One star for the setting and ambiance. One for the fresh calamari. Everything else was a disaster and a big waste of money. Four of us went for a weekday lunch. We were splitting sandwiches and that seemed to offend the waiter. He asked 3! Times if we wanted another appetizer and expressed doubts that half of a $25 sandwich would be enough. As it turned out, we all wanted the Kobe beef French dip. Both sandwiches came on a weird, thick kind of bread. It had the texture of a biscuit. The"Kobe" beef was disgusting: riddled with fat, chewy, low quality. For$25, we expected a great sandwich! The red wine was just okay, but my friend said her Chardonnay had a terrible astringent finish. We were never asked how we liked our lunch and no water glass refills. It's too bad because it's a beautiful place, but they won't get our business again. read more

What a great way to cap off our day full of wine tasting. We called earlier in the day to make a reservation since it was a Saturday night. My boyfriend and I spent the day wine tasting and ended our tour at Callaway. After reviewing the menu we decided on having our dinner here. They had a live band and amazing views of the vineyards. They sat us right next to the window to enjoy the scenery. We started with the Caprese salads and Steak Frites both of which were incredible. The salad was beautiful and tasted so fresh. For our entree we shared the fig and prosciutto flatbread and it was amazing. Overall it was a great meal with incredible views and entertainment. We will be back again one day. read more

One of the best views in wine country & one of the most relaxing placing to sit down and enjoy tapas. Excellent choice of music streaming through the restaurant & a menu that is fun and unique. Executive Chef Mike Henry is creative with the small plate, big taste concept. His ceviche is very good and his arugula and pear salad with truffle vinaigrette and Goat Cheese Flatbread is awesome. read more

Meritage At Callaway - table side - New American Near Me - Temecula, California

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Food was good. Service was VERY slow!!! Waited ten minutes just to be seated. Rarely saw the waiter

-Terrible music choice - beautiful winery, Led Zeppelin? -Good appetizer cheese plate (hard to screw up I suppose) -Duck entree good, pork chop entree somewhat bland Overall, this restaurant experience was ruined by massive fans (the kind that blow wind), and horribly loud classic rock music. You go to Temecula to relax. Classic rock is not conducive to relaxing, especially at loud volumes. And the food was not a saving grace either. OK, but not great. read more

I love, love , love their ceviche. You won't find it anywhere. The menu is exotic but I love exotic. read more

Meritage At Callaway - My ceviche - New American Near Me - Temecula, California

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This was our first time here. We came here for lunch and someone who worked at another winery recommended this place. My friend and I ordered the chicken sandwich with fries and my wife ordered the salmon with pesto pasta. The chicken on the sandwich was SO rubbery and was cold. The rest of the sandwich was hot. I didn't know if the sandwich was supposed to be hot or cold. The sandwich didn't have much flavor besides the bacon. I tried a bite of my wife's pesto pasta and it was lacking in flavor as well. Needless to say their food is bland, chicken was rubbery, and overall lacks any flavor. We won't be coming back here. read more

This restaurant was my go to while I was a member at Callaway. Their chicharrones (sorry if I spelled it wrong) are life changing. Their tomahawk steak is divine. Of course their wine is great! Their lamb appetizer was delicious. The ambiance is great. Beautiful, garden like. On weekends they have live music usually. And the view is one you can't beat. read more

I was going to try Carol's (at Baily's) for lunch, but after reading the reviews on here, I'm so glad I decided on Meritage instead. The food was really yummy! We ordered the tempura calamari and steamed clams for appetizers. Both were to die for. My only complaint about the clams was that it came in a big bowl of delicious broth, most of which had to go to waste because we didn't have any bread to soak it up in. For our lunch, I split the veal, ricotta cheese and beef meatball pomodoro sliders, which was plenty for two people (especially with the appetizers). They were big and a little hard to eat, but so tasty I didn't care what I looked like eating them. The other person in our group had the lamb burger, which he said was good, but I didn't try it so I can't offer a review of it. My only real complaint was that the place was pretty loud (there were a couple of fairly large parties, to be fair) and the service wasn't very memorable. They brought us our food in a fair amount of time and were courteous, but not very personal. The patio and views were great though. Overall, I'd definitely go back! read more

Excellent service, a view of the vineyard and the vineyard hands carefully pruning each vine. My dad and I had the flatiron steak served wtih sauteed baby broccoli in lemon butter, over parmesan roasted potato wedges. My mom had the sturgeon over swiss chard and a rather salty sauce which the server quickly noticed she was struggling with and offered to replace the sauce and vegetables with something less salty. Excellent wine to boot, and generous pours (had the '06 Callaway Reserve Cab, which was one of the better wines I've tasted in a while) Great place & food, friendly and attentive service, and prices that don't break the bank! read more

