Restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea

“Everyone should have the full dinner at least once but once you get the vibe then sit at the bar or the super comfy patio and order a la carte.

Service is absolutely charming and worth the price of admission. The menu changes a lot but if you see the abalone skewers then they are a must have.

Cocktails are approachable and match the vibe perfectly. It's a regular stop for us.”

“Great foods and great friends !”

“Excellent pizza!! Excellent service. Cute ambiance ..small,quaint. We got our food in no time. They're quick in bringing everything! Never a dry water glass. We'll be back!!”

“Just a fabulous experience! The service levels were over the top. Never wanted for anything. Ate at the restaurant and had an 8-course tasting menu! To die for!”

“This is one of the most unique and exciting restaurants in Carmel. Amazing cocktails and the food is both creative and authentic. Wine list is great too! Never disappoints.”

“Beyond amazing. Service ambience and food was impeccable”

“Absolutely fantastic restaurant and a breath of fresh air in the Carmel culinary community. The food was incredible and the service was top notch. The space is refreshingly chic and relaxing. The tables are spaced apart to allow for conversation and there's no rush to finish your meal. You are encouraged to linger and enjoy the best meal in Carmel!”

“We had very nice anniversary dinner at Stationaery. We sat outside, since we still do not feel comfortable for an indoor seating due to pandemic. The evening was cool, but heating lamps made it comfortable for longer and leisure meal. Both food and service were excellent. We highly recommend this friendly restaurant and will be back for sure🤩”

“Delicious pizza & drinks.”

“Amazing food with first class service. In a word.... WOW!!!”

“Five stars isn’t enough to rate the quality of the food, the delightfulness of the staff, or the ambiance at the Flying Fish Grill. We’re visiting the area primarily for golf, and our caddie told us that the Flying Fish Grill is his favorite restaurant in the area. We completely understand why! SO many “WOWs” in this meal from start to finish. We had the chips and ginger salsa, Calamari, Crab Tower, Salad, Sea Bass, and hot fudge sundae. Every. Single. Bite was amazing. And the service was the best we’ve experienced in the Monterey area. That’s saying a lot as we’re staying at The Lodge at Pebble Beach. From the very first contact on the phone, to the last bite of dessert we felt like family. Absolutely fantastic experience in every possible way!”

“One of our Favorite places- in the Barnyard- very cozy, decorated with Swiss clocks, artwork, hand- carved wood. Great goulash, baked onion soup, schnitzel with spaetzle, as well as fondues. Family run, great service, fair prices”

“My husband and I had the pleasure of hosting our wedding welcome drinks here. De Tierra went above and beyond to make our evening special, even offering to print a sign out on our behalf, showcasing a slideshow of photos of us, and letting us select the music that was played. They were flexible with our guest count given we didn’t collect RSVPs for this event and the wine was absolutely delicious. Everybody had a wonderful time and this was an amazing way to kick off our wedding weekend! Thank you all so much for your kindness and hospitality!”

“Our wedding cake from Sweet Reba’s was absolutely perfect! From the very first tasting to the final delivery, Reba and her team were wonderful to work with—kind, attentive, and genuinely passionate about their craft.

The cake itself was not only beautifully decorated but truly a showstopper at our reception. The design matched our wedding theme perfectly—elegant, romantic, and detailed down to every flower and ribbon. Guests couldn’t stop taking photos before we even cut into it!

And the flavor? Incredible. Each layer was moist, rich, and perfectly balanced—not too sweet, just delicious. Our guests are still talking about how good it was (and some even asked for seconds!).

If you want a wedding cake that tastes as amazing as it looks, I can’t recommend Sweet Reba’s Bakery enough. Reba turned our dream cake into reality and made our day even more special.”

“one of the best in Carmel...”

“Muy rica comida pero sobre todo la atención y el servicio de primera gracias a Daniel y a Martín por su excelente atención 🙋🏻‍♀️”

“An elegant, very french experience. Lisa, the owner, was charming and friendly. The soufflés were incredibly delicious. We lingered over the food and were not rushed. Very delightful.”

“We enjoyed cocktails and wine at Bud’s during our stay at LaPlaya last weekend!”

“Best food I have had in Carmel. Great service and the music was brilliant.”

“Stopped in for a couple of pints this afternoon, and were VERY impressed with the beer! Absolutely delicious. A true small-batch microbrewery, with a very relaxing vibe and friendly service. Brought a 4-pack home to enjoy on the deck, and we'll definitely be stopping by the taproom again.”

