The Pocket

Probably the most expensive restaurant we are during the trip but definitely worth it. Dry aged strip was exceptionally seasoned, cooked perfect and the smoked tomato steak sauce went well, no salt necessary. Dining room is beautiful and service was efficient. Wine can be bought next door at Talbot's for a reduced corkage fee. Cliente is mainly adults but some families with young kids too. Beautiful eucalyptus tree in front. Definitely try the coconut bread pudding and amazing cocktail (Fiona)

We had a mix up with our reservation and the staff still worked hard to find us an accommodating seat. The waitress was super helpful. However, the food was 50/50. Two of us had halibut and it was very dry. Two of is had beef and it was cooked perfectly and delicious.

First time eating here. The food and service was excellent. Never felt rushed but also well attended to. We enjoyed the Brioche baked in skillet with sugarcane butter and smoke salt, the crispy calamari and roasted carrot bisque. All very well done, flavors were perfectly balanced. Main course was butternut squash ravioli and braised lamb in Yorkshire pudding with creamed potatoes. Again everything was done just right. We will be back.

This restaurant offers delicious dishes and it has a very nice patio to enjoy dinner. The service is very friendly

Fantastic restaurant in Carmel. Service very good and passionate about the food and drinks. Cocktails were really good as was the wine list (varied). We ate on a Saturday night and the atmosphere was buzzing. As for the food, it was all excellent. The menu is really good and they have a list of specials with 3-4 starters and mains.

Five for dinner. Portions are medium-sized. Fish was about 6oz. Photos are in order 1. Striped bass, prepared with skin on. I asked for the sauce on the side. Without the sauce, the bass was somewhat fishy and was served with sliced, purple potatoes. 2. Black cod. Flavorful sauce with a bit of spice. 3 Spicy crab noodles - yes, spicy with a lot of flavors. 4. Scallops, nicely prepared, grilled served with hush puppies. 5. Curried chicken with rice was the largest of the portions. 6. Flourless chocolate cake? A large marshmallow.... very sweet. Service was great, we weren't rushed. Atmosphere was open, light & crisp. Food...the fish was prepared properly, still moist and flaky. All menu entree prices were upper $30 - $65. Each of our meals were mid-$40's.

Was served at the bar by Jose. My wife and I had great interaction with Jose. Gnocchi and Ravioli was excellent, along with Hibiscus Mule and Mojito. The Greedy Fox was amazing!

The ambiance, service, and food were top notch. The dog friendly part made it even better. The waiting staff was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu and was able to give amazing recommendations. The fireplace and water feature was a great sight. The acoustics and audio set up with ambient music made it so any other conversations are muffled and blend in the background. Prices were extremely reasonable for the portions and quality of food. Definitely a great place to spend after a day at the beach.

This restaurant is fabulous! We were recommended to go for dinner by the hotel we were staying in, Villa Mara (which is also fabulous). We were welcomed in with a friendly and kind staff. The cocktails were great. My husband had the steak and I had the special, pan seared locally caught Ling Cod. We were both very happy. Presentation was beautiful and was delicious. We loved the vibe of this quaint restaurant. Definitely highly recommend when in Carmel!

A gem in Carmel! Four of us had dinner on a chilly December night and we all enjoyed our meals. The bread was the only miss for us. Great cocktail menu and full bar selection too.

Came for dinner during the week & the restaurant was half full. We sat inside, however I would have loved to catch the sunset & enjoy a firepit outside if the weather was warmer! Service was on point. Our favorite item was the burrata/focaccia/olive starter - get it if you are a fellow bread lover. I am typically not a fan of olives, but this plate proved otherwise! We also got a salad, the short rib, crab noodles & a few glasses of wine. For dessert, we finished with the gingerbread cake, which was delightful.

everything was good. The service was good. The food was good; everything was served at a perfect temperature. Hot food was hot and salad was nicely chilled. The problem was, nothing was great. What I ate: -Butternut squash soup with brioche croutons (a little salty but didn't mind since i like salt) - carrot salad (tasty but not what i was expecting, i thought it would have been much more carrot forward) - spicy crab noodles (lots of crab but something was missing... flavor was good but it just fell short) I am glad I tried it out but I will likely not return. I sat outside on a chilly night but they had ample space heaters and a very peaceful setting.

