Caliente

FYI: Caliente is closed for renovations. It’s under new management and being re-​branded…

I went here for an early dinner and ordered a burger. I’d heard from friends that their food wasn’t the best, but I thought you couldn’t really mess up a burger… I was wrong. It came out completely burnt (as in overly blackened). The waitress was pretty inattentive as well even though there was only one other table at the time. Don’t think I’ll be coming back.

We went on at Happy hour, there were great specials on drinks and food. I got fried plantains as an appetizer and they were set with two dipping sauces that took it up a notch.
We shared some wings, two types. Maple pepper and Cajun. They were ok.
Also shared chicken jerk quesadilla, it was ok. Chicken was dry and not as flavorful as I hoped it would be.

This is a great place to grab a burger or wings and a beer after work. The atmosphere is very laidback. They specialize is spicy food, so proceed with caution. They have great fries and dipping sauces.
Don’t be afraid to try the special. I have had some great meals here that way.
I love their brunch. It is a nice selection and is prepared quickly. Most people don’t come here for brunch so it is a good option that is not expensive or packed.

Firstly, I just have to say that I can’t speak to the quality of the food — we only had drinks there yesterday.
Some girlfriends and I decided to come here for some drinks after the VMFA. We didn’t eat because we had just eaten at Amuse, and we had heard Caliente had a decent selection of local beers. We were somewhat disappointed because there were not that many options. Their prices aren’t bad, but their mixed drinks are rather small for what you pay.
The service was really good, there were quite a few waitresses working even though it was the middle of the afternoon on Sunday and we were one of three groups inside. The outdoor patio was much more crowded, but it was a gorgeous day so that is to be expected. The only reason we didn’t sit outside is because of the smoking. Even the waitresses were smoking outside on the patio! We sat in a booth a few down from the door and we could still smell the smoke wafting in! It’s really unpleasant and unfortunately, would probably deter me from coming back. I especially don’t want to smell smoke while I’m eating.
I’ve seen this place on Man vs. Food for their stupid wings challenge but I didn’t see anything about it when we were actually inside the restaurant?
Another thing about this place that was a little disappointing, is that there is literally NO parking. It’s street parking but because it’s so close to a residential area, it’s really hard to find a spot.

Been a couple times but always just kind of disappointed in the quality of food. Keep hoping it will be better, but no luck. This time the mussels were nearly inedible they were so spicy. The chili was just a awful… Would have been happier with Wendy’s. It didn’t help that the patio was full of smokers, so the whole restaurant smelled like a smoking section. The staff was nice though.

So this place is «famous» for that Man vs. Food episode filmed here for the stupid wings challenge. Me and my friend came here to get some grub before a movie not because of the crazy spicy wings.
Street parking only which we found easily a block away. A pretty standard restaurant with a pub/​bar like vibe and look. The place itself is a little dark and could use some extra lighting but if there was any I think you would see the beer stains everywhere. Menu has a Caribbean style influence with many dishes that spicy. But they also have some staple items like burgers and sandwiches.
I got the blackened Tilapia with white rice and braised greens. The Tilapia was obviously PF (previously frozen) and cooked immediately b/​c it was a little watery and had little to no flavor to it; there was only heat. Our waitress warned me this dish was spicy but didn’t indicate how spicy. I tend to think my tolerance level is a little more than average and can handle a medium at most Thai spots but this dish was so spicy that I actually couldn’t consume it all. The rice was also under seasoned and the greens were sub par. I was able to at least finish the fish as it’s the most expensive part of the dish.
My friend enjoyed his cheese burger and fries. Then again, you would have to try pretty hard to mess up a burger. Service was pretty standard and our drinks were filled when need be and we were checked on a couple of times throughout our meal. Price was a little steep for my meal especially for some PF Tilapia. If I want a more Caribbean style food experience I’ll be hitting up Carenas next time.