I live in the Temecula area, almost eight-years a resident from NYC, where you can indulge in incredible cuisine almost anywhere in the city. This was a huge challenge moving to Temecula, until my husband & I discovered Meritage Restaurant at Callaway Winery. In fact during the first six months we lived in Carlsbad, we would travel once a week to Temecula because of the gloomy weather in Carlsbad. It was during one of those weekly visits we came across a true gem "Meritage Restaurant at Callaway Winery," the winery itself is breath-taking, but the restaurant truly goes above & beyond to deliver the absolute best. Additionally, the staff are friendly, accommodating, and eager to ensure you have a great experience across the board. Needless to say the restaurant became our weekly go-to. If you have not already tried the Duck Confit taco's, falling-off the bone short ribs (paired with the Petite Sirah) my fav, or the cactus & grilled shrimp salad (paired with Sauvignon Blanc), I urge you to; although, it would be quite difficult to try other equally delicious items because the forementioned are soooo yummy. It took at least four visits before I ventured into something new, because I was afraid I would not have the same experience, you know...it's like buying a CD & only two songs are good. But to my surprise everything I have tried has been amazingly delicious! And oh, one last item, the dreamy Kahlua infused Tiramisu, it lingers on the palate; you just won't want to let go! I also want to emphasize on the gracious service, because we all know, it's not always up to par with most restaurants, but Meritage Restaurant stands in a league of their own...they sincerely give the best customer service. The gist is that Meritage gets it right every single time...the food is amazing! In the humble opinion of a NYC foodie...they are hands down the best in the West! Eight-years later, they are still my fav! read more

We made the trip up to Callaway to pick up our bi-monthly wine club selections and decided to stop by Meritage for lunch afterward. It was a hot day and we were relieved that the restaurant was open-air and had large fans and misters to keep us cool. The menu featured several great specials. We decided to have the spring rolls as an appetizer. It was very large and tasted great though my wife took some of the mint out of her piece. I had the Cornish hen special and it was wonderfully prepared. My wife ordered the grilled Ono. Unfortunately, the fish was a little undercooked in the center. However, they cooked it a bit more and it came out still tasting delicious. Everything tasted very fresh and presentation was nice as well. For dessert we had the chocolate chile creme brulee. It was delicious! I loved how the chile would burn the back of my throat on the way down. It really complimented the chocolate. We'll be sure to visit again next time we have to come up and pick up our wine! read more

I would give it six if I could... Its my wife and I's favorite restaurant. Get the fresh bread and be sure to get the kobe beef cheesesteak. Everything is good here and be sure to taste the Fratello or the Old Vine Zin. Daniel is the best server as well so request for him. read more

As a local resident for one year and determined to try every restaurant in Temecula we were extremely happy that Meritage at Callaway was on our radar for today. The restaurant has a wonderful atmosphere and fantastic views. We did a late lunch at tried the tapas and was extremely pleased! The food came out hot and fresh with wonderful dipping sauces. We had the steak fries, tempura calamari and one the oddest sounding dishes which was wonderful - the proscitto with burnt strawberries - it took a few bites to like but wow was it good. In the 90+ degrees we went with their Sauvignon Blanc - it was refreshing and tasteful. Good food, good prices, great views - we are fans! The waiter told us they are changing menu's next week and we look forward to what their new offerings will be! read more

Amazing duck confit salad with 2017 Muscat Canelli wine. The service is impeccable and the views on a Sunday afternoon of the Virginia vineyards is idyllic. read more

4 of us here tonight listening to excellent music and eating yummy food. We came here to hear the musicians and will come back for the food, wine, and ambience. Tonight we ate caprese salad, gazpacho, spicy tacos, prime rib, cioppino, scallops, and gnocchi. Every single dish was outstanding. Lots of sharing around the table with poohs and yums. The portions were generous and the seasonings were delicious. I'm so planting tarragon soon. We will be back and will bring friends. read more

Meritage At Callaway - Delicious!!! - New American Near Me - Temecula, California

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The place is beautiful with great views of the valley and the vineyard from the restaurant. However the food tastes was inconsistent. Our appetizers that consisted of the calamari and green beans, quail knots and the ceviche were all very tasty. However all the poultry dishes were over cook ( duck confit salad and the roasted chicken). All other selections were good. The staff accommodated our bill regarding the poultry dishes. We will give them another chance and re- rate at that time read more

Excellent food and they allow dogs. Service was fantastic. Bella Rose Champagne was incredible. read more

