Stopped in because our usual place was closed on Mondays. There is construction right outside so the view wasn't that great. Our waitress was friendly. The food was good and they had a few unique options. It seems they might be Indian inspired based on a couple of the dishes read more

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Came for brunch last Saturday when they opened around 10 am. We ordered: Carmen's soda bread A cup of Thai yellow curry crab chowder A cup of the soup of the day - pumpkin ginger Spanish crab pepper poppers Carmen's kale salad Chicken salad sandwich Chicken and artichoke sandwich with potato salad 2 desserts - they didn't have carrot cake so we had strawberry shortcake and some kind of cheesecake witb blueberr Good place for lunch if you're downtown and want a sandwich. Service was good. Parking was on the street & difficult because they had a Farmer's Market that day. read more

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Consistently great food and charming hostesses. Highly recommended. Ambiance is really great

I took a trip home this past December, and I wanted to make it a point to try some new places. I always go to the same ol' places that I know are amazing, but so many new restaurants have been popping up, generating buzz, earning accolades. I needed to branch out. So I brought my sister out to lunch one day, and I decided to try out the place that had been winning best lunch awards for many years now. It's right in the heart of Palafox in Downtown Pensacola. An easy walk from any street parking you can find nearby. It's a quaint, unsuspecting, wraparound bar with seats dotted all around it. It's a nice looking place. We got seated, were given menus, and ordered some drinks. I forget exactly what I had, but It was a special sweet tea. Maybe mango or pineapple or something. I remember it was very good; I had a second one. So we're sipping, exploring the menu, and decide to just split a bunch of stuff. We get a few tapas and a sandwich. We start off with something easy, Carmen's Soda Bread (Baked daily! Fresh rosemary, dried cranberries, sweet butter). This was so nice. The bread was perfectly soft, but easy to spread on. The sweet butter with the tart cranberries was a good combo, and the aroma of the rosemary helped make this a good start. We moved onto the Spanish Crab Pepper Poppers (sweet peppers, jumbo lump crab, chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese, lemon, saffron). This was so fun! The heaviness of the filling, not complaining, needed that fresh vessel of that sweet pepper. I love crab, I love chorizo, I love cheese. They go very well together. Go figure. Get this. Then, the Savory Goat Cheese Cake with Carmen's Seasonal Fruit Pepper Jelly (served over arugula with toasted ciabatta). This was a visual spectacle of a dish. Piled with that cranberry pepper jelly. There was some sweetness in there, which was nice with the tang of that goat cheese cake. You get a whole stack of bread, so spread away. I loved this. The last thing was the Spanish Crab Melt (local jumbo crab, chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese, lemon, saffron, served open-faced over arugula). Very good. The ciabatta was nice and soft. The same mix of crabby chorizo was dolloped on top, so I ate this up in a hurry. Overall, this lunch was lovely from start to finish. I have a new favorite go-to lunch spot in Pensacola now. Will be back! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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Pros: This place has such an awesome location! Right in the heart of downtown. The server was, I think, Carmen herself? Either way, she was super friendly and talkative, but not too talkative. Loved the setup inside. It says it's a lunch bar, and that's all it is, a bar. Very quaint. I loved it. The food was very food with it's flavor combos! Crab and chorizo, goat cheesecake with pepper jelly on top. Very good menu. Cons: The price of the drinks were a little outrageous, even the non-alcoholic stuff, but I don't like to talk about prices on here, so that's ok. Tips: Get that goat cheesecake, and ask for extra bread. Also order the soda bread. It was yummy. read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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Carmen's host tells me they've been here 12 years. Quite a successful stretch for a lunch bar with maybe 18 bar seats and al fresco tables just outside the entrance. Any specials of the day are likely with a go. I enjoyed a delectable cauliflower and baby Bella cream of mushroom soup. Could have used a bit more mushroom fewer dried cranberry. Too much of a concentrated dried fruit can overwhelm the earthiness of an otherwise hearty fall soup. Chicken and roasted artichoke sandwich was okay, but lacked any signature spice or unction. Still overall the food was well prepared, the staff friendly and the Viogner great! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Chicken and roasted artichoke sandwich with potato salad - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

