While in Carmel Valley for a long weekend my mom and I went to Plaza Linda for lunch. We got there…read morearound when they opened at 11:30am and thought it was closed at first because the parking lot was fairly empty and the restaurant seemed dark. Turns out we were the first customers for lunch. We were greeted and seated immediately, and the waiter was attentive during our whole meal. I had two carne asada tacos and rice, which were delicious. My mom had a cheese enchilada plate with rice and beans and she enjoyed it very much. We ordered chips and salsa, too, which cost a little extra; unfortunately, the chips were a bit stale. The salsa was good though. Several more customers arrived before we finished, but I think it must get busier later in the afternoon because the waitstaff was busy wiping down all the patio tables while we were there. Overall, an excellent lunch at a comfortable establishment.

We had a late lunch at Plaza Linda today. We have ate here before, but it has been years since we…read morelast stopped in. It was pretty quiet with 5-6 tables of diners. We were greeted as we walked in and chose to eat inside, but they do have a nice outdoor patio also. I went to their restroom and was super impressed with how clean it was. I don't normally comment on bathrooms, but I had to take a picture to show you. If Yelp offered smell technology, you would also be able to smell how clean it was as well...maybe a feature for Yelp in years to come . We started with the calamari appetizer (4/5) and chips & salsa (4/5). Chips and salsa are not complimentary here ($5) which is a bummer, but frankly I kind of understand. The calamari was a thin tender fresh calamari steak breaded and fried. There was nothing very Mexican about this preparation, but it was still pretty tasty. Our entrees came out of the kitchen pretty quickly. My wife ordered a combo plate with a cheese enchilada and a chili relleno (3/5). The flavors for both items weren't her favorite. However she loved the accompanying black beans (5/5) and the rice (4/5). I ordered the carnitas plate (5/5) and loved it. The pork was super tasty with that great carnitas porky flavor. It was crisped up on the griddle. Wrapped up with corn tortillas, I will definitely get this again. I also agree with my wife that my black beans served in a mini crispy corn tortilla shell were the 2nd best thing I ate today. Service? The service was solid. This gentleman (could have been the Owner) running the front of the restaurant and waiting on all tables was hustling the entire time we were there. Drinks were refilled right away. Our orders were taken promptly. He was on it! Value? Hmmm? $90 before tip for 2 people without alcohol is pretty steep for a non taqueria Mexican restaurant. I will be back for the carnitas for sure and will just have to convince my wife to give it another try.

I'm really disappointed with the meal my wife and I had this afternoon at taqueria del valle. We…read morelove, and seek out, local family owned restaurants. Unfortunately, this restaurant feels like they have lost their passion for creating flavorful food and a welcoming dining experience. Let me give some details. This is a counter service restaurant. We arrived about 2pm. We ordered the Carnitas combo (means rice and beans) and Al Pastor combo. They did provide complimentary chips and salsa. The food came out within 5 minutes. This meant the meat was already sitting in a warming table and may not have even gone on the grill. The carnitas was dried out like a pork machaca without the flavor. The Al Pastor had a powdered Mexican seasoning coating the pork that lacked salt and/or flavor. The rice was pretty much white rice with a little red color to it. Again no flavor. The refried beans were the best part of our meals. Where was the love when cooking in the kitchen??? We didn't taste any, unfortunately. As we were eating, they were sweeping the floor in the dining room. Really? Apparently they close at 3pm. It was 2:30. How rude! We were their only guests eating in the restaurant. Now I understand why. This is an uninspired taqueria that has lost its heart and soul. We won't be back.

The shrimp tacos I had was delicious. My friend liked his carnitas taco. Great carmel Valley local…read moreplace. Kind and savvy owner/server. We got there an hour before closing time but they stayed open a few minutes longer so we could finish talking.

The server angel is a great server I grew up here in Monterey county and have been to many…read morerestaurants but angel by far best of the best and his right hand man Willie is outstanding deserves a raise and the chips and salsa are top tear and the steak pineapple are amazinggggg

I have been to the Baja Cantina Grill and Filling Station a few times. I have had two very fun…read moretimes there. One time my daughter and I sat in the bar, had drinks and appetizers, and watched a Giants game. The other people in the bar were a lot of fun and we had a blast. The other time was on a cold, rainy day and my friends and I sat on a couch and chairs in front of the fireplace in the bar and had pitchers of margaritas and nachos. They still talk about what a great time they had. Every time I have been there the food and service has been good. The margaritas were really good. The Baja Cantina is not dog friendly--not even on the outdoor patio. Fortunately during our visits when we had our dog with us, it was cool enough to leave him in the car and there are some parking stalls with a lot of shade.

