Nicolas Cocina de Herencia

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best Meal & Drinks in the USA! We’re on a massive 30-day road trip from Vegas to LA to San Francisco—planned three months in advance from Pittsburgh, PA—and Nicolas Cocina de Herencia was *the* number one dining experience of the whole journey. Poula, was hands-down the best server we've ever had. She explained everything beautifully and helped us choose cocktails with unique ingredients we’d never heard of. She even walked us through the hibiscus process behind one of the drinks—super cool. The staff was warm, sweet, and attentive. When they saw me taking a photo of the kitchen, they invited me to peek inside and I got to watch them make tortillas from scratch. So impressive. I had the halibut with mole (phenomenal), and my girlfriend had a fire-roasted poblano pepper stuffed with the best Dungeness crab in California. The cocktails? Absolutely top-tier. I had several mezcal-based drinks that blew me away. Next time I’ll be trying the wine! Huge thanks for an unforgettable evening. I wouldn’t be surprised to see you with a Michelin star in the near future. Cheers, Adam & Kaley

Not sure how to write this up. I had higher hopes but left ultimately disappointed. The guacamole was fairly standard if not slightly bland. House made chips were good though. Wife had enchiladas which were nothing very special or worth the price tag over a run of the mill Mexican restaurant. Which brings me to the roasted pork shank, Cochinita Pibil. This is usually my go to dish and upon presentation the pork in its chili and spice sauce looked amazing. You could tell the pork was about to fall apart looking at it. But then the salt. Not just slightly salty, but salted to the point of being inedible. The rice, beans and house made corn tortillas were all fantastic but also not enough to make up for a $50 inedible pork shank. Carmel is filled with better options. I can’t speak to the rest of the menu. The atmosphere is fantastic and the service top notch. But not likely a repeat experience for us.

Our experience here was a bit mixed. The salsas were great, the fundido was good too. But our service was slow and our table was quite ignored through dinner, food was delayed. Our dessert had 2 missing components and we were still charged for it, despite informing our server. Would come here for a snack & a drink, but wouldn’t come back for dinner.

This is hands down one of the best places to eat in Carmel ! The food was delicious and the staff were super friendly. The mole blanco and chicken enchiladas were too good. We also loved the esquites and salsa trio. We would highly recommend this place. It’s also stroller friendly.

Unbelievably delicious Mexican food here. The cochinita pibil was incredible. If you don’t know what it is, just order it. Pork heaven. Also, special thank you to our incredible server Paula. She was so kind, attentive, and you could tell she was passionate and took great pride in ensuring we had a wonderful meal. She was so kind in explaining things and answering our questions. And those salsas!!! 🤤

Very delicious! The birria queso fundido was so good and flavorful! The chicken enchiladas were good too. The guava Paloma was delicious!

The food is simply another level of wonderful. Definitely the best Mexican restaurant I've ever eaten at in my life. This place is a gem. The lobster taco was loaded with lobster and the crab Relleno was superb.

Talk about absolutely amazing. Honestly the best restaurant I’ve been to in Carmel. The ambiance, attention to detail, and quality of plates/dish-ware set the scene for an amazing dinner. The owner introduced himself and explained that the chef was his wife. Everyone’s food was so flavorful and perfectly cooked. Loved the molcajete. I would recommend this place to anyone visiting Carmel.

- Spacious, modern ambiance - Excellent attentive service - Delicious creative food all served with rice and beans and homemade tortillas - we had 3 entrees and an appetizer total $120

The service is always top tier. We had a large party, we were greeted and offered water immediately. I personally loved my plate. A member of our party lives a vegan lifestyle and stated "this is the best vegan birria" Overall our experience was excellent, the only downside is that the food is not spicy (you have to ask for salsa)

