We found Enzo on Yelp while on holiday in the area. Our dog's name is "Enzo" so of course we had to enjoy lunch on their patio. We started with delicious bread (and olive oil, no balsamic vinegar). My fiancé had absolutely delicious PROSCIUTTO E BURRATA pizza and I thoroughly enjoyed PAESANO (Italian sausage, bell peppers, cheese in ciabatta bread). Both dishes came with a side-salad that we both loved. Yum. Our entire meal tasted like something you would enjoy in a Trattoria in Italy. Why only 4 stars? The older waiter (likely about my own age) was not terribly friendly and didn't seem to want to be working. Perhaps it is his own restaurant? We recommended the restaurant to friends who happened to be in Carmel 2 weeks later. When they went over there, two servers were angrily yelling at each other in Italian outside the building. They went somewhere else and have decided never to return to Enzo. YMMV -- but we enjoyed it. read more

One of the most disappointing restaurant experiences I've had in Carmel-by-the-Sea. We were a group of 7, including a baby, celebrating my birthday, and unfortunately chose Enzo after another Italian restaurant nearby had a long wait. Looking back, I completely understand why Enzo was almost empty on a Sunday around 2 PM. From the moment we arrived, the service was extremely mediocre. Our server had a very unpleasant and arrogant attitude throughout the entire meal. It felt like every time we tried to ask for something, we were bothering him. At one point, we asked for cheese for the pizza, and instead of simply explaining whether it was available or offering an alternative, he laughed, told us that pizza isn't eaten with cheese, and walked away. It was such an unnecessary and unprofessional interaction. The overall service was uncomfortable from beginning to end, and there was absolutely no sense of hospitality. To make matters worse, the service charge was already included, so there really wasn't even an opportunity to reflect the poor service in the tip. We were celebrating my birthday, so we didn't want to make a bigger issue out of it at the time, but after spending over $400, the experience was absolutely not worth it. For a restaurant located in a tourist destination like Carmel, we expected much more. Do yourself a favor and wait for a table somewhere else. Definitely not an experience I would repeat or recommend. read more

Just OK. Bread was stale. Lasagna was just OK. Wine has mystery origins and tasted a little flat. Caramel By The Sea has so many amazing restaurants. It feels bad to eat somewhere that is just OK. read more

Food was good, great service. Patio was a little warm that day but its pretty friendly. Prices were as expected. read more

Enzo - Outdoor seating for you and your pup - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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I would highly recommend booking a reservation for this spot. People tried to walk in for dinner however the host said no tables available the entire night. This is a no frills, Italian spot that has fresh and simple ingredients. We booked a table including our dog for our wedding anniversary dinner during Memorial Day weekend. We were seated in the back patio and got orange and limoncello spritzes which were delicious. we ordered grilled chicken for the pup. We had the caprese salad and crab ravioli to share which were delicious. I had the branzino which had an amazing truffle sauce and was light. My husband had the Osso buco and was more hearty/filling. Although busy, the waiters and host made sure to check up on us pretty often which we appreciated. Would come back here again! read more

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Last-minute stop for a sunny Italian lunch--sat outside in a great location, which honestly did a lot of the heavy lifting. Food didn't quite live up to the setting. The fettuccine Bolognese and calamari were both underwhelming--nothing terrible, just very "meh" for the price. And speaking of... with a bottle of sparkling water, tax, and tip, we were pushing $90. For lunch. Yikes. Service was solid and the place itself is nice, but it didn't feel worth it overall. If you're charging like that, give people something extra--complimentary bread and olive oil would go a long way, or anything that makes the experience feel a little more memorable. Cute spot, good vibes, but not one I'd rush back to. read more

Enzo - Calamari - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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What a wonderful little restaurant! We visited Enzo on a very busy holiday weekend but they still managed to squeeze us in. The service was great and the food was to die for! The prices felt very fair by Carmel standards. Enzo also had very quaint and cozy vibes. The restaurant is pretty small though, so make reservations if you can because I watched them turn quite a few families away due to having no more room. Enzo is an easy recommendation, so give them a try the next time you are in Carmel. read more

Enzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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All of the above. Excellent server who was so very helpful with selections from the menu.