Amazing place to eat!! I enjoy the Thai curry crab chowder very much. I order it every time I come. Has crunchy snow peas, peppers Also love the Spanish melt poppers with crab meat. They have a wonderful white list and the service has always genuinely nice and good vibes. I love the hostess Vicki. Carmen runs a wonderful place. read more

Great gluten free options for those with restrictions. I had the special which was a Cuban sandwich and it was amazing. Their chicken salad was probably the best I have ever had. Service was quick, sitting outside was nice. Did not get to see inside but I am sure it was nice as well. Will return for sure read more

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This is a MUST stop! Had a wonderful conversation with a couple that recommended the dishes we chose Their recommendation didn't disappoint food was amazing, friendly wait staff. Outside was perfect seating with nice warm breeze We had Kale Salad Organic green kale, honey white balsamic dressing, candied walnuts & 3 types of fresh seasonal fruit or berries. Spanish Crab Cazuela Local jumbo lump crab, chorizo sausage, Manchego cheese, lemon, saffron, arugula. Baked in a Spanish ramekin! Ciabatta Cubana-Special! Slow-roasted pork, Sweet Slice ham, imported Swiss, Yellow Mustard-Pickle Relish on Ciabatta bread. The dessert - a chai tea crustless cheesecake with dark chocolate/ cardamom and a brow sugar cream cheese top read more

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We went here for lunch yesterday. Had the stuffed peppers. Also had the Cuban sandwich and potato salad everything was very good read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Cuban - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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Super cute place. the owner has amazing energy and a lovely personality. I tried the spicy olives, delicious! I ate the kale salad with a side of chicken salad. Both were amazing. The kale was so tender, and the combination of fruit with the substituted spicy pumpkin seeds was very tasty. I will definitely return to dine here before my short trip is over. read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Kale salad/chicken salad - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

Great lunch at the bar today. We ordered three different entrees which were all excellent. Our bartender/ sever Cory was awesome. Fun place!

Service was great and food was just a great! It's a small place so expect to wait but the wait is worth it. We tried a little bit of everything from wine, to beer, to appetizers, and entrees and enjoyed it all. Also I appreciated the vegetarian options and the knowledgeable bartender! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Menu - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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This place was amazing. The food was great and the cranberry/orange juice was so refreshing the girl in the front was so friendly and even gave us tips on things to do next time we visit definitely going back to this place 10 stars for me . read more

The food was great and service was unbeatable. Excellent lunch spot to grab food and a few drinks. Definitely try the crab melt. read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Crab melt and Prosecco - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

Excellent spot. Small bar atmosphere indoors. But nice outside tables on Palafox when warm. Heard many reviews but first time trying it. Been in business for many years. Ate at the bar. Service -attentive and friendly. Ordered roast beef on ciabatta . Fresh rosemary hinted, juicy tender melt in your mouth roast beef . Good portion. Inventive horseradish potato salad. Hubby not a fan. And I'm not a fan of potato salad- but I did think it was freshly made, not too mayonnaise . Loved my kale salad and white balsamic vinegarette and pecans topped with fresh strawberries. Will definitely return. Also has soup of the day- purple sweet potato with pistachio, micro greens and white radish done with Indian spices. Very warming. Delicious. But not vegetarian with chicken stock. Great gem downtown! Now I know why this place has been in business for ten years and survived the pandemic. read more

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Carmen's was absolutely delicious! I stumbled upon this place while walking around down town Pensacola. This may not be the best place for large crowds as seating is very limited. The food was amazing and the service was great! I will definitely be back in the future. read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - SAVORY GOAT CHEESE CHEESE CAKE WITH CARMEN'S SEASONAL FRUIT PEPPER JELLY - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