Food was mighty tasty. I came with friends and we ordered up just about everything in the menu and every bite was as delicious as the next. Atmosphere was wonderful and service was excellent. Great spot for a small group or date night. Don't eat for a few hours before and be prepared for good sized portions of delicious.

Beautiful restaurant, open and well appointed, super views from front patio( sunset) . Food interesting, I had the buratta appetizer it was good, the bread that came with it was really good ( could have eaten more). For the main the spicy crab noodles over powering with spice, kinda so so. The star of the entrees had to be the cod, perfectly prepared and just the right amount. The steak ( really nothing extraordinary) go with the cod or chicken curry. The service was friendly and attentive. We will look forward to returning next trip.

This review is long overdue, so details have escaped me on this place. I will it is extremely hard to spot from the street, so beware. It's in a little condo development/inn thing. We drove around the block repeatedly. My stomach was not having a good day, so I went kinda light (except for an excellent Tanquaray martini to start.). I had a delicious celery root soup of the day $10. we split the grilled octopus, $25 -tasty, but a tad overdone and the spicy crab noodles, $35- not too spicy, which is what I like. It could have had more crab. Our server was good, even though it was crowded. Tables are very close together and it can get loud. It's really a 3.25-3.5, prices seemed high, though

This is my absolute favorite restaurant in Carmel by the sea! The service second to none and the ambiance is stunning. I love the Steak I had and fiance has the pasta. 10/10 on deliciousness.

We were in Carmel for a few days and ate at some great restaurants. The Pocket was my favorite restaurant for dinner! We ordered the following: Meatballs $22 - it was just mid. Don't order this. The meatballs were rather dry. Burrata $22 - ORDER THIS! This was so delicious. Served with olive tapenade! I would come back and order this all for myself Spicy crab noodles $37 - perfectly cooked noodles nested in a bowl with chunks of dungeness crab. This is so delicious, but it is *spicy*. Do not order if you have low tolerance for spicy food. Striped bass $42 - my husband's entree. He enjoyed it! English Pea Risotto $29 - this had a great balance of puréed peas and Arborio rice. It had a cheese crisp that added great flavor to the dish. While it's a savory dish, it had a touch of sweetness from the peas. The interior was stunning! Service was impeccable! Great spot for a special dinner! .

Amazing food to savor and devour! Had the grilled octopus, my husband couldn't stop eating it- he said it was so good! The beet salad was so tasty- it's served with aged prosciutto- very yummy indeed! Then had the special, oxtail rigatoni, all I can say is WOW- very flavorful. Only disappointment was the carrot cake- not traditional cake that I was used to but they have their own style I suppose. I definitely would revisit this establishment again while in beautiful Carmel.

The food was overpriced, pretentious, and terrible. Do not bring kids here. They are not welcome. Classic wannabe fancy. The only good part was the young woman who worked the door and introduced customers. She was cool. Everything else sucked massive ass and was ridiculously overpriced.

Its not bad. Its not great. In today's world, thats not good. Food: Brioche buns so dry I couldn't eat (theyre clearly not fresh). Crab noodles drowned in a bowl full of oil, not sure the point. Went home feeling not all too well. Ambiance: An outdated Restoration Hardware look.

Great service, food and ambience! For an appetizer, we had an olive tapenade with burrata and fresh focaccia. For an entree, my wife had an amazing short rib dish that was mouth-watering. I had an amazing Jamaica. Jerk pork chop. For dessert, we shared an apple cobbler - it was just ok.