The food was remarkably delicious. And Gina was wonderful. One of the best Mexican restaurants we…read morehave ever eaten at.

Gina was amazing! Her service was impeccable. All of her recommendations were beyond perfect!…read moreBeautiful setting and unbelievable great food!

I visited Cultura with my greyhound, so we sat outside in the courtyard near the firepit tables…read moreshared with Vin, next door. It was a cool, breezy night, typical when the summer marine layer moves in over Carmel, but the propane heaters kept us toasty. If you prefer dining indoors, the interior bar and dining spaces had an intimate, funky, but very cool vibe. The host and servers were all extremely friendly and helpful. Despite being outside in the courtyard, they were also incredibly attentive, checking frequently to see if we needed anything. Their recommendations were spot on, too. I was wowed by the cocktail menu. I'll have to return to try more of their bar offerings. This trip, I took advantage of Happy Hour to order the blood orange margarita, and I was not disappointed. I ordered the ceviche appetizer. My greyhound thought it smelled as wonderful as I did. He rested his head between my feet in hopes of catching any ceviche dropping from my hands. This was so tasty, he was out of luck on the table droppings. I also had the chicken enchiladas for my entree. It was one of the best enchiladas I've had in a couple of years. My server, Mario, brought me out a small cup of their take on Mexican hot chocolate, made with oat milk, as an aperitif. It was so delicious, I almost wished I'd ordered a full cup as dessert.

Eh...we really wanted to like this place, but unfortunately, we're not fans and probably won't be…read morereturning. The atmosphere was cozy and inviting, exactly what we were looking for. The service was pleasant, although at times it felt a little condescending. They have their own very specific tequila collection, so don't expect to see many familiar brands. That's not necessarily a bad thing. We're always willing to try something new. The margaritas, however, were very tart. Just too much lime juice. We ordered tacos and asked for flour tortillas, only to be surprised when they arrived on corn tortillas. When we asked about it, we were told they simply don't serve flour tortillas. Fair enough, but that would have been helpful to know when we ordered. The good news: the chicken tinga, barbacoa, and carnitas were all excellent. Unfortunately, we just couldn't get past the corn tortillas which fell apart when you tried to eat the tacos. Ended up using a fork. For dessert, we ordered one of our favorites, churros. They arrived warm, but were very dry and tough. A churro should make you happy. These made us wish we'd stopped for dessert somewhere else. There were definitely some bright spots, especially the meats and the cozy atmosphere, but restaurants generally get one first chance to make us want to come back. Unfortunately, this one didn't.

The restaurant has a nice indoor area, but the patio is awesome. Covered from the sun and a sort of…read moresecret garden vibe. Very nice reprieve from the heat. We chose to share a Carnitas Omelette with cheese from the area and the salad was locally sourced farms. The service was quick and kind. Would come here again when in Carmel

I looked up brunch places in Carmel for my sister's bday and El Bistro popped up immediately. Very…read morepopular place, quaint and modern with Bohemian accents. Full for a Wednesday lunch! Valeria waited on us. She was attentive and helpful. She asked if we needed anything else and answered any questions. Eats: Iced Cafe Mazapan Latte Chilaquiles Red Sauce with Chorizo Chorizo Burger By The Sea Omelette Caesar Salad add Shrimp Tiramisu French Toast Food was great overall. My friends love chilaquiles so I decided to try it out. I got red sauce over green. Excellent portion size. They gave a good amount of chorizo. While the dish was plated well and tasted good, I'm not a huge fan of soggy chips so maybe the chips could be piled on top or requested on the side. Dad liked the shrimp filled by the sea omelet. Caesar salad looked great and was satisfactory, according to Mom. Sis had the loaded chorizo burger with such tasty amazing fries! I love the way they cook them. Tiramisu French toast looked incredible. Barely sweet, the cream was lightly sweetened with a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Not much of a coffee profile. The brioche slices were burnt a bit though and flavor-wise it was missing something. Check out their Instagram account for the secret menu. I asked if they had churro French toast but it's no longer available. Street parking and possibly a few lots nearby. Take a walk on the cobblestone streets and do a little shopping after a nice meal. The Main Street goes all the way down to the water. Nice views!

Had a GREAT dinner here! Just walked in on a weekday with no…read morewait. We sat on the little patio with our dog, they had a fire pit there too. I had the eggplant parmesean which was really good! For a drink I wanted the flavor tea but didn't want too much sweetness and the waitress was so nice she mixed it with the regular tea for meand it came out perfect. They also had a dog menu (so cuuuute!!), so our dog ordered the pup patty. He gives 4 paws! the highest rating a dog can give. The indoor space is huuuuge. Walked in to use the bathroom and it was nice! Because we came for dinner, all the shops in the Barnyard center were closed but seemed like there was lots to see in the daytime.