Really, really, really good. Ok, great. Just a fantastic, fantastic sandwich shop, that chooses to identify as a tapas bar. Because, tapas are way cool. So is Carmen's. I ordered the spicy olives. Muy Bien, very good meaty olives. A great appetizer. I was going to get the tiki masala sandwich ;however, my server suggested the chicken artichoke sandwich, OMG so good. Creamy delicious delight. I truly recommend Carmen's. I'll be everything is wonderful. read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

I had the Chicken Salad Sandwich with Potato Salad, my wife had soda bread with their soup of the day. The food was fantastic, 5/5. The wine I had was great too. Will definitely come back! read more

Great food, atmosphere, and service! Seating is very limited outside at around 2-3 small tables, inside is primarily limited to eating around the bar - which I enjoy. The food is incredible, but as is typical with tapas, the portions are fairly small. We enjoyed the Spanish crab pepper poppers as an appetizer, not too spicy, with a great flavor. I ordered the Cuban pork plantain pie, a good mix of sweet and savory, and my wife ordered the Thai yellow crab curry chowder. Both dishes were delicious, although I preferred her Thai curry for flavor and larger portion size. We also had a beer and wine with a good selection. The bartender was friendly as was everyone sitting around us. It seems that many come back often to eat here and the quality doesn't deteriorate - a great sign! It's not a cheap place, but not excessively expensive, very typical for tapas. We will be back read more

Really enjoy visiting Carmen's whenever I'm in town. Their food is fresh, healthy, and I never walking away feeling bad about what I just ate. It's always flavorful and it's a nice alternative to some fried or heavy foods you might have downtown. We first stopped in about three years ago because a family member has Celiac Disease and has to watch what she eats. Every time I've been, they are attentive to the needs of guests with dietary restrictions and they do so with care. The Kale Salad and Crab Curry are remarkable. I wish they were open in the evenings for dinner too! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Kale Salad and Yellow Curry Crab Chowder (Cup) - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

Yum! Got a Cuban sandwich for takeout. I'm a Cuban sandwich snob and this was delicious. The potato salad was also really good. The prices are way high, but at least the food was good. Lady who gave me my order wasn't very friendly. Five stars for taste, deducted star for price and service. read more

Fantastic restaurant in downtown Pensacola, we were so delighted at how fresh and different it was. The beef pie was a mind blowing dish, I honestly feel like it would have been a good deal at double the price.. so much flavor, textures, aromas. I was floored. I purposefully only ate half (and ate some other stuff) so I'd have a second serving for later. HIGHLY recommend, the woman sitting next to me had food envy and had to ask what I ordered! The tikka masala chicken sandwich was something someone else in my party got, it was good, but compared to the beef pie I don't think it was as good. It was a solid choice if you're avoiding red meat though! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA SANDWICH - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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My friend and I dined here for lunch this afternoon: we were seated outside per our request and it was a lovely day. We ordered the Spanish Crab Pepper Poppers which were sweet peppers loaded with jumbo lump crab meat, chorizo, cheese with lemon and saffron. They were delicious. We split the Chicken Tikka Sandwich and the Thai Yellow Curry Crab Chowder. The sandwich was my favorite, the ciabatta bread was amazing and I loved the cucumber mint sauce! The soup was also delightful, full of flavor with a kick. There were huge chunks of crab meat and lots of yummy veggies. read more

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Great food and lovely people working there. Service is good too. Cozy bar seating inside or outside in front of the restaurant.