"Calabria in Carmel--with Heartfelt Service" Enzo Ristorante is a charming, quaint Calabrian spot tucked into Carmel-by-the-Sea, offering both indoor and outdoor dining. We chose to sit inside while enjoying a light lunch, and the experience was warm and welcoming from the start. Our waiter truly made the meal special. He was delightful to engage with--friendly, hospitable, and genuinely enthusiastic. When he learned that I am also Calabrian, he was visibly excited. Even more impressive, as we were dining with relatives from Guatemala visiting the U.S. for the first time, he seamlessly switched to Spanish to make them feel comfortable and included. That level of thoughtfulness really stood out. The food was fresh and flavorful. We started with prosciutto di Parma and Parmigiano Reggiano, a simple but well-executed antipasti, and for our main course my husband and I shared the four seasons pizza, which was enjoyable and satisfying. Service overall was superb and the food was good, earning Enzo a solid four stars. The only downside was the wine: the Calabrian Santa Venere Speziale was priced at nearly five times what you'd pay in a store and, in our opinion, is definitely not a $100 bottle. That said, Enzo Ristorante delivers warmth, authenticity, and excellent service--and we'd happily return (perhaps just skipping the wine next time). read more

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We've walked by Enzo's many times over the years, stopped to read the menu, and thought that we really should try it sometime. Well, we did this time around, and unfortunately, weren't overly impressed. It's not a bad restaurant, just not great. They brought out some bread and very good olive oil. The Ciabatta bread looked good, but really needed to be warmed up or toasted. We decided to pass on appetizers. For my entree, I had the Lasagna. It was a smaller portion, which was actually just right, but some diners might be disappointed. The sauce was very good, but the fillings were sparce, and the pasta was overcooked. My wife ordered the Semplice Pizza, essentially a Margherita Pizza. First, it was undercooked. Then, everything else about it was bland; the dough, the sauce, the cheese. We did opt for dessert and got the Lemon Sorbet with a glass of Limoncello. Both were very good, so the meal ended well. Service was excellent and the space is very nice; kind of modern rustic. Unfortunately, given all the excellent choices for dining in Carmel, I'm not sure we'd come back. read more

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Lucky pick for us they had an area where we were semi outdoor so very dog friendly place. The pasta was soooo good! On the pricey side and the portions were small but filling. We were a group of 9 so great for large parties but you should get reservations. Again, we just got lucky they had a table for us without the wait. Very nice people. Not pictured was the fried shrimp and calamari appetizer which was just as delicious! read more

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my friend and I went to Enzo before Monterey car week. Luckily, they were open late to sit us and feed us. The ambience was this Italian eatery serving fresh made Italian food. I ordered the fruitti di mare with red sauce and as you can tell, I finished it read more

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Again had the crab ravioli, which is now $34. The bread was $8, a buck a slice. That was ridiculous! Branzino was $45 or thereabouts. Seven years ago I said the price was reasonable for Carmel, but that's not true anymore. read more

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First of all they charge $8 for bread and it was the worst bread I ever tasted! Then my husband ordered meatballs and it only came with 5 meatballs for $30! No pasta included! The pasta I had was good but it was $27! The service was not the best either. I would never go here again! read more

The service was awkward. Our server was clearly inexperienced and untrained. It honestly ruined the entire vibe. Other tables were getting the full display of Italian hospitality, but we didn't get any of that. The food was good -- I enjoyed my parpadelle with short rib ragu very much. The meatballs were delicious too. The wine menu offers a wide range of expensive bottles -- but don't offer much that is mid range. Overall the service took the joy out of our experience. read more

Very authentic and lovely interior/exterior. The pesto gnocchi is traditional, and the salt special veal was really amazing. Waiter was very knowledgeable about the food and wine options. Great spot for Italian lunch, relaxing area off the main bustle of Carmel Main Street area. read more

Enzo - Gnocchi and Veal - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

We love Enzo. It is one of our favorite restaurants in Carmel, and we frequent it regularly when we are in town. I would say that this is one of the better places to eat here. The staff is consistent, same faces year over year. It says a lot in a place like Carmel to have staff that stays around. I think they stay for the food. I have no idea about the working conditions, but the food is always good. We brought our au pair this most recent visit and the Lasagna was "the best she had ever had in her life". Coming from a gal with Italian heritage, I trust her judgement. The veal osso buco, eggplant parm and prosciutto and burrata pizza were all similarly delicious. The restaurant has a fun vibe but if you're looking for AAA fancy, seek elsewhere. For us? This is the spot! read more

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We loved our dishes and local Chardonnay. Highly recommend if you're into authentic Italian cuisine! read more

Enzo - We loved the Carbonara and Pesto Gnocchi. Bravo! - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Not sure why this place doesn't have at least four stars?! Our visit was a 10/10. One word.. AUTHENTIC. After being turned down at three different restaurants in downtown Carmel, I remember seeing a cute dining patio the day prior and decided to go back and find it. I'm so glad the other places turned down doggy dining (although we're in Carmel, the #1 dog friendly town in America?!) otherwise, I wouldn't have had the chance to dine at Enzo. Italian is probably one of my favorite cuisines and Enzo did not disappoint. Even my in laws weren't craving Italian (they live in little italy, SF and eat it often) - but left here with a happy tummy! I had a large party of 10 and they were able to seat us right away. We were initially the only guests, but the restaurant filled up fast soon after! I was hangry to say the very least lol, but food came out quickly, warm and flavorful. DO NOT SKIP ON THE CRAB RAVIOLI. Portion is small, but definitely *chef's kiss* read more

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Grumpy servers and below mediocre food made for a miserable hour, so many other options!

