Calle Ocho

I commented on 6/14/06 that service needs improvement and on my repeat visit on 8/30/06 I was really impressed to notice a marked improvement in the service. The wait staff was not scurrying around the room, as I commented in the last visit. It is encouraging to note that the restaurants pay attention to the comments in these columns . We were promptly seated to a table of our choice, and received prompt and attentive service from the wait staff. We ordered the lobster ceviche, and tamal as appetizer and Paella and Lamb chops as entrees. The food was excellent, precisely prepared to our order and very artistically presented. The only suggestion I would offer is to trim the extra tenticles from the lobster because that would render the Paella more pleasing appearance within the serving plate. The Merlot wine suited our pallate well with the food.

You would never expect looking at the front what it looks like inside. A small lounge/bar area up front then leads through a hallway to a huge high ceiling open dining room. You do not feel like you're dining in NYC. Great food, very creative and good pairings. Service was great.

I have been to Calle Ocho about 8 times and each and everytime has been better than the first and different Alex the Chef is very personable and you can see he love what he does and it shows in the food presentation , flavor and awesome taste. The mojitos best in town-coconut mojito WOW! Have taken numerous friends and they have all loved the atmosphere. The bar is jumping great cocktail area with colorful sitting arrangments and great latin music booming! Yes, the rolls are special and delicious and a great way to start the dinner courses. The room is spacious and tropically colorful. The patrons are of all types, families with kids, friends and lovers. I recommend this restaurant hole heartly. Great place to impress a date, to have great drinks and good food. Great for special occassions. If, could afford it , I would eat there every week. YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.

This is our neighborhood spot to sip sangrias and martinis... without feeling like we need order anything else... but if you don't what a mistake! Having spent 10 years in Los Angeles... we haven't been able to find real baha tacos... until now. The huge tray ao grilled chicken, shrimp, pork and beek arrived with a stack of freshly made mini corn tortillas and all of the sides.... at 22 bucks, it ain't cheap, but this was easily a dinner for two... a lot of food, and absolutely terrific.

Room is cavernous and simply decorated, ceiling looks like an ocean wave created with wooden strips. Tables are well placed for servers to move around without bumping into customers. Atmosphere is mellow with mild caribbean music and noise level is not annoying. Food preparation and presentation is very good. I had ceviche, Puerto Rican style grilled shrimps and plantains, these were all very good. Service needs work. I was seated promptly and courteously but I noticed that wait staff was scurrying around a lot in the room but I had to wait about fifteen minutes before any one attended to me and same thing occured in between the courses. The room was about sixty percent full. I did not understand why my wait staff from the south-west corner of the room was attending to customers at the north-east corner and vice versa. I noticed this criss cross service through out the (huge) room. Overall value for the price is a little on the high side, but I liked the restaurant a lot and will go back again with some friends, soon.

I've been here twice, its amazing. The rolls are delicious, dinner is soo good, ther service was great both times. And coconut mojitos are delicious!

Went there last night for our anniversary and the entire experience was incredible. The food (especially the prawns and calamari) were great. Their mojitos and sangrias are the real deal and the service couldn't have been better. He was aptly attentive without being intrusive -- which we appreciated.