Caló Kitchen + Tequila

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Calo Kitchen in South Coast Plaza, and it was an exceptional experience! Tucked away in a quiet corner of the plaza, Calo Kitchen is a hidden gem that serves up creative, farm-to-table cuisine in a warm and inviting atmosphere. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with friendly and attentive service. Our server was knowledgeable and enthusiastic, taking the time to explain the menu and make recommendations. The food at Calo Kitchen is truly outstanding, with a focus on seasonal ingredients and creative flavor combinations. We started with the taquitos appetizer, which were delicious, and then a chile relleno, for main course. Throughout the meal, our server checked in regularly to ensure that everything was to our liking, refilling our glasses and clearing our plates with prompt efficiency. The service was top-notch, and we felt well taken care of throughout the evening. One of the highlights of our experience was the beautiful patio seating area, which offered a peaceful and serene atmosphere amidst the bustling plaza. It was the perfect spot to enjoy a leisurely dinner and relax with friends. Overall, I would highly recommend Calo Kitchen to anyone looking for a exceptional dining experience in South Coast Plaza. With its creative cuisine, warm atmosphere, and top-notch service, this hidden gem is a must-visit destination for foodies and anyone seeking a memorable meal. Highlights: - Creative, farm-to-table cuisine with seasonal ingredients - Warm and inviting atmosphere with beautiful patio seating

This South Coast Plaza Mall location is a frequent stop for me, just like its Laguna Niguel counterpart, and it's high time it got the recognition it deserves! We had a reservation but opted for an early dinner at the bar instead. Always love the vibe at the bar. We kicked things off with my go-to Tamarindo Sour, while my boyfriend enjoyed his usual Mexican Old Fashioned (a non-menu item they're happy to still make!). For our meal, I savored the Halibut Tacos, and my boyfriend tried the Chile Verde, a fantastic recommendation from our bartender, Damian. This was our second time being served by Damian, and he consistently impresses with his entertaining demeanor and spot-on suggestions, always ensuring we have a great visit. And seriously, if you're a first-timer, you absolutely cannot miss their chips and salsa with black bean dip! As a spice lover, I always request their signature habanero salsa, it's truly delicious! Visiting on a Thursday meant parking was a breeze, though they do offer valet service on crowded weekends. My advice? Make a reservation or hop on the waitlist!

First time here with a friend. Place was an hour wait on Yelp but luckily we had a reservation. Chips and salsa/beans were given for free but we had to ask for it. We ordered two taco meals one with pork and pineapple, and one with halibut. Both were delicious but definitely preferred the pork. However it is one of the most expensive tacos I’ve ever had! Imo not worth the $30 price tag alone, I guess you pay for the location as well as their great service. Our waiter kept coming back to refill water and ask how we were doing. Not for me personally to come back often, but a good place to go for special occasions. 1 star off the atmosphere is because they don’t have an outdoor patio seating that allows dogs, which is important to me.

Food, service, and ambiance were all wonderful. Chipotle chicken must be one of the best things on their menu because it was incredible. Churros were delicious. Short rib enchiladas were alright, I wouldn't order that again. The tortilla was too thick, so it threw each bite off balance with the amount of meat and cheese.

I recently visited Caló Kitchen + Tequila, the decor is chic yet cozy, with a modern twist on classic Mexican style, and the ambiance lighting was perfect. I ordered the shrimp and crab enchiladas, and they were delicious. Definitely recommend if you are a sea food lover. One thing i didn’t know what the order comes with plain white rice, I would switch it out for the more flavorful Mexican rice. If you don’t have reservations the bar is the place to be. Jess, our bartender, was truly amazing and welcoming, making the whole experience feel personal. I tried their espresso margarita, a creative blend of tequila and rich espresso that offered the perfect balance of smooth, bitter, and sweet flavors. Jess’s recommendation and attention to detail made the drink even more enjoyable. I highly recommend stopping by, and if you can, ask for Jess at the bar for a top-notch experience.

Visiting town and came by for dinner and had an incredible experience with Jonathan as our server. We dined with our friend who’s gluten free and he was so informed on every product including what had cross contamination or potential gluten from beer or even an ingredient in Coca Cola that was used for marinating! That detail oriented which was so impressive. Would 1,000% come back again because of him alone - but also the food was bomb.

Calo’s kitchen is a great place to go with friends or family! I went there for New Year’s Eve with my family and I’m glad I did! The food was nice and the service was absolutely amazing! We had this helper/waitress to help us with whatever we needed and she was on and off coming to check on us if we ever needed anything. The rest of the staff came to our table rather asking if we needed anything else (like water), or just checking up on us. Overall, this experience was a good one and I’m definitely going to go there again!

Although we just stopped in for a glass of wine after walking what seemed like miles shopping at South Coast Mall, we only had their chips, salsa and bean dip. If their food is any indication of the tortilla chips, then it’s absolutely delicious. Those were truly the best chips I’ve ever eaten. Great bar tenders!!! Great wine. What a lovely experience. If we’re ever down in OC again, we’ll see you there. Cheers!