“We really enjoy eating here. The service is excellent, the food is very good. It has an old style elegance. Very nice menu selections and a nice wine list. The servers are attentive, not overly so and very helpful in guiding wine selection and food recommendation. We walked past this restaurant many times in the past and were really glad when we finally made a reservation. Now we eat there every time we are in town!”

“Nice place to have family gatherings..very nice restaurant and foods they serve..”

“Very rustic Mood but extremely friendly staff. So it's really fun to eat. All the dishes we had throughout very delicious and very sumptuous portions. Full recommendation and an insider tip in Carmel.”

“Amazing food and service. If you need gluten free options then this is the place! GF garlic bread, pasta, and more. soooo good!”

“Highly recommend!! We had a 90th birthday dinner for my mom with 11 people. Everything was superb! Outstanding service, excellent food and drinks. Outside terrace is pretty and even allowed our 2 dogs. Superb! Thank you to Z and the wonderful staff, everything was perfect!!!👍”

“Happy hour rolled into dinner and both were delicious !”

“Expansive ocean view. Absolutely gorgeous.
Drinks are on the high side but are well-made.
We didn't have food this time but it was good in the past.”

“Alvarado Street Brewery is a great dog friendly pit stop in Carmel for a casual bite or cocktail. The staff is always friendly and accommodating. We like the quality of food here even better than the original in Monterey.”

“Amazing wine and atmosphere”

“Super cool spot with a lot of local shops! Food, spa, coffee, wine, everything!”

“Loved the food, Teo our server was exceptional. Cozy yet romantic. A must to enjoy when in Carmel.”

“Lolah played there Saturday night and got the crowd dancing and singing along. The food and service and atmosphere all make this a place you can't miss in Carmel-By-The-Sea.”

“What an amazing place We were gonna just stop and grab a bottle to go to take to a friend's and we ended up sitting having a nice glass, enjoying the scenery. Thank you for this experience.”

“We always always come here whenever we're in town, and everything is always delicious. Sandwiches, duck fat donuts, coffee; we have never had anything bad. Do not miss out!”

“Gorgeous!! I came to the ranch for a conference, and will definitely be coming back again. Could not ask for more lovely scenery, more activities (hiking! golf! archery!), or more considerate staff.”

“Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere and wonderful service.”

“Excellent food and great service and good live music.”

“The hostess, Savanah, was very helpful and friendly in setting-up outside dining despite possible rain and also made excellent menu suggestions. The smoked mozzarella appetizer in a delicious tomato sauce was fabulous as was the fish cooked in parchment paper with carrots. We definitely recommend Il Tegamino and will be back!”

“The Quail has gone above and beyond my expectations and I’ve only been here 3 hours!! The service is amazing and the grounds are exquisitely perfect!! The suite is probably the nicest room I’ve ever stayed in. I am in love with this place. Don’t even want to leave to go anywhere else! I highly recommend!!”

“7D is our go-to date night spot in Carmel. The food, the drinks, the atmosphere is all great….and consistently every time we visit. The sea bass entree is some of the best fish we’ve ever had.”

“The "Love Thy Neighbor" dinners at The Covey on Wednesday night are our favorite! Great food and great value! So sorry to see it come to an end... I hope the new chef will decide to reinstate it in the near future!”

“Very good food and excellent service!! It was as a very nice experience !!”

“This was our first time to the Shearwater Tavern - we were so wonderfully surprised - everything was truly amazing, the service, the ambience, the staff were truly some of the most customer oriented folks we have ever encountered - The food was outstanding !!!! We will definitely be back - thank you to everyone for making us feel so welcome , especially our server Christian - you did a great job!!!!!”

“We sat outside with our pup. The server promptly brought him a dog bed and a bowl of water. Our server kept our glasses full and was very attentive. The food was good, we left happy.”

“We did Welcome Drinks at Scratch for our wedding weekend. First off, the space is beautiful- very open with a few seating options- it was perfect for what we were looking for (open cocktail hour vibe). I would say we had about 70-100 guests and there was room for everyone to mingle and walk around. The wines were delicious and the charcuterie boards were great for our guests to graze on. The servers were very attentive and Sabrine and the team were awesome to coordinate with- they made everything so easy and straightforward. We will definitely be back!”

“Great food, wonderful service and awesome atmosphere!”

“I spent around $300 here for one of the most romantic and memorable meals I’ve had in years. The value was absolutely fair — in fact, their prices are very reasonable for the quality they deliver. Every detail felt intentional:

The fish was incredibly fresh, melt-in-your-mouth quality.

The wasabi is real — not the dyed paste most places serve.

