I didn't think it was possible for a grilled cheese sandwich to exceed my expectations, but here we…read moreare. I'd spent the morning hiking around Pfeiffer Beach and arrived in Carmel in the early afternoon. I was looking for basic sustenance. On the menu it didn't appear fancy-- a basic grilled cheese sandwich with tomato bisque. The combination was delivered to my table hot and fresh. I waited for a few minutes so as to avoid burning my tongue. I observed the bread was crispy, and the cheese combination was nicely melted. The bisque had a nice aroma. The first bite of sandwich was perfection, and following it up with a spoonful of bisque was pure rapture. I was impressed by a humble grilled cheese sandwich because it was made to perfection.

Came here because my friends love the fish and chips - which were good, but not my go to…read more We started with the fried calamari and truffle fries. Calamari was very lightly breaded and maybe it was timing but not as crisp of breading as I prefer. That said, it tasted good- I just prefer more crunch. The truffle fries were GREAT. Extra crispy, perfectly salted and seasoned w truffle. I shared the nicoise salad and roast beef sliders - the salad was good, the meat of the sliders was good and the crispy onions were a nice touch. The actual sliders were a tad dry. I think an au jus would've paired perfectly with this and resolved any dryness problem. My boyfriend got the Brophy's burger - extremely cheesy and loved the mushrooms. I'm not often in Carmel, but if I am and need a solid, casual bite, I will definitely be back!!

After our relaxing day at the spa we decided we needed some carbs. We found this cool pub were we…read morefelt welcomed as soon as we came in. The waiters were very nice and attentive throughout. We got the wings, burger and grilled chicken sandwich. The food was great, and came out quickly. Now the beer, husband got Guinness and I got Skrimshaw, both were perfectly poured and the pilsner was crisp. We ended up spending more time there, just enjoying the vibes and the food/drinks. Would definitely recommend as a stop in Carmel, specially since most places feel too uptight and here it was just relaxed.

Came here for a Saturday dinner after spending the day in Big Sur…read more It's definitely a loud, lively bar atmosphere. I ordered the butter squash ravioli. It was sweet and buttery. Good flavor overall. Honestly better than what I expected from typical bar food. What threw things off was the staff. We were seated near the stairs and could clearly hear two employees having a verbal argument. It went on long enough to really disrupt the meal. Felt uncomfortable and unprofessional.

Every time we are up in this area, we make a point to stop at this brewery. Even if it's a little…read moreout-of-the-way. There are plenty of amazing places to eat in Carmel, but this is a hidden gem. It's practically hidden away in a plaza with an outdoor patio, but there is plenty of indoor seating as well parking of course can be tricky in this area, but you shouldn't have to walk more than a block or two. I've been to other Alvarado Street brewery locations, but they each independently run and this one is by far my favorite. They always have different things on the menu to eat and drink and we are always satisfied. My +1 has a go to salad with raw beets in it, and I usually prefer something meatier. This time I went for a brisket sandwich, which was a little bit greasy (as expected) but was incredible. The meat was cooked to perfection and it paired well with the brioche bun and whatever sauce they put on it. We also had a calamari appetizer, which was elevated with some furikake seasoning. The beers, of course were absolutely delicious. I tried one of their sours and a barley wine. My +1 opted for a stout. The flavors are always changing, so we never know what we're going to get to try the next time we visit. If elevated bar food and craft beer, sounds like a good time to you, I would recommend this place in a heartbeat!

Alvarado Street Brewery is located in Carmel Plaza. A fairly large restaurant setting with an…read moreoutside seating area with heaters. Inside table seating is booth, table and offers even larger groups available seating up to 10. The food is "Brewery" oriented of course and done well. We had a Smash Burger that came with fries, a Seafood pasta, and a fish and chips that also included a tasty coleslaw. A huge assortment of House made Brews is featured and they have a full bar that servers mean cocktails. A little noisy inside but hey, it's a Brew Pub! BTW: they do excellent specials-- Monday night--burger and beer $-15! Wednesday- 6 epic Wings and beer for $10!