First time going to this restaurant to celebrate my birthday and honestly I love the place. It took a little to be seated because we were 9 in total. Food was delicious and service was amazing. For dessert my server brought vainilla ice cream with chocolate sauce and a candle ! Very upscale restaurant and great design.. and my Server was amazing!!! I highly recommend it!

This is an amazing addition to South Coast Plaza, and Calo is located right across from Corner Bakery. My rating would be more of a 4.5 but Yelp doesn't allow for half star ratings, so rounding up for their service. I definitely make reservations if you want to dine here, the very first time I tried to walk in on a Saturday evening the wait was 3 hours! Luckily the bar is open seating so got super lucky and was able to sit down immediately, but it's best not to leave it up to chance. Right off the bat, this place has gorgeous layout, ambiance, and decoration. It's extremely modern with a Tulum aesthetic. The most surprising thing for me was how good the drinks were here. My favorite is definitely the michelada and the paloma, surprisingly really authentic flavors and for the price really affordable given it's in South Coast. The appetizers here are also really solid, I've had several on the menu and never had a bad experience. I love the chip, beans, and salsa they give when you sit down. This might sound silly, but this place has non-chipotle table salsa and it was so refreshing to not get a chipotle salsa for once. I remember growing up table salsa being a lot more common, but it sure does feel like a scarcity these days. Service here is surprisingly really good. It's not going to be on par with like a Michelin star meal or anything, but the staff is on it. Waters are always refilled, tables are always cleaned, etc. The staff here is operating at an extremely high caliber, and I respect the attention to detail. The one downside of this place in my opinion is that all the entrees are too expensive, and are all decent but not amazing. If you're coming here, definitely recommend just getting drinks and appetizers. This place is perfect for a work happy hour, or a small kick back / gathering with friends. If I had to sum up Calo in one sentence - it's like Javiers but if Javiers actually had good food, great drinks, and amazing service.

In the day and age of slipping customer service this place feels like a miracle. Service is top notch, attentive, friendly and can't be beat. We had at least 3 different drink runners at our table during the course of our meal. At one point they replaced a basket of chips just to give us fresh ones. We would have gladly eaten the ones that were in there. Our server, I believe his name was Jake? Was so helpful when we were having a hard time deciding between two different entrees. He took the time to explain the differences and even described how they show up on the plate. As a visual person this was amazing. I asked for the carne asada, but with the pablano vegetarian enchiladas and they accommodated it, no problems. The meat was perfectly cooked, seasoned, and grilled. I would definitely order it again. In all we had the guacamole, quinoa/bean salad, my carne asada, and the shrimp Costa bravo. Everything was excellent, I legit can't stop raving about this place.

Amazing experience at this restaurant! Calo Kitchen + Tequila is located in South Coast Plaza, across from Boudin. We decided to celebrate my sister's birthday as she wanted to dine somewhere we hadn't been before. We made a reservation for Sunday lunch with our party of eight. My sister requested indoor seating, and we were pleasantly surprised to be placed in a semi-private room since no other guests were seated there while we were dining. The ambience was great with modern decor. The patio also looked inviting. The service was outstanding. Our chips were replenished frequently, and our waters were refilled without us needing to ask. The chips came with salsa and black beans. The servers were attentive in clearing our plates and utensils and ensured our table was kept clean between courses. I ordered a Blackberry Margarita and the Pork and Pineapple Tacos, both of which were delicious. We were too full to indulge in dessert, but they kindly brought ice cream with a candle for my sister's birthday. I highly recommend dining here. Parking was easy with plenty of spaces right outside.

Food was great! Sadly I forgot to take a picture of my plate and I only got a pic of my son's food. Service was absolutely outstanding! Courtney was just a doll! So polite and so welcoming! She clearly knows how to make someone feel special! Service like hers is what the world is missing. Ambience was great as well!

I was looking for a quick meal after seeing a musical at the Segerstrom, and Calo Kitchen was a close option that was still open. We went at 9:30 p.m., and they were able to accommodate us since they closed at 10:00 p.m. I went with a friend, and we both ordered the Calo Combination for $19. There is an option to choose one, two, or three items with your choice of salad, Mexican corn, or rice and beans for different prices: $19, $24, or $26. The options include chicken or beef enchilada, crispy beef taco, taco asado with chicken, carnitas chile relleno, or pork tamale. I decided to get the taco, and my friend got the enchilada, and the portions were so small lolol. Don't get me wrong, the food was good. The salad and taco were delicious, but for $19, expect to be a little bit full. It was basically like a snack or appetizer with tiny portions. Overall, if I am paying $25, I want to be full and have leftovers; this is not the case. Beautiful decor; they just need to step up the portion size for the Calo Combo.

What a difference a server makes! We had Alyssa today as our server. She was very attentive and friendly. The ambiance is 5 stars plus! Such beautiful design and decor. It was cool and breezy even on this blistering weekend. The food was delicious as always. I love the fresh salsa and warm bean dip. I will definitely keep this in my rotation!

