Excellent restaurant and bar in downtown Napa. Close to the riverfront. Everyone's entrées were delicious, the drinks were well-made, to everyone's liking. Each dish was well prepared, served hot (as expected), and timing was perfect. Fresh ingredients and great cooking made for a wonderful dining experience. The staff are friendly and attentive. There are certainly many great choices for dinner in Napa. Carpe Diem is one of them and I would definitely come back here again! The bar gets quite lively at 10 PM. read more

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When my partner and I first arrived, the ambiance felt more casual than we expected but as it got late and they started closing the curtains, it felt a little more romantic and intimate. There is no designated parking but there is a parking garage right across from it (pretty full when we got there). The service was phenomenal. I had made a reservation for my partner's birthday and left notes on my reservation in case they were able to do anything for him. Not only did they give us two mini cups of wine, they also comped the tiramisu as a gift. It goes to show how attentive and extraordinary the staff and their service is. This restaurant would have to be one of the best restaurants I've been to with such amazing service. The dungeness crab arancini was so flavorful and crisp, not a single part of it was soggy (aside from the inside). The sauce brought the whole dish together and I was pleasantly surprised to taste how well the parmesan cheese went with the entire dish. The short rib was also truly amazing. It was so tender and paired really well with every single aspect of the dish. The short rib is definitely a must-have for anyone who hasn't ordered it yet. I will say, the 12oz ribeye did unfortunately fall short. It looked like it was cooked perfectly with a crispy crust on the exterior but it ended up being a little too tough to chew and cooked too much (we had ordered medium rare and it was cooked to medium well). My partner enjoyed his sides at least and we traded dishes halfway through so he can also enjoy the short rib. But the whole experience made up for that shortcoming! As for the dessert, both were incredible. You can't mess up a vanilla affogato so we enjoyed it tremendously, it was refreshing to have after eating all that meat. As for the tiramisu, it was so good that we wished we could have a whole tray of it. It paired so perfectly with the strawberry and was so delicious. Words can't explain how good the tiramisu tasted. Overall a 10/10. read more

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We originally were going to dinner here but the happy hour menu looked great so we decided to snag a seat at a table in the bar area. The bar area is small so if you want to get a seat, I would recommend coming before 5pm. HH runs from 4-6pm. The bartender and staff at the restaurant were amazing. The food was delicious as well. We got the short rib poutine and mushroom flatbread. Also, the restaurant has a health score of A. There seems to be a lot of restaurants in Napa that have a score of B or even C. read more

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We got lucky and found seats at the bar during their happy hour from 4-6pm, which had great food options. Also got the Carbonara (not apart of the happy hour) and it was pretty good and buttery. Cesar salad was fresh and came with anchovies. The short rib poutine was probably the highlight though. Sooo delicious, I'd come back just for that alone. Friendly staff, and overall a great place to grab a quick bite. read more

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So I decided to bring my pup out to a restaurant since she graduated from boarding school. CD was absolutely welcoming to have a small dog inside (and outside). I sat at the high tops at the bar for happy hour. My dog has been behaving amazingly since boarding school and being able to put her obedience to the test at CD was amazing because everyone was so kind. To drink I had the HH margarita. Then I had the pork belly which was phenomenal, though I wasn't expecting a one piece pork belly--thought it was going to be multiple pieces. It was so good. To drink I also had the carpeninsula--so good! Love this spot and thank you for welcoming me and my pup so warmly read more

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Napa Valley. Michelin stars everywhere. Sky-high prices. Plenty of places that feel more impressed with themselves than the food they serve. So yeah, expectations were... guarded. Then there's Carpe Diem. Sure, Napa has its uppity reputation, but let's cut through the noise: this was excellent food, period. No theatrics. No overthinking. Just dishes that show up and deliver. My wife and I licked the plates clean--always the most honest review there is. The ostrich burger is the star. Juicy, perfectly cooked, and thoughtfully built. Balanced, rich, and deeply satisfying. And look, add Brie to just about anything and you're already halfway to greatness--but here it actually makes sense. It elevates, not overwhelms. Then the truffle fries. Crispy, golden, and properly seasoned. Not soggy. Not greasy. Just dangerous in the best way. In a region overflowing with high-profile, hype-driven restaurants, Carpe Diem quietly goes about its business--and does it better than most. No ego. No gimmicks. Just food that makes you want to come back read more

