Callender’s Grill

This location has CLOSED as part of Callender’s bankruptcy.
I was always a huge fan of their meatloaf sandwiches.

After damaging the shoe racks at Nordy’s Rack I was starving. I’m really indecisive when it comes to dining out, probably because it’s what I look forward to the most. Jerk Shack didn’t appeal to me, neither did Rubio’s, Star Chicken or Islands.
I am so glad I discovered this gem. I’ve never been a fan of Marie Calendars, but Callender’s Grill? This place is the bomb! I ordered the daily pizza special which came with a caesar salad and a slice of pie for $ 9.99 — unbelievable. The salad was not good, but the tri tip pizza was amazing. Too bad it’s not offered as a regular menu item. The cornbread and honey butter come out piping hot and is delicious. Loved my sweet strawberry lemonade, it was the perfect way to wash down a super yummy meal. The daily specials are offered at lunch, but my server stated they will honor the same special at dinner for the same price.

Hehehe. Marie Callender’s is my secretly shameful but «I’m so totally in love with it» place to eat. I come here every so often with my friend for lunch/​happy hour during the school week. We go to school a couple miles off, so it is very convenient ;)
I think there is a misconception that Marie’s is for old people and families. My other friends laugh at me when I tell them I went here. So, I try not to.
But this location is not all old people! The crowd can get very young and fun! :(
The happy hour is pretty good. And the service here is very nice. My friend and I always have the same waiter/​bartender. His name is Shawn. He is nice.
I like the happy hour pizzas here! and the pies, yummmmmmmm.
The food is pretty good too! and the serving sizes are pretty huge!

Came here on a Saturday night around 7pm with the wife… there was no wait and we got seated immediately… the menu is two sided with half of one side being alcoholic beverages… the selection on food items were limited.
We started off with the artichoke spinach dip which was around $ 10… the dip tasted good but no way was the portion worth $ 10… the wife ordered fish and chips for about $ 15… she was given about three medium sized pieces of fish… I ordered the slow smoked angus tri-​tip for $ 20… the meat is cooked medium rare and they give you about three fat slices… it tasted very good (this coming from a non «steak» lover)… not dry at all… and the bourbon sauce for the tri-​tip was excellent… not too tangy and not too sweet… the mashed potatoes were bland but the asparagus had a nice smoky flavor to it.
All in all the portions weren’t that big for the price tag… we shared the dip… i finished my plate… some of my wife’s plate… and just came out of the place content… and not full.

The food is pretty decent, at a price that’s just a little high for what it is — standard American restaurant fare. Service at the tables is good, but be patient if you sit at the bar. For some reason, the bartenders (at dinner time anyway) seem to spend more than half their time NOT behind the bar. This isn’t a one-​off occurrence, we’ve been here a number of times since they opened.
The 14 hour smoked tri-​tip is my pick from the menu.

I’ve been here a couple of times and it’s about the same every time — huge portions with expensive price tags. It’s your typical sit-​down American restaurant (similar to Cheesecake Factory) that’s nothing special and you only come here when you can’t think of anywhere else to go. In short, it’s a «safe bet» type of restaurant.

We had our office Christmas lunch here and we were seated in a room towards the back. Even though there was only one waitstaff for our group, she did a terrific job. She got us everything we asked for and did so with a smile. I had a question about my order and she described it well. My tri tip turned out good. The meat was cooked well and the mashed potatoes were tasty. I didn’t hear anyone from our group complain about anything.
The only tiny complaint I would have is that my strawberry lemonade was not refilled and the cornbread they give in the beginning was very dry I had to eat it with a lot of butter. Other than that, it was a good experience.

My family and I decided to have a lazy Thanksgiving this year and order out. We looked around at other venues but this one had the best deal by far. An entire turkey, pineapple-​cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes, stuffing, yams, vegetables, cornbread, and pumpkin pie for 6 – 8 people…$ 140 dollars. With children included, there were actually 10 of us and plenty of leftovers!
I picked up the meal at 11 and there was a long line outside but it went really fast. I got up to the front and gave my name and the woman immediately got to putting the feast together in a nice, secure, handle-​equipped box for easy transport.
I refrigerated it until about 3 hours before we were ready to serve it. There were instructions on how to reheat everything. The turkey was actually half cooked and still needed to go in the oven for about 2 ½ hours — made me feel like I actually cooked something. Everything else could be microwaved, but if you are one of those incredibly lucky people who are blessed with double ovens or a toaster oven, you could choose to reheat some things in there as well.
The hassle-​free ness of avoiding the grocery store, the cooking, the cleaning, and the responsibility of the general tastiness of the dishes was more than worth it. The food was actually really good!

