With a group of 11 wanting to eat outdoors, it can be challenging to find a place that serves good food in a nice setting. We made reservations, and enjoyed a table for our large group in a lovely tree covered area. The pizzas we ordered were very good, and for others in our group that ordered hamburgers and salmon, everyone was pleased with their choices. We had a nice bottle of wine, and a few of us enjoyed the lovely presentation of a bottle of beer on a tray with cheese (since when did this become a thing?!). In sum, we had a wonderful time with family and old friends thanks to Corkscrew Cafe! read more

Called in a takeout order. When I got there, they had messed up and hadn't even started it. They didn't offer an apology or discount. After they finished making my order, they shortchanged me! I could tell I hadn't received the correct change for my payment so I asked for the receipt and then he admitted he owed more change back. Very disappointing. read more

We had an out of town guest so I broke down and agreed to go back to Corkscrew. My bad. I decided to have the fish tacos, pretty safe choice. ich. I couldn't even get them up to my mouth, the corn tortillas disintegrated in my hands. The coleslaw topping wasn't even coleslaw it was chopped cabbage with no dressing. Great atmosphere but save yourself the trip. read more

Delicious little place. The pizza was amazing. I got lemon pizza with meat.... who would have thought but I loved it! The meat and roasted garlic was also amazing. What a tasty place! I will return. Thy take reservations. It got busy at about 7:20pm. read more

This is truly a magical little spot in Carmel Valley. We've been coming here for years and every time have such a lovely and special experience. Today we enjoyed the best cheese & charcuterie board ever! An amazing combo of cheeses, house made jam, salami, prosciutto, coppa, house baked bread & crackers. We also had the hummus and roast veggies, which was delicious. The wine choices are always on point. Love all the Georis wines. The sunny day was perfect for the Georis Chardonnay & Les Abeilles. Love, love the Corkscrew! read more

I haven't been blown-out-of-my-mind impressed by many restaurants in idyllic Carmel-by-the-Sea (okay, only La Bicyclette), so I thought it would be smart to broaden my search efforts to include Carmel Valley. Have car; will drive - let's do this! And I'm so glad we did. Corkscrew Cafe is just one of those places that you know you're going to love as soon as you sit down - the patio has the feel of a close friend's backyard, with its enviable, easy charm punctuated by white strung lights and mismatched empty wine bottles (used for water). We started with two glass of wine (of course!) and the appetizer of roasted garlic. This was a plate I didn't want to see clean, as it doesn't get much better than whole-roasted garlic and creamy baked goat cheese served with house-made grilled bread. But we made it last - can't wait to repeat that dish on a future visit! For my main, I ordered the Meyer lemon, prosciutto, arugula, mozzarella and fresh Parmesan woodfired pizza. Though it was late making its way to our table due to the wrong pizza being made, our outstanding server Chris made sure we were comfortable by pouring me an extra glass of wine. Bonus: the pizza was worth the wait, as it was even better than promised. Through our conversation with Chris, we found out that the Belgian-born proprietor also owns La Bicyclette (see the first paragraph of this review)... AND Cowgirl Winery, whose Cowgirl White I thoroughly enjoyed during my meal. After we finished at Corkscrew, we walked 'round the corner over to Cowgirl where you can present your receipt for a free tasting - and, I was inspired to buy an empty rosé glass to stylishly serve water at home. Bookmark this one! read more

