Amazing service and amazing food! We absolutely loved our meal at Il Tegamino in Carmel-by-the-Sea…read more I had the gnocchi, and I cannot say enough about how good it was! It was perfectly cooked, so flavorful, and had cheese, cheese, and more cheese in the best possible way. Rich and delicious without being too much. I would absolutely order it again! My niece had the linguine pescatore, which was also delicious. We normally don't like pasta dishes that are too soupy or have so much sauce that the pasta ends up drowning in it, but this one was perfect. The amount of sauce was just right, and all the seafood tasted incredibly fresh. Everything together gave the dish this slightly sweet, fresh seafood flavor that we really loved. And I have to mention that gnocchi one more time because it really was THAT good! Definitely one of the highlights of the meal. Atmosphere was just right.. quiet and cute just like most little restaurants in Carmel by the sea. We finished with the tiramisu, which was another surprise. So delicious, with this wonderful little crunchy topping that added a really nice texture. Great food, wonderful service, and a meal we thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end. We will definitely be back!

Such a cozy quiet spot in Carmel! A little hidden, a little dim, a lot of warmth :) Intimate space…read moreboth inside and outside, and even if fully packed I don't think it would interrupt the dining experience. My friend and I made a dinner reservation a couple weeks in advance, and it wasn't too crowded on Mother's Day weekend! Rucolina ($18): Salad to share, perfect amount for 2. Arugula, beets, Gorgonzola, candied walnuts are a classic combo and we polished it. Linguine Alla Pescatora ($45): I thought it was so funny two girls next to us ordered this to share, but my friend ate it all by herself LOL. A huge dish of seafood, they don't skimp! I tried a mussel and the sauce was excellent. Gnocchi (small $22, large $44): I was hesitant about ordering gnocchi because I never like the gnocchi I've ordered at other Italian restaurants. Never thought me a gnocchi snob, but here I am. But other reviews raved about Il Tegamino's gnocchi (our waitress included) so I did it. Ok fine it's the best gnocchi I've ever had. Pillowy soft, straight out of the oven, still sizzling and bubbling when it was placed in front of me. It was cheesy and potatoey without either flavor overpowering the other, and the mushroom truffle sauce is IT. It needs the sauce. I ordered the large and had leftovers to share with my mom, but you bet I could've finished it. I would come back just for this! We picked this place expecting it to be a treat and a bit of a splurge, so we expected the prices. Our server was lovely; my friend loves sweeter white wines but a Moscato wasn't on the menu. She disappeared into the kitchen and came back out with a heavy pour of Moscato and my friend loved it! I first thought it was bold of her to assume she'd want the full glass but she was right :)

As usual the food is great. The service as well. We came back after our kids help us celebrate or…read more50th wedding anniversary here and they did a spectacular job. When we come over from the hot valley always plan to have dinner at this establishment.

Would never return. We chose this restaurant for my bachelorette dinner and the experience was…read moredisappointing from the moment we walked in. Paula, the hostess (and possibly an owner according to all the other reviews here), was dismissive and treated our group with obvious disrespect while warmly interacting with other tables around us. We were the largest group in the restaurant and the only Asian American group. Everyone in our party was Asian except for one white guest, who was the only person Paula spoke happily to and even joked with when he asked where the restroom was. The contrast in how our group was treated was hard to ignore and left us feeling singled out. Our server was nice, but the poor hospitality overshadowed what should have been a special celebration. I left feeling unwelcome and I hope no one else has a similar experience.

We haven't been to Lillians in a couple of years, and the quality has declined. We ordered bread…read morewith tapenade to start. While the tapenade was good, the bread seemed like tough grocery store bread. My husband's chicken was so dry, he had trouble chewing it. I ordered the salmon on risotto special. While the salmon was tasty, the risotto was sitting in a pool of olive oil. We were very disappointed.

The food hit the spot. I had the chicken Parmesan on a bed of rigatoni noodles and marinara. It was…read moredelicious. The service was very friendly. I was seated right away. I thought it was going to be a wait because the place was packed. The table service was very friendly and always timely. She checked backed on me more than just taking the initial order. Since the place was packed it was pretty loud inside. You could still hear the piano music in the background. Next time I am back in town, I will definitely recommend Lillian's for a dinner for the team I work with. I know they will enjoy it as much as I did.

This place was delicious! When you walk into the restaurant you just seat yourself and someone will…read morecome and help you. We ordered the crab ravioli and diavola pizza, it was plenty of food for the two of us, we were so full after. The crab ravioli were huge, filled with crab meat and the sauce had a hint of sweetness to it. It got quite filling as we were eating it so pizza to pair with it was perfect. The diavola pizza was also delicious, the crust was perfectly crunchy and bouncy. It had a slight spicy kick to it to balance out the savory. The spicy salami on it was very good too.

