Grasings Bar

Came for brunch at 11:30 on a Saturday. The weather was beautiful (it was late February after all) so we sat outside. The atmosphere was relaxed with some funky music playing softly in the background. We were seated immediately and had our choice of tables. The staff were courteous and attentive. One lady, having assured us it is safe to drink the water here in Carmel, brought us two refreshing glasses of chilled water. One fella brought us warm bread with butter. Both were delicious. The same fella brought Janie a big glass of iced tea which looked delightful. Janie said it was good. We ordered promptly and were served so quickly there was no time to fill up on the yummy bread. I ordered the Benedict and was immediately up-​sold the crab avocado benedict by the wicked lady server. It was the bomb. After one mouthful I was immediately rejuvenated from the prior evening’s heavy drinking. The accompanying potatoes were crisp and the fruit was more than adequate. Janie ordered the chicken club with chips (fries). She said the sandwich was really good. For review purposes I sampled the sandwich myself and I concur. The chips were good too. All in all everything was excellent. The wicked lady pitched desert, but being health nuts we declined. We were out in 45 minutes.

Great late evening dinner location. Super cool blend of rustic and sophisticated environment. Classy waitstaff with excellent service.
Really enjoyed my dinner here and may make this a regular stop when in town. Tried the fish and chips this time and it was a great portion and price point. Plenty of fish with just enough beer batter– hit the spot. Ample fries, couldn’t even come close to finishing the basket.
Fairly well appointed bar. Would love to see some Oregon Pinot Noir and distillery products on the lists.
Awesome place to take a loved one, close friend, or colleague.

I love this place. We came here for Christmas dinner and was not expecting to be accommodated since we had no reservations but they went above and beyond to take us in. I could see it was tough for them but they managed to anyway. The staff was so wonderful. The food was perfection. Al, Our waiter was so warm to us and so was the, I think the manager or the owner. He kept coming to our table to check on us. We felt very special. All 3 of us had the mushroom bisque, the prime rib, and it was delicious. We ordered 3 different desserts so we could try each other’s desserts and they were all sooo good. Thank you Grasings. Definitely coming back and definitely recommending to friends and family.

I really enjoyed visiting Grasings. Ira the bartender and manager is highly skillful. He offered me my favorite drink before I even asked for it. I was waiting to be seated, then Ira came, poured in my expresso martini, and added three coffee beans on top to complete the presentation. Later, when I was seated, he shared with me some stories about his family and kids, then I started talking about my family and friends. I really liked that part of the conversation. Ira is attentive, inclusive, highly professional, and detail oriented.
Talia my servant was amazing, she took care of every single detail of my order. She made sure that I was comfortable and had everything I needed.
Toby, one of the night managers, always greets, checks on me, or stops by for a short conversation. The hostesses are nice, caring, and professionals.
As to the food, the chef is highly creative, has a contemporary style with a classic touch.
I am glad, I discovered that «gem» called Grasings. I already came back several times. Grasings won my heart.

The seating for a child and dog was on the side of the building though the heated back patio had open tables. The wait was VERY long… we weren’t offered drinks and I had to get someone’s attention to get water. It was freezing and once our faces were frozen I asked them to box the food that still hasn’t arrived. They brought it to the table and I said… boxes please… so they took my child’s food to box and left mine. Then I had to ask again… the food eaten from boxes cold… was not a possible situation since we were staying at a hotel. The hotel recommended them… we do not.

There are many excellent restaurants but Grasings is in the exceptional in the exceptional category. From the time you are greeted at the door until the moment you leave, you receive impeccable service. Add the fact that the food is excellent — you have a perfect dining experience. The Crab Benedict and the salmon, over quinoa with heirloom tomatoes, salad are highly recommended. Everything from the presentation to the texture and taste were extraordinary. The crab Bloody Mary was also as outstanding. After finding the suggestion on Unilocal,a local stopped and gave us an all thumbs up. I now know why. A special shout out to Ryan who guided us in our choices and who, along with the rest of the staff, was fabulous.

Upon arrival we were told we had the table for 90 minutes. We were rushed through a mediocre dinner. How can this place be anyone’s favorite? There is nothing California about it as it mostly a steakhouse. Tuna tartar was good. Onion tart a mushy mess. The paella is NOT a paella… Orzo pasta in some tomato sauce wirh some seafood is not a paella. Good wine list & nice outdoor area. Don’t order the seabass, as it is boring & bland & it tasted not so fresh.

We arrived at 9 hoping to order from the dinner menu only to be told that the kitchen was closed. We ended ordering from the bar menu with the limited menu. My sandwich of the day was a steak sandwich, ordered medium well but tasted more like medium rare. It was chewy and disgusting. the salad had a very tart and ordinary vinegar eyre. The polish mule was good. The skirt steak tacos were yummy. The angus burger was good as well as the fries. The service was great.

The turkey sandwich with quinoa was the best lunch I have had in a while. A very nice and friendly atmosphere. I will return. Had a taste of the popcorn too. Yum!