Wonderful ambiance! Tres romantique, perfect for date night, especially after some wine tasting nearby. For some reason, I was craving carbs and didn't want to wait until we got closer to home. Pinot Noir makes me "hangry", I guess? Corkscrew was on the way out of town, had great Yelp reviews and wasn't crowded for a Friday evening. Done and done. They have a lovely outdoor patio, which would be perfect on a summer evening. Unfortunately, there was a family with screaming kids sitting out there so we opted for inside, near the window. There was a nice breeze coming from said window, but the very vocal children were ruining that experience, so an attentive staff member came and shut it before they disturbed the entire restaurant. Problem solved. My +1 and I were still enjoying the rustic charm of the restaurant and listening to the specials from our server when a larger party was seated right next to us. With two very young (and active) children. This wouldn't have been an issue if the restaurant was crowded and this was the only option. But it was about 6-6:30 pm and there were plenty of other open tables - why directly next to a party of two? As much as I enjoy my nieces and nephew, who behave like typical kids when in public, dealing with other people's kids at a relatively nice restaurant isn't my cup of tea. I don't care to listen to a parent pleading with their child to behave or catering to their every whim... Ex: "Timmy, *please* sit down and eat your cheese pizza. If you do, I'll let you use my iPad." or "Sally, tell us about your day. You didn't get to go horseback riding? That's terrible! We'll take care of that first thing tomorrow." First world problems, I tell ya! Our food came out relatively quickly, including a pear and gorgonzola salad as well as the halibut special and a fig pizza. All of the food items were tasty, though I found the halibut to be a bit dry. My +1 enjoyed it very much, so he finished the plate without any complaints. Our server was a lovely young lady who did a great job of handling all of her tables, including the relatively demanding family next to us. I've worked in a restaurant before, it's not always easy accommodating families and couples on a date at the same time. And it's important to put customers in a section where there's a server there to take their order. But please, don't put a party of two next to a busy family. We don't like it. And, if they have a sense of the world around them (some parents do, other's don't care), it also makes the parents a wee bit on edge as well. After the we finished our plates and paid the bill, got the heck out of there. Partially because of our neighbors, and partially because we had a 2-hour car ride home. If I were to come back, it would be later in the evening and I'd request to NOT be seated by a table with children, as it ruins the food and wine experience for me. read more

Pretty small pizza and an expensive price very skimpy on the toppings... tourist food

The food and ambiance were nice, the service was S-L-O-W and somewhat surly. We had a large party, but were quickly given a nice, large table at the back of the garden. The garden was perfectly shady and warm. Not too hot, not too cool - and this was late November. (It was a warm day in the 70s.) Splendid. We ordered several starters: calamari, chips/salsa/guac and pate which came with the complementary crostini/hummus. They were tasty and the portions were decent (except the chips, which were a bit scant) but they took 20 minutes to get to the table. Fine - we're lounging and relaxing, but this started an unpleasant precident. 30 minutes in, and we finally give our entree order. It came 20-30 minutes after that....so we're well past the hour mark before the entree arrived. We got the halibut tostadax2, cornmeal crusted trout, BBQ sandwichx2 and a hamburger. I had bites of the tostada and the trout which were both lovely. The kids had no complaints about the sandwich and hamburger (which smelled lovely). The tostada was unique -- a dark red sauce for such a light fish as halibut and the fried shell was light and tasty. The trout was yummy and bright with capers and lemon. No one at the table complained about their food, just that it took forever to come. At the 2+ hour mark we order dessert - we had heard the Olalaberry tart was the highlight - and that held up. Very dense fruit filing, not terribly sweet but held its shape when cut. Came with vanilla lavendar honey ice cream that was truly spectacular. The apple cobbler was not special - could have stood to be crisper, but it was okay. Kids really liked the brownie sundae that looked super rich. By the time we got the check settled we were at the 3 hour mark, essentially killing most of the afternoon with the lunch. While there are certainly worse ways to spend an afternoon, it did put a kink in our plans. It went from charmingly European to irritating around the 2.5 hour mark. The waitress seemed exasperated, which went from charming to annoying as the afternoon progressed. My last issue was that one of our party bought a bottle of wine at the next-door winery and we were charged a $20 corkage fee. I understand they make their money on booze, but they should work out some deal with the next-door winery since they are in a symbiotic relationship. Bottom line: tasty food; lovely olalaberry pie; great garden seating; slow service. read more

Trying to be something they are not...... I had high hopes for the cute little place.....the interior is beautifully done and the back patio is fantastic. But they need to choose what they want to be....fancy or hipster. Can't be both. They charge high prices and try to make a upscale menu.....but it's just not that good. Leave lemons off my pizza. It's just not right. You're trying too hard. Leave classics as classics unless you know what you're doing....lemons don't go on pizza. period. (I tried, had to take them off) The music out back was terrible when we visited. It was loud "backyard BBQ" type music, which I love, but it really didn't flow (at least for dinner time) and was really distracting. It's like it was just the cooks music but being played for all of the guests to hear.....loudly. The servers seemed knowledgeable and we had great service....but they all kinda had the hipster tatted, low pants vibe. I don't mean that mean.....but choose the vibe you want. Like I said.....you can't be both. It's an ok experience, but not worth the price. read more