OOhhhh the elegance and savvy atmosphere-- so beautiful inside. Food and service was great, tasty dishes. My hubby and I tried the burrata/ beet salad which we loved. Then we had the lamb dish that was so superbly done and tastefully. The only disappointment was the carrot cake- it was served deconstructed: shaved carrot strips on the bottom of the two small spiced cake on top- no raisins or nuts, disappointed and the frosting was stars next to the cake; not my usual expectation of a carrot cake but oh well, fancy places such as this has their version. I would like to return again just to try their other menu items and I LOVED their design/ decorations... very romantic and upscale.

The Pocket in Carmel is incredible; the food and service is exceptionally exquisite and the art work combined with the table setting is impressive. The food paired with cocktails/wine selection is particularly incredible. This modern restaurant sits on an elevated deck with stunning views of the sunset and embodies the elegance of the art and sea. I would highly recommend this restaurant for those looking for a high quality dinner and a picturesque atmosphere.

Came here for Mother's Day/weekend dinner and sat on the patio with our dog. Patio seating is well heated and warm and the servers are nice and don't do as many check ins at the table (which is nice if you don't like interruptions). Restaurant is very open outside and clean. Food and drinks took awhile to come, very leisurely kind of dinner. Food: Calamari (5/10): Crispy and good portion for sharing for 4! Just super heavy on the salt and pepper Brioche (10/10) 5 pieces per order so another good shareable. Soft and warm would definitely order again. Scallops (6/10): Scallops were cooked well but a little too salty for my liking. The arancini were crispy on the outside but once we actually bit into them the crunch wasn't there. Expensive for what it was. Black Cod (9/10): Fish was tender and flavorful, very rich Rack of Lamb (8/10): Could've been seasoned more but was very tender. Asparagus was also cooked well but the sauce didn't really go well with the meat imo

I have to admit this unassuming place from outside completely blew me away with excellence. The best New York I have ever had. The water melon appetizer with roasted and salted pistachios was absolutely delightful. The bar has almost anything you could ever imagine. Service was absolutely the best.

First time visiting this spot after hearing rave things about it for years. Let's review: Service: excellent. Helpful, friendly, knowledgeable. No complaints Atmosphere: sat outside and found it comfortable and clean. LOTS of large dogs around. They are behaved themselves, but that isn't always the case, so be aware. Food: burrata and olives was tasty but the amount of tapenade was over the top compared to the two small pieces of bread; short rib appetizer was okay; ordered the meatloaf and three halibuts--fish was just okay and the rest of the dish was underwhelming. Meatloaf was hardly eaten. Price: with two bottles of water, a corkage fee, four entrees, and two apps, our bill was over $400 with tip. Overall, it was a pleasant evening, but I honestly don't get the hype.

Every single thing from this place was incredible. We ended up coming the following night so that we could try everything we didn't get to try the night before. I don't think you could possibly go wrong. Everything had so much flavor without feeling too heavy, unlike the dinner we had had at Portabella the first night. Service was awesome both nights, and all of their recommendations were a hit without trying to upsell us on the specials. We sat on the patio near the fire pit which made for the perfect ambiance on a chilly night. Will definitely be coming back any chance we get.

TLDR; service is incredibly slow, but if you have incredible patience, it "might," and I mean might, be worth it. This place would've been great, if they didn't take 40+ minutes to take our order. We arrived at the restaurant at 7:45, and was promptly seated by 7:50, and was served sparking water by 7:55. Our actual order? Or drinks at least? None of the servers came by until 8:35, despite us having menu closed, shoved away. I think this was my first ever restaurant that took full 40 minutes for one, single server to come by. Note: the server wasn't rude or anything, thankfully. If anything, he did check on us multiple times after ordering, and he was kind. Good news? Food didn't take to come out, within 5 minutes of finally ordering, we were served our appetizer, and entrees roughly Saving grace for this restaurant is perhaps their ambiance and wine list. Although their wine-by-the-glass list is mediocre-to-pretty-good level, their bottle list was great, with some diversity. Ambiance is perhaps one of the most modern and nice in the Carmel area, filled with nice lighting and decor. Food, last but not least: A. Grilled Octopus: tender and nicely cooked, but the sauce was borderline cold. That being said, the cook of the octopus was nice (8/10) B. Spicy Crab Noodle: Good amount of crab, I just wish it had touch more seasoning. (9/10) C Mushroom Ragout (special menu): Surprisingly bland, needed more salt for sure (7/10)

