Calabria Ristorante Italiano

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132 Lake Street South
Kirkland, WA 98033

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(425) 822-7350
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Reviews
( 13 )
( 11 )
( 7 )
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( 8 )

Best

Pete and Rhonda have put together a wonderful atmosphere, the food is amazing, the bar is super fun with great music. I have had the pleasure of knowing these two for a while and ...

Worst

We went to Calabria last Friday. The wine the waiter recommended was great. The evening went downhill from there. The Calamari Marinati was OK. The Fusilli Capreese was cold and...

Super Mediocre Food, Poor Service 3/3/2006

I will be brief: do not eat at this place. You will have spent your hard earned cash on food which is very mediocre, and on service that virtually does not exist. I guess this place used to be very good, judging from some of the reviews below. But it has gone downhill. Everything from appetizer to main course to desert was unimaginative, bland, and the type that even I can make at home in my microwave. In fact I think some frozen Italian dinners from your local grocery probably taste better and look better. I really regret having gone here for dinner with my girlfriend; I spent a lot of money, and now we have to go to a good place just to get Calabria out of our system and forget about it. Pros: Easy parking Cons: Poor food, Poor service more
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They stole my tiramisu! 2/13/2006

We went here for Valentine's day 2006. Of course the place was crowded as expected. However, 3 things stood out: (1) the food was average, very very average; I hate to say this, but it was practically cafeteria quality, served for $40 fixed-course meal per person; (2) the service was atrocious, late, late, late, and more late. Yes, they were busy, but they were serving everybody a fixed menu; and (3) at the end we had to leave early (after TWO hours of delay!) so we asked for the desert to go. Got home, and guess what, there is only one piece of tiramisu in the box! In short - avoid this place like the plague. We will never go there again, and neither should you. more
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What a waste! 2/13/2006

We went here for the v-day, and it sucked big time! The food was just pure horrible! We only had 4 choices out of a fixed menu and my husband and I were both very disappointed with the quality of the food and the taste. It was really like a diner or a Denny's. The meat (both chicken and veal) were so chewy, and the sauce was just awful! The portobello gorgonzola sauce tasted like neither! The dessert was horrible. I have never had such a bad tasting tiramisu in my life! And the service was really really slow. Granted they were busy, but they took our order right after our neighbor, but it took an extra 15 minutes for ours to come! I would never go back there... more
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A complete waste of your money. 2/12/2006

A year ago this was a good place. From the time we sat down in the bar until the time we walked out the door, it was a disaster. After 15 minutes of waiting for someone to take our order in the bar, I finally had to go get our drinks myself. In the restaurant, our table was the size of a postage stamp, so we requested another table. The lady next to us said they had sat them there too, and they refused to eat there as well. The calamari appetizer was nasty. The salad was a joke. My cioppino was the worst I've EVER had. My girlfriend's New York was cold and the gorganzola sauce was awful. The bread was good as was the wine. But, gee, they had nothing to do with that did they? Kirkland has some great restaurants. Don't waste your money here!!!! Pros: older part/ ambiance, good bread Cons: entree was nasty, terrible calamari, salad was horrible more
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Great Food !! Great Staff !! 10/20/2005

We eat at Calabria often an dfind the food and the staff great !! I am surprised to hear so many negative comments. We have tried many Italian restaurants in the Northwest as well as in Italy. This is right up there amongst the best. If the naysayers are legitimate and have found significantly better Italian food, please drop a name or two. I would love to go and try them out. I, for one would highly recommend Calabria. This restaurant has been doing well for years and is always crowded. This is a key indicator of the quality of the food and the experience. Pros: Good food, Great staff, Piano in restaurant more
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Nice food, average atmosphere 10/8/2005

No complaints about the food, but the atmosphere was that of a cafeteria. Tables are so close together that you can hear the conversation at the next table. We went out for a romantic dinner, but it wasn't romantic at all. Ate our food quickly and left. Pros: food, parking Cons: ambience more
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wow...authentic food in the Eastside! 8/12/2005

So sick of the snotty fusionesque...Glad to see someone's sticking to the real deal. Way to go Calabria, you are my new best friend! Pros: great food, funny waiters, authentic authentic!! more
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oh my goodness! 8/12/2005

I don't know what the hell these negative comments mean..I think it's competetors commenting, trying to pull away their business or something - because I have been going here for years and everything about the place is wonderful...the prices, the service...the music...the cocktails...the food...the parking....EVERYTHING! To hell with the snobbery of opinion, I know what's good and this place is. Pros: lovely bartenders, loved the music!, strong cocktails more
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So-so 8/1/2005

There is nothing special about this joint. I was hoping for real Italian food, instead the dish I ordered was more like Spaghetti-O's. There was too much sauce, too much pasta, too much cheese. I needed a shovel to plow through it. I must say the service was good, but the decor is very dated and the food is not worth going back for. I wanted to like this place, but couldn't. Too bad. Pros: service Cons: food more
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Once a good value, Now is smokey and $$ 7/7/2005