Kind of a disaster. I guess they were understaffed the night we went. There were only two floor workers and they were running and leaping between guests. They looked so overworked and they didn't have time to properly waiter. We ordered bread with olive oil that came late, cold, and hard. I got the pasta del mare and my partner the lasagna. We both felt our dishes weren't anything special. My dish was quite a lot, his was quite small. I honestly think my food was better than what I had at Nora's the next day, but the lack of service and bread tanked our experience. read more

Enzo was such a surprise of a hole in the wall place. The food tasted so classic and freshly Italian. They allow dogs in their small outside patio to the left of the restaurant, it's quite nice! It feels like a little piece of Italy. Our server was lovely and attentive. read more

What a waste of money and most importantly my precious time. And nothing close to anything I've eaten in Italy. It's a cozy restaurant with a cute fire place but that's where anything good ends. Wanted a nice day in Carmel but this place ruined my day and sorely disappoints. Save yourself and go to the many other great places in Carmel. The food is below average and average in some cases. One poor waiter was running all tables, he was really nice and tried to do his best checking in on us. Calamari and shrimp - decent, but batter was not paper thin, no fried lemon. Arugula, fennel salad - something I'd just throw on the side of a rushed lunch. Few fronds of fennel, barely any pear. Skip unless you want to treat as side. Bread - meh, was expecting a nice fluffy focaccia. The olive oil with it was good though. Crab ravioli - it's like someone took a good recipe but ruined the proportions. The crab was not fresh, I could smell stale seafood. The sauce went overboard on the sun dried tomatoes making it too sweet. I didn't know what I was eating. Nduja Rigatoni - this was the worst. We ate 2 bites that's it. I love Nduja, it's one of the best things on the planet. This thing showed with a giant blob of burrata on it - like where in Italy would they do that outside of a tourist trap? I don't know what was done to the Nduja with onions but it was not appetizing. Pizza - yes they didn't claim it was Neapolitan. It was clearly not made in anything close to a 800 oven. No char, no texture to dough. The pizza was parched, aching for olive oil and seasoning. Calabrian crème brûlée - average, but custard was not smooth Chocolate gelato - good, I guess you can't screw it up. One star for the cozy set up, one for the waiter, one for the calamari/gelato. I don't mind spending money on food - if it's good. read more

Enzo - Nduja rigatoni - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

wife had the linguini with shrimp and i had the prosciutto e battata pizza. The freshest Cheese i ever had!! it was so good! also Cappucino was pretty good as well!. Very authentic Italian! Highly reccommend!!!. read more

Totally overpriced for very small portions of bland, mediocre food. We left starving after spending $132 for 2 salads and a panini (+ bottle of bubbly water for $10). An arugula salad was smaller than the palm of my hand. I do not recommend this place - they are gouging tourists who are only there for the day. It looks good from the outside, but keep going and find somewhere else. The service was fine, but it had a weird vibe, almost as if they didn't want to be part of the tourist trap. read more

Over priced, good service, very limited menu, so-so ambiance. Still not anywhere worth the price.

I came in to get a gelato ice cream, and my husband wanted some wine. We were greeted by an Italian man who was very nice. Gelato was great, and my husband liked the wines. The ambience Out Outside es Very Nice. read more

Enzo - I'm here with Mr. Husband. - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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The food and service was amazing!! The crab ravioli is something I will be dreaming about forever! The back patio is a beautiful place to eat, such a vibe! The chef specially curated a pasta dish for my sister and it was insane!! If the chef suggests it... get it! read more

Lasagna plate was good but the chicken was dry and not cooked right. Plus extra fee to pay with credit card.

First trip to Enzo... will definitely go back when we are in town. We had the frittura mista, branzino silano, and fetticcine alla bolognese. All were very good, the branzino stole the show... it was absolutely amazing- best branzino I can remember. read more

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Had the Branzino and carbonara and fresh sliced prosciutto. such a cute atmosphere and amazing food

The Food was Amazing! Prosciutto and Parma was excellent not to mention the spaghetti carbonara was some of if not the Best I've ever had! Service was excellent. True Family run ristorante! You might even want to host your next Engagement party here? read more

Enzo - Prosciutto and Parma - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Wonderful experience at Enzo last night - we will definitely return. The host, friendly and helpful, put together an amazing Parma Plate appetizer and suggested a perfect wine pairing, seating us next to the cute fireplace. I would have been very happy with just this course. We then shared the special pappardelle in a slow cooked short rib ragu, and also the Calabrian Rigatoni. Both were delicious: pasta perfectly cooked al dente, and sauces had fresh flavors - not over done. Topped all that off with the pistachio mousse. Food and service were excellent. I can't believe it's taken us 3 years to finally try Enzo! We shared our entrees, so my photos do not show the serving size - only what I put on my share plate. read more

Enzo - Special pappardelle with short rib ragu. - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Fabulous food and service. We stumbled upon this restaurant and were very pleasantly surprised.

