Okay my wife and I decided to eat here because of the great view of Big Sur. Big disappointment. We couldn't see anything. If your going to go for the views, head there before it gets dark. Also the steaks and meals were very overpriced compared to some better tasting restaurants we enjoyed in the area. Great customer service. If they lowered prices, I would give better rating. read more

My wife and I are local residents and decided to try something different, from our usual dining venues. We naively assumed that this restaurant, - as it is a part of the Highlands Inn - would deliver first rate quality across the board. We couldn't have been more wrong. For over $40.00 we got a breakfast that consisted of a burned, bland-as-wall-paper-paste panini sandwich, that looked like it had been cooked with a blow torch, and then left on an extra wash cycle and shrunk to half normal size. I ordered the breakfast hash, which was cold and not much better in taste. But, to really add insult to injury, the waiter treated us as if we were ruining his morning - despite the fact that we went out of our way to be polite and not utter as much as a single word about our experience. Lessee......Food's cold. Taste is blah. The waitstaff treated us like indentured servants.........And then, (drum roll) they lay a ridiculius bill on us. Hmmmmm......They must be suffering from that disorder known as " you're locals, so you can be taken for granted-itis" Just to be polite, I tipped 20% for the benefit of doubt, figuring this schmuck had to sleep in the garage the night before - and also because I'm 100% sure I'll never go there again. The only saving graces of this place, were the view of yankee point, and more importantly, an older African-American gentleman that worked on the staff and showed us to the parking and restaurant when we first arrived. Other than that, I'd highly recommend you steer clear of this place, and if you want a more pleasant breakfast experience, go to McDeees, order some egg Mcmuffins and park next to the ocean. At least you'll get your money's worth. read more

Wonderful service. Great view. Amazing food. Hands down couldn't have asked for more.

I just cannot rave enough about the view and ambience at this grill. We have been going to this restaurant for 20 years and still appreciate every wonderful experience. The food is consistently good grill fare...burgers, Cobb salads, seared salmon on local mixed greens, clam chowder, large sandwiches, California wines, etc. Foodies will scoff at the basic menu, however, to sit out on the deck that looks down on a secluded cove South of Carmel and be lucky enough to see the whale's spouting during their migration in the distance, is so zen. Please expect good/kinda pricey grill-type food (my salmon on local greens entree was $25), but know you are paying for the most gorgeous scenery in the US. read more

My fiance and I dined at Pacific's Edge last night to celebrate her new job, and it was a fantastic experience all the way around. Neither one of us had ever dined there before, and although we did read some of the reviews (good and bad) here on Yelp, we both went with open minds. Going on somewhat the spur of the moment, we weren't able to get a reservation for sunset to take advantage of the amazing views that the restaurant is known for. Even so, we were greeted warmly at the reception desk, and led to a window table. The staff, from the moment that we were greeted, till the time that we signed the check, was attentive, but not smothering. Everything flowed smoothly, and we never really had to wait for anything. Our drink order was taken, and in a matter of a couple of minutes, our bottle of Pinot Noir was at our table. My fiance had the Wild Mushroom Ravioli, and it was a delicious dish. My Yellowfin Tuna was cooked to perfection, and in all honesty, was the best that I have ever tasted. The portions were good, we even saved room for a slice of the Chevre Cheesecake, which arrived at out table adorned with a small chocolate "Congratulations" square on top, recognizing my fiances achievement. A very nice touch. Let's get one thing straight, this is not an inexpensive restaurant, by any stretch of the imagination. I have never minded paying top dollar for a meal, and that includes the entire restaurant experience, from beginning to end. Pacific's Edge served what we both considered was a world class meal, and delivered it with the service to back it up. Will we be return customers? Oh yes, and we'll be there to enjoy the view next time! read more

Was in the area...and thank goodness my phone map...showed this was the closest restaurant. This place is nestled in a hotel..i believe. We had brunch here.... The View was great....just came from cabo a month ago...felt like I was on vacation again! Wife had crab cake sandwich..and was fresh and phenomenal! I had Fish Tacos..biggest chunks of fishes ever on tacos..and it was great as well (proly a bit more lime and cilantro) Kids enjoyed their chicken nuggets...well made as well. Overall...i look forward to going back here next time...maybe to stay overnight at the hotel as well! read more

Unfortunately the hostess probably will ruin any experience that you may have here. She is rude and has an attitude as big as the view. I would recommend you stay in Carmel where the service is more friendly and your overall experience will be better. read more

