L'Escargot - French restaurant in Carmel-By-The-Sea - Mission St & 4th Ave, USA

The duck and cheesecake were great. Atmosphere is nice and has a genuine French bistro touch. Our waiter was fantastic. However - my experience in France is that each portion is brought out more leisurely and the menu is more typically broken into smaller courses. Though there were clearly many very happy regulars , I found the experience of the evening feeling a bit rushed. You will enjoy the food and service and have a nice evening - but you might not feel like you are reliving your last trip to the French countryside.

Wonderful experience. Service was prompt and efficient but not overbearing. Wine menu is extensive. The food taste and presentation was excellent. The starter was escargot , tender and tasty, next was a blue cheese stuffed fig wrapped in prosciutto. The main as perfectly cooked beef Wellington and a equally delicious scalloped on a bed of risotto. Desert a cheese cake with a lemon zest topping. Not overly sweet or tart and a wonderful accompaniment to the wine. A must try when in Carmel or Monterey.

I found the dining experience rather underwhelming considering its price point. With a bill of nearly $320 for two people, my expectations were higher in terms of quality. Nevertheless, I must commend the staff for their excellent service. They even went above and beyond by moving the heater for us, and attended to us thoughtfully. However, it was a bit disappointing that they didn't offer any water for our dog. I understand that their main focus is serving us, not our pet, but it would have been a thoughtful gesture, especially considering how dog-friendly Carmel is. Speaking of the price, I anticipated more flavorful dishes. The escargot was enjoyable, and the foie gras was a delicious novelty for me. However, the beef wellington fell short in terms of taste. It lacked the desired flavor, and I found myself wishing for more sauce to enhance its overall appeal. Unfortunately, my husband's portion was too raw to eat, and we ended up giving those parts to our dog. His steak was significantly undercooked, resembling a blue state, while mine was at least medium rare. Although he didn't voice any complaints due to social anxiety, I insisted he should have done so but he didn't. Regrettably, the creme brulee "islands" were tasty but left me with the impression that I was paying the same price for a significantly smaller portion. It left me with a sense of being taken advantage of. Furthermore, the brownie served was simply a basic chocolate brownie, lacking any unique qualities. All things considered, I cannot help but feel that the restaurant failed to meet the expectations set by its price. I genuinely regret dining here, especially when I've had the pleasure of visiting restaurants like Cafe Sparrow in Aptos, which provide impeccable quality and taste at a fraction of the cost.

The tea here is bad! The options were a mix of Lipton and Biglow for $5! Maybe this is a petty gripe and I get that the French are not big on tea. But when I go to a fine dining restaurant, I expect a quality experience throughout the entire process. I was very much looking forward to some nice tea with my dessert and expected a good selection. Was very disappointed when the waiter brought out a box of cheap teas and proceeded to charge $5 for each tea bag. It just left a bad taste at the end. Please get a good selection of teas!

Wonderful staff and service. They were warm and lighthearted. We had a lovely table outside with our dog with a heat tower. The meal was phenomenal. The rabbit pasta was one of the best meals I've ever had, including in France, and the Beef Wellington was perfect. We can't wait to come back!

We had the most delicious dishes Saturday in Carmel. First I started off with the mussels, frog legs, mushroom stuffed escargot, and escargot in the shells! Yummy. My favorites. Then my son got the beef wellington, which was divine, and I got the rack of Lamb! Just exquisite. Prices were a little high for the area I felt, and compared to other really high end restaurants I've visited, but everything was spot on and we enjoyed our meal. Thank you.

Escargot in the shell is a must for escargot lovers! :) Beef Wellington special was perfectly done and the restaurant has a great selection of Red Burgundy wines to go alone. Trio of creme brûlée was a nice finishing touch. This is a splurge, special occasion place!

Five star for the service and presentation but lacking on flavor and makes you want to come back. Too pricey about $150+ for 2 people... we tried plenty of food to test and see if they were good but photos failed me. They do everything correctly in cooking/service/followup but just missing that oomph!