I wish they gave half stars here. My rating would be 1.5 stars. Maybe it was my high expectations... Besides my great company of my friends and the decor.. I would pass First the drive to Cachagua if you follow the gps would take you to a shorter but windy road. Going there was fine since the sun was up but after dinner we took the longer route and less curvy. The place is really out of no where. You can hear rosters crowing and see a peacock roaming around the lot. The interior of the restaurant was very eclectic. I love the curtains that looked like it came from Minnie Mouse playhouse, colored bottles on the railing of the other window. The big moose with a moose headband was adorable. I could just look at the decor all night... in which we did. We were a party of 8 with reservations at 630pm. We sat down around 615pm and my party was complete by 645pm. They got our drink orders immediately.Drink menu was pretty vast, good set of wine and beer. The guy was on top of that. Food on the other hand is another story. We waited an hour and half before they took our order. Then it took them an hour to deliver our appetizers. One hour to prepare salad? We got our main course around 930-945pm. It was staggering in. Guests from the second seating came in received their food about the same time as us. One of our friends did not even get his food.Another had to leave at 930 because she had to get home to her kids. 3hours and half for an entree? The food was alright. My friends chicken was cold and so was the soup he ordered. So was it standing around for a while?The pork chops was massive! Tri-tip was heavily recommended and my friend finished the plate clean... and I mean clean! My duck was a bit dry. In short I do not think it was a yummy in my tummy restaurant. The presentation on the other hand was wonderful, it was like a piece of art. The did give every table complimentary appetizers like jalapeño and pizza. Instead of whipping up appetizers that people did not order maybe they should cook the meals that were ordered. But they were tasty. The waitress said it was for waiting yet, they gave it to all the tables, so it did not seem as special when the table that came 3 hours after us received it also and was given the same spill about waiting... The lady at the cashier was RUDE. Tip was included because we were a big group .. yet tip should be earned, and we did not get the service that of 18%. There were more bussers than servers. To sum it up... it was very disorganized. They did not know what was going on with our orders and where it was in the queue. I am glad other guests were able to enjoy their food but unfortunately we did not. The food was not worth the wait. We left at 1030pm all unsatisfied and slightly hungry, we wanted dessert but then that would be another 2 hours, we think not. We did expect to wait a bit, but not for cold food and definitely not for 4 hours... Maybe if there was a sincere apology for the wait and a discount we wouldn't have been bitter leaving the restaurant. Good luck to all who eat here.. it is a gamble... Or at least buy chips at the general store while you wait for your meal, to hold you off a bit. OH and there is banjo and harmonica duo to render us with entertainment, it is not free, they come and stand by your table with the tip jar until you put something in. read more

See all

Omg. I am in a food coma and my taste buds have exploded into outer space somewhere. I had low expectations since I had the meal of my life last time around and didn't want to get disappointed. Well, needless to say, I wasn't anywhere near being that. In fact, this was the second best meal ever. The first one was also had here. Sea brass, red beets, apple and caramel: all jusy outstanding. Delicately served. The place is noisy; it's like a huge family dining all together, singing, eating and humming to the live music. What a splendid atmosphere. So, If you are fragile to noises and can't wait a bit for seating and food, then perhaps go elsewhere, but to me this is nothing compared to what you get. Waiting for something good is worth the while. I can't at all understand those who give fewer stars than 5 to this place. Only being too picky if you ask me. If you don't get served, then ask a waiter for some action? Shouldn't be any problem. I saw waiters running to get food served but the problem was actually people from the first serving never leaving. So, don't blame it on the waiters. Go here asap and before they change location / close down and be patient my friend. This is worth waiting for. Hurry up! Gotta love them all. PS we came all the way from Norway by the way :) read more

See all

All you haters take a love pill and chillax. Why the hate?!? For those who haven't made the trek out there for the Monday Night Dinner experience... how can you Yelp this fabulous establishment. You don't know what you are talking about and or are missing out. Your loss not the General Store's. Yeah, Chef Mike Jones is eccentric but what's wrong with that? He is by far one of the most talented chefs out there and his restaurant is definitely in my Top Five in the world when you combine atmosphere, staff, food, wine, ambiance and all. You go there for the food and to enjoy yourself... if you are lucky you will get to hangout with the Chef. I head out to Cachagua General Store every chance I get... I look forward to doing Brunch with them on Sundays in the near future. Bring a friend and share the Crab Cakes, a Duncan Pizza, a Wedgie and any of their desserts... I guarantee you that you will leave CGE with a fat smile. read more

See all

Carmel Valley, CA (Carmel By The Sea) - 30 to 45 minutes from The Carmel Valley Village. - Drive through the countryside, very rural, up a windy road. - Mobile Internet stops working 5 minutes before arrival. Nothing really new to add to the already lengthy review I posted in the past. - This is a 2 - 3.5 hour dinner no matter where you sit. So, know this in advance and be patient and Do Not arrive hungry. - Think eating a at a fine dining establishment where you can actually enjoy yourself and dress as casual as you like. - The value, quality and consistency of the food will want you coming back for more. Not hard to laugh when all the "other" folks who visit the Monterey Bay - yap about their "favorite restaurant" and have no idea about this real gem. - Visiting CGS and eating family style is the only way to go to really maximize the culinary skills brought out by Michael and his team Monday Nights. Especially at these prices, you have to go all in. Apps to the entrees - order up and you will not be let down. - If you are remotely a foodie or at least enjoy a solid meal at a more than affordable price, taking a risk by going off the beaten path is a real experience you will be able to share (brag) with those you know for years to come. - Bar none one of two destination restaurants in Monterey County where if you plan out properly can enjoy some great activities along the way. Also, one of two spots where they are none like you have ever visited before. - Must call in advance to make sure you have seats waiting upon arrival. - Not sure if Discover is accepted but AMEX, VIsa and Mastercard are. - There is also a Sunday Brunch, posted some pics. However, if I can have one option I would do dinner. A Sunday Brunch review is coming up after I have gone back once or twice. read more