We walked in on an hour and a half before closing on Sunday night. There was plenty of parking available. We were seated right away. The ambiance and decor is really nice. The servers were dressed well but a lot of the people that came in were dressed more casual. We were given beans and salsa with chips. We ordered a burrito $23 and chipotle chicken tacos $24. My husband and I really enjoyed our meal. It was a lot of food for the price. We ended our meal with churros and ice cream.

This place is fantastic! A must! Everything we had was absolutely delicious. It's a beautiful restaurant. Loved the ambience and service was amazing. Such a great place with yummy food. Perfect for a special occasion. The patio is lovely!

This is a nice Mexican restaurant at South Coast Plaza. They are more upscale than the typical casual dining restaurants, yet they are family friendly and have a relaxed atmosphere with no dress code enforcement. The manager also dropped by our table to check if we're having a good experience. The food were good here. I got to try my friends' food and liked them. I remember tasting the salmon and loved how it was tender and not dry at all. The restaurant had a higher price range, but the food also had generous portions. *Seafood Trio - This included three different types of seafood dishes: - Green Shrimp & Lobster Enchilada 4.5/5 - There was a good amount of shrimps in a tasty sauce. The ingredients were sort of mixed in together so it was hard to taste the lobster. - Shrimp & Bacon Taco 3/5 - My least favorite of the three. The whole dish was oily and a bit dry. - Shrimp & Lobster Chili Relleno 4/5 - This was an nteresting dish with stuffed green chili pepper. Not a lot of shrimps though. * Fried Ice Cream 4/5 - Pretty good vanilla ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon and deep fried in a thin layer of oats. * Mexico City Cosmo 4/5 - I got this as a mocktail and it was pretty good.

Came with my girlfriends to celebrate a birthday. Service was great and we started out with really yummy complimentary chips, salsa, and black bean dip (really good dip). We ordered a few cocktails and my friend that got the pina colada did not like it bc it was not blended and had too much syrup. The Smokey Caesar salad was a disappointment. It was such a small plate that barely had any greens. The Steak Fajitas were very good. Nice flavor and tender steak with delicious sides. Our server brought us extra tortillas when we ran out. At $44, it was pretty pricey, but I did enjoy it. We also had the Shrimp & Crab Enchiladas which were pretty good. We ended a nice meal with birthday cake that we brought in, and our server treated my friend to a free birthday ice cream.

We had a work lunch booked here for 20 people and Courtney was so easy to work with in reserving the space and finalizing the menu. She's a star. The restaurant is beautifully decorated and gives off great vibes with the indoor and outdoor seating with a center bar. Plenty of parking as it's at South Coast Plaza. Dishes are generous in portion. The beef taquitos are fantastic. We also enjoyed the chicken fajitas and carnitas. The desserts such as the churros were amazing, a warm filling in the middle and crunchy with every bite. Our waitress Bridget was fantastic and was on top of our entire party. We greatly appreciate the generous hospitality.

Such a cute vibe for a mall restaurant. This replaced the old Z'Tejas restaurant at South Coast Plaza. The ambience is giving, modern Mexican cuisine. I loved that there was outdoor indoor and bar seating. You can also rent out private rooms for parties/celebrations. The service at the bar was great. We were taken care of by multiple staff members. I always judge Mexican spots by their chips and salsa.. and will tell you that it didn't disappoint! It's also reserved with fried black beans. My favorite app was the potato taquitos ! They had a great twist with a little bit of spice. I definitely haven't tried anything like this. We also had the chance to try the shrimp taquitos. Wasn't able to try the entrees yet, but other the apps were great! Looking forward to trying more dishes, during my next visit.

One of the latest food additions to South Coast! I stopped by with two friends on a Wednesday for dinner, and it was all of our first time. It was super easy to make a reservation through Yelp, which I appreciated. It was decently packed! The restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating, along with a nice bar inside of the restaurant. The booths we sat in were comfortable. Our server recommended the Clemente's enchiladas to me, which were delicious! I asked for the cream to be put on the side, since I'm lactose intolerant, but I can see how the cream would add a great sweetness and balance to the dish. Even without the cream, I really enjoyed it. Service was quick and efficient. Would definitely come back especially if I'm shopping in the mall and looking for a sit down meal!

Nicely decorated restaurant with great ambiance. A nice place for a dinner date. Our server was very attentive and took good care of us. Everything we ordered was recommended by our server. I took off a star because food was a bit pricey for what we got. - Guacamole 4 star was tasty but a tiny serving for $16 - Beef Queso Tacos 4 star also good but small and not spectacular $26 - Shrimp Taquitos 5 star because of how nice it looked and tasted pretty good. Shrimp just felt like a better deal compared to the other dishes. $21 - Short-Rib Enchiladas 4 star because it was small and looked lackluster on the plate for $29. Overall, we enjoyed it but didn't wow me.