I came here whne I was visiting family a day or two after Chistmas. I was excited since my aunt had visited for diner a few months before and she recommended it. Unfortunately, our experience was far from exceptional. My aunt actually ended up going to the owner's son at the end of the night to tell him about the terrible service we received. I can appreciate that they had avaialble walk-ins on a busy night, however we stayed in the restaurant around 2.5 hours because we were overlooked by the server who was busy taking care of a large party and a few other guest who showed up and order their food after us. The food was far from what I would consider traditional Mexican food. The guacamole was not even salted, it was just avocado that had been mashed and placed in a tiny molcajete dish. The salsas were clearly to cater to a caucatian clientele as they were not even mildly spicy. They did have a lot of flavor, but if what you're looking for is hear, you will not find it here. My husband ordered some sorf of dish with raw shimp in a super sour black juice that made the food extremely unappealing. I order fish over mole and I have to say that the only think that had flavor was the "mole-like" sauce that the fish was served on. I didn't really eat the side of rice it came with, but I tried it and it was decent. The tortillas we ok, but I was not particularly impresed by them. The cocktails we had were nicely balaced, except for the second margarita my aunt order that was so salty that she couln't drink it. We never order dessert, but my aunt insited they had a great pinole ice cream. They gave us valinilla ice cream over vanilla crakers instead of what we asked. We then had to wait another 30 minutes for someone to notice us and to bring the correct dessert. Once the pinole ice cream arrived, I was have to say it was not worth the wait. For such an expensive and fancy-looking restaurant I was expecting far superior food and service. I have to say that I have had significantly better Mexican food at El Charrito in Monterey and taco trucks in SF. Sadly, it is unlikely we'll be going back.

We decided to try this restaurant based on the extremely positive reviews, but our experience wasn't what we were anticipating for the price. Upon seeing the heightened prices of the entrees, we decided to split an appetizer and one meal. The taquito starter ($15) was comedically small but decent. The entree, lamb chile relleno ($40) was disappointing and lacked flavor. We also were not impressed with the service. The waiter took plates we were still eating from without asking, and was just not super friendly to begin with. For the reviews and the prices on the menu, we expected a much tastier and more pleasant experience. The ambiance was okay but we disliked the bright lamp on our table. We turned it off halfway through our meal and the waiter turned it back on without saying a word.

Service and ambience is top notch. The employees consistently made their way through the restaurant checking on us and the other customers. The food was delicious. We ordered the birria taquitos, shrimp enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, and the mulcajete that came with shrimp and rib eye steak. The shrimp enchiladas were spicy. A bit too spicy for my wife but they were still very delicious. The sauce was tangy. The chicken enchiladas came with a less spicier creamy tomatillo sauce. Stuffed with shredded chicken. Yummy. The hand made corn tortillas were wonderful. This place got packed as soon as they opened. If you don't have a reservation, you should arrive at 5:00p when they start their dinner service. I recommend giving this place a try.

Ambiance was beautiful! Enjoyed all of the food we ordered and the service was fantastic. Highly recommend for a date night.

Beautiful, Elevated And... Noteworthy I find myself seated in this stunning space. Everything has been considered. Every dish and basket. Mexican fine dining is what you can expect. It's worth every dime! We've ordered the chips and trio dip. The chips are thin. The salsas are delicious, ranging from spicy, tart to smoky. For dinner we are sharing the Crab Relleno. It is stuffed with crab in a slightly spicy sauce sitting in a luxurious corn purée. It is unctuous in the most perfect way. I suggest you put a bit of everything on your fork for the perfect bite. Next we have the Pork Pibil. This dish is all the good things!! Pork with a smoky pepper sauce, two additional sauces are served with this plate. Loaded a bit of everything into the fresh supple tortillas. Divine. In addition to these wonderful dishes there is rice and beans. The beans are like grandma makes. Delicious. What a wonderful find!!! Will return soon!

Maravilla! This restaurant is by far one the best dining experiences in Carmel. From the food, service and decor, all of them hit top marks. It is refreshing to see the service in carmel be filled with kind staff that know how to treat their guests, not just the servers but the buss boys and floor staff were so attentive. The food was delicious, elevated Mexican food, the best I've had in a long, long time. Drinks were great and inventive! Truly, a wonderful experience. Just note, get reservations if coming from far, they get booked fast and don't take walkins often. We are excited to return for more.

Wonderful restaurant located in the Carmel plaza. The indoor ambiance is very chic and intimate setting- dimly lit but upbeat. The food was definitely elevated with flavors. We had the potato spheres, esquites, rib eye, and flan for dessert. All of the dishes were wonderful! My only complaint was the potatoes could have been sent out at a warmer temperature. Staff worked great in delivering items to tables and making sure we had water but overall our server just wasn't the warmest individual. Would definitely come back again!

