50 Best Dog Friendly Restaurants Carmel By The Sea

“Fabulous food and terrific service and hospitality from a friendly and professional staff. My wife and I both took the wine pairing and the selection and quality of the wines were flawless. Unlike another high-end restaurant where we had dinner a few months ago, there was nothing stingy about the pours at Chez Noir. It's a pricey meal to be sure, but we both thought it was worth it and will definitely re-visit.“

“Stopped in for lunch on our visit to Carmel. Absolutely loved the crispy crust of our all meat pizza. The chocolate cake was our favorite dessert we had during our stay in town. The service was excellent, and we even had an awesome chat with the owner. Would definitely come again!“

“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! 😊“

“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“

“We love De Tierra Vineyards! The wines are amazing. The Tasting Room is in an adorable cottage that is so appropriate for enjoying wine in Carmel. The staff is super friendly and knowledgeable about the wines. They even host live music on Sundays. We love being a part of the De Tierra Wine Club!“

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

“one of the best in Carmel...“

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

“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 and customer service! We had the classic fondue, and the sausage plate, which were delicious. We finished off with the creme brulee and strudel which we enjoyed as well! Plus I enjoyed my German beer in a boot shaped mug! We will come back again if we are in the area.“

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

“I ordered the Haifa and it was super delicious! The cafe is tucked away, making it a nice peaceful place to take a break on our road trip. We loved the coffee and the atmosphere. The mural is beautiful and there’s even books by Palestinian authors that you can read while enjoying your coffee. 10/10 spot, will definitely be back“

“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. 🍻“

“Great food, wonderful service and awesome atmosphere!“

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

“Amazing food with even more amazing service. Highly recommend for your special night out!“

“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!!!👍“

“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.“

“We came in expecting a simple sushi spot, but this place completely surprised us.

The presentation is absolutely beautiful — every dish is decorated with so much care, and all the little details make the food feel even more special and delicious.

The courtyard is also cozy and has such a unique atmosphere — it honestly feels like you’ve stepped somewhere far away from the city for a while. We truly loved this place and left impressed. Definitely worth visiting.“

“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.“

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

“Amazing wine and atmosphere“

“I rarely write reviews. The place has to be special. While Carmel offers a Smorgasbord of deliciousness, the best of the best is L’Escargot. Every category is five stars! So incredibly friendly and so incredibly talented! I had the frog legs (the sauce - wow!), the escargot (best I’ve had anywhere), the beef wellington ( ART!!!) and finished with creme brûlée ( last time I had one of this caliber was the year 2001) If you are in the area this place is a priority❤️.“

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

“Felt right at home as soon as we walked into this place. Both the manager and the gentleman who helped us were wonderful. They expanded our horizons from our typical palette. Ended up leaving with a bottle of their sparkling rose which we normally don’t lean towards at all! It was so refreshing yet dry and definitely hit the spot during the warm day. The bar was spacious and the outdoor dining area had a nice cool breeze. Good ambience is key and this place definitely has it. We will be back when visiting the area again🍷“

“Sarah is amazing!! She's friendly, fun, super knowledgeable, and always knows exactly what wine to recommend. She made us feel like regulars and kept the good vibes going throughout our visit.
Great wine is easy to find at Folktale, but great service like Sarah's is what keeps us coming back. Thanks for making our day so much fun—we’ll be back soon!“

“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.“

“We haven't been here in awhile, sad to say, but for Father's day My Lovely wife & I did, glad we did, the Drinks are always great here, the Seafood is always outstanding. We Ordered the Smokle Salmon Plate, which was amazing & also back on the menu the Steamed clams with Garlic Bread (oh how Wonderful). My wife also ordered the cup of Clam Chowder which was delicious.“

“Delicious freshly prepared donuts with sn amazing variety of glazes. The also have beignets and an assortment of drinks and beverages.“

“This location grows and produces some of the Central Coasts best vegetables. They are used at the World famous Chez Noir restaurant in Carmel-by-the-sea. When I was there, they were preparing for 3 events simultaneously. This location strikes me as very robust, and able to handle large groups of visitors with ease, yet not squelch the 'quaintness' of Carmel Valley.“

“I cannot recommend both Shale Canyon wine tasting room and Nora’s Carmel enough. While celebrating a birthday last weekend, we stopped in the tasting room before dinner and were greeted with the warmest welcome by Janice. She, along with the staff at Noras, made our experience 5 stars through and through. Both establishments are a must while you’re in Carmel.“

“Wonderful customer service and the Zin was wonderful!!! 👍🏻“

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

“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!!“

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

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

“Great service, great ambiance, great food!“

“Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere and wonderful service.“

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

“We came back for a second visit, and it confirmed why we wanted to return. The food was just as good as the first time fresh, flavorful, and cooked perfectly. It’s hard to find a place that’s this consistent, but Alvarado Street Brewery definitely delivers.

A special shoutout to our server, James. He was friendly, attentive, and made sure we had everything we needed throughout our meal. His great attitude and excellent service made an already great experience even better.

If you’re in Monterey and looking for great food, excellent service, and a relaxed atmosphere, I highly recommend stopping by. Two visits in, and they’ve definitely earned a repeat customer. We’ll absolutely be back again!“

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

“Overall a wonder experience! We visited 4 wineries this weekend and this was by far the best. Great atmosphere, amazing wines and Savannah was amazing! She was knowledgeable, friendly and engaging. Would definitely recommend. Thanks Savannah for an amazing visit!!!“

“Wow! Wanted to grab a simple sandwich on our way out of town...were totally amazed by the awesome sandwich options here. Ended up dining in, adding the yummy duck fat fries and some unsweetened ice tea to our delicious sandwiches (he did pastrami and I did burnt ends). Loved the easy self-order system that let me customize our choices.“

“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“

“My wife and I had a wonderful time during a day-trip last Sunday, 4/12/26. Our server did a great job of attending to our every whim and request! The ambience was fantastic and even though it rained a little, moving into the bar area was another experience in itself. We can't thank em enough for giving us such a memorable experience!“

“Really fun spot and super friendly staff.“

“Went to a live jazz performance here. Great small venue, relaxed vibe, and knowledgeable staff. Great wines, too! The space was clean, well maintained, and with a modern, but almost retro-60's feel. The wines are classic Monterey - Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the Salinas Valley and SLH. But Sabrine Rodems, the winemaker (a very busy girl in these parts, making wines for many of the local labels), also does varietals from other nearby AVAs, like Paso Robles. Recommend.“

“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.“