Beautiful restaurant! We were working in the area and did a team dinner there. The food was fresh, came out quickly, and our server (wish I could remember his name, maybe Gary?) was PHENOMENAL! If I had any criticism, maybe a bit more seasoning or flavor for the salmon and inside of the enchiladas, but the sauces, textures, etc. were all there outside of that.

Food is great had the steak and guacamole. Super delicious and fresh guacamole. Chips were warm but not as crispy as id like. Margarita was delicious but kinda iced up. Service was excellent. Very meticulous on refilling waters. Ambiance is festive with Latin music was playing in the background, has gently dim lighting and spacious arena making for a great Date night or friend/ family gathering.

Went right back the next day. Again Thomas the manager was perfect. Sweet,welcoming and full of information of about the food. This time we didn't have a server who was in a good mood. She spilt water on us and didn't apologize ! Slammed glasses on our table. Spoke curtly and wasn't bothered about our experience there. Drinks were delicious and food was perfect. Just a heads up for vegetarians they fry the food in the same oil as meat. Ambience with the big fire pit never gets boring.

Very good food and service! I definitely recommend the halibut tacos. The salsa and bean dip is pretty darn good too.

This new restaurant was very good, I brought in a large group of friends, and Courtney, the Company Ambassador was an angel. She made sure everything was taken care of, our food came out at the same time, and it was delicious. The atmosphere of the restaurant was beautiful with fresh plants, and a great location. I will definitely be returning, and the General Manager, Jacob was also there, and made sure to let me know to just call him directly if I should ever want to bring back another big group. We were seated in the middle of the restaurant, originally I wanted one of their caves, but I was convinced that we wouldn't be able to see anything and would feel claustrophobic, they were right.

I work in the area and met up with a friend for dinner after work. They get very packed so I highly suggest making a reservation. The inside and atmosphere is very nice. Pretty big set up and the bar is huge. They also have outside patio. You can either dress up or dress down, it has a really nice in between feel to it. _Grilled Pineapple and chile margarita ($16) Made with charred pineapples, jalapeno, tequila, lime juice and agave. This was very good and something I would order anytime I come here. You get a nice sourness from the pineapple but also sweet and an end note of the char from the pineapple. It is a perfect balance. Not too strong but just the right amount. Refreshing and sweet, I recommend giving this a go. _Guacamole ($16) Chunky avocado, lime, cilantro, onion, tomato and serrano. A pretty solid guacamole. Nothing to rave about but something that is always a must as an appetizer. The chips were good. _Beef Questo Tacos ($26) Birria style slow roasted beef, cheese, consume, cilantro and onions. This was very good. I love birria but I rarely order it since i'm Lactose. But. my friend said it was so good so had to try it. It comes in 5 small sizes, which was easy to grab and eat. The meat was tender and the cheese was gooey and just melts in your mouth. The consume was also great. On the heavy side but definitely flavorful and comforting. It did upset my stomach but it was worth it :) _Seafood Trio ($35) Green shrimp and lobster enchilada, shrimp and lobster chile relleno, shrimp and bacon taco. For the price, I found this dish to be okay. The enchilada was good, the chile relleno was good, although since it is covered in sauce you can't really get the full flavor of the lobster, but still fresh. I was not a fan of the shrimp and bacon taco. The tortilla was pretty tough and dry and it took away from the whole taco. Overall great service and the drinks are great. They are definitely on the pricey side so not a place I would frequent.