The ambiance here is everything! Perfect place for a date night or girls night. The staff is very friendly as well. To eat we started with the potato spheres which came with a savory sauce, making it a yummy appetizer. My bf ordered the aguachile and I ordered the axiote mole. Both plates were delicious. Forgot the drink names but they were just as good as the food (-:

Yummy food. Server messed up with a few things like when we requested no onions but made up for it. Mushroom birria was a good veggie option but did not like the squash. Place was super pretty overall and good spot for a bday celebration.

The menu is simply beautiful. Handmade corn tortillas - incredible. Rice, simply flavorful! Wet Burrito...per husband - delicious. My relleno, prepared perfectly snd best frijoles I think I have ever had. Service was excellent. Bartender on point!

I really wanted to love this place - and don't get me wrong, there's potential. But, if you're charging an arm and leg, I expect flawless execution and my tastebuds want to sing. Read on, and guys - pls take my experience as an opportunity to revamp and improve. The dish were the home made tortillas. Without them, this would likely be a 2 star review. (The potato appi and queso fondido were good too) Mains: Fajitas: they must have been sitting out in the cold for 20 minutes bc they surely weren't sizzling when we got em! The shrimp and steak were both cold too. Big disappointment for 40$! (This dish would have been delicious otherwise, so easy fix!!) Chicken enchiladas: sauce was delish but the chicken was little dry inside albeit nicely packed. I think with a little staff retraining and perhaps equipping your floor with more staff would be a good solution to ensure each quadrant of room has enough focus and attention to serve its guests.

The real MVPs of yelp? Those who post menu pics and food pics with captions and prices! Because Nicolás Cocina de Herencia has no website and they don't post their menu on IG. Wild considering it's 2024 and this is a newish trendy resto. Maybe to prevent peeps from having a stroke when you see the prices? Carmel will break your wallet so I rather be prepared - thank you to those who posted menu pics on yelp. Opening in November 2023, Nicolás Cocina de Herencia is from the owners of Villa Azteca (Salinas). They took over Sur La Table in Carmel Plaza. They're open for takeout, indoor dining, and dog-friendly outdoor dining. We arrived early for our Saturday night rezzies and was promptly seated. I checked several hours before and there were plenty of timeslots available on OpenTable for the same night in case you're looking for a last-minute spot. M E N U Modern Mexican Cuisine with dishes from the Michoacán, Oaxaca, and Yucatán regions. Steep pricing and crazy mark up for liquor. We went to Esteban's the night before (hotel resto) - Esteban's charge $13 for a shot of Don Julio Blanco, while Nicolás Cocina de Herencia charges $23. For one shared app, two entrees, one cocktail, and two sodas, it was $208 (after tip). *** Culinary Week Deals: 5/31/24 - 6/8/24 *** $5 Margarita (one per person w/ purchase of regular priced menu item) & Free Chips + Salsa (one per table w/ purchase of an entree) D R I N K * Casamigos Blanco w/ club soda ($20) Standard, gotta pre-game with these prices. F O O D * Chips & Salsa (FREE for culinary week, Regularly $18) // 3 stars: https://tinyurl.com/2p8xwdr4 Server didn't know about culinary week so I had to show the screenshot from the Carmel-By-The-Sea's travel site. Thankfully, this was free. The chips were ok, thin and crunchy but not served warm. We tried three salsas: roasted tomato (best of the three with a nice smoky flavor), blackened roasted tomatillo (sour, acrid aftertaste), and green salsa (very cilantro forward). * Guajillo Shrimp Bone Marrow w/ handmade corn tortillas (3 pc - $26) // 3.5 stars: https://tinyurl.com/3af2nad3 BYO shrimp bone marrow tacos, the shrimp were firm and tender with a fruity sweet, mild heat from the guajillo peppers. There was little beef butter (marrow) in each of the bones tho. The corn tortillas were thin and pliable. * Cochinita Pibil: Axiote pork shank, pickled onions, green salsa, rice, handmade tortillas ($48) // 4 stars: https://tinyurl.com/y4jjuke9 Best dish of the night! The Yucatán style roasted pork shank is served hot, in one chunky boneless piece - tender, flavorful, and well-spiced with citrus notes and a distinctive smoky flavor. Love the rustic presentation. Served with cilantro rice (ok), corn tortillas (thin, pliable), pickled onions (IMO, needed more pickling), escabeche (didn't try), and crema (ok). * 10 oz Short Rib Mixteca w/ xoconostle glaze, mole blanco, rice, handmade corn tortillas ($55) // 2 stars: https://tinyurl.com/mrxrume7 The unicorn of moles, their mole blanco (wedding mole) is rare and what I came for. It was hella disappointing esp at this price point. While fork tender, the boneless short rib was cold. I know there's different regional recipes but I wasn't a fan of their mole blanco's flavor and texture. It was thick and grainy like hummus and tasted like a dessert. Too sweet, lacking complexity. The xoconostle (similar to prickly pear) was sweet and sour, which didn't help to offset the prominent sweetness of the mole. S E R V I C E Service needs improvement. Some staff were nicer than others. There was one server who was super sweet and came over to chat with us and showed us pics of her dogs. Wished she was our server. Kind busboy and BOH staff who saw us waiting for our server and asked us if there's any apps he can get us started on. Otherwise, service was green, slow yet hurried. After being seated, we waited 20 minutes for our server to come (not busy at the time), only for him to quickly leave our table to help the table behind us first. I had to go inside to ask for share plates and a second time to ask for the bill. Def not what you would expect for an upscale resto. A M B I A N C E Sexy date night vibes. Say LESS: https://tinyurl.com/mr8srz44 Outdoor patio is right next to Alvarado Street Brewery's patio with no partition/separation. If you're not dining with your dog, I recommend sitting inside to avoid the noise and music from the brewery's patio. P A R K I N G Challenging street parking (2 hour limit). Underground garage is $7/hour. Overall, I'm all for paying $$$ for a good dining experience but this wasn't it. The food was overpriced and underwhelming (aside from the cochinita pibil). But, I think this is the only hip and trendy resto in DT Carmel so it may be a good option for a hot date night or for your reels/TikToks. For similar vibes also serving Modern Mexican Cuisine, I prefer Alejandro's in Monterey.

