Fish You Were Here A Japanese fusion fish-centric restaurant located in Downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, it has had the same owners since 1975, when it was FKA "Shabu Shabu" before receiving its current moniker in 1993. The Good: * We loved the location--down a set of stairs into a dimly lit, cozy space. * And speaking of cozy spaces, we love that every table is its own private booth. Nothing is more annoying than having to dine with strangers just inches away, in my opinion. * Service was, uhhh, interesting but passable. We actually liked the dude who was following up behind our server, as he seemed like a really cool guy with definite opinions on the food. * Make sure you order their unique take on chips and salsa! Their fried wonton wrappers paired with a deliciously unique ginger pico de gallo were fantastic. * The Fried Fish Cakes (a daily special, so they might not always be on the menu) were delicious and full of flavor. * We both loved our entrées; my Black Bean Halibut was cooked perfectly--tender and flaky--and I loved the funky fermented black bean sauce. Carissa is still talking about her Almond Sea Bass weeks later, so 'nuff said. * The Warm Tempura Banana Sundae was a bit odd but worked in a weird way. We normally skip dessert unless it's something unique, and this certainly fit the bill! The Meh: * Reservations are handled the old-fashioned way: via telephone. * No outdoor dining. The Ugly: * While being underground is part of their charm, as mentioned above, it is definitely not ADA-compliant. So if you or anyone in your party has difficulty traversing stairs, this probably isn't the place for you. Conclusion: Fantastic date-night spot with great service, ambiance, and food. Highly recommended. read more

See all

This was another fantastic meal during our short overnight trip. We had reservations for another place but we weren't feeling it. So we went here instead. And I'm so glad we did. The décor and ambiance is so cool. Plus since we arrive early, we were pretty much alone for most of our meal. And the service was very good. The food was unique and tasty. The chips and salsa were an interesting take and I'm glad John ordered it. I ordered the almost sea bass and it's a dish that I continued to think about for hours and days afterwards. It was so good and interesting! I tried John's dish but mine was far superior. Another highly recommended restaurant! read more

See all

Okay place Some downsides - forgot my wife's coffee - took over 40 minutes before getting the chips - waiter joked about/criticized my wife's headband Food was okay. Got sea bass, California tower, and tuna appetizer. I'd prefer regular California rolls. The booths are cute. Convenient location. read more

Flying Fish Grill - Sea Almond Seabass - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

See all

Started off with the nikumaki & the California tower (basically a deconstructed California roll) which I highly recommend. Both pretty simple and emphasized the quality of the ingredients. Keeping with the theme of my apps, I wanted something simple for my main and the seafood pasta delivered. Again, emphasized the freshness and quality of the ingredients. Light, but still flavorful. I really enjoyed how the sake added depth to the butter sauce and paired especially well with the squid, clams & mussels. It was one of the best Japanese-Western fusion dishes I've had in a minute. I also loved the vibe, it's very homey and low to the ground which I enjoy. It's like an old Japanese restaurant, with lots of wood details which gives you a warm feeling. Servers are also very attentive, always making sure you have water and enjoyed your food -- even if it's busy! read more

Flying Fish Grill - Seafood Pasta - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

See all

Our ninth visit to the Flying Fish was a delightful experience. To be honest, we both absolutely adore this place. It's non-pretentious, not touristy, intimate, and the staff is incredibly friendly and attentive. The food is consistently top-notch and surprising, and this trip was no exception. My wife had the Cod, while I opted for the Ahi, which I must say, surpassed all the other dishes I've had so far. However, this time, I didn't give them full marks. It was my wife's birthday, and they were aware of this in advance. I was a bit disappointed that no one even bothered to wish her a happy birthday. I understand that it was a busy night, but we had chosen to spend a special evening at the Flying Fish. I wasn't looking for a sing-song or anything like that; I just wanted a little thoughtfulness to make the occasion even more memorable. Despite this minor setback, we'll definitely be returning to the Flying Fish. However, this incident did take the shine off what has been a perfect run. *** I just received a phone call from the owner of the restaurant. He read the review, found my cell and wanted to speak with my wife to apologize. This gesture went a long way so I put another star back. Hopefully on our return I can get back to 5 stars ... Everyone makes mistakes, it's the recovery that matters and this outreach is another example as to why the flying fish is such a fantastic resturants to recommend ! read more