Mall dining elevated to a grand scale just when Malls are scaling back. Here it is. The architectural elements and design are smart, sophisticated, and dramatic if you need all that to enjoy great Mexican food. Of course you do, it's South Coast. The space is open and breezy yet with the guest's comfort in mind. It's as cool as the first morning breeze at the beach. In fact, it's like being in the prettiest part of Puerto Vallarta only without flies, thugs and Lower G. I. issues. Calo is a perfect spot to plop under a Palapa after a grueling afternoon at Bulgari and Chanel. Heaters are embedded into the ceiling with fans to waft the warmth over patrons overheated from enthusiastic eating. The place is huge and it's packed every night. A large horseshoe Bar anchors the main dining room along with a massive Fire Pit suitable for slipping your Marriage Certificate into while celebrating your recent Dissolution. That explains the crowd crowding around the Pit. Plus there is a small hidden Bar in the far reaches of the dining area. And there are a few intimate dining rooms sprinkled around the restaurant in case you're planning on proposing and taking another run at bliss with your new miss. The Bar: Duh, Tequila forward. A few shots and you'll become more forward too. Mexi-craft Beers on Draft, and Mexcal to make you skip and go naked through the Mall. A short but tight Wine List rounds out your sobriety check check list. My Cadillac Marg had Reposado plus Sweet and Sour and was fuerte como el Toro. Once I swizzled the rocket fuel lurking at the bottom of the Highball glass, the beast calmed itself and did its duty. Made feel good. If you must have a Kir Royale I bet your server can walk the Bar Tender through it with Google's help. The Staff: Trying...in a good way. Attentive knowledgeable, nice people dedicated to making your dining experience nice. Nice. So, make that trying and succeeding. Bella was lovely and totally professional. Having finished my Caddy and quickly dispatched the first basket of Chips with Salsa Fresca, and warm Frijoles Negros I re-visited the ample menu and tried not to order with my eyes which is always a recipe for an error be it dining out or online dating. Out comes the second basket of chips. (They do have salsa por la gente (read hot if you want red hot). This stuff was molecular acid that will drip through the hardwood table, your shoes and the subway tile floor on it's way to China. Be warned. Were the chips as good as Superior Market? Nope. But they are the best commercial chips the hip will like. They are. Three baskets says that's true. The Food: This kitchen can bring it. I am a sucker for a Caesar done correctly. This version was very, very good. Start here. The Smokey Caesar had chopped Romaine laced with just the right amount of serious creamy Adobo Dressing. The kitchen added halved fresh tiny Tomatoes, Bacon Bits, and Queso Fresco (that hadn't been recently recalled as I recall), Crispy Onions and Avocado made this a terrific Salad. It was Interesting and perfectly composed and balanced. Plus it kept me from ordering the Queso Fundido con Chorizo which doesn't appear on any Internist's preferred diet. Although maybe it should as sometimes you just have to say WTF. Thank you Risky Biz. The Pollo Serrano made me nervous as I thought the heat might be relentless. It wasn't. I was still reeling from the Flame Throwin' Salsa with the Chips. The Habanaro Salsa won't blister your lips, it will burn'em off. The Chicken Breast was laid to rest under a reservoir of Serrano Crema, topped with a tangle of Caramelized Onions, a charred Poblano Pepper spread eagle over more Frijoles Negros and a perfect Avocado fan. I'm a fan now. The mound of White Rice was, well, a mound of White Rice but good for some sopping so there was a purpose to it other than filling the plate. The Chicken Breast flirted with being a touch dry but it was just a quick wink. The Sauce was a generous pour and all in all this was the right choice and worth a return trip. The Pork and Pineapple Tacos with Refried Pinto Beans, Onions, Cilantro was a riff on Al Pastor. Now, you say Pineapple belongs on a Taco as much as it belongs on a Pizza. It's just wrong. But stuffing the house made Tortillas with Pork and the tart Pineapple was absolutely the right riff. A definite re-order. The Chef here can do the trick for sure and the Calo crew are not callow. So, Hal-lo, gotta go back to Calo.

Very beautiful interior. Located inside the mall next to boudin. It is an upscale modern Mexican. There is a nice bar and different styles of seating. We ordered : shrimp ceviche which was fresh and tasty 7/10 - nothing amazing but solid Mexico City style quesadilla -9/10 these were really delicious and unique. They were almost like a mix between a dumpling and an empanada made with all the yummy cheese. Last we got the camarones de Al ojo which was good but there was not a lot of sauce and lighter plate. 7/10 Overall the ambiance is very beautiful along with great service and solid food. Drinks were very tasty and would definately good back to try out more dishes

Excellent service! Beautiful decor with many luxury finishes and design details. And of course, great food at a fair price. One way I can always tell if the service is attentive is if my water glass is never empty without asking for a refill. These days, this is a rare occurrence. I can also tell that communication between the staff here is very good because a server from another table passed by my table, glanced down and no more than 10 seconds later, another person came by to refill my water! What?! Kyra, our server was friendly, cheerful and very attentive, without hovering. "Elevated" Mexican food can get too fancy and often times can become unrecognizable as Mexican. The food here was great, with just enough flair to make it unique while still retaining the flavors of Mexican cuisine. I will definitely be back. I wish Calo had a restaurant in NYC.

This place is definitely a vibe that's been in my list to check it. Perfect for date night, birthdays, friend dinners, and even families! Our waiter was super sweet and very attentive. The potato taquitos are a great starter for the table or even as a meal for a person as this is super filling. Had all the needed trimmings to make it a meal. Their fajita and avocado salad was surprisingly super filling and large for one person. Loved the chipotle apple dressing that complimented the roasted peppers and onions. I think the only thing I'd say negative is that there was too much shredded cheese which I prefer less of. Will definitely come back to try all the desserts since we were too full for that and I definitely want a stomach for what they had as all that were listed sound fabulous! .

On the east side of the mall by the pedestrian bridge. Full service sitdown restaurant. Upscale casual attire at a minimum. Booths, tables, and bar seating. Dim and classy atmosphere. Fast and friendly service. You can make reservations via Yelp, which is recommended! Complimentary chips, salsa, and bean dip (contains pork for those who care). Wife and I split pineapple carnitas tacos (comes with three, and includes beans, rice, and guac), and chicken tostada. Large servings and everything delicious! Even the toddler couldn't help us finish everything, so we came home with some leftovers. I had their Mexican inspired coffee martini and loved it! All-in only $80 including tax and tip isn't bad for a fancy place like that as of March 2024!

Food is excellent and full of flavor. Every dish comes out at the right temperature. Friendly service and attentiveness. The ambiance is cabana style with a tropical theme. Full bar Soda with original mexico ( glass bottle ) love it!!!