First, the bit about disallowing tennis shoes and jeans is bogus (perhaps because the more casual restaurant there is temporarily closed). Hard to find, 3 miles out of town; no parking except valet (boo!). Duck was quite good; cioppino had a wonderful variety of seafood, Ceviche had no shrimp (?). Would've had a nice view (ocean) if it had been daylight, or darker inside. Loud, but we found a quiet corner. Pricey, although the duck & cioppino were more reasonably priced. Portions large, bread mediocre read more

This restaurant (also called California Market) is in the Hyatt Carmel Highlands Hotel. We always have lunch there when in Carmel. The food is excellent and service very attentive. On our visit last week my husband had the burger and I had the Dungeness crab and lobster roll. Both were delicious, and the roll had a very generous helping of the seafood. The view from the outdoor deck overlooks the spectacular coast and is absolutely beautiful. Since our last visit the restaurant has moved up a floor and is enclosed by a glass barrier, so the view is unobstructed. There are also heaters installed for chilly days. We will definitely continue eating there on every visit to Carmel. read more

A great place to dine outside and enjoy the view of Big Sur and the coast!

Its a very romantic restaurant. The service and food is top notch. The restaurant is so fancy, even the waiters have business cards. If you go there, get a table near the window, the view is fantastic. The lobster bisque soup was great for appetizers. read more

My boyfriend and I had a beautiful dinner at Pacific's Edge on 4th of July. We had a wonderful view of the sunset. The service was excellent. The food was to die for!! I had the fillet and he had the bone in rib-eye. For dessert we had the Highland's Inn kit kat bar...OMG! Yum! The Sommelier was like a "wine ninja". He never left our glasses empty. Love this place. read more

Pacific's Edge Restaurant - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Carmel, California

I'm from the area and finally visited this renowned location this weekend. What a delight! It is pricey- but you are paying for the view and the "culinary experience." The food is excellent. Great wine list (however marked up more than the norm) We sat next to the window-ladies..bring a coat or sweater- its a chilly spot but the view makes up for it! Alternate idea- you can sit in the bar area (which has a view as well) and just order a cocktail or dessert! Service was great too! Highly recommend! One of the best spots to eat on the Monterey pennisula. read more

Very disappointed to have come back after a year and to see such a previously terrific restaurant deteriorate, particularly disappointed as a property residence owner and someone who regularly visits the wonderful Highlands. While the food was OK, the service and lack of hospitality were well below our expectations. Found the entire staff to be arrogant and un-attentative, additionally both my wife and I were served our main course well ahead of our two friends, rendering the dining experience awkward.Luis S. read more

This review applies to our Thanksgiving dinner, the past thursday. Price was fixed at $90 per person so you would expect a quality diner. There were 4 of us, 3 in my family ordered Prime Rib, and all 3 had to be sent back as they were too tough, full of gristle and not what you would expect for a $90 dinner. Then we got charged extra for coffee which should have been included in the fixed price I would have thought. Everything else was fine - just left a bad taste in our mouth. And to top it off, they didn't allow "corkage" that day if you brought your own wine and we had not been told that in advance. I filled out a comment card re these issues and never heard back from anyone. Everything else, and all other meals were fine - I just wanted to comment on the Thanksgiving dinner, since this was our 2nd year there for Thanksgiving as we own a timeshare over that week. Next year, we will have Thanksgiving dinner elsewhere. read more

The restaurant's view is great and we were lucky it was a beautiful evening. I had the Tuna tartare and it wasn't great. My husband had the beet salad and the portion was tiny and the taste was just OK. For main course I had the Scallops and it was good. My husband had the short rib and he didn't like it at all. We had a Crème Brule for dessert and it was cold, like it was in refrigerator for couple of hours. The last surprise was the restroom; it reminds me the cheap restaurant's restrooms, not Hyatt's restrooms. When you go to expensive restaurants you expect a great food. This restaurant was a disappointment. I cannot recommend this place. read more

I was concerned by some of the mediocre reviews of the food here, but my visit turned out to be superb. A 6 p.m. reservation ensured one of those coveted tables along the wall of glass for sunset viewing. The view was AMAZING!! We ordered the butternut squash soup, short rib, bone-in rib chop, and a side of fingerling potatoes, and the peanut butter caramel bar for dessert. Everything tasted really fresh and delicious. The short rib was really tender and well-complemented by the risotto, mushrooms and vegetables. The bone-in rib chop was cooked to perfection. My only gripe is that portions here are small and things are pricey. But, it's worth it for at least one visit. read more

