Nightmare Dining Experience: An Avoidable Disaster I regret to share my recent experience at Calissa, which was an absolute disaster from start to finish. The service, or lack thereof, was nothing short of appalling. The waitstaff seemed to have no concept of personal space, interrupting our meal every two minutes with unnecessary inquiries and interruptions. To make matters worse, within a mere 15 minutes of our arrival, we were sternly informed that unless we placed an immediate food order, we would be forced to leave. This blatant lack of patience and understanding only set the tone for what was to come. The inclusion of the tip in the bill was a baffling decision, as the service we received did not warrant any gratuity whatsoever. The exorbitant prices for subpar dishes further added insult to injury. The quality of the food left much to be desired, failing to live up to even the most basic expectations. The final straw came when we attempted to address our concerns with the manager. Instead of providing any semblance of customer service, the manager rudely insisted that we vacate the premises. Despite clearly explaining the numerous issues we encountered during our meal, he showed no interest in rectifying the situation or salvaging our dining experience. It is disheartening to realize that this establishment only values customers who are willing to spend exorbitant amounts of money. For those seeking a genuine dining experience and fair treatment, I strongly advise against patronizing Calissa. Save yourself the disappointment and frustration by exploring other options that prioritize customer satisfaction. I've never dealt with a more rude manager in my entire life! read more

As someone who continues to visit the Hamptons in the fall (hello, best time ever to go - no crowds and weather is divine) I was pleased to see that Calissa will stay open. This place really has two faces: the Saturday/Friday night restaurant, when the bar is flooded with pretty people (typically the crowd skews more European/international) and a fair sprinkling of sugar daddies listening to the DJ, sometimes dancing, sometimes chilling outside smoking and playing backgammon. Then there's the cozy weekday nights when the staff have a little more time to discuss the menu, the food, the specials etc. The food is really the star here. As someone who really values quality sourcing and ingredients I always feel good about ordering local montauk fish and simply grilled veggies. For all my annoying gluten free girlfriends the menu is pretty much entirely gluten free (even the calamari, which is insane and a must-order) save for the pastas. Cocktails always look great but I typically talk to the sommelier and get a few bottles of Greek wines. What I love about this wine list is there is sort of something for everyone here in terms of pricing: you can get a magnum of rose for a normal price, or splurge on a super-allocated bottle from Napa. Given the choice, I would probably prefer to visit on maybe a Thursday night when the crowds aren't insane. That being said, given the dearth of "nightclub" type places in Southampton I might stop by on a Friday night just for the scene.... read more

I've been to Calissa before as a diner during the summer several times; it never disappoints. The whole grilled fish, cocktails, live music and general vibe are all great and does feel like you're in Europe/Mykonos rather than in The Hamptons. It seems to be a big spot for bachelorette parties as well especially on Saturday nights when they have a DJ spinning outside. I came here this weekend for an intimate wedding (they were calling it a 'mini mony') with just a handful of guests that was a full buyout of the restaurant. The food was seriously amazing. I've been to a lot of Hamptons weddings and typically it feels like the food is beautiful but kind of an afterthought - not at Calissa. Same deal with the wine - we had an interesting Greek wine and something from Sicily which was delicious paired with the meal. The service was something more akin to dining in a restaurant (makes sense) vs. the typical "catering staff" that is so common at venues. That makes a big difference! My boyfriend is Gluten Free and has some other dietary restrictions and they were beyond accommodating and talked us through each course. The amazing tent was the cherry on the sundae as it was not only gorgeous with custom lights (that matched the style of the interior), a see-through top (could legit see the stars which was so so cool) and actually functional heaters that made the whole evening pleasant and - most importantly - very safe for all. read more

