Carmel's Hidden Gem Restaurant

Customer service was great. Waiter was on point. Food was excellent. We had smoked salmon and huevos rancheros with a pomegranate mimosa. Perfection

Had a delicious meal at this quaint spot in downtown Carmel. All the food was excellent and the service was professional and responsive to all our needs. We will be back for a dinner sometime soon. Dia the owner stopped by and we had a nice chat. He takes pride in his restaurants delivering delicious food at a value. Good price point for Carmel

Love this spot. Great service. Amazing food. Variety of cuisines, generally oriented around Mediterranean but some asian and american influence too. Our favorite restaurant in Carmel, we go here every time we are in town (they just rebranded the name but it is essentially the same restaurant as before when it was Village Gem.) Not to be missed - truly, everything is good, local, organic, and tasty. Amir is the manager and he gave us impeccable service.

This really is a hidden gem. Small, friendly. Generous portions. Tasty frittata. Chicken-fried steak is made with real beef, not the processed frozen cubes.
Children and dogs and related messes are good-naturedly welcomed indoors on rainy days.
Good food, good people.
I would return.

I was hesitant to go here since there was only one review but decided to give it a try and WOW - we're glad we did! This place likely doesn't have many reviews because it seems to be a place locals come and love. It really is a hidden gem (we had difficulty finding it as the sign outside said "Village Gem") and it's worth locating. Amir, our host, was so incredibly friendly and kind and everyone working there seemed to give their all. And the food was outstanding! The beet salad had so many layers of flavor built in and our mushroom ravioli was probably the best we've ever had. Everything tasted and looked like it was prepared by a seasoned professional executive chef. It was also really lovely to see all of the locals (maybe 10-12?) who gathered for a laid-back and warm-emitting dinner in the outdoor area (which was really nice!). We HIGHLY recommend this place - it actually couldn't have been better and we travel often and eat at higher-end establishments a few times a month. Thank you for a wonderful dinner!