It's hard to overstate how absolutely spectacular our meal was at Aubergine. I have been lucky…read moreenough to try many Michelin restaurants in my life, and this one stands out as one of the absolute top meals. Every aspect of the meal was perfect; between the service, the ambiance, the drinks, and of course the food, we were hugely, hugely impressed. It's hard to name favorites out of the many dishes, but I would say the scallop dish, as well as the artichoke dips, stood out as truly life-changing dishes. There were _so_ many thoughtful touches to the meal, between the celebratory cake and the additional little dishes thrown in. I'm so grateful to have experienced this meal. I haven't stopped thinking about the meal since! I hope to be lucky enough to return one day soon.

Was here to celebrate my birthday with my husband this weekend…read more The food was good. The appetizer plate and the fish one were exceptionally good. Service was good and they did serve me a little cake for my birthday. But weird the small chocolate parting gift was given without a bag which were a bit weird to carry. The house and deco were very charming. Although the seating had us against the wall facing directly to a table of 4 customers, which was slightly weird. Overall still a good experience. My husband's non alcoholic shizu wine drink tasted great. My cocktail was a little too sweet for my liking. I would say I had a better food experience overall than commis last year. But I think lazy bear is still my favorite 2 star place in bay area.

Never have I ever felt so pampered and taken care of at an unassuming hotel breakfast restaurant…read more Angel made my morning and went above and beyond with her attentive service. She proactively offered to fill my empty water bottle as soon as she saw it and was just incredible thoughtful and warm throughout. I ordered the delicious shakshuka poached eggs two mornings in a row. They come out piping hot in a flavorful tomato sauce with a nice kick. Definitely add the goat cheese. The moment I pour some tea, Angel asks if I want a hot water refill. This is how every breakfast experience should be.

For a hotel restaurant, Shearwater Tavern is pretty darn good. The menu is simple and doesn't take…read moretoo many risk which is common for a hotel restaurant. Nothing about the drink or dinner menu was too wild or stood out as unique. Considering there are many interesting dining establishments in the Carmel area, I felt like Shearwater Tavern upheld their standard in a foodie town by sourcing local ingredients and craft beers. The artichoke dip pays tribute to a local crop and was pretty tasty. The serving was generous, so we were grateful to our server for providing some extra sourdough for scooping up the last of the cheesy, warm dip. Oh, and Wednesday's are half off bottles of wine! The restaurant was situated away from the hotel common area to allow for a more intimate dining experience but still close enough to the lobby and rooms for convenience. There were some folks smoking in the parking lot, and the smoke smell was making its way into the dining room. A band was wrapping up for the night as we were being seated, and it seemed like there is regularly live music in the lounge area of the restaurant. The service was friendly, prompt, and food decent. As a guest in the hotel, it was easy to charge the meal to the room. Solid choice for an easy meal if staying at the hotel. I wouldn't necessarily go out of my way to dine at Shearwater Tavern though.

We really wanted to love this restaurant. We love steakhouses and dine at them frequently, so we…read morecame in genuinely excited for the experience. Unfortunately, this just wasn't it. We had a 5:00 p.m. reservation on a Thursday for two and were the only guests in the restaurant when we arrived. We asked if we could sit in one of the bench-style booths and were told they would need the table back by 7:00 p.m. We understood they may have had later reservations, but considering the restaurant was completely empty at the time we arrived and left and we had a reservation ourselves, the interaction didn't feel particularly welcoming. The biggest disappointment was the food. It simply had very little flavor. The rib cap was the highlight of the meal and was good, but the filet mignon was underwhelming and not particularly memorable. The broccolini also had almost no flavor. We kept wanting to love the food and waiting for something to really stand out, but unfortunately nothing did. What ultimately left the worst impression was how uncomfortable we felt by the end of the evening. As we were leaving, we noticed some of the team members sneering in our direction. I can't speak to their intentions, but it left us with an unpleasant feeling as we walked out and put an unfortunate ending on an already disappointing experience. We're accustomed to dining at steakhouses and know what a great steakhouse experience can be. It isn't just about the steak it's the hospitality, attention to detail, quality of the food, and how you feel while you're there. Sadly, this experience missed the mark. We genuinely wanted to love it, but we left disappointed and uncomfortable. This just wasn't the experience we expected.

Yes! Just the experience we were looking for our friend's birthday and their first time in Carmel…read more Friendly greeting, prompt service, and amazing food! Highly recommend the Smokey old fashioned and short rib entree. Complementary palate cleaners to start off and they helped celebrate our friend's birthday with a slice of cake.