We dropped in to SUR today after hiking a bit. We hadn't been there before, and since Scratch was…read moreclosed and this place a great reviews, we decided to check it out - and I'll chalk this up to anther time Yelp did us wrong. TLDR:: Meh.. I wanted something to drink that wasn't sweet, so I tried their raspberry ice tea. They used a sugary syrup to flavor the tea, and that was a strike out. It was sweeter than a soda, so it went back and I swapped it out for a plain unsweetened ice tea. Then we tried the cheesy garlic bread, which we were really looking forward to. Welp, it came out with mozzarella cheese and a ton of corn. No butter. No garlic. We all looked at each other when we tried it. Ok, let's try their brussel sprouts. Those are hard to mess up - but sure enough, they managed to. They deep fried them to the point they were black and charred. There wasn't anything left of the brussel sprout itself, it was mostly crunchy charcoal. At this point, we all ordered something we assumed would be safe for our main. I got the sliders and a side salad. I had the salad but only of the sliders. The cheese on it was queso, like you use to dip chips, so it was ran all over the place and the burger was a grease ball. I won't even get into what everyone else had, but they had similar experiences. Overall, it was pretty disappointing. Maybe there are other things or other times where this place is better, but it was a swing and a miss for us.

The food was so good last time that I decided to come back with my family for my birthday dinner…read more There were eight of us with a 5pm reservation and the hostess kindly seated us a little bit early on the patio. The service at Cafe Rustica is outstanding. We had a waiter who took our orders, another one serving our food, and a third pouring water. All were very friendly and professional. I ordered the chicken apple sausage dish I loved so much last time. Others in the party ordered chicken, pinto bean soup, and I think the salmon. Everyone enjoyed their food. My sister surprised me with a small birthday cake she had purchased earlier from a bakery. The waiter brought us small plates and forks and we all had a piece.

My husband and I had a delightful evening at Cafe Rustica! After spending time in the hustle and…read morescene of CBTS, the vibe of this restaurant and surrounding businesses was just what we were after for a cozy, delicious, dinner. Roman took amazing care of us, efficient and friendly and making sure our plates weren't empty for long. Made great recommendations on the menu. Food was incredible, all seems to be homemade/from scratch, and had great flavors. Grilled shrimp skewers, beet salad, butter lettuce salad, lentil soup, vegetarian pizza, and passion fruit sorbet, finished with a decaf americano... would order it all again in a heartbeat! Memorably good spot for us!

Such a lovely, home away from home experience From the hostess stand to the chef personally…read morebringing out the dessert! Of course the food was impeccable and cooked just to our liking! The whole vibe of a Sunday night was enjoyable and I'll definitely be back for future celebrations and events

Friendly staff! Very nice inside and wasn't busy at all…read more Their soba was phenomenal!! Light yet packed with flavor. We really enjoyed their mocktails and burrata. Didn't care too much for the espresso martini but it's ok. Overall a great experience and would return

Returned to Carmel Valley last weekend with family to celebrate my birthday. We had four rooms at…read moreLos Laureles Lodge and were happy with our accommodations, although strangely it seemed some rooms had coffeemakers while others did not. It didn't really matter because the eight of us had the continental breakfast in the common room every morning and there was plenty of coffee available there. For breakfast they had coffee cake, fruit, hard boiled eggs, granola, and juices. I brought additional food for everyone, which the staff didn't mind. Everyone liked the continental breakfast. We ate at the restaurant on Friday evening. I made reservations well in advance, which was a good thing because it was quite busy. They set us up in a private dining room with a window. I had the special prime rib because it was so good last time I dined there. I ordered it medium rare and it was delicious again, except for the very center, which was so rare I couldn't cut it. The mashed potatoes and veggies that accompanied it were very good. Others ordered ribs and burgers, and everyone enjoyed their meal. The waitress was quite busy running around to all her tables, but she was as attentive as she could be with so many diners. I love the peace and natural beauty of Los Laureles Lodge and will probably always stay there when in Carmel Valley.

Los Laureles Lodge - Carmel Valley I was hesitant to stay…read morehere because the property looked very rustic, but it was one of the recommended hotels for a wedding at Stonepine Estate and a shuttle stop, so I decided to join the group. Unfortunately, the reservation process was a major issue. Despite multiple calls ahead of time 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, and the grounds are actually quite nice to explore. The rooms, however, are very basic and 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. The property has a pool and event spaces that looked nice, although they seemed quiet during our summer weekend visit. Bonus: 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, 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.