Best place to spend your time in Carmel (between golfing & gallery hopping)…read more If you want to feel local-ish, go here. I drove hundreds of miles for this place. (You should too.) Parker (the owner) is the real deal--passionate, witty, sometimes sarcastic, and genuinely fun. The cozy bar is surrounded by ever-changing photos, art, and laugh-out-loud signage. Stories live here: wall to wall, corner to corner, and everywhere in between. Locals and travelers exchange stories, play dice or cards. The drinks are beautifully basic--three ingredients, one of them ice. No fancy nonsense--just premium pours, neat or on the rocks. *And now the gut punch: they're being forced to close the same month they're celebrating their 100-year anniversary. The new building owners don't seem to care about the character and legacy of Carmel, the devotion of a fourth-generation owner, or what it means to lose a place that's thrived for a century. It's heartbreaking--for locals and travelers alike. Go while you still can. Last call, and cheers to everyone who's loved this place--"where everybody knows your name." XX

If you're looking for a good chill vibe, come here! We…read moreended up coming when the power came back on due to the tree falling into power lines barely came Back on but we were greeted by Parker who was so kind and had such hospitality. They had power out for a few days but were still so Chipper They serve beer wine and cocktails Everyone was so warm and friendly Parker had such a romantic vibe going on with all The candles on his bar So sad to hear he will be relocated across the street but so glad we got to experience this bar here while it's still in this location My mom and I loved the bathroom due to how good it smelled funny note but we love meyers soap and Parker had it ! Parker is such a character and such a vibe He has a few cats and a dog which were unfortunately not at the bar but def shows his true character as a pet dad. Can't wait to be back and visit the new location. What a Christmas 2025 this was. This is also a pet friendly bar! (: Thanks for such a great vibe our first Xmas Parker You're such a great host!

I've been meaning to visit here for ages, glad I finally did. I'm a huge fan of this place…read more The vibe is lively and chill. Service is lovely. Solid selections of beverages. I had a pizza with non-dairy cheese. The crust was outstanding, with a great chew, just-right char, some of the better thin-crust pizza I've had. My one constructive suggestion is they could up their non-dairy cheese game. The binders in standard non-dairy cheese have a subpar texture when they melt. Miyoko's makes a fabulous cashew-based mozzarella pizza cheese that eschews binders and is a dense liquid rather than solid, and it's a remarkably good substitute for real mozzarella di bufala. Local chain Pizza My Heart uses it, and I wish more restaurants did, and I'm on a one-man mission to nudge them to at least consider it. But either way, I'll be back, as the Terminator famously said.

Stayed nearby and decided to come over for dinner. Very lively on a Wednesday night with a cozy…read moreatmosphere. The service was great, you order and pay at the bar before the food is brought to you. The pizzas did take a bit to come out, but when they did, they were amazing! The legend pizza was delicious, with a tasty hot honey flavor. We paired this with the homemade ranch, which was okay -- it kind of reminded us of sour cream. The crust was also a bit flimsy by the time we got to the last piece. The pesto artichoke pizza was our favorite, so refreshing and flavorful! The lemon on it was great without being overpowering. My boyfriend also looooved his beer, the PG Passion Sour! Definitely recommend for anyone in the area!!

The service is swift and friendly. My partner got a flight of beer and they all had a unique stand…read moreout taste. Vibes are immaculate and we got to see the insane last quarter and overtime for the Lakers vs Rockets game.

Not the biggest fan of beer but they had some really light ones and I enjoyed it a lot! Food was…read moreokay; the quesabirrias had good flavor but were a little small. The pizza was yummy, but I'm personally not a fan of thick breads. Sat outside and had very good vibes and decor!

Found yourself in Carmel-by-the-Sea and looking for a laid back sports bar with great service, a…read morefun atmosphere, live music, karaoke, and games? Look no further than Links! Links is one of my favorite spots in Carmel, and is one of the places regularly on my list whenever I go back. Carmel-by-the-Sea isn't necessarily known for the bar scene, but Links offers an excellent option for anyone looking to extend their night and keep the fun going! They have a pretty extensive menu of food and drinks. The food is pretty standard bar fare, but with no shortage of options. The drink selection is quite varied as well, with a good selection of beers on tap. Service has always been exemplary when I've been here - the staff is friendly, fun, and have the gift of quickly remembering their return visitors, which really makes Links feel like a welcoming spot. Food and drinks come out quickly, and my beer glass was rarely empty without the staff coming up and offering another round! Links also has several large golf simulator areas, where you and your friends can practice your swing while playing a number of games against a large virtual projector screen. Add on top of all this the regular rotation of live music and karaoke, and you've got an excellent sports bar that should be on anyone's list who's looking for a fun, casual, energetic sports bar in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Thanks for all the fun times, Links!

Great spot in Carmel if you need something active to do besides sitting in a bar! They have golf…read morestimulators and board games! Great for big groups and kids. They also have karaoke and trivia night on some nights.

