Don't let the signs mislead you! This place is amazing! Beautiful garden in the back, delicious food and wine and great coffee. Just fabulous read more

Maybe it was the company but this was one of the nicer restaurant experiences i've had. Jann ordered the seafood pasta while I tried the shrimp chile rellenos. Amazing! It seems the Corkscrew is part of the Georis winery and because it was convenient we decided to dive in to the wine tasting experience...you know, hold it up the light...inhale the bouquet...sip, swirl and swallow! I'm making light of it but the wines were fantastic! The '06 Georis Syrah was wonderful and the cabs and merlots weren't bad either. Highly recommended on all points! Did I mention that the seafood was about as fresh as you get straight from Monterey Bay? read more

My husband and I came into town at 7pm Friday night looking for a great dinner without a reservation and stumbled upon the Corkscrew Cafe (.2 miles from our amazing room at the Country Garden Inns/Hidden Valley Inn); lucky us!!! Upon walking in every staff member was professional and more importantly genuine; not to mention meeting the owner at the host station. Our meals were fantastic; any pizza is a great bet and my steak couldn't have been cooked better. Additionally they added many little touches we do not see when we go out around our home in San Francisco... Finally, the prices were more than fair for what they offered and I would recommend it to anyone in the Carmel Valley or Monterey Bay areas! read more

Amazing fresh baked breads on site. Fresh ingredients. A very nice relaxed outdoor dining area. Great for lunch. Dog friendly read more

Corkscrew Cafe - American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

A fantastic restaurant. Beautiful, quaint, peaceful and most importantly delicious food. Italian styled, a focus on wine, pizza seems to be big here. Ill be coming here again and again. read more

We were staying in Carmel Valley for a few nights. We were looking for something casual but good with a varied menu. Corkscrew cafe was perfect. They had a great dinner menu for upscale appetite as well as wood fired pizza. We had Brussels sprouts as an appetizer and it was excellent. We wanted to have a nice bottle of red wine so the pizza hit the spot for us. The roast tomatoes and cheese were delicious. In addition, a testament to great customer service, we accidentally left our leather wine bag at the restaurant. We didn't realize it until we got home 2 days later. When we called the restaurant they a offered to mail it to us and we got it the next day. We are so thankful as we have had that bag for over 20 years. I would highly recommend this restaurant. read more

Service was horrible. Water was served once and had to request for it to be replenished. Ordered bread as soon as we were seated and asked several times for it before heading fire oven side 45 minutes later to retrieve it ourselves. There were 4 adults and 2 children in our party...gratuity was included even though $100 was wine which our waiter poured one glass and never poured again. There were bones in the chicken salads. The food was good taste wise...when we finally got it. It truly was horrible service; our server had already planned to bill out his % so didn't feel the need to provide any service to our table. We will not return...ever. Eat at one of the other great restaurants in the area. read more

My wife and I drove out from Monterey to the Georis winery to a wine tasting which was ok. The wines were good. But 20 bucks each for a total of 6 ounces of wine and 2 small slices of French bread and a few crumbs of cheese each was a bit too much. The hostess recommended the corkscrew next door (same owner) for a late lunch. We went over and it seemed like a nice restaurant with an interesting ambiance. We were seated immediately. We are both pizza lovers and my wife ordered a margarita pizza and I ordered a hamburger along with a bottle of Stella each. The beer was great. The hamburger was ok. The pizza was not. 10 inch size, very dry and overcooked and the mozzarella cheese wasn't fresh. A big disappointment for $18. And the waitress was very disengaged. I guess I can't complain too much since it wasn't a pizza restaurant. read more

You can't beat dining here with a small group of good folks on the patio. Service was just right on, food delicious, and atmosphere delightful. I had the mussel plate, tasty and generous in portion. read more

Sorry Corkscrew, you have been my favorite place to dine, I have been there when your chefs have come and gone, and I had high hopes when the latest chef can in with that amazing pastrami sandwich with an egg on top, and yes I have been guilty in indulging in your delish fries, however once again I've noticed you slipping down hill again, the beet salad was different not as good, the burger was boring with no pop, the fries were different, looked and tasted like frozen specials from Costco, come on Corkscrew you can do better!!! read more

Very slow service (1hour for first course, and 1 hour 40 minutes for entrees to arrive). Food quality OK, portion sizes fairly small. There are better options in the immediate area. read more

Birthday lunch for a friend. Great food. Sadra was awesome. Did a great job with menu specialties Patio seating. Great service. Suggestions for local shopping, etc Highly recommend from Dallas Texas read more

The patio on a warm day with a glass of wine is heavenly! Good food, love their mushroom pizza!

Inconsistent service, inconsistent food. Used to be run exceptionally well and have great food. Don't bother coming.

