Worst Customer service ever experienced!
A friend and I went to this cafe on a Friday night. The place appeared busy at the front but had tables inside. Initially we were going to have a cocktail, and were told, quite bluntly, they did not do 'just cocktails'. We decided to eat there anyway. The waiter showed us to a table in the main restaurant, where we ordered cocktails and appetisers. From then on we were treated with the utmost of disrespect. We were approached around 5 times, by two separate staff members, to ask if we had decided on an entree. The menus were taken from us and then thrown back at us. The service became increasingly rude and when we eventually asked to speak to the person in charge to lodge our complaint, our unfinished appetisers were cleared and we were told to leave. I have never in my life been asked to leave a restaurant, least of all for little apparent reason than we wanted to be treated with respect and courtesy!    [03 Mar 2003 15:55:43]

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     ­Anonymous   

Who's This Guy?
I have been coming to the Calypso for several years and the staff is always wonderful. I have never known anyone to be asked to leave for no reason. Not only is the staff great but the food is excellent. For around $15-20 you will have a meal worthy of any resort or 5 star restaurant. All this with the atmosphere of Encinitas. What else could you want?    [06 Mar 2003 06:46:19]

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Recommended Dishes: Danamite Shrimp

     ­Mike   

I've eaten at Calypso several times, often for birthday or other special days. The food is generally stellar in quality - good, simple but not plain... superb fresh produce and imaginative preparations. Best of all, there is enough variety that a group including vegetarians, seafood lovers and meat eaters at the same table can all be happy. When it is busy, it is crowded and noisy and sometimes the service can be uneven. But... that's true anywhere. I try to go when it isn't going to be packed. There are three rooms if you count the outdoor front seats. The center room with the bar is where the live music plays, so if you want quiet, don't sit there.    [18 Apr 2003 19:22:07]

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Recommended Dishes: mussels, portobello mushrooms, salads, desserts

     ­Pamela, Carlsbad, CA   

Bizarre Management Practices
A buddy and I arrived at 7pm on Wednesday. There were two waitresses and a bartender working 20 people, 5 at the bar and 15 at the tables. Were seated pleasantly. The table was sticky dirty, so was the next one, never saw a table wiped. The beer selection was OK, no draft. The wine list was adequate and varied greatly in price. The food was good, $20 for an entree. I ordered a half a garden salad and the special - a bowl of soup and crab cakes. The waitress didn't alert me that the crab cakes came with a half a salad (I hate wasting food and money). The waitress brought a second beer. When we finished eating the check came without asking. We paid up and asked for another beer. We were told that table service at our table had ceased and we would have to get it from the bar. We went out for a smoke at 8:30 and our table was cleared and the chairs put on the table. The band was scheduled for 7-10 and were told to play until 9 unless the crowd was good. At 9 the crowd was good (20 in the barroom, 20 in the dining room) but the band was told to play one more. They played one more song 5 more times. I went there to hear the band and enjoyed it but the management practices are uncaring. Not a recommended room but a great band - Blue Largo is highly recommended for jazz/blues fans.    [02 Oct 2003 15:14:47]

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     ­Old enough to know one when I see one   