See all

Wabi sabi decor, friendly servers, great food with unique flavors. Highly recommend Black Bean Halibut and Almond Sea Bass, and where else can you get Tempura Banana with ice cream, strawberries, and caramel sauce? read more

I came in shivering from the cold. I'm from Phoenix lol. So they got me hot tea, hot soup, water, soda-because I was drinking everything haha- and I had the chips and salsa. Omg! So good! I was also along because I'm taking a solo trip to get some clarity. Anyways, I met everyone from the hostess, waitress, and even people in the back. Everyone came to check on me, got to k ow me, told me about their families, etc. I felt so cared for! I can't wait to come back and try some of their other dishes. The service was the best I ever had and it felt genuine. Highly recommended! Cute and cozy place too, by the way. I was between two tables. One table was speaking in French and the other in either Norwegian/Swedish. Very cool! read more

Flying Fish Grill - Chips and salsa, jasmine tea, and curry shrimp soup. - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

This place is super unique - with hubby that is Japanese and Wife Chinese, they bring their flavors to the dishes - calling it Asian Fusion cuisine. The dishes were quite unique and hard to describe. When I asked for a spicy sauce, then won my heart. Our table wasn't ready when we arrived - the host was very polite and kept us entertained by guessing what part of the world he grew up in :) The place is few steps below ground level - has a Japanese theme to it - very cozy booths. Loved this place - will be back to try more dishes! read more

See all

We had made reservations on more than a few recommendations from a few people who lived in the area or who had highly suggested an anniversary place. The reservation was a little early for Dinner and it was mid week, and turned out to be a little early with traffic coming from Santa Cruz. We were stuck in heavy traffic, but they were able to bumped up reservation so we would still have a table after our original time. The place was very quaint once we were able to find it. We started with Chips with salsa and braised Beef rolls with scallions as starters. We were celebrating our 25 th Anniversary, but everyone was so accommodating and Super helpful and friendly. We ordered the Seafood pasta and the Almond crusted Sea Bass with Rock shrimp over whipped Mash potato's. We had a 2nd order of Chips and salsa which was light and airy with the Won ton chips and sweet; like salsa. We had gotten the Creme Bruelle for dessert and it was really the perfect ending to the Dinner with the Wifey. Bonus points for the cool ambiance and decor of the restaurant. read more

Unbelievable service at this wonderful establishment. A must see and eat if visiting Carmel. My wife has ALS and her legs are not working so well. So they helped her to the table. And that's just a start. The food was phenomenal. And the atmosphere was well suited for a flying fish attitude. If visiting, try the clay pot. Wow! read more

I took my wife out to celebrate her birthday and we got a gift certificate to the Flying Fish Grill in Carmel. Excellent little restaurant with great food. It's a Japanese/American fusion restaurant and had a real homey and welcoming vibe. We started with their version of chips and salsa which was fried egg roll wrappers along with a sweet dipping sauce. We had their California Tower which was sushi rice , with sesame seeds on top topped off with Dungeness crab, and nori. It was a real treat. They have a great selection of food and my wife had the ying/yang salmon and I had the almond crusted seabass on top of mashed potatoes. Food was great. Our service was excellent and the prices were very reasonable. For dessert I splurged and had the tempura friend banana , with home made caramel sauce with almonds , vanilla ice cream, strawberries and fudge sauce. Needless to say it was delicious. The only downside is that the restaurant is tucked away in a corner at the Carmel Plaza , and parking is extremely difficult but that's par for downtown Carmel. Overall will definitely come back!!! read more

See all

The Zagat review plaque from 2012 prominently displayed in their entrance is telling. This is an ok restaurant running on autopilot. Farmed "Atlantic" salmon, Alaskan halibut in a seafood restaurant a quarter mile from the pacific coast and adjacent to fishermen who catch local halibut and local salmon. Service is enthusiastic, but everyone has the same advice: the top 4 entrees are the best. Apparently the "specials" are actually regulars as the same specials we were offered appear in many reviews. My fish was good, but overcooked. The fried calamari appetizer was good. The beef negamaki texture indicates it was microwaved. Decent and reasonably priced wine list. Decor was tired. I'd go back if necessary. PS: I looked it up, both local halibut and wild salmon are currently available for retail sale. I had local wild salmon two nights later in another in-town restaurant (which offered salmon as an addition to a salad and the waiter pointed out that the salad add on was NOT wild salmon). Further my observation of texture of the beef appetizer has nothing to do with grill marks. Something can be grilled ahead of time and then warmed up in a microwave. It changes the texture of the meat. The price point of this restaurant is not out of line, however I'd rather eat local fish, even if it costs more. I don't know for certain if there's a microwave in the kitchen. There shouldn't be in any decent restaurant. Ever. read more

