Restaurants in Carmel-by-the-Sea

“They accommodated a table of one vegetarian and one non-vegetarian. Daniel and the entire restaurant provided fantastic service. All courses were spectacular and a true reflection of local ingredients and cuisine.”

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

“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!”

“One of the best chinese restaurants in Carmel. We make it a tradition to visit every year to satisfy and recalibrate our taste buds. The restaurant itself is very simple, not fancy at all. You could almost describe it as a fast food spot or a cafeteria. But don’t let the appearance fool you. The food is incredibly fresh, and the flavors do something extraordinary to your palate that is genuinely hard to describe. It’s one of those places you simply have to experience for yourself. A special thank you to Tommy for the passion and consistency you bring. You have created a place that gives people a truly memorable dining experience, and we look forward to coming back every year.”

“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🤩”

“Beyond amazing. Service ambience and food was impeccable”

“Great foods and great friends !”

“One of the best (arguably) thin crust pizzas I've had close to the bay area! Fresh ingredients, dough, and the cheese especially! We were visiting but the folks in Carmel are too lucky to have this pizza join right their backyard!”

“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.”

“ushi Heaven in Carmel is an absolute institution and one of those special places that has been part of the community for years! In a town filled with incredible restaurants, Sushi Heaven continues to stand out for its amazing food, genuine hospitality, and unforgettable dining experience.

The sushi is always incredibly fresh, beautifully prepared, and absolutely delicious. There's a reason this place has been around for so long. The quality, consistency, and attention to detail are exceptional, and every visit feels like something special.

What truly makes Sushi Heaven extraordinary is David, the owner. David is simply amazing! His warmth, passion, and genuine love for his guests are what make this restaurant so much more than just a place to eat. He makes you feel like family, and that personal connection is something you just don't find very often anymore.

Sushi Heaven represents everything I love about Carmel: incredible food, wonderful people, and local businesses with real heart and character. It's places like this that give a community its soul. One of the best sushi experiences you can have, and a restaurant I will continue to support for years to come. Thank you, David, for making Sushi Heaven such a special part of Carmel!”

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

“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!”

“Fantastic experience at the wine bar. Super friendly service, great tasting wines, fun ambiance and excellent live music. Couldn’t have asked for a better afternoon!”

“A cozy and lively place with high quality food and very pleasant vibe. This is not the first time I come. I have tried a couple of dishes here before (e.g. schnitzels, fondues, goulash soup, sand dabs, geschnetzeltes) and they are all excellent. I came today at odd hour (after 2pm) so I took a picture with no crowd.
Service is excellent and friendly. Comfortable environment.
A must-go place every time I visit Carmel.”

“My wife, our friend who lives here and I went to Flying Fish Grill restaurant and had the best experience we have had at a restaurant. We were greeted by Rich from front of house with a warm welcome and he immediately recognized where we were from our phone area code. The restaurant is very cozy and you almost feel you are in their house.
The waitress Brandie came by quickly and took our drink orders and explained the highlights of the menu and answered our questions. Before we were barely settled we had a basket of fried wontons and salsa which were crisp and delicious.
Oh my gosh, I think the three of us hit the trifecta. I had the haddock in parchment paper with a miso and fermented black bean sauce which, it turns out, Brandie described very well. My wife had the Ying and Yan salmon which she loved. Our dear friend had the ahi tuna with pepper which she loved.
Gerry (Jerry not sure) served the dishes with charm and banter which we appreciated. The service was expedient yet we never felt rushed.
Again, we loved our experience at the Flying Fish Grill restaurant and highly recommend it.
I would never call myself a foodie expert but it was certainly the best seafood choices and flavors I have had in a while.
I made a point to ask all their names as they were all at the top of their game. Kudos to the chef behind all the food as he certainly knows how to make the magic.”

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

“The service is always great and the food is so good and fresh. We’ve been there multiple times to listen to music and it’s been really good. Enjoyed Ryan Sesma last night. Highly recommend! 😊”

“The most civilized place to dine in Carmel. We are always made to feel like guests visiting a friend in their cozy dining room. As for the soufflés—delicious, a bit decadent and most enjoyable. Given that it's only lunch service, there is no reason not to get 10,000 steps on the beach post-lunch! We will be back!”

“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!!!👍”

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

“Delicious pizza & drinks.”

“We had excellent service! Our server Juan was very professional and provided personalized service throughout the evening. If you want a perfectly prepared steak, this is the best! This is our third visit to this restaurant and it was the best ever.
We highly recommend!”

“This was our third visit. It's our favorite place in Carmel. Food is very good, wine list is excellent. Service is friendly. We look forward to our fourth visit!”

“Great service, great ambiance, great food!”