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The restaurant is located in the busy part of the Napa with many other restaurants and bars. The parking is super convenient and just across the street. Some homeless people sitting near entrance of the parking garage but they don't bother you. We had reservations but waited few minutes to get seated. The booth is comfortable for 4 petite people. I ordered some drinks, appetizers and main dishes. Their drinks are good. I got cream brûlée martini but personally I don't like it too much because it's very sweet. We like the muscles out of all the appetizers we ordered. For the main dishes we ordered lobster risotto and sea bass. They both tasted mediocre. The price is expensive but the food is disappointing. read more

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My wife and I had a wonderful experience dining at Carpe Diem. I attended an event here recently and knew I had to return for a date night. The dining room is small, but really lovely. Nice touches adorn the restaurant throughout. The menu has a lot of wonderful options. The service, provided by Alex, was excellent. We started with the Dungeness Crab arancini, which are probably the best thing we ate all evening, and that's saying a lot because everything we had was great. These arancini are perfectly fried crab meat rolled into a ball served over a delicious tartar sauce. I wish I had 3 orders of this, at least. We ordered the soup of the day and their bread service. The soup was a white bean and sausage and it was perfectly salty and fatty. The bread and butter was a perfect accompaniment. The Carpe Diem salad was also really special. It had these Cabernet soaked dried cranberries that were so good and tart. For an entree, we ordered the short ribs which come over a risotto. It felt a little heavy, and maybe the sauce could've used a little acid to cut the heaviness. It was still really delicious though. For dessert, we had the espresso crème brûlée. This was just the icing on the cake of a great meal. I love Carpe Diem and hope to come back soon! read more

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We had a birthday celebration. We ordered many foods and tried many things. My favorite was the brussel sprouts. It was chared perfectly and drizzle with cheese. Chicken wings special of the day was ok, mushroom soup of the day was excellent but I wished they can put chopped mushrooms to give texture burst, the rib eye was ok, the squid ink pasta was all Dante but nothing special, my braised shower rib was a bit gamey and not soft enough. Drinks are pretty strong and bathroom needs more attention on the cleanliness. The special.fish of the day was a bit fishy. Service was good tho. read more

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This restaurant is lovely! Seize your afternoon here for lunch / happy hour. Parking is nearby and free for three hours. The space feels hip, modern, and clean, and they have a great event room for hosting a get-together. We spent most of our time in the event room, but the bar area and window seating were also really nice. There's a good amount of space for both seating and mingling. The staff were genuinely personable and kind, which made the experience even better. The food was delicious too. We tried a variety of small bites, including calamari and cheese platters, and everything paired perfectly with wine. They have a great wine selection, of course, and over all, we'll be back for happy hour again. read more

Chica was an amazing server! And boy did we love the food and ambience of this restaurant! Did you know that this spot was the first restaurant that went no smoking first in Napa?? I can't remember the name of it, but we were so worried that people wouldn't go here because it was non-smoking... Ha and now look at California! So the food was incredible... We did the January restaurant special and started with the crab Arancini's with an incredible Ole'... So decadent! Then I got the short rib and my husband got the fish and both were delicious! Dessert we both decided on the bar with ice cream and they were yummy as well. We will totally go back! read more

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Wow did our big group love Carpe Diem. We had a fantastic server, Alex who made the best recommendations and had such a vast knowledge of food and beverage. The food was outstanding. We had calamari, chicken parmigiana, sea bass, steak and ostrich burger. Desserts were a big hit too! read more

Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - Menu - New American Near Me - Napa, California

It's a nice cozy yet spacious restaurant. Our waiter was great, he was attentive & explained dishes while giving us space to enjoy our time. - beet salad: very tasty with good dressing. Loved the beets and the red extra sauce. The fried goat cheese was YUM. Very flavorful dish. - pork chop: it was cooked just right, the outside was lightly seared, inside moist & tender. The sauce was slightly sweet but it was thin and didn't over power. The brussel sprouts were just fantastic. - 24hr braised short ribs: melted in my mouth! The meat was cooked perfectly and had a very nice flavor. The risotto & mushrooms were also very tasty and added a good soft texture. The crispy onions on the top were so crunchy & flavorful without being oily and added some texture. Carrot cake: moist, not too sweet and decorous. The ice cream & caramel sauce were good addition. Cappuccino: good coffee. read more

