Review Carmen's Lunch Bar & Tapas - Pensacola

The seasonal gazpacho and spicy olives were excellent. The chicken salad was fresh and amazing (kindly split onto two plates since we were sharing it between two people), and the honey white balsamic dressing was so refreshing and bright. Wine was great. Beautiful location to eat outside on a sunny day, and servers were very friendly and helpful.

So many gluten-free options it's hard to decide what to get. But, it's all good so don't worry! The crab poppers were so good as well as the goat cheese and pepper jelly. Great spot for a lunch on the way to the airport.

Great spot for a quality lunch! The servers were quick to serve and where able to offer a great choice for food. I had some kind of crab on chibatta and it was fantastic. The potato salad was creamy and not overbearing. The atmosphere felt busy and packed but I didn't mind it. You expect it when sitting at the bar. I definitely recommend this place for lunch.

I'm soo glad that I finally stopped by Carmen's! Let me tell you something, if you have not been then you need to go. Now! It's a tiny restaurant attached to the Bodacious shops, but the foooood is an experience! Cory behind the bar is just magical, she runs that area like she has 6 arms. I never had to ask for a refill or anything, she anticipated every little thing that I might need plus everyone sitting around me without missing a beat. Of course I started out with a glass of Chardonnay, hello! Then I decided on the kale salad. Baby, this ain't your mama's salad, it was divine. With blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, kiwi, toasted walnuts and a white balsamic dressing, I could have easily eaten another one. It was beautiful. For my entrée I ordered the Cuban pork plantain pie, with roasted pork, red sauce, plantains, sour cream and a black bean salsa, I have never had anything like it before. The flavors were outstanding, the pork cooked perfectly, and I added hot sauce for an extra kick and you could have knocked me over with a feather! Everything was just amazing! I also met the beautiful owner Carmen and she was an absolute joy. This place easily ranks in my top 5 of restaurants in Pensacola! Period! I can't wait to go back and try another dish!

This place was wonderful. The food had several combinations of flavors you normally don't get to experience. It's not really comfortable as far as seating goes, but the servers are super friendly.

Gourmet all the way! Slow roasted beef sandwich tender, delicious, to die for! Crab curry chowder so flavorful. Excellent service and warm, cozy atmosphere. Will be back time and time again 😋. Prices reasonable too.

Food was soooooooo good. We had Soda Bread, Cuban Pork Plantain Pie, and the Stracotto Beef Pie. So unique and fresh. Wish we lived in town! Would 100% recommend to anyone for a lunch spot.

Super friendly staff and great food. They have a few places to sit outside but the bar inside is the place to be for good conversation with locals or other out of town travelers. The bartender was kind enough to give us tips on parking and restaurants for dinner.

1st time eating here and it was a great meal. We got here early for brunch and got seated at the bar right away. Our waitress, who I’ll guess was the front of the house manager was really nice and explained everything we asked about and described the food with enthusiasm. We started with the olive plate and the tomato soup. Olives weren’t as spicy as I was expecting but the tomato soup with the firedust was awesome. You got the tang of the tomato with heat of the pepper dust and it was mellowed by the sour cream. That was top notch, which I had ordered the bowl. I got the Cuban style sandwich and it very well balanced. Good ratio of meat to bread, great sandwich. The wife got the pork plate and she thought the pork was really well seasoned. The plate was empty when she was done. I can see why people say to expect to wait as there are not many seats available. Really good meal, we will be back to try some of the other dishes.

Carmen's is amazing! If there's a wait, wait! It's worth it! The food is exquisite. The customer service and atmosphere is like the food! Carmen is the sweetest and works alongside her staff. Carve out some time and go enjoy the phenomenal food and relaxing atmosphere.