The hot tea was savory and calming, and the hot sake arrived perfectly heated and smooth.

The service was attentive, kind, and professional without being overbearing.

This restaurant easily deserves to be in the 4.8–5.0 range, not the 4.1 it’s sitting at. Anything lower feels undeserved and misleading to future guests. If you appreciate authenticity, craftsmanship, and genuine hospitality, this is the place.”

“We love Woody's. Liked the airport location but Del Mesa is more upscale, GREAT service (thanks !) and super good food. For the locals !”

“Absolutely delightful atmosphere, tucked away from the busy shops in a little back street hideaway. Flavorful selection of all of Carmel valley’s best varietals. Has several Bordeaux blends, a Super Tuscan, and many single varietal bottles. Each wine is a prime example of a California terroir spin on the classics. The tasting was $35 for 5 heavy pour tastes. Highly recommend!”

“The bartender Rowena is the best!
Bloody Mary excellent!
Best in town!
Excellent top notch Bar selection.
Laughter & catching up with friends.
Super clean bathroom!”

“One of our favorite places breakfast. We're never disappointed by the food or the staff.”

“The place is really cool looking with all the Pasta machines and Noe & Isidro our professional, helpful and knowledgeable! The price is great. The pasta is beautifully well made, but let’s talk about those ravioli….. THE RAVIOLI ARE PHENOMENAL”

“Place is really good. Their sushi is really good. Service needs a little work and they need to get some fountain drinks, but aside from that I had a wonderful experience there”

“Amazing wines and a tasting room that is the best in Carmel!”

“Jeffrey’s has the best food 🥘 and it’s very reasonably priced.”

“There are varieties of delicious breads that you can try and all very fresh”

“Great piano bar! Awesome lemon drops😃”

“Best coffee in the West”

“First time I finished a burger!!”

“Best Sushi restaurant in Carmel on the Sea, so good we went on two different occasions in the same week. I would recommend the combination rolls especially the Jessica Albacore!”

“They serve Aurum coffee now! Locally roasted and yum!
Wow! Just had one of their beignets and these are amazing! This is definitely my best Bakery for Carmel
Austin is the best coffee barista in town!! This is our go to for our favorite coffee in Carmel. Amazing latte and cannoli.”

“Food is casual and good. Margherita flatbread was a bit too salty but it was good overall. House salad was delicious and fresh! Fries are delicious, very flavorful. My dad said the beer is amazing too. Service is 11/10!!!!! Very fast and accommodating. I recommend this place as a nice casual joint.”

“Delicious pizza & drinks.”

“Stumbled upon this lovely Cafe and we were captivated by the food, ambience and overall service! All day breakfast mean and the Apple strudel were soul warming. Perfect brunch in a cool autumn day :) it’s low-key but 100% cozy like a warm blanket.”

“Picked up food to go last year and it was really good. So happy that we found this place again! Ordered garlic parm and spicy fried chicken wing plates, lemongrass chicken and beef meatball pho. Also ordered strawberry and melon boba milk tea and Vietnamese coffee with egg cream. Food and drinks came out quickly. Customer service was great. It was so good that we ate and drank everything! We will definitely come here again when we’re in the area.”

“Great time watching the Niners game.”

“Chef Todd’s menu is awesome here and you can’t go wrong with anything! The BLT is my favorite right now and the beer selection is the best around with many local brews as well as cool things like Pliny on tap! Parker has also put together a really good wine selection from around the world with some killer value offerings!”

“5th Ave Deli & Catering Cafe is such a charming spot! We stopped in for some takeout to enjoy a picnic at the beach, and it was a great choice. The service was warm and friendly, making the experience even better. The sandwiches were not only affordable but also offered a wide variety of options, along with drinks and snacks. The quality of the food was solid, and the personal service really made it stand out. Definitely recommend this place, and I’ll be sure to return next time I’m in the area!”

“Always amazing. Great food and service. 👏🏼 my favorite”

“We came in on a saturday afternoon and were able to find a table right away! The Bar side of the restaurant has happy hour every day from 4-6pm and their small plates and pizzas were on the food list! Their cocktails were all 8 dollars and house wines 7 dollars. We ate and each had a drink for under 40 dollars which seems absurd in Carmel! Not only affordable but the food was to die for! We had the Truffle Gnocchi which was easily the best gnocchi I've ever had and the White Truffle Pie was so fresh and full of mushrooms and onions! Dipping the crust in the leftover gnocchi sauce put it over the edge! Isabel was our server and she was kind and quick with everything! It was a wonderful little stop in Carmel, just off Ocean Ave!”