Aside from a warm greeting, one of the first things I noticed was the inviting open kitchen decor. No sooner than we were seated, I notice the general manager Jacob walking the floor to ensure every customers needs were being attended to. This Attention to detail certainly contributed to the overall superior dining experience received. Glasses were always filled, our dishes were promptly bussed and at no time were we made to feel rushed to order or move through our meal. It's rare to find this attention to detail and such creative and high quality of food and beverages. Lexi was a stand out. Her charm and smile was as sweet a addition to end out our day

As I was looking for a restaurant in Costa Mesa, I ran across this little gem. When I walked in I was pleasantly surprised by how stunningly beautiful this place is. Every single detail was thought out and the ambiance was one of the best I've ever seen. It's so elegant and warm! I couldn't stop looking around at all the beautiful decor! The host was very friendly and attentive. We only had to wait a few minutes to be seated. We were greeted at our table right away by our server. She brought us freshly made chips, salsa and beans. We also ordered the guacamole. The chips and guacamole were delicious!!!! We wanted a light lunch so we shared the quesadilla. It was so good especially with the guacamole. Our entire experience was fantastic! I'm in love with this place and we will definitely be back. I still can't stop thinking about how gorgeous it was! You just feel good being there.

Ive been here a few times and enjoyed it everytime. The food is delicious. Ambiance is inviting. I love the indoor/outdoor idea. The service for the most part had been good. Its always been packed house everytime ive been there. The two dishes I order is the chicken tequitos and short rib enchiladas. I can have it everyday! Its full of flavors and its packed with meat. They are not stingy with it at all. Oh and the grilled pineapple and chile margarita is absolutely delicious. A must try!

My friend picked this place out for her birthday . At first when I looked at the menu and saw pictures of this place I assumed it was expensive Mexican food with no flavor . But I was pleasantly surprised. This place definitely passes the vibe check and you can tell the owner put a lot of time and thought into designing this place . Anywho we got sat right away when we checked into our reservation . The server Jake *was amazing . He was top notch remembered our names, drink orders and even gave me my friend a birthday card which I thought was super sweet and a nice touch . The manager was super sweet as well . She constantly came to check on us and made sure our water glasses stayed filled . Overall the food was good . I just wasn't crazy about the rice. But the short rib enchiladas with the crispy onions on top had a great flavor profile . I ordered a strawberry jalapeño margarita and that was delicious as well . I will definitely be back if Im in the area .

Really great addition to the local food scene. I'd highly recommend making reservations. Located at South Coast Plaza their walk-in tables fill quickly. The ambiance: chic, moody, hip. Great date spot of before the theater. It has a beautiful bar and is well designed. Most cocktails are tequila or mescal based although they have plenty of other options. The food, very flavorful. Even their beans are great. Very inventive menu. I look forward to returning to try other things on their menu.

Food was delishhhhhh, ambience was very quite and relaxing during the weekdays tho, service was a bit iffy caz we ordered a dessert but the girl forgot about it and we had to leave! But highly recommended!

Food was very good! We had the short ribs enchiladas and ceviche Delicious ,Service was awesome shout out to Hilary and Lalo all your staff was amazing! They were on it everyone was very nice and helpful with the menu. Ambiance was perfect!

Honestly appetizers alone are already soooo good. They give you complimentary fresh chips, salsa, and bean dip. I LOVE THE WARM BEAN DIP! I dipped everything in that. We were starved so we went to town on those crispy shrimp taquitos and quesadillas w/the satisfying cheese pulls! The drinks are STRONG which we have no complaints for here but still so good! The vibes and decoration were beautiful makes you feel lik you're in Cabo. The workers were also very kind and humble. FOOD: 1. Bean Dip, Salsa, & Chips (Complimentary) 2. Mexico City Style Quesadillas ($14.00) * Fried mini quesadillas w/ chihuahua cheese, epazote, guacamole, cilantro & onions 2. Shrimp Taquitos ($19.00) * W/ cream cheese, epazote, quemada, cheese, pico, lettuce, cabbage, & aioli 3. Short Rib Enchiladas ($24.00) * W/ crispy onions, Veracruz white rice, black beans, cilantro, & home-made short rib sauce 4. Churros & Ice cream * With caramel & chocolate drizzle

First time here celebrating my friend's birthday and we ordered a bunch of different dishes to share. This is going to be my new favorite place to take my clients to for lunch and dinner. The food was absolutely fresh and delicious and the flavors were so different than any other Mexican restaurants. Different in a very good way. I topped it off with flan for dessert and that was a good choice.

