El Calamar

Reviews

• Betsy C.

  star star star star star 17 July 2026

  We stopped by for lunch just because we were in the area and we wanted some good, fresh seafood. Having been here before, tho it was a long time ago, and the place has a new look, we expected a good lunch and that's just what we got. We ordered a michelada and piña colada to start and they brought some warm chips with yummy salsas. Then we ordered ceviche de pescado and camarónes al mojo de ajo... So good!! We'll be back again soon.

• Frogg N.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 7 July 2026

  I'll start by saying I have been coming here since 2007. Yes, a  12 year LOYAL customer. My family and I even went to their Orange location that served their molcajetes in (what looked like) smaller plastic bowls when their santa ana location was closed a a while. My wife still has their original Calamar member rewards card that they no longer accept but still validate via phone number.  We go there AT LEAST ONCE  a month. I have been ordering THE SAME MEAL for the last decade. MOMIAS. If you don't know what they are, you have not lived. It is 8 jumbo shrimp, stuffed with crab and a jalapeno, wrapped in bacon and deep fried - placed in a molcajete filled with THICK spicy red sauce, plenty of cheese and bell peppers in the mix as well. AMAZING!!!!! The meal comes with a side of beans and rice AND (it used to be 4 tortillas, 1/2 toritilla per shrimp was my style) tortillas ;  now it comes with only 3 leaving you with an extra 2 shrimp to deal with without a tortilla.
  My last 3 visits were especially eye opening because 2 visits ago, I asked for my usual, (momias) and I asked for the sauce extra thick and spicy because I noticed the sauce wasn't what it used to be, it had become waaaay to watery. The waitresses GLADLY said ok and and passed the request to the cooks. It was  fuckin' AMAZING!! i'm talking mole style thickness and an extra kick to the spicy level. BOOOOMB! The time after that, I asked for the same thing, but somehow ended up getting extra cheese and it was waay more cheese than sauce so the proportions were not at all what they should have been. It's my fault for not correcting waitress when she read us back our orders, but that's on me and I'll take that.
  TODAY, was a whole different category of visits. Like I said earlier, I've been visiting this establishment for going on 12 years and we've got to know a majority of the waitresses there. We were helped by the lady who is the owners daughter. Very rarely do we go there on Fridays, but when we were at the door waiting to be seated (with only maybe 4 families total in the restaurant; let's say about 645pm) it was my wife and I, and my two children (7rs and a toddler 10mos). When the server (the owners daughter) asked how big the group was, we told her we were expecting 2 more adults. (remember that).  We sat down at the corner table to the right of the entrance.
  The other 2 adults arrive along with their 2 children, (2yr old and 7 yr old) and we begin our orders. I, as usual, order my MOMIAS. I asked her if she can please be sure to tell the cooks to make the sauce EXTRA THICK. She looks at me and tells me the sauce is premade (basically telling me there's nothing she can do) so I call her out on it and tell her I've ordered it this same way the last 3 times and (by this time my friends at the table are telling her to just smile and wave) every time the waitresses make it happen and SHE's the only one who's ever questioned my request.
  SO fast forward a bit, everyone gets their food (a total of 6 meals, the 2 toddlers didn't have their own plates, they shared) except me. I'm beginning to think it's personal because I called out the owner's daughter. hmmmm. Once everyone is halfway done with their meal is when my order comes. And of course the sauce is extra runny, orange in color as opposed to the dark red it was the last 2 times I ordered it.
  Ok, whatever. I've accepted the consequences of  what happens when you call out and challenge someone of that position. it's apparent she wasn't meant to be a waitress. I've had nothing but pleasant if not amazing encounters with every other waitress whom I've come across and ordered the exact same thing.
  I had to stop a waitress and ask for the check on my way to the bathroom because we had gone so long AFTER we were done eating, without being checked up on.
  Check comes and THE TIP IS INCLUDED IN OUR BILL. The two toddlers who did not have their own meal were included in order to reach the party of 8, which then allows for the tip to be included.
  I'm not going to stop coming here but I felt that somebody had to know what the fuck kind of visit we had.

• Mitzi G.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 4 July 2026

  I am saddened that I'm lowering my review for this place, but i must say for very valid reasons.
  
  My friend and I came to have a late dinner wed night and everything was going great until a homeless man with his beard covered in vomit came in. I understand staff wanting to be compassionate towards him but the moment the guy came up to our table and pointed at my food really was the tipping point.
  
  He walked up to our table and let's us know hes hungry. I thought to myself "oh I'll give him the chips and salsa cause I really want to eat my tacos and he looks really hungry so I dont think hell wait for a new order". That did work out.. because seconds later he aggressively points that he wants my tacos. As he extended his arm to point, some liquid squirts onto our table and I THINK i saw a chunk of something land on my food. Mind you he had vomit on his beard..
  Dont get me wrong,  I feel a bit conflicted about this but I also felt uncomfortable at this situation. the establishment should have done a better job handling this situation. The waitress as well just walked past him like nothing. If anything she could have informed him if hes not going to purchase anything then to leave.
  
  I am forever traumatized and will resist coming back to this place to assure I dont experience another encounter like this again.

• Jasmin A.

  star star_border star_border star_border star_border 1 July 2026

  The vibe is fine but the waiter took too long to attend us. It had been 20 minutes straight since she checked on us to order. While we waited for our waiter to place our meal, she would not bother to even look at our table while she attended others.
  Literally had to stand up for ourselves to let another waiter know that our original waiter was taking forever to attend us. We were butt hurt by that time. The new waiter was trying to assist us but we ended up just leaving. Please get it together. Thank you.

• Jazzy R.

  star star star star star 29 June 2026

  Service,food, and drinks were great! The portions are huge! So I recommend sharing plates If you have a small stomach! The margarita was amazing! I definitely recommend this place! I was a little skeptical but I'm glad I came!