If you are ever out in the valley, this is a cute restaurant to stop by. Opened by the owners of Casanova in Carmel, it has the same rustic feel and offers fusion Italian cuisine. Christian the host was very friendly and offered a tour including their outdoor heated patio. Their pizzas are cooked in a brick oven and are discounted during happy hours. We ordered the crab tarantine appetizers to start and enjoyed this dish with its fresh avocados, sweet bell peppers & cucumbers on a nutty thin sliced bread. The burgers were recommended by our server and I saw two other patrons order the same thing so had to give it a try. Though I asked for medium to well, it arrived very pink in the center so the chef had to re cook it further but by then it was overcooked and very dry. But the side dish of salad that came with it was very fresh with a tangy house dressing. My dining partner ordered the $32 sirloin made with truffle butter, it came with garlic hash (rainbow potatoes) & sauteed broccolini. It came on a chopping board beautifully decorated. The sauce on top of the steak had peppercorns in it but was slightly sweet, almost tasted like terriyaki. My burger with the add ons was over $22 so if I paid ten bucks more I'd say the steak was more worthy. For desserts, I tried their special seasonal pie which was chocolate with pistachio & nougats, it was a better choice than the molten chocolate cake that was cold at the center & tasted frozen then microwaved. Overall, the service was friendly and attentive, atmosphere is cozy, food could be improved. Good to try especially if you find them on Groupon! read more

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Sadly, customer service is apparently no longer job one. We are regulars and are solid members of many of Walters wine clubs. Today was sadly a poor day. The server was not attentive (first name starts with an M. Her peers (kind gent) would jumped in to refill our glasses where she wouldn't even ask. He notice that our babies food ordered off the kids meal arrived not only after we reminded her and she blamed the backend staff, fried chicken with fries (not rice, as ordered) took so very long it arrived when the check did. Our food was already in to-go boxes as we were just beyond done begging for creature comforts. As we put the $90+ on the table I felt truly had. Especially since we were on our way to pick up our wines from Georis, Cowgirl and Talbots along with Christmas baskets that we had made by them etc. sadly this has been a prevailing issue with corkscrew. Perhaps a management shift. It was so bad, when I asked one of the ladies at the wine room about my experience they mentioned that they knew who I was speaking of and said it wasn't an unfamiliar theme. read more

Corkscrew Cafe - I think Mr. Walter would be disappointed. We are regulars and sadly customer service wasn't job one today (and as of recent) - American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Setting is beautiful. Had a leisurely lunch with my bf and my dog on the back patio. We sat next to the fountain and enjoyed watching the goldfish/koi. Food was great. I had a delicious salmon potato cake salad and a glass of Georgis Merlot, while the bf had a quesadilla. We split the dense, jewel-toned olallieberry pie with ice cream for desert. Staff was highly competent and friendly, even though my dog lay down in an aisle where they had to step around her. read more

We had the peppers and the Roasted Tomato and the Sweet and Salty pizza. Wonderful. Friendly waiter. Relaxing lunch read more

Corkscrew Cafe - Shishito peppers - American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

We loved the Corkscrew Cafe. The wine paired with the Mussels was delicious. Must get the roasted garlic bread. I also suggest finishing with a cookie and gelato. It comes out warm and wonderful. Our waitress was also knowledgeable and attentive. We'd love to return when we're back in Carmel Valley. read more

Cute little place. Indoor and outdoor seating. We had the very best waiter. Excellent food, generous pours, knowledgeable and friendly staff. I will return on my next visit. read more

Really nice people here, prompt and friendly service. The cheese appetizer was very good. The pizza was a bit standard, nothing to write home about. Good wine. read more

Cute patio / courtyard to sit in outside with lots of vibrant colors and a tranquil water fountain. Friendly service and DELICIOUS menu - the chicken salad was to die for! I want that spice rub recipe. I think this has to be the best place in Carmel Valley to fill your belly with fresh food to nourish your body between wine tastings. All the locals highly recommend it as do I. We would come back! read more

I love the atmosphere of this place. The salads and pizza were delicious! Sarda was our waitress and was fantastic. Paid close attention to us and had great wine recommendations. We can't wait to come back. read more

Love this cafe.. food is delicious and wine is good. I've been here a few times, never disappointed. Pizza's are my fav. But there is plenty to choose from. read more

Excellent cafe in the heart of Carmel Valley. We were visiting from out of town and went to Corkscrew on a recommendation from a local and we were so glad we listened! My husband and I had the pizza which was unbelievable. He had a few glasses of very delicious wine (wish I could have but I'm pregnant!) and the waiter was very helpful in making great recommendations. We would absolutely return here if we could. Would love to have spent more time in Carmel Valley as a whole! read more

Really charming environs and very solid food. Mussels and tomato soup. Pea soup and pizzas were stand outs. Respectable wine list. Sadly a few desserts weren't available. read more

Gave this place a try, the atmosphere was comfortable, inviting, and European. The food was above average and everyone in my family seemed to enjoy their meals. The downfall here however was the very slow service, even though the restaurant was less then half-full. I actually had to get up and leave my table after waiting 45 minutes without a server returning to our table. I walked into the kitchen to find our server chatting and playing cards with the kitchen workers. I asked if he could please come to our table and provide us service. This may have been an unfortunate off-night for this place, however, I don't think Ill be returning. read more