“My wife and I were just looking for a quick grab-and-go coffee in the area and stumbled upon this place. Wow—we were so impressed! The coffee was excellent and the service was outstanding. Highly recommend stopping by if you’re in the neighborhood!”

“Wow. Truly excellent beers. We tried four different styles and every single one was on point — clean, well-balanced, and full of character. It’s always impressive when a brewery shows this level of consistency across styles. We also had the chance to meet the owner, who is also the brewer, and that made the experience even better. Super friendly, passionate, and clearly dedicated to the craft. You can really taste the care behind each beer. Great atmosphere, welcoming vibe, and top-quality pours. This is exactly the kind of place you hope to find when you’re out exploring — outstanding beer and genuinely great people. This place is a true gem. If you’re in the area, don’t miss it. Definitely worth the stop — we’ll absolutely be back. 🍻”

“We had a great time at Galante Vineyards Tasting Room! It was our first ever wine tasting experience, and we greatly benefitted from the great service of the tasting room - we were fortunate to have the place to ourselves for much of the evening, and were guided through our tasting by Patrick, who was very helpful, friendly, and an enjoyable guide to talk to about wine, the history of the town, or just about anything. He gave us insight into the history, growing conditions, and flavors in each wine, and we were able to try a good variety of a few whites, some reds, and even a delicious dessert wine. We do not have much wine-drinking experience, but we thought all the wines were great, very drinkable, and some truly stood out, like the chardonnay, the dessert wine, and the Blackjack Cabernet Sauvignon, so we had to get a few bottles as well. This combination made the wine tasting a true experience, and very worthwhile even for a few wine amateurs.”

“Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere and wonderful service.”

“The Pocket in Carmel-by-the-Sea serves beautifully prepared seasonal dishes, with standout fresh seafood and inventive small plates that showcase local coastal flavors. The intimate atmosphere is cozy and elegant, making it ideal for a romantic dinner or special celebration, whether you choose the warm indoor seating or charming patio. Service is consistently attentive, warm, and thoughtful from start to finish. The quality of the food, curated wine list, and overall experience make it a true gem in Carmel—absolutely delightful and highly recommended.”

“As it’s tucked off to the side, it has a much calmer atmosphere than the other restaurants in the Carmel Shopping Center, which is extremely busy.

Ordered the Chirashi Donburi as takeout and was not disappointed. The slices of fish were generous, the rice wasn’t mushy, and it was a wonderful simple dish, not too heavy. They were also quite quick with my order which I appreciated.”

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

“one of the best in Carmel...”

“Loaded fries with brisket is delicious. Crispy cauliflower is a must.
Everything we tried was real good.
And a good selection of beer.
Recommend!”

“We had an amazing experience at Folktale Winery. Our server was incredible. She asked about our wine preferences and then delivered some exceptional choices. The entertainment was perfect for enjoying good conversations and good wines. Thank you!”

“Big win. We love this place . If you want a sandwich heads and shoulders above the standard fare, this is your store. Combined with a good vibe and a place to meet, this is your go to.”

“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.”

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

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

“I tried fog and asiago ravioli and it was delicious. Tiramisu was fantastic. Very attentive service. This place is somewhat hidden, literally. But delivers when it comes to food.”

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

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

“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!!”

“Anniversary getaway to Carmel and this restaurant didn't miss! My wife and I were very satisfied. Also we ordered food to our room and came hot, fresh, good with all the condiments!!”

“The Scratch Wines tasting room was such a pleasant surprise, offering an intimate and quiet setting where we had the space entirely to ourselves. It was great being able to taste through both their red and white wines, sampling expressive styles from Monterey and surrounding coastal regions like Arroyo Seco. Compared to some of the more famous California terroirs, this area feels like a hidden gem, more affordable while still delivering wonderful, small-lot quality and a personal tasting experience.”

“Really fun spot and super friendly staff.”

“Great food, wonderful service and awesome atmosphere!”

“Our first visit to Carmel by the Sea. Just looking for a quick bite to eat and stumbled upon A.W. Shucks. A small corner bar. Beautiful inside and sea murrals on the walls. We ordered the crab salad sandwich, clam chowder, bloody Mary and a margarita on the rocks. Recommended!”

“Brownies and bars were delicious, not overpoweringly sweet like the cheap supermarket ones and had a high quality made-from-scratch taste to them. Staff are kind and friendly.”

“Simply the best. This is the place that the real real food aficionados in our area go for sushi. The freshness and the quality is amazing. Atmosphere is very understated but I love it. You are here for the food, not for glitz. Try the soft tofu. Eggplant fantastic and the fish is amazing.”

“Had the best breakfast burrito of my life here! It’s a cute deli with lots of options and they sell beer and wine! Would be perfect to pack a picnic for the beach.”