Walking in was already a very pleasant experience. The decor was beautiful, the atmosphere was…read moreinviting, and I was immediately excited to try everything. Monique got us seated, gave us a couple of options, and we were very happy with where we ended up. We started with the skewered abalone and beef tartare, which wasn't even part of the regular menu. It was a wonderful initial surprise and absolutely delicious. For the first course, we had the Heirloom Tomato and Vermilion Crudo. The Heirloom Tomato was probably my favorite dish of the night right away. It really highlighted the tomato while complementing it with fish and squid on the side. It was an incredible dish. Next came the Crab Tagliolini and Sweet Corn Tortellini. Both were amazing, with incredible textures and bold, well-developed flavors. Everything about this course was very impressive. For the next course, we had the Squab and Wagyu Steak. The Wagyu was absolutely amazing, but the Squab was truly phenomenal. The preparation really made it stand out, it was incredibly flavorful, had an amazing texture, and was cooked perfectly. Definitely one of the highlights of the entire dinner. We decided to add the raw cheeses as an in-between course before dessert. It was a nice addition, although compared with the other courses, it was probably the least memorable for me. Dessert was the perfect way to finish the evening. The Stone Fruit and Mille-Feuille were both excellent and brought the entire experience together beautifully. A huge shout-out to Chui, Nate, Paige, and Molly for presenting each dish so beautifully and taking the time to explain the details behind everything. Special thanks as well to Executive Chef Johnny Black for putting together such an amazing set of dishes and pairing them so thoughtfully with the wines. Overall, this was an incredible dining experience, creative, beautifully executed, professional, and memorable from beginning to end. Every course felt carefully thought out, and the service made the entire evening even more special.

We came to Chez Noir having heard from seemingly everyone that it was a must when visiting Carmel,…read moreand it 100% lived up to its reputation. The service, ambience, and especially the flavors were absolutely superb. There is an incredible level of thought and care behind every detail of the experience. Even something as simple as laying a beautifully folded blanket across a hard bench so guests could sit more comfortably spoke to the level of hospitality here--nothing felt overlooked. Every course was brilliant, delivering layers of flavor and nuance while still feeling beautifully balanced. There was a confidence and precision to the cooking that made each dish memorable, and the warmth of the service made an exceptional meal feel equally inviting. Chez Noir manages to be incredibly refined without losing its sense of intimacy and genuine hospitality. Thank you to the entire team for one of the most exceptional dining experiences we've had. Chez Noir absolutely deserves its reputation and will be a must-return whenever we're back in Carmel.

Came here the Saturday of Mother's Day weekend and had such a great lunch experience. We didn't…read morehave a reservation, but were able to get seated immediately. We sat outside in the courtyard and the ambiance was absolutely perfect with the water fountains, greenery, and live music! Aside from the amazing ambiance, the service was also great. Very friendly and attentive! The weather changed a bit while we were out there, with umbrellas being offered to move when we arrived, and heaters offered to be added as we dined. To eat I got the Sand dabs and my mom the Crab cake. We both liked our meals and would order them again! I did have my eye on a few other things on the menu though, so I would probably try something else next time for a little variety.

A few highs a couple lows. My husband and I came here for a…read morebirthday dinner and told the host when we checked in. We were seated outside in a lovely courtyard next to a fountain pool. The ambiance was so nice minus the extremely loud family sitting next to us but that's not the restaurants fault... We ordered the crab cake as an appetizer and it was phenomenal! I would come here again just for the crab cake. I ordered the filet mignon and broccolini with a Demi glaze sauce- both of which were delicious and well cooked. My husband ordered rack of lamb with chimichurri, Mac and cheese and potatoes au gratin all of which were VERY tasty. The only things that wasn't good were the fries we ordered as a side. They were described as garlic Parmesan fries but there was no garlic or Parmesan on them at all. Actually completely unseasoned and tasted like any old beer battered fries you could get at a bar. We also saw a woman who got a dessert and birthday song- we did not. They didn't notice until after we left and the host ran up the street after us and apologized for forgetting our birthdays and gave us a mini bottle of wine which was a nice gesture. Overall a good experience

We had previously enjoyed live music in the lounge and vowed to come back another time for a meal…read morebecause of the ambience and menu. We came back last night and enjoyed a delightful meal. Some had the fish tacos, others had salmon and sand dabs. All were excellent and topped off with the peach cobbler. (Also excellent!) The only negative was the hostess. We were torn between the inside or outside because of the chill and the inside had no ambiance. The hostess was quick to seat us inside but the wait staff let us know there were blankets available which made our dining experience excellent. Blankets and a heat lamp made all the difference. I'm not sure why the hostess did not offer the blankets right away!

