Cafe Calamari

Smaller restaurant with vibrant decor and fresh flowers on each table. I went on a Tuesday night and was the only person for most of the evening. I know Tuesdays are slow but was still surprised especially after the flavorful dinning experience I had. I highly recommend Cafe Calamari! Complimentary bread served with Mediterranean olive oil and herb dip that was packed with flavor Appetizer combo: 1) eggplant delish - was flavorful and gave a ratatouille vibe. I appreciated the eggplant texture that was soft but still held up without being mushy. It was served cold, but I wished it were hot. 2) red Beets- paired nicely with the yogurt sauce. 3)Stuffed artichoke heart- carrots and potatoe were finely minced. The lemon sauce at the bottom would have been great served over the fish. Char-grilled Branzino with lemon sauce and arugula salad: they offered bone in whole fish or de-boned filet. I opted for the filet. It was two full sized pieces of fish with beautiful grill marks. It was perfectly cooked with crispy skin and flaky, juicy meat. My only wish is that there was more of the lemon sauce. The arugula salad was light and fresh with thinly sliced red onion and tomatoes seasoned with cracked black pepper and lemon. It was a great pairing for the fish.

Today, my friend and I visited this café for the first time and were pleasantly surprised. The service was friendly and quick, and the food was fresh and tasty. I ordered Sea Bass, fried calamari and Kunefe. I recommend this café and will definitely visit again.

Excellent restaurant, fresh and pleasant interior. The food is very tasty, European, one of the best restaurants in the city. I had grilled octopus, grilled branzino with salad and rice pudding for dessert. All the food was delicious and I went home with a very positive feeling. Every dollar spent was worth it. Definitely recommend

Food was amazing! I ordered the black pepper fettuccini and definitely in love with it. And we had the rice pudding as dessert, it was DELICIOUS!Outstanding food, great service. This place is a gem in downtown Livermore that no one should ever miss out!

Service is super. I like the cozy atmosphere. The fried calamari is the best I've ever had. The rice pudding and the kunefe are amazing!

Kristin Brown

This place was a lucky find. It is a quaint and welcoming Mediterranean restaurant that has everything you would expect on the menu (the spanakopita was sooo good - best ever) as well as seafood and little Italian-Mediterranean fusion. Our group was 3 people and we choose to eat outside at a table near a heater - it was a cold day, but we were very comfortable. The place was packed with groups ranging from 10 people to 2 people - all ages present and welcome. The staff was great. They were happy to move tables around to accommodate everyone. Very friendly, welcoming and they don't rush you at all. It was not quite a European experience where the meal lasts 3 hours, but they give us plenty of time to enjoy our food and have a nice conversation. The food was AMAZING! Our group ordered several appetizers: spanakopita, saganki, and the octopus - all were excellent. For lunch I had the salmon and it was perfectly prepared. The prices were a little high, ranging from $10-40, but the quality of food and service was excellent, so it felt fair. Love this place! I'm already planning to head back with friends!

james f

Great little restaurant with authentic Mediterranean food with a Greek flair. I had the moussaka and the lemon chicken soup is excellent. Small restaurant right on first Street. it’s kind of pricey, but I definitely would recommend it and I’d go back.

Nathan McCurtain

The food here is incredibly flavorful and well cooked. I went with my wife this weekend and ordered the lunch special lamb burger and it was really delicious and packed a lot of flavor. My wife ordered the salmon and she really enjoyed it. We highly recommend it.

Dennis Aberion

Definitely a Livermore Gem! Leo the owner, who hosted us himself, was so wonderful! Friendly and attentive. And the Food,..... A-mazing!! Full of flavor and cooked to perfection. Highly recommend! We had the branzino & patties for dinner and the Kunefe for dessert

Holly Chen

The food was very delicious, and it was lovely to enjoy it in the outdoor dining area. Service was quick, and the restroom was clean. You can tell the owner, Leo, is a man full of stories. This place won’t disappoint!