We were looking for a restaurant with good sea food and definitely found the spot. We were warmly greeted and checked on the entirety of our dinner. Everything was really good, and the abalone was delicious. Only real complaint is that the tuna got a bit more cooked than we tend to like, but still delicious flavors. read more

See all

Had a fabulous time! We celebrated our ten year anniversary and had wonderful service and wonderful food. We started with artichoke and fried calamari as apps, had the fettuccine with scallops and prawns and my husband had the steak, all were fabulous. I would get all of the dishes again. And we ended the night with crème brûlée which was the perfect finishing bite. read more

My husband and I had a phenomenal dinner at Flying Fish Grill and can't wait to come back! The service was fantastic, food was delicious, and we loved the ambiance. Everything we ordered was cooked to perfection. I wish we had know about this restaurant sooner! read more

See all

Every time we visit Carmel, we make sure to visit Flying Fish. We are never disappointed. I tell everyone I know to eat here during their visit. read more

See all

We had a wonderful experience at Flying Fish tonight. The ambiance is perfect. The staff and owner were wonderfully personable and attentive. And the food is out of this world. They do a fun "chips and salsa" appetizer that is unique in my experience. We followed with a seafood cakes appetizer that combined three different fish into a subtle, perfect combination. The almond crusted sea bass was the best I've tasted. My wife's entree (black bean halibut) was excellent at well. the servers and owner were very attentive throughout. Finally, it was incredibly reasonable. This may be one of the best values in Carmel. Highly recommend.. read more

Feeling intensely nostalgic, I made a reservation for one to one of my late father's favorites. He loved to take us to Shabu Shabu growing up and take us individually or as a threesome to Father Daughter date nights after mom read more

Flying Fish Grill is one of our regular spots to visit when in Carmel. Their Asian infused seafood dishes cannot be beat. The small restaraunt offers an intimate environment. The staff are friendly and make a point to engage with each guest. The peppered crusted ahi, the halibut and sea bass are dishes that keep us coming back. Their dishes are flavorful and well prepared. Be sure to call and reserve your table during your next stay in Carmel. read more

We enjoyed the dimly lit dining room. Our server was genuinely kind and knowledgeable about the menu. A special appetizer was offered, consisting of 3 types of fish every so lightly battered( reminded me of a delicate crab cake) the Nikumaki roll offered quality beef and savory sauce, but the Yin Yang Salmon--- omg, amazing! read more

The Rare Peppered Ahi was outstanding perfectly cooked and full of flavor. The addition of the noodles and mushrooms complemented the dish exceptionally well and elevated it overall. Easily one of the best items on the menu. I would highly recommend it to anyone dining here. read more

Flying Fish Grill - The Rare Peppered Ahi - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

Love the dim, cozy ambiance here. Our waitress was very attentive and the food was great. This place is perfect for a date night. read more

Flying Fish Grill - Sign before you walk down into the restaurant - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

Excellent place. Had the peppered Aji tuna. The broth and the noodles were incredible. Place was busy but worth the wait. Staff was extremely friendly and the food was delicious. I highly recommend this place. read more

We have a 4 yr old and 18 mo twins and came here without a reservation and they were literally so accommodating to our family. They gave us a private room so we could be comfortable with all of our stuff and not stress about bothering other patrons. We ordered the grilled salmon which was perfect for all 3 kiddos to split, and they devoured the whole plate! My son was playing with a Christmas ornament that we had bought previously and they gave him an abalone shell as a gift for him to also make as an ornament. When we left, the host insisted on helping us carry our double stroller up the stairs. Honestly the service was superb and set the bar so high for family friendly service! Would highly recommend, can't miss for families. read more

Flying Fish Grill - The host helping us carry the double stroller up the stairs. The service here was beyond kind, welcoming and family friendly. - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