First, I'll start by saying how beautiful this restaurant is. They hit the nail on the head with the ambiance and greek style furniture and decor. The inside of the restaurant is chic and lit by candles and woven lighting, but there is also ample seating outside in the Garden, which is where you want to sit anyway! When you enter and see the bar packed with beautiful people, you know you are in a "Hamptons Hot Spot". Everything we tried was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend the cheese saganaki and the grilled octopus. The greek dips sampler is a nice option to try a few different mezzes, and it's actually quite large. What I will say about pricing: yes, this restaurant is not cheap (nothing is in The Hamptons though - there are worse restaurants believe me) - but at least you're getting good value for your money here at Calissa. The cocktails are thoughtful, the portions of food are large, the ingredients are sourced well (especially the fish, but the meats also come from a small farm upstate) and the wines are really unique and top quality. Reservations are definitely recommended, as it seems the restaurant is always busy! I would recommend making a reservation well I advance. However I spoke with one of the owners as we were leaving and she kindly gave us a tip: try reserving online the day of your reservation. There are sometimes random tables that open up very last minute - great to know! read more

Have been hearing about this spot for years, and was able to book in advance this summer. Was trying to see what their specialty was, but now I've tried a few things I can recommend what I thought was really the best. This is primarily a Greek restaurant, specializing in seafood and great appetizers. You should try all the seafood on the menu. Even the Olive Oil is amazing, the server said was from Crete, I would buy! The decor is very sophisticated and chic. I noticed the tropical plants inside and outside, kind of made me felt like I was outdoor in the Mediterranean in a way - I like it! Calamari- lightly fried, comes with two delicious sauces. Gluten free. Grilled Spanish Octopus- really amazing, the texture and taste was really top. Never tasted any octopus like this. Must get. Comes with some hummus and a really great little salad. Crudos -I only had a bite, Great as appetizers. The pineapple relish was a nice touch. Branzino for two-the fish was fresh and was cooked just right to absorb the butter sauce. Very flavorful and I hope to try the grilled ahi next time. Steak-we had medium rare, everyone really liked it. Baklava- traditional dessert, hard to share but you will really want it all for yourself. Greek yogurt- the organic yogurt was super addicting, my favorite dessert here. Must get. I was very impressed and will come back to try the rest of the seafood . read more

So we really wanted to try something new and thought it would fun and adventurous to go to Calissa on its opening weekend. I try to avoid new places that open at least for a few weeks to let them work things out, but we just took a gamble. For a new place, though, this place was really great -- the service was excellent. There were little things but nothing coming close to being a flat out mistake. I have to say that the decor is beautiful from the couches right out front to the seat swings to the decorations inside. The scheme and colors and fabrics just seem to transport you to the Greek isles. I saw they had some outdoor space too but it was just a tad chilly to sit outside when we were there. For the food, we had a couple of the dips, the one with eggplant and kafteri which were so so good. Then we had the salted baked sea bass which was really juicy. The fish was just so tender and we took home what we could not finish. Finally, our party had the lobster bucatini. The pasta is a thick spaghetti and the sauce was just slightly hot. It was nice to have a half lobster. If we were not such a nice restaurant, I think someone in our party would have pulled out the rest of the lobster meat in the head. Great place and I look forward to dining here again. read more

Wow, Calissa is THE place to be in the Hamptons. Came here with a group of girlfriends Saturday night. We've been coming for years, so I knew it would be a fun night. But Calissa has totally kicked it up a notch this year. We loved the whole grilled fish so much, it was an enormous amount of food and I was surprised that we were able to finish it! I don't eat pork, but my friends also ordered the big roasted pig and they were raving about it. My appetizer of choice was the watermelon salad, which was refreshing. We ordered a bottle of rose with dinner and started with martinis, then had espresso martinis with dessert (baklava and cookies). Everything was fabulous. We were celebrating a 45th birthday, and the birthday girl's husband surprised her with a table for bottle service following dinner. We treated her to a huge bottle of champagne (and we were even able to order fried calamari, zucchini chips and fries to our table for late night nibbles). It was a night to remember. read more

