Cala's

I have been coming to Calas since I was very little, and they never disappoint me. The service is always very friendly, the food is always good. And they always have a lovely atmosphere, whether that means a red sox game, or just inviting ambiance. Overall I think that they are a wonderful restaurant and would recommend that you visit.

The place is cool. Food was good but didn’t come out the way we wanted. The waitress was kind and attentive. The kids burger was no different than the regular menu burger other than one is $10 and the other is $20…

The food is here is great. I got the brussel sprouts to start them the poke bowl. Only thing is I wish the menu specified whether or not the poke bowl is cooked because it wasn’t and I sent it back. Once they remade it cooked it was perfect! That’s goes to show how amazing the staff is here. I would recommend coming for sure.

My hubby and I were in Manchester for a work trip, and it was a rainy day. We decided to dine in here to get some seafood. I wasn't expecting it to be that good! As soon as we sat down, our server started to take care of us. We ordered fish stew, fish tacos, and buffalo wings. Our food came in less than 10 minutes! There was a deal for wings, they were 50 cents. We both loved the food. Then, we got deserts. My husband tried their ice cream cake, and he liked it. I got their special creme brulee and loved it! The restroom was so clean, and I loved the decorations. Big shout out to all the staff! Thank you.

Authentic tin ceilings. Classic New England interior design. It’s everything you want in a north shore pub. It gets busy and the Waitstaff has their hands full navigating an onslaught of hungry clientele. Had a few things worth noting - The nachos featured a surprisingly flavorful pulled pork and pickled jalapeños. Baked crispy. Nicely done. Fried clams and onions rings - Awesome. Yucca fries - surprisingly yummy. Fish (haddock) tacos - awesome. It’s all good and everyone was very happy with their food and the whole experience.

My husband and I sat at the bar Saturday evening and the bartender, Jen, was friendly and efficient. She made a yummy margarita and tequila cosmo for us. We shared the baked halibut entree that came with summer squash and mashed potatoes. It was plentiful and reasonably priced at $27. We will be back! :)

I loved the atmosphere in this local restaurant bar setting. The food was tasty, and the service was nice, but the music made me happy as I swayed to it while ate and journaled. I definitely will be back to chill and enjoy 😉.

Food was delicious, service friendly and atmosphere was great. Will eat here again.

Their buffalo chicken wrap and fries was delicious. They also had half priced tacos on Tuesdays. My friend got fish tacos and said they were yummy. The waitress was nice. It seems like a locals bar but had surprisingly good food. Would definitely go back and get that wrap again as well as try other things on the menu.

My friend and I came here for our birthday and ordered the following: Fried pickles - I'm not a fried pickle person, my bestie enjoyed it though. Buffalo Chicken Dip - it was good, I would give it a 8/10. Steak tips with mash potatoes and veggies. Steak was seasoned and cooked to my liking. Mash potatoes were ok, needed a bit more seasoning. Would give it a 7/10. Service was friendly. All in all, will come back.

Service great. I normally wouldn't write a review on a sandwich, but I just didn't like how the chef handled such a simple request soo Turkey club came with super uncooked bacon , imagine about two minutes in your griddle so fatty, etc. server who was super sweet asked chef for new bacon and it was literally petrified burnt when she brought it back almost like they were making a point? Kind of hard to screw up a sandwich, but even the tomatoes were the end cuts. :/ It's unfortunately, a no for me to go back such an easy fix.

This bar is excellent for a quick bite is bu change you are in Manchester MA. Very nice ambiance. Sort of a british pop, good delicious food. Good beer and excellent service. Not pricy at all. Totally recommend this venue

There were so many flies in the restaurant and the prices were very expensive. Never coming back

Very much pub food in a dark pub environment. Order consisted of mussels, truffle fries and chicken wings as appetizers and fish tacos and a hamburger as main dishes. Mussel dish was a large volume of mussels but very average tasting. Truffle fries, again large amount but average in taste. Chicken wings were deeply fried to the point the skin looked and behaved like an applied batter with nothing special sauces on side . Hamburger patty was large and cooked med. rare as ordered, served with massive lettuce leaves and tiny bit of red onion but not special toppings were requested. Cole slaw was swimming in mayo type dressing to the point the taste was very much the dressing with some crunch. Fish tacos consisted of two 6" burrito wrap with highly chopped haddock and had a nice plated look but everything was so chopped a close look was required to see what actually was on the wraps. Strong drinks with above average pour, fitting for a pub. Waitress was quite friendly and attentive. Price for all the above plus two drinks was $113. so average prices. Not many choices in Manchester with two pub types, a pizza shop and an attempt at fine dining options only. Pick your poison I suppose. Nothing great, nothing terrible with Calas, hence three stars.

