Carmel

Food is great. Meat is tenderService is nice. Ambiance is happy. Perfect for any visit.

we wow wow wow we absolutely loved everything. the ambience, the service, the food.our server bookie gave us recommendations that were on point. our meal was so good.we had the bread, my grandmas mushroom cigar, heirloom beets salad, taboon roasted sprouting cauliflower, jerusalem artichoke tortellini, hanger steak kebab, biscuit cake 2.0 & knafehyou can't go wrong with any of these but the jerusalem artichoke tortellini has to be our #1absolutely recommend perfect experience

It's hard to give a restaurant like this less than 5 stars. That said, I am going to suggest 4.75 stars, based on my experience this weekend.So many great things to report about this place. First of all, convenient valet service ($15) and even street parking on Melrose and side streets if you make a little effort to find it. Second, they have two cute little tables and chairs outside so we could wait for friends that were joining us.Inside it is very subdued, very dark, golden suede tones all over, perfect for evening relaxation, but a bit hard when reading the menu, so you have to break out flashlights. The seating is varied and very comfortable. We had a cushiony sueded booth, slightly elevated, right by the window wall -- nice spot.The menu is "Mediterranean", leaning Israeli. Many unique and intriguing dishes, enough vegetarian and even vegan selections to make me happy. Everything we had from the rolled pastry "cigar", to the creamy eggplant dip, to the crispy bread, two succulent pastas (tortellini), olives, etc., were appropriately spicy and well made. The Knafeh was exceptional and one serving was enough for two people.The service was very attentive. At any one time there were at least two people fussing over our table -- perhaps because we were with regulars? You never have to wait more than fifteen seconds to get whatever you need.If there were anything to improve upon, and hence the 4.75 stars in my rating system, it would be to have a bit more light at the tables and slightly bigger servings (apart from the dessert). These are "tapas" portions, so you have to order more in order to have enough for a regular serving, imo. Also, the cauliflower was undercooked and too chewy. These things are minor.This is a place to take a date or get a pre-theater or -club bite. It's elegant while simple, cozy without diminishing its glamour. I recommend it when you want to be on Melrose and do something a bit different but great.

We were feeling like Middle Eastern-Israeili food and randomly found this place.And im truly shocked that i have never heard about it, such a hidden gem on Melrose.Amazing ambiance, beautiful decor, and great service.Our brunch was so yummy and flavorful.The shakshuka is a "must" on their menu. Highly-highly recommended.

I took out my husband for Valentine's Lunch Date. I was looking for a restaurant that offers a unique kind of food and based on the positive reviews that is when I decided to try Carmel. I loved the Jerusalem Bagel because it is soft but also not that soft. I mean it was just everything a bagel should be. We ordered the chicken hummus which paired well with the bagel. We also had the Ceviche which is mainly fish (I also loved this) and fried calamari (this was the least favorite of mine, I think it is the same as the other calamari in other restaurants). Finally, my husband got the RED SNAPPER SCHNITZEL (this was also good!) the fish is crispy, not overcooked but juicy. We had mimosa and the MELROSE SPRITZ for drinks. The Interior is pretty, neat, and organized, service is not that fast but not that too long. The staff are accommodating and welcoming. The place is overall clean. I look forward to trying their dinner menu.

This was my second time coming for dinner and this is the deal breaker to know if the food is really good. Spoiler it was EVEN better than last time and I thought that was impossible. |F O O D|Fermented Bread w/ Smoked Eggplant 9/10 Hamachi Crudo 8.5/10 Mushroom Cigar 8/10Grilled Prawns 2/10 Fig Carpaccio 8.5/10 Roasted Okra 8.5/10Hidden Rose Apple Salad 7/10Mains:Artichoke Tortellini 9.2/10Chanterelle Pappardelle 7/10Red Snapper Schnitzel 8.5/10Hanger Steak Kebab 6/10Dessert:Biscuit Cake 9.1/10Chocolate Mousse 9/10Knafeh 9/10|A T M O S P H E R E| Dimmed lighting and beautifully designed bar making it a fun yet personal night out. |S E R V I C E| Had a better server the first time, but the hosts are always so nice! Bussers were on the ball and everything was cleaned up quickly which was nice since we got so much to eat. |O V E R A L L|I have gone back to places and realized it was not that good and Carmel is not one of those places! Those 3 desserts are a MUST and almost everything on the menu is amazing. Perfect date night spot and family spot as some kid was celebrating his birthday next to us which was sweet.

Carmel on Melrose brings a fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine served in a beautifully designed space that oozes style and warmth. The ambience is as inviting as the food is inventive--perfect for a memorable night out.Our meal started with their signature bread, mushroom cigars, okra salad, and beet salad. Each dish offered a unique spin on classic flavors. The okra salad, while delicious, seemed a bit sparse on the okra itself, but we still found ourselves savoring every bite.For mains, we chose the steak kebab and Jerusalem tortellini. The steak kebab was well-prepared and flavorful, though it felt like it could benefit from a side dish or other element to balance out the $51 price tag. The chocolate torte for dessert was rich and satisfying, albeit in a very modest triangular sliver, which felt a touch pricey at $18.Despite minor critiques, Carmel shines. Every dish left a great impression, and we're looking forward to returning to explore more of the menu.

Our experience was alright. The shrimp were the best dish 4.5/5. We thought the bread with dip was decent 3/5. The smoked eggplant app could have used more flavor 3/5. The lamb rack 3.75/5 was not warm enough and could have used more flavor. I did like the stuffed onion it came with. I was confused by the striped bass dish, as the gnocchi didn't make sense. It was ok 3/5. The rose water ice cream was ok 3/5. It was missing the richness and texture that I am used to with Persian rosewater ice cream. Our sommelier was highly knowledgeable and I enjoyed learning about the Mediterranean wines. Service was a nightmare. But to be fair, they did lose power and worked hard to keep things going.

Although I thought Carmel was grossly overpriced for its portions, I would have given them 4 stars for just the taste for the taste of their food (it was pretty good), but just thinking of my experience there and upon reading other yelper's comments, I realized that our experience of finding hair in their food was not a one time thing, and that is really just unacceptable. Although the staff there was very apologetic and they did take care of the situation (thank you), it is less forgivable when it's reoccurring. Also, around 3-4 times that night, I had to stuff my face with the serving utensil while the server just stood there watching and waiting because their presence was a pressure to take away our family style shared food in the middle, when clearly there was still food left.I think I ordered a third of the menu, not because I was particularly hungry or because I had a large party (6 people) but because the portion of every dish was so small. But honestly, as I mentioned previously apart from the tortellini, everything else was very tasty. The price/portion amounts that they charge is basically fine dining level. 6 tortellini's for $30 with no meat is kind of absurd. I order three orders of the bread to feed the whole table because in reality it's just the size of a regular pita. It was good but it was just a puffed up fermented bread (like a pita) with some hummus and olives for $14. I also got the kampachi crudo, the hamachi ceviche, black fig carpaccio, sweetbread tagliatelle, corn tortellini, hangar steak kebab, harissa glazed jidori chicken. The mains are more decently sized and they were good. The meats were juicy and the sides complemented it very well. For desert I got the chocolate tahini tart, Knafeh, and the chocolate mousse. The desserts weren't all that, so it isn't a must here.

Excellent ambiance, inventive and delicious cocktails and food. Very impressed by this place and grateful to have had Kat serve us at the bar. She was a pure delight, extremely attentive, engaging, and charming. We will be coming back -- and asking for Kat.