This restaurant has a wonderful feel and atmosphere. Being a vegan very much limited my ability to try the whole menu. That being said, I very much enjoyed my salad and glass of wine. read more

My cousin who works here brought me and OMG this place is amazing! Tried quite a few things off the menu and every single thing was amazing! Ordered the trout, melts in your mouth.. If I could take chef home with me, I would in a heart beat . Amazing service and so attentive. I highly recommend this place to everyone, I cannot wait to go back! P.s. Take some loafs of jalapeño & cheese bread home with you! You will not regret it read more

Excellent! After an afternoon of wine tasting and ending up at the Cowgirl Winery, Corkscrew was recommend by the staff since it is a sister business. We were pleasantly surprised by the decor and the fabulous back patio! I highly recommend sitting outside and enjoying the pork ossobucco -- delicious! Our waiter, Max, was awesome. read more

Corkscrew Cafe - There's a great patio in the back! - American Near Me - Carmel Valley, California

Great fresh local foods with a changing menu. Seasonal pizzas amazing! Grass fed steak or is this world. Great wine list. We are going you become regulars! read more

I came in recently to have a nice dinner and was seated near the kitchen area and this is where it went from great to all bad. All I could hear was what I think was the chef (female voice) yell and curse at the wait staff which made it very uncomfortable for me to enjoy my meal. Does she watch too much of Hell's Kitchen perhaps? I really hope that this changes because this is a really nice restaurant and would like to be able to enjoy my meals instead of hearing the high level of unprofessionalism going on. read more

Unfortunately the kitchen has gone down hill since my last review. It's become inconsistent. I'm disappointed they lost some of their best staff, front house and back. You can get a "chef" for $11/ hr but as the saying goes, you get what you pay for. read more

Disappointing. Have visited a number of times and been well pleased. Not so this time. The menu was extremely limited and did not reflect the website menu. Wife had pear salad and something called Real Cod. Salad was very good. Cod had some interesting flavors, but was pricey for the serving. My sausage pizza was forgettable. The overwhelming flavor was the cauliflower. Needed reading glasses to find the sausage. Service was spotty with one energetic and helpful woman server and one uninvolved man server. Maybe they just wind things down in Sunday night. read more

As a local in Carmel Valley, this is by far my favorite eatery in the village. The croque monsieur is my favorite (albeit non-healthy) lunch dish. When they have their halibut fish tacos, that's my 2nd favorite. The addition of the wood-fired pizzas (and yes, still 1/2 off between 5-6pm!!) is an added bonus (watch out Cafe Rustica!). I love the thin crust and thoughtful ingredient combinations (hangar steak with caramelized onions, topped with arugula, etc.). In terms of ambiance, it is by far the best place for lunch around! The lovely covered patio has a European feel and is well appointed without being stuffy. It is "just rustic enough" without going overboard. I find I prefer lunch over dinner, and have eaten there at least a dozen times for lunch and maybe 3 times for dinner. I love taking guests here, especially before wine tasting or just hanging out. The service can be spotty at times...I've had amazing service, but also so-so service, which is why I will only give it 4-stars. read more

It was delicious. We started with a wonderful roasted pear salad. I would have like both pear halves on the plate instead of just one half of the roasted pear. My partner had the delicious steak with bacon butter It looked delicious and he said it was. I just had a simple burger. It was dry, so I would not recommend the burger. Dessert was the best and it was a tasty kiffer lime cream brulee. Service was outstanding and it was busy on a Saturday night. read more

What a quaint little spot in Carmel Village. We ordered the pork belly sliders. . . and let me just say FABULOUS! The jalapeno cheddar bun is a game changer!! My boyfriend had one of the pastas with the lamb sauce and he barely came up for air. To finish out this great meal we had the made to order cookie trio with a glass of cold milk. That was the cherry on top for sure. We will be back in the future. read more

Insanely charming establishment. Recommend coming when you can dine in one of their lovely courtyards. We came for dinner, and the food was tasty and sophisticated. Great wine selection (of course given the name and location). Very artistic presentation and genuine, warm service. read more

Okay, yes, it's all about wine, but food needs to be decent. Food we had at Corkscrew last night could have been prepared by me...when I was in college. Most forgettable, mediocre steak, worst presentation of rice and beans with fish tacos, they were also out of many choices. The only great part was service. read more

Beautiful salads and delicious, innovative pizzas. Wine bottles were half off on the Thursday afternoon we visited. Love the outdoor seating. I felt like I had stumbled into my friend's backyard garden in Italy. I would give 5 stars except that it took way too long for a hostess to acknowledge us when we arrived. Also we ordered 2 appetizers and one was forgotten. Our server disappeared for a while so by the time we were able to remind her, it was brought out as we were halfway through our entrees. No harm done and she took it off our bill so we appreciated that effort. If I'm ever in the area again I would definitely go back! read more