 different dishes and three desserts. Impossible to pick a favorite and impossible to select anything that was not exceptional. Additionally, the chef and team were super sensitive to serving any dishes that would be an allergy issue. So the food was glorious, the chef and team brilliant…yet the staff is what elevated the experience. From our two servers, their assistant, the sommelier and the front of house - one word - Brilliant. Best meal of the year winner
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A
Alex
VIP
San Diego
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
we dine at Callie 4-5 times a year and we love the ambiance, the food and the service its employees provide so much! The last few times we dined here we chose the Mediterranean Feast and it’s truly a feast for the eyes and the stomach. Add to that my all-time fave and super refreshing cocktail c’est la vie and I leave a very happy camper.
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A
Andrea
San Diego
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Best restaurant in San Diego. Excellent Wait staff, all happy working there! Mediterranean feast is amazing. Chef Travis cool local guy, happy for him!
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K
Kelli
VIP
Pittsburgh
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Outstanding from start to finish. Excellent cocktails and wine. Server was knowledgable and helped to guide food choices. Every dish was delicious with layered flavors. Pasta was fresh and al dente with delicious ragu. Octopus cooked perfectly. Unique flavor profile of the beet and orange salad as well as artichokes. Perfect Valentine’s meal. We will be back!
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S
Steve
San Diego
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
First time there. Outstanding experience. Indoor parking provided at no cost (important because of downtown location), but also very close to a trolly stop. Vibe inside is upscale industrial. Many many workers, so never a lack of attention or service. Good is smaller portions, exceptional presentations and flavors. This was an experience as much as it was a dinner. And the mixed drinks are unique and incredible. Overall a 5 star experience! Highly recommended.
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J
Jen
VIP
San Diego
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Outstanding service and food. Absolutely delicious.
Is this helpful?
R
Rafael
VIP
Houston
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Muy buen ambiente y la comida deliciosa, es para volver
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D
Diotay
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What an amazing evening! Staff welcomed us, with a special card on our table for my son's birthday. We filled our table with dishes from every category on the menu, and each one was delicious.....the lamb especially melted in our mouths and the duck was mouth watering good! Can't say enough great things about the staff, the atmosphere and the amazing culinary experience!
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Y
Yari
Philadelphia
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Service, food, and ambiance were spectacular. You can taste the quality in each bite. Service was the cherry on top from the waiters, bartenders, and hostess.
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F
Farrah
San Diego
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I was happy with the ambiance. The architecture and interior design was very modern, and they had middle eastern art and textiles around the restaurant. However, I was not happy with how close I had to sit next to the other couple. I felt like it was not enough privacy for a date night because you could hear the other people’s conversations. We decided to order the feast that included 5 items. The first item, a hummus and baba ghanoush plate with fresh baked pita bread was incredible. The next few items were ok. Not better than I’ve had at any tapas restaurant. I’m not a big fan of duck, but that was the fourth item. The dessert left me a little unsatisfied. I would return to have the harissa chicken as I was recommended.
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FAQs

Callie Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 324 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people

16 Feb 2025

19:00

Booked 48 times today

Experiences are available.

1195 Island Ave, San Diego, CA 92101-7230

Additional information

Award-winning
1. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2024
2. MICHELIN Bib Gourmand 2023
Area
Downtown / Gaslamp
Hours of Operation
Tue–Sun 17:00–22:00
Price
$50 and over
Cuisines
Mediterranean
Dining style
Elegant Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Our parking garage is located in the building, but because of the one way streets downtown, the entrance is on 11th Avenue between J St and Island Ave, on the right. The parking garage has a sign '1155 Parking' over top and is through LAZ. For security purposes, the gate will be down when you pull up, you will press the kiosk for a ticket. Once you've parked, take the elevators in the center up to the lobby and be sure to get your ticket validated by a host. Validation is good up to three hours.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Wine

Website
https://www.calliesd.com/
Phone number
(619) 255-9696

Callie Restaurant

Make a booking

Why they're an Icon

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand

MICHELIN Bib Gourmand

Additional information

Experiences

Mediterranean Feast - Parties of 7 & 8

Callie's Valentine's Day Lovers' Feast

Menu

What 324 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is Callie Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is Callie Restaurant currently accepting bookings?

Make a booking

Additional information