We were visiting Manchester by the sea and went to this restaurant for our first dinner, this did not disappoint whatsoever! First of all, the menu was amazing and had an exceptional amount of options. The ambiance was perfect with low music and lighting, great for families and couples on date nights! Service was pretty decent... we had a waitress who was training another one which was nice to see the work progress, overall they remembered everything and were very professional, kind, and knowledgeable.

Sad disappointment. It was a beautiful day to catch up with friends visiting from out of town who were looking forward to some north shore seafood. 3 out of 4 meals were barely eaten (including fried clams that were reportedly "off" and the baked haddock which was unremarkable except it appeared pan seared with a strange onion/cream sauce). We didn't complain at the time out of courtesy, but I hope management recognizes when meals are left uneaten it's a sign that something is wrong.

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.

Incredibly friendly staff. Fun atmosphere. Good crowd of locals. Sports on. Very warm vibe.

Has no seating for groups of more then 3 people. Went here with my family of 5. Adults had to sit at the bar and kids had to sit at a table far from the bar. The kids weren't allowed near the bar so they couldn't talk to the parents. The waitress ignored the kids. Didn't get menus, drinks, or a chance to order. Two hotter guys were next to us and the waiters kept going to them, offering them free drinks, checking on them every 5 minutes. Also super cramped and no place to wait while they get your table ready. Would NOT reccomend

Worst fish taco I ever had! Service was good, but food was terrible! Fish smelled so bad!

I had a nice experience here yesterday. Our waitress was super friendly and very attentive (she at one point disclosed that she was new; she did a great job!) Got the yucca fries appetizer (nicely seasoned fries + an amazing aoli), clam chowder (tasty, great proportions of the bits inside), and steak tips (yum)! My friend got the shrimp mac and cheese and loved it. The vibe in the building is chill, clean, and comfortable. Please note that they don't serve mashed potatoes before 5:00 PM. It was my preferred side for my main dish, since it's listed on the menu, but it wasn't available. That's the only thing I'd ask they maybe reconsider. :) Great spot all-around!

Wonderful staff despite being quite busy! They checked on us frequently and made the dining experience great! It has a pub kind of feel rather and not much charm, but the food is good. We got the fish tacos and the baked haddock both of which were 5 stars each! Good portions and great,fresh taste We also got a side of sweet potato fries for which they didn't charge us- so that was a sweet surprise! :) For dessert we had the caramel apple tartlet which also did not disappoint!

Food was standard bar cuisine, the Reuben was delicious! Our waiter was fantastic!!! Very efficient and attentive even with several tables and patrons at the bar! The ambiance is quaint. I liked everything about this small little watering hole!

Fantastic New England Clam Chowder with very little potato and lots of chunks of clam in a buttery delicious base. The Mexican Street Tacos were also quite tasty with the smoked pulled pork and a slightly tangy green tomatillo salsa and onions. Highly recommend! Ambiance is casual pub style with TVs around the outsides.

Decided to have a day trip to Manchester by the Sea, and Cala was on our list of places for lunch. Enjoyed the service and the food! The calamari was a bit too salty, but other than that, we loved it! The fish and chips were great (big portion, so be ready for that!) but it was all fresh. The atmosphere was welcoming for sure. Overall, really enjoyed it.

We decided to try Cala's yesterday after walking around and checking out other places to eat. Everything was terrific. We started with the mussels for an appetizer and they came out hot and delicious. I got the arugula salad with salmon, very good. I like that the salad wasn't drowned with dressing, it was just enough. Hubby got clam chowder and the haddock taco's. He said it was great. We frequent the area by boat. Nice little area to take a walk. We will definitely go back. Service was awesome too.

Met here for lunch with a peer and business associates. Service is great. Wait staff is very attentive. I ordered a Poké bowl and absolutely loved it. Everyone was more than satisfied with their meal. Will go here again.

For the most part, awful food. Service ok. Ambiance lacking, dark and cave-like, awkwardly arrange. TV on always if you like sports.

Best food in Manchester!! ! Simple place but always good food and great employees! It's making me write 85 words

We have dined here previously but this will be our last time . I'm aware food costs have increased , but the food quality and quantity has suffered too . We came in for lunch yesterday. It was the three of us . My mother got a Reuben . She did not want fries so she had to pay a $2 up charge for Caesar salad . The size of the sandwich was so small in comparison to prior times when we have dined prior to. My girlfriend got a chicken caprese pesto sandwich and ordered sweet potato fries also $2 up charge . She thought the sandwich was ok but the pesto sauce was just not appetizing but she ate it because she was hungry . I got steak tips with a side Caesar and side sweet potato that's a $4 upcharge . The tips were unseasoned and very bland . Nothing special . No drinks . Total bill with tip $91 . Carla's is just not worth it . With all its upcharges , small portions and tasteless food . If you are going to charge these prices , increase the portions and get a better chef .