See all

If I dreamed of the perfect restaurant experience, the Cachagua General Store would still be better! I went in with very high expectations and my expectations were still exceeded. We came here for a Monday night dinner (dinner is only served on Monday) to celebrate our wedding. We'd rented a nearby cabin though Airbnb which was also perfect. We had a 6:30 pm reservation and were welcomed by the warm staff and seated at a cute table when we arrived. We started studying the extensive menu and wine list and decided we'd order a bottle of white and one of red in honor of the special occasion. Our waiter helped us choose a reasonable (~$30), delicious bottle of white from a wine-maker who was at the table next to us. We went fancier for the red and ordered a 1986 bottle of Silver Oak. The price was $100 but it's more than that basically anywhere online! They also had the 1998 for $80 and the 1985 for $120. It was one of the best (if not the best) reds I've ever had! We took about 1/2 of each bottle back to our cabin and loved finishing the rest. We also ordered a lot for dinner to celebrate and because we were in awe of the selection and prices. We had steak tartare (~$10), seafood soup ($4 for a huge cup!), a beet salad (~$10), ahi poke (~$12), and yellowtail prepared two ways $20). For dessert, we had a chocolate moose with salted caramel. Everything was incredibly delicious! In addition to the amazing food, wine, and service, there was a small live band and two pugs wandering around and visiting us (I love dogs!). I'm already trying to figure out when I can go back! read more

Last Monday we had a crew of 10 people roll out to the General Store for the 2nd seating. We arrived a bit early and were seated right away! We started the table off with a couple pizzas, both were very good. The meats on them were high quality ham, bacon, and sausage from the Corralitos Market. Then we each ordered a 1st course. I personally ordered the roasted baby beat salad, with coconut chevre, and a balsamic reduction. It was beautifully presented and not at all what I was expecting. It was like heaven in your mouth when you put all of the components on your fork at the same time. My dining companions were so kind as to share a bit of their appetizers with me. I tried the quail with tomato polenta, the bone marrow bruschetta, and the beef tartar with the tarragon ice cream. Of the three I have to say that I felt the beef tartar with the ice cream was my favorite. I was not really into eating the raw meat, but my friend basically shoved a bite of it into my mouth. It was a weird combination of flavors and temperatures that at first confused me, and once I realized what I was eating I was a little upset, but in the end decided that it was delicious. The tarragon ice cream really accompanied the beef well. The bone marrow brushetta was also very good, but I do not think I would order it again. It is literally a large bone that comes to the table that has been cut in half, and you eat the marrow out of it on little crostini. While delicious, it was a very heavy dish and extremely fatty, I am glad I only had one bite. The quail with polenta was probably my least favorite 1st course. I had never had quail before and expected it to taste a little gamey, but it tasted exactly like chicken. The polenta was very good though. Then there was the 2nd course. I ordered the beet ravioli that was served with a pumpkin and butternut squash sauce and cooked spinach. This plate was also beautifully presented, it came with three large ravioli that were purple in color because they were made of beets, and the greens on the plate really made the purple pop. I am glad that this plate tasted as good as it looked. The sauce was very creamy and smooth and the greens were cooked perfectly. The raviolis were large and tender. I throughly enjoyed the ravioli and was told by a regular at the general store that the ravioli changes all of the time but it is always worth it to order. I was also fortunate enough to try bites of other peoples 2nd courses. My favorites were the venison and the braised short ribs. The venison was very smokey and gamey, and it was covered in bacon. The braised short ribs were falling off of the bone and were very tender. For dessert the table ordered the death by chocolate brownie served with berries and a poached pear severed with a white chocolate anglaise. The brownie was very dry and not warm, I did not enjoy this at all. The pear was however very good, it was poached in malbec and the anglaise was creamy and a perfect pairing for the pear. While going to the general store is a mission (that long windy road is treacherous at night), it is completely worth the drive. It is reasonably priced delicious gourmet food served in a fun back woods type atmosphere. read more

Went here a few Sundays ago for brunch. First thing, they ask if you'd like champagne or a mimosa. We passed--no problem--of course. So they asked if we wanted orange juice and/or coffee. We got both! Bottomless! They just keep filling you up! It was awesome! They also brought us a little bowl of fresh strawberries. My wife ordered the wagu beef omelette. Incredible burst of flavor. A good sized portion. I ordered the smoked salmon eggs benedict. The homemade hollandaise was amazing...perfect consistency and flavor. Not overpowering. The eggs were perfectly cooked. After all that, they bring you some homemade fluffy buttermilk pancakes with fresh blueberries (on the smaller side). This was the perfect amount of food for me. We even took some to go. We probably waited about 45 minutes for breakfast. Which might seem like a long time if you just want in and out. For the person looking to relax and have good conversations and enjoy a meal with it, this place is perfect. You get to drink your coffee and have a good time talking and laughing and relaxing. The staff was attentive and friendly, too. We had a great experience. read more