Enjoyed happy hour at Calo for our first visit and we were absolutely blown away by how delicious and beautiful everything was!  Super impressed by the friendly staff and gorgeous decor as well.  Complimentary chips with salsa and bean dip: chips were a delightful texture, salsa was flavorful without being overly spicy, and the bean dip was incredible (I normally don't even like bean dip!)  Our waitress was quick to refill our chips with a generous heap of fresh chips when we came close to running out. Strawberry Jalapeno Margarita: looked absolutely lucious and was well-balanced and refreshing.  Not overly sweet with Calo's home cooked agave, and the strawberry garnish was one of the best strawberries I've ever had! Tamarindo Sour: with siete leguas reposado, tamarindo, and lime juice, this was an extremely well-executed and tasty drink.  Would order this again and again! Beef Queso Tacos: savory birria style slow roasted beef, cheese consume, cilantro, and onions made this such a savory and delicious appetizer dish!  Probably my favorite of the evening. Potato Filled Taquitos: with cilantro, baja cream, onions, cabbage, and cheese, and served covered in guacamole.  Perfect texture: crispy crunch on the outside and a nice soft potato inside. Queso Fundido: chile infused cheese, poblano peppers, onion, and crispy pork served with flour tortillas.  I wasn't quite used to the flavor of the chile-infused cheese at first, but when I ate a bit of everything together, it was a lovely symphony of flavors that worked really well together. Churros: my favorite churros so far - perfectly crispy and crunchy on the outside, with a warm and squishy interior.  Served with ice cream and whipped cream.  Would definitely order this again! We can't wait to come back and try more menu items!  Thank you for taking such good care of us.

not going to lie: the first time we ate here, it was right when they first opened and the experience was pretty poor. their recommended short rib enchiladas, carnitas, mexico city style quesadillas and fried ice cream all came out on the heavy and overseasoned side; just lacking in the refinement you might come to expect out of any restaurant in this area and price point. in the end, we couldn't finish any of it and were both left knowing we wouldn't be coming back again for a long, long time, if ever fast forward almost exactly a year and i'm happy to report the experience we had was a complete 180. this time, we were recommended + ordered completely different plates, and would happily order all of them again the birria starter is great (and more importantly, well constructed), and the pollo poblano was so redeeming that i'm now looking for an excuse to come back and try out more things on this menu thank you for the great meal, the second time at least ! looking forward to the next time

Caló! You've finally made it to Costa Mesa! At last we can be reunited! I've been a huge fan of Caló since I lived in LA and was sad we had to part ways when I moved. I was really excited to have my birthday dinner here when they finally opened and WOW I was blown away by the vibe of this restaurant. It's a little bit of moody, a little bit of romantic, and a whole lot of fun going on in the design. Could I borrow your interior designers for my house one day? As expected, the food was DELICIOUS. I ordered my usual, the short rib enchiladas. This was my friends' first time trying Caló and we've been reminiscing on that dinner for MONTHS. No joke. Everybody was so happy with what they ordered - great flavors, good portions, amazing vibe. We all got matching piña coladas and believe me, it felt like we were transported to an island vacation. The service was great as usual! Shoutout to the Caló team - I'll see y'all soon :)

Great service and food ! I recommend getting the ribeye and the Chilean sea bass. For drinks, I really liked the expresso martini . A perfect way to end your meal is to grab their desserts too . Both the flan and churros were so good

Went for birthday celebrations and had a great time. They had our reservation and quickly seated us. They didn't rush us so we had time to talk and catch up. We had a great evening! Food was good and we had a variety of salads and entrees. I had enchiladas which were super good!

Food- 5 stars Location-5 stars Ambiance-5 stars Service -10000000000 stars Do I need to say more?! South coast plaza is hands down my favorite place to shop, and now it's becoming one of my favorite places to dine. It's conveniently located by a main entrance and over by Bloomingdale's I've been wanting to come here for a while because I've heard amazing things. My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to find a reservation. (It was pretty crowded and booked on reservation websites but they did have a good amount of bar seating available) Let me start by saying, the service was amazing. I honestly don't even know who our server was because we had so many amazing staff members taking care of us. They kept our water refilled and were so attentive The lighting and vibe in here is great. We had a really cozy booth overlooking the bar. The waiters were great at making small talk without hovering over us. The ambience was really pretty, the bathrooms were also spotless. This is one of those places were you can easily wear jeans and a nice jacket or dress it up by wearing a dress and heels The menu was great. I loved their cocktails and I thought the prices were really reasonable. Especially for the location and quality of food. This is going to be my new go to! It easily blows Red o and Javier's out of the water. Another plus, the food and drinks came out extremely fast! (Really recommend their espresso martini) The staff was also great at asking if we had any dietary restrictions or allergies and quickly gave us the heads up That there's pork in the bean dip (it was absolutely delicious!!) and they also kept bringing out refills of chips before we even had to ask. The service here was on top of it! Even cleaning up the table before bringing out our delicious dessert (highly recommend the fried ice cream) If you're a Birria lover like myself, I highly recommend the birria tacos. They were so juicy without being greasy. I honestly can't wait to come back for another girls night or just stopping by for a quick bite after working up an appetite from shopping at south coast plaza

Great Date night spot. We had an excellent server. The ambiance is beautiful and the food was fresh. Can't wait to come back with friends

Excellent food, decor and service. We loved the short rib enchiladas and the rib eye tacos.

