CALI — Restaurant in Tampa

We arrived at Cali after driving by for months, the restaurant had two other tables seated, one of which had already ordered. There was an ample amount of staff that day so I’m not really sure where this visit went wrong. We ordered the house fresh juices to start, we tried to order however she said we can order when she came back, the waitress brought out the wrong drink for me, however got my husband’s correct nonetheless they were decent drinks. She then disappeared as guests channelled in, eventually came back and the restaurant was at 80% capacity inside and out. We called her over she took our order, which then took 45mins to arrive, with only 3 other tables being served before us. Ive ran a kitchen that operates from scratch, there is no need for that amount of wait time for the food we received, with no updates in between, kindly let your guests know, that your kitchen is behind. Offer starters if you must. I have two toddlers so it can get ugly really quickly, especially on a 45min wait. The food arrived and it was so mediocre, honestly Ive read the reviews they appeared decent but this is not it for us. The fruit was dull, ginger pancakes were doughy and minimal ginger, syrup was watery, I asked for over medium and received over easy, no big deal I tried them regardless. Cali is a 1 and done restaurant as far as...

I went to Cali for lunch recently. Here’s what I thought:

Ambiance: Cali is simply and nicely decorated on the inside. The inside space feels very clean and welcoming. I didn’t look at their outdoor seating, but it looked like they had a nice outdoor seating area.

Restrooms: The restrooms were nice and clean. They had two single use bathrooms.

Service: Our waitress was super friendly and welcoming. She gave good recommendations on what to eat. Our food came out quick.

Food: They have tons of healthy options on the menu. I also thought their prices were very reasonable for the quality of the food. If you love healthy food options - come here! I tried their ‘Spicy Rio Burrito’, it was a burrito filled with turmeric rice, black beans, roasted corn, cheddar cheese, guacamole, cilantro, sambal, tomatillo salsa, and lime Caesar. It was delicious! I asked for the salsa on the side and it was the perfect amount of heat. It came with a side which I felt the wrap didn’t need. I ordered their roasted broccoli as my side and I couldn’t eat it all because I was so full from the burrito. My fiancé had their ‘Sooo…. buff’ bowl and loved it.

We will definitely come back for a yummy, quick and healthy food option!

Instagram:...

Update: So unfortunately management has decided to turn dinner service into a sit down restaurant with traditional waitstaff. This takes my family's dining time from a previous 30 minutes to over an hour. Service was both very kind but unfortunately also very slow. I still love the food but I won't be back for dinner. I know the saying is overused, but don't fix it if it isn't broken.

Original review: This place is absolutely fantastic. I actually waited until I had been here a few times to leave a review because it was so good the first time... I thought they wouldn't be able to repeat it.

I've tried 5-6 of the different bowl options and have yet to find one that I don't like. They are all very unique and provide varying flavors and textures. Great job on the menu design. I especially like the coconut rice that your fellow Ciccio restaurant Fresh Kitchen has somehow forgotten how to make.

The service is something that was genuinely unexpected. The service staff are extremely attentive and kind. Jackie (sp?) is especially fantastic and helps get our silverware and even drink...