5 stars for the perfect crab ravioli dish! I am not usually a cream sauce fan, but the description of this dish with the combination of crab stuffed spinach ravioli with bay scallops, sun dried tomato and champagne cream sauce spoke to me.because it sounded like a hearty dish, I ordered only this and was very impressed. The sauce was perfectly and slightly sweet, complimenting the delicate scallops, coating the thicker than normal but appropriate for the filling pasta. A revelation was the arugula that wilted into the warm champagne dressing, creating almost a three course meal tied together with the champagne sauce. The arugula as the starter, the generous portion of sauced tiny fresh scallops paired perfectly with the ravioli. The combination was phenomenal and I loved the constructing bites with different combinations of ingredients. Service was lukewarm and iced tea was priced per glass, which was unfortunate for me. I cannot give anything less than 5 stars, howebecause the dish was superlative! read more

Enzo - front of restaurant - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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I went to Enzo with my girlfriend during a vacation. I made a reservation after seeing some positive reviews. Upon arrival, however, the host acted annoyed with us and almost skeptical about our reservation. Once we were seated, the waiter hastily asked if we wanted sparkling or still water. I requested sparkling, while my girlfriend asked for still. We did NOT realize that each type of water cost $10. Our waiter wasn't particularly helpful with menu questions, and even seemed annoyed with my girlfriend's request for less Parmesan on her pasta. We paid extra for bread (they do not provide complimentary bread), and it was cold, and nothing to write home about. It simply came with olive oil, no balsamic vinegar or fresh ground pepper, which would have been fine had the portions not been tiny slices, barely enough to share. The serving sizes were fine, but they did not match the prices we paid for our meal, and after paying the bill, we realized there might have been a 20% tip included in the overall price that was not mentioned to us. I feel as though the vibe here was slightly hostile and deceitful, I would not recommend this to anyone. read more

The ambiance was pleasant, but avoid sitting at the large table near the bar area facing the street; it's not comfortable, especially for those seated against the wall without a backrest. We ordered the bolognese and four pizzas--Semplice, Calabrese, and Stagioni. They were decent, but nothing I'd recommend to friends. The service, however, was lovely. Our server was friendly, and we even picked up some Italian along the way. There's a 20% service charge for a party of five, which is fine, but with our pizzas and three drinks totaling nearly $300, I left feeling underwhelmed. I expected more given the prices and location. I may try Enzo's again bc we may have just ordered something that wasn't that great. read more

Enzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Was able to make reservation- sat indoors near the fireplace. Ordered local bread with olive oil. Disappointed bread was not warm but tasted good overall. Was able to order the FETTUCCINE ALLA BOLOGNESE- tasted delicious! Ordered specialty dessert with kahlua liqueur. Highly recommend if you're in the area. Note there is a 3% credit card fee when paying. read more

Enzo - FETTUCCINE ALLA BOLOGNESE - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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The food was pretty decent the Rigatoni is delicious especially with the poofed mozzarella on top once you stick the fork in just makes your dinner so worth while to sink your teeth. At the end of the dinner the dessert is amazingly so addictive the Italian tiramisu is to die for the heavenly taste is unforgettable. Love it will eat there again. read more

Enzo - Tiramisu so creamy & light so delicious - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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O V E R V I E W: the ambiance and shop itself is very cute, homey, and had quirky signs. the staff were nice as well! the food was decent, but very expensive. it was my birthday lunch so my boyfriend & I wanted to splurge, but in my opinion, i didn't come out of the shop feeling great about the splurge. F O O D: *spaghetti carbonara: 8/10. super creamy and filling and the little crunchy bits were yummy. *semplice pizza: 7/10. the crust was a bit harder than i'd prefer but still delicious nonetheless. the basil made the pizza ultimately better. A D D I T I O N A L: !!!!! now, the reason i gave this place 3 stars was because the waiter asked us "still water or sparkling water" -- i said still because i believed this was just their way of saying "normal water" since this place is fancy. the bottle came out and it was in a glass bottle. I thought this was just how they did it, so I didn't think twice. however, when the check came out... the water was $9.50. i looked around and saw other customers getting water as well, but theirs were in a normal jug while we got offered only two options which was again, "still or sparkling." i'm unsure why this happened, but just something to keep in mind. !!!!! EDIT: upon looking at other reviews, this seems to be a common theme for other people as well. tap water was not an option they offered and they did NOT inform us about the price of the still water. read more

Enzo - Mediterranean Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California