Calamari in Side — Crispy Fried & Casserole-Style Squid at Hawaii Restaurant

Some holiday cravings are non-negotiable, and for a lot of people arriving in Side, calamari is right at the top. There's something about crispy squid rings by the sea that just says "I'm on holiday." If you've been searching "best calamari in Side" or wandering the old town streets trying to spot it on a menu board, here's the honest lowdown on how we do it at Hawaii Restaurant & Bar — and how to turn a plate of calamari into a proper light seafood evening.

Two ways we serve calamari at Hawaii

Squid is versatile, and we lean into that. On our menu you'll find calamari in two distinct forms, and knowing the difference before you order saves you the "wait, which one did I want?" moment.

Crispy fried Calamari — the classic starter

This is the one most people picture: tender rings in a light, golden coating, fried so they stay soft inside with a satisfying crunch on the outside. It lives in our Starters section, which makes it the ideal way to open a meal or to graze over a drink. It's finger food at its best — squeeze on a little lemon, dip, share, repeat. Because we prep our ingredients fresh daily and cook to order, you get calamari that tastes like calamari, not like it's been sitting under a lamp.

If you're the kind of table that loves to start with a spread, calamari sits happily alongside other bites from our starters and meze selection — think garlic mushrooms, cheese rolls, or chicken wings passed around while you decide on mains.

Calamari casserole — the warm, saucy main

Fancy squid as your main event instead of a nibble? Our Calamari casserole sits in the Sea Foods section and is a completely different mood: squid cooked into a warm, comforting casserole rather than fried and crisp. It's the choice for evenings when you want something hearty but still seafood-led — a little more substance than the starter, and a great pick if fried food isn't your thing that night. It's a genuinely different dish, so ordering both the fried starter and the casserole across a table gives you two takes on the same ingredient.

What to pair with your calamari

Calamari is light and salty, which makes it brilliant to build a relaxed meal around. Here's how we'd do it, drawing only on what's actually on our menu:

• A cold beer. Nothing beats crispy squid with a frosty draught. Our daily Happy Hour runs 19:00–20:00 on selected drinks, so time your starter right and your first round works even harder.
• A crisp Greek salad. The feta, cucumber and olives cut through the fried coating beautifully. If you're leaning light for the whole evening, browse our full salads in Side line-up.
• A frozen cocktail. On a warm Side night, salty calamari next to something cold and fruity is holiday heaven — our frozen twisters and daiquiris were basically made for it.

Want to keep the sea theme going after your calamari? We grill fresh fish too — sea bass, bream, trout, prawns and more — so a fried-calamari start into a grilled fish main makes for a beautifully balanced seafood evening.

Why locals and returning guests order it here

Hawaii Restaurant has been in the heart of Side old town since 2000, and calamari is one of those dishes where consistency matters — undercook it and it's rubbery, overcook it and it's chewy. Years of getting it right, fresh daily prep, and cooking every plate to order is exactly why regulars keep coming back for it. We're not claiming a rating or an award we don't have; we're just confident in a starter we've been serving thousands of holidaymakers for over two decades.

We're also set up to make the whole evening easy. There's a free hotel pickup from selected hotels (round trip), plus affordable two-way transfers for guests staying farther out — so calamari in the old town doesn't mean a long trek back. Prefer to eat in tonight? We do takeaway and delivery to nearby areas too.

A couple of honest notes before you order

Portion sizes and prices change, so rather than quote figures that might be out of date, check the live menu when you arrive or just ask your waiter — they'll tell you straight whether the starter is enough to share or whether the casserole is the better shout for hungry diners. If you have allergies or dietary needs, mention them; our kitchen will advise honestly on what works.

Reserve your table for calamari night

The old town gets busy in season, especially in the evenings, so booking ahead is the safest way to grab a good table. You can reserve online here or message us straight away on WhatsApp at +90 533 930 12 83. Tell us roughly when you're coming and how many you are, and we'll have everything ready — crispy calamari, a cold drink, and a spot to settle into a proper Side evening. See you soon.