We came here Sunday night to celebrate two birthdays. The appetizers were great and so was the entrees until they started to digest. I had the scallops and I got food poisoning. 3 others in our party had the brisket and basically had to "run" to the bathroom right after we left the restaurant. Needless to say it started out good but ended badly for half of our party. Most likely will not return to this restaurant. read more

Best sunset view in Wine Country, exceptional food, our favorite for the 14 years that we have lived in Temecula. Had the Bison Steak special that was one of the best cuts and preparations that I have tasted. My wife had the Hanger Steak (her favorite] and it was perfect as usual. A bottle of Calloway Winemakers Reserve perfectly complimented our entrees. Attentive and accomodating staff including a personal visit by the chef Joshua reinforced our opinion that Meritage the top dining experience in the valley. read more

We went for Mother's Day brunch. I am giving 2 stars because the view of the vineyard was beautiful. Aside from the awe inspiring view, everything else was below average; except for the price, the price was way above average for the quality of the food and the service we received. A couple of us ordered the fish of the day, yellow tail: fish was over cooked, enough said. We couple of us ordered the filet, which was drenched in a weird sauce, I've had many better filets. One of us ordered lamb chops, this was also over cooked. Worst of all, the service was slow. Our waiter was less than attentive. I would not recommend this place to any of my friends. read more

We came here for my sister's bachelorette party dinner. It was so fun! Jamie was awesome, she kept the wine coming, no one was with an empty glass! The food was amazing! It was so good we didn't even take pictures, we inhaled the food! 6 girls, 6 steaks and a salmon......plates were completely empty! The chef even came to our table to say hi which was really cool. read more

Great place for tapas and a bottle of wine. The views are amazing and the updates at Callaway make this a great stop at the end of a day of wine tasting. I'm giving four stars because service can be a bit slow...I do love this place a recommend it to everyone who wants a non-generic, romantic and yummy dinner in Temecula. read more

Awesome food. Met the chef, very talented guy. The service was great ask for Ian. Nice view and now we are ready to taste.

Absolutely incredible dinner experience on Saturday night! Our family celebrated birthdays and enjoyed every appetizer & every entree ordered. The bone marrow with escargot appetizer was especially amazing, the kale and shrimp salad was delicious, the duck l'orange was perfectly tender, and the oversized pork chop was very flavorful. I can't say enough good things about the staff...our server, maitre d, manager and other servers took very good care of us and made the night extra special. I loves this restaurant before and this last experience took it to a new level! Thank you Meritage from the Avila family! read more

Nope. Service was horrible, we hardly saw our server at all. Food sucked for the rediculous prices. I wouldnt mind paying that much if it was decent food. Dont ask for additional condiments like ketchup to make the potatoe wedges more edible..definetly wont work. Took almost an hour to get out food though they werent busy, people who came after us got theor food first. Didnt know it took that long to make a sandwhich and salad. Bread on said sandwhich was either to hard or soggy in places. Oh and we explained how we wanted to pay. Use the cash first then the split the card (a pain i know but simple enough). He decided to take the cash as a tip instead. read more

Lunch today at Meritage. Beautiful view of the vineyards. Food was very good. We had the pork belly BLT, LAMB, duck confit salad and cioppinno. Had a small misunderstanding of our bill and the manager handled it well. Staff all very accommodating. Of course the wine was good. Thank you read more

There's music, great food, and a nice casual atmosphere. My wife had the Cioppino and I had the scallops with a great ceviche to start us off. Travis, our waiter, was pleasant and attentive. read more

Meritage At Callaway - New American Near Me - Temecula, California

Went there for dinner with a group in Dec. 2018. The only good thing about it was the service, which was really exceptional. Found it to be rather pricey, but the food was less than mediocre. The fat was not trimmed from the steaks, and about 1/3 of each small steak was fat; the beef soup was greasy (needed to have some of the grease removed during the cooking process). The bread served with a seafood soup was inedible. A side of veggies was hardly anything more than grilled onion. The creme brulee was more like chocolate mousse with only the very faintest hint of torched sugar on top. I don't know if they had a substitute chef that evening, but it was so bad we felt like they were trying to pull one over on us. However, the wait staff were exceptionally good. I do not normally write bad reviews. read more

We stopped in for dinner for our first night in wine country, and it was a beautiful setting. I loved the openness of the dining area and being able to take in the views as the sun set. Our recommended wine pairings were on point, the calamari, steak, and crème brulé were all delicious. Unfortunately, the calamari gave me a terrible stomach ache (the only thing I ate that my husband didn't). I trust it was prepared properly, as it was delicious, but I'm thinking it might have been the sauce? Either way, the restaurant was overpriced, especially considering the side effects. read more

Jamie and George handled a table of 35 high school reunion revelers. View outside was awesome. Jamie kept everyone happy even when the kitchen disagreed on what a medium prime rib should look like. I would share more but I am falling asleep. read more

