Calilou

Calilou is no longer open to the public. It is still available to rent for private functions, however. Inquire next door at Island Pasta Company for details.

My boyfriends job held their annual Christmas party here over the weekend. As soon as we walked in there were servers walking around to offer us fried plantains, spring rolls, and empanada’s. It was good, but not great. I think it would have been better had the food been hotter.
They set up tables in the back and we had a dinner serving buffet style. Salads, bread, beans/​rice, chicken, pasta, and fish was all available for our choosing. Again, it was all very good, but it was only luke warm. We were served cheesecake and flan for dessert which were both excellent! The cheesecake was creamy and not too sweet. I am not sure if it is part of their regular menu or something they did just for us.
Overall they were wonderful hosts, and my criticism comes strictly from the temperature of the hot foods.

Good apps and the sangria was decent. I think the waiter was decent, but it seemed like the portions could have been bigger for the price paid. The atmosphere was standard modern/​not too risky. I felt a meh when I left, so not that much to write about.

This was a great place to hang out with friends. The atmosphere was trendy, bordering on elegant. Massive chandelier over the bar was quite impressive to me. We ordered every single tapas item on their menu to share with the group. Everybody had their own favorite, which says something about the variety and quality of the food. I enjoyed the crab Rangoon, the tostones, the pork dumplings in a coconut-​based sauce, the prosciutto paired with melon and many others. I’m not a fan of spicy food, but my friends enjoyed the stuffed jalepenos.
The dessert was delicious. They had a chocolate fondue with delicious strawberries, pound cake, and other items to dip that was a favorite among the group. We enjoyed the cheesecake and flan as well.
I think they need a few more waiters, but our waiter/​bartender was very pleasant and capable.
Great atmosphere, great classic jazz, and great food. I would definitely return.

Drinks were quick and good. Food was tasty, and eccentric; I realize this is a Tapas bar, but I still think the portions were a little small. Prices were reasonable. Atmosphere was quiet but not too quiet. Up to date. I would go back.

My boyfriend and I have walked past this bar in Downtown Melbourne several times and have never been interested in stopping in. A deal came across on Groupon so we thought it was time to give it a shot. When we arrived there were about 15 people in the entire restaurant/​bar. The atmosphere was decent with candlelit table, dim lights, and jazz music playing. We waited 15 – 20 minutes before someone even came to the table. Once he took our orders it took about 15 minutes for the drinks (we had sangria, it was okay), then another 20 minutes for the tapas. We ordered the bruschetta, sandwich, cheese, and tuna tartare. It was okay food but nothing fabulous. By the time we were ready to leave there were 40 people in the bar with only 2 servers. Severely understaffed. The waiter did not know what to do with our Groupon so had to make us wait longer to find a manager. Once he took the Groupon he walked away and we didn’t see him anymore. I threw a few bucks on the table and we left. I would not recommend this place unless you want to sit for at least an hour just for apps and drinks.
This Tapas Bar is owned by the same company that owns Island Pasta in Downtown and River Rocks in N. Melbourne. We have been to both of these restaurants and love them, so I don’t know why this place was so crappy. We won’t go back to Calilou.