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I walked in with a friend at 5:30pm on a Tuesday, and we opted to sit in the dining room instead of the bar - just a heads-up that happy hour offers are only for bar seating! We were asked if we wanted to move over to the bar area but declined since we decided to just order the restaurant month menu and some of their signature cocktails that weren't on the happy hour menu instead. The dining room area is nice and classy, leaning toward romantic date night decor. Service was polite and excellent throughout. The restaurant month menu was $45 a person, and we each got a cocktail which were about $16 each. -Crab Arancini: The arancini were a little lukewarm, but lightly crispy without being oily on the outside. The inside was a little mushy and I couldn't really taste the crab filling inside unfortunately. The salad was surprisingly my favorite part of this dish, and the nice light lemon dressing made for a refreshing appetizer. -Branzino: this came atop mashed potatoes and green beans, and was garnished with capers and lemon. The branzino was prepared perfectly, with a light crisp on the skin, and the fish itself was tender and flaky. The portion was surprisingly generous and I was quite full after this -Bread pudding: this was good; e bread pudding was warm, comforting and fluffy in texture, and I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn't too sweet! A nice way to finish the meal. Overall, Carpe Diem is a nice restaurant for a fancy dinner or date night, and while the appetizers and desserts didn't stand out the entrees were solid and filling. I'm happy to have tried it! read more

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Was pleasantly surprised here. Walking up to the restaurant, we noticed there was a Happy Hour still going on from 4-6pm. So we opted to sit at the bar. Ordered the Margarita & Old Fashion to start. Both drink were really good, especially if you like Margaritas. It tasted fresh and not loaded with those sugary syrups. It was on the sweeter side, which I enjoyed. We ordered the Chicken Parm, Mushroom Flatbread, Dungeness Crab Arancini, Short Rib & Pork Chop. I couldn't believe the portion size of the Chicken Parm. It was almost a full dinner portion. Not bad for $14. The Pork Chop was a little dry on the outside, but got juicier when I started cutting in closer to the middle. It was cooked just how I like. It sat above a bed of Brussel Sprouts, carrot puree & Peach Gastrique. The sauces complimented the chop and very tasty. It's not the greatest, but I would come back for it. Overall, the food was pretty good and satisfying. I would recommend you make a reservation as the restaurant is on the smaller side. Unless you don't mind eating in the bar area. I like the bar area because the bartender was also our server and he definitely took good care of us. read more

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The food was super amazing. It was nice and hot when it came out the drinks were definitely on point. The ambience in the restaurant looked amazing. The service was very good. The waiter was very knowledgeable and definitely recommended some great dishes for us. We will definitely be going back. Thank you guys. read more

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The food and service were great. The server was very knowledgeable. The dishes were very fresh.

Visited Carpe Diem for a birthday and had high expectations, but it was a bit of a letdown. To start, we had the sweet chili calamari, grilled octopus, and fries. For my main, I got the handmade four cheese ravioli, and for dessert, they gave us a slice of bread pudding. The server was really nice, and the ambience was great, but the food fell a little short for me. My friends ordered the surf and turf and said the meat was a bit dry and tough. The calamari also wasn't as crisp as I would've liked, and the grilled octopus was just okay. The handmade four cheese ravioli was definitely the best dish I had, it was really good. Overall, thought this place was just okay. read more

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Tried Carpe Diem for the first time this past weekend weekend for a birthday celebration. We made reservations in advanced so it was a easy to be seated. I really appreciated the ambiance and the service at this spot. Food was okay, it was a bit overpriced for what is was. Probably will try to give it another shot next time Im in the area. read more

Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Napa, California

Our group had a fun time at Carpe Diem for dinner despite all the entrees being a little heavy for my taste. 3.5 overall, rounded up since I was in a good mood for being in Napa Ostrich Burger- Apparently ostrich meat is a red meat, who would've known! I don't normally eat red meat, but I'm always down to try something different! It tastes surprisingly similar to beef (and not at all like chicken/bird). Glad I tried it since it was probably my favorite of the entrees. Super juicy burger with melted brie cheese. Squid ink Tagliatelle. This was more of a soup than a pasta dish. Everything was swimming in a red sauce, which I wasn't expecting from a squid ink pasta. There wasn't much pasta, and maybe it was just because the dish didn't look that black, but I couldn't taste the squid ink. The calamari pieces were too big and chewy to me. Lobster Risotto- Again, not super sure where the lobster was. It was a extremely creamy risotto which was too heavy after a day of drinking, with some shrimp on top. Waiter was hard to get a hold of. read more

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Come check out the restaurant and happy hour! This place is fantastic. The bartender was very attentive and very friendly. The crab arancini is fantastic. Service was excellent! Inside is very clean and cozy! We'll be back! read more

"Seize the Day" - I try to do that daily! But I can always be better. We have guests again, so Napa here we are! See my Bounty Hunter review. After I wrote this review, I am feeling I am being generous as this was more of a 3.5 star experience. Quality/Quantity - Gave my daughter a few choices of restaurants and she picked this, which kind of surprised me?!?! I also said she can look up her own choice if she would like. Happy Hour from 4pm to 6pm. We did family style and shared everything. HH Arancini - Yeah, I could have skipped this. Especially for $10, see pictures. HH Burger - This was the best part of the HH. The burger was good and filling, but they could have been more generous with the fries. But it is HH so I guess the quantity reflects it...? Roasted Wild Mushroom Flatbread - Just okay, decent portion. HH Taco. 2 orders - I did not enjoy this at all. Not sure how they "cooked" the tortillas... And the flavoring of the short rib was not to my taste. Very basic. I gave my second taco away. HH Poutine - My daughter enjoyed this, but I enjoyed the plain fries more. But again, I did not enjoy the short rib which was the same as the taco. Lava Cake - Actually, this was the best part of the meal. :) Lava cake done well; firm with a nice moist filling, good flavors, etc. Sadly no draft beers, so I got a can of Taco Truck Lager, my favorite brewery in Turlock; now also in Monterey, CA. Atmosphere - In a nice historic building with many other businesses; see pictures. Indoor/outdoor seating. Private room available. Shared mall restroom. "Unlocked" during business hours. Not sure about the parking, as we walked from the nearby parking garage. Open 7 days a week from 4pm to 9pm or 9:30pm; Yelp hours differ. Service - NO reservations for happy hour, in the bar/lounge area only. When we got here at 5pm ish, there were only 1 other table here and after they left, we were the only customers. The bartender was friendly, and his co-workers did a good job trying to "suggestive-sell" us more food, specials, etc. Price - $76 + tip; inexpensive, but the food reflected it. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2010. Maybe I will try your full dining experience. read more

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Fantastic dinner and service. Hubby took me here for Valentine's dinner (a day late- Saturday) and it was well worth it. Service is impeccable front start to finish. We had a reservation at 530 pm and we were seated right away. There's a nice back area that appears it can be used for private dining...dim and quiet and a bar in the same room! We had the sweet chili calamari which we enjoyed but the star of that dish was the deep fried olives. What a surprise. Pairs well with the dip they provide. So good. Hubby enjoyed his rib eye which came with steamed brussels and potato gratin. I had the beef short rib that was so tender and so yum! It paired well with the risotto- and please do add the fresh parmesan! I paired my meal with a glass of Pinot noir and I have no complaints. We ended the night with the espresso creme brulee. Honestly, very mild espresso flavor but that was the right amount for me. I do wish there were more strawberries though. There is a parking garage nearby which was great. I would absolutely come back again! read more