First and foremost....Batman is loyal. If you don't believe me, ask my best friend who rescued me from that mean teacher in kindergarten back in the Cold War era. Yes...that was a long time ago and we are still best friends.....loyalty is big in Batman's book.... Which brings me to my review of the Corkscrew... How many folks would drive 100 plus miles just to have lunch? When it comes to loyalty(and great vitals)...distance is no object...Corkscrew...here I come...for the past nice years... Explanation for loyalty: 1.Carmel Valley location...perhaps heaven on earth (and close to Bernardus Lodge...another review). 2. al fresco dining with my grapevine friends in a citrus, lavender, and herb scented courtyard...ahhhhh...smell the air....go ahead...deeeeep breath....mmmmmm.....lemon blossoms...mmmmm 3. Fountains...twinkle lights...intimate seating.....Spanish flamenco music in the background.....I'm squirming in my seat just thinking of it........yes....Batman can be a bit of a ambiance freak... 4. Welcoming and warm service staff......not pushy...not arrogant..extremely accomodating.. 5. Dog friendly...and I love em all.......arrff...sit...Ubu...sit.... ...and that isn't even the best part.... Food.......Food....food... Fresh...fragrant...eye appealing...fresh....oozing with mouth watering goodness...Did I say fresh?? Shrimp Chile Relleno is worth a tank of 92 octane alone...really...that spectacular...A MUST HAVE......crispy, slightly spicy chile....tender shrimp..a mole to die for...black beans...creme fraiche...oh my..... Salads....crisp..fresh delicious veggies....hand cut beets...fennel...olives...field greens...homemade dijon vinegarette...ooo...laa...laa...made to order Calamari....light...crispy...panko breaded with a delicious dipping sauce...the calamari has a hidden treat with sweet baby shrimp tossed in for good measure...oh....so good.... Even the crispy toast they place on the table for starters with the hummus like dip is a taste bud orgasmic adventure.... The Corkscrew is adjacent to Georis Winery (same ownership), and they have wonderfully diverse selection of local Carmel Valley wines. I love the Georis Syrah...it is bold....ballsy....and succulent...I always bring home few bottles home to the cave After the feast.... I'm craving a slice of the homemade Ollalieberry Torte. Slighty tart....homemade crust and served warm...Topped with homemade whipped cream (no half assed Kool Whippin joint here) and fresh mint garnish...If you really are in the mood for artery clogging...add a dollop of homemade vanilla bean scream.....floating....floating.... When you are done...you can browse the unique shops that are adjacent to the restaurant...my fav being the Pot Farm.....fantastic for plant and garden freaks (guilty) in search of the unique.. To complete my vignette....I was on a flight last year from somewhere to SFO..I spied in the aisle directly across from me a couple of familiar faces. Because Batman is social...he stared until brain met recognition...It was the Corkscew Cafe owners...husband and wife....returning from a vacation in France or Spain or somewhere I was jealous of.... Needless to say....I gave them my enthusiastic thumbs up.....they were as nice as can be...and it's easy to see why they have been successful in their venture....Cool...nice...classy folks.......(although I think they probably was a bit nutty with all the praise I heaped on them). Well done.. You deserve, and have earned my loyalty! Thank you Corkscrew. I will drive to thee no matter how expensive gas may be........... Batman....out............ read more

Love the outdoor seating area (amazing ambience) with great music. They make afternoon coffee with friends a great experience!

