20 Best Seafood Restaurants in Carmel By The Sea

“We ate one of the best meals of our lives here a year ago on our honeymoon. So remarkable I’m leaving this review a year later! I remember being greeted so warmly by the woman I believe is the owner. We were given complementary dessert and a champagne toast, too. This is a restaurant that lives up to its Michelin star(s)?“

“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!“

“Amazing food. Amazing atmosphere and wonderful service.“

“My friends and I have been craving for clam chowder and were recommended this place.

Our full order: clam chowder, fried seafood platter, and fish tacos.

Chowder was on point! It was pretty good and stayed piping hot for a hot minute. The tacos were huge, they were pretty average and same with the seafood platter.

The restaurant had a good amount of seats inside and outside. We went on a weekend and it gets packed pretty quickly. Service was quick, you just order at the counter and pick up your food when it's ready.

Bottom line: Will be back!“

“AMAZING!! Such a wonderful place to dine!! Started with fresh oysters & crab cakes BUT even before our appetizers, they provided a special champagne & caviar service - soooo special!! For our meal - Lobster Risotto was just CRAZY GOOD!! It had plenty of lobster BUT it was topped off with shrimp scampi & scallop - CRAZY good!! Macadamia nut crusted halibut was so clean and fresh and well prepared with potatoes augratin!! What an amazing food delight!! THANK YOU ❤️“

“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!“

“Through no fault of Flaherty's...it was so loud! (There were 3 people at the bar having a very good time. We were seated right behind them.) Next time we'll request outside seating. Salmon & artichoke pasta was good, just needed some salt. The fish & chips were excellent.“

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

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

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

“Wonderful find! Great little restaurant with outstanding food! Fast friendly service. Large selection of foods and spirits. ♿ accessible, including the restrooms. Only issue worth mentioning was the noise level and it cannot handle large groups. We will definitely return and recommend it when you are in town!“

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

“This is one of the better restaurants we ate at during our stay in the Carmel area. Let's start with the service which was excellent. Outdoor patio seating faces the pond with its fountain and distant hills. Of the items we tried (we ended up returning several times) the Tuna & Satsuma Mandarin and the Petite Filet were standouts. My husband claims they make the best hamburger on the coast!“

“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“

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

“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!“

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

“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.“

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