As a Seaside resident, this place has become one of my favorite restaurants. The cocktails are…read moregood, I'd rate them 4/5, although my wife and I are more into wine. When it comes to the food, the crudo appetizer and the fritto misto are among my favorites here. But the dish that definitely keeps us coming back is the stroganoff pasta, along with the CLINT'S CUT RIB STEAKS -- simply the perfect pairing. As for the service, 5/5. We always have a great experience with the staff, they are attentive and friendly every time we visit.

Dear Yelp, This cow…read morecame wanderin' in expectin' the full Old West meets California charm experience -- the kind of place that makes you feel like Clint Eastwood himself might stroll through the swinging doors, tip his hat, and ask how your steak was. Instead, this ol' steer left feelin' like he got branded and sent straight to disappointment pasture. Now first off, credit where credit is due: the hostess was absolutely wonderful. She genuinely seemed to care that we had a good experience and treated us kindly from the start. No beef with her whatsoever. She was one of the few bright spots in the whole evening. But the rest of the experience? Whew. This place just ain't what it used to be. We made reservations weeks in advance and submitted special requests online -- the kind the restaurant literally invites you to make. When we arrived, nobody acknowledged any of it. No mention, no effort, no attempt to make the evening feel special. It was like our requests got tossed into the cattle trough out back. And for spending a couple hundred dollars for two people, this cow expected a meal worth mooing about. Instead, the food was just average at best. Nothing terrible... but certainly not "drive the herd across town" good. Honestly, it feels like the spirit of the place left the ranch years ago. Back when Clint Eastwood was involved, you get the feeling he would've made sure every guest felt taken care of and the experience lived up to the legend. Now it just feels like they're coasting on the name and the nostalgia. Final thoughts from one disappointed bovine: Atmosphere: Cowboy charm hanging on by a horseshoe nail. Service: Hostess was great. The rest felt asleep at the stable. Food: More "meh" than "medium rare masterpiece." Would I come back? This cow's gonna keep moseyin'.

If you are curious about beer and you want to sample every style of beer known to man, then this is…read morea gooooood place to start. Just order a flight of 6, 3oz samples of your choice and off you go. The other good thing about this place is that you can bring your own food, which is a big plus in my book. I've been here multiple multiple times and I don't see myself stopping anytime soon.

The lady with black hair working at the front was so rude. My girlfriend and I sat outside after…read moregetting a sandwich from a nearby shop. There was no signs saying we could not eat here. I went to order a drink from here but they did not have what i wanted so we sat back down and immediately the staff person gave us a dirty look. After a couple mins, she approached us and asked if we would like to order. Neither of us wanted anything and responded no thank you. She then said this is for paying customers of peets or here only you need to leave or order something. I said oh we can order from Peet's. We went to peet's and the staff there did not care nor did they care about the other people eating from outside places. Once we left two groups of people came to the tables and ate chipotle! and she did not say anything to them. So rude and felt very targeted.

Brace yourself for a wait on the weekends! It can be a tight squeeze in the narrow shop; there are…read moretwo tables, two couches, and the rest is window seating. Beautiful natural window lighting, and I spent an hour people watching, sipping my coffee, and reading :) Velvet Noir ($7.50): Cherry Garcia is my favorite Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavor, so I knew I'd love this drink. It has dark chocolate, cherry, espresso, and milk! I got it hot for the colder day and it was perfect. Vanilla Cardamom Latte ($7.50 + Pistachio Milk $1): My friend liked this! The pistachio was subtle but she thought it paired well with the cardamom. Their merchandise is fun with different dog breeds riding bikes on T-shirts! I wouldn't mind waiting in line again since we were leisurely strolling around downtown anyway, but definitely expect a wait and snag seats while you wait in line if you can. They have an iced water pitcher for self-serve water as well!

I've never been asked to leave a place before this. They informed me I couldn't order because I had…read morea stroller and only way I could stay was to pick up and hold my child and stow the stroller somewhere else outside. I wasn't able to do that because my baby was asleep. I was informed that it was due to fire safety laws. The lady telling me this was fairly nice but it just doesn't sit right with me. They have two pretty big couches taking space and also 4-5 dogs inside as well. They are very proud of the fact that dogs are welcome but apparently strollers are a safety hazard? So families with children not welcome but animals inside a food service establishment very welcome. Just rubbed me the wrong way so much that I had a to leave a review.