La Balena
Junipero between 5th and 6th, West Side - Carmel
Recommended by Sluurpy:
2025
2024
2021
#38 of 117 restaurants in Carmel
Updated on
Sluurpy Quality Index
PROPRIETARY
Popularity
100/100
Quality
67/100
Data Completeness
67/100
Verified Dish
Add Missing Dish
🌳
Outdoor seating
🥡
Takeout
🍽️
Dine-in
🚚
Delivery
🍺
Alcohol
🍷
Wine
📅
Reservations
♿
Wheelchair accessible
♿
Accessible restroom
😊
Casual
🛋️
Cozy
👥
Good for groups
Contact Information
📞
Phone:
+1 831-250-6295
📍
Address:
Junipero between 5th and 6th, West Side, Carmel
📷 Photos (11+)
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Google Reviews
259
Google reviews
We enjoyed a fantastic dinner al fresco in the beautiful cozy front patio at La Balena decorated with colorful purple and white lights. First of all, the service was friendly, very attentive and professional. The food was fantastic and unique, too. We started with the delicious Burrata Tartufata (garnished with truffles), toasted bread, sea salt and olive oil. We then enjoyed the amazing chanterelle (great flavor!!!) mushrooms with linguini in a wonderful light sauce. We split their famous crispy giant Pollo Fritto which is half of a Fogline Farm Fried Chicken with flavorful mashed potatoes. We finished with a refreshing lemon sorbet nestled inside a giant lemon accompanied by Italian Biscotti. The owners, Emanuele Bartolini & Anna Abney Bartolini, stopped by to say hello and were so welcoming and kind. The restaurant also features an indoor dining room and back patio, but the front patio is my favorite! An outstanding dining experience in Carmel by the Sea. Very highly recommended!
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We went here for our 25th anniversary, on the recommendation of Emmanuela (someone we met in town). Her recommendation did not disappoint! We booked a reservation easily, arrived early and were seated early. My husband had the bisteccca and I had the fish of the day. Both were incredible! The service was impeccable and timely (but not rushed). They even brought us a sweet dessert on the house for our anniversary. Thank you for letting us enjoy your Carmel hallmark. It was a vacation highlight.
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Amazing spot in Carmel, very fresh fantastic food. Locally owned and managed. Very authentic Italian.
Google
Great service and food. The gnocchi was so light and was nicely complemented by the mushrooms.
A bit of a splurge, but worth it. Note that indoor seating is very limited.
Google
Delicious Italian restaurant. Highly recommended ! The dishes were all great although we would have hoped that the portions were a little larger.
Google
We were in Carmel on a Saturday late afternoon looking for a restaurant for an early dinner. Most places were booked for the entire night! After a while we found La Balena. Wow were we lucky! Not only to find a restaurant that was open, but one with this good of food!!! For the two of us and our young granddaughter it was perfect! Most of their seating is outside but with heaters so it doesn't get too cold but with lots of fresh air. My wife had the rigatoni. She thought it was very good. I had the lamb shank. It was fantastic! Very tender and flavorful. My granddaughter had a plain rigatoni with marinara sauce. She ate it all plus a little of my lamb shank.
The staff was extremely helpful, polite and friendly! The meals were served quickly. We couldn't have had a better experience!
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Had the sea bass on bed of spinach and mango salsa atop, and rigatoni. Bottle of Pertimali wine. Perfect dinner in Carmel. Great service. Would definitely come here again. Small family owned feel and great food
Google
Great atmosphere and the food was delicious! Fried cauliflower appetizer did not disappoint, and the fried chicken lived up to the hype! Took my girlfriend for her B-day! Overall we had a great experience!
Google
We ordered the cauliflower app, beet salad, potato side and the rigatoni. We split it all and the portion was perfect.
Sat under the redwood outside and loved it.
I appreciated that we gave the server full freedom to pick a bottle of wine and he could have brought a $100 something that they couldn’t sell but picked a great bottle that exactly met what we described. (It was like $48)
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One of the best meals we’ve had in the last three weeks since starting this trip. The apricot salad was superb. The grilled octopus with a first time for us, grilled watermelon base, was excellent.
The pastas are house made and so well done. If the boar sauce is on the menu when you go don’t miss it.
Topped off with a rich and creamy créme brûlée.
Wonderful service and very friendly staff.
If the weather is nice reserve a table on the back patio.
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