I almost didn't make it to my 7:30 reservation. Another frou-frou establishment with lackluster execution and catchy titles like "locally sourced", blah blah blah. Send me home hungry and bill me $$$ for 2, at least i get to stay in my PJs. I'm glad I stuck through with the original plan and was blown away by the endless mindfuck of plates that permanently altered my brain chemistry. In all seriousness, the menu itself doesnt seem too special: crabcakes, ceasar salad, creme brulee. Very unassuming and no real twists to it. BUT -- everything was executed to PER-FECT-SHUN and I found myself just shy of licking every. frikkin'. plate clean. No stone left unturned - in this case, not a single kernel of corn or garnish was left uneaten. I'll jump right to the food: - Half dozen raw oysters: honestly might be the more underwhelming dish of the meal only because the oysters didn't have much flavor. No brine. No sweet. The mignonette was so great though! it gave the oysters what it needed. Add a flake of salt and we're cookin'. - Caesar salad: Good all around. The assembly is what made it so over-the-top. The classic caesar but with ribbons of parm, light and fresh anchovies, whole thinly sliced loaf of crouton that held that salad up like a house of cards but crumbles to touch. I was picking up every crumb that tumbled off to the table and was audibly slurping the ribbons of parmesan. - Crabcakes: Not just another crabcake. The batter was crunchy but didn't make the dish heavy. a cooling and smooth avo creme. but OH MY GOD the grilled corn on the plate really made the dish shine! It added a nice sweet pop and smokiness that made the dish more complex. Not even assembled in a cute pile, just scattered little kernels on a plate got me out here picking them up one-by-one like a mere peasant dusting the sidewalk for nickels. yes, humble me chef. I had to apologize to the waitress who cleared my plate for how embarrassingly clean my plate was. - Thai mussels: A cliche of a mussel dish on every modern menu. I've had a lot of versions of this dish and this plate wowed me in that the mussels were simply cooked perfectly. the sauce was not thin, not too pulpy nor salty. The sauce actually penetrated the mussels. The mussels were fresh, and no empty shells, which is a low bar but so common to see these days. There might even be a couple straggling that i was able to fish from the bottom. Just a clean dish overall. The fries were the perfect accompaniment. The walls of the extra starchy and crispy fries grabbed alot of the sauce for dipping. So smart. - Beef cheeks: Perfect textures all around. It feels wrong to complain at this point but I wanted more unctuousness from the protein. The beef was actually a backdrop to the polenta and mushrooms. i wanted more fat, more melty gelatinous tendon bites. what it produced though was a perfect fancy gravy for the polenta - so creamy and perfectly seasoned. A leafy green here and there. The maitaki mushrooms were cooked perfectly, not greasy. I was really just scraping the plate for the polenta and grabbing a bite of beef cheeks as sauce. Not a bad way to live by any means. - Acai sorbet: I almost never order dessert at a restaurant. It tends to disspoint and overpriced but i have never trusted a chef so much with a full meal so of course i got TWO desserts. The acai was accompanied with raspberries and granola. Super fresh and light. The acai broke apart upon touch, didnt slide around eventhough it's on a plate, but the plate choice was nicely textured to grip the icy sorbet (WHY AM I THINKING ABOUT THEIR PLATE CHOICE??) Gronola was not clunky and added a (rice) crispiness rarely found in granola. Such great care and attention to detail. - Orange and Tarragon Creme Brulee: I looked at the creme brulee with distain. Why did we order a 2nd dessert when the acai sorbet was already perfect. Orange and tarragon sounds like they're trying to sound "complex" but rarely delivers on balance and impact. I cracked the torched sugar top and gave it a chance, knowing that i havent been dissapointed tonight yet... and CUE the hallelujah angels choirs. I looked my partner in the eye and audibly said "YUMMMM... TRY. THIS. NAOOO.". We switched from the acai to the creme brulee and never stopped until the sides were hallowed out and every crystal of torched sugar was scraped off the walls. The torched sugar top cracked with ease and stayed CRISPYYYY the whole time. The custard was smooth, thick but light, and packed with orange flavor that was fiercely tempered by the herbaceous tarragon. The one sliver of orange peel candy was not supposed to wow me with it's texture and left me wondering how they managed to get the cracker-like crackle without too much sugar and not leave it leathery?? What a way to end a meal. On my way home, I got a twinge of the orange peel left in my teeth and it instantly brought me back to the magic that was the Mission Bistro. and it was HOT. read more