10/10, came here for my birthday and loved it. The ambiance is sexy and fun but the food is phenomenal. Left very happy :)

This was the best meal we had on this visit to Carmel. I loved that even though the restaurant was full, the tables were spaced well so it didn't feel crowded. The assortment of cocktails and mocktails was one of the main draws for us and those were fantastic but I swear I've never had food this good. My husband's go-to is always pork or steak but he opted for the mole chicken and raved about it. You could taste so many different flavors in the mole. I had the conchita pibil (pork) and when the chef stopped by our table, he shared that it cooks for 7 hours. And lucky us, we both left with leftovers. We'll definitely be back.

Excellent ambiance, attentive service, food is a bit on the expensive side. But good quality and fresh ingredients including a fairly good cocktail menu make the experience well worth it!

Food: 5/5 Service: 3/5 Price: 4/5 Atmosphere: 4/5 TL;DR: We decided to try out this new Mexican restaurant during our trip to Carmel and we were not disappointed at all. One of the best Mexican food we've ever had. The restaurant itself is really pretty & aesthetic -- it's located in the back on the first floor of the plaza. The staff here are really nice; however, the service was super slow; we got our first apps and drinks before we were able to flag down the waiter for water. But, the restaurant was packed and it seemed like it was only one waiter for the entire restaurant so that's not his fault -- just have a little patience. Would definitely come back here another time to try their other dishes. Potato Spheres: *4/5*: Exactly what you'd imagine these to be -- well seasoned mash potato balls with chorizo and cheese. If you've ever had Porto's Bakery in SoCal, these are essentially the same thing but not as good. Wish it was a little crispier. But the green salsa was phenomenal; if you have some leftover, save it to add to other dishes. Guajillo Shrimp Bone Marrow: *5/5*: Show stopper of the dish & best thing there!! The bone marrow is obviously super fatty, buttery, and beefy and it's topped but big, tender shrimp & garlic butter. The entire dish is super decadent. They provide 3 fresh corn tortilla for you to make tacos with. The tortilla is soft & fluffy (if you run out, you can also order more -- 3 more tortillas for $2). They give you so much shrimp that even if the bone marrow runs out, you can make a decent amount of tacos & be quite full. Tetela Guacamole: *4/5*: Fried triangle folded tortilla pieces that were filled with some meat. The guacamole was delicious -- seasoned really well, light taste of lime, and I loved how chunky it was. You can big pieces of avocado as well as crunch of the onions and pistachio. We put the guac in other things we ordered and it was fire. Chicken Enchiladas: *5/5*: Best enchilada we've ever had. The chicken is well seasoned and tender; and the poblano cream sauce is to die for -- it's obv really fresh creamy and cheesy. This comes with a side of beans and cilantro rice.