“Love this place. But depending on staff, welL? Signature burger requested as rare. Severed like leather. Gets reserved tables requests wrong most times. Beet salad with two tiny beets? Not good. Still, a strong recommendation.”

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

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

“yummy food and great atmosphere my sliders were epic and the wine choices were great,Andrew was really attentive thank you”

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

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

“They make the best Homemade pasta noodles. You can go there and buy fresh homemade pasta noodles take them home and cook them. They are absolutely delicious and would definitely go back next time we go to Carmel By The sea.”

“I just wanted to write a review because my family had a really good experience with an employee here, Jenna. Jenna was super helpful when my family came here. She refilled a toppings container for us and was very nice to us. In addition, when another family came in and made a bit of a mess she was really quick to take over cleaning it up. She was just a standout there overall.”

“Great piano bar! Awesome lemon drops😃”

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

“Amazing views, great food, and nice ambiance. Located in the Hyatt. A little challenging to park here, I would plan on doing valet parking. We actually enjoyed seeing whales off the coast while we ate breakfast.”

“Washed my truck and left it brand new. Great customer service and have amazing apparel as well. Overall great experience, they took care of me. And quality service!”

“My wife and I returned to Carmel for our 25th anniversary and were looking for a cute, romantic breakfast spot and found Little Swiss Cafe which was perfect. Cozy, friendly, wonderful ambiance, great service, and amazing food. We really loved it and plan to go back soon.”

“Delicious pizza & drinks.”

“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.”

“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. 🤫”

“First time I finished a burger!!”

“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.”

“Best coffee in the West”

“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!”

“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.”

“Best coffee in the West”

“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.”

“Sat outside for a Saturday evening dinner next to the water. Watched the sun set over the trees. Very quiet and pleasant. The food was excellent. We had a halibut risotto special and a wonderful Covey burger with bacon jam and brie.”

“Food was great, the service was absolutely amazing and the environment was truly amazing. Would recommend 10/10 if in Carmel, and wanting sea food. The portions are huge!”

“This place is YUMMY!

We got beef and broccoli, lemon chicken, chow mein, and some egg rolls. I thought the food was delicious, but I particularly enjoyed the beef and broccoli. Their sauces are well balanced and I didn’t feel like anything was over sauced and/or overpowering. The chow mein was a little on the onion heavy side which could either be a downside or upside to your taste buds. I enjoyed it, my toddler was less excited about all the onions.

I wish they used egg roll wrappers instead of spring roll wrappers. The egg rolls were still very good, and I know this is very American of me, but I just love the chewy warty hog filled egg rolls. I secretly like to eat them cold with hot mustard.

Am I gonna eat here again though? Heck to the yes I am. You should eat here too.

The staff here seems really kind and attentive too. Definitely is a bonus on top of the delightful food.”

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

“Always love the bagel bakery. Good bagels and great service.”

“Barmel Love Love Love ❤️”

“This is our favorite place to eat in the Carmel area! We come regularly and it’s always an enjoyable experience. The food is amazing and staff are friendly and helpful! Highly recommend!”

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

Wheelchair accessibility: Handicapped parking spaces. Easy entrance.”

“Consistently clean, friendly and quick. The male manager is great 👍 He seems to have a good rapport with the employees and customers. Pleasant atmosphere! Nice selection of yummy coffee, oatmeal etc. My Husband and I are regulars 😋”

“They have good coffee here.”

“Barmel Love Love Love ❤️”

“Excellent atmosphere and food”

“They have good coffee here.”

“Best coffee in the West”

“Mini combo was Yummy!”

“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!”

“Love this place. But depending on staff, welL? Signature burger requested as rare. Severed like leather. Gets reserved tables requests wrong most times. Beet salad with two tiny beets? Not good. Still, a strong recommendation.”

“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.”

“Gluten free eaters join together and keep this business successful. Excellent GF options with creamy clam chowder, fried artichoke, crab cakes and fried calamari to start the meal and delicious. What a great find. We ate outside with the warmth of the heat lamps, perfect, along with a place where our dog was welcome. We are definitely headed here on our next trip through”

“Great food, fantastic service and great atmosphere”

“Great piano bar! Awesome lemon drops😃”

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

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

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

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

“Never fails to give great food and service.”

“Lovely setting, excellent service, food was delicious and best coffee I’ve ever tasted! I know you use Lavazza but how do you make it?? When we make it to Carmel again we’ll definitely come back!”

“Great Customer Service. And the food was Great”

“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🤩”

“one of the best in Carmel...”

“Sharon made two adorable cakes for my twin daughters’s birthday party. We did one chocolate raspberry and one strawberry. Everyone loved them, especially the strawberry cake!”

“Super lecker , nettes Ambiente, freundliches Personal”