30 Best American Restaurants in Carmel By The Sea

“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!“

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

“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.“

“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 piano bar! Awesome lemon drops😃“

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

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

“Great time watching the Niners game.“

“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!!“

“This is a Real Gem a few tables, clean, nicely decorated, the food is always fresh and sources from great places, seasonal, from appetizer to main course Amir and his team are very attentive, friendly and patient. Nice wine list, the home baked bread is so tempting you can't stop eating. The meat and seafood is so fresh and cooked to perfection. A locals secret place always a pleasure to return“

“Small fresh menu but with something for everyone. The sea bass was fresh and tasty. Chicken was moist and delicious. Beet salad was fresh with an absolutely wonderful piece of salmon. We'll be back. No Parker rolls though..too bad. Artichoke dip was surprisingly light and great with the toast.“

“When I made a reservation at Covey Grill, I did so out of convenience as we were arriving to The Quail lodge late and I thought dinner at the hotel would be best after a long travel day. My family and I arrived to the restaurant at our reserved time and were seated immediately. The hostess even provided us the option to sit inside or outside on the deck. We opted for an indoor window seat. We began with the ahi grade tuna and satsuma starter. It was delcious. The tuna was so fresh. My husband and I each ordered the halibut market fish for the evening. The fish was prepared nicely and served with mashed butternut squash and asparagus. Our boys enjoyed their Shirley Temples, hot dogs and French fries. I must say the French fries were legit. We were impressed by the service provided and the quality of the dishes served. While we were disappointed to find out the restaurant would not be open for the regular menu the remainder of our stay, we were able to try their three course menu night via room service the final night of our stay. Be sure to check the days and times of operation and book a reservation as you will not be disappointed. Covey Grill is not your typical hotel restaurant.“

“Great service and food!! Fast service and cozy atmosphere“

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

“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.“

“Food was good. Service was sloooooow! We grabbed a table for 5 and they had us wait for a chair and then a random patio chair was brought over. Orders were placed and we brawl sat there for 3 hrs total between waiting, ordering the food, and then getting the food. Do not come here if you are hangry or on a time crunch. Service was inattentive after we received our plates, that was that. We didn’t get checked on or ask if we needed anything else. All the dishes were good though so no complaints on the food. Just know they are very busy and they had two ppl for the whole entire restaurant. Bring your patience“

“Never fails to give great food and service.“

“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.“

“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!“

“Excellent atmosphere and food“

“Great food, fantastic service and great atmosphere“

“We celebrated our anniversary there and had the BEST time. Faisal always makes you feel like family. The food and music are the best!!!“

“Great food, wonderful service and awesome atmosphere!“

“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🤩“

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

“Really fun spot and super friendly staff.“

“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. 🤫“

“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.“

“Phenomenal service and food! We were there on visiting for Christmas holiday when Carmel had a major power outage the day after the storm. But despite that challenging situation, Edwin's staff made sure they prepared the food on time, with superb quality and service. Just outstanding on all fronts in the midst of a challenging situation. If you want a true experience of Filipino-Indonesian taste & quality of food and hospitality in Carmel/Monterey area, Edwin's the place to go. Their Kare-Kare is the best! (I know--we're Filipinos and I'm a homegrown cook. =))“

“We chose Seventh & Dolores for our second wedding anniversary dinner, and had a really great night. They surprised us with two complimentary glasses of champagne 🥂 a sweet gesture that set a celebratory tone. We sat outdoors under the heat lamps and fire pits, which made for a cozy, romantic vibe. ✨

We ordered the Seafood Tower that had shrimp, oysters, tuna tartare, grilled octopus, and caviar, plus a white red & bleu salad and a massive tomahawk steak (around 40 oz) with broccolini. For dessert, we went with the Copa Banana cocktail, the Bougie Pear Cocktail, and the Valrhona Chocolate Terrine. Now, this dessert... layered chocolate decadence topped with honeycomb. So damn good

The seafood tower had highlights. Oysters were fresh, tartar was delish, shrimp was juicy, and the caviar was a nice touch, we definitely did some caviar bumps 😆. The octopus was a little on the salty side for me, but the texture was perfect. The tomahawk was a showstopper. We ordered it rare and it delivered. We even joked about taking the bone home to grill and gnaw on later 😆.

Cocktails & Desserts were next-level. The Copa Banana had that espresso-banana vibe that hit just right. Next time, I'm ordering that UP. The Bougie Pear was exactly what my wife wanted. That Valrhona Chocolate Terrine though…easily one of my favorite bites of the night.

Our server & bussers were friendly, attentive, and had great recommendations. The atmosphere was upscale but not stuffy. Vibrant, playing some beats I like. What an enjoyable evening all around.

Pricey? Yeah. Regrets? None. Would we go again? Absolutely. Next time, I’m going for the filet mignon 👀🤤“