Pacific's Edge Restaurant - Seafood Near Me - Carmel, California

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Okay, so you won't see me writing a lot of restaurant reviews because I don't eat out a lot, even when I travel. BUT, I have to say that this place is worthy of a review. I have a lot of dietary restrictions, and they were awesome about catering to my diet. The food was amazing. If you can, get a reservation on the 2nd level, first row facing the water. Everyone always wants to sit at the lowest level, but if you sit on the upper level, the view is better and you have a bit more privacy. If you go at sunset, you can usually see the moon and the stars through the large skylight at the same time as you watch the sunset through the floor to ceiling windows. Such a nice place to go for a nice dinner or special event. Make sure you make reservations well in advance though, because they are really busy. read more

The Pacific's Edge Restaurant is as near perfect is it gets. This is a kind of place you go to for a special event. Excellent food and the perfect ocean view. They offer a five or six course meal which makes it the perfect two hour even. Must be topped off with a bit of their house made ice cream read more

Great service with a gorgeous view of the pacific coast. The food was very good. I had the omelette which was a three egg omelette with any three fillings. It was a large amount of food which is great for a big breakfast before taking out for the day. My wife enjoyed the eggs Benedict which she says were the best that she has had in many years. Great place to eat and view the Pacific Ocean. read more

Mediocre food at an astronomical price. Severely over rated. Come here for cocktails and a view but pass on dinner.

In reference to comments made by Meg K ..... My family and I have been frequent guest at the Cal Market at The Highlands Inn, Carmel, Ca. I was enjoying a great meal and normal fantastic service by the same waiter Meg K discussed in her comments, and for the record, I watched her rude interaction with the staff that day. I am the first person to make comments, good or poor; however; in this case...Meg K was apparently having a bad day, and her report is not fair. I'm certain, that every restaurant has up and downs, there must be comments made for poor service and a mediocre meal, but one should gauge their comments carefully, and more importantly be fair. The Highlands Inn staff prides themselves on great service and wonderful surroundings; for the record, I am a frequent guest at Hyatt's throughout the USA; I am not an employee or have a personal relationship with any staff member. Regards John P read more

We discovered recently this extraordinary restaurant with an amazing view on the Pacific. It's breathtaking ! The food is exquisite, (the scallops and the sea bass were so good !) the people taking care of us were really very kind and smiling ! We specially appreciated DIANA the greeter, she is incredibly smiling and charming ! We also were very well treated by FREDERIC a french maitre d'hôtel who really was fantastic all along the dinner. This restaurant is a MUST if you want to self-indulge yourselves ! read more

California Market was always a highlight of a visit, it was then moved to the "new deck" which has a beautiful view but really lacks the character of the previous deck. Today arriving early prior to check in to have a late lunch we were very disappointed. No crab cake or halibut sandwiches, which have always been a stable at the restaurant. We were told no halibut available and "that the crab cake mixture was not prepared today". In past years you could always get about anything you requested. Service is always great, wish management could get the menu on the right track. Hopefully the new chef will prepare food that compliments the area. Another disappointment the Gift Store has abruptly closed. Not only did it have souvenir items but carried limited small grocery items. read more

Celebrated a birthday with dinner at the Pacific's Edge....overlooking the ocean. We usually visit in the morning and sit on the terrace for breakfast overlooking the ocean, but wanted to return to try the dining room. It was a bit pricey, but worth every penny. Our waiter, Frederic was extraordinarily knowledgeable about wine selection and we loved the wine he helped us choose. Our meals were fabulous...I had duck and my husband had the steak. Every aspect of our meal was superb and we will definitely be back. read more