Such a beautiful interior & space. This was a wonderful experience with attentive wait staff for our business group of 6. The colorful presentation of the food- down to the entrees and appetizers was very delightful. You know this is a good spot when you see just as well as taste the food quality :) it becomes an experience from beginning to end! We had too much of an enjoyable time that I didn't have a moment to snap all the photos but the drinks, food and moments were unforgettable. I'll be back with my next group to have an enjoyable meal with more items on the menu.

Nicolas squeezed us in on a busy Friday night. The restaurant is beautiful and the drinks are great. Started off with fresh guacamole prior to ordering dinner. It took almost 45 for our food to come which was surprising since most of the tables had already cleared out. However the corn appetizer and birria queso dip were delicious. The shrimp enchiladas were what you'd except but the homemade beans and rice were phenomenal!

The food was outstandingly good--beyond amazing! Mole is such an overdone and mostly terrible dish. The maitake mole left us all dreaming of the ingredients. I am a cook, and most of the time, I know that I can make the food I eat out at an equal or better level. When you have the pleasure of dining and being dazzled by the chef, that is a memorable experience. It's a little more upmarket than the "quaint" Carmel-by-the-Sea vibe. AND is not inexpensive! I hope they get traction and stick around. The service and cocktails were wonderful as well.

OK! If you find this beautifully decorated restaurant you'll be happy you did~ located in the back corner, downstairs in Carmel Plaza~ FREE parking on the street OR PAID parking in the garage below. It's my understanding this restaurant has a sister restaurant in Salinas, more rustic but "HEY! this is Carmel by the Sea and who doesn't like beautiful lighting & backlit bars enuf about the decor~ Enjoyed a Cadillac Margarita, sooooo PERFECT others enjoyed a Talum Margarita plus their spicy margaritas, although they could have been spicier so they said ‍ The menu is limited and definitely NOT your traditional Mexican offerings ~ all choices are ELEVATED! No combination plates here ..... Started with some apps, the Street Corn was wonderful to look at as it was delicious to consume also the pork served with fresh warm tortillas was the crowd favorite . The veggie quesadilla is delicious although different presentation, served like a calzone, not what you'd expect however OHHHH SOOOO GOOD Myself & my friend had the Chicken Enchiladas, all tasty white meat, served in a green sauce, not usually my first choice but I practically liked the bowl it was INCREDIBLE My husband ordered the Chicken Mole' served with the golden chicken breast/leg presentation lying on the Mole' sauce. This plate was also liked clean Rice & Beans served in smaller ramekin like bowls on the side almost like an after thought although their excellent flavors added to the main dishes~ Our server, Jose was prompt, attentive plus offered suggestions. This was a most wonderful dinner, yes! it could be considered pricy however the food quality makes it worth it, we all would go back anytime for lunch, dinner, drinks & apps. The hope is they will make it as I mentioned the location is not the BEST~ Maybe if they added a sandwich board sign at the Carmel Plaza entrances more people will FIND & TASTE the offerings of Nicolas

So good! Very clean and organized! The ultimate spot for a cute rom date night. Service was great and fast. The food is amazing and their menu is pretty diverse. Totally worth it.

The Yelp listing says this restaurant comes up if you search for "trendy restaurants" and that's what it is: very yuppified Mexican food, and how you feel about that will affect your rating. I found my beef tacos were really more flautas - tightly rolled, over-crisp tortillas, and with a minimum of filling. Obviously carefully made, it was the recipe which was ill-judged. The listing also says it's at Mission St & Ocean Ave. No it isn't. The entrance is two blocks away, on Junipero St just north of 7th. It's a few steps down into a mall, and the restaurant is on your immediate left.

I absolutely love this place! The food, the aesthetic, and the service are all amazing! I love that the tables aren't too close to each other, the place is very spacious and fits bigger groups. We got their enchiladas and guacamole. Their piñada mocktail was definitely my favorite! The owner thanked us personally for supporting, which I thought was a very nice gesture! Definitely recommend and will be going back!

We went here for the first time and carlos was our server. He was amazing! Its nice to have a server with great personality. We loved this place the food was super good!! We got the bone marrow shrimp and chicken enchiladas omg it was wonderful we definitely coming back for the food and the service! 5 star!!