Pros: The ambiance was wonderful. Outside seating looked great too! They have heaters and a cute patio. We were seated at a table next to the kitchen which was so cool to watch the food be prepared. My hubs got the pork chop and sweet potato's was really good. They got the cook wrong on it but quickly corrected it and it was delish. The hostess and chef/kitchen aids were incredibly nice. Cons: The actual black cod had 0 flavor and the cook was inconsistent. It was only partially crispy and part of the fish was very underdone. The miso sauce underneath was good but underwhelming. Our server lacked severe personality. She almost seemed irritated we turned down dessert. Then because it was our anniversary, she brought out a "cake" that was hard and you couldn't even cut into. To pay the price we did for the meal we got was super disappointing.

EDIT: found this review in my drafts (another one!) thought I had posted it, but well...I hadn't. We were there in September. This place is great. We were a party of 5 for a birthday dinner and from the time we were greeted and sat to the time we paid the bill, everything was fantastic; service, ambiance, food. We sat on the patio as it was one of those beautifully warm late September evenings. I was having such a wonderful experience I failed to take pics except for one of our appetizer. The brussel sprouts were mouth watering. I'm still thinking about them. I ordered the halibut as my entree and it was simply delicious. I can't wait to go back here.

Service was great. I had a gnocchi ricotta & tomato. Ok My wife had the Niçoise salad. Inedible. 200$ wasted looking forward to a lovely anniversary dinner.

The food...Amazing...the service was first class...such a cute and quaint little spot in Carmel that has such charm. It was my birthday dinner and to say they made it that much more special is an understatement. Such a great experience and the food. Well you will see from the pics it was sooo good!

Everything was perfect. The ambiance, the service and the food! Oh the food!!! Crab noodles were out of this world. Can't wait to come back.

What a pretty restaurant. (Most of) the food was great. The only problem is that they brought me the wrong entree. I ordered the shrimp and grit special. They brought me cod. We had two waiters, one in training. So much for "two heads are better than one." By the time the correct entree had arrived (it was delicious, as were the starters of octopus and brussels sprouts), others at the table had finished. I barely received an apology, much less a complimentary dessert or something to make up for the mess. Not that it would have made things better as the chocolate profiteroles that we eventually ordered (can't recall name) were soggy and uninspired. Better luck next birthday (yes, it was), I suppose.

Food is amazing and their service was great. Great ambiance all around. Drinks were delicious!

Another great dinner for 3 on a Saturday nite (we have been here 10+ times). The outdoor tables are great for conversation, and watching the sun set. Colin was a great waiter - extremely knowledgeable on the meals and sourcing of the ingredients, and the sommelier offered a fantastic Spanish Alberino to pair with our tuna dish. The brussels sprouts were declared 'the best she ever ate' by our Boston guest. My partner and I split the spicy crab noodles for an app (these were delicious). Our guest ordered a 2 bone porkchop that was tender, perfectly cooked and quite large (2.5"). We both ordered the blue fin tuna served on a plantain potato mash - the fish was fresh delivered from Hawaii to SF. We both loved it - it is sushi grade. Our guest had the olive oil cake (a dense cake served with olive oil, sea salt, whipped cream and a little syrup.) We will be back!

Highly recommend this place, nice ambiance, great drink list @ flavorful food! Lost the grilled octopus photo, that was delicious as well. Service was excellent as well.