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Cute quaint dinner spot in Carmel. I'd give it between a 3.5 - 4 stars, depending on what you order. Food: charcuterie board (jalapeño pepper jam was the best I've ever had), burrata appetizer & beet salad were excellent. Mussels were amazingly good. The steak frites & uni pasta were mediocre. Felt like it was missing something. Service: waitress was a little odd and unpleasant. She questioned some things we ordered and seemed judge mental. I would come back for the mussels! Everything else was good but for the price, could be better. read more

The hubby and I were walking around Carmel looking for a place for dinner. "What I'd really like is a bistro," said I. "Nothing too "cheffy" or pretentious. Just good, simple food." As if I had manifested it (lol), we came upon Mission Bistro. We sat at an outdoor table and shared the roasted beet salad and the burrata with toasted focaccia. The beets were farmers' market quality served with delicious orange segments on a bed of whipped feta. I loved the addition of toasted hazelnuts to the salad for added crunch and umami. The burrata was served surrounded by a nest of lightly dressed greens. Super yummy. We then shared the miso cod. The fish was nicely cooked. It had a delicious glaze and crispy skin. I enjoyed the soba noodles and greens on the plate. I've added a picture which doesn't really do it justice since I'd eaten half before I remembered to take a photo! Service was friendly and professional. The owner is welcoming and appreciative. read more

We tried some appetizers and drinks with the lunch special. Cocktails and bread were good, oysters were pretty small. The Caesar salad was kind of lackluster and didn't have much dressing but the steak sandwich and soup were good (tomato was better than seafood option). Interior was pretty and service was decent. The mussels in red curry which was recommended was good but nothing special. read more

Mission Bistro - 1/2 steak sandwich and salad lunch special - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Had a lovely time at Mission Bistro. The restaurant is clean and the workers are attentive. We came as a party of 4 to celebrate a birthday. The bread and butter that it is served with it is very good. We ordered more, not realizing it was not complimentary. Oops that's another $12. Though pricey for a bread basket, I would order again. The ceaser salad was a good size and very flavorful. It's even topped with fresh sardines. Probably the best one I had 10/10 I ordered the black cod and though it looked burnt, it was just blackened and extremely flaky and juicy. The noodles served with it was good. 8/10 Crab cakes-need more flavor. Would not order again 3/10 Steak frites- 8/10 the sauce used in the steak is yummy and the fries were cooked to perfection. Beef cheek-there is a LOT going on that plate. The beef was good, but I thought it was too many ingredients mixed together 5/10. The meal seemed heavy. The bday girl was treated to a slice of cheesecake. The cheesecake looked good, but, it was pretty dry. 3/10 All in all, I rate this 4 stars. read more

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We had such a wonderful experience at Mission Bistro in Carmel. The restaurant itself is relatively small, but that's part of what makes it so special -- it's very cozy, beautifully decorated, and has a really warm, welcoming ambiance that makes you want to sit, relax, and enjoy your meal. Every single dish we ordered was amazing -- you can really tell the kitchen is being led with care and creativity. A special thank you to the new Executive Chef, Jake Behnke. Even though the restaurant was very busy, he still took the time to come out and greet us, which made the evening feel extra special. That kind of hospitality really stands out and meant a lot to us. The wait staff was very friendly and welcoming. Because they were so busy, it did take a little while to get our drink and food order in, but the staff remained attentive and kind throughout the night, and the food was absolutely worth the wait. Overall, a great dining experience and we will definitely be back. Highly recommend! read more