We visited this place on a Friday night and we had an early reservation at 5 PM. Arriving at the restaurant the waiters and waitresses were just getting ready. The decor of the interior is absolutely gorgeous. Everything is tastefully done. We were quickly seated and we were given menus, the first thing you'll notice is that this is a pricey restaurant so I don't think of it as an average Mexican restaurant. We ordered a queso fondido (cheese fondue) which was served with fresh homemade tortillas. This was a very rich and delicious dish that was more than enough for two people. In fact at the end of the appetizers. I personally felt it was no room for additional dinner menu item nonetheless I ended up ordering a fajita, which comes with chicken and shrimp. My wife ordered the white Mole. Both dishes were delicious, but they were absolutely no way we're gonna finish our food so we asked for. To go boxes . I forgot to mention that we ordered some drinks. As I was cruising the drinks menu I noticed that the tequila they were offering is only a $36 bottle retail, but a shot of tequila was $22 which I thought was exaggerating a glass of wine $26 but you can have the entire bottle retail for $30. So definitely the drinks are a rip off.

I had been eager to try this place and while it has a beautiful atmosphere and overall great service, I was expecting a lot more from the food. We had reservations for a Saturday night. It wasn't too busy when we arrived at 6:00, but by the time we left it was packed. To drink I ordered the berry lemonade. The lemonade was refreshing; fresh and sweet with a little fizz. My partner asked the waitress her recommendations for a spirit forward drink. The waitress was clearly confused and asked whether she wanted something sweeter or more tropical. My partner again restated her preference for something spirit forward, not sweet. The waitress suggested the Fresh Mezcalita, which ended up being sweet. We gave the waitress grace, maybe she was new. But we wished she would have asked the bartender for recs since she was unfamiliar with the cocktails. We ordered the birria taquitos ($15) which came with 3 tiny taquitos with consommé poured around it. Birria is usually super flavorful. However, not only was the dish not served hot, but it lacked flavor. However, the birria on the birria queso fundido ($28) appetizer was amazing. We enjoyed this appetizer the most between the birria, consommé and melted cheese, it was perfection. It was served with hot homemade tortillas too. Our entree was the nights special, carnitas that came with beans, rice and tortillas. Carnitas ($38) were not served hot, it almost seemed like they had been sitting on the plate a while. The beans had little flavor and the rice was also almost cold and lacked flavor as well. Although a beautiful setting and beautifully plated food, ultimately our experience fell short of what we expected especially for the price.

Service was great. Responsive and friendly. The atmosphere was good as well. Nice enough for a dinner date or a casual party. The food was amazing and when we asked to keep the drinks flowing they had no problem making sure we didn't go thirsty. Top shelf tequila is my favorite and they had plenty. Definitely a must try when in Carmel. Will definitely be a returning customer. Thanks for a great night!

This place just recently opened for lunch on the weekends. This is the second restaurant for the folks that brought you Villa Azteca in Salinas. They have great fanciful drinks with various spirits. I opted for a Mezcal style spritzer though I can't recall what I had but it was refreshing with hints of cucumber. I ordered the Short Rib Birria ($28). This was three tacos with various sauces and onions and cilantro that can be added to the tacos. The interior is amazing. Dark and light colors with nice tables. There is a small lounge area near the front of the restaurant. As it is true for all restaurants, the prices for food and service are going up. Be kind to your servers and enjoy the moment.

We stopped in for dessert and an after dinner drink. The decor of this place is so special, they had an ofrenda set up in the front as you walked in to celebrate dia de los muertos I loved it! Open kitchen concept that's amazing and overall beautiful restaurant! We sat in the cocktail area and enjoyed a mezcal, coffee, cognac and tres leches cake. Our dessert unfortunately came out frozen but redemption from the kitchen and they made us a new dessert unaware to us. And it was delicious! Our server was very attentive. Dinner will be next!

Everything, the food was delicious. I had the shrimp enchiladas and they were so delicious as well as the rice and beans. The service was amazing. The owner and chef came to our table to greet us. The ambiance was great too. Highly recommend.

So amazing, the food here. Get the GUAJILLO SHRIMP BONE MARROW app, it ranks amongst one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life (my daughter ranked it number 2). Great food, great cocktails, beautiful interior. How can you go wrong? Just go!