Our favorite restaurant in Carmel! The gourmet food, the attentive & friendly service, the warm atmosphere — both inside and out — make this a unique setting for a special lunch or dinner!

Kurt turns it out each time! Whether grilled salmon salad or beef tacos, a frittata or the special– this is a win win. Courteous and kind staff. Knowledgeable as well. A cozy place to meet a friend or go on a date. We always enjoy ourselves. The beauty of the simplicity city in downtown Carmel-​be-​the-​Sea across from the landmark and charming fire station makes this place a quaint and elegant place to celebrate the best in life.

While this bar looked like it was going to be a win, it was merely a meh.
We ended up ordering two Unilocal faves — the Spiced Manhattan and the The «New» Fashioned. After one sip each, we switched. While both drinks were fine, they were both overly sweet and served way way too chilled. It confused my senses, what can I say. We switched to straight Macallan after.
The truffle white cheddar popcorn, unlike the cocktails was amazing! So much savory truffle flavor, I could have eaten bowl after bowl.
If vacationing in Carmel in the future, I may end up here again but maybe not.

Loved our waitress Siggy! Amazing polish mule and a spicy guava“natural” magarita. Will be back!

Awesome bar menu (went with the truffle popcorn and cheese plate-​both amazing), open late (for Carmel) or should I say stayed late because we closed the place down, great extensive wine list and mixed drinks. We will definitely be back soon, can’t wait to try more of the food and cocktails.

A bit pricey in my opinion… but then again, if you’re vacationing in Carmel («by the sea»), you probably have a lot more money than I do.
Their beer selection is pretty poor. Nothing on tap, but they keep a few different bottles, which they buy from the local grocery store and sell for three times the amount. Gotta make a living!
Bar tender was very nice. kept letting my husband try tons of samples of different whiskeys! Took him home nice and toasty.
I don’t know if I’d go back. but it was an alright experience.

We just had a tiring day. Our flight was 3 hours late. We had a 2+ hour drive to Carmel. We checked in to our hotel and found out we had a dark dingy room and they couldn’t change it… We needed a drink to relax.
A block from the hotel was Grasings Bar. It was just the ticket! I had a side car, hubby had a spiced manhattan. Both were perfect. Hubby hadn’t eaten most of the day, so he ordered onion rings. I might suggest they have a few more «bar snack» type items to choose from, but I’m not complaining about the rings. They were huge and crispy on the outside while the onion was tender. Yum!
So we sat at the bar and chatted with the bartender. He was very friendly and suggested places to try while we were in Carmel.
It was so comfortable that we went there a couple more times on our visit.

We had a late dinner booking so we decided for a stroll and stumbled on this little gem. The poky interior with hushed banter made for a wonderful backdrop. After a quick chat with the bar staff we ordered a couple of cocktails, with the spiced manhattan taking the winning seat. After a couple more of the Manhattans made with the in house spiced spirits we really didn’t want to leave. The food that was coming out looked fantastic and something that we would come back for.
This bar is where you want to come for honest service and a small amount of quietness.

Great bar, always a great place to grab lunch or a drink before heading out to dinner.
I had the Lamb Burger for lunch which was on their special of the day menu. I asked for medium rare and it was cooked perfectly. It came out juicy, topped with cheese and spinach with a side of quinoa salad.
The burger was great!

Discovered my new favorite drink here last night– the «New Fashioned»!!!
We went here to watch the Niners game when Brophy’s proved to be too crowded and seat-​deficient. The environment was pleasant and the menu holds many delightful bar snacks to feed the weary fan.
We had:
–Truffled popcorn. Hand’s down the BEST truffled popcorn I have had, and I have had many a truffled popcorn
–Pulled pork sliders. You get two sliders and two onion rings– both nommer-​noms.
–Stack of onion rings. Once we had the two from the sliders, we needed more. Nuff said.
Also, they have great beers, but only bottled. Prices are on the higher end.
Most importantly, the «New Fashioned», which is spiced bourbon, Cointreau, ice and muddled blood orange with a dark morello cherry. Suppppppa yum. Had two.
This is a great place to grab a drink before a nice dinner or just to have a relaxing snack after a day of shopping.

Our new-​found friends at nearby Brophy’s Tavern recommended Grasing’s for its food. Apparently it’s quite popular with locals!
We walked in and were immediately greeted by the friendly hostess. The bar’s exposed beam ceiling and muted lighting said «drink here» so we stopped to sample an appetizer and check out the menu.
The $ 12.75 PEI mussels were an obvious choice. They arrived in a creamy parsley and leek Beurre blanc sauce. Our server helped us out with wine choices; we tasted four wines and finally settled on one we felt paired well with the PEIs.
If the mussels (and the other entrees we saw people munching on) were any indication, the food’s on par with the service and atmosphere. We’ll come again for dinner!
The down & dirty:
Food — 4. Coming back for more!
Service — 5 — the standard for Carmel!
Value — 4 — You’re getting local and organic foods.
Setting — 4 — It’s classy, understated and cozy.
Date worthy — 5 — It’s got the romance factor!
Dogs — Not here — you’re on a date, remember?!