I was here for Thanksgiving. I was a little annoyed that they raised their prices on the same menu items just because it was a holiday menu. (minus one star for that). The Hand-​Carved 14-​Hour Slow-​Smoked Angus Tri-​Tip sounds better on the menu that it tastes but it was ok. The turkey dinner was also ok.

I so much want to like this place because it is so convenient from my work. This place has a great atmosphere and pretty good service. However, I think the food is average (to blah). If you want the standard type of food, this is the place for you.
My favorite is the $ 6.99 soup and salad bar lunch special. I’ve had some AWESOME split pea soup here (compliments to the chef!). The salad bar is also really nice and made with quality items (roasted veggies, marinated mushrooms, etc). This place also has some really good drinks (beers on tap!).

I met someone here for lunch. It’s a fancier, more upscale version of Marie Callenders. I had eaten at the one in Orange County several years ago.
Today, even with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I felt like turkey. Otherwise, I would probably have ordered a chicken pot pie or the fish and chips.
The turkey with dressing, mashed potatoes, cranberry, and grilled vegetables was good, but the pieces of turkey were pretty small. If I were a guy, I don’t think that would have been enough to eat!
They gave us big pieces of cornbread with the honey butter to start with. Their corn bread is more like cake.
The person I was with got the seafood pasta and hardly touched it. Bad menu choice, apparently…

I came here last night with my grandma before our rip to Palmdale to see my folks. The food and the ambiance was nice. The pricing is a tad high for Marie Callender’s, but because it’s a «grill» to seem to get away with it.
I had the Sake Ginger-​Teriyaki Chicken Club and Grandma «ordered» the BBQ Meatloaf Melt. I say grandma ordered the melt, because prior to ordering, she asked our waiter, Greg if the meal was greasy. he said no, so she ordered it.
My meal was delicious, unfortunately, my grandma took about 2 bites of her melt before she stopped. It was too greasy for her. Our waiter did offer Grandma something else but she declined.
When the bill came, i spoke with our waiter and he offered to comp grandma’s meal. This was nice. He also offered a free dessert, which we politely declined. (I didn’t want to take advantage of the situation)
After we paid up, I mentioned to the manager how nice Greg was to rectify the situation. It’s always good to let managers know of things like this for the restaurant’s and the employee’s benefit.
I probably will come here again, but grandma may not.

Came here before the movie Inception at the Imax.
Yeah, I am a fan of their tri-​tip.
I really liked their tri-​tip combo meal ($ 16.99}, considering I am not a steak fan. It is so tender and juicy, the right amount of fatness gives it a creamy kick… yummy…
I Would go back to just get their tri-​tip combination again. The cocunut shrimp appetitzer is so not worth the money, $ 10+ for 5 shrimps, bland and kind of oily. We also tried the strawberry lemonade cocktail, i wish that it could be sweet, the Farm’s version is much better. I also enjoyed like cake textured corn bread and the honey butter spread.
The decoration is warm and welcoming. I reallt enjoyed the meal last night thanks to my dear friend.

As a regular here since it opened across the street from where I work, I’ve developed a love/​hate relationship with Callendar’s Grill.
The managers are actually really great, but the service waivers significantly depending on who your waiter is. I’ve had times where the service was stellar and friendly while other times you just kind of sit there for 16 minutes wondering if anyone is actually going to stop at your table (this is what happened last time) and ask you if you’d like to order.
Pros: The Cabo San Lucas Salad is my favorite by far, but I also recommend the Sake Ginger-​Teriyaki Chicken Club sandwich (can be messy), and Tuscan Mac & Cheese (although it does seem to vary in quality from day to day).
Cons: The bar is tiny and not set up well for parties of more than 2 – 3. I love happy hour, but have to skip here most days because the only option for groups to sit together is at a tiny table on the side (and out of main few from the bartenders) or outside. Also, don’t get the Jambalaya, Pesto Artichoke Linguini, or Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps because they are disappointing.
Will I be back. Of course. Options are limited at Howard Hughes Promenade, so, even at 3 stars, Callender’s Grill is among the better choices when dining at Howard Hughes.

