I found this wonderful little place while looking for a light lunch spot. Saw MEDITERRANEAN and that's all I needed to know! What a cute little place! If you take the back steps to the upstairs door, you have to be careful to follow the directions. I was sat immediately by the window and was quickly greeted by a very nice young lady. I was torn between the octopus appetizer or the stuffed ravioli. I decided on BOTH, and good thing I did! The octopus was tender and had the most wonderful flavor as well as the mashed potatoes that accompanied it. The ravioli was also wonderful! You get a generous amount of raviolis but the shrimp was not skimped on! The plate was covered with deliciously and perfectly cooked shrimp. Not too raw. Not overcooked. The sauce was just amazing. I'm going to tell you I don't impress much when it comes to dining out. We most always say we could have done better, but not this time! I was so happy with both dishes. I also had a glass of sangria, which can sometimes be too sweet or too dry for my taste. This was perfect as well! The fresh fruit was perfect. I forced myself to save some to tKe home to my husband and he and our friend were also amazed at how much they liked the two dishes. We are planning another 2 hour trip to go back so I can introduce them to Caliza! Oh! I forgot to mention my waitress. The young lady was so sweet and offered her opinion of the dishes I was looking to try and she steered me in the right direction for sure. read more

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Unsuspecting, little cocina in the heart of downtown Galena. When you walk in the landing and climb up the steep flight of stairs you're met with the waft of Mediterranean smells that awaken all your senses. Quaint and lowly lit that brings a romantic, Sicilian vibe. The staff are attentive and helpful. Appetizer to start us off with the Tuna tartar-absolutely delicious. Our main courses were the grilled salmon and mushroom ravioli. First of all, we were graced with the Chef bring out our entrees. The grilled salmon was pan seared so when you took a bite the salmon was moist a cooked perfectly but then you got a little crunch. The mushroom ravioli was the unexpected hidden gem on the menu. WE NEED THE RECIPE!! It was so good...not too much of anything, flawlessly seasoned, the sauce was just the right consistency, and the ravioli...oh my goodness side note: I ordered French fries because I love fries, and although very good, they paled in comparison. Overall, this will be on our list every time we visit Galena! We can't wait to come back and try something different. We'll probably get the tuna tartar and the mushroom ravioli for appetizers. 10/5 stars!! read more

Best place to get classy meals in Galena. Caliza has Mediterranean cuisine of which is mostly Greek and Italian. It's pasta and that kind of stuff. Also has plenty to drink of course. The food is pretty expensive but it's great quality. A climb up the stairs to get here. It's not a big place so it's usually not great for large groups or parties. There's still quite a few tables. A lot of great things to drink. It's just beer and wine though. It's about $9 for a glass. This of course always goes great with a pasta. A pretty limited amount of stuff to eat for vegetarians but there's a few options. It's about $20 for the vegan option they tell you to ask about, so they have something thankfully. As for the rest of the menu, they have appetizers. These include hummus, olives, and other shareables. For sure it's one of the nicest places around here. It's located on the corner of Main and Perry. They're closed Wednesdays. read more

Caliza Mediterranean Cuisine - Cabernet Sauvignon And The Vegan Pasta - Mediterranean Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Our first time here and did not disappoint. Staff were friendly and did a fantastic job checking in on us. We ordered the carpaccio and wow! Not only was it delicious but the portion they served was amazing. On to the dinner service. I ordered the Atlantic salmon and sautéed vegetables. It was cooked excellent and veggies were seasoned well. My husband ordered the lasagna and it was delicious. The portions for both of our entrees were perfect. Maps was directing us to go off Main and to the alley. You can access from Main, head up the stairs and you're in. We not only recommend but we will also be back. read more

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Whatever you do avoid at all costs. It was the biggest rip off of my life. The calamari were thin little dried up calamari rings, a plate of maybe 15 of them for $17. It was the worst calamari of my life and a tiny portion. The lasagna was overcooked noodles. You couldn't even tell there were noodles. They were so soft and starchy. They were the opposite of aldente . And it only had hamburger meat. There was no flavor no basil no nothing. It tasted like canned lasagna from Chef Boyardee. And it was extremely expensive. We got the Mediterranean chicken plate, which in the Yelp it shows kebabs, but they served it all loose small pieces of dark brown meat hardly any meat at all and a smear of hummus on the plate like they took a butter, knife and put about a 10th of an ounce of hummus. These guys are very greedy in their portions and they charge a ton of money and the food taste like absolute garbage. The people next to me, we're eating the Alfredo noodle noodles or something, and it just looked like they took heavy whipping cream and put it on spaghetti. It was just white cream. It looked totally barf Disgusting. Going here with the biggest regret of my year so far because it cost over $100 for this garbage and I had to go to get a burrito afterwards because I was starving when I got done with this hell hole read more

Went there for lunch for the first time today. Grilled salmon was perfectly prepared and delicious as were the accompanying roasted vegetables. Pasta dishes looked terrific. Will definitely be back. If you're visiting Galena, don't pass up this gem. read more

Amazing food. Couldn't recommend higher. Worth the stop for dinner or lunch. Great staff. read more