It's a bit strange that we've visited Carmel for many years for weekend and day trips and never heard of or seen this restaurant before. It is a few blocks away from the main Ocean Avenue. The restaurant shares the building with the Talbot Wine Tasting Room and a small hotel. There's a large indoor dining area, large covered patio and open patio with heaters, set next to a neat gas fire pit and waterfall feature. Nice, clean, contemporary decor which contributed to a casual, but classy and refined ambiance. We had great expectations for the food. We came early around 4 pm to try out their daily 3:30-5 pm Happy Hour Menu before our 5 pm dinner reservation. The HH menu sounds great, with many options of seafood or meat tacos, Burrata plate, meatballs, and other shareables; a variety of interesting cocktails, and decent beer & wines. Between HH & dinner, here's what we tried: * HH Burrata -- On top of an olive tapenade, served with grilled bread. Overall a wonderful dish to start things off, but the overly generous sea salt sprinkled over the Burrata was unnecessary (the Burrata and olive tapenade are plenty salty on their own). * HH Catch off the Day (Rockfish) Tacos -- They were inedible. Extremely salty and a bit fishy. We had to send them back. (A couple sitting next to us who are regulars here had also ordered the fish tacos and commented they were too salty and not nearly as good as usual.) * HH Nana's Meatballs -- 3 small meatballs cooked in a marinara sauce and topped with whipped ricotta. They were just ok. Certainly nothing to rave about at $17. * HH Tuna Tartare Spoons -- Diced tuna with a grilled jalapeno, cilantro, citrus & olive oil marinade. Generous portions of tuna, but came across as a bit mushy and salty. * Butternut Squash Tagliatelle -- This was a good dish. Pasta was nicely al dente, butternut squash and sauce was good, and almond crumble provided a nice crunch with each bite. * Jamaican Jerk Pork Chop -- Nice sized double cut pork chop. Tender & juicy with a nice blackened grill char, over a bed of sweet potato mash and topped with a pineapple salsa. Probably the best dish of the night. Kudos to our server, Colin, for the fine recommendation. In summary, Service and ambiance here is exceptional (4-5 stars). Food was hit or miss (3+stars). For the price, it was just ok.

Farm to table, fresh drinks and a wine list like no other!!!! The Pocket is a hidden gem in Carmel. Over the ambiance: the restaurant is open, out the main windows you have sweeping views and it is amazing at sunset. It is quiet enough to have a nice dinner, but 100% the open concept provides life to the restaurant. Oh and did I mention there is a fun fire pit on the patio! The food is all fresh and the menu is ever changing with new seasonal dishes. We had cocktail to drink, which didn't disappoint, however, their wine list is likely one of the best in the area. All of the usual players with a few high end wines you wouldn't usually find out (100 acre, Screaming Eagle, Opus One). Finally the service, from the hostess to the manager (Sunny), top Knotch a perfect 10. The Pocket is our new favorite choice for dinner out in Carmel.

We were excited about the menu, though the execution was not so well done. Wine list was great. It took 20 minutes after our reservation time to be seated. Peach salad was ok. Seafood risotto was a bit odd -- heavy tomato sauce, which was unusual, though it was ok. The cod main was pretty good. But the lamb shoulder special came out cold in the middle. They took it back and brought out a new one, but it meant my husband ate alone at the end. Nothing more than a quick apology, they didn't comp anything or show any pro service.

Wow... That word doesn't do this place any justice but, wow. Highly highly highly recommend this place for dinner! Great little intimate place for you and your Mrs. or Mr. or both. Hopefully you get Jordan as the server. Very cool cat, very knowledgeable on the menu and just an overall fun person. He kind of strikes me as a diplomat. I give this place a very enthusiastic two thumbs up! Plenty of street parking...