No wonder Calabria pumps all those coupons into weekly mailers. They changed their menu, raised prices $4/entree and you no longer get a salad included w/ entree. But worse than that, the smoke from the bar wafts into the dining area. When you walk in the restaurant, the first thing you notice is the cigarette smoke. We sat down for 2 minutes, decided it really was too smokey to enjoy a meal there, and then left. It's sad, since we've lived w/i walking distance for 8 years and Calabria does serve very good Italian food. Pros: Location, Food Cons: Cigarette Smoke, Price increases more
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The complaints were completely misleading. 5/8/2005

I get the feeling that Seattle has become more of a trendy atmosphere than Authentic metropolis of restaurants. I in fact spent several years in Southern Italy and the food I experienced at Calabria was EXACTLY how it was made back in Europe. I respect you guys for sticking to your ethnic roots unlike most Northwest restaurants - following only what's hip and not what's real. It's good to know there are still places like this around. Way to go you guys! I'll be sure to visit you again in the near future! The food was great - made with love, the staff was nice and the pricing was just right. Pros: Zero-Attitude, Un-trendy, Friendly Cons: Bright lighting, Crowded, Busy more
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Service and More is Lacking 2/23/2005

I visited with friends who, in the past, enjoyed their meal here every time...until this visit. The service was amateurish; the food was over sauced, and in general our experience was not very enjoyable. I cannot recommend this for dining. I've heard that the bar scene can be tons of fun. However, don't expect the same in the dining room. Cons: Service, Food Prep more
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freakin awesome 11/8/2004

the piano bar is a blast - that's how lounges should be. I'm so bored with the dj thing with overpriced martinis. When i was young and thought about what i thought a loungey-lounge would like like..it looks and feels like this. Pros: piano, strong cocktails, great staff Cons: , too far from seattle more
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Calabria 5/21/2004

Best Margaritas in all of Seattle area. Uses all fresh fruit in most drinks. Food is excellent and reasonably priced. Especially try Chicken Gorgonzola. Piano bar that has very good music. more
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where did we go !!! 2/16/2003

i don't know if we went to a chucky cheese or calabria. We went to dinner the day befor V-day. We ate our meal in the same room as the piano, the man that was playing the piano kept playing children songs, itsy bitsy spider, over the rainbow, and puff the magic dragon. He was playing it very loud, it wasn't very soothing. The server we had was pushy on which wine by the glass to order, at which there was only three to choose from. The food was ok...... Pros: free parking, bread in begining Cons: expensive more
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Love with the Proper Italian 12/20/2002

As a chef of 35 years, I've made and eaten several literal tons of Italian grub and most of it is simply the same old stuff with minute variations. And most, sadly, is totally Americanized. That's why a place like Calabria, with its ruthless dedication to making the real thing, is such a delight. This is Italian spoken properly: sauces vibrant but not overbearing, pastas perfectly al dente and wearing the right amount of sauce, maybe the best pizza crust I've EVER tasted, and Osso Bucco to freakin' DIE FOR. The only complaints I have are with the wine list - which is insanely overpriced (a bottle of La Carraia ""Fobbiano"", $36 in the store, at Calabria, $95!!!) but well chosen, and Tiramisu that hardly tastes of coffee or liquer at all. These are minor. What's major is GREAT, authentic Italian at very sane prices. If you haven't been, GO! more
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Best Italian on the East side 9/2/2002

Calabria serves great food in a very pleasent atmosphere. It has a very family owned feel with many regulars dining on any given night and the food to back it up. Every dish I've ordered has been very well made from appetizers to desserts. I would recommend it to anyone looking for great Italian food. Pros: great food and coffee, nice atmosphere, live pianist Cons: slightly spendy,, slightly dressy more
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Three out of six is not good 7/29/2002

We went to Calabria last Friday. The wine the waiter recommended was great. The evening went downhill from there. The Calamari Marinati was OK. The Fusilli Capreese was cold and had two flakes of Basil and a bland (canned?) sauce. The Penne Gorganzola was not bad. We waited an hour for our Entrees which were the low point of the evening. My wife ordered the Veal Marsala which was too tough to cut without a steak knife. I had the Manza Mosaico which appeared to be swiss steak (not as good as mom's) with a mushroom sauce. I'm pretty sure it was the same as the auce as thesauce on the Fusilli, with mushrooms added. NEVER AGAIN Pros: Waiter, Wine, don't have to go back Cons: Food, Flavor, Temperature more
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Portobello Gorgonzola 7/25/2002

If you only try one thing, you must get their ""Portobello Gorgonzola"" appetizer! I have this every time I eat there, and it is to die for. You can expect the rest of their food to be equally as tantelizing. Pros: Authentic, Great wine selection, Best bar in Kirkland more
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Menu for Calabria Ristorante Italiano


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Editorial

  • In Short
    Steaming plates of pasta are the specialty, but plan on ordering several courses. Start with calamari marinated in tomatoes, white wine and garlic. Order your favorite pasta and...

  • 10/5/2006 Provided by Citysearch
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