This was our first time to try The Flying Fish Grill in Carmel. We ordered fried calamari with chili aioli as an appetizer. The batter was light and crisp and the calamari with the aioli was delicious. Their signature almond crusted sea bass was cooked perfectly. The seafood pasta was served with a saki broth, very light and complimentary to the assorted seafood and pasta. The hot fudge sundae was perfectly presented and delicious! We felt welcome as soon as we arrived and all of the staff were friendly and attentive. The owner told us the history of the place and how it came to be in Carmel Plaza. You'll need to try this wonderful restaurant to get all the historical details while you enjoy an absolutely wonderful evening out! read more

I love this place every time I'm in Carmel. Food is delicious, service is wonderful, and ambiance is divine. I feel like you can't go wrong here with food, I personally always order a fish dish at a place called flying fish grill lol. The almond sea bass main is so delicious. You will be grateful you ordered it. The almonds and sauce and fish combo is delicious. I also love the California tower as an appetizer but it's def to share, so make sure your partner likes crab! I also love the great wine service and honestly just service overall. There were a lot of walk ins when we went there last (like a huge line), but they were really great and got us seated since we had a reservation. Really appreciated that they honored that. We got a bottle of blanc de noir champagne/sparkling wine and it was lovely and wonderful with our meal. I've been here a few times now so I know it's a lovely stop anytime I'm in Carmel. If you want good food and good service, this is your stop! read more

See all

What a special place! Had the best dinner! And got to be waited on by the owner himself. You can tell how much he loves what he does. Thank you Honza for the best experiece....We felt so cared for and welcome. Our plates were licked clean! Definitely order the peppered ahi...you won't regret it. The Halibut was incredible too. We can't wait to go back. 10 read more

What a pleasant surprise. We went to the restaurant based on a local recommendation. The food was amazingly good. The halibut was one of the best fish dishes we ever had. Cooked perfectly and seasoned well. The ahi tuna was amazing too. The staff was friendly and welcoming. The prices were reasonable and the wine selections were good and inexpensive compared to other restaurants. Overall we highly recommend this establishment. read more

First of all, the blonde lady server was nice to our party. However, the food was AWFUL. Specifically the seafood pasta and the scallop and prawn fettuccine. Both dishes were very FISHY and severely lacked seasoning. We took the food to-go with the intention of seasoning at home. But some pasta sauce leaked inside my car. It made my car smell nauseatingly fishy. Terrible experience. We expected a lot more given that this place has great reviews. Definitely not worth the $35+ price tag per dish. read more

We visited this restaurant during a recent stay in Carmel. The service staff is wonderful and very helpful. The food unfortunately was very disappointing. The pasta and seafood entree, was a huge disappointment. We requested if GF option is available and the pasta was substituted with rice noodles but it ended up being seafood floating in a very thin water like stew with rice noodles instead of what would be a creamier sauce. Tempura and other items we ordered were ok at best. The almond crusted fish was good and it is their signature dish (must try if you decide to visit this place). I appreciate the staff for welcoming us and taking care of us. The food needs an upgrade! read more

Flying Fish Grill is quite an intimate Japanese fusion seafood restaurant, located just under Patisserie Boissiere. Just a hop and skip down a set of stairs, you are welcomed by the restaurant's host where you are quickly whisked away to your booth seat. They welcome you with a bowl of fried wonton wrapper 'chips' and a ginger salsa -- honestly one of the best parts of dining here, in my opinion. This is my second time coming back to Flying Fish Grill in 2 years. I used to come here all the time on vacation when I was a child, and not much has changed (and that's a good thing). To start, they give wonton wrappers deep fried to make a fairly decent chips and salsa appetizer. I ordered the artichoke, calamari, edamame, and yosenabe for two. Not much has changed since I was a kid eating here, I always loved the chips and artichoke, that I ordered every time I came. I noticed that the seafood clay pot offers quite a lot more than the beef clay pot, so it's definitely worth the extra few dollars. Our waiters and waitress were really nice and quite gregarious, welcoming both locals and us. I really enjoyed my time dining here. read more

Honestly, the food was very average. The stars are for the service only. My sister and I had the raw oysters for an appetizer (they lacked in flavor, cold/crispness) and the dirty vinegar bottle they set down was very unappetizing. I'm surprised they didn't have a mignonette of some kind. Ugh, they were terrible! The Yin Yang salmon was dry and flavorless. We asked for extra sauce and got a watery liquid on the side. At this point, I feel like there are so other restaurants in Carmel that are much better! My sister and I probably won't be returning sadly, as we did appreciate the service. read more

Great find! We just happened to find this little gem. We shared the clay pot. It was delicious.