The Cachagua General Store and Roadhouse ("The Store") is one of those places that you think you might have heard about, but you're not sure you can remember who told you about it or when. The Store is run by Mike Jones, a local chef and caterer (A Moveable Feast Catering) who can be found catering weddings and other events when he is not in Cachagua. Mike has a passion for good food and uses all local ingredients. Everything on the menu has been locally sourced, locally grown, and locally farmed. You'll have mulberries and peppers from Joanie and Lyle, finger potatoes from "that kid across the river", and pistachio-fed beef (!!!) from Yolo County. The Store is a restaurant one day a week. It's only open on Monday nights, and that started out as a way for Mike to get folks together to watch Monday Night Football and have some decent chow to eat while watching the game. Now it's a regular Monday night tradition. The food is fantastic, the prices are affordable, and the drive is an adventure all by itself. So, are you in the mood for incredibly tasty gourmet-quality food? Would you like that food to be budget-friendly? Are you willing to take a drive on windy narrow roads with gnarly switchbacks that go perilously close to steep ravines; a road which can easily qualify for an "E ticket" at Disneyland? If your answer to the first two questions was "Yes!!" then just ignore the other questions and check out The Store. You will thank me for the recommendation. This is the stuff of legend and lore. It is not to be missed...it is to be reckoned with. read more

See all

Mark and I finally made it to Michael Jones' Monday night dinner at the Cachagua General Store. If you don't already know where Cachagua is, then forget it -- it's too far. Don't bother dressing up, Ugg boots and jeans is the dress code. Michael Jones owns A Moveable Feast. I first became aware of his food because they have catered Monterey Museum of Art events. I worked for the museum and quickly learned that standing by the kitchen door as they came out with trays of devine tidbits was a good plan. Monday night dinners, what a great idea on his part. Cachagua is too far out there to really get a nightly crowd. But one night a week, and now brunch on Sundays seems to be the trick for way out in the country dining. It was packed when we walked in. We came for the late seating at 8:30. This particular late seating really became a series of unfortunate events so crazily bad that we laughed about it the next morning. I think if service goes bad, it should go crazily bad. Then the customers have a good story. So here's mine. We went with my devildaughter C and her boyfriend. We waited a half an hour past the reservation, no problem, we had a nice time at the bar and football was on. They sat us finally at a rickety table and plastic folding chairs that would not have held a medium sized man. Michael, can't you steal some decent party chairs from one of your catering events somewhere? A lovely young woman came up to us and said cheerily, "are you ready to order?". "Yes!" we responded eagerly. "Okay I'll go get your waitress." Awww man. Another wait. Meantime it began to clear out and so we moved to a better table with upscale cushioned metal folding chairs. The menu is huge and very exciting. A real nod to Cachagua wines and food. Mark made me order the mushrooms with cepes. The dish came with no cepes in it. Wow! That's crazily bad and now I have a great story. The menu should read," Mushrooms with cepes except there are no cepes, really, dish". I ordered quail, it was an appetizer but she said she would serve it as an entree. Sounds perfect. My quail comes, the lovely waitress announces, "here's your entree". I see 6 eyes staring at me. It's a tiny quail, it's my entree, it's shared by 4 people now. Okay, we all ate my entree and 15 minutes later an even sweeter young woman comes with dessert menus. Yes, that's right, they had forgotten to serve dinner. My highlights: The pizza was quite good and the bacon donut for dessert was wonderful. The bathroom has a curtain dividing it from the office. Ballpoint pens hold the toilet seat together. Truly a fine Cachagua work of art if you ask me. Pat Clark, Cachagua's quintessential musician, was playing guitar.. A waitress sang and we danced and had a wonderful time. For best service I highly recommend the earlier seating. For dancing and carrying on, the later seating. It was whackadoodle but still worth going. The menu is large, interesting and very local. read more

Cachagua General Store - dancing to the tunes of Pat Clark on Monday night - New American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Is it worth the trip? Yes. We had brunch today, which consist of: Best Omelet ever: chard, spinach, local cheese, herbs, and mushrooms Eggs Bene: meyer lemon hollandaise yummmmm The bacon is Magnificent. The pancakes were light and fluffy. I love this place. The owner/chef is amazing, funny, and really loves his craft. The staff was super friendly. Now, I've eaten at French Laundry and Noma.... and honestly, I would rather come back here to eat. Can't wait to try the Monday night dinner. read more

See all

Of all the food experiences on the Central Coast, perhaps none is more unusual than Monday Night Dinner at the Cachagua General Store: a remarkably refined meal--set in the middle of rural Carmel Valley. (One of my friends likens it to eating a fancy dinner in a trailer park.) Monday Night Dinner is such an indescribable beast. The location is half an hour past the middle of nowhere. The setting is essentially a cleaned-up storage room with tables and rickety chairs arranged haphazardly. It's loud and very casual, attracting a diverse set of characters. Service is slow. But the food trumps all these (minor) inconveniences. The menu includes two dozen choices for appetizers and almost as many entrée selections too. On my first visit, my friends and I sampled nearly everything on the menu in a true test of gastronomic endurance. The pear salad with parsnip strips, Brie and a yuzu honey dressing was one of the best appetizers of the night--the creamy cheese and sweet pears. The beet salad was flavorful and so elegant in presentation. The poached egg with sorrel, black trumpet mushrooms and goatsmilk burrata was rich and creamy, with a unique blend of flavorful herbs. And of course we sampled the famous bone marrow--a large bone halved in two, roasted and served with crisp crostini and mushrooms. The buttery bone marrow paired nicely with the earthy mushrooms. My entrée--the seared duck breast--was good, but given the high praise I've heard about this dish, I expected it to be better. The meat was tender and flavorful, but a little gamier than I usually prefer. Among the entrees ordered at the table, the double pork chop was the best. And it was a huge portion of meat--like a portion for a caveman! The pork was well cooked, and nicely seasoned. The peach confit and plum sauce that accompanied the meat were quite tasty. Despite stuffing ourselves with appetizers and entrees, we decided as long as we'd trekked all the way out to the valley, we should try dessert too. The chocolate crema ingelese, served with olive oil and sea salt, was great. The mousse was smooth, with rich chocolate flavor. The roasted stuffed apple with white chocolate crema ingelese and Jack Daniels caramel sauce was also quite good. For round two, I joined friends for dinner at Cachagua last week, a holiday get-together of sorts. We were more reserved in our ordering this time--picking up mostly appetizers and a just a few entrees. The beer-battered wild rice pancake, topped with mushrooms, was the sleeper hit. The flavor combination was totally unexpected--the earthy mushrooms and the creamy beer batter. The quail was also very good. The meat was tender--always tricky with such a tiny little bird--and the accompanying chile pasta was a unique pairing that built heat with each bite. The chanterelle and porcini soup was rich and creamy, packed with mushroom flavor. But we thought this heavy soup might have been better as a sauce. And of course the bone marrow was as buttery as always. Two of the entrees really shined: the pork ribs--topped with a delicious housemade mole sauce--and the chef's famous rabbit five ways. The latter arrived with five preparations of rabbit: fried, braised, stewed, bacon and terrine. The terrine was my favorite, with smoky flavors and a hint of spice. We sampled two desserts--the Jack Daniels apple cobbler and the white chocolate parfait. The cobbler was full of sweet apples and the perfect wintertime dessert. For those less indulgent, the parfait was a clean, light finish to dinner. Not every dish is a knock-out, but you'll find food certainly as tasty as any of the fancier spots on the Monterey Peninsula. And dinner here doesn't come with the high price tags so common on the Peninsula--the food and wine are remarkably reasonable considering the quality and the portions. Cachagua is really an otherworldly experience--and it might not be for everyone. But if you're willing to take a chance on a dining experience that's rough around the edges and head out to the valley with an open mind, you can find one of the Central Coast's hidden culinary gems. Just remember, when it comes to the bill, split checks are a big no-no at Cachagua. If you're dining with a group, make sure you all bring cash or make sure one of you has a healthy credit card balance to foot the bill. read more