Nice friendly casual atmosphere...... Food was great, good variety. The specialty cocktails all sounded so good very creative. Pizza was made with what seemed to be like an artisan dough just baked to perfection. "It's the first time I ever saw my other half eat the crust" I was amazed. Great delivery on service and fast with the food!!!!

Went to singing beach in Manchester by the sea and stumbled upon this place for lunch. Their burgers are pretty decent. Its a cozy dine in place. Service is great. Prices are pretty reasonable too. My friend tried their onion soup and wasn't a big fan of it.

Very standard pub. Highlight was the very friendly service. Ambiance is sorta divey, sorta sports bar--they themselves invoke the TV show "cheers" and that feels pretty accurate. The food was pretty bland though. Coleslaw and fries felt very standard formulaic--the fries in particular are the same frozen-then-fried thing you could get at any bar or make at home. The fried fish sandwich was curious: it was served like a burger, on a burger bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, but the meat was a 2in*2in*2in cube of haddock that only took up like half of the surface area of the patty. Fish quality was good, everything else was pretty bland. I'd say it's overpriced for what it was. I will say that the drinks list was pretty nice and the cocktails looked great. I had a nice beer. So definitely feel this place is better as a bar than a restaurant. Still, a homey, guaranteed average place in a town with not many options.

Great service and friendly atmosphere. Best burgers around. Good cobs salad as well

Good food and good staff and good tv but it is also very difficult to get a reservation on Friday

Went on a random trip to Manchester By the Sea, and stumbled upon this little restaurant. Ordered clam chowder, yuca fries and prime rib sandwich. Everything was top notch - Yuca fries were a nice little surprise at an American restaurant. Go to this restaurant for fresh authentic American food.

The local "Cheers" vibe restaurant/bar where you'll always see a friendly face and the bartender knows your name. So welcoming! Food is basic pub fare, but pretty consistent. I recommend the street tacos, wings, all the salads, quesadillas, flatbreads, onion soup and the turkey club!

great location, decent bar food. Wait staff great but terrified of manager whose style resembles that of the Soup Nazi. She thinks it's ok to yell at customers starting from the moment you open the front door. She is not well equipped to deal with high traffic areas where tourists are part of the game.

Swiss burger, side salad Pulled pork tacos and hand cut fries... apple-cranberry crisp all was so tasteful, great flavors... fun little place with an amazing waitress Hannah!! She's the greatest.. fun, bubbly, jokey everything you'd love coming to a pub...

The service was good -the bartender is a friendly person. Lauren, maybe? The wings were good. I love Downeast Cider. My big complaint is the risotto- it is bland. Also, lobster was supposed to be fresh and I honestly have my doubts.

Stopped in for dinner last week and was impressed. Friendly staff, great cocktails, good food, fast service. Definitely would return.

Located in a hip area, and offering a homey well lit atmosphere, Cala's is above par dining in a traditional pub setting. From the apps to the drinks to the entrees, everything flavor is 5 star! Not something the regular Salem/Massachusetts tour would venture to find so the crowd is mellow and well reserved. I HIGHLY recommend this business to anyone looking for an above fantastic meal/drinking experience. AND its 100% kid friendly especially for those children who are very picky eaters. Come! Dive in! Its worth it!

Was last here in 2015, figured it was time for an update! Went for a late-lunch / early-dinner. Started with the watermelon salad, as well as grilled brussel sprouts (with cranberries & bacon). The watermelon salad lacked flavor (outside of the watermelon & pecans). Really enjoyed the brussel sprouts (though a bit more bacon would've been great). For entrees, my wife ordered the black bean burger, which had ample guacamole; she enjoyed her meal. I ordered the boneless smoked short rib, which was cooked perfectly, was flavorful and tender. The sweet potato fries were good, I didn't really care for the coleslaw or beans (not a lot of flavor). We finished with the peanut butter icebox cake, which was ok. Overall, service was good, food was good, price was ok.

9 of us stopped in here for lunch on our way to Salem during a visit to the area. One of our group uses a wheelchair so there was a bit of a wait, but we were finally shown to a lovely table and greeted by a kind and enthusiastic server. I had the fish tacos and a cup of chowder, and both were superb. It was a fun and delicious place to eat and I recommend it completely!

This was a nice little spot and they have done their best with creating outdoor seating & following Covid guidelines- but it's very noisy with all the cars and high seats are not comfortable. However food is good and the staff are so nice and friendly! Love the French onion soup!!

