The Pocket

Name: The Pocket
Address: 5 Lincoln St, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA, United States, 93923
Telephone: (831) 626-8000
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.7

4.7

371 Reviews

$31 to $50

Californian

Top Tags:

Welcome to The Pocket, the perfect place to be.
We know, perfect is a big word! We didn’t get here overnight.

The Pocket is inspired by two lifetimes of love for great cuisine, culture, fine wine and cocktails, and the joy of discovering the perfect pairing with family and friends.

We were both born into the restaurant industry, watching our parents work hard to create beautiful experiences for their customers. From an early age, we both learned that the experience of dining out is just as important as the food itself.

When you achieve that perfect combination of people, ambience, food and drink—you are in The Pocket.

We’re so happy you found us.

Enjoy,

Kent Ipsen
Owner

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 26, 2022

June 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Californian, Contemporary Italian, Contemporary Latin
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 3:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:30 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(831) 626-8000
Website
http://www.thepocketcarmel.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Private party facilities
Private event available in our gorgeous private dining room which can host an event up to 18 guests. Call us today to inquire about our special events package.

Location
5 Lincoln St Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93923
Neighborhood
Carmel
Parking details
Make extra time to find parking in Carmel it's always a bit of a challenge
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Burratina$24.00
imported burrata cheese, salame picante, evoo, olives, crostini bread
The Pocket Charcuterie Board$26.00
varieties of imported meats, cheese, marinated olives, taralli bread
Day Boat Seared Scallops$32.00
3 pan seared U-10 chipotle aioli, blini with crème fraiche
Mussels & Clams Bowl$26.00
red curry, cilantro, leeks, thai chili pepper, white wine, grilled crostini bread
Fritto Misto$25.00
monterey calamari, shrimps, lemon, zucchini, carrots, ginger aioli
Grilled Octopus$24.00
spanish octopus, steamed potatoes, japanese yaki sauce

Salads

The Pocket Caesar Salad$16.00
organic romaine lettuce with house made croutons, shaved parmigiano, freshly made dressing; (additional: mary's grilled chicken, mexican gulf shrimps)
Portobello Salad$18.00
spinach, goat cheese, grilled portobello mushroom, shaved parmigiano, balsamic vinegrette
Citrus Salad$16.00
mixed greens, cherry tomato, orange & lime and lemon supreme, honey, parsley, garlic citrus vinaigrette
Mozzarella di Buffala$24.00
imported italian mozzarella cheese, wild arugula, slices prosciutto di parma, evoo
Asparagus Salad$18.00
grilled jumbo asparagus, glaum extra-large farm egg, pan seared bacon, gribiche, cheese

Entrees

Pappardelle Funghi$26.00
mushrooms ragu', arugula, parmigiano reggiano cheese, evoo
Pasticcio Gratin$26.00
bechamel sauce, mozzarella cheese, taleggio cheese, parmigiano, prosciutto cotto, peppercorn
Spaghettoni Caposante$29.00
day boat scallops, garlic, white wine sauce, cherry tomato, evoo, parsley
Bucatini Carbonara$26.00
bacon, glaum farm eggs, pecorino cheese, tellicherry peppercorn
Gnocchi Gamberetti$28.00
potato dumplings, rock shrimps, pancetta, rose' cream sauce, brandy, fresh basil
Orecchiette Barese$26.00
kale and broccoli raab pesto, olive oil, garlic, chili pepper, Italian sausage, pecorino cheese
Steelhead$49.00
pan seared norwegian steelhead filet, lemon risotto, blistered cherry tomato, kalamata olives tapanade, chili pepper
Fresh Catch of the Day$59.00
local fresh fish filet, cherry tomato, saffron risotto, broccoli raab pesto
Rib Eye Steak$59.00
certified angus beef 16 oz boneless rib eye steak, potato mash, roasted carrots
Braised Short Rib$48.00
demi glazed short ribs, potato puree, roasted carrots, red wine glazed shallots
Pork Chuleta$52.00
berkshire pork chop herb breaded pan fried, spicy aioli, arugula salad
Langostine Rice$46.00
thai coconut curry, large shrimps, green onion and jasmine rice
Lamb Ossobuco$62.00
braised lamb ossobuco, saffron risotto, gremolata

What 371 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

California Central Coast
Californian
Monterey / Carmel
Vibrant Bar Scene
Monterey / Carmel
Californian