Had awful service. Our party of 6 was put in the back room of the restaurant and left there to be forgotten. Although the restaurant was not busy, we received terrible service. We sat there for a good 20-30 minutes before the waiter came to introduce himself and offer us some water. Then we had to wait another 10-15 before he was back to put in the order. After receiving our food, we never saw him again until we flagged him down after sitting there a good 15 minutes after all of us had finished our meals. Not sure if he was new or what, but it was the worst service ever. The food was also "meh." Definitely not worth wasting a meal in Carmel; too many great restaurants to choose from. Do yourself a favor and keep on looking. read more

too inconsistent. You just never know what you'll get. It feels as if no one is managing this restaurant. They have lost the focus. too bad, beautiful setting. read more

Had lunch at Corkscrew for the first time on Monday. It was a beautiful day and was perfect for eating outdoors which Corkscrew had plenty of outdoor seating. Enjoyed a very fresh Ceasar salad with Anchovies and cherry tomatoes. For my entree, my girlfriend and I shared the Meyer Lemon with Proscuitto pizza. What a wonderful pizza and went well with the Pinot Blanc wine we had. For dessert we shared a piece of the housemade Berry Pie...yummy. Service was attentive, prompt and courteous. However there was something I wanted to write that I hope the management reads. My girlfriend had ordered a coffee with dessert. When she asked for a 2nd cup the waitress responded, "We are out of Espresso Beans". We did not realize until she told us that she had made an Americano and that the restaurant didn't have any more beans. This seems odd for a restaurant of this caliber to be out of espresso beans. We wondered afterwards if the waitress just didn't want to make a another cup because she was too busy or what?? If I was the owner of this business I would have sent someone down the street to the local coffee house to buy some more beans. Lack of attention to detail sometimes leaves a bad taste in one's mouth. read more

This place is a JOKE! We have dined here multiple times in the past, but NEVER AGAIN! We arrived at 2:25 pm on a Saturday. All of the tables, were empty but two two tops. When I approached the hostess desk, I was asked what was the name on the reservation. I informed him, we didn't have a reservation. He informed me they were only taking reservations. Perplexed, I looked around....nobody waiting for a table and the restaurant was pretty empty. I don't need to beg someone to take my hard earned money. WE WILL NEVER DINE AT CORKSCREW AGAIN. I WILL BE SURE TO TELL MY FRIENDS AND FAMILY TOO! So, we walked up the road to Roux. I am so happy we did. Excellent food! Take the short trip up the road to Roux, great customer service and you won't be disappointed. read more

Corkscrew Cafe - Outside of restaurant....that isn't busy at 2:25 on Saturday! - American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

This is my favorite place in all of Monterey County. Amazing space, delicious food, and great service. My go-to restaurant to bring out of towners to because it's a great way to show off Carmel Valley. read more

I got a little taste of almost all of the reviews I read for this place. Dinner had some highs and lows. This place has been here for years, but this was actually my first visit to the Corkscrew Cafe. I've always heard the same thing from everybody, "Don't bother, just go to Rustica." I had never heard that the food was bad, just not quite as good as some of their neighbors, and more expensive. Between word of mouth and reading Yelp reviews, there were no surprises at all. Like others mentioned, the bottles of water WERE obviously from the tap (no ice in the glasses either, warm CV tap water is not very good). Price, food, and service were all exactly what I expected, so I can't say I was disappointed. We shared the lemon pizza and a bread appetizer before our entree. The pizza was very good, but the crust was just a little too burnt. The bread was pretty good, but from a place that prides themselves on their fresh bread, I expect a little better. For dinner, I had the hanger steak. It was seasoned well and the sauce was delicious, but it could have used another minute or two on the fire and it was very tough (maybe that's why they undercooked it). The potatoes were OK, but nothing exciting. Pretty boring side dish. For desert, I had the pumpkin cheesecake. Again, good, but not outstanding. I don't really have any complaints about the service. They certainly weren't in a hurry, but it wasn't painfully slow. Our server was knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. I can't say I wouldn't go back if I someone invited me, and I'm glad I finally tried it, but if I get to pick the restaurant, the Corkscrew Cafe probably won't be it. Now, I too will recommend to people, "Just go to Rustica." read more

I what into corkscrew and they seat us the table and chairs aren't very nice we order food and I get a Caesar salad. I soon learned that if you ordered right the food was ok but if you ordered wrong it wasn't very good my friend ordered the hard way luckily the Caesar salad wasn't terrible. The food also takes a while before it arrives.we got a plate of 6 pieces of crappy bread for 26 bucks the food was so expensive and not worth getting if you want some good food I would recommend Rustica it's near by and they have some good food for better prices read more