I met a friend here for dinner as I was passing through on my way to DC. We had heard great things about the food and were excited to try it out.
We shared buffalo wings, seasoned fries, collard greens, and a shrimp po’boy. The fries and wings were great, while the collard greens and shrimp po’boy left a lot to be desired. The collard greens were super salty and the po’boy wasnt seasoned enough. The highlight is that for all of those items (including a soft drink), our bill was only $ 29.
Sad to say that for such a great value, I wont be returning because my taste buds wont allow it.

Tried Caliente today for their happy hour. It was a great deal with $ 2.50 beers and half price wings. The food was good and the wings were appropriately spiced. The service was efficient and friendly. I’ll definitely be back.

The menu looks exciting, but we tried to order and they didn’t have what we wanted. Then the appetizer we ordered hardly had enough to share. Our burgers were ordered MR and they came to us chard and well done. We wouldn’t recommend anyone to eat here, but the beer selection was great.

Mimosas are seduced with a great amount of champagne. Definitely a great way to get the weekend day started. The meals are good… seasoned to a delightful taste and plentiful. I ordered a quesadilla and a side of fries. The fries are definitely an amount that can be shared. You also have an array of dipping sauce options. My friends ordered a more breakfast appropriate meal and they seemed to enjoy it. At least I heard no complaints… maybe the mimosas had us a bit dazed… but from what I can remember all tasted well to me.

I have been here 3 times and enjoyed every one. The first one was for their half off burgers on Tuesdays. The happy hour is decent and our meal for a family of four out with drinks was relatively inexpensive because we all got burgers. The other times I went we got wings. I enjoyed the jerk sauce because usually it’s mild but this one had a nice kick along with the jerk flavor. I love getting to choose from multiple flavors. The fries are a must and you get to pick a seasoning for those which we have done Cajun and parmesean before. Also, you get to pick fancy dips too like jalepeno ketchup and sirachi aioli. Reading the other reviews on Unilocal,it seems like people haven’t enjoyed their food but I’ve been multiple times and haven’t had that experience. I will say the service is slow to my standards. That’s the biggest improvement that can be made to this restaurant. Also the stupid wings challenge is entertaining to watch. I love spicy but I won’t be trying this challenge after witnessing someone try. He was crying and ran to the gas station across the street for some air and an ice cream bar.

¡Muy caliente!
I’ve ventured over to Caliente a few times now. The atmosphere is nice, the service is pretty good and the food it great, if you’re in the mood for a burger or wings.
My family came here once for the burgers. I wish I remember which one I got, but I do remember liking it. Last time I came my friends were in the mood for wings so I brought them here. We tried the jerk, honey chipotle, BBQ and buffalo. My favorite was he honey chipotle, which was everyone else’s least favorite, so that worked out well for me. The jerk was good too, spicy and tasty. The parmesean fries were great if you get wings because they battle those spicy wings. I’ve tried a few of the sauces now and I like the sriracha aioli. We came on a Saturday though, so we missed out on he half-​priced wings, which would’ve made me like them even more.
There’s a pretty good list of beers on draft too!
I will definitely be back, maybe to try out brunch next time!

Great if you like spicy, but the name says it all. If you’re not a fan of spicy foods, you’re probably going to hate it. That being said, let me begin MY review of this place.
GREAT soups. The chili is excellent either way, but my god that gumbo chowder is to die for. Imagine New England clam chowder meets New Orleans style gumbo. Yeah, it’s great. The fries and wings are also excellent. They have wings so spicy they will melt the skin off your tongue, so yeah, they are called the Stupid Wings. Don’t be an idiot.
They also have excellent daily specials and great desserts. Sure, it’s winter now, but during the spring and summer they have a quaint little outdoor patio that is great fun. It’s perfect for drinking a few or just sharing a basket of wings and garlic fries.
Am recommending, but only to fans of heat and flavor!