Located in the newly renovated Hyatt Carmel Highlands, California Market at Pacific's Edge boasts astounding views and a fantastic menu. However, the star of this restaurant may just be the staff and service! Our visit began at the bar where we were greeted by bartender, Reynaldo. He poured us a couple of fantastic Tito's Vodka Martinis with blue cheese stuffed olives. Perfection. Reynaldo was quick to tell us about the history of the restaurant and bar and to detail the upgrades with the new décor. He, like many others we met on the property, has been working at the hotel for years. You can tell he really enjoys his job and interacting with his customers. He introduced us to the restaurant's hostess, Diana, who was vibrant, warm, and engaging. What a fantastic way to begin our dining experience! She escorted us to a corner window table with a stunning view of the Big Sur coast. Wow. She pointed out her favorites on the menu and introduced us to our server, David who was quick to take our drink order and answer any questions. The menu was extensive, offering a wide range of dishes with locally procured seafood and produce. For starters, we chose the Ceviche and Octopus. The ceviche was made with black tiger shrimp, avocado, cilantro oil, and an Ecuadorian sauce. It was a large portion accompanied by taro and beet chips (the menu said organic tortilla chips which would have been better). It was fresh, bright, and absolutely delicious. A perfect complement to the Octopus appetizer which was accompanied by local heirloom baby potatoes and Kalamata olive aioli. This dish was outstanding. Full of flavor and the consistency of foie gras! Buttery and perfectly seasoned. David told us the secret was a four-hour poach in olive oil before being charred on the grill. You could tell a lot of work went into this dish. For our mains, we opted for the Scallops and the Chilean Sea Bass. The scallops were perfectly seared and accompanied by heirloom cauliflower in a light romesco sauce. The surprise was in the pickled mustard seed relish topping the scallops. Something we've not seen before that really made the dish memorable! The sea bass was also fantastic. A generous filet with a roasted corn relish in a coconut cream sauce with micro tomatoes. Wonderful. Overall a beautiful evening with exceptional food and service. Even the gentlemen busing our table, Daisuke, was warm and attentive. Thanks to all. read more

What a view ... show up just before sunset for the best show in town. Great bar, good food, outstanding wine selection, about $50 meal with a drink... not bad! read more

Great place for lunch with a great view (binoculars provided on each outside table). The halibut sandwich was great and Hawiian butterfish special was just awesome. Service was also excellent. We'll be back when we are in the area. read more

Stopped here on our way down to Big Sur. Had an amazing experience with multiple sightings of whales breaching! Absolutely stunning views of the pacific ocean. Bring sunglasses -- it is very bright on a sunny day. Service was a little fuddy-duddy. Our waiter did not smile at all until he brought us the check, which was a bit off-putting. Food was pretty good -- oysters a little small, but tasty. Fish was carefully prepared and well presented. Sure, it is expensive, but the view alone is worth the mark up on otherwise decent fare. Seems like a place that locals come for special occasions -- lots of 50th plus anniversary parties were taking place. Good place to stop if you want to avoid the crowds of Carmel on your way down south while still enjoying the beautiful surroundings. read more

Excellent service and food. Wonderful atmosphere and view of the Pacific. Scallops where wonderful the best ever do not mid them.

I'm a frequent business traveller who upon returning from a 10 day tour wanted to take my wife somewhere nice and special for her birthday. We are local, but this was our first trip to PE, and were amazed by the cuisine, the facility - and the incredible view. However the service was extremely sub-par. Not even Chili's or Applebee's level. This is tragic, as many of us who frequent restaurants around the country know what passes - and doesn't for service. Ten-plus minutes in between even seeing our server is not even close to the mark this restaurant should offer. Our initial wait for introduction and an offer for water (nothing else) was 15 minutes coming. (I start timing after about 5 minutes) This gentleman was "holding down" only 3 other tables! He kept disappearing, re-appearing with our last request 10 minutes later without asking for what's "next" - and then disappeared again. The bar was within sight and I considered just getting up and retrieving them myself - but deferred to my wife's more patient approach. Eventually she thanked me for being patient - but agreed this was extremely poor service. She was a server at the Ritz-Carlton in SoCal many years ago...and knows what the expected service level is in a fine dining establishment... Please go check it out - but keep the server on a short leash. Hopefully, the server we had will be working elsewhere. PE is clearly out of his league. read more

The view is remarkable! Don't forget to ask a table outside or by the window so you can watch the rocky ocean. Most of the dishes are pricy, however I had a 9 dolars soup, which was really unique and tasty! Besides that, the staff treated me nicely :) read more

Below mediocre meal which included seafood stew which was SUPPOSED to contain halibut, mussels,salmon and scallops actually had mainly salmon with the skin! One scallop and no halibut. The waiter, Manuel, was clearly unhappy with his job and offered below standard customer service. DO NOT RECOMMEND!! read more

