Aubergine the restaurant at L'Auberge Carmel

Celebrated my birthday this past weekend at the prestigious Aubergine in Carmel by the Sea. Vivid and creative presentation with French and Japanese-influenced seafood tasting menu reminiscent of Singlethread in Healdsburg. For instance, the waiter lifted a lid to preview a seared scallop inside a donabe pot then plated the quartered scallop with a sauce poured over it. There were also duck and ribeye steak dishes. Oddly enough, one of my favorite courses was the fresh rustic bread with a unique clarified tallow and mushroom gelee on butter. Tons of flavor and delicious on the bread. The first cocktail I ordered was called the Bloody Good which incorporates tomato, vodka, shiro dashi, campari, ancho. I was a bit wary of getting something that tasted like the Bloody Mary I had in the

Came her for a special Valentines dinner and was a bit disappointed, but overall really enjoyed trying this new spot and adding another Michelin Star restaurant to our list. My husband reserved us a spot in the Salon since the main room was full. We did not have any waiter come over to us for at least 10-15 minutes after we sat down. Finally, we were able to order the tuna tartar with its respective pairings which was incredible, but be prepared that its $46 for not much food. I ordered the paella for my main dish and it was so delicious. Sadly, my husband ordered the steak and it didn't come out til about 20 minutes after I received my meal, so my paella got cold by the time I got to eat. His steak frites was truly disappointing. The steak was super chewy and tasted burnt. The fries were

Overall C: celebrated with my husband this past weekend at the 3-star Aubergine Salon in Carmel by the Sea. Creative presentation, decent service, nice intimate environment, however surprisingly expensive for what we got for dinner: crab dip (so we good we should have ordered twice in place of one of the entrees), oysters, cheese board, salmon. Recommend, if you have high tastes and big budget.

Dining at Aubergine in Carmel is like stepping into a quietly luxurious world where every course is composed like a sonnet. With its two Michelin stars, the restaurant delivers on expectation - and then gracefully exceeds it. The meal unfolded like a well-structured symphony, but two dishes stole the show: a kinmedai prepared with a subtle hand that honored the fish’s natural richness with incredible texture, and a scallop course that was so delicate and well balanced it felt like a dream. Both exemplified the kitchen’s ability to balance restraint with imagination, and they were elevated by perfect seasoning and thoughtful accompaniments. Service was warm, intuitive, and never overbearing- precisely what you want at a place of this caliber. The pacing of the meal was relaxed but never l

The best restaurant experience I’ve ever had. No question. Definitely the most expensive (I’m not usually about this life 😂), but I can’t wait to (be able to afford to) go back. The best food I’ve tasted probably ever. Beautiful presentation. I got so full—i had to take food home (and it still tasted so delicious the next day). Incredible wine pairings (and GREAT nonalcoholic pairings). Super knowledgeable staff. We went the first night of our honeymoon and they surprised us with a delicious chocolate mousse. 100/100.