Went here with some friends for lunch on a casual Saturday. In total, our table ordered 3 orders of wings and 1 burger. The wings were roughly $ 9. The wings were flavorful, but not knock-​your-​socks good. The wings were also pretty small. I was a little disappointed considering some of the reviews at the bottom raved about the wings. The burger that was ordered looked normal — again, nothing spectacular.
Maybe some of their other menu items are tastier. Judging by the other prices on the menu, I probably wouldn’t go back. For $ 10 wings, I’d rather go to Mojo’s on Cary. The service was great though and our waitress was very friendly.

Only patrons NOT at the bar and never acknowledged us being there! Really? You had a total of 6 bar flies and things were too hectic to even walk over to our table! 10 minutes and no response led me next door to a FABULOUS Italian joint that was HUGE on service and food!
Thanks for being so pathetic! Huge favor, in the long run! You will not have to worry about us gracing your establishment, again!

I came here a couple weeks ago with my friends for their happy hour deals and burger night.
They have pretty average deals on drinks for happy hour including well drinks and domestic beer on tap. The wings special was better than expected, their choices of flavors and seasonings as well as dipping sauces for fries were more than a few. The wings were made well, and the burgers weren’t bad at all except for the fact Some of us asked for medium rare and it came out well done. Other than that I had a hard time choosing which burger to order because the options all looked so good!
The service was fine, it was only one waitress taking care of the entire floor; she did her best.
I would definitely return for happy hour for wings and drinks since we all got a little crazy and ordered too much for one seating this visit. Overall this place is pretty good and affordable right next to campus.

Stupid Wings Challenge! Can you say Spicy Wings! Try my hand at the stupid wing challenge in the Richmond location that was featured on the show Man Vs. Food. I finished the wings but my mouth was so hot I literarily cried in the bathroom lol. The restaurant is really nice and the staff are very accommodating. The cook might laugh at you while you try your hand at the Stupid Wing lol
Ask me will I do it again and the answer is Noooooooooooo!
Stupid Wing Rules
Do you want to take the Stupid Wings Challenge at Caliente?
Read the rules below. Please see staff for the Release Form for you to sign and date. The form includes the rules posted here.
You have half an hour from the moment the plate is set down at the table.
You are NOT allowed anything to drink or eat other than the Stupid Wings. Once you start, you may not leave your table.
You get one (1) napkin. Use it wisely.
Should you finish, you must keep the wings down for the duration of your visit to Caliente. Failure to do so may result in a clean-​up fee.
No silverware. You must pick up the wings and eat them as nature intended.
Picking the meat off the bone with anything other than your teeth is cheating.
Failure to abide by these guidelines will result in immediate, forfeiture of any claim, and further, may result in much unwelcome ridicule.
All Stupid Wing orders may be subject to an automatic 18% gratuity.
Good Luck ~ you’ll need it.
Should you successfully finish the challenge, you can choose to receive an «I’m with Stupid» t-​shirt OR get your wings for free.
****While roughly 10% of people who order Stupid Wings actually finish them, approximately 30%-40% who order them throw up. If you must throw up, the ONLY place to guarantee that you won’t be assessed a clean-​up fee is IN THE TRASH CAN IN THE ALLEY BEHIND THE BARBER SHOP!

Forget the Bun! Give me two sides of a Krispy Kreme Donut! The Luther Burger contains my 3 favorite things … cheese burger, bacon, and glazed donut standing in for a bun! Surprisingly the concept is exceptionally very good. Why eat healthy when you can have a delicious taste of heaven.
This vintage neighborhood restaurant is a reflection on the community. Vibe is happy, hip-​trendy, full of energy, a good-​functinal staff. You can also opt for out– door dining on the enclosed area on the sidewalk in front of the restaurant. This place is where you find happiness!

I want to love the food here but its just not that good. Most of the things I have tried here, I could make better at home. My fiancé does love the sausage platter here though.
I love that you can bring your dog and eat out on the patio.