We ate here last time we stayed at Highlands Inn, breakfast or lunch, and weren't that impressed. I can't remember why. This morning we had a timeshare presentation (the price of admission) at 11:30 and decided to have breakfast here rather than drive into Carmel Valley or someplace. We were so glad we did! It was much better than we remembered. Alan ordered Eggs Benedict w/ the addition of crab and spinach. The bite I had was totally yummy. I ordered Poached Eggs in a Pot, an equally delicious, but less rich melange of two poached eggs w/ asparagus, spinach, ham and stewed tomatoes. It came w/ a choice of bread. The asparagus, spinach and ham were diced, so beyond cutting up the poached eggs, there was little cutting to do. We sat inside as it was chilly but our table by the window gave us an iconic view of the coast. It was beyond beautiful. We may go back for breakfast tomorrow. read more

This restaurant was good - prior to Hyatt ownership. Now it is just a view restaurant. So many people complain about this restaurant that it is a standing joke in the Carmel area. For example, the Ceasar salad is nothing more than one you'd get at Denny's with an anchovy that is not dried. The entrees are small portions of poorly cooked seafood or meat: the salmon was overcooked, the tuna crusted to the point of inedibility and the food was much too salted. Silverware and glasses looked old and unwashed. I could even see other guests' glasses having stains and dirt through the sunlight as they held them up to drink. What a shame that the prices are commensurate with a fine restaurant when the food is on a par with a hole in the wall restaurant. Consider eating at a restaurant in Carmel such as Andre's Bouchee if you want to spend serious money. If I could give no stars I would. read more

Made a reservation on New Year's Day for brunch and was surprised to find out they were serving lunch only, no brunch. Odd but ok. We knew something else was up when we didn't see a server for 10 minutes after being seated. We wound up placing our order with the manager, but our food didn't show up for another 45 minutes. I ordered a shrimp and crab roll (it was delivered to me as lobster) with a cup of clam chowder which was very good. My wife ordered the pork belly BLT, which was a thick stab of fatty ham, we were both disappointed. The restaurant stopped serving the amazing sport tea iced tea and replaced it with very pedestrian plain iced tea that every greasy spoon in the world serves. We've been coming here for over 20 years and the quality of food has dropped considerably. read more

We used to live in area and Pacific's Edge WAS the place to have a fine meal, always pricey but always excellent. We dined with family a few days ago and can only say is mediocre food and more expensive than before. We were told that the only reservations were 6pm or 8:30. We took 6 and only 1/4 of restaurant was filled...thought that was odd. We all ordered a steak of some kind. I had the short rib and it was like roast and over salted. All the steaks were overcooked. The abalone appetizer ($32) had two small abalone with two tiny potatoes..ridiculous! Started talking with my Monterey friends and they won't even dine there anymore! The take over by Hyatt seems to be the time things started going down. It is such a shame to have this beautiful location and average, pricey food. We will be back to the area in another year or so but won't go here unless we find out there's been a big change. I don't know if the Hyatt has too much control over the kitchen or the GM and Chef need replacing. These bad reviews have been going on for sometime now. I didn't bother looking at yelp (like I normally do) because I knew how wonderful the food USED to be. Hope this place can get its food back to the quality it was before. read more

I really liked this place. Granted, we ate here on my birthday but setting that aside, the food was very good and the water views from the restaurant are dramatic . we had the calamari which was crispy and tasty and came with a tasty aiolli. I then had the hamburger which had a very tasty char broiled flavor it came with some salad and french fries and a pickle and ketchup and aioli on the side. It was really delicious. Now I'm not saying that the food ranks with the top foodie restaurants out there. However, it was pretty good and the beautiful Setting of the restaurant with the dramatic water views made it a very special meal. I recommend it for a special occasion or if you just want a special moment on your trip. Prices were not even that outrageous. read more

This restaurant robs people of their money, although most people might mistakingly think that the miniscule sized portions correlate to good quality and taste.. DO NOT BE DECEIVED! My mom straight up ate a flower as one course of her 4-5 course dinner, I mean come on, if she wanted to eat a flower she would join my beagle in our backyard. read more

Hadn't been there for a while so recently stopped for lunch. Past experiences had been good. Was very disappointed and won't be back. We were seated and after 15 minutes of being ignored approached the manager (the place was not in any way busy). Told him we would like service. He apologized and claimed he had told someone to wait on us. Ten more minutes passed, and just as we were getting ready to leave, our waiter came. I ordered the BLT. Last time I had it it was very good. Not so today. Fries were lukewarm and the pork belly was fatty with very little meat. Certainly not inexpensive and not worth the price in my opinion. read more