Gina D.
Yelp
If the food is on point and the wait staff is friendly, and at the top of their game, I like it. Also, the atmosphere must give me a sense of calm or belonging.
Cala's was designed for that. This is my third time here. Manchester is a very beautiful upper-middle-class to upper-class neighborhood. There are beautiful vistas, and the neighborhood has a mix of lovely homes and mansions. I have not found all the restaurants, but this one sits on Beach Street, a very beautiful strip of mom-and-pop specialty shops and restaurants. You want to support these establishments because you don't want them to go away.
Anyway, Cala's is a feel-good bar that you might see in a movie. It's small, but it looks like a good time. I have been here three times, and each time, the servers and bartenders have been super friendly and attentive. This is the kind of place where everyone knows your name. They have yacht rock on the radio, which reminds me of my childhood when my dad would pop in an 8-track of Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, and the Doobie Brothers. It makes me feel so warm, and I want to sing along. It's kind of dark in here, but it's a sports bar. I feel like the dude that closed a deal could sit next to a fisherman here, and all would be family.
I ordered a strawberry margarita, and it made me happy. A sugary drink with the right amount of alcohol to make my girly gene feel just right as I wait for my Cobb Salad. I added steak to my salad. Well, you can definitely go keto here, but their sandwich selection is out of the world. Someone next to me ordered the pull pork sandwich, and it was an overpacked foot-long sandwich with a healthy serving of fries. And she went AT IT! I wanted to be her at the moment, and started to miss me. Quite frankly, if I was skinny, I would try each sandwich one by one. I already know my husband is getting the corned beef. And I suspect he is really going to love it.
On the third trip, I brought my son and nephew. The waitress was fantastic. Again, if you read my past reviews, you will know my son gets HANGRY. He ordered Mac and Cheese and a creamy BIG bowl of Mac and creamy-looking cheese showed up. He took no prisoners and went at it. My nephew had the tacos. He hates onions, and the pulled pork is seasoned with onions. But the waitress offered to replace it with chicken. He is a picky eater, but he enjoyed this replacement and felt happy. Me - I had that Cobb salad with the steak. The steak was medium well and juicy. These people really know how to season.
I am taking one star away for the pricing. The pandemic means everyone pays more, but $27 for a Cobb salad with a steak addition is a lot. I feel bad for taking away a star, but my bill that night was $87, and I tip accordingly. Our waitress was excellent, so that night was $100+ night for dinner and one drink.
My husband is with the kids tonight, and I sent him there because all in all, the place is a good time with good food.