My sister wanted to try this place on our first night her for a sister getaway. The place is super cute, looks like an authentic Japanese eatery. We decided to get the clay pot from all the reviews and got the tuna tartare and the edamame. The tuna tartare was decent and the edamame was good but something I could have made myself at home. The claypot was very underwhelming in taste which was so disappointing. The broth and veggies had no flavor at all and the dipping sauces were eh. We ate it all because spending 70 bucks each for our meal, we were not going to waste the food. The service was 5+ read more

I really wanted to like this place. Service is amazing, but it's just that the food fell short. The ambiance is fun, Asian- themed and intimate. We ordered the edamame special, spicy tuna tartare, and the beef shabu shabu. Complimentary chips and salsa was provided, and it comes with a twist. It comes with fried wonton chips and a really sweet tomato salsa. I wish the salsa was spicy. It was too sweet for my tastes. Edamame stir-fried with garlic for $8 was a special. It was good. Standard. If you're used to garlicky edamame appetizers. The spicy tuna tartare was good but a smaller portion than expected. What I thought was weird was that it was surrounded by cucumber slices and crostinis or baguette crisps around it. It's now hitting me why it's a fusion restaurant now. The beef shabu shabu wasn't as flavorful as I thought, but it did hit the spot for if I wanted a clean broth soup. It's just that I am a hot pot gal, and it's now impressionably tasty that I would go back for it. The sauces were really good though. I forgot to take a picture of the shabu shabu because I was very distracted. Last note, they charge a fee if you pay with a credit card. Good thing, I had cash. read more

See all

Absolutely amazing, incredible food, wonderful hospitality, cant wait to go back. We had the halibut and almond crusted seabass.

Had a lovely Clay pot-Seafood experience! Delicious! The staff were super friendly and place was cozy! We would try this place again! read more

See all

Arrived late Sun evening past 8:30pm and they still took us in and got to order everything we wanted. We got the rare ahi peppered, vegetable clay pot, salmon sashimi, and the calamari special. They also gave us complimentary fried wonton with a delicious what tasted like a sweet&spicy thai flavored salsa. The salmon sashimi was soo soft and almost melted in my mouth and they serve it in the shape of a flower with ginger and wasabi in the shape if a flower. Loved it! Also really enjoyed the fresh calamari with a yummy dipping sauce. I really liked the flavor of the rare peppered ahi noodles and the tuna along with what seemed like 3 diff types of mushrooms. The vegetable claypot was something i enjoyed wanting something healthy, meat free with low sodium. The broth is nice and clean and it comes with a ponzu and sesame sauce that really gives it a nice flavor. It included bok choy, tofu, green onion, mushrooms, carrots &, napa cabbage also with thin vermicelli like noodles. I took the rest home. The ambiance is really nice and cozy with wooden booths. Feels intimate and homey and japanese. I would def wanna come back to try other entrees and recommend for anyone to check out while in Carmel by the Sea!! read more

See all

Love, love this place! The menu is reasonably priced given its quality and the restaurant's location. The food is visually appealing and delicious. I love the presentation of the Yin Yang salmon because they do make the salmon look like the Yin Yang symbol. The service was very friendly, prompt, attentive, lively and funny! The host offered many jokes while we wait for our table. The restaurant is very small & intimate, so do make reservations. Those reviewers who criticized the blandness of the shabu-shabu (claypot) are not aware of the difference between hot pot and shabu-shabu. Hot pot has flavored broth but shabu-shabu is intended to have very mild flavored broth (not intended for slurping like hot-pot broths). read more

See all

Really charming and cozy spot, like a Japanese restaurant you'd see in Kyoto, all wood, and everyone who works there is so nice. Got the almond-crusted sea bass and the tower appetizer and really wasn't enthralled for the price. Recommend skipping the sea bass, which was good, but tasted like a very expensive Chinese seafood dish, and the tower, which is really just a scoop of rice and crab, and getting the halibut instead which looked so good at the table next to us. Still on the hunt for a great dinner spot in Carmel so if you know a place, message me! read more

Flying Fish Grill - Japanese Near Me - Carmel, California

See all