Another great meal at Terry's. Started with an old fashioned and a glass of the clos du val cab…read more Had a Ceasar salad and a bowl of beef barley soup. The soup was delicious. It was flavorful and so tasty. Not many restaurants make delicious, homemade soups, but Terry's does not disappoint. We had the short ribs and filet mignon. Both tender and delicious. We ended with a keoke coffee and the molten chocolate chip cookie with caramel sauce. Jacob was our server and he was attentive and professional. We have never been disappointed here. Good job Terry's!!

The brilliant work of Chef Andrew. It's clear that the chef loves food, has a huge heart, and cooks…read morewith joy and passion. We've been to Valley Kitchen dozens of times and the food gets better and tastier. It's evident that the chef and team explores how to incorporate fresh, local, and fine ingredients and bring to life the best of CVR's and California's identity to its dishes. Our favorites are the smoked salmon sourced from Santa Cruz and smoked at Valley Kitchen, Upside Down Hot Honey Cornbread .. and love how he uses the honey, cheese, and garden ingredients. At one point, we had strict diet restrictions and asked Chef Andrew to cook without sugar and to keep our meals below 5g of carb. Not only did we stick to our strict keto diet while traveling but we also fell in love with every single dish he made. Chef Andrew embraced this opportunity to test and adjust to meet our diet needs AND introduce us to new ingredients to include into our diet. We are forever grateful. On this trip, although we asked for his avocado dessert, he politely recommended Chef Molly's desserts. I love how he puts the entire team at the center of the experience. It's a team effort and the desserts were unique to Carmel -- especially with CVR lavender curd. The people who work at CVR and Valley Kitchen are top notch. They are extremely attentive, respectful, and friendly. Many of the servers have been there for years and it shows that when there is a good work culture that it translates to better customer service. The ambiance brings a combination of natural beauty, warmth and coziness (especially with the fireplace), and Californian modern and sleek. I love the Zafferano Pina lamps that provide an intimate experience and enough light to the table (need to see what we're eating!). Thank you, Chef Andrew and team for letting us experience culinary excellence while we rest and heal at our happy place.

My wife and I ate here for her birthday last year and left thinking we'd found our new "special…read moreoccasion" spot. Big mistake getting attached. We came back for my birthday and it turns out this restaurant runs on a strict one-birthday-per-couple policy. The host wished me a happy birthday on the way in, and that was the last acknowledgment I'd get all night. Our waiter treated the table like a myth he'd heard about but never confirmed existed. Water refills required multiple requests and were still somehow optional. A steak knife did eventually materialize, but only after I asked, meaning I spent a solid chunk of dinner sawing away with a butter knife slicked in butter. And dessert showed up 30+ minutes after we ordered it, at which point it wasn't dessert anymore, it was a surprise second meal. Not once did he apologize or acknowledge anything was off, which honestly might be the most impressive part of the night. Total commitment to the bit. Then the salmon, which we ordered off the dog menu, arrived after my wife and I were basically finished with our meal. The rice felt like it had spent the evening chilling in the walk-in fridge, and the potatoes were still raw enough to plant. We loved this place once. Now, if you're staying at the hotel, do yourself a favor and just order room service.

Great service! Tasty food!…read moreLovely dining atmosphere! Our Server was a lovely man who was patient with me as I asked questions and went through my usual indecision and finally landing on Butternut squash soup followed by Branzino. The soup Hit The Spot! Vegetable based (so no cream).... This soup was incredibly satisfying. Of course I love me some soup so this hit all my comfort notes on a cool evening after wine tasting and gallivanting all day. The Branzino was perfectly prepared... Just falling off the skin and melting in my mouth. Hubs enjoyed his steak thoroughly! I got a small bike and thought it was quite good.... tender, meaty, good flavor not over seasoned so you can actually taste the beef... Perfect chew. It had texture and was not mushy. All in all, a wonderful dinner experience that I would go back to again.

This is the restaurant inside the golf club " The Quail " . It opens daily for breakfast from 7 am…read moreto 10:30 am . We ordered latte and cappuccino coffee . It tasted great and the texture was smooth . I enjoyed the pretty ceramic cups and plates . Tables setting were very classic and they seated us on a table by the window. We could over look the pond with a bridge and fountains . There were a group of geese playing around in the morning. Food was great . We had the two eggs omelette with a choice of bacon , ham or sausage . Plating was beautiful. The country potatoes came with red potatoes and brown potatoes. The side salad with vinaigrette dressing was fresh and delicious. We got toasts with butter and jam . So much food and I could not finish . The lobby outside was nicely decorated with decorative details . We enjoyed it very much .