Food was awesome. Salmon was fantastic, the wine excellent, and the service was really special. Our server, Jamie was amazing. Made us feel very special . Loved this meal and place! read more

This place has amazing views, especially for our sunset date night. The wine was fantastic and so was the service. The food was ok, enjoyed the Quail nots but everything else seems kind of basic and my veal was undercooked. Next time we'll try Old Town. read more

Dirty and tired restaurant, bad wait staff - they all seemed to be asleep, inedible meatball dandwich - they were gamey and undercooked, Caesar salad was covered in gobs of dressing with no flavor. So many other choices. Disappointed we stopped here. Should have checked Yelp before choosing. Canned Diet Coke was the best part of the meal. read more

This restaurant has big ambitions but the kitchen and service staff do not have the skills to match. Our server pressured us to order appetizers and then promptly criticized my friend's husband for ordering bread for the table since many of us ordered sandwiches. The bread was dense and somewhat dry, which is probably why it was served toasted & buttered. My pork belly BLT sandwich was served on the same bread. The pork belly was so dry. I suspect it was overcooked and then kept warm or reheated. Similarly, the potato wedges (which were not the steak fries listed on the menu) served with the sandwich were also dry and again, I suspect cooked earlier & reheated. I ordered the sandwich because I was told the burger was only served well done. When another member of the group got the burger, she discovered it was still red inside. It took forever for them to bring a new burger. I asked for ketchup and hot sauce and was told there was none. "Nothing in bottles! We make everything in house!". The house made ketchup was ok, the habanero salsa was awful. The cannoli we ordered for dessert were awful and had a chalky aftertaste. We had to remind the waitstaff to bring plates for dessert and then remind them again to bring forks. The server then had the nerve to openly demand that we tell him how much cash he would receive as a tip before running two credit cards. Very rude. He was still given a generous tip. ADVICE to Meritage: stop worrying about making your own ketchup and learn how to cook burgers and other cuts of meat. Train your waitstaff. read more

I'd like to tell you all about the food or the sangria, but I never got to order. The music was great at least. I was seated at a table in the lounge area where other friends were already eating, and given a menu. Then became INVISIBLE for the next 60 minutes. At some point someone else's pork belly yucca tacos were brought out to me and I let the server know they weren't mine but I'd like to order. No one came back. Then later a busboy came to clear the glasses from my friends who had left by this time. I asked for a waiter. Yes right away. No one came. I eventually left to go find food in town. I only stayed that long to listen to the music. The music was terrific. Next time I'll bring a box lunch. read more

This one star review is for extremely poor service. We visited this restaurant on a Sunday afternoon. The manager had to get our drinks because our waiter was very slow. Twenty minutes our later our waiter is finally stoping by for a visit. Let's just say the service didn't get any better from there. The food is good but the staff and management are bad. I don't think anyone is interested in providing good service. read more

I never leave a review, but this one needs it. The worst food! Valentines dinner. I ordered caprese salad, lasagna, and chocolate covered strawberries!! Seriously, all were terrible!! How can one mess up on any of these? I complained to staff. Did not take any leftovers ( all lasagna) home. I absolutely would not recommend this place. $200 dinner for 2? They didn't even take anything off of the bill, just splashed some extra wine in my glass. Don't go!!! Just sayin! read more

We had the quail knots. While I love a spicy dish, these were literally painful to eat. Additionally the after taste of the quail leaves me concerned about getting sick later. Just didn't taste right. We also had the ceviche. The presentation was not appetizing as they used octopus, mussels clams and tuna. Not a good choice for ceviche- and the mussels almost made me . The Tuna tartar had a nice presentation but was void of any flavor- soy sauce would have helped but we were not offed any. I'd say go for wine tasting, but avoid the restaurant- it sucks! read more

Service was absolutely terrible. We had a reservation for 6:00pm, had ordered by about 6:20pm and got our food at 8pm. Apparently they had lost our food order or it hadn't been entered in the system properly. Their way of making up for the fact that we waited 2 hours for our dinner was to give us an 8% discount at the end. Some free food/wine would have been nice, but that didn't happen. As for the food, it was not impressive, especially for the hefty price tag. Warning, if you are vegetarian, don't bother coming here. The only vegetarian options on the menu were a couple of expensive, mediocre-tasting salads. How about pastas/fish? They also don't serve free house bread which is disappointing. We ordered some bread for the table (which still took over an hour to get to us) and it wasn't very good either. It has to be a very disappointing experience for me to bother writing a bad review. I'm usually pretty easygoing when it comes to poor service/boring food, but this was too much of both. The positive is the location of course. It is very beautiful up there. read more