Once again--delightful people, cool vibe, but marginal food experience. Sadly, we will think more than twice about a re-visit anytime soon. Again--great people. However, two of the four dishes we had last night were lousy with one down right awful (fried green tomatoes). The other was the vegetable pasta where the vegetables were fine, but the pasta had zero taste and was over cooked. Although we did not ask for any credit of any sort--the Pocket removed the tomato dish from the bill which was super kind of them and really was the right thing to do. The other two dishes--the crispy dock confit and the fish were quite good. No complaints there whatsoever--rather appreciation for the dishes. This is the third not so great food experience at the Pocket--and we included guests this time so it was disappointing. Wonderful atmosphere. Wonderful people. But need to sharpen their food consistency. We hope for good things ahead.

A good friend of our recommended The Pocket. It is around the corner from where we were staying (Carmel Country Inn), My wife and I had a wonderful dinner at The Pocket this week. I had the Ricotta/Gnocchi/Stroganoff and she had the Bolognese. The gnocchi pillows were handmade and excellent. Both dishes were amazing. We finished with the cookies and chocolate plate. The service was also outstanding. The wait staff was very attentive. We will be going back on future visits to Carmel.

Have been to the pocket several times and they never disappoint. The happy hour is incredible if you're a big HH person like myself! Drink prices are all $10 or below (unheard of for this area) and they have a wide variety of small bites to accompany your drinks. My personal fav was the aperol spritz but the Pom Martini and the pocket potion were also fabulous. I had to attach a pic of the cheese board because the presentation was pristine! The server gave us pairing recommendations and made the experience that much better. The cheeses were lovely and the honey was so fresh. We ate the whole thing in minutes. The truffle fries are another nice light bite that have outstanding flavor and just the right amount of truffle. The overall interior is beautiful, housing a main dining room decorated with leathers and wine glasses everywhere. The main room connects to the bar which is a wide open space housing gorgeous marble counters and the liquor options are laid out so nicely across the bar. Not to mention, they have a little patio as well equipped with heaters and a cover in case of rain. The patio actually may be warmer than inside haha! Great place, great experience always.

DATE: 04/23/2022 We took a day trip to Monterey without any planned itinerary. For dinner, we just parked by this area and went to the nearest restaurant - which is The Pocket. For a spontaneous dinner choice, The Pocket did not disappoint at all. We were seated right away in their outdoor patio seating. It was quite cold, but they were able to turn on the outdoor heat lamps. The atmosphere was phenomenal; definitely a pleasant setting to have a group of friends and enjoy each other's company. We ordered their charcuterie board to share. The honey comb was deliciously paired with the cheeses and bread. I ordered the Rib Eye Steak which was perfectly cooked. I hope they added more broccolinis because it was seasoned well. We also ordered cocktails, which were mainly suggested by the waiters. I forgot what they are called, but they were good. Overall, this was not a disappointing, spontaneous dinner stop.

This review is for the food and ambience for the price. The service is was amazing. Zero complaints about the service. We sat outside which was underwhelming. The inside looked beautiful which is prob what you are paying for. The food was very hit or miss. The octopus and the Brussels sprout dish were wonderful. The mains we ordered were all very underwhelming. The halibut was dry and tasteless. The risotto with scallops was a spicy tomato rice which resembled pasta sauce. Def not a risotto. The spicy noodles were basic. Heavy price tag for very basic food. But the service was amazing.

Full disclosure, I am shocked to see more than 1 star for this restaurant as we opted to pass on our meals and left after being served awful appetizers. Although the staff was lovely, the waitress encouraged my husband to order off the seasonal menu and he received a melon salad that we all almost broke the plate cutting into. The cantaloupe was GREEN, un ripened, hard as a rock and paired with a honey that maybe had lemon in it? We literally could not eat this nor did we want to. We also ordered the bread that was delivered "fresh from the oven" and yet FROZEN in the middle. Please note, the restaurant was empty inside and only a handful of seats taken outdoors. We respectfully asked to pay for the apps + cancel our entrees; the waitress did not allow us to pay which was the tasteful thing to do so I give her credit for handling it well. Although I've never had a STELLAR meal in Carmel, this was beyond unacceptable for a meal that would have totaled over $300 for 4 guests. To note, the menu is very short and the options for one guest as a vegan were a pasta (with adjustments) or a gem salad without any protein.

