34 Best American Restaurants near Carmel Valley

“a must visit in Carmel Valley! The food was amazing. We had the prosciutto pizza with lemon (incredible), the champignon starter and the pear Gorgonzola salad (must try!). We ended the evening with a tiramisu, we are from Europe and to be honest haven’t had this good of a tiramisu outside of Italy!

Oh and their wine? Bordeaux blend cowgirl was so good!

10/10“

“Los Laureles Lodge – Carmel Valley
I was hesitant to stay here because the property looked very rustic, and too close to the main road, with road noise apparent but it was one of the recommended hotels for a wedding at Stonepine Estate, with a shuttle stop to transport us to the wedding venue, so I decided to join the group. Unfortunately, the reservation process was a major issue. Despite multiple calls ahead of time by mom of the bride and others, confirming room types and occupancy, several reservations were incorrect upon arrival, leaving guests scrambling to find rooms, adjust arrangements, or pay unexpected additional costs.
The property itself is rustic but clean. We did not experience any bugs or critters in our rooms or onsite, the grounds are actually pleasant to explore. The rooms, however, are very basic, dated, with dark wood paneling, minimal amenities, cramped bathrooms, and inconsistent shower temperatures. Our decorative headboard was not securely attached and fell off the wall, which was unsettling, especially since one of the few outlets was underneath it. The refrigerator worked well, and the front desk provided extra towels when requested.
The complimentary breakfast was simple but adequate (coffee, tea, hot cocoa, juice, melon, hard-boiled eggs, and coffee cake). We did not use the restaurant or bar during our stay. If it was open, it was not during the times we were onsite. The property has a pool and event spaces that looked nice enough, although they seemed quiet during our summer weekend visit. There are two resident cats, one very friendly and one more mangy.
The best part of our stay was Colin at the front desk. He was kind, helpful, and went above and beyond,helping with questions, last-minute deliveries (Amazon), and even assisting with a wedding-related printing request.
Overall, I’d rate this as a solid 3-star hotel. It’s clean, safe, and has a charming rustic setting, but the rooms and amenities are very basic. I would consider staying again only if the price was reasonable and options were limited.“

“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.“

“We decided to have an anniversary dinner here and our girls (9 and 12 joined us). We sat outside in the summer and the weather was perfect. Had a view of the mountains in the background. Service was really warm, friendly, fast and professional but not stuffy. We had the spinach salad, pasta dish (butternut ravioli), pizza, vegetable plate and kids pasta. Fresh, tasty and well prepared. Pizza crust was only so, so... that is my only critique.“

“My partner and I are avid enjoyers of fine dining experiences; having traveled with the particular goal of seeking out quality cuisine.

Having said this, my experience at Lucia was one of the best of my life. The food evoked a feeling— which I find to be a rarity these days. Never have I ever tasted bread that made me well tears; the paring of cheeses with the selections of fruit, jams, and crostinis was fantastic. The harvest vegetable soup was warm and comforting. Rather the dining experience being focused on the ambiance, this one was truly one to *feel*. Also, it appears all of the food is locally sourced, which makes every dish precisely in season.

I will say, this is a slow dining experience, which in my opinion is not a bad thing. I did not feel rushed, and was given ample time for enjoying being present with each dish.

Our server was fantastic, his name was Kerry, and he truly was kind. Very attentive and knowledgeable. Thank you Lucia, and to Kerry, for making my birthday special. I could not have had a better experience!“

“This place is always a slam dunk good eats!
I would always come here for the wings, fish & chips and today all of us decided to have the ribeye steak. Cooked to perfection, simple is better, filling and so juicy. Felt like good ol’ home cooking, fun and easy listening county music, fun décor all around and the service was perfectly welcoming, kind and attentive. No doubt as to why this is a local favorite with a small town, good people feeling ❤️❤️❤️ I should have taken photos… next time 😉“

“I had a great experience at Maligne in Seaside. I had seen some negative reviews before coming in, but based on my experience today, I honestly don’t feel they reflect what this restaurant has to offer.

The open kitchen is awesome and gives the restaurant a warm, homey feel while still having that fine-dining atmosphere. The food was excellent, the drinks hit the spot, and Joel, our server, was awesome—friendly, attentive, and made the experience even better.

I really enjoy fine dining, and Maligne definitely delivered. Great food, great atmosphere, and great service. This is absolutely a place I’ll be coming back to!“

“Wonderful restaurant. Great for single diners!!“

“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!)“

“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! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“My wife and I are staying just down the road for the weekend and stumbled in for breakfast the place felt just like my grandma's house growing up my grandmother loved flamingos and here there are owls 🦉 every where made it feel even more life home staff was so welcoming and had the biggest smiles 😃 blessed.. Coffee was hot and the blueberry pancake combos we both ordered were amazing fluffy and made with an ingredient not found in most main stream food (Love) bacon and eggs perfect price and portions are good. Will be going back tomorrow before we leave town and make sure when we come back next year that this will be our go to place.“

“Good food hood service. ✅✅“

“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 and awesome service. Worth the visit.“

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

“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.“

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

“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!“

“We had a wonderful experience dining at The Covey. We sat at a window table with a view of their water feature. The staff was extremely attentive and friendly. My husband ordered the Branzino and I had the Chicken Saltimbocca. Both dishes were excellent! Not only were the proteins cooked to perfection but the vegetables and farro that accompanied them were also very good. We look forward to dining here again.“

“Didn't know if I was supposed to see myself or wait for a host the one helped me about 3 minutes after I got there the food prepared was not exactly what the server wrote up disappointed by that but the food tastes and the folks were walking around to assist we're notice at people who are genuinely happy to be here the temperature is a little chilly inside the restaurant but it's a nice place to be“

“We were a group of 10 and there were mixed reviews regarding the food. Two of us got ravioli, one of us did not like the taste. One of us got the cioppino and commented it lacked flavor. The half chicken and the pork chop, the honey nut squash were rated a 4/5. The fish was a small portion. The view was spectacular and the sunset was perfect.“

“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.“

“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!!!“

“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.“

“Hands down the best restaurant serving excellent breakfasts in the salinas valley! Staff is super friendly!“

“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“

“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.“

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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.“

“Great food ,I had the 10oz sirloin surf and turf and added a bowl of enchilada soup which was delicious. The only complaint I have is that they charge 9 dollars for a super duper small bowl which it should be a full size bowl for that price“

“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.“

“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“