My boyfriend and I stumbled upon this place and it was pretty solid! I'd say this is a good,…read morereasonable upper mid-tier restaurant in Carmel. I ordered the veal ravioli, he ordered the Fangool pizza with no cheese, and we shared the fried calamari. The calamari hit the spot but was a pretty standard appetizer, and my boyfriend liked the pizza but said it was nothing to write home about. I was pleasantly surprised by the veal ravioli--I thought this was a perfect serving size (sometimes ravioli plates are small, with only a few raviolis), the raviolis were stuffed and I loved the sauce + mushroom combination. We sat at the bar but didn't grab any drinks, so I don't have much to comment on service or cocktails and wine. The ambiance was bright and lively, as it was quite busy on a Saturday, but not overwhelming or too crowded.

Hands down, the best Fruits de Mer I've ever had. The pasta was loaded with shrimp, calamari, all…read moretossed in a rich, perfectly creamy sauce (not like Alfredo) that was absolutely delicious. Every bite was so flavorful and satisfying. Service was also on par and exceptionally. The restaurant itself has such a beautiful, old-world Carmel charm -- warm, cozy, and perfect for a leisurely meal. Love the upbeat vibes the music was playing in the background. So romantic too. Andy had his bread pudding, which was clearly the highlight of his meal. A beautiful lunch, amazing food, and one more Carmel memory to keep.

Okay place, nothing memorable. Food was decent but I would…read moreeat elsewhere next time. Service was great and ambiance is dated okay. I would put this one sentence : "food wasn't made with love but it was made professionally'

Everything was great! After seeing the negative reviews I was nervous about eating here. The food…read morewas delicious. We all raved about the meatballs. I had the shrimp scampi and it was so good, I ate the whole thing. The service was excellent. The waitress was very attentive and checked on us often even though it was a Saturday night. This was for a special occasion and it met all of our expectations.

Went with a group of 15 on a Wednesday evening. Seated on patio, with only one other table…read moreseated. We were seated for over half an hour before our server returned for drink orders. They didn't start arriving for quite a while and multiple drinks were incorrect. It was well over an hour before our food order was taken. We were almost two hours in before the food started arriving. The salads that came with meals were good. A number of folks ordered the bisque and after some entrees were already being served to some, our sever said they were out of bisque, but making some more. About a half hour later the bisque came and everyone said it was cold. I'll just describe my meal, but there were issues with others as well. I ordered the halibut ($44). It was served atop mashed potatoes and asparagus. The potatoes were cold. The fish was a very thin filet (was it even halibut?), breaded and grilled. It was so hard and dry I had to use a knife to cut it. It was mostly breading and not much fish. If we were not guests of the dinner coordinator, I would have sent it back.. Our group understands the challenge of serving a big group, but this was beyond unacceptable. Is there any management oversight? Who's training the kitchen? We were seated for over three hours just to get through our meals, with no appetizers or deserts ordered. The restaurant was not busy for inside seating either.

My husband and I had a delightful evening at Cafe Rustica! After spending time in the hustle and…read morescene of CBTS, the vibe of this restaurant and surrounding businesses was just what we were after for a cozy, delicious, dinner. Roman took amazing care of us, efficient and friendly and making sure our plates weren't empty for long. Made great recommendations on the menu. Food was incredible, all seems to be homemade/from scratch, and had great flavors. Grilled shrimp skewers, beet salad, butter lettuce salad, lentil soup, vegetarian pizza, and passion fruit sorbet, finished with a decaf americano... would order it all again in a heartbeat! Memorably good spot for us!