Michelle Santoyo

The food here was delicious! Everything was very flavorful and tasted of high quality fresh ingredients. The plating was very meticulous and beautifully presented. They provide complementary bread and olive oil for dipping which was also delicious. Service was very friendly and attentive. Overall, an exceptional dining experience! We will be back to try other dishes :)

Angelica Cabunoc

Amazing food! We dropped by here after our errand and I was so happy. The food reminds me of Greece — it’s that level of good!

Abe Sugay

Had a good time eating here. Food was delicious and service was great.

Douglas

Food was spot on! My daughter and I had a great Christmas dinner.

Nida Yenilmez Damgaci

It was an incredibly delicious meal! The seafood, in particular, made me feel like I was in Turkiye, Italy or Greece. Today, I tried calamari, their special bread, meatballs, rice pudding, and künefe. Everything prepared by the chef has a unique homemade flavor that sets it apart. I will definitely be coming back!

Natali A

Today, my friend and I visited this café for the first time and were pleasantly surprised. The service was friendly and quick, and the food was fresh and tasty. I ordered Sea Bass, fried calamari and Kunefe. I recommend this café and will definitely visit again.

Алена Симончик

Excellent restaurant, fresh and pleasant interior. The food is very tasty, European, one of the best restaurants in the city. I had grilled octopus, grilled branzino with salad and rice pudding for dessert. All the food was delicious and I went home with a very positive feeling. Every dollar spent was worth it. Definitely recommend

Justina Chen

Food was amazing! I ordered the black pepper fettuccini and definitely in love with it. And we had the rice pudding as dessert, it was DELICIOUS!Outstanding food, great service. This place is a gem in downtown Livermore that no one should ever miss out!

Gretchen Knaack

Smaller restaurant with vibrant decor and fresh flowers on each table. I went on a Tuesday night and was the only person for most of the evening. I know Tuesdays are slow but was still surprised especially after the flavorful dinning experience I had. I highly recommend Cafe Calamari! Complimentary bread served with Mediterranean olive oil and herb dip that was packed with flavor Appetizer combo: 1) eggplant delish - was flavorful and gave a ratatouille vibe. I appreciated the eggplant texture that was soft but still held up without being mushy. It was served cold, but I wished it were hot. 2) red Beets- paired nicely with the yogurt sauce. 3)Stuffed artichoke heart- carrots and potatoe were finely minced. The lemon sauce at the bottom would have been great served over the fish. Char-grilled Branzino with lemon sauce and arugula salad: they offered bone in whole fish or de-boned filet. I opted for the filet. It was two full sized pieces of fish with beautiful grill marks. It was perfectly cooked with crispy skin and flaky, juicy meat. My only wish is that there was more of the lemon sauce. The arugula salad was light and fresh with thinly sliced red onion and tomatoes seasoned with cracked black pepper and lemon. It was a great pairing for the fish.

J W

Service is super. I like the cozy atmosphere. The fried calamari is the best I've ever had. The rice pudding and the kunefe are amazing!

Stopped by here after a day of wine tasting and the food did not disappoint! The meatballs were delicious, the combo grill cooked perfectly and the homemade bread amazing! We even had the rice pudding for dessert, super yummy as well. Highly recommend! Service was fast, they had recommendations for what was the best food options and even catered to an allergy!

We came here for a birthday celebration for the first time and was treated like royalty as if Leo had known us for years. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was welcoming.

Following friends recommendation we ordered food catering for two parties from this place. The food was amazing! All guests loved it. Highly recommend.

Excellent food and service. I have gotten take out a few times and recently dined in and I have not been disappointed. Service is excellent, the restaurant is very clean and the food is always delicious. Love how they give bread and a yummy spread for dine in and take out. When we dined in, my husband and father-in-law ordered the lamb shish and were really impressed. My mother-in-law loved the salmon and my go-to is always the mushroom ravioli. Yum! The manager/owner is always very friendly, too. :)

Olga Yazovskaya

Following friends recommendation we ordered food catering for two parties from this place. The food was amazing! All guests loved it. Highly recommend.