Not only is the restaurant beautifully decorated but the food is delicious. If you're wondering what Mexican gourmet is - this is it. And you can get some shopping in while you're at the Pla

One of the most beautiful restaurants inside! Servers were nice. Food was gorgeous. However... Potato spheres were delicious, but luke warm. They are fried spheres with chorizo and cheese inside. Very soft, I was expecting them to be extremely hot, but they were barely warm. Shrimp enchiladas were tough, and wife was not thrilled with the sauce. I had the cochanita pibil which was very tender. To me the sauce was overly salty. Of course the prices are Carmel level and the parking lot under the restaurant was $14 for 1.5hr. We were disappointed that the food was not delicious.

Wow! Amazing dinner here. Restaurant is beautiful and the food is amazing. I travel throughout Mexico and love the food so we tried Nicolas tonight and it was incredible. The owner even stopped by our table to share his story and introduce his family. If you love authentic, home cooked food, this restaurant is for you. We will definitely be back!

Everything was great during my visit. The food was great, the drinks were amazing and the staff was very friendly. I would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting our beautiful central coast.

This place was excellent! We stopped into another place for a drink and were recommended going here for dinner. So glad we listened! The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous, the service was friendly and attentive, and the food was all spectacular! Everything tasted fresh and homemade. The drinks were also crafted with care and just as delicious. An absolute must in Carmel!

Good flavor. Great and prompt service. The concept is upscale Mexican food. I liked the flavors, however I think the food is overpriced. The enchiladas I tried were tasty but not worth the cost. My partner got Cochinita pibil, which was very delicious, cooked perfectly. I got a non-alcoholic drink which was not that great. I think prices pay for the food and mainly the experience to say you ate in Carmel. There is taste for everything, I just prefer my Mexican food trucks and street tacos. But if you want a nice romantic dinner or impress someone, this would be great spot.

My husband and I decided to try this new restaurant. The decor is beautiful and very inviting, with a modern flair and touches of Mexican culture. The water glasses and carafe were from Mexico as is probably the dinnerware. We decided to share a few items. We chose the chips and trio of salsas. They were very good, but could have included a few more corn chips for the price. My husband had a modelo and I ordered the margarita. My drink was very good but my short glass was full of ice and very little margarita! We also had the esquitas, the beef birria taquitos, and the chicken enchiladas. Everything was fresh and tasty. My only recommendation would be to warm the plates before placing warm food. The very thick, cold plates cooled to food too fast. One of the family members/owners came to our table. The chef also came by. We ended our meal by sharing the flan which came with a scoop of pinole ice cream and a cookie crumble. It was yummy. The ice cream reminded us of a churro! I also had abuelas martini. This restaurant is new and still working out a few issues. I would definitely return to try other items on the menu!

Beautiful decor, delicious Mexican food, fair, and wonderful service. This place is a little bit pricer than most Mexican meals but not for Carmel. Highly recommend trying this place.

Best Mexican cuisine restaurant ever!! We walked in and they sat us within 5 minutes. Everything was super yummy from drinks, appetizers, and entrees. We had the shrimp bone marrow, croquetas, and chicken enchiladas. Service was great, they were very attentive and nice. Even the owner came out and checked in too! We will def be back but I would recommend sitting inside because they have beautiful decor.

Went to Nicolas with my wife on a Sunday night and was amazed at how wonderful the food was. Excellent corn dish and cheese/barria plate. The wine was good. Loved the personable staff who were honest about how much food we should order and which dishes. Really lovely space and a nice open kitchen. It is clear that they didn't cut any corners with the food, staff, or ambiance. A couple of easily correctable mistakes: whatever music service the restaurant uses has advertisements, so in the middle of dinner we were blasted with ads for various products and services. Staff began to clean the restaurant and pickup lights and other items from the tables while there were still quite a number of guests eating. After what must have been a long day, service kind of fell apart at the end of the evening with staff focusing on their phones more than the customers. Too much junk such as bussing bins and extra service items stacked on the end of the bar--not a good look. Overall though, we loved our meal and will definitely go back. We have also told our friends. Next time I hope to give 5 stars!