An Amazing "Brigadoon" of a place, only open on Mondays and only if you can find it by the grace of the Lord Bacchus and his Bacchantes. You eccentric puppet of Bacchus and master of exquisite culinary delights is a wild man named Michael, food genius. You'll find Woodsmen and the Wealthy, Businessmen and Bus Drivers, Stars and Strays there. The car park which is full of Limo's and Tractors alike, and is 10 minutes past the point where you gave up any hope of finding it, but you'll be glad you did and you'll hope you can find it again when you want to take back everyone who's gastric welfare you care for. The food is exquisite, under priced and you don't deserve it, the wine well chosen and I would say but a couple of dollars more than Safeway. The service is as honest and wholesome as their presumed mission statement, a heavenly find. read more

Driving out 50 minutes you constantly are doubting yourself..."I must have passed it...I must have passed it..." you start to think...this better be good or else I am going to be pissed. Gravel parking lot, dusty house...I start to think, "holy mackrel, I messed up on this place"...... Then... I walked in the door... WOW! To the left there is an amazing kitchen full of American Culinary Institute grade cookware, and the smell makes me want to skip my rental agreement and sleep on the floor of the restaurant. Wonderful. The ambience is great, like a get away from Monterey (which it really is). This place uniquely fits this feeling of getting away. Now the food, for a starter, I had beef tartar topped with a taragon ice cream...TARAGON ice cream! I mean....who thinks to put a green leafy spice and make it into an ice cream, and think it is good? Whoever that is, I owe them a huge high five. possibly a bro-pound. De-lish! I came for the Rabbit 5-ways. Delectable! The deep fried rabbit leg was crispy, yet it was still juicy and just...(hang on, I am thinking about it again...Sigh...) ok, where were we? Oh yeah! Dessert! Pecan apple cobbler with Jack Daniel's Carmel. After my portions, I thought to share the dessert with my group of four. I really had a hard time choosing between the chocolate, sea salt, and olive oil, but I am still glad I made the executive decision to stay true to America's dessert! All in all, this place is truly a hidden gem. And frankly, anyone that says otherwise, I hope they stay the hell out! cause I want this place for myself! :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: TO ALL THE HATERS :::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: I am really puzzled why others gave it one stars without even trying it...just because you read something posted by someone? REALLY? Get over yourself. Or don't I hope you never come here because it would be much better without you. read more

Not worth the trip! I've been to this restaurant several times, each time hoping it would be an actually decent experience. The food is very good but not to the point that the service is so exceptionally terrible. I've witnessed good service at this restaurant- however it was to tables where the occupants clearly were friends of the staff. All of the other diners seemed to be looked over and ignored equally. I exchanged glances with the other restaurant goers as we were all experiencing the same mediocre service. I would not recommend this restaurant to anyone. Additionally, I believe someone (perhaps involved with this business) has been flagging any review under three stars thus giving it an artificially high rating. At the bottom of the ratings page is a link to the "filtered ratings". You should read those also in order to get the true story of this establishment. read more

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!! Chef is selfish!!! Three hours for A SALAD!! After four hours, my meal still hadn't arrived, I left. Something is seriously wrong when you make your patrons wait that long. We had to listen to a banjo player the entire time, then he wanted a tip and stood at our table shoving his bucket at us until everyone put money in. read more

After hearing friends sing praises of Cachagua's Monday night dinner, I decided to see what all the fuss was about. The whole experience was great fun! The food is certainly gourmet, but both the portion size and pricing are incredibly reasonable. Instead of an entree, I settled on two small plates: the quail served with linguine, and the tri-tip sliders served with artichokes and potatoes. Both dishes were delicious, but a bit on the oily side. We also tried the mushroom pizza and the venison, no complaints there. The apple cobbler was decent, but next time I hope to be in the mood for a less conventional dessert. If you're looking for a quick meal, then Monday night dinner definitely isn't for you. From the hour-long drive out to Cachagua, to the pacing of the meal, the whole experience is meant to be slow. The live music was also terrific and really contributed to the laid-back atmosphere. The best thing I can probably say is that the folks at Cachagua get major props for being able to pull off such a special meal in the middle of nowhere. In my opinion, anyone giving this place a less than stellar rating, has no clue how difficult it is to create a restaurant from nothing but a general store room, or perhaps wasn't looking for quite so "rustic" an experience. To be clear, Cachagua is looking at rustic in the rear-view mirror. It is what it is: gourmet cuisine in both a space and an environment that is anything but gourmet. For the less adventurous, there's always Carmel! read more