The Absolute Worst Service.
Let's just start with this statement: Never before have I tipped less than 12% for a meal no matter how bad the service ...but on this occasion, my tip on a $91.00 bill for two was ZERO..and you'll soon see that this was too much. The evening started out promising with an immediate table despite an almost overcapacity crowd (mostly there to see the band which was EXCELLENT (covering Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Young, and other classic folk rockers very well). Enough positives b/c besides the great bread and dipping sauce, this dining experience was as dismal and frustrating as it gets. Enter the waitress (name to be withheld out of respect--check that, out of, oh I don't know, embarrassment for her sake). 25 minutes after receiving two ice waters from the busperson, (who was very pleasant--obviously not mentored by this waitress) we ordered our bottle of wine and requested that we would like to start with the goat cheese salad. Our waitress responded with "I can't do that; you need to order your salad and meals at the same time because it gets very hectic around here". With no apologies for their lack of flexibity, she proceeded to stare at us with a condescending stare. After a surprisingly quick 10 minute wait, the waitress took our orders: the pork tenderloin for my girlfriend, and the fish special for myself (along with the salad of course). This is where it get's REALLY FRUSTRATING. After LITERALLY 45 minutes of waiting between our decent salad (highlight of the meal besides the bread), our waitress brings out our meals, the fish special and the filet mignon. My girlfriend quickly points out "I'm sorry but I actually ordered the Pork Tenderloin". "NO", the waitress responds argumentatively, "you ordered the filet mignon". "I know what I ordered!" my girlfriend counters as she quivers holding her increasing anger. My adrenalin increased too as I know this is ridiculous since she DOESN'T EVEN EAT RED MEAT! The waitress, with absolutely no hint of apology, responds "I wrote it down right here (pointing to us her notepad as if we thought she scribbled the order on her forearm)". My girlfriend finally
conceded that her efforts were fruitless and I proceeded to eat my fish and Kelli ate her vegetables. This is going long so I'll cut it short. The craziest aspect of the whole experience was that there was NEVER any apologies...not for the 25 minutes + intervals between contacts, not for the misunderstanding of the entree order of my girlfriend (Maybe the "Customer is always right" theory is not adhered to here), and for the many other sub par customer service examples of the evening (too many to write about). At the end of the night, we received our bill which included the $25 filet mignon that my girlfriend simply did not order. I am most horried at the fact that they did not even have the respect to not charge us for my girlfriend's entree (or at least charge us instead for the $23 pork tenderloin which she did order). Anyway, in conclusion my girlfriend and I both concur that The Calypso Cafe should serve as THE pinnacle of disgustingly bad customer service in San Diego County.    [15 Nov 2003 02:50:01]

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Recommended Dishes: Bread

     ­Dave   dhenry at onsitecompanies dot com

great food, but yes, weak service
I have eaten at Calypso several times as I am a north county resident. The food is what keeps me coming back. I have always been pleased with the creative menu as well as the cocktails. However, the service is lacking incredibly. I once waited 45 minutes for my tab - must admit, that did not leave a great taste for the end of the evening, however - I would still go back. You just gotta make sure you don't have a stressful evening planned.    [12 Jan 2004 14:17:18]

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     ­Anonymous   

Always Satisfied at Calypso
Wow, people are always eager to write reviews when they have had a terrible experience. This review is not meant to defend Calypso, just to offer another perspective. I have eaten at Calypso at least 15 times over the past 3 years. The service has always been caring even when the place has been packed. I have never had a Calypso waitress not apologize if it has taken a while for her to get to our table or if something was wrong with the food. I even had a waitress chase me out to my car after she found a $100 bill that had fallen from my pocket. The service is delightful, but it is even outshined by the food and entertainment. If you can't have a conversation because the music is too loud, consider yourself lucky. The talent playing at is always amazing.
My food and drink recommendations are as follows. The Sangria is stellar and pairs well with the entire menu. Its flavor and contents set a sublime mood to match the tropical ambiance. The Brie and Calamari strips are my favorite appetizers. The Classic muscles and Thai Muscles are divine. On more than one occasion I have watched friend's mothers sop up every last drop of the Thai muscle broth. The duck is probably the best dish on the menu. The pork chop will bring out the best in any Pinot Noir you order or bring in ($15 corkage charge). The Filet is a popular with my friends and the John Dory is my favorite fish plate ever.
To dine at Calypso is to do more than just fill your belly. Each experience feels like a mini-vacation, a trip to a tiny universe where international goddesses enchant you with divine flavors, a place where the Leucadian elders sip from the fountain of youth to regale us with fabulous stories and inspire with their legendary dance moves. The Calypso Café is an establishment meant for those with an adventurous zest for life. Every night is a celebration of food and music, not an exercise in convenience and efficiency. Go there with the right attitude and you will be rewarded with one of the finer dining experiences of your lifetime.    [11 Apr 2007 18:33:18]

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Recommended Dishes: The Duck and The John Dory

     ­Lucas