We've been coming to Calissa for many years and are so happy to have a beautiful restaurant with delicious food open year round. I celebrated my husband's 40th birthday with a large group of friends as a private party in Calissa's Garden space last summer and it was so perfect - we had a Chef carving a whole lamb, aperol spritz cart, and lots of tray passed Greek appetizers. Most recently, we visited the restaurant for the New Years Eve party, where we ordered champagne, slow cooked lamb shank, a couple of dips, greek salad, and the branzino (my favorite thing on the menu, it's a huge portion of fish and just the highest quality you can imagine). The restaurant does get very busy in the summer, when big name DJs come to play outside for crowd of people, but the off-season has more a relaxed, lounge-y vibe to it. Whether you're dining at 8pm on a Saturday night in August or in the middle of the winter, the food is always outstanding and the service so kind and gracious. read more

We came to Calissa to celebrate another couple's 25th wedding anniversary. Though The Hamptons are a bit quiet during this time, Calissa was happenin' on a Saturday night - I think there was a private event or dinner going on in one of the rooms, as we saw a large number of people at the bar after our dinner. We really love Greek food and usually seek out Mediterranean/Italian whenever we travels so the menu was perfect. The other couple we were with are really into wine and picked Calissa based off of their Wine spectator award. I don't drink but seemed like they were pleased with the offerings. If I had to recommend 1 thing I would say to get some of the vegetable sides and salads. If you are doing Whole 30/are gluten free, dairy free vegan vegetarian etc. it is easy to find accommodations here. The server was very patient in explaining the ingredients in each item and seemed like she was well informed on the menu. A great part of the weekend. read more

We first visited Calissa in the middle of summer when the place was buzzing with energy, music, and big tables of people sharing long Greek dinners. We recently went back during the off-season and were amazed at how special it felt in a completely different way. The dining room was warm and cozy, the service was attentive without being overbearing, and the food was just as incredible as we remembered. We started with spreads and warm pita, then shared the grilled whole fish and a Greek salad that tasted unbelievably fresh. Everything felt simple but perfectly executed, the kind of food you want to keep eating even when you're full. The wine list is fantastic and the staff helped us pick a bottle of Greek white that paired beautifully with the meal. Calissa somehow manages to feel like both a lively summer destination and a truly great restaurant the rest of the year. We left already talking about when we're coming back. read more

I dined at Calissa recently with the fiancé. We are looking at several venues in the Hamptons for our upcoming wedding. This one happens to be a bit further west than the others. We heard through friends that the food was exceptional so decided to stop by on a recent weekend trip out East. It was busier than we expected at 7pm on a Saturday night in early October. We were still able to sit down without reservations and too much wait time at the pretty marble bar. I had some white wine from Greece at the sommelier's recommendation (I think Assrytiko from the isle of santorini). Hubby had a whiskey from upstate NY also by recommendation. BOth very good. They have a cute patio in the back thats' actually pretty large and might make a great wedding venue pending availability. Service was good and they sent us some champagne to celebrate recent engagement. Overall nice restaurant and good experience. read more

Over past 2 years my numerous trips to calissa have consistently exceeded my expectations; I'm actually shocked that it took this long for me to write a review. Every aspect from the decor to the food to the wine list has evidently been carefully curated and gives the impression of attention and presence that seems to be lost to many other restaurants in the Hamptons. The vibe is a cross between hamptons chiq/upscale city/and Greek island. All the food is amazingly delicious and definitively geared towards localLy sourced/healthful and veggie forward. I often recommend my friends come on a weekday if they are looking for a more quiet dining experience as the weekend evening tend to get rowdy on occasion (in a good way!). Favorite menu items are the octopus and chicken and you can't forgot to get a ton of mezze/sides. Hoping that this place stays around for a while. read more

Our party of 5 had such a cozy, thoughtful and delicious night at Calissa. The entire team was welcoming and kind, from beginning to end. We enjoyed the lamb youvetsi (a traditional greek wintertime dish), loukaniko sausage, yemista (stuffed peppers with lamb and spices), whole branzino (superb) an a vegetable moussaka for the vegetarian at the table. we kept appetizers light with greek salad and a couple of greek dips (the artichoke labneh was a standout). We enjoyed an American Syrah that the sommelier selected, but noticed a lot of interested greek, natural, and orange wines to try next time. Another star of the night was actually the organic greek yogurt that we had for dessert. The space is mediterranean but with some autumnal touches, the pumpkins and lots of fall flowers outside really set the vibe. we'll definitely be back and will be ordering takeout as well. read more