Had a reservation tonight (Monday) but they are closed--I believe permanently. There is no notice that they no longer serve dinner and no signs in the window either. The phone number on yelp and Facebook is a message that implies they still serve dinner/brunch Kind of annoying that they wouldn't even notify us or post anything online to say that they are closed for good! read more

This place is an absolute gem. Plan for a multi hour experience - the meal is your entertainment for the evening. Grab a bottle of wine from their excellently prepared list, settle in, and enjoy the music and bustling activity. First off, the environment. I love it. This place is eminently casual. There isn't any BS - just food and drink, with thrown together decor that reminds me of a backroads BBQ joint back home. The wine list is spectacular and ranges from affordable to, well, not. All are well selected, and I encourage you to get a bottle or two with your meal - you'll have time to drink and enjoy. Then the food. The food will come out piece by piece, you'll likely get some plates that you didn't order on the house, and each plate is an adventure. While their entrees are excellent, the creativity and variety of the small plates are where the general store shines. If there is a tasting menu (there isn't always), you should jump at the chance. Ordering many smaller dishes fits with the restaurant's overall flow - rather than the often long wait (it's a small kitchen), you'll have a steady stream of food. The dishes are original and exciting. I love reading the negative reviews on this place. If you want rapid service, an orderly environment, and predictable food, go to Applebee's. If you want to sit back and enjoy a wild ride of a brilliantly crafted multi-course affair, the General Store is your place. read more

You probably cannot duplicate this experience anywhere else. I'll try to distill it: take a very passionate, highly trained, experienced chef and wife team, drop them into the middle of a rural area, give them access to the freshest, locally produced/caught meats and ingredients, surround them by dogs and other raving fans, and you'll sort of get the gist of it. Oh, and by the way, put it all in an old roadhouse-type building that just happened to once have been the province of Hells Angels and other no'er-do-wells. But, this place is the creme de la creme of roadhouses. Gas up, leave the crowds down valley, put on your jeans and boots, and saddle up for one hell of a culinary ride. The facility's not fancy, but the food makes that irrelevant. Since Michael is (one of? the?) premier caterers in the area, the General Store only serves Sunday brunch and Monday dinners. It's really way out of the way, far up the Carmel Valley, and the road is very winding. If you're coming from down valley, Carmel or Monterey, plan on a long drive that never seems to end. For this reason, I think that this is either a better place to visit for the Sunday Brunch, early evening Monday dinner, or summer daylight savings time Monday dinner. Daylight would be really helpful for that road. Plus, it's a really pretty drive in the country. We went for a Sunday brunch, but since we'd already eaten eggs at home, weren't in the mood for more egg dishes. It was a late brunch and not crowded, so they were not only willing but happy to serve us a lunch portion of what would normally be a dinner menu. Wow, the food was fabulous. I had freshly-caught salmon filet that Michael filleted before serving. One of us had the scallops over pasta (big, fabulous scallops) and the other had the rabbit five ways. Each dish was great. They also feature mostly local wines, all of course chosen to best complement the cuisine. Michael's culinary style is strongly influenced by French and Spanish cuisines (modern renditions). He has lived and worked in France (and speaks French), and worked in a number of French restaurants in New York. Michael and Amanda treated us as though we were guests in their home. Not only did we have a great meal, we felt like we were making new friends. read more

My favorite restaurant in the area hands down everything is delilcious fav desert is chocolate mousse with olive oil and salt crisp read more

I had been wanting go here for months, after they had catered a holiday party at a friends house! I finally was able to take off a Monday night from work just to go! (They only serve dinner on Monday nights as far as I know.) After a long drive filled with twists and turns we finally arrived deep into the forest to the find the famed General Store. As far as parking goes it seems like you just park wherever you see fit, almost anywhere will do. We were greeted and escorted to a cozy table not too far from the live music! (Which was nice, minus the fact the the gentleman playing guitar trolled for tips table to table every few songs, which ultimately became tiresome.) We brought wine because I had been advised to do so due to their semi nonexistent corkage fee. Now here is how it works. If you would like to drink your wine out of a glass jar you may do so for free. If you want a real wine glass it costs a mere $10, which we were absolutely willing to pay since we had brought an incredible bottle of Pinot. When our 'order taker' (calling her a server would be giving her too much credit) came to our table her first and only greeting was, "Are you ready?" Honestly... That could not have been any more off putting. We were far from ready being as the menu is quite extensive and filled with tons of interesting items, which we wanted to hear more in depth descriptions of. Her knowledge of the menu was minimal at best and after a few questions and suggestions of house favorites we realized she wasn't going to be much help. Appetizers: 1) Chesapeake bay oysters with a poblano chile infused mignonette. WOW. These were awesome! Fully shucked, they are placed in Asian soup spoons. Really cool presentation! The oysters were delicious, creamy and juicy. And the mignonette had just the right amount of kick! 2) Ceviche The fish was so fresh and perfectly zesty from the lime. With their house made tortilla chips and guacamole this was definitely a favorite. Really flavorful! 3) Pear Salad Nice flavors, crumbled Point Reyes blue cheese, sliced pears and lightly dressed greens in a honey mustard vinaigrette. The wait between appetizers was roughly 35-40 minutes, which we had been told was standard, so it didn't bother us. In the meantime we ended up ordering a bottle of the Morgan 12 Clones Pinot Noir, which at $35 a bottle is a STEAL. Entrees: We ordered the Rib Eye, as well as the Duck. To say that both were underwhelming would be an understatement. Both were terribly under seasoned, and virtually flavorless. They were both served with the same sides which I thought was odd: asparagus, and grains. The ribeye which we had ordered medium rare, came out raw, but we opted not to send it back or complain, realizing maybe we should have asked what their meat temperatures were like there. The chefs medium rare might be different than typical medium rare anywhere else on the peninsula. The steak itself had no flavor whatsoever. The duck was served a berry reduction which could have saved the flavorless duck, but it was so sweet it made the plate unenjoyable. We tried to force ourselves to eat about half of each plate especially since we were so hungry, but eventually gave up. Dessert: Anaya a runner/dessert order taker was sweet enough to come by and talk to us about the dessert menu, what was best and her favorites. We went with the crema catalana, which is like a creme brûlée which was tasty, and had a nice fruit component. Overall: 2 stars. 1 star for the Appetizers, and 1 star for Anaya. It was nice to see that at least 1 employee cared enough to check on us during our meal, and she made the experience for us there. She's the best!! She should 100% a server there, and I hope they pool tips because the 20% we left was all because of her. Frankly, it is not worth the 45 minute drive. I would be willing to give their Sunday Brunch menu a shot if someone really twisted my arm, but will not be returning for dinner. Save yourself the trek and drive down the coast to Big Sur. The hype about this place is not real. OVERRATED. read more