My 2 friends and I were thrilled with the food at Caliza! We started with Croquettes, had the grilled chicken and mushroom sauce tenderloin. I cannot overstate how fresh and delicious this food was. Will highly recommend to everyone however I am jealous to keep this my little secret - it's that good! read more

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Excellent food, staff in a warm/cozy setting! Dinner with another couple and we all had different dishes. Each one was delicious and so much so that we are all having cravings to go back and try a different dish! So glad we have another terrific restaurant to choose from. Shhh, try to keep it a secret. read more

Great service and great food . We had the fish of the day: light and flavorful. Fantastic lemon potatoes . Really enjoyed the cocktails too . Halloumi appetizer was very tasty . Easy to converse and not too loud . Recommend for dinner . read more

Tasty dishes - get the tomato salad with dried figs and pine nuts. Pleasant atmosphere. Cozy environment.

The service and ambiance was amazing! The food was amazing! The New York strip was perfectly cooked and the flavor and quality were unreal. A very welcome gem to galena that will become a regular staple for us. read more

Very friendly, a bit hard to find. Food was very good and fresh but pricey for what you get

Only been here once as it just opened. But the tuna tartare, beef soup, and 3 lettuce salad were all excellent. read more

Caliza Mediterranean Cuisine - Tuna tartare. Excellent. - Mediterranean Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Absolutely the best! Beautiful presentation and fabulous favor on the beef carpaccio and the octopus appetizers paired with a bottle of the Greek white Assyrtiko. We'll definitely be back for dinner soon! Family run , small, quaint and warm atmosphere. read more

Quality food and great flavor. Service was excellent! Beautiful restaurant relaxing and calm. The music was not fitting to the ambiance maybe some Frank Sinatra or something similar more calming and relaxing. That's personal preference though. Overall good experience. read more

Caliza Mediterranean Cuisine - Chicken Kabob, hummus, and quinoa. - Mediterranean Near Me - Galena, Illinois

Great new place in Galena. Food was delicious - ham croquettes melted in my mouth. The prime beef linguine was very flavorful - split the plate with my friend and was perfect lunch portion. Crème brûlée was delicious - very light and creamy with a beautiful burnt sugar crust. Highly recommend - well worth the prices. read more

How about absolutely fabulous! The kind of restaurant that makes you want to eat there two days in a row or three times if ur in town for a week. Octopus appetizer over mashed potato for appetizer, grilled chicken skewers with Tsatzki (spelling??), delicious, CRÈME BRÛLÉE for dessert. Yes, we will be back. read more

We had a truly exceptional evening at Caliza, and it was due in no small part to Natalia and her father (owner/chef) Gregory. From the moment we walked in, we felt genuinely welcomed and well cared for. Their hospitality was warm, attentive, and sincere--exactly the kind of service that turns a great meal into a memorable experience. The food was absolutely terrific--beautifully prepared, full of flavor, and clearly made with care and pride. Every dish was thoughtfully executed, and it was a joy to share the experience with good friends around such outstanding food. Caliza is the kind of place that reminds you why dining out can be special: excellent cuisine, gracious service, and an atmosphere that makes you want to linger. Gregory and Natalia have created something truly special, and we can't wait to return. Highly recommend! read more

The food was amazing! The croquettes, octopus appetizer, chicken kebabs, catch of the day and beef were great. Great service too.

Very simple "starter menu" for this new eatery. Both the shrimp farfalle as well as the lasagna bollonaise (sp?) were made from fresh ingredients, were brought out piping hot, and were very tasty. The Mediterranean salad was enjoyable as well. Service was friendly and impeccable. Ambiance with background music, was pleasant. Chef as well as the owner, stopped by to ask how we enjoyed our meals. We'll definitely be back! read more

Everything about this place is amazing. The decor was very nice and felt warm welcoming. The owners were involved with every step of the way. I had the beef stroganoff and it was mouth watering. I'm definitely going back for that. 2 people in our party ordered the sweet corn spaghetti and all they did was rave about it with each bite. Another had the chicken kabobs and he had nothing left on his plate. I would definitely recommend this place for a great experience. , 5 stars we even had appetizers that were so good. The fried cheese with jam I will have again that's for sure. And a tomato basil salad that was delicious. The potato crochets were yummy too. We must go back because we left no room for dessert. read more

This was not that great. I ordered the tomato salad, and it only had one type of tomato, and the plate was made up of about 95% tomatoes. It said it came with provolone cheese, but there was only about 10 pieces of provolone cubes that were the size of pencil erasers. Very lame salad with no greens, and the dressing was too thin. I don't think it had three figs in it. Or ten pine nuts. We also had an order of ratatouille, and for seven dollars, it had about seven thin slices of vegetable stacked on a tiny plate. The prices make you think you'll get something upscale, but it is lackluster. Decor is cute, the waitress was friendly. Four of us at the table all ordered different things, and none of them were impressive enough to go back again. read more

We popped in unexpectedly not knowing what to expect, visiting from Chicago. This meal was one of the highlights of the trip: fresh, flavorful, unique- every bite was delicious. The staff working here is so pleasant and friendly! Best meal we have had in a long time. Would love to come back on another trip! read more