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OT
OpenTable Diner
Sacramento
1 review
vip
2.0
1 review
Dined 2 days ago
overall2food2service4ambience4
Food was cold.
T
Tonya
Central Coast
16 reviews
vip
5.0
16 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always delicious and an elegant dining experience.
FP
FamilyPack
Hawaii
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on June 18, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
Excellent food and great service. You won’t be disappointed.
LI
LIsaB
Fort Lauderdale
11 reviews
vip
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on June 18, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Superb food! Beautiful outdoor area. Thanks for a perfect evening!
l
lyla9
San Francisco
10 reviews
vip
5.0
10 reviews
Dined on June 18, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience4
My husband had the octopus and is still raving about how delicious it was. I had the chicken which was ok. We really wanted their hamburgers, but they've taken them off the menu. Real disappointment. The ambience is great. Be sure to order a Whisky Sour. I've never had better.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Las Vegas
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on June 16, 2022
overall2food3service5ambience3
The decor and interior is fresh and modern. Host was dressed immaculately (young guy), super friendly. Our server and other staff were very attentive, friendly and prompt. The noise level was a bit high even though tables were not full- think there are no sound dampers in restaurant. We had burratta salad, cup of mushroom soup. Salad was fair- said it was supposed to be heirloom tomatoes but they were not and the tomato was not ripe, but soup was delicious! We had the pasta- dish was very tasty and portion size was just right. And it came out hot! Which is very important to us. I have to say this place is WAY overpriced. Especially if the quality is so so. There are many great restaurants in Carmel that I don’t feel this is an issue with pricing.
GC
GregC
San Francisco
27 reviews
vip
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on June 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Service and food are incredible. Great experience. “B” is amazing.
S
Saint
Washington DC
46 reviews
vip
5.0
46 reviews
Dined on June 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely balmy evening for dining outdoors with excellent service and delicious food which was attractively presented.
I
Incognito
Central Coast
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 12, 2022
overall3food3service3ambience3
We requested a certain table inside the restaurant and we were given that exact table. VERY NICE.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 12, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
This is my second time at The Pocket and each time it has been amazing! Food, service, cocktails and wine list are all exceptional and I can’t wait to return. It’s casual but upscale in taste! Perfect combo for my friends and I. 👌🏽
JW
JeffreyW
Chicago
23 reviews
vip
5.0
23 reviews
Dined on June 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Pocket continues to be one of my favorite restaurants. The food quality and service are excellent. The vibe is always friendly and fun and being in Carmel gives it a great location too! For any occasion, this is my first choice in the Monterey and Carmel area and is also considering all the really good restaurants in the Monterey area. Thanks Bee, Tia and Kayla for another great meal and experience!
c
cammyg
Central Coast
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Birthday….had a reservation, sat outside it was BEAUTIFUL. Had a darling waitress. Food was great!
CS
CatherineS
San Francisco
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Delicious Rib Eye steak, Manhattan Up [Maker's Mark] & chocolate torte. Nickolas K, our server, is always a treat! thank you!
LL
LayneL
Central Coast
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding service, and beautifully prepared dishes. My son was visiting from Scottsdale, and this was our first visit to this restaurant. We started with The Pocket Charcuterie Plate, and it was excellent! My son really loved the candied walnuts, and I was especially fond of the camembert! For our main course, my wife had the Seared Yellowfin Tuna cooked to perfection, my son ordered the Pan Seared Seasonal Halibut and loved it, and I ordered the Shrimp Gnocchi, which was delicious! Servings are ample to generous. Be sure to leave room for the desserts! Parking in Carmel can be challenging, so allow a little extra time for that. We will definitely eat here again!
MM
MarkyMark
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wife’s Birthday
B
Bgjkm
Houston
20 reviews
vip
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on June 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere. Service was outstanding and Kayla our server was a sweetheart. Food was delicious and presentation was awesome. Great time
JK
JonathanK
San Francisco
19 reviews
vip
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on June 7, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
A real find. Everything was just great, for cocktail thru desert. Service was excellent. A 10!
L
Love2eatgood
Central Coast
19 reviews
5.0
19 reviews
Dined on June 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Had a great experience… food and service was exceptional… will definitely go again… couple of fyi’s… parking can be tough in Carmel so give yourself a little extra time to find a spot… also, check their menu on their website…. found it to be a little different than what was in open table… once again, great dinner… will be adding to our favorites in Open Table
E
Euroboy
Exclusive
8 reviews
vip
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on June 4, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
The food is excellent. Very nice staff and attentive. The price needs to come down though on menu. $100 for steak is very pricey and Seafood dishes should be in the mid $30’s not $50. Overall, wonderful experience.
S
Sandy
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on June 2, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a wonderful dinner at Pocket. The food is amazing however, it is a bit pricey. Overall we had a wonderful evening there.
m
markd
Central Coast
5 reviews
vip
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on June 1, 2022