Sunday brunch, or Monday dinner. This is one of the most special experiences you can have in Carmel Valley. Definitely get some wine with brunch or dinner. The wine list here is eclectic, unique, and excellent. Well worth the drive. Bring a convertible. Drive carefully. Stop often for the views. Maybe go check out the reservoir while you're at it. Don't be a donkey. Pull over if a local is behind you driving faster than you. read more

It was all delicious. Small comfortable dining room. Wait staff impeccable. Prices were reasonable. Food was unique and that is what I was hoping for. This isn't fancy. Go in jeans and be prepared to have an adventure from the drive out there, to the greeter (who happened to be an English Pointer) last night and then the food will amaze you. Enjoyable for all your senses. I cannot wait to go again. The end of Summer. read more

See all

If you really care about food, this is a pilgrimage worth making. It's only open for dinner on Monday nights and brunch on Sunday. The drive starts in ritzy Carmel Valley but I thought I heard the faint echoes of Dueling Banjos by the time we arrived at dusk. Once we got inside, the atmosphere and staff made it warm and welcoming. They even had a wonderful pair of acoustic musicians playing solid background music. The wine was inexpensive and good. I started with a fresh local cauliflower dish which was really tasty but not as great as the roasted oysters with porcini cream that my wife ordered. Lucky for me she was willing to share. For the main course, our luck switched. My wife ordered the short ribs which were too greasy for her taste. On the other hand, I ordered the grass-fed filet of Beef. Despite being thoroughly cooked, the beef was incredibly tender and flavorful. I did the sharing on that dish. We finished with the bread pudding and hung out as long as we could before making the winding trip back. A long drive and a couple of rough spots but I'd still say I'm a big fan. read more

If you love food, you will love this place. Disclaimer: Be prepared to drive a long windy road to the middle of nowhere and wait a while for your food to come. Also, only open Monday for dinner and Sunday for brunch. The items on the menu are definitely unique. I tried the quail, venison, pumpkin ravioli, and apple crisp. I LOVED them all. I feel like the flavors in each dish all complement each other really well and I was impressed with each and every dish. This is definitely a "foodie" restaurant, not just a restaurant to please the masses with run-of-the-mill dishes. If only this place was open more often and wasn't so darn far away! I would come here more often to try the other menu items because I have never seen such an awesome menu! Also, the prices are so reasonable. I was surprised that our bill wasn't more expensive. As a plus, they had live music (IDK if they have live music every Monday night) which was awesome and made the evening extra special. read more

I am so sad that the single most storied and fabled restaurant in recent California history, the Cachagua General Store, has closed. I recall the singular experience of having a proprietor rate his customers. That was truly something and tells you a lot about the quality he was putting out. This place had all the local history tied up in it. You couldn't get in the door if you weren't committed to local Carmel Valley culture. What a loss! I can only hope that a similar venture will one day be created in its image. read more

The food was intriguing on the menu and delicious on the plate. Their creative dishes offer a meal worth the long drive to this fun restaurant. The wine list offers a few bottles of Bordeaux from the early 1980s for retail pricing. Don't miss out on this awesome dining experience. read more

The Good: - Fantastic food!! - Excellent pricing! - Great service. - Great atmosphere. The Not So Good: - Unique menu is part of this place's character but it makes it hard to find what you're looking for. - The drive (If you're not local). It's a long and winding road but what can you do, huh? This is what: Pee before you leave and bring some of those ginger candies they make for pregnant ladies. - A little noisy inside. P.S. Try the gazpacho! read more

To all of you who gave negative reviews to this place - do you have any idea of what it takes to make good food? Do you have any idea of what it takes to run a restaurant in the middle of nowhere? Have you ever been on the OTHER side of the counter preparing 10 plates at once, running between the fridge, the freezer, the oven, the stove, the prep table, the grill and the dish-rack? Try for once BEFORE you dump all your negativity in a review. This place is not for snobby spoiled money-bags/complainers who can't wait extra 10 minutes for their order. This place is for easygoing people who appreciate good food and don't stress out over little stuff. Chef Mike is one of the best chefs I've ever known, the food is AWESOME and the selection of beverages is outstanding. I would give this place 10 stars if I could. Ten STARS!!! read more

