Talija Restaurant

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#5 of 20 Restaurants in XlendiSeafood, Mediterranean, $$ - $$$

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Talija Restaurant

Review

At a glance

Open until 11:30 PM

See all hours

Website

+356 2156 9899Improve this listing

About

The Restaurant's name originates from the late Grandfather's nickname - Ta' Talija. Tony portelli was famous for his life in Xlendi. Tony had a small shop where he served soft drinks, biscuits and food to people in Xlendi. Tony was also famous for his rabbit stew and many people used to go to eat at his home. Talija Bar, Pizzeria and Restaurant opened its doors in May 2014, the realisation of a dream for the owners. At Talija Bar, Pizzeria and Restaurant we offer you a la carte menu at affordable prices, in a cosy and friendly surroundings. The chef is passionate about providing the best quality, seasonal food and tries to source as many ingredients as possible locally. At Talija Bar, Pizzeria and Restaurant we are proud of the food that we serve, the service which we provide and we aim to offer our customers a special dining experience every time that they visit.

Features

CUISINES

Seafood, Mediterranean, European

Meal types

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Special Diets

Vegetarian friendly, Vegan options, Gluten free options

FEATURES

Accepts Credit Cards

American Express

Discover

Free Wifi

Full Bar

Highchairs Available

Mastercard

Outdoor Seating

Reservations

Seating

Serves Alcohol

Street Parking

Table Service

Takeout

Television

Visa

Wheelchair Accessible

Wine and Beer

Location

8 Triq Ir-Rabat Xlendi Bay, Xlendi, Island of Gozo XLN 1101 Malta

Street Parking

Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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Hours

Suggest an edit

Open until 11:30 PM

Sunday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Monday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Tuesday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Wednesday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Thursday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Friday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

Saturday

7:00 AM - 11:30 PM

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4.4

510 reviews

Excellent

311

Very good

119

Average

Poor

Terrible

Justin Hooker

Hampshire36 contributions

Tamika set menu didn’t disappoint-wow!

Jul 2023 • family

Popped in for for an early even meal for the six us us and liked the look of the set menu which comprised of three courses and a complimentary bruschetta and a wine or soft drink for 22 euros each. We were totally blown away by the sizes of the starters they were the size of mains but they were very accommodating and provided us with takeout boxes so we could save wasting the food and more importantly save room for the main course. This was also larger than expected and also just as delicious as the starters and puddings. Staff were really friendly and happy to help or tweak orders. Would recommend and would happily revisit. Thanks.

Written July 27, 2023

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

cactus2016

Weybridge40 contributions

Lovely lunch with friends

Nov 2024 • friends

Came to Xlendi for late lunch. And found Talija. Noticed it was busy with locals and popped in. Decided on the set lunch. Tremendous value at 22 euros. Delicious food - fish soup, amberjack - So much food we took doggy bags home! Staff were friendly and attentive throughout. They really went the extra mile for us when we found our car windscreen covered in bird poop after lunch and our car windscreen water bottle empty. Highly recommend. We had a lovely couple of hours here. Thsnk you so much.

Written November 8, 2024

Erin E

13 contributions

Fresh and local food

May 2024 • family

Very friendly staff, always happy to help and quick service. The gozo sharing platter had a bit of everything with local sausage and cheese. We all took a set menu with bruschetta, we’d recommend the fish soup as starters and fresh fish as the main. Everything was great, well cooked and well seasoned. The portions were fairly big so think twice before taking a sharing platter + a 3 course menu. The prices were great for the quality and quantity of the food - we’d definitely recommend. Appart from the music which wasn’t really our taste everything was great.

Written May 7, 2024

Neville C

1 contribution

Avoid on weekends when it’s busy

Aug 2024 • family

Avoid this restaurant on busy weekend evenings. We had a one hour 20min wait and one of the plates was not as ordered. They cater for more covers than the kitchen can manage, setting up tables even outside of their restaurant. The waiting staff are hardworking and do their best but they are overworked and hence cannot deliver an optimal service.

Written August 7, 2024

Louis G

Rabat8 contributions

Returning Customer

Sep 2022 • none

My son always insists to visit this restaurant each time we come to Gozo and how right he is. Returned yesterday and the three of us chose fish seabass and lampuki (dorado), all cooked to perfection and worth the price. The fish soup starter and the apple pie are very good as well. Staff is excellent, making it a joy to eat here, thank you!

Written September 27, 2022

Michelle S

Ottawa21 contributions

Excellent value

Feb 2025 • couples

We came to this restaurant twice. The first night we had the fish (bream bass). The second night, pork chops and the salmon salad. The service was outstanding and the food excellent. The restaurant also provides free bruschetta as an appetizer and a wonderful lemon liqueur to finish. Would highly recommend.

