Caliza

I can only give it 4 stars bc I’ve only had wine there but lovely place. The staff was super friendly and caring. Next beach trip I shall eat.

On our 12 year anniversary, my husband and I choose Caliza because it seemed like the nicest restaurant on 30A.
The hostess lost our ressie twice before we showed up. We were seated at a bench table with what appeared to be a lovely atmosphere; however, our waiter did not bring the right champagne; we ordered the nicest vino on the menu, but the waiter never poured it for us once; it took almost an hour to get our food (after complimentary «gourmet popcorn” – talk about an oxymoron!); our lobster and steak were lukewarm, and the waiter and manager were completely unapologetic. We should have gone to George’s!!!
I’d say we’d go back in another 12 years but highly doubt Caliza will be around in another 12 months based on our experience.

Absolutely gorgeous setting, every detail of this restaurant was beautifully decorated and the food was excellent. The best, by far dessert is the peanut and chocolate choice.

Do not go to this restaurant. I went back and forth over voicemail with these people confirming a dinner reservation for our last evening here. This is the one place I wanted to go out to eat dinner during our visit. They left a message giving me two options on times — I left two messages within 15 minutes of being given our time confirming we would be there and which time we preferred. Called back one more time 2 hours later after not receiving a call back just to be told that they were «just too popular» and they couldn’t hold our time for us even though we called twice within 15 minutes to confirm and they didn’t answer their phone (messages were left). Multiple messages confirming to find out at 4:00pm on our last night that we had no dinner reservations. Disappointing doesn’t begin to describe it. They will get zero business from us or the multiple families we know who come here to vacation. Rude, condescending, and pretentious.

I feel like I have to jump on just to counter the bad reviews. They were able to accommodate my wife and I with less than 24hrs notice and really it was a wonderful experience. The chef definitely knows what he’s doing. Had a brisket with «B2» sauce and Lobster that was absolutely perfect. The entrees were slightly experimental but still familiar which is exactly what I was hoping for. They found out it was our anniversary and the chef sent out a special dessert. A great memory and I can’t wait to visit again!

This place gets 4 stars just based on the ambiance. Drink menu maybe even 5 stars on its own. The food probably deserves 4 stars too. But there’s something strange and somewhat hilarious going on here with the front of the house service. I will give you my three examples…
A) I called two weeks in advance to make the reservation. I asked for 7 pm, but they could only give me 6 or 630 pm. Yet we were 1 of only 4 tables eating in the entire restaurant on the night we dined. Bizarre.
B) I called the day before to ask if we could add 1 person to our party of 4, but the hostess said no. Again, 80% of the restaurant’s tables were empty all night.
C) My friend left her sunglasses at dinner. When she called the next day and said she was going to swing by to get them, the hostess told her not to come before 530 pm when they «open to the public»…HAHAHAHAHA
I lived in LA for 2 decades so this kinda attitude is not new, but just made me laugh at their consistency.
Everything the other reviewers are saying is true, but that doesn’t mean that Caliza’s restaurant isn’t worth every penny and every «quirk» /​«annoyance».

Lunch at Caliza is decent but quite overpriced. Servers are typically very nice but ridiculously slow. Not uncommon to wait 30 – 45 minutes for a salad. Drink refills are pretty hard to come by too. Seems like the staff is just spread way too thin and poorly trained.

I had the crab cake with lobster and both were REALLY GOOD! Afterwards we had dessert which was great as well. Beautiful setting with the pool and try going to the upper balcony lounge to see over everything. Recommend going at night because all of the lights set the scene. Only problem was that the food was a little pricey (we paid 200 dollars) but it was much worth it.

Far too many restaurants reside in the Seaside area, but Caliza sets itself apart by hanging out in the heart of a utopian resort. Its amphibious layout (inside, outside, poolside) affords diners a good feel of uppity Florida.
In terms of grub, they don’t err on the side of fancy, small-​plate seafood. They go for heavy hitters… especially at happy hour.
The guacamole was about the healthiest thing we ate, though it boasted all sorts of fillings and flavors. Then, we moved onto mercury-​laden tuna, oil-​centric hummus, and a zest romesco sauce. Dips galore.
Then, the poutine. They crank out some great fries here, but when you add duck and gravy on top, you have yourself the perfect recipe for closed eyes, full hearts, can’t move.
On the whole, Caliza provides an intimate yet trendy way of eating on the 30A strip, and if you are in the hunt for a «nice dinner», this option would be hard to beat.

Best Restaurant in the panhandle of Florida! Had a wonderful dinner last Saturday night as it was our wedding anniversary. My favorite cocktail was the elderberry martini with St Germaine Elderberry liqueur! Loved it! The ambiance is like an oasis! So beautiful. Our waitstaff person was knowledgeable, likable and gave us excellent service. I had braised short ribs and veal cheeks with collard greens. Fabulous. My husband had the lamb loin and appetizer trio, deviled egg over beef tartare with beets. Tuna credo and twin mini crab cakes– best we have ever had. My appetizer was the chowder served in a mason jar with infused smoke. I couldn’t stop eating it. We loved everything! The dessert was chocolate cake with pomegranate seeds and pomegranate sorbet with other goodies, which was on the house because of Breast Cancer awareness month and I am a survivor. We will be back!