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One of my favorite restaurant experiences this year so far! We started with the Sweet Chili Calamari and the Cheese Platter. The calamari was perfectly crispy, well seasoned, and had just the right amount of flavor. The cheese platter was excellent as well--beautifully presented and a great mix that felt thoughtful and balanced. For my entrée, I ordered the Provencal Rack of Lamb. It was cooked perfectly to a medium temperature and paired with a bright, flavorful chimichurri that really elevated the dish. Toward the end of the meal, our waitress even brought us some fresh limoncello, which was a wonderful touch and absolutely delicious. The service here really stood out--the staff was incredibly friendly, attentive, and made the whole meal feel special. Carpe Diem is a spot I'll absolutely recommend, and I'm already looking forward to coming back the next time I'm in the area. read more

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I wasnt a fan -- the man host was not friendly and blamed his server when we complained about why one person in our party hadn't received their meal (when the rest of us were almost done). Our server straight up disappeared and we never even saw her before leaving. The food was overpriced considering the taste was mediocre. You can get more bag for your buck somewhere else. I also forgot my hat there and no one ever called me back or responded to my email (when I was willing to pay to ship to me). read more

The food was delicious, excellent customer service and the restaurant has a very nice setting.

I've been here three times - first time was over a decade ago, and then most recently twice. We had great experiences. The last two times I've had the sea bass dish (with mashed potatoes, green beans and capers) and the braised short rib (with risotto), respectively. They were delicious. To drink, I had the Lost Explorer. It was so fancy and delightful. My son ordered the chicken fingers and fries and chocolate lava cake for dessert. He loves it. My husband ordered a salmon special and the ostrich burger, respectively, and an old fashion each time. He liked them all. Each time, we shared the beet salad, which was beautiful and so yummy. We took my dad this last time, and he almost finished his whole sea bass dish. On top of all that, the service has always been fantastic. Finally, the prices are more than reasonable for downtown Napa. I recommend checking it out. read more

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We stopped by Carpe Diem for a happy hour drink/bite to watch NBA playoffs. This isn't a sports bar so expect a small screen. Overall I was really happy with the happy hour menu selection and prices. I got a classic margarita and poutine fried with brisket. I thought the marg was great, classic, simple. The fries were great to share and hit the spot for sure. The drinks and food came out quickly. There were a lot of folks there post Bottlerock so it got a bit loud. The service was good, just normal/chill. I would recommended for a quick drink/snack for happy hour. read more

Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Napa, California

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The service was good. Very friendly. The food was much better than what I expected. Great for a big group. We had nine total, and the timing was all great! The mushroom flatbed was delicious. I tried everyone's various dishes, and they were all tasty. Enjoyable casual place! read more

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Wonderful spot in Napa. We enjoyed a lovely evening, dining outside with our pooch last week while staying in Napa for the night. Food was excellent and service was top notch. Barbara our waitress was extremely friendly & attentive; fantastic to know there are still people that are genuinely knowledgeable when it comes to customer service. We will be back! read more

Amazing little place in downtown Napa! The bar area had a nice ambience and a wonderful attentive bartender (he was very service oriented). We had a table next to the window. The drinks and bites were delicious (try the short rib fries and/or tacos). The bar experience definitely earned 5 stars! read more

Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - New American Near Me - Napa, California

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We just had our second outing at Carpe Diem, this time for Valentine's Day, and it was the perfect choice. We live in Berkeley, I've been coming to Napa for decades, and this is now our go-to restaurant. We've had so much disappointment in Bay Area dining, and Carpe Diem just gets it right. They make the experience special without being precious, pretentious or trying too hard. No micro-gastronomy. Just beautifully curated food and drinks in a relaxed atmosphere with friendly and helpful staff. It was a little chilly, but we were glad to be seated outdoors. Well-cushioned chairs and ample heat lamps kept us toasty. And, another good litmus, we had at least 4 different wait staff making sure we weren't neglected--as outside tables often are, even in supposedly top-end venues. The staff was warm and conveyed ease and invitation, even on a very busy night like Valentine's Day. We started with the burrata and crab arancini. Burrata was a good burr-ometer. Perfectly balanced texture, crispy on the edges, creamy within. Burrata is often meh, even at top venues. CD nailed it. The arancini were completely delightful and richly flavored, and even the simple frisee popped. Then I had the diver scallops, which were bright and judiciously seasoned with a light lobster sauce and paired nicely with risotto, spinach and leek. And finished with the bread pudding. My brother-in-law is Scottish so I've had a goodly amount of bread pudding. CD gets full marks. But really, it's the cocktails that would bring us back again and again. I felt the need to start with a vesper martini. And it was strong, as advertised. My girlfriend had the Garden, playfully (but again, not pretentiously) served from a rose-colored watering can. And then we each had different smoked cocktails. Both excellent. What can we say? This is what Napa fine dining should be. De Carpe Diem non est disputandum. read more