I first have to say I think Id consider giving it a 5 if there were a few more vegetarian options. But with that considered, it is a pretty good spot. The outdoor area is my favorite. Ecclectic in decor, has a small village from "somewhere" kinda feel. Nice and sunny but also slightly shaded so you don't burn up. The food is pretty great. I had an amazing wood fired pizza with really well arranged fresh toppings. The portion is good, but not overwhelming(if you want quantity over quality go to Applebees). The salad dressing was also pretty fresh and original. The staff is young and nice which is a good balance with an older crowd customer base. In other words I didn't feel like I was eating at an upscale nursing home. Overall, a great lunch spot on a sunny day or a nice chill evening out with a few friends or special someone. If I lived in the area it'd become a definite favorite! *Rant* Ok, I know it's outdoor seating so you think it's cute and acceptable to bring your dog. But seriously, don't put your dog on your lap at a restaurant, don't feed your dog off the table, and don't let your dog sniff other people. It's really obnoxious, not cute. I know Carmel people and Carmel Valley people favor dogs over humans(It's convenient to pretend you're helping the world by supporting the SPCA while you ignore the suffering of children around the world) but seriously people, have some class, they're animals. Thanks. read more

Num num num. Amazing food and ambience! Absolutely lived up to all the recommendations. Bread to start was decadent. Extensive and affordable wine list. Try the Cowgirl White Blend. Service was top notch - very quick and very sweet. Burrata Pizza was so delicious. Hubs had special turkey sandwich. Charming lovely place. Come here! read more

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Delicious Meyer lemon Pizza Beet Salad pepperoniBeet and mushroom great choices also

We love the food and ambiance here, but like some other reviewers have indicated, the service here can be a bit spotty. Don't always expect efficient and attentive service if you have a tight schedule, or if you are hangry. Our server was initially very attentive and ready to take our order when we had barely sat down and gotten comfortable, but then he disappeared for long periods at a time. (The "best" excuse we heard from the server after it took 15 minutes for him to refill an Iced Tea was: "Oh, I thought someone else was going to take care of that.") Ok, on the topic of the food...We do like dropping in here for lunch to enjoy the seasonal, fresh home grown and local ingredients. The Roasted Garlic and Goat Cheese is pretty good, even if the baked bread that came with it was a little too charred in parts. We had the (Crispy Cod) Fish Tacos with an avocado add-on. 3 tacos to the plate. Very enjoyable. We also decided to get the Wood Fired Salmon, which was cooked nicely with a crispy skin preparation. The Bok Choy in the dish was a bit overcooked and limp, while the Curried Parsnip and Saffron Rice was adequate. However, the Dried Stone Fruit described in the menu was just a quarter segment of a small fresh apricot that looked like it was just tossed on top and didn't really complement the dish very well. We don't usually indulge in desserts, but we had a Groupon Set Meal that included 2 desserts, so we tried both the Lemon Meringue Pie and a Kaffir Lime Creme Brulee. The Lemon Meringue Pie was by far our favorite. Perfect balance of medium sweetness and tartness, nicely baked meringue topper. The house made pie shell could have been a little more crumbly; instead, it was a little too hard to cut with a fork. The Kaffir Lime Creme Brulee sounded exciting, but we found it far too sweet. Such a pity since it had the perfect consistency, and you could see they went to the trouble of using real vanilla bean like most more sophisticated chefs. Overall, the food was a 3.5 this time, the service was a 2, and the ambiance is a 5. read more

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Wrongly accused... We've been looking for a regular place to eat on the way to the beach and we thought this was it. So today, 5/29 @ about 2pm, we stopped by for lunch to give it a try. This was our first visit here. We asked the staff in the patio area if we could seat ourselves (3 tables were available) and they agreed. They were very polite and cordial. Then an "important looking" lady appeared and began scolding us. It was embarrassing; She spoke so loudly, everyone could hear. She said....There are people waiting, people with reservations, next time you come here, you need to check in with the front hostess, you shouldn't have seated yourselves.... We told her that we asked her staff if it was ok to seat ourselves and they said yes, but that didn't matter (we, the customers, were WRONG) and she repeated herself like we were little children (we're in our 50's). We offered to leave. She said, "No, that's ok." Really? Then why even approach us? We were so uncomfortable, we just had to leave. All ended well for us, though. Thanks to her, we found Cafe R_____a (down the street around the corner). They offered a lovely guilt free customer experience and we look forward to becoming regulars there. read more