If you're looking for great authentic Greek food, but don't want to drive to Astoria or take the jitney into NYC, check out one of my favorites places right here in Water Mill. Calissa has a really cool bar vibe and the decor is Hamptons comfortable-chic..perfect place for a date, dinner with the family or Happy Hour drinks at the bar with friends. On my most recent visit, I had a delish Greek salad, which was topped with a huge slab of feta cheese and bursting with fresh vegetables. Had to be one of the best I've ever had!! My main course was lamb chops - grilled to perfection! My date's lobster ravioli special was so good that I was only given a fork full to sample, but Yum!! Everything down to the spanakopita and zucchini chips were amazing!! Nevermind, the warm and friendly service...we will be back very soon!! read more

We dined at Calissa during opening weekend, and it far exceeded all reasonable expectations for an opening. The food was delicious, the service was outstanding, and the atmosphere was beautiful and lively. The best dish was the rotisserie brisket, which was one of the tastiest pieces of meat I've ever encountered. I would bet money that this will be summer '17's Hamptons hotspot, and I'm excited for my next visit! In terms of improvements, I would've preferred the vegetables to have been served with the entrees rather than beforehand. Also, the lighting was a little askew, but that should be an easy fix. Lastly, I tried a few of the house specialty cocktails and wasn't blown away by any of them. All in all, Calissa is an extraordinary new Hamptons restaurant. Highly recommended. read more

I keep saying, 'this is my favorite places in the Hamptons' ...but this is truly my favorite places in The Hamptons. My husband and I are definitely foodies and this is the best Greek food we've had outside of Greece, well, ever. The complete menu is crafted from the most select ingredients (many from small farms) to create the perfect dish. Even the cocktails had more thought put towards them than most restaurants you'll enjoy. We like to order seafood when available and we're convinced the branzino from Canary Islands was the best fish either of us had ever tasted. The salt baked Montauk bass was a five star meal itself but still couldn't touch the branznio. Please get every step of the meal (appetizer, salad, main and dessert), you won't stop talking about it! read more

Best spot in the Hamptons for dinner and fun. The ambience of the restaurant is so much fun. Definitely worth reserving a table to watch the DJs and Bands play! I already reserved a table for July 8th to see Joshua Henry preforming for Broadway Out East. To start we ordered the Tzatziki and Kafteri. It was delicious. The heirloom tomato Greek salad and crispy calamari were perfect for the table. For an entrée, I got the strip steak, and my friend got the lamb chops! We ordered the mixed grill platter for the side. I would recommend all of them they all are delicious! The cocktails were amazing!! We ordered the Casanova and the long con. If looking for a fun night and tasty/ unique drinks go to Calissa! Overall, 5 stars. Can't wait to come back on the 8th! read more

I went last night to the newly opened and freshly renovated Greek Restaurant in Water Mill Calissa. The restaurant just opened a few days ago and remarkably the staff was well organized and attentive. I was at this place several years ago when it was another restaurant. What a remarkable and impressive change. I started off with the Lyra drink which had gin, jalapeño and cucumber in it. Excellent. The food was delicious. We shared several of the appetizers and for an entree the salted encased fish. Looking around this seemed to be a house specialty. The fish was moist and delicate. Loved it!!! What I also enjoyed was the vibe. Great atmosphere with people at the tables, bar and lounge areas having a good time. I am looking forward to my return visit. read more

A warm high-end Greek restaurant with rustic charm and amazing food. We stumbled upon this place by accident and by the end of the evening, it was one of the best dining experiences of our trip. The place was packed on a Saturday night so we were lucky to get two seats at the bar right away. The service was quick and friendly and the staff understood the value of great customer service. In addition, the food was fantastic. Calissa specializes in high end seafood dishes (You won't find fish sticks here). The fish here is so fresh and comes directly from Montauk, a short drive away, brought in by local fishermen. They also have a great wine selection. Calissa is superb - its charming, romantic and delicious. We can't wait to go back. read more