I would love to give more stars because our family does love this restaurant. Food is great, but for the price and atmosphere I expect a little more.
When 3 people arrive for a reservation for 6, we should be seated at our table and not sent to the bar for a drink. Especially when it’s after high season (post Labor Day) and they should be thankful for every table at such a small restaurant. No one was waiting for a table. It was nearly empty.
Also, for a place that «recommends reservations», it would be nice if your reservation line called people back. We tried to make a reservation one night and never received a call back, so we postponed our dinner a couple nights.
This restaurant seems to think a little too highly of itself without the respect and courtesy a nice restaurant usually provides it’s customers.
One thing to compliment, our waiter was excellent and we remember him from previous years.

Waited 30 mins for hot beer and a rude manager. Walked out. Manager refuses to apologize for my wait time. No ice in water. Order a bottle of wine that was split all over table. No ice bucket. Walked out.

This is five star dining. The best restaurant on the 30 A for fine dining, and the lamb entrée was the best I have had anywhere. Atmosphere is amazing!
So…why did I mark it as four star? I think we just drew a less than stellar waitress this night, and we felt rushed the entire meal. We had a 6 PM reservation, and it was clear she wanted us out by 7:30. I ordered an appetizer and a salad prior to my entrée and she pressured me to have them served at the same time. When I asked that the appetizer come first she reluctantly obliged, but then brought my salad immediately after I finished my appetizer. We had barely finished our entrée and she was hovering over us for a desert order.
An outstanding meal tarnished slightly by a somewhat brash and arrogant waitress.

Best restaurant I have eaten at near Destin! Everything brought to the table was really flavorful. Great staff who was very knowledgeable, drinks were good and everything we ate from apps to entrée was really good!

I don’t think there are enough words to describe this place, so I will have to use pictures. As if the beautiful ambience wasn’t enough to take your breath away, the menu will. It may look like a smaller offering of food, but you will not believe the work that the chef puts into designing each of these meals. Not only that, but the servers here, or at least Elena, know everything about what they are serving and how it is prepared. It was amazing to listen to her describe in detail every part of the dish and how certain elements added texture, bitterness, etc. I ordered the Surf & Turf and cannot begin to describe the amazingness going on in my mouth when I took a bite. The grits served as a side, delicious, and that’s coming from a Louisiana girl. The filet is sous-​vide, which makes it tender and perfectly cooked throughout the meat. The lobster was in some kind of champagne cream sauce that I could’ve eaten a bowl of!!! I also sampled the crab cake, which was definitely more crab than cake and tasted amazing! We all sampled different drinks, although my favorite was The Honey Badger, and sitting around the pool is such a relaxing environment to hang out with friends! Later in our meal, it started to thunderstorm and they pulled down the beaded curtains so that we were sheltered but still outside. I absolutely love rain so it made it even more special. For dessert, I had two bites of a dish that a few of us split: a peanut butter lava cake with dark chocolate ganache inside and a roasted banana ice cream, with peanut brittle on top. Yes, it is as good as it sounds!!! All in all, I want to go back to Caliza. I live too far away. I should’ve gone twice while I was there!!!

What can I say. I wanted to like this place but after 4 visits in 2 months I’ve deemed the only thing I like this place for is ambience and cocktails. The food is ok but limited. Nothing is particularly bad but nothing blew me away.
I like to think of it as a place for those who wear sweater vests and loafers. Nothing of real substance IMO.
I won’t be back.

Caliza. oh Caliza. how I adore thee.
Set poolside in Alys Beach Resort, South Walton Florida. Caliza is a cool and magical blend of style and flavor. The cuisine is fantastic, and the view from your table of the gorgeous area, palm trees. and architechture is a real treat when dining.
Everything from the house made Shrimp Ramen with mushroom jus, to the beautifully prepared lamb. to the house made fresh doughnuts for dessert. makes this a spot I would recommend to anyone in the area. Taking advantage of the geographical situation on the gulf, Caliza also features a wonderful selection of expertly prepared fresh fish.
I had the Grouper AND the shrimp ramen,. and the lamb. I could not hold back. the flavors were so well balanced and the meal was just fantastic overall. The young lady that runs the door, Christine is an asset to the team as she makes every effort to make your dining experience a very special one.
When in Alys Beach, stop in at Caliza and see for your self. I would recommend reservations, as it is a popular spot. Happy Eating!

Had a date night with the hubby here and I have to say that the ambiance is breathtaking. Walking up to the hostess stand, we felt like we were walking onto a movie set. We were just so blown away by the serenity and the stunning architecture of this place.
We were seated according to our reservation, which granted us a beautiful view of the pool. It was hard not to feel swept off my feet while sitting there. Dinner was nice and I enjoyed all of our courses. I believe the menu/​chef has changed since our visit, so not sure what the menu looks like today but I can’t wait to check it out again.
I highly recommend stopping in for dinner or even just drinks/​desserts, whatever! It will transcend you to another place & time. I was star struck.

Wow! This place is amazing! Service was way under par but who cares in this setting! Very sexy, Moroccan, Egyptian vibe. Great place for a photo shoot!
My crab cake was spectacular… all crab & the heirloom tomato shrimp with pumpernickel crisps was delicious too! Both of these were small plates. My boyfriend ordered the grouper which was ok but definitely not $ 35 ok!
Have a couple of small plates & some cocktails & enjoy the ambiance!

The server, Richard, does an amazing job! He is very knowledgable and helpful to suggest some good meal options.
We ordered the Fritto Misto for an appetizer and it was fantastic! My brother and his wife ordered the trio of dips and it was enough for three to share. He liked the olive dip the best.
I ordered the filet of beef and it was amazing! It was served with an arugula salad and fries (they have a fancy name for them, but they are just good old fries!).
You can’t go wrong with this entrée!
We had a wonderful experience and highly recommend it! But be prepared to pull out your wallet!