Great food. Good service. A little pricey but typical of Napa restaurants. Still would recommend especially for a nice quiet dinner or for a special occasion. read more

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My friends and I had a great Friday night dinner here. The hospitality, food and drinks were outstanding. The interior of the restaurant was cozy but not overly decorated. They have 2 dining areas- the second dining room is completely separate and seems like it can be closed off for a private party. They also have outdoor seating with heat lamps and they had live music that night.... I can totally imagine myself enjoying a cocktail outdoors during a warmer evening listening to live music, I'm definitely coming back! The food was delicious! For appetizers we ordered the burrata cheese, sweet chili calamari, and a beet salad... all were amazing. For entrees we had the diver scallops (good sized scallops-came with 4 pieces) 12 oz. Ribeye (absolutely delicious with a perfect sear and salt crust) squid ink tagliatelle (I'm not into pasta but this was delicious and a good sized portion) and the branzino (absolutely amazing and my favorite part was the crispy edges of the fish skin!) Everything was delicious with generous portions. You can't have a great night without a cocktail (or 2 or 5!) I told the bartender to surprise me and make me their best drink (I told them either vodka or tequila) and the 2 cocktails I got were delicious! I will definitely be back and I can't wait to try other dishes! read more

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The service was excellent and the menu was well designed. It was very obvious the staff have a many years experience in the service industry. The cocktail menu had lots of creative options and we loved our drinks. The calamari had a fun spin with breaded olives and string onion rings. The cheese tray was lovely and the portions were very generous. Personally I did not care for the pasta carbonara. It was very heavy and the prosciutto was in large chunks. However my husband's meal was wonderful. We will return. read more

I came here for dinner with my wife for the first time. The staff was really friendly. We were seated immediately when we arrived. The food was good but I've had better and I've also had worse Italian food. I still recommend paying a visit and trying it out for yourself. Conveniently located downtown! read more

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First time here,... misled by the rating on Yelp, I have to say... A cozy restaurant.. good hospitality, but very average quality food. $300 for 4 dinners, 2 appetizers, and 3 juice, plus tip. The two dinner specials that we tried tonight, filet mignon ($57) and 2 salmon ($46 each I think) were not worth the price. Beef was bland with no flavor, and the salmon was too dried that I can do better. The cheeseboard cheese was not impressive, but for $14 I can understand. Calamari was ok, and the lamb shank was not impressive for $46... there was no need to try desserts... Service was great... that's why the 3-star rating. Our meals look good but the taste was just not there... best of luck! read more

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Celebrating a birthday and decided to try Carpe Diem for the first time and it did not disappoint! Carpe Diem is a small restaurant in downtown Napa about half a block away from the river. The person checking us in was also our server so that gives you a little sense of how small the restaurant was. I don't judge a restaurant by its size because both good and bad experiences I've had with large and small. The drinks and Tarter starter got us off to a good start. The Diver Scallops and Chicken Parm were both delicious and hit the spot. The Chocolate Lava Cake and Crème Brûlée were both pleasant to end the meal. Our server Chica was attentive and personable. It was an outstanding evening so I'm wondering to myself why I didn't check this place out earlier? But I do know I'll be back! Thumbs ups for drinks, food and outstanding service!! read more

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Wrapped up our last evening in Napa with this gem. It was also our actual anniversary evening. The food was outstanding. The wait staff we had from Poland was excellent. Another wonderful selection by my wife. read more

Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - Lamb shank - New American Near Me - Napa, California

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Squid tagliatelle was pretty good. Rich thick creamy sauce, the pasta was al dente . The ambiance was classy, dim lighting, comforting. The service was great. Staff was attentive! read more

Carpe Diem Restaurant & Bar - Squid Ink Tagliatelle - New American Near Me - Napa, California