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We typically reserve 5 stars for places that floor us; really knock it outta the park. This is just such a place. We dropped in for lunch, and were very glad we did. The restaurant is gorgeous, immaculately turned out and very inviting. The price was very fair, and the staff were quick, accurate, friendly and helpful. We had a pair of the Bistro Trios, and the plate could not have been made better. We each had the beef and vegetable soup and the Caesar salad, one with the chicken sandwich, and one with the prime rib. The food was exquisite, arrived quickly and was absolutely delicious. There was quite literally nothing on the plate that could have been done any better. If you are visiting Carmel, we urge you to go to the Mission Bistro. Really quite amazing. read more

Mission Bistro - Prime rib and Caesar salad. - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Pure class...the minute you walk in the door. Beautiful ambiance, great service with knowledgeable wait person. Delicious meals (2) and dessert. An overall quality experience. read more

The Ceasar salad was excellent but ask them to chop up the anchovies and mix them into the salad. The mussels in a Thai cream sauce were delicious. Also had the tomahawk Niman Ranch pork chop. Nothing to write home about. The Brussels sprouts were average - charred and sweet. Service was excellent and the ambience was great - nice, small and quiet. read more

Was trying to book a brunch place for outdoor dining and landed here from Google Maps. Oddly there was no brunch, and they seated five of us inside with our two dogs at a 4-person table, so it was very tight. However, Mission Bistro really made up for it with the food quality and service: Medium and medium well burgers cooked excellently, unique uni and shrimp pasta, birthday dessert of vanilla ice cream with granola that paired really well with the mango sorbet, flexibility in swapping fries to salad, servers trying to pass dishes around the dogs, etc. Even though it wasn't what we anticipated, can't say we didn't have a delicious meal. (Caution: Some online photos of the menus are very outdated.) read more

Mission Bistro - Vanilla ice cream and mango sorbet with granola bits - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

4.5 Stars A beautiful restaraunt with high quality fare nestled in downtown Carmel. Prices are on par with finer dining. The baby beet salad ($16) and Mussels ($22) as appetizers were wonderful. For entrees we had the black cod ($42) and beef cheek parpadelle ($43) - also delicious. The cod was wonderfully marinated and the beef cheek was fatty and fork-tender. The staff are very nice. Overall, a nice spot to grab dinner and I suspect lunch as well. 3.5% "eco surcharge" read more

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Came here to celebrate a special event and the staff at Mission Bistro did not disappoint! The food was absolutely delicious. Our party of 6 enjoyed their food. The Chef even came to check on how we enjoyed the food. Staff were super friendly and attentive. When we needed warm water to heat up our friend's baby bottle, staff brought them something immediately. Definitely will be returning and it will be a recommendation to others moving forward! read more

Mission Bistro - Steak Fritas - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Stop by for dinner on a Saturday night with reservations very nice restaurant a little loud but still has good chemistry excellent service and a very good small but very thoughtful menu. Had the miso black cod and the tomahawk pork chop both were excellent. Prices were kinda high and on top of that, they charge a 3.5% "eco/green fee", which I feel customers shouldn't be obligated to pay, therefore I subtracted that amount from the tip to compensate. read more

March 28 update: We were welcomed by the executive chef Jake on a busy Sunday night which was a nice touch . He returned after our meal to check in and sincerely asked about our thoughts as he sensed we felt comfortable enough to give some advice. Our server was friendly and attentive with several suggestions. Since we had 8 entrees, it took about 30 minutes before everything was plated and served, so we should have gone with the appetizers that were suggested by the server or the simple bread service which we chose last time (it was excellent ) since we were hungry. We loved our dishes: Kids cheeseburger and fries (add bacon): full size meal so I had half of it Shrimp pasta with uni butter sauce: our friends loved it and shared it Beef cheeks on polenta with mushrooms (only the black mushrooms were a tad too bitter for us so we found ourselves avoiding the few in the mix) Crispy Salmon with beets: perfectly cooked All was very good and we gave our feedback with some suggestions about the mushroom mix The owner himself came by and we had a great conversation with him as well. He sincerely wants to build a community gathering spot which also becomes a top choice for the out of town visitor as well. I think he has struck a nice balance. We ended with the crème brûlée and lemon tart for the table and it was excellent We love the farm to table approach and the personal touch. Reservations highly recommended. We parked in the street for free read more