When my wife and I heard that the family who owned Villa Azteca (located in Salinas) were opening up another restaurant in Carmel-By-The-Sea, we were beyond excited. We finally had the opportunity to have dinner here last night and it was incredible. I want to start off by saying that Nicolás itself is absolutely beautiful. There was so much attention to detail put into all aspects of this restaurant. Our waitress Paola did an amazing job. She was friendly, attentive, and was very informative with any questions we had about the menu and restaurant. We were also greeted by one of the owners Leo, who recognized us as patrons of Villa Azteca. He was very kind and welcoming and thanked us for coming. Now on to the food. All I can say is wow! My wife had the Mole Negro, the chicken was cooked to perfection, the mole sauce had so much flavor, and the green apple pico was refreshing and tasty! I had the Short Rib Mixteca and my goodness....I would get this time and time again. You could pull the short rib apart with a fork, and the xoconostle (sour prickly pear) glaze was a perfect touch on top of the short rib. But the star of the show for me was the mole blanco! I remember when they served this at Villa Azteca for a short time years back and I had been craving it ever since. When I saw they had it on their menu it was a must have, and of course, it was to die for! I can't say enough good things about Nicolás. We will definitely be coming back and look forward to exploring their delectable menu. Susana and Leo killed it with Nicolás and wish them the best with their new restaurant!

By far the most delicious Mexican food I've had outside of Mexico. The food is authentic. The spices, the flavors and the sauces are yummy; from mild to picante, your palate will be pleased. The ambiance is beautiful and the service from start to finish is warm and welcoming. Be sure to add the rice (which is green) and beans to any meal you get. I ordered extra rice to go. The lobster taco and the potato dish for appetizers were a great start. The lychee martini and the champagne was a nice toast to the new year. The enchiladas were great! We had the chicken and shrimp. The shrimp was my favorite; it was more spicy and flavorful for my liking. We didn't have room for dessert since we pre-dined elsewhere but next time, we will experience the dessert. Jetsy, Sergio and the team were great! It's great for a date, family or any get together. Enjoy!

My recent visit to Nicolas Cocina de Herencia fell a bit flat. We started with oysters and guacamole. Guacamole was a bit chunky, tasted good but the chips were not substantial enough to withstand the chunkiness. Oysters were juicy, enjoyed the sauces they were paired with. For my entree I got the halibut which was served with mole, pineapple, avocado, lime citrus salad and cilantro rice. The dish lacked cohesiveness, the mole did not pair well with the fish. I will credit the chef with cooking all aspects of the dish well though. My SO had the pulled pork, although tender, the dish lacked flavor. Although this restaurant is beautiful, the ambiance great, the service was a bit lacking and appeared as if the servers were spread a bit too thin. All in all, the food is not worth the premium and I'm not sure I can recommend the place to others.

Family-owned and family recipes. The owner's brother is the chef who came out of the kitchen to ask about our meal. The food runner and waitress/hostess were all extremely friendly and were there to inform and to please. The location is on the bottom floor and south corner of the Courtyard. It is gorgeous inside, with tables spread out, low lighting with cool lights on tables, an impressive bar, and an extensive wine display, including large wine coolers. Quiet and relaxing. Mexican mule: best ever 5/5 Guacamole and chips: perfect 5/5 Dorado tacos - shredded beef - delicious mole-like sauce - three to an order - served with the best rice I have ever had in a Mexican restaurant and excellent beans - both in separate small bowls: 5/5 This is serious Mexican cooking that will please any foodie. Estupendo!

Had the Poblano Smash Burger and OMG easily one of the best meals of my life 10/10. Fries were eh they were a lil cold but the real star of the show is that burger for real! Super friendly staff, had the honor to meet one of the co chefs I believe the creator of this burger and one of the most humble people I've met. 10/10 recommend this place you won't regret it! Ps. Get the berry lemonade it's freshly made!!

a 5 star review falls short for my experience at Nicolas. Celebrating my wife's birthday here and she had the best service and meal you can ask for in the Carmel area. The restaurant and the vibes are incredibly beautiful. We've always wanted to try the Cochinita Pibil and it DID NOT DISAPPOINT! We also had Potato Spheres as an appetizer and my wife's main dish was the Short Rip Mixteca! What can i say about the drinks, an ABUELITA CHOCOLATE MARTINI? I mean COME ON! A cocktail dream! We noticed the owners sitting behind us with a blue cocktail that was off menu, he graciously made on for my wife's special day! These people already own Villa Azteca in Salina's which is excellent, and they did not miss with this gem in the Carmel area! Will be going again soon!