Really miss table service. There were some wonderful service people that were there pre-pandemic. Efficient low contact system in place for ordering, but it is cold and cafeteria like. Still has a good burger. read more

What a lovely Carmel eatery! The space is quaint and excellent for a sunny lunch, and we loved the food. We had a group of six girls as an early stop in a bachelorette trip. We were seated in a vine covered alcove in the back patio. Started with calamari and a cheese plate. I loved the fish tacos special, light but flavorful. Corkscrew Cafe is in the same parking lot at Talbotts Vineyards' tasting room and shares the patio with Georis (we did not visit but looked like a great space to chill out in), with I think one or two more within walking distance. read more

Going to the corkscrew is like going on a mini French sunny vacation. It's adorable tucked away gardens, tables and wine tasting room (complete with fountains and birds) are such a treat to enjoy only a 15 minute drive from Monterey. The meyer lemon pizza is amazing and the wine selection lovely. The brick chicken is particularly yummy. Check out the wonderful little store in the wine tasting area. read more

Corkscrew Cafe - Meyer lemon arugula pizza is most excellent - American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

We had a very enjoyable dinner here, with great food and an excellent wait-staff. Things got off to a slow start when the cooks misplaced our mussels appetizer order, but the waiter quickly made things right by giving them to us for free. The mussels, prepared in a tomato and wine broth, were very tasty. We also had some of the Carmelo Rosato rose, which my wife really enjoyed, but I thought was just OK (by the end of the glass, it had a slightly odd aftertaste). For entrees, I had the duck (recommended by the waiter) with a potato/celery root puree and fig reduction, and my wife had the short ribs with potato au gratin (they were out of polenta) and Brussels sprouts. Everything was delicious -- my wife especially liked the Brussels sprouts, and was sorry she didn't order extra in place of the polenta. For the finale, we shared the pecan bread pudding with vanilla ice cream. I recommend making reservation in advance on weekends, as the restaurant was full on Friday night. We made ours the day of, and ended up with the table closest to the kitchen. read more

Recommended by many of my friends to enjoy a sunny day on their eclectic patio. Ran out to the Carmel Village with the hubby and did just this and was impressed by this place. Excellent wine menu! I ordered the chicken salad with papaya and avocado. The presentation was stunning. The hubby ordered the gyro plate which was good. The meat wasn't the best I've ever had, but the home made pita bread made up for that 5 fold! The service was excellent. They had a very interesting list of home made pizzas which I intend on trying next time. I will definitely recommend this place to enjoy a sunny Carmel afternoon. read more

Have eaten here a couple of times while in the area--this is a nice little place to eat with a good menu and friendly service; the kind of place that is good for both casual dining and 'Date Night'. Will definitely return again. read more

We were so lucky to find Corkscrew. Not only did they accommodate such a large group of people with their dogs but the service and food were also amazing!! The staff was very attentive and friendly. Sitting outside on such a perfect day was the way to go. With 18 of us it can be a challenge to keep up with drink orders, food etc. If they were having a hard time I didn't notice, they were on top of it and provided excellent service. I had the BLT and it was SO good. Other items around me that got rave reviews were the burger & Chicken salad. If you're in the area I would recommend it for sure and I will be back for sure. =) read more

Was looking forward to returning, but this Mom's day visit was very disappointing. Over an hour to get our appetizers, 30 min later for main dishes. And they weren't even that crowded. 2 of the 4 dishes were great: the mussels and the salmon. Others were disappointing: the Cavatelli (lobster missing-in-action) pasta and the ribeye steak. Partially because the dishes were served barely warm (from waiting on counter to be served? ). Waiter didn't ask how things were. He never apologized or explained any problems. He was attentive only in asking for more drinks. When we were offered more drinks, thought he was comping, but they were on the bill. Too bad. We used to like this cafe before new manager. read more

