Best Restaurants with a Happy Hour in Carmel

We had an amazing experience at mission bistro. Our server was very attentive, friendly and professional and was so kind and helpful with our 1 year old baby (thank you! Sorry we forgot her name but she used to work as a home nurse for some time!) She gave great recommendations for food and also helped us talk to the chef to make something healthy under the kids menu for our baby. We ordered 2 seafood courses and both were very fresh and tasted really good. We would love to come back to visit again

So much to love here! First, we hit bad traffic coming south on Hwy 1, and the restaurant was extremely gracious about pushing back our (lunch) reservation. Second, the menu has something for everyone. My husband tried the special salmon sandwich on brioche and was in heaven. I had the duck confit salad on frisee with a poached egg and mustard vinaigrette. So good. I say this as someone who loves bitters greens, but having both radicchio and endive was a lot of bitter. Wouldn't have minded more frisee and maybe some croutons? Now, we have to talk about the fries. The server gave us a hint that they are extraordinary, AND THEY ARE! I'm considering driving back to Carmel just to get a plate of those fries. (Didn't try the sweet potato fries.) Thank goodness my husband shared them with me. Here's the only drawback: parking in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Next time, we'll try to find something on the outskirts of town and walk into town. Would have been faster and we could have worked off a few fries.

We were fortunate to get a window seat in the dining room next to street on Christmas Day. Brian was an excellent server and each course of food that we had was fantastic. A great experience on a busy day.

Our server was Yvette and she ensured a great experience for us.

Great food, cute location, friendly server! Also had live music- a bonus since it was unplanned-for. Since we had a group of 4, we went for the "small" island basket, which was 3 entrees and 2 appetizers on a giant woven basket / platter. Very special experience (and SO much food :-) Only downside was that we'd originally made lunch reservations but the restaurant was clearly not open when we showed up (on time for the reservation itself; half an hour after the restaurant's opening time for the day). Ended up going in for dinner instead (hence the "unplanned" part of the live music). Would highly recommend, aside from the owner's opening-up glitch.