Meh. I’ve experienced better, indeed…
Callender’s Grill has been on my radar for a while. I think the idea of the place is a good one, but the food and experience I had did not back it up.
First off, parking at the Howard Hughes Promenade is pay as you enter — $ 2, cash only. There is no street parking anywhere nearby, so make sure you have a couple bucks on you should you decide to go there. Luckily, my fiancé had some cash on her.
We showed up on Friday around 6:30 in the throes of happy hour. The bar was busy, which I took as a good sign that the cocktails were decent. We were seated promptly. The décor is nice, comfortable, and modern, and the booths are large and pretty private. One thing I noticed, there were no prices on the cocktail menu, which i found odd. My fiancé ordered a martini, I ordered a margarita. I hated my margarita, it tasted like Squirt with tequila in it. I took 2 sips and sent it back for a Newcastle instead. The server handled this without incident.
I ordered what they tout as their special, the tri-​tip. I was not impressed. The meat was tender, but seemed it had been sitting a while. I didn’t get the feeling it was fresh off the grill. The barbecue sauce, which they fail to mention in the description on the menu, was completely overpowering. The loaded mashed potatoes were good, no complaint there. My fiancé had their salmon, which she said she was satisfied with. I had a bite and thought it was good, but not overly impressed. Perhaps it was the lingering barbecue sauce on my tongue that prohibited me from liking it more, I’m not sure.
To sum it up, this place is just mediocre. I wouldn’t say it’s bad, but it is in the same ballpark as Truxton’s. I would imagine that the burgers are good here, it just seems like a burger kind of place. I wouldn’t know though, I won’t be returning… 2.5 stars

The drinks were average… didn’t make my mouth have an orgasm or anything. The $ 5 pizza’s were so tasty I had two! So in my attempt to review places as soon as I experience them, I’m here to say that Callender’s Grill was a pretty cool place for happy hour. The white bald-​headed bartender/​waiter was really friggin’ cool. he worked the room very well and tended to everyone. Very good job for him. I’ll be back again.
— Mr. Shannon

This is a cute convenience little café style of Marie Calendars.
The food is not bad. The desserts, depending what you get, some can get kind of real sweet.
They should have later hours due to it’s next to Starbucks and with a theater in the center.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!
My girlfriend worked in the bakery for 2 months while I was working a crappy job to hold us down. She is a stand up chic! (I LOVE HER!!)
ANYWHO! I had the 14 hour slow roasted Tri Tip because it is insanely delicious. I have eaten here a bunch of times and I have had nothing but GREAT MEMORIES… The potato cheese soup and corn bread are to die for. We always go to this one at THE BRIDGE because of the memories… AWWWW. I will be back to break my diet yet again… lol!!!

WOW I had no idea that Marie Callender’s had a more upscale restaurant until I came here.
We were seated immediately since there weren’t too many people there. The place is decorated very nicely. Our waiter was a nice fellow. It reminded me of a Friday’s restaurant.
I ordered the BBQ Meatloaf Melt — cheddar, crispy onion straws, smoked bacon. Mmmmmm. It was delish and came with fries. The cornbread was pretty darn good too. They had margaritas for about $ 6 and I ordered a couple. They came extra strong just the way I like em. By the end of my meal I was one happy dude.
It was a bit on the pricey side but the food tasted great, so I’d most likely come on another occasion when I feel like having a good meal. Maybe even for a date? :P
Note: Parking is $ 2 at the Howard Hughes Center
Order a strawberry pie if they have ‘em!

We didn’t know it was Marie Callenders (it’s ambiguously named «Callender’s Grill»), because this place has a different vibe to it. Unlike the traditional MC’s that are more family-​oriented, low-​key and rather outmoded, this is a fun and lively place to dine and drink. Bright interior, friendly servers, comfortable seats and most importantly — a big bar.
Food’s not bad, definitely better than what I’ve had at any MC, and there are plenty of dishes to choose from. However, what’s more striking is the size. The portions are BIG. The fried onion rings come in a tall stack (see photo). If you’re planning to order dessert (and this shouldn’t even be an option here!), I’d share a dish with someone.
3 stars for the appetizers & entrees, + extra star for the irresistible desserts.