We decided to drop by here for lunch on a whim after going to the Carmel Valley farmers market this…read morepast Sunday. The place looked packed out. It was a beautiful day in Carmel Valley. The veranda seating was pretty much filled up, but there were a couple of tables left, but it was too warm outside for me and so we wandered inside and got a table for two. It was very quiet inside except for the busy staff doing their thing. There was only one other table that had customers in the room where we were sitting. My sense was that there were more tables around the corner from the bar where several other people were sitting. They were super super busy, but the head guy who I suspect may be the owner was very attentive and kept a good eye on us. I love it when a restaurant is this busy but so organized they don't miss a beat. That takes good management and hiring good talent. I was thrilled to see German potato salad on the menu. You never see it anywhere you go around here and I grew up eating German potato salad regularly and loved it. My husband and I are in our 70s and we recently in the past few months started making our own German potato salad at home and have just become addicted to it. I ordered the special of day which is a lightly breaded cod that is pan seared covered in a berre blanc sauce and served with a huge helping of German potato salad, and then a huge side of lettuce salad. I was so sad because at this time in my life I have a medical device called an ostomy that prevents me from eating salads or most fresh vegetables, but I snuck a taste of that salad and I got to tell you that vinaigrette they need to sell that by the bottle there. I just wanted to lick it off the lettuce since I couldn't eat the lettuce. The German potato salad had well cooked potatoes not too mushy not too firm still in their red skin jackets, cut into nice large pieces and then marinated in the vinegar and parsley and I believe there was bacon in it, but I didn't see much of it. The cod was delicious flaky perfectly cooked with two large pieces and then a smaller portion too. I took my leftovers home and had a delightful second lunch when I got home. $29 My husband got the pork sandwich which looked good and also came with a side of German potato salad, which he enjoyed, but he said that his pork sandwich was very bland and could've used some type of aïoli or dipping sauce to bring out the flavors better $18. I had a split of Moet Chandon champagne $22. And my husband got a Stella beer x 2. $8 each. We also ordered two pizzas to take home for dinner that night. The Flammekueche $22 Alsatian style, diced prosciutto, caramelized red onions, fresh thyme, parsley & crème fraîche We also got the Dynamite $23 fresh basil, Italian fennel sausage, black forest ham, pepperoni, pizza sauce, and mozzarella cheese These pizzas were the exact opposite of each other, one light creamy and delicious. Both had a lovely thin crisp crust. The dynamite was full of meat with rich bursting flavors in your mouth. We chose this place because I wanted to go and have some Escargots À La Bourguignonne which are hard to find these days. As well as I was looking forward to their steamed clams. Since there will be a next time, I'll get them then. Another thing that looked intriguing to me was the egg salad sandwich that you can add some smoked salmon to. We saw dozens of salads being served, and they are huge portions and they have a very large variety of salads which was nice. So looking forward to the day when I can go back there and just eat a whole bowl of their salads. This place really reminds me of the type of restaurant that my family would go out to when we were kids and young adults. Not too fancy that we felt out of place but special enough to make it a memorable experience. We topped off our meal with the blackberry Cabernet sorbet. I want to tell you it was one of the best sorbets I've ever had and was full of flavors. The blackberry was perfectly mixed with the wine and it was a very smooth and creamy texture, even though it doesn't have any dairy in it. It was not overly sweet like a lot of Italian ices are and was the perfect cleanser for our palette after our lovely lunch $14. I had saved a little of my champagne to have with it and definitely elevated the whole experience. Total bill was $150 plus $30 for tip so $180 for a lovely leisurely lunch on a beautiful Sunday afternoon plus dinner at home with our pizzas.

The food here is surprisingly good, and well worth it. The flavors are comparable to fine dining,…read morewhile portions are filling and satisfying enough for casual cuisine. The Spanish octopus was delightfully tender and paired well with an acidic dressing and greens. The crispy potatoes were well fried, being lightly crunchy while maintaining a fluffy interior. The gnocchi was good, but the least impressive, since it was largely relying on cream for flavor. The spinach didn't really come through. We went with the ribeye, which had a delightful crust yet was still juicy. The mushrooms were a mix of chanterelles, morels, and scored trumpet mushrooms sauted in a lovely wine sauce. Service isn't anything to write home about, but the food is certainly worth turning some heads.

Nope. Not again. Sadly this was our last visit here. The prices were so out of touch. We've been…read morecoming for years. The "rack of lamb" for $78 was 2 small chops. What?? For that price, there should be free bread on the table! Nope! Bread is $13!! My dessert was the smallest sliver of crostata with a little scoop of ice cream. $16 What are they thinking????? Service was great though. It really is sad when great restaurants raise their prices but don't provide matching proportions. Ciao Casanova.

Just had spaghetti (homemade pasta) and meatballs with garlic bread - Very Good…read more Highly recommend.

It's yum-yummy. I had the eggplant Parmesan and it was to die for, smothered in the tastiest fresh…read moretomato sauce. Also served with it was a tomato-basil bruschetta, garlic bread, and for dessert the most delicious panna cotta, so silky and smooth. I should have gotten an extra one for later. The servings are large and I even had enough for lunch the next day. I'm looking forward to trying the raviola dish next. I come from an Italian family and I am familiar with Italian food and was raised eating lots of pasta dishes. This little kitchen does not disappoint.

Great salads, pizzas, and fish tacos. The pizzas are…read moreItalian style. The fish taco with fresh cabbage on top are very delicious.. The service is average depend depending on a server. I love the outdoor seating. It's very European and quaint.

I first heard about Corkscrew Cafe on "Check Please!" and knew I had to try it when I'm in Carmel…read more We came here yesterday (4/23/26) and were not disappointed! Initially I wanted a mimosa but they were out of Prosecco. :( Instead I had the white wine honey mojito, which was sweet and not too heavy on the alcohol. We shared the elote (special!) and mushroom pizzas. The pizzas were cooked perfectly and were even better the next day. The elote pizza has a bit of a kick but not super spicy. I also tried a little of the pear blue cheese salad, which was tasty. Waitress was friendly and the food came out quickly. Plenty of indoor and outdoor dining options. We sat outside and it wasn't too chilly or noisy. Would come next I'm in Carmel!