Monica J

Excellent food and service. I have gotten take out a few times and recently dined in and I have not been disappointed. Service is excellent, the restaurant is very clean and the food is always delicious. Love how they give bread and a yummy spread for dine in and take out. When we dined in, my husband and father-in-law ordered the lamb shish and were really impressed. My mother-in-law loved the salmon and my go-to is always the mushroom ravioli. Yum! The manager/owner is always very friendly, too. :)

Katlynn West

Stopped by here after a day of wine tasting and the food did not disappoint! The meatballs were delicious, the combo grill cooked perfectly and the homemade bread amazing! We even had the rice pudding for dessert, super yummy as well. Highly recommend! Service was fast, they had recommendations for what was the best food options and even catered to an allergy!

Robert Gorham

This was our first visit to Café Calamari and Leo, the owner, was our host. We started with some appetizers… stuffed artichoke hearts, fried calamari, and the crab cakes. Each item was tasty, fresh and beautifully presented. For dinner we ordered the grilled Atlantic salmon, the kofta burger and the black pepper fettuccine. Each entrée was seasoned perfectly and cooked to perfection. Chefs kiss! For dessert, we shared knafeh, oven-baked rice pudding and chocolate gelato. We loved them all. It was our first time trying knafeh and it was a standout! Crispy, gooey, sweet deliciousness! Everything, including service was outstanding! My family and I had a wonderful time and enjoyed every bite. Thank you, Leo! 🙂 We’ll be back.

After my bad experience, I read the other low rating reviews and im glad to see that I'm not the only one. First, I 100% agree that this place is overpriced. High price, small portion, and ok flavor. Elia in Pleasanton is much better (quality, flavor, price point, ambiance, and service, trust me). Second, they send me a $25 gift certificate for my bday so I ordered food for pick up because I was sick and feeling terrible. When I arrived, the person said the cert was for dine-in only. Nowhere on the certificate did it say that it was for dine-in only. I explained that I was sick and asked if I could just take it home. He refused to honor the certificate and insisted that it was for dine in only. He told me to come back anytime. I already ordered the food. I had already brought myself to the restaurant. I told him that I am sick. He insisted on a policy that was not even written on the certificate. Apparently customer service is not a top priority. So I sat miserably outside in the cold to eat the meal, feeling terrible. That absolutely ruined any enjoyment I could have possibly had from the food. It was my first impression and my last. I will not be returning, nor would I recommend this place to anyone. There are too many other better choices. Update - they texted this message to me (photo). Sharing my honest experience is not right? I'm sorry, my experience was my experience. It is valid so I will not erase my account of what happened. No apology, no addressing what happened. Just a statement that what I am doing is not right. People can decide for themselves.

Annabelle Benin

After my bad experience, I read the other low rating reviews and im glad to see that I'm not the only one. First, I 100% agree that this place is overpriced. High price, small portion, and ok flavor. Elia in Pleasanton is much better (quality, flavor, price point, ambiance, and service, trust me). Second, they send me a $25 gift certificate for my bday so I ordered food for pick up because I was sick and feeling terrible. When I arrived, the person said the cert was for dine-in only. Nowhere on the certificate did it say that it was for dine-in only. I explained that I was sick and asked if I could just take it home. He refused to honor the certificate and insisted that it was for dine in only. He told me to come back anytime. I already ordered the food. I had already brought myself to the restaurant. I told him that I am sick. He insisted on a policy that was not even written on the certificate. Apparently customer service is not a top priority. So I sat miserably outside in the cold to eat the meal, feeling terrible. That absolutely ruined any enjoyment I could have possibly had from the food. It was my first impression and my last. I will not be returning, nor would I recommend this place to anyone. There are too many other better choices. Update - they texted this message to me (photo). Sharing my honest experience is not right? I'm sorry, my experience was my experience. It is valid so I will not erase my account of what happened. No apology, no addressing what happened. Just a statement that what I am doing is not right. People can decide for themselves.