"A lovely, quiet, upscale French restaurant located in Carmel.

The ambience was warm and pleasant. I've never had such a private and intimate restaurant experience like I've had here. The servers were accommodating and very knowledgeable in their recommendations.

The appetizers were an amazing start to an impeccable meal.

My partner had the French onion gratinee. He enjoyed the slight sweetness of the broth. As well as the nice thick cheese (perfect cheese pull) and the bread at the bottom. He enjoyed it so much that he used the extra bread that was served to scoop and soak up every last bit of the soup.

I had the lobster tail and asparagus risotto, which is by far the best risotto I've ever had and the stand-out dish of the meal. They offer the risotto as a main dish but served with scallops in lieu of the lobster as an off-the-menu special. I would personally recommend that as a main meal selection (as the risotto is that delicious).

We were definitely anticipating the main entrees after an amazing start with the appetizers.

The pastry on the beef wellington was flaky perfection (the whale design was so cute!). The filet mignon was cooked at medium rare, but if you let it sit a little then it would cook into medium. The gravy/reduction complimented the dish and the greens served on the side were a lovely addition. If you can justify the $75 price tag, then you can't go wrong.

The rabbit pasta was creamy and the rabbit was very tender.

For dessert, we shared an apple tart which was delicious and spiced perfectly topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. A lovely finale to a lovely dinner.

Limited seating. Reservation is strongly recommended.

Overall rating 4.5/5

Sa7tein!"

swaylem

"Reminds me of my country like no other French restaurant I’ve tried in the area so far! Amazing food and service."

Eve LP

"I absolutely love escargot—when it's prepared correctly. We used to frequent The Whaling Station in Monterey, California, until they unfortunately mishandled my escargot order. That prompted me to search for a new spot, and I discovered L'Escargot in Carmel-by-the-Sea.

Since it was my birthday and I had the privilege of choosing the restaurant, L'Escargot was my top pick.

A quick heads-up: Carmel-by-the-Sea is a popular tourist destination, and parking can be challenging. If your reservation is at 6:00 PM, I recommend arriving by 5:30 PM to allow time to find legal parking. Avoid blocking driveways and be sure to read parking signs carefully.

Now, on to the food: I give it 10 stars—yes, I know Google only allows five, but I’m doubling it. Our server, Freddy, was incredibly attentive, the rack of lamb was perfectly cooked, and the escargot was absolutely sublime.

You can order the escargot classic in the shell or stuffed in mushroom caps. As a traditionalist, I chose the classic version. We also sampled the lobster risotto, which featured shaved lobster tail, tender asparagus, and delicate slivers of Parmesan cheese—rich, flavorful, and beautifully balanced.

To complement the meal, I enjoyed a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, which perfectly enhanced the flavor of the lamb chops.

One final note: if you're looking for mint jelly, be aware that in France its use is considered outdated, so it's unlikely to be offered. While I do enjoy mint jelly with lamb chops, the rack of lamb with garlic, rosemary, and a Cabernet reduction was a complete game changer—absolutely phenomenal."

Stanley Roberts