First time trying Calo since its recent opening. A very nice modern upscale restaurant with a very nice vibe! The food was very good in my opinion. I ordered the guacamole, chicken fajitas, and I was very satisfied with the salsa & chips and black refried beans dip. It was good and made to my liking. The guac was a little bland, but I added salt and it was on point. For my drink I ordered the Canto De Luna wine, and it was delightful and tasty. I recommend that it your a red wine lover. So the service is very exceptional! The managers are very attentive and check on you the entire time. My sister Order was messed up but they apologized and fixed the issue to the way she wanted it. However, I do not like how you cannot substitute your side of beans and rice to other side options. This is the reason for the 4 stars because other than that it's a 5 star place. Good experience overall! I sat at the bar and it was a good vibe! I will be back! -Marshay D.

Loved our girls dinner here! We had a reservation for six and were originally seated at a booth inside that turned out to be slightly too small for all of us, so we asked if we could move to a bigger table and the staff accommodated us immediately (thank you, Jake!). We ended up at a spacious patio table that didn't even feel like we were outside, which was good since it was actually chilly. The nearby fire was awesome. We all LOVED their chips and salsa, and the guacamole was pretty good too. The margaritas were delicious and so flavorful, and the espresso martini was a standout--probably the best one I've ever had. I had the tostada salad which was really tasty and felt healthy despite that epic crunchy shell at the end. We were also celebrating three birthdays among our group and the waitstaff brought us three little sundaes with candles! It was a nice way to wrap up our night. Also have to shoutout their staff one more time, because not only was our waitress in our new section so attentive and thoughtful, but the hostess (or manager?!) at the front helped us take group photos in front of the restaurant afterward and she really did the MOST, going above and beyond by taking tons of pics for us! It was so sweet and appreciated! Thank you to all of the Calo crew for the fun birthday dinner :)

Girls Night Out and my friend made a reservation for us at Calo Kitchen. They are located in the lower level of South Coast Plaza by the same entrance as Boudins. The are definitely going for upscale vibes, but the experience to me was subpar relative to their higher price tag. Despite having a reservation and arriving early, we still had to wait for a bit to be seated. By the time we were seated it still took a while to order. Staff was really scarce and it was hard to find someone to wave down throughout the meal. The nicest thing about this place was the complimentary chips with salsa and beans. That was a nice touch. The big turn off for me that ruined my appetite was that the waitress had really bad breath. When she spoke to us it was just awful. I'm not trying to be mean but I really didn't feel a good appetite for the rest of the evening. I just didn't say anything to ruin the evening for my friend so I went along with the outing. We decided to share a Shrimp Taquitos ($21) appetizer. This came out first. A bit dry and oily for my liking. I could have skipped this. While ordering my friend really wanted an a la carte tamale but they didn't sell it a la carte so she had to order the Calo Combination with the Tamale ($19) and opted for the rice and beans. She added the corn for extra ($?), and it ended up being a corn on a cob that was too difficult to eat, which is surprising for the fancy theme they have going on. I wouldn't want to be on date night knowing a corn and getting all the dressing on my face. I ordered a Clemente's Enchiladas ($34) which was suppose to have shrimp and lobster filling, but I mostly saw shrimp. It came with a small amount of rice and beans. I don't feel like the portion size was filling but the oiliness of the meal and poor appetite stopped me from eating. Pretty unlikely that I would come back unless someone was hosting their birthday here and I was utterly obligated to go. The service was poor, as I often found my glass of water empty, and I couldn't even wave someone down for a refill. The food was expensively subpar.

We go to the LN location often but first time here. We came in on a Tuesday early evening and the place wasn't too crazily busy as on the weekends. Food was good. Service was great. So why not a 5-star review? I had the tostada chicken salad. The chicken was good; however, the salad was drowned in some kind of creamy dressing. Way too much dressing so the lettuce got all soggy. I would ask for the dressing on the side if I knew. My husband had the enchiladas. He said it was good bot the corn tortillas were kind of hard. Daughter also ordered enchiladas. She asked for one beef and one chicken and got both beef enchiladas. Her husband had the lobster enchiladas and he said they were good.

Another five star experience at this location. I have season tickets to see the plays at the Segerstrom Center so I always take the opportunity to come in here for dinner either before or afterwards. Be sure to make reservations if possible, this location is very popular. I usually get the Calo' Combination of a chicken enchilada, pork tamale or a beef taco. They make the best enchiladas ever. The chicken is moist and tender, and the sauce is delicious. I love that you can get your combo plate with rice and beans or a little salad, or Mexican corn. I really like their house salad and usually get that so it's not such a heavy meal. The service is always great. All of the staff is very friendly and welcoming. The manager Jacob checks up on the guests to be sure that everyone has what they need and that the food is to the guests liking. It's just a great dining experience every time I come. I'll be back again soon!!!

Great place to eat at. My wife and I enjoyed everything. The atmosphere there is amazing and very relaxing there. I will definitely be back here again when I am in the area. I would definitely recommend this place to all my family and friends!