I was brought here by a friend of a friend at around 8pm. On the drive there I was a little concerned about getting lost because the theme of the night was "I think it's just around this corner"...eventually it WAS around the next corner but I couldn't tell you exactly HOW we got there, it was a puzzle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in some seriously windy back roads. We didn't have reservations (tsk tsk) and i wasn't told about the CRAZY waiting time but we (the 5 of us) enjoyed a bottle or three of wine before we got seated (about an hour or two later) but it was totally worth it! The place is cozy and everyone is really friendly, I guess all of the usual suspects were there to listen to the live music and imbibe in some kick ass wine. The band took requests and even played over the rainbow for a friend at the table. Unfortunately they were out of the ravioli but we all found something equally as delicious. We had a delicious pizza and a few different salads as appetizers and I had the chicken which was AMAZING! Definitely worth the wait and price. This place not only has great food but the atmosphere is fun and carefree and, if you have a great group of people to hang out with, the wait can be just as amazing as the dinner itself! If I can somehow find my way back I'll make sure to call ahead and make a reservation : ) read more

I would actually give them a 3 1/2 star for the following reasons. Food 4 1/2 and service 2. Got there via a twisting turning mountain road to the middle of nowhere. Place looks like a dive road house. Get inside and it still looks like a dive but the kitchen is solid. We sat at the bar which looks at the kitchen. Five stools and one chair. I wind up on the chair, which means the bar is at chest level. How hard is it to by another used bar stool? Reservation is at 7. We get there at 6:45, At 7 we still haven't been waited on. I ask a waitress and she states that they start waiting on people according to their reservation time. OK... At 7:25 I ask can we make our order now? Different waitress says it takes 30 minutes after our reservation time to make our order. 7:55 I go to the hostess and make my concerns known. She states that they are slammed tonight (Labor Day Weekend). States that this is normal, but there is a look of concern in her eye. Five minutes later a waitress shows up, apologizes and gives us a few slices of comp pizza to hold us over. She then takes our order and says she'll get it out as soon as possible. We gel all of our food just about at once. OK, now for the food. Very fresh and original. Some hits, some misses. Extremely well priced. Orders are too large. Appetizers could be entrees. I hate to waste food so I eat most of what I'm served. You want to try multiple things but the sizes make that difficult. The menu has too many selections. This may be why the kitchen is overwhelmed and service is too slow. Cut back and move things along. Wine list is really good. Local wines are maybe 25% markup over retail. Wine guy has a bit of an attitude. So this is a mixed review. Carmel doesn't have many toe tapping restaurants. This one come close. Just get a very early reservation before the kitchen is slammed read more

Unlike many of the other reviewers on here, I'm afraid I'm not all that impressed with either the "experience" or the food out here. I've been to the General Store about five times, and each time I've left thinking that the food wasn't anything to write home about and is certainly not worth the wait or terrible service. To recap my most recent trip out there (and certainly my last): I made reservations for the second seating two weeks early. Knowing that the service would be slow and terrible, I wasn't expecting to be eating anytime soon after I sat down. However, I had no idea that the service on this visit would make the others times I've been there seem as quick as a drive through. We arrived at the General Store at ~7:40, well aware of the second seating "starting time." Nonetheless, I let the hostess know we were there and ready whenever a table was. Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock. Other diners, who had NO reservations, showed up. The hostess informed them that there'd probably be a wait since they had no reservations. Next thing I know, the group of people was seated inside while those of us with reservations continued to wait outside. We were finally seated OUTSIDE at 8:50. Not only were the mosquitoes out in full force, we were put at a table with very little light and NO heatlamp near us. Our waitress came and took our order at 9:30, and then returned at 10:00 to let us know that she was "just about to put our order in." Appetizers slowly rolled out about 45 minutes later, with some people finishing there's well before others even received theres. The main entrees did not appear on our table until 11:45!!!! All the while, the table is just about covered in darkness and chilly weather. The icing on the cake was wandering inside to use the restroom to notice that, despite us arriving "first" for the second seating, we were obviously the LAST served that evening. On top of the horrendous wait, the food is pretty "bleh." Sure, the items on the menu sound interesting and unique (bone marrow, rabbit, etc.), none of it is all that great. If this restaurant was situated in downtown Carmel or Monterey, it certainly wouldn't have any type of great reputation. The only reason it does now is because it's a "hidden gem" stuffed in the backwoods about 30 minutes from Carmel Valley Village. If your idea of a "unique experience" is driving 40 minutes down a backwoods road, only to wait 3 1/2 hours for your meal, more power to you. I, for one, will be sticking with "unique experiences" closer to home. read more

Greatly Disappointed. Had one really good dinner here 4 months ago. Good food and unique atmosphere. Went back recently and had terrible service. (it took over 2 hours to get our salads which similar to our meals, came out over the course of a half hour for everyone at our table). Little to no communication from wait staff. And our meals, when they finally arrived, were just so-so. (Mine was actually a really awful pairing of smoked salmon and some salty sorbet that had no right being served together). I could have written it off to a bad night and still came back to try it again if it weren't for the attitude I got from our beverage waiter. At the end of our dinner, I shared my concerns politely with him; he took zero responsibility, was rude, and knows nothing of customer service. Won't go back. read more