We had a fabulous dinner here. I had a reservation for 6 but unfortunately one of our group was feeling under the weather and two others were running late making sure she was settled okay in the hotel room. No problems at all for the restaurant. Drinks were very tasty, appetizers were delicious and well portioned to split 2 between 5 of us, and most everyone had their own entree (2 of the girls decided to share an entree). We also snagged two desserts. Everything was great. Our server was amazing too, she was super friendly, answered our questions, and was prompt but not pushy. This was a bit pricier than our other dinners in Carmel, but was really great.

The esthetic of the restaurant is beautiful and sophisticated. It's warm and very inviting. The service is also on point. Very friendly staff all willing to make your experience wonderful, sometimes a bit too much. The drawback however is the food. I ordered the Piggyback Old Fashioned which had the bacon infused Whistle Pig. Our server advised it was a "great choice as it's a very mild bacon flavor and hardly comes through". She obviously had never tried that drink before because the bacon very much comes through. You immediately smell it, and it's almost as if you're drinking whiskey from a glass that had been lined with bacon grease. This flavor did not bother me at all, it was actually quite lovely besides what may be a horrendous description on my part, but the server definitely had never tasted it so someone who was hoping for a hint of bacon would be shocked to be slapped in the face with it. We started with the grilled octopus with the salsa verde and chorizo mousse which was tasty but seemed to be missing something that would have made it exceptional. Maybe a little bit of lemon? The flavor came across rather flat. Then, the mushroom chowder. I was very excited about it, but the first bite was cold. Our server immediately took it back in exchange for a very hot bowl of soup after that, and it desperately needed salt and was also very one note. Next, the Cacio e Pepe risotto. The flavors of this were incredible! One the absolute best flavors of any risotto I've ever had. The downside was the rice was not fully cooked through so it missed that perfect silky creaminess of a great risotto. Then my partner had the filet special. Which was definitely pressed to the servers to push as I think our server recommended it at least 3 times. The meat was so tender and juicy, but again, needed some salt. I had the special Gulf Shrimp in a Meyer lemon purée and chili oil which was also cooked well and the flavors were good, but also fell a little flat and needed something like the octopus. The lemon flavor in the purée really didn't come through, so it was primarily the chili oil that flavored the shrimp. I understand why some chefs prefer not to add salt and pepper to their tables for the dining experience so you may taste the food as they envision it. Sadly, lack of salt is the thing that also causes a meal that could be epic to just be mediocre, and here it was sadly rather mediocre.