Mission Bistro - Chef Jake and watercolor artist Avery Cadence showing off her painting of the restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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So we came into Carmel because it's my husband's birthday. First off, happy birthday to my husband. The best guy in the world. So as we're walking around Carmel, happened to see this restaurant and since it was getting to be after 3 o'clock, we decided he wanted to have lunch. And looking at the menu that was on the street, we realized that this was a dog friendly restaurant and the menu looked amazing. We certainly are glad we stopped. We both noticed the blackened cod over soba noodles. As soon as I saw that, I didn't need to need to look any further in the menu. Hubby tried to peruse the menu but he kept going back to the cod as well. Our bread service was absolutely yum . The temperature outside was lovely. The stars aligned and our lunch was just delicious. Service was top notch and we had a successful birthday lunch! read more

Mission Bistro - This is known as a delicious meal with no leftovers. - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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The steak frites were great, we got seated immediately, everyone was friendly and the service was fast. What more could you ask for? Very chill vibe. I lived it. I laughed it. I loved it. read more

Mission Bistro - Cool ambiance - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Excellent food, great service, wonderful host/executive chef/owner all visited our boys who were seated inside the restaurant because it was a chilly night. Miyagi oysters were super fresh and sweet. Black cod was like butter, very tender and great combination with cold buckwheat noodle salad, and pork tomahawk was sous vide'd and grilled to perfection. Even the chicken doggie bites were very tender and moist!! This is one of those places that yes we would try again for great food, but we would definitely go back because how they made us feel very welcome and super friendly to our dogs. read more

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Wonderful service and excellent food. The beef cheek was delicious and was very similar to osso buco, on a creamy tasty bed of polenta, with crisp and slightly tangy mustard greens. Perfect. My dinner companions loved their meals, as well. read more

This was a chance stop because we had a gift card from our hotel... It was an excellent choice. This is a super nice, cozy little spot nestled in downtown carmel... They have outdoor seating as well as space inside... I am a wheelchair user and always looking for a space to fit in especially at a table lol. They were extremely accommodating and happy to move things around for us. Mid-range price and 100% worth it... All their food is sooo good, and they have a good variety. I had a sandwich and fries... Cooked to perfection and the best crispy fries. We came both Asa cou0le and a family, and both atmospheres were appropriate and fun. We absolutely loved it and will definitely be back read more

Mission Bistro - Lunch special - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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My favorite restaurant in California. New chef is a superstar-he will be famous one day. The owner and his wife and the staff are simply world class, THE BEST!!!! read more

Mission Bistro - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

Nice spot for a quick bite or dinner. A day trip to Carmel and we decided to get some dishes to share for lunch. The staff were nice and attentive. We ordered the Thai curry mussels, parsnips soup and short ribs ravioli. I thought the mussels and raviolis were good; I didn't care for the parsnips soup because I prefer more flavorful hearty soups. read more

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Beautiful elegant decor, friendly service, delicious food. It's a dog friendly restaurant & they even have a dog menu. We enjoyed the black cod & the steak frites. Will definitely return to try more items on the menu the next time we're in town. read more

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Amazing food, customer service and ambiance! You won't be disappointed! Well worth it

We went to Mission Bistro for our anniversary with the kids. With two young kids eating out always makes me nervous as not every restaurant is accommodating but I'm happy to report that Mission Bistro has top notch service and welcoming to diners with kids. The food was incredible. I really enjoyed the trout and mussels in particular. The vegetables that accompanied the trout were unique as well (parsnips and fennel) and quite tasty. The kids portions were large and reasonably priced for Carmel at least. Overall, Mission Bistro was a great place to celebrate our anniversary. read more

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Food was fab, atmosphere is amazing, so relaxing, my wife and I feel like we are on the best vacation ever when we dine here, but the best thing: the staff are exceptional. We love this place. read more

