American Restaurants near Carmel Valley

“My wife and I were searching for wineries in the Carmel Valley and stumbled upon the Corkscrew Cafe, located about 12 miles east of Highway 1 along Carmel Valley Road. While I’m not certain of any formal affiliation, the restaurant serves wines from the neighboring Georis and Cowgirl wineries.

The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating, and we opted to sit outside to enjoy the beautiful weather (a perfect 69°). We were seated at a table for two next to a small water feature and pond. The atmosphere was excellent—ideal for a late lunch or early dinner. Because we were seated behind the restaurant, traffic noise from Carmel Valley Road was minimal and pleasantly masked by the gentle sound of the water feature.

We ordered a bottle of Georis Cabernet Franc to share. It was an approachable, well-balanced red—full-bodied without being heavy, smooth on the palate, and dry enough to pair nicely with food.

For appetizers, we chose the Calamaretti Fritti and the Bread Service. The calamaretti arrived with both a light tartar sauce and a cocktail sauce.

The bread service was excellent. The bread arrived in two pieces, each roughly four inches square—almost flatbread-like, but thicker—with an open, lacy crumb and a well-burnished crust, each piece approximately an inch thick. It was served with an outstanding olive oil dipping blend of balsamic, chili flakes, parmesan, garlic, and basil—a perfect pairing.

For our main, we shared the Margherita pizza, topped with traditional sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, and cherry tomatoes. The pizza had a thin crust and measured about 12 inches in diameter—ideal for sharing. The slightly oven-roasted tomatoes were a standout.

Of course, we had to top off the visit with a shared lave cake and vanilla Gelato.

We were very happy to have found this little gem and will definitely be back. Service was excellent—attentive without being intrusive. Highly recommended.“

“A wonderfully quaint rustic lodge in the heart of Carmel Valley. Rooms are spotless, the food is very good; but the service is impeccable. Les and Mike and their employees provide over the top help and service, from ice for a hospitality suite to golf reservations to special requests.
Highly recommended.“

“First visit to the reincarnated Cachagua General Store, now located at Douglas Ranch, and it's a much better venue -- still rustic but less grungy. Michael is just getting restarted and his locally famous Monday dinners may be sporadic for a while -- follow the progress on it's Facebook page. Note, BTW, that there's no corkage fee at these dinners.“

“My wife and I enjoyed a relaxed lunch at Cafe Rustica, seated outside on a beautiful day.
We shared a bottle of Justin Cabernet and started with a small loaf of bread served with olive oil and balsamic. For an appetizer, we ordered the Crispy Calamari with chili aioli. The calamari was tender—not chewy—and the chili aioli was an excellent dip.
For our main, we shared a Margherita pizza with a thin crust, traditional sauce, fresh mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes. It was well executed and easy to share. For dessert, we split the Fresh Lemon Pudding Cake, which came with sliced strawberries, whipped cream, and a strawberry drizzle. It was very unique and delicious, and a standout way to end the meal.
Service was excellent—Thomas took great care of us—and the atmosphere was warm and inviting. Cafe Rustica is a very quaint spot, nestled in Carmel Valley about 12 miles east of Highway 1, and well worth the drive.

After lunch, my wife and I took a leisurely stroll through Carmel Valley, wondering why we hadn’t discovered this area sooner. Our walk formed a relaxed circuit along both sides of Carmel Valley Road, passing numerous wine-tasting rooms, restaurants, and beautiful scenery. We stopped often to take photos of the tasting locations, the mature oak trees, and even a majestic hawk perched on a fence.
The overall setting and atmosphere were wonderful, and it’s easy to imagine returning specifically for wine tasting—or even staying at one of the nearby resorts. Carmel Valley left a strong impression and is well worth spending time exploring.“

“We celebrated our Mom's birthday with the whole extended family in late July with a dinner at Lucia. It was an amazing evening from start to finish - a beautiful table in the inside/outdoor space at the front of the hotel, warm and impeccable service led by Donice who made the whole evening incredibly special, and fabulous food. We all left incredibly happy, especially our Mom who was so delighted. Thank you!“

“You gotta visit just for the decorations!! Cowboy theme extravaganza!!! Some kinda creepy, but so fun.

Burger was very good!! Cooked well and came out juicy. The blue cheese was good quality.

A friend had the fried chicken and said it was excellent. Another recommended the Patty Melt.

But it's really all about the decorations!! The ceiling and walls are covered in old boots, animal skins, animal heads, signs, saddles, horns, pictures, chairs, hats, etc. etc. etc.

We were told by two locals during our wine tastings that this is the bar all locals come to at night.