I very rarely give 5 stars but this establishment justifies the phrase patience is a virtue because the wait is worth it. While waiting for the perfect mussels starter, fig or pepperoni pizza and stupendous berry pie, listen to pink Floyd or led zeppelin, savor the local Pinot , take a deep breath and soak on the views from the front of the restaurant. A Californian gem . read more

Felt a bit nickel and dimed, most places the charge over than 26 dollars an plate do not charge 7 dollars for bread. The corkage fee is also ridiculous since the place is named after a wine opener, 20 dollars for the first bottle then 30 for every bottle after that, translates to buy your wine from us. The pizzas also run expensive at 17 to 20 per. The lamb and spar rib were nice but the couscous with the lamb was a bit off. If you go here you can get a flight of wine from the winery that shares the garden. read more

Highly rude staff. Closed early because "business was slow" and refused to seat us. Not even apologetic or helpful in the least. No wonder business was slow read more

After hiking over 6 miles up and down 2800 feet we were starving. We ordered a pizza and a daily special. Both were alright. Lots of garlic on the pizza which almost became destracting from other good flavors. Ingredients all seemed uber-fresh. We sat outside in their cute little eating area. Our waitress wasn't the best... really no personality and not super attentive. Prices were as expected for the Carmel Valley. Nice relaxing atmosphere to enjoy a decent meal. read more

We've been here twice, once in the spring on a very quiet evening (only 6 people in the restaurant), again on a Thursday this August with early reservations. The location and atmosphere is pleasant, but the service was inexplicably slow both times- even though we went early and the dining room was empty and on the second visit, the garden area only half full. Even easy things like bringing your bread when your meal was delayed did not happen, although there was a great deal of running around. We ordered pizzas figuring that couldn't take too long, but we were wrong - waited almost an hour after ordering and repeated requests on progress. (We were told emphatically at one point "only 3 minutes, I promise you". That turned into 20+ minutes. (Meanwhile the dining room remained completely empty and the garden area half full). The food was okay but the pizzas in this case terrible, slightly burnt, crust poor, and the cheese and fig were not distributed over the pizza, there was just a large lump of each cooked in on top of it. Easily the most ineptly made pizza I have ever eaten in my life, and no explanations or apologies for it either. Wait staff very pleasant but appear very inefficient. Also in the end the tab was very pricey for the small meal we ordered. Would not go back. read more

I've been remiss in not posting this sooner. This place is fantastic. I love the atmosphere, the food, and perhaps even better, the staff/service. I was there in June again and have been anticipating my return since I walked to the parking lot after dinner. Looking forward to visiting there next week when I'm up there again! The service--they genuinely care about not just your satisfaction, but your enjoyment. We've had great conversations with the staff, from maitre'd, Cristian, to hostesses to servers. Each time we're there, we have a great server and keep thinking, "Let's hope we get [Alyssa/Chris/Taylor, etc.] next time" and then we get someone else and love them, too. I'm not the most well versed in wine, which is fine, because they might be. Others in my party usually go for wine while I lean toward their Belgian beers. Food...I often think I'll order whatever it is I ordered the previous time...and then I try something else and like that, too. I'm already craving the onion strings...a plate of more than a table deserves, but we always finish them quickly. We've had great meals inside but the patio in back is perfect...I think every time I've been there, I take pictures on the patio of the fountain, or the art, or the grapevines hanging above (so if you were in the background of my pictures, you look great, really). It's like a good Pavlovian reflex...I think Carmel Valley/Monterey and think Corkscrew Cafe. Pardon my drool. Can't wait to return! read more

Damn the hamburger was good here. And my family loved loved the pizzas the had. I highly recommend!

I've never actually eaten inside this restaurant, despite having had their food several times. We like to order some dishes to be delivered to the next door patio of the Talbott tasting room. The staff are always super friendly and accommodating. The food is delicious (we usually get the calamari aswell as a severity plate or flat bread pizza). The inside looks cozy and upscale. Parking can be an issue on a busy day, but if you get there early you can grab a spot! read more