The service and food was amazing. I had Oysters that were so fresh and dainty, I had to have two orders. The Salmon was cooked to perfection. My husband had crab cakes and plenty of mussels and French fries that were delicious. It was our 51st wedding Anniversary and enjoyed the evening with champagne from the restaurant..Thank you so much for a special evening. read more

We had an excellent dinner here. I had the Bouillabaisse. It was superb. Plenty of seafood and the broth was perfection. Especially when I dipped my bread in. Too many "yearling potatoes" though. My wife had the crab cakes and the mussels. Both were outstanding! Ambiance 5 Great vibe Service 4.7 Server could of been more engaged Food 5 Value 5 read more

So highly recommended ... came back for dinner again the next night! Overall a great experience (twice!) with high marks for delicious food, cozy ambience, and amazing service. Loved the prime rib special, the mussels, the beef cheeks. Fresh ingredients, wonderful flavors. The staff was wonderful from our hostess, wait staff and bus boy ... and from Chef himself (thank you Chef!) read more

I was expecting your typical dinner and wine restaurant, but was pleasantly impressed by the food and service. I enjoyed one of the best Cod dishes I've had in the long time. It's easy to write positive reviews for great places. BB read more

Mission Bistro - Papadelle - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Excellent all around! Great food and very kind staff. They were especially sweet and patient with our kids.

Fantastic experience - so much so we came back the next day! Here's what we had an why: - crab cakes - no celery! A flavorful, well balanced appetizer. Two pieces so you can split - the black cod. Ok I'm not a white fish person, but you have to try this! It's so buttery, and the noodles are cold with ginger which balances the rich and sweet flavors very well. If you even feel like a maybe, JUST DO IT - half bottle Laurent Perrier. It's true champagne, so even though it's a Brut, it slightly sweet. So smooth. - the orange caramel crème brûlée - perfectly balanced. Sweet and the orange balances that sweetness so well. Melts in the mouth, with bursts of flavor from the very thing layer of caramel on top. Jake the chef makes a point to ask every table for feedback; this doesn't just make it friendly, it makes it make sense that everything would be so well execut read more

The atmosphere is comfortable and welcoming as well as the attentive staff. The creative menu works well with the great wine selection. read more

My bf and I visited this restaurant for lunch and were very pleased with our experience. We ordered their calamari, crab cake, bouillabaisse, and steak frita and they were all delicious. The food was so good I forgot to take a picture of the steak . Appetizers: The calamari had a great crisp and wonderful sauces to pair with. I will be honest, the squid was slightly overcooked so it was a little chewy but nothing that was of too much concern. I've never had crab cakes before this experience but I thought these were delicious. It had a light crisp, was not fishy, and had a considerable amount of cram. Entrees: The bouillabaisse was a must try at this restaurant. The tomatoes saffron sauce was so rich. There was a generous portion of seafood and everything was cooked SOOO well. The steak was well cooked and tasted delicious. It came with a demi glaze that was sooo good. This restaurant not only had amazing food but very kind and knowledgeable workers. They always checked in on us and had our water glasses filled. The kitchen was a bit behind on orders so it took a bit of time to get our food but the waiters were very communicative and apologized for the wait. By the end of it we didn't mind because the food and service was so good. Come enjoy this beautiful and delicious restaurant next time you're in Carmel! read more

Came on a Monday afternoon at 1pm for lunch and it was pretty empty and as time passed it definitely got busier! The lunch menu was incredibly well priced and everything was great. We loved our server, she was super attentive and always checked on how we were doing. We started off with the calamari($16) and crab cakes($18). I thought the calamari was perfectly fried but the breading lacked flavor. It went well with the tartar sauce. The only thing I did not like was that there were certain pieces that were soggy and the texture was almost like slimey tofu. I would not get the calamari again. The crab cakes were amazing though. Perfectly creamy with real crab and a rich sauce to go with it. I love how the crab cake breading was perfectly crisped with panko. The crab cakes were well seasoned, not dry or fishy. Would definitely get again. Our mains came out after which was the short rib ravioli ($29) and mussels ($19). The mussels were super fat and the sauce was soooooo good. We had to ask for extra slices of break to soak it up. It was salty and umami with a hint of sour from the lime. The ravioli was also divine with a rich shallot sherry cream sauce with demi-glace which we also soaked up with the bread. I loved the texture of the short rib in the ravioli and it really tasted like hand made pasta. I had a great time eating lunch here and would definitely come back again to try their bistro burger. read more