I wish I could give them a higher rating. Service? 5 stars. Food? 2.5. Value? 3. Why? Don't order the lobster roll if you are a true new englandah. Not worth the price. Mussels in coconut curry? I wont fault them for the tiniest mussels ever - but they were good. Cobb salad? Nice. But over priced. The staff was lovely, so it kills me to give this review. But the food was hohum. Don't think I will be back when in the area, but if my friends want to go I'd sit at the bar and have a beer and have the mussels. Sweet potato fries were good, however. Just overpriced and not what I hoped for.

Love this location! I was bringing my pup to singing beach when it was open. Came here for some seafood apps and drinks. However I personally felt that the menu was lacking that. We tried the calamari but it was doused in an Asian sauce ? Not a fan. I feel you don't need to ruin a good calamari it's perfect the way it is. I didn't find many options here. Staff was very friendly drinks were great! Wish the food options were better !

Good food, popular with the locals, friendly staff, typically pretty busy but I haven't had to wait for a table yet.

Solid local pub with a good chill vibe. Fish tacos are very good, especially the tortillas which I assume are made in-house. They have some nice hot sauce from Guatemala. Staff is super friendly. Would like to see some different beers on tap. Will be back often.

I've always been curious about this place cuz I see them on Groupon all the time. since we were in Rockport we figured we'd drive over and try it (no Groupon tho). Grabbed a couple seats at the bar and had a nice time. The grilled Caesar with anchovies ($10) was excellent if slightly overdressed. You can create your own pizza so we chose pesto sauce, grilled Vidalia and mushrooms for $11. I had a large grapefruit martini with jalapeño (not spicy tho) and friend had a beer. Nice bartender cute place and if they could just get rid of the icky cleaning fluid smell that lingered the whole time we were there, I might give 5 stars.

Cala's is such a cozy restaurant to end a wonderful day at both the Manchester by the Sea (Singing Beach), visiting the quaint Manchester by the Book, bookstore, having captured the sea in Photographs with infinite angles of light. The only menu offering that I miss is they're (what once was), extraordinary Portuguese Seafood soup-chowder, it was the best anywhere and I've heard from other patrons that they miss it too. I'm hoping they reconsider and bring it back...that would be 5 stars!

Carla's was a last minute decision when we had to pop into Manchester for something one day. The bartender was really nice. Read the room well. Sensed when I wanted to chit chat and left me be when I was answering emails and such. The food was very pleasant too. We split a salad and a sandwich and they were both solid. We'll be returning for sure!

I've recently moved to Magnolia and have had the pleasure of finding Cala's in Manchester by the Sea and dining there frequently. Jen, the manager and weekend bartender, is an AWESOME bartender with a tremendous personality. The entire waitstaff and kitchen crew create a exquisite dining experience with delicious food. Do yourselves a favor and make it a dining destination when you're in the area.

Ok, I like this place, but: Onion soup was lukewarm, and the cheese on top was barely melted. Not good. It is not difficult to heat up an onion soup and put it under the broiler until the cheese melts and bubbles. Kitchen staff and management needs training.

Just reworked from the most disappointing dinner of our visit to Gloucester. The food was terrible. The hamburger had no flavor and was seemed like it had been defrosted. Fish and chips were tough to cut and eat. Fried clams were burnt and charged 35$ for about 8 clams. Obviously their oil was dirty. French fries tasted burnt also. Not going again. Yuck.

A wonderful ambiance in which our group enjoyed a wonderfully cooked meals that were elegantly decorated and presented. We had kale salad and Cobb Salad in addition to Fish and chips as main dishes! For appetizers, we had the edamame and the chicken wings. They were portioned adequately! We ordered Creme Brûlée ( Lovely crust on top ) and Apple Crumble .. We loved the fact that locals were frequenting the place. It was such a friendly and welcoming environment!

We stumbled upon Cala's after tying up the boat nearby, and walking down the street to look for a place to grab lunch. The menu outside of this restaurant caught our eye so we decided to give it a try. Between the four of us, we tried a number of things on the menu- the burrata appetizer, mussels, grilled caesar, cheeseburgers, fish tacos, and French onion soup. All which were pretty good- my entree was the fish tacos and they were a bit on the plain side, and lacked flavor. I did however love the mussels and the grilled caesar salad. Overall, the food was good. Only real downside was the wait. It wasn't very busy yet it took a very, very long time to receive our food and drinks. Our drink glasses were left empty, things we had asked for were forgotten, and the whole experience took about 2 hours. I think the waitress idea needs an extra person to help her out, she seemed very overwhelmed, although friendly. Unfortunately, I'm not sure would return to Cala's and spend another $160 (including tip) based on this first impression.