Looking for light nibbles on a hot summer day? Carmen's has you covered, both temp- and food-wise. This cozy establishment is nestled between Bodacious coffee and a little ice cream shop, facing Palafox. So one can take in the view from the inner bar area or the sidewalk dining tables. Luckily on this hot day, I was able to snag a seat at the bar where the air conditioning was a welcome respite from the day's heat. Starting with the green salad I must say that I did enjoy how fresh it was, really crispy greens, and the white balsamic vinaigrette was a perfect finish. And for the nibbles I ordered - the crab stuffed peppers and the Cranberry/Rosemary soda bread - both of these items were quite flavorful. I thoroughly enjoyed the how sweetness of the crab and the peppers compliment, without outshining, each other... Very well done! And the delicately flavored, warm soda bread with the creamy butter... Perfection! {Chefs Kiss} I will surely revisit Carmen's, on my next visit to Pensacola. Note: A small number of street spaces are available for parking but there is also paid parking around the back of the building. read more

The food the service the friendliness. Love Carmen's! Each time we visit the food is memorable. We love their specials, the crab cakes and their sandwiches. Always enjoy a healthy pour from their lovely wine selections. We enjoy that unique seating at a lunch bar. read more

OMG this place was divine. Every menu item was so unique starting with the roasted pumpkin seeds for appetizer. Such a cute atmosphere and delicious food. loved the Soda Bread with cranberries. so delicious. read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - CARMEN'S SODA BREAD - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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This is my favorite restaurant in Pensacola! Everything they make is fresh, delicious, and unique. Some of my favorite include the pepper poppers, Thai crab chowder, Spanish crab melt and crab cazuela, chicken tikka masala, and any and all of their seasonal desserts. Best lunch spot in town! read more

Hit this place during lunch hour and only had to wait for 10 minutes for an outside table. Service was fast and food delicious. Soda bread, soup of the day, meat pie, and chicken salad didn't disappoint. Will return! read more

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It's decent, could use some ambience, it's nice to sit outside. The crab sandwich was good but I could barely cut the roll. Good, helpful service, I thought the peach cake dessert was dry. read more

Fantastic lunch spot, serving fresh and unique dishes. We sat outside at a sidewalk table since the weather was so nice. Staff was fantastic, very attentive. The food was great. They have many different options, including a lot of gluten free. Dishes were very eclectic, ranging from Indian, American, Spanish and others. Soup of the day was great! It can be a bit pricey, but you get what you pay for. Recommended for a nice lunch! read more

The thai yellow curry crab soup was fantastic if you like yellow curry. The crab melt sandwich was equally fantastic. I think my perfect meal would be to split the crab melt with someone and get a salad to split also. It's very rich, and half was plenty for me. read more

Soooo good!! They have the best chicken salad sandwhich ever! Always great service as well! Soda bread is also really good!

Fantastic lunch. Had the cheese plate and the soda bread. Both were outstanding. Excellent service with great recommendations. Definitely coming back on our next trip to Pensacola. read more

Great spot for a quality lunch! The servers were quick to serve and where able to offer a great choice for food. I had some kind of crab on chibatta and it was fantastic. The potato salad was creamy and not overbearing. The atmosphere felt busy and packed but I didn't mind it. You expect it when sitting at the bar. I definitely recommend this place for lunch! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Spanish crab melt - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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Had the crab cake sandwich and bites for lunch, and they were amazing! Best I've ever had. Service was good.

The food was absolutely wonderful and the service was friendly and prompt. It's one of my favorite places.

We wanted a tapas place that gave us Spain vibes and Carmen's didn't disappoint! Great vibes, amazing food, and a good variety of drinks! My wife said, as we left, "Those flavors were so good that I don't want to put anything else in my mouth for several hours, I just want it to linger for several hours!" That tells you everything you need to know. Pictured is one of the craft ciders we drank and the plantain dish (we ate the other items we ordered before we thought to get photos). We will most definitely be back when we visit Pensacola again! read more

Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Plantain dish. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Pensacola, Florida

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Small, quaint and worth every penny. Finally someone that understands lunch portions with enormous flavor! Great salads, sandwiches and bowls that don't leave you wanting to wheel-barrow your belly back to work. Filling eats that tastes great and fill you up in a healthy way. Service was top-notch as well, wait staff knew the menu and has tasted everything. Well done! read more