The service was excellent!! Really wish I remember the server's name, but she has as much character as the restaurant does!!! Loved chatting with her. She gave us some excellent wine tasting recommendations too!!“

“Elevated comfort food with a few minor twists (branzino gets the au poivre treatment; lamb lightened up with lots of watercress) but all familiar enough for our teen daughters to love. Big buzzy room and standout friendliness from our server. Just a delight.“

“Good food hood service. ✅✅“

“Wonderful restaurant. Great for single diners!!“

“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 were visiting on a golf trip and stopped in here for dinner. Absolutely excellent food with outstanding customer service! Thank you for making our first meal on our trip a fantastic one! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

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

“Nothing fussy, just real food for real people. No Paleo adjacent avocado quinoa salads.
Cozy, pleasant. Kind of on the small side, which is good for me. Quiet, too.
The waitress was really nice, food came out quickly, and it was hot.
Only issue is, the fried potatoes aren't deep fried. So, know that if you want crispy potatoes, get the hash browns.“

“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!!“

“Nice setting looking out the horses in the across the street ranch. No need to face the gas station. Friendly, courteous service. Nice guys there. Good delicious and on time. We’ll be back. Recommended.“

“We were more than pleasantly surprised by the quality of the food. The garlic fries were an excellent start, followed by the pan seared salmon. Even the sides were delicious. Thanks to our server Eric, for the wonderful service. It's so nice to have such a good restaurant right in the hotel.

Update: Back for a second night because last night was so good. Had to have the Garlic Fries again. Oh my... so good! Then it was Chicken Carnitas Quesadilla and Fish and Chips. Excellent! Really good. We went for dessert tonight. Turtle Cheesecake. Oh my!!! We may have to have it again before we leave. Thanks Eric!!! You are the best! So glad you had our table again. Thank you for your kindness!!!“

“Love the beet salad, blackened salmon, kids love the burgers and Philly cheese steak sandwiches...lots of great options and friendly service. Especially great for anyone living off Highway 68 or Laureles Grade, great place for dine in or take out.“

“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.“

“We had a wonderful meal sitting with heaters overlooking the airport runway. Chef Tim Wood is a excellent cook, and all our food was fresh, and delicious. I highly recommend this unique restaurant to enjoy!“

“I had a late breakfast here the other day, and it was exactly what I had in mind. The food was absolutely delicious! They ensured that I had everything I needed, and my coffee mug was always full.

I’m not a picky person when it comes to interior or exterior design, or even the type of music is playing. I only care about the food and service, and they did great 5/5!“

“Had dinner + breakfast here on a recent overnight stay at the hotel and was pleasantly surprised! The staff were all super friendly + attentive, food was tasty (get the bread pudding for dessert if you've saved room!) but the views were definitely the star of the show. Would recommend.“

“Being an old-ish Army Vet, I had to try the SOS, as it was the go to breakfast in the 80's Army. I was not disappointed with the flavor or the memories! Great, efficient servers, service and food. 12 stars outta 10 stars! (When the VA appointments send me this way again, I'll definitely be getting my breakfast here!)“

“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.“

“Great food and awesome service. Worth the visit.“

“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.“

“The best kept secret in Monterey! First of all the FRESH hand-made corn tortillas! OMG! Best in town without question. Huevos rancheros and Chilaquiles were amazing! Authentic. You want spicy? They have the spicy. You prefer mild? Their tomatillo is super mild and DELICIOUS! Fast service with a smile. Plenty of parking. AND THE PRICES ARE SO LOW“

“the food is always delicious.. I love when I have to pick up here and get to eat here“

“The owner and staff hold an annual Christmas Toy Drive to serve children with parents living with HIV/AIDS and/or HepC. Plus, you can't find better food, more friendly staff, or a really cool venue.“

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“The bartender was very nice. He let us know the kitchen was about to close, and to get our food orders in. The food was very yummy. The patty was smaller than I expected, but tasty and well cooked. My daughter loved the waffle fries, and husband liked the tots. We had a couple drinks, ate, it was a very chill lunch we enjoyed.“

“My friend was having a really bad day. That’s was until he decided to spice things up by going to Chili’s. He ordered some non alcoholic beverages and got some mozzarella sticks appetizers that filled him up. He called them pizzas because of how big they are. Rest assured they turned his frown completely upside down.“

“Your online ordering is a horrible experience. Can't use my AARP card, can't make changes to orders that change the cost, the full menu is not available, and I have 36 characters for any special instructions. Seriously you can do better. Why do I need to fill all this information out on this form when I'm logged in and you have this info already? In a busy staff at the restaurant have to constantly answer the phone because of all the shortcomings with your website and application. I spend a LOT of money at Denny's and the feedback form on your application doesn't work“

“My girlfriend and I have been here twice and everything we tried tasted amazing. The chef was willing to substitute mushrooms for meat on a pasta dish that ended up being my favorite entree I've ever had. They were also able to fit us in without a reservation both times. I only wish the menu was bigger, but it does change regularly.“