Written February 25, 2025

Sue Elen V

9 contributions

Freshness at its best

Jul 2022 • family

This place has an excellent location by the sea, suitable for summer and winter. The staff are super friendly and try to accommodate the clients requests at all Times. Food at a very affordable price, fresh, and nicely plated. This place is recommended for adults and children as they serve a vast selection of delicacies. Fast serves despite sometimes very busy.

Written July 11, 2022

Gabriella C

25 contributions

Amazing seafood

Aug 2022 • couples

Situated in xlendi Bay, this restaurant boasts of mouth watering seafood platters... on another occasion we got a take away of the best octopus I have ever tasted and ate it on our dinghy . The staff is very friendly especially Kumar who gave us suggestions as to what platter we should choose. Compliments to the chef ... we will be back

Written August 13, 2022

ADV F

2 contributions

Best Place in the Maltese Islands

Jul 2022 • family

The Food was amazing as i had the set menu which contained spaghetti Napolitana, A tuna steak, dessert and a drink,(glass of wine or soft drink). Delicious food and also not expensive. The staff were also very friendly and hardworking as when we were there they were short of staff and were busy with about 120 people. Amazing service. Compliments to the chef :). I strongly suggest. 5 stars will surely come again.

Written July 9, 2022

aleandra0410

Malta1 contribution

Horrible service

Aug 2020 • family

We called to make a reservation and we specifically stated during our call that we wanted to stay outside, however once we arrived we were guided to a table inside. The ambiance is terrible feels like you’re in an old garage. We arrived at 8:30 and ended up receiving our main course at 10:30pm after having to get up and remind the waiters twice that we had not yet received our food. Since we were totally stranded and completely forgotten! And to top it all off some of the food was terrible, especially the pizza crust! Will definitely never visit again!! Worst experience i’ve ever had in a restaurant!!

Written August 1, 2020

Paul B

Paignton70 contributions

Excellent Service & Food

Oct 2022 • couples

We visited this restaurant twice whilse we were in Xlendi and can honestly say the service was excellent as was the food. On the first night I had the lamb shank and my wife had spaghetti with chicken and mushrooms and on the later visit I had pork chops and my wife had the sea bass. All the food we had was excellent washed down well with a bottle (or two) of wine. Would highly recommend if you are in Xlendi.

Written October 12, 2022

Antonella Caruana

Island of Malta2 contributions

Disgraceful and awful

Jun 2020 • family

We visited here a week ago and was one of the worst restaurants I have ever visited. Firstly we were seated inside and with limited lighting as it looked almost dark. Then the waiter took ages to give us the menu and we couldn't signal anyone because no staff were coming to where we were seated. Then another half an hour to take the order. We taught that maybe the food took another 1hr because it was fresh but it was disgusting and the owner should be ashamed of the service that was offered. And to top it all of the waiter said that we cannot use the entertainer voucher on weekends.

Written July 4, 2020

George B

Island of Gozo14 contributions

Great as always.

Sep 2020 • none

Have been going to this restaurant since it opened. From time to time try others at Xlendi but always wished I had gone to Talija instead for value for money. There have been a recent burst of bad reviews but despite these I had already booked so decided to go anyway. We were a group of 6. All were satisfied and happy with the food and drink. What struck me about these reviews was 2 things that were critical of Talija which I thought was very unusual. These were the quality of the bread and refusal of discount vouchers in the weekend. Not only was the quality of the bread as excellent as ever but when I went to use the discount voucher they accepted to use 2 (could have used 3) and he actually discounted not the cheapest items but more expensive ones. I doubt the honesty and reason behind the recent bad reviews. Many restaurants at Xlendi have seen a downturn of custom this year but not Tallija as it is by far the best value for money.

Written September 13, 2020

Worldtravellerguru

London307 contributions

Another typical average Gozitan

Dec 2020 • none

Another typical average Gozitan restaurant found in many of the local fishing villages with a menu that reflects many of the other places. Fish is always my first choice when staying by the seaside, and this place had a good choice of fresh fish cooked the same way as all the other restaurants and served with either baked potatoes and grilled vegetables or chips, both not that healthy a choice especially if you are calorie counting. The location of the restaurant is just off the local beach, so does not command the same sea view as the other nearby restaurant, having said that the service was good, never mind the fact that being the middle of winter In a pandemic, it was one of two places that were open in xlendi. Parking was not an issue but I know the place gets fairly busy in winter when the local car park gets very full although there are always places to park, just not very close to the restaurant.

Written December 15, 2020

Jan C

1 contribution

Fish that will be remembered

Dec 2021 • couples

I'll put it simply. Me and my friends received everything that a visitor to any country is craving for- hospitality, delicious meal (including local cuisine), a nice chat with wonderful host of a place (using a word waiter here wouldn't do justice). After tasting my dorata i was close to bursting out in tears. I called my father. In my country we live by the sea and it was the best fish we've ever had. There's no amount of words I can write to share my impressions. I wish for everyone to have such memories of this place. Come and try yourself!

Written December 2, 2021