Wonderful local food, local wine, local band, local flavor (clientele). The drive is pretty far. I've taken out-of-towners many times and at first they were like, whuuuuuu, where are we going? but that said, IT IS WORTH IT! everyone should go at least once. You walk in, the place is jam packed. The kitchen is right there where you can watch them cook. Each table is done individually, so there is usually a longer wait than most Americans are used to. But for me, I understand this, and enjoy it because it's all about hanging with friends, drinking wine and every time the payoff is the delicious food. The prices are unbelievable. Apps in the $5-10 range, first courses in the $10-25 range, desserts a crazy delicious bargain at $5.50/ pop. Good wines in the $15 range (or up if you want). Food ranges from local quail, venison, boar to giant pork or lamb chops, pizzas, house-made pastas. Only a few vegetarian options, but the menu constantly changes with the seasons and local food availability. Live music is always a plus, the guys or gals are great and fun. It makes the night that much more special. Make reservations WAY in advance. I've gotten a table here or there at the last minute, but for example, we got the last table at the second seating on Valentine's day 3 weeks in advance. Just call the general store and see what's up. They might be able to accommodate you! Can't wait for my next dinner there! read more

I had the pleasure of being invited along with my sister, her boyfriend, and his family for an adventure to Cachagua General Store. The ride there is interesting and twisted up the mountain from Carmel Valley. The atmosphere was AWESOME, and they had a band that reminded me of Waylon Jennings. We had some "Damn Good Chardonnay" and the best beets, caprese salad, and oyster appetizers! The food was fresh and tasted as good as it looked! I really want to return when I am back in CV in July! read more

See all

The food was good but we waited 1 1/2 hours for our apps and 3 hours for our dinners and one person in our party still hasn't received his meal at 3 1/2 hours now.... Don't waste your time driving out hear the people are rude and you'll wait for hours or never get your meal! read more

Food is worth the price you pay for. I would not necessarily say it's worth the drive, unless you want to go on the drive itself. Definitely nowhere near the best I've had. Had the venison and bread pudding, and a taste of the tuna/linguini. Venison was solid, worth its price tag, considering it was venison but not extraordinarily executed (20$). Tuna was not worh its price tag (either 20 or 22$); it tasted plain and I could have cooked the same at home. Bread pudding was dry and very meh; I can DEFINITELY bake a better one at home (the caramel sauce was delish; but absolutely no Jack Daniels showed through). Inside is suuuper warm, outside is suuuuper pleasant. Unless you're seated somewhere where you can smell the compost (or trash...whatever it was, my table could definitely smell it). Do expect friendly service. Do not expect really good service. Our beers and wine came almost after dessert did (and we ordered them at the same time as entrees) because of lack of organization. Drive is very dangerous; a commercial truck going around 40 mph came around a blind corner at us...in the dark. Be careful. Your party should be super amiable, up to an adventure, and very patient (that goes for the drive and for the restaurant). For all the hype I was disappointed. I wanted sooooo desperately to love this place...but I just couldn't. read more

Well we decided to do their Sunday brunch oh wow what a difference a day makes. The girls that were the servers during this morning seemed to have little attitude the worst part is when we went in to use the restroom we overheard our server talking shit about our party although The Omelette I had was good and the pancakes were good the overall experience for a place out of Deliverance which you're really only hope is an amazing experience because the outside will make you run in horror... you better your employees if you ever expect to continue read more

My momma said If you can't say anything nice don't say it at all, however-The rudest most horrible service I have ever experienced. Are they permitted by the health department? Dirty- food in bins on the floor- not worth the drive. The food was good but, ice cold when I finally got it. I got up to ask for a fork from the cook who was behind the waitress station-(the forks were right beside him) he said, "not from me" we had to ask for a menu, ask for drinks, ask for a wine glass, and waited for hours. Most people have to pay there dues and go through the processes to open to the public. Do they have a ABC license? I am not a complainer but, ridiculous! If they were nice in any way shape or form the experience would have been better. We won't go back. read more

The Cachagua Store. Nobody could go there accidentally; it is so far beyond "out of the way", it is your own fault if you go there. Almost an hour out of Carmel, zero traffic on the worst road, and you arrive at a roadhouse somewhere-east-of-no-where, PACKED with foodie-hippie-retiree-local-philes, oenophiles, and slow-foodies; and roaring-party-loud. Tight table spacing, and quite interactive! The people at the next table said they sold a famous Sonoma winery to move nearby (and drove 2 hours each way for dinner here - and are regular repeat customers. On the other side is a worker from a NorCal-popular organic salad farm with a corporate logo on his dirty hoodie and a 420-ophthalmic-glaze (they don't offer a 420-glaze here on the beef, at least on the menu - what would that taste like?). We merged tables quickly to hear all the stories (What? Speak louder! You did WHAT with WHO?? WHAT??) It appeared that many of the well-(and-unwell)-dressed attendees knew each other, and there were unlabeled bottles of wine passing around. It was kinda like crashing the wedding reception of a popular/famous caterer or wine maker that you don't know, but are a cousin of the bride's cousin's ex. There were cars in the "parking lot" (ie wide space in the road) worth more than my house (and probably worth more than the restaurant). I'll bet there were more than 30 dishes on the menu to choose from (I stole a menu, I'll have to count). Just one appetizer at $8 could have been a meal (very reasonable prices over all, except for some of the wines over $250/bottle, but maybe they were reasonable too, I have no idea - I had cheap chardonnay by the glass). I had "rabbit 5 ways" as an entree - absolutely awesome. We had a few appetizers too. If I had eaten any more I would have puked - huge portions. My guest - a famous surgeon- asked for a box to take home MY leftovers it was so good (he ate all his, and we were staying at his $1100/night timeshare). In addition, the waitresses and service were fabulous. The wine guy was good too. So; how was your best last meal? And when was the last time you asked for a doggie-bag to take home someone ELSE's leftovers??? ;- "Dinner at Cachuaga Store" is a story you will tell your children, and grandchildren, so many times that they will hate you for it and never visit you in the rest home they put you in, even though they are in your will. -"Eat well, and prosper" (apologies to the writers of Star Trek) ;-) read more