We visit Carmel quite often (we live not more than an hour away) And we have the restaurants we love tonfrequent and sometimes we like to try new places. Today was that day, we were in Carmel to give our pup his last day before crossing the rainbow bridge so we were looking forward to making new heartwarming memories as we bid goodbye to our fur baby. The ambiance is modern-cool-vibes (outside since we couldn't dine indoors.) Right next door looks to be a wine tasting room and there are surrounding firepits. We came at the end of happy hour without reservations but the host was accommodating. Later, our waitress had to double check about allowing us to stay for dinner starting at 5pm because according to them it was a fully booked night. We didn't see too busy of a night but paid no mind to what felt a bit discriminatory again because our purpose was to simply cap off the day with a nice dinner before facing the music of the next day. We ordered truffle fries (not pictured) they were a bit limp but still tasty. We had the meat board as well (nothing to write home about) but satisfactory to fulfill an appetite after an all day beach day. After finding out that we could stay for dinner; we had the chicken curry, my husband ordered extra spicy and it was delicious! My parents split the Angus Beef and they said it was good as well, and I had the rack of lamb, also good the carrots were AMAZING BUT compared to other nearby restaurants, for the price paid I expected more in terms of the lamb's serving amount. We also had the banana bread pudding AND that was a winner for us all. (Unfortunately not photographed) Now, the service is impeccable, from the host who sat us and explained we would be able to stay for dinner, to our waitress Lizette, lovely young lady who took the time to explain the drinks, including the cocktails, wine and available beer. Along with the rest of her team of servers, being patient with our pups and being extremely attentive and kind. Now, where we felt a bit of a bump in what was gearing to be a beautiful evening/dinner was with a woman named Marcy; she was micro-aggressive with constantly staring at us, couldn't muster a smile when both me and my husband shot her a smile (not that she needs to BUT noticed that the other more palm color looking folks got smiles) she kept eyeing us up and down, demanding the bus team to clear our plates and/or table immediately. When she saw that our check had the payment she made a bee-line to our table, brushed my father's arm in an abrasive manner to take the check without even acknowledging us or that she bumped into my dad. As mentioned before, we visit and dine in Carmel often, in the last 16 years never have we felt the disdain like coming from her eyes... We still managed to enjoy good laughs, good drinks and good food! For context; I am of Latine descent and my husband is Asian.

Just had dinner and was not disappointed. The staff was very welcoming and efficient. Great ambiance, good vibe. We sat inside and even though restaurant was full it wasn't too loud, we could have a conversation. The food was delicious. We tried the special Empanadas and the Pear salad. My husband enjoyed the special Pork Chop and I had the Osso Buco. Incredibe, refined, tasty. The Pecan pie was festive with a thin crust, so not too much after a big meal, perfect. We will definitely return.

Great experience at the bar. Loved the vibe, service, cocktails. The Apple crisp dessert was tasty. Looking forward to returning for dinner.

Came by for dinner the other night and it was a tasty experience. Made a reservation and my table was ready at the scheduled time... Street parking was pretty tricky in the area... Dined outdoors with a heater and it was a darker experience. My waitress Alexis was phenomenal throughout the evening. The front of the house team was a coordinated team that did a good job of collecting used plates and bringing out waters. Started off with the mushroom puree soup and it was delightful. Fragrant and a perfect way to start off the meal. The braised short rib was delicious although the meat was leaning towards the leaner end. Flavor was on point and portions were generous. The mashed potatoes and mini carrots were cooked to perfection! ~$75/head after tax and gratuity for dinner.

Great outdoor indoor space with a lovely bar and good cocktails. The roasted squash salad was delicious and complex with lots of nice spices. The persimmon salad was equally tasty and seasonal. For mains we tried the oxtail pappdelle, the miso black cod and the fried trumpet mushrooms. All had great flavors with accompanying sauces and bases. The cod had a delicious chili oil and broccolini as well. To finish our meal we had the sticky toffee pudding with coffee ice cream and the apple crisp. The sticky toffee pudding had a yummy caramel sauce and and crisp exterior with a soft chewy inside, the whole dessert was really good. The apple crisp had pumpkin seeds and some other healthy feeling seeds as an added touch. Service was great overall, I'll be returning next time I'm in town.

Pocket?? More like the whole pair of pants! I assumed this place would be teeny tiny with maybe 6 tables with a name like Pocket. At one point I got up to go to the bathroom and looked around. It was bopping. Felt like all of Carmel was in one place! The service was great, the food was good, the vibe was fun. Not the most elevated menu I've ever had - as in the dishes won't drop your jaw or be the best thing you've ever had, but I ate it all so clearly not much to complain about. You won't have a bad time here.

The food, the service, the ambiance was 10/10! We came here for dinner on our mini honeymoon and it was so perfect!

Had a wonderful experience at this restaurant. The service was top notch and the food was amazing and so fresh and delicious! The server was incredibly knowledgeable and the restaurant was so cute! Looking forward to heading back soon!