“Gorgeous!! I came to the ranch for a conference, and will definitely be coming back again. Could not ask for more lovely scenery, more activities (hiking! golf! archery!), or more considerate staff.”

“I ordered thru App. Buy one footling sandwich, get one free! Great deal!

Wheelchair accessibility: Handicapped parking spaces. Easy entrance.”

“Love the BLTA. Need a quick lunch or snack? This is the place. Only reasonable prices in Carmel.”

“We split the broiled red snapper sandwich that turned out to be a large serving for two. Excellent fresh fish on thick toasted bread with tomato lettuce and purple onion, tartar sauce to add.”

“An unexpected highlight of our recent visit to Carmel! Warm, welcoming, fun vibe, great food. There are places one just doesn't insist on veggie options. 🤫”

“Best coffee in the West”

“Counter service ordering, sit down and wait style. Large food portions. Burrito was good but nothing to write home about. Unremarkable. No salsa bar, chips were served as a side. Server was friendly and helped bus our table.”

“Barmel Love Love Love ❤️”

“From farm to fresh right on the plate; try the walnut apple salad and add chicken if you like. The atmosphere by the fire warms one inside and out.”

“This place is gem. Very good food, good quantity. Probably the best veggie dishes Ive had. The prices are remarkably good, especially for this area. Its deceptive in that the decor is very nice so it looks like it would be expensive, but its not. I hesitate to say its a great value because that makes it sound cheap, but it really is great food, atmosphere and service and also price. Of course the takeout is my go to. A super family run place in the Crossroads (Sweet Reba’s, MYO, etc) away from throngs of tourists. Man I love it here!”

“As a born and bred NYer I know good bagels when I taste them and these are very good.I don't buy any sandwiches so have no opinion on that-just give me the really good fresh bagels and let me buy the Acme Lox from Costco and I'm a happy guy.”

“They have good coffee here.”

“Friendlier and quiter than most starbucks I've been to. Have also noticed that this one seems to be more dog friendly. As long as your dog is behaved. Outside seating. Charging outlets still, plus in my book since I'm a traveler”

“They have good coffee here.”

“Mini combo was Yummy!”

“Best coffee in the West”

“Such a charming little spot! We stopped by The Tuck Box because my wife just had to go and she was interested in their high tea, which we didn’t get to try this time, but it’s definitely on our list for next visit.

We came for breakfast and ordered a Benedict. They didn’t have any gluten-free options, but the staff were super kind and made it work by serving it over fresh tomato slices for my wife. Had some coffee and the cozy cottage vibes made it all feel like a scene out of a storybook.

The space itself is adorablem great light during the day. Just a heads-up: it’s cash only, so plan ahead before you go.

All in all, a sweet, breakfast spot with friendly service. Can’t wait to come back and experience their high tea next time. ☕️”

“Great foods and great friends !”

“Incredible food and service! We love Chef Moises at 40 Love Catering!”

“Absolutely fantastic restaurant and a breath of fresh air in the Carmel culinary community. The food was incredible and the service was top notch. The space is refreshingly chic and relaxing. The tables are spaced apart to allow for conversation and there's no rush to finish your meal. You are encouraged to linger and enjoy the best meal in Carmel!”

“Great food service and atmosphere”

“Route 1 was closed and I had to return to Carmel from Big Sur and took Freeway 101 instead. So another pasta at Portabella! Always going back for it.”

“Enjoyed an amazing lunch! Delicious and the service was great 😊 👍🏻 Totally recommend this place.”

“We had a great meal last night and wonderful service with Bryan! Our lasagna and pizza were fantastic.”

“Awesome spot, stopped by on a Monday night and there was enough seating for our infant. We grabbed the crab carbonara and the fish and chips. Both were excellent and the service was great. Will plan to come back with the family!”

“Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere and wonderful service.”

“Great food, fantastic service and great atmosphere”

“Excellent food and great service and good live music.”

“There are varieties of delicious breads that you can try and all very fresh”

“Great piano bar! Awesome lemon drops😃”

“Fun sitting at the Sushi Bar! Great team, great service, and of course great food!”

“Never fails to give great food and service.”

“Great Customer Service. And the food was Great”

“The hostess, Savanah, was very helpful and friendly in setting-up outside dining despite possible rain and also made excellent menu suggestions. The smoked mozzarella appetizer in a delicious tomato sauce was fabulous as was the fish cooked in parchment paper with carrots. We definitely recommend Il Tegamino and will be back!”

“Loved the happy hour! Great food and drinks!! The service was fantastic!”