overall4food3service3ambience4
Service was slow. The crab salad was made like tuna salad and lacked flavor. The short ribs were great.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Hawaii
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 31, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
40th birthday.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 30, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a wonderful dinner at the pocket. It was lively, but romantic! The service was top notch, drinks were outstanding and the food was incredible! We will definitely be back!!
WH
WillardH
San Francisco
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 27, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and service!
N
Nittler
San Francisco
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on May 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing all round - The Pocket is the best new restaurant we have tried for a long time! A real find and we will return often. Starting with the ambiance - it is beautiful with real attention to detail and design. Creative cocktail menu with a fabulous bar, good wine list with local and European options. Every course was phenomenal starting with delicious Oysters with citrus mignonette, a solid Caesar, seafood pasta was excellent but not as fantastically special as the Seared Tuna with mustard dressing (wonderful). Dessert was warmed chocolate soufflé cake with delicious salted caramel sauce. Service amazing - we had Jose who was delightful and so helpful. Don’t hesitate booking
DD
DianeD
Central Coast
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 24, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great menu and the food is excellent. We like to wine taste at Talbots next door then head over for dinner....makes for a very fun evening!
RS
RobertS
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 22, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
Our waiter Sonny is the best! Our dinner and drinks lived up to our expectations.
GC
GregC
San Francisco
27 reviews
vip
4.0
27 reviews
Dined on May 18, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience5
Lovely place. Always attentive to their diners. Service very good. Food is always consistent. I’d give it 4.5 but no such rating offered. Go and enjoy a great experience.
LS
LowellS
San Francisco
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Fabulous new upscale dining experience for Carmel. Wonderful venue, excellent food and drinks.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience5
Best scallop pappardelle EVER. great drinks, apps, dessert. Will be back
Y
Yummy
Los Angeles
23 reviews
vip
3.0
23 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2022
overall3food5service5ambience2
Made a reservation a long time ago and was disappointed with our table. We were seated in the spare room away from the main dining area.
F
Foody
San Francisco
65 reviews
vip
5.0
65 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
Great spot but we had a vegetarian with us and there were no vegetarian entrees on the menu. This surprised me for such a new and upscale restaurant to not offer vegetarian options in today’s market.
AR
AnnaR
San Francisco
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent as always
DE
DENIST
London
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2022
overall2food2service4ambience4
This place was quite nice but the food was average and nothing special at all but the price was excessive and a rip off. The beers were not on the menu but when i asked if they did beers they said they did , so i ordered just a standard beer and only found out the price when the final bill came. the beer was 11 or 12 dollars, which is £9 in sterling. Probably the highest i was ever charged anywhere. I wouldn't return as there are much better places to go to in Carmel and better value for money. Even my hotel said this place had mixed reviews and was not very popular. Only one positive which was the service from our waitress...excellent and friendly.
ML
MarkLaronda
Central Coast
7 reviews
vip
1.0
7 reviews
Dined on May 10, 2022
overall1food4service1ambience3
Manager was rude and unprofessional. Server forgot to put in our entree. Waited another hour for the forgotten entree. Used to come here a lot. Not returning anymore.
DG
DanielG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great service and great food. Our family of four all ordered different meals for dinner. Everyone loved what they ordered. Will definitely return.
A
Alockestar
Central Coast
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on May 9, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Perfect Mother’s Day dinner!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Central Coast
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was amazing as usual but Nikolas makes the evening! He has been or waiter every time we’ve been in & he is so engaging & fun! Food & Nikolas are a must!!
s
simmbo
Tucson
26 reviews
vip
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and service, Nicholas was excellent. Will definitely visit again.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 3, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Incredible food! Great service! This is our favorite restaurant in Carmel!

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

The Pocket is rated 4.7 stars by 371 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 26, 2022

June 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

7:00 PM

Booked 7 times today

5 Lincoln St Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93923

Additional information

Neighborhood
Carmel
Hours of operation
Mon–Thu, Sun 3:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 3:30 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Californian, Contemporary Italian, Contemporary Latin
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Make extra time to find parking in Carmel it's always a bit of a challenge
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.thepocketcarmel.com/
Phone number
(831) 626-8000
Private party facilities
Private event available in our gorgeous private dining room which can host an event up to 18 guests. Call us today to inquire about our special events package.

The Pocket

Make a reservation

Additional information

Grilled Octopus

Citrus Salad

Bucatini Carbonara

Appetizers

Burratina$24.00

The Pocket Charcuterie