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I give this place 4.5 stars. I came here on a Sunday evening in late December 2024 via car. Made reservations for this place a couple of nights beforehand and they sat me and my dog inside. The reason why this wasn't 5 stars for me was because their Heirloom Salad was just alright to me. I gave them more than just a 4-star because they had a menu for dog-friendly dishes and even brought a water bowl for my dog. So amazing - we felt so loved, seen, and welcomed! I got my dog the BurGerrr Patty, which was a regular burger except without any seasoning. It was $14 and my dog loved it. I have a really small dog so I was able to save the rest for another meal for him. Parking wasn't the easiest. I ended up paying, what ended up being, $15 in the lot across the street. Still cheaper than Ubering there with my dog though. They made me a mocktail that was kind of sweet and kind of like ginger ale - loved it. Only $5! The dish that really earned them the 4.5-star from me was their Black Cod. The fish was beautifully cooked and caramelized. The miso sauce was sweet and savory - absolute perfection in my book. The sauce got on the cold soba noodles and made it even more delicious - didn't know that was possible. Staff was super friendly and helpful. Definitely worth a try if you want to bring your dog with you or if you're nearby. Highly recommend! read more

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LOVE!! Really ~ the food was so good!! Homemade pasta, great menu choices, fresh ingredients, obviously the chef really cares. Plus it's really cute inside. A very enjoyable space. And impeccable service!! We went when it was slow, and I've sometimes found when it's slower, like between lunch & dinner, that you can get worse service. Not here. Our server took care of us like it was a Michelin Star restaurant!! And he really knew the menu, helped us with recommendations. A true professional!! This place is a must go!! read more

Thanks guys! Tasty beautiful food , cool music , nice vibe! Everyone Friendly :))) I feel in love with this place , lunch everything tasty , we like to comeback taste dinner , see you soon :))thanks read more

Mission Bistro - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

My husband made reservations here for my birthday dinner. We were staying in Carmel Valley for a mini getaway for my birthday along with our 3 yr old toddler. We picked here because they had a kids menu but tbh it was not that children friendly. No high chairs and coffee cup with water was given to my kiddo. I understand its a "nicer" establishment but then don't offer a kids menu. We ordered the Cesar salad to share, chicken tenders + fries for the toddler, and two fish dishes for the two of us. The salad came out along with the chicken tenders + fries. The salad was good and the fries were delicious. Then we proceeded to wait over 20 minutes for our main course. No one checked on us and even though we arrived before everyone else - everyone else got their food. Our entrees were good but by this point the entire evening was soured by the lack of service and how long it took our food took. read more

Lovely outdoor seating with heat lamps. Friendly waitstaff and nice wine selection of various price points. Fresh delicious food- had the truffle pasta and mussels which were plentiful and in a delicious red Thai sauce. Was my birthday dinner- a bit bummed that they wished me a happy birthday multiple times but brought no comp'd dessert but I won't hold that against them! Had a lovely evening. read more

Mission Bistro - Appetizer mussels as dinner entree - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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Had a really enjoyable lunch. The space is nice, the servers were lovely, and there was no wait for lunch on Saturday. The food is pretty good, but the portion sizes are a bit small (an entree doesn't totally fill you up; starters are needed). The mussels were fresh - the curry sauce was just too sweet. The burger was solid and overall was my favorite. The steak was slightly tough, but the fries were good. read more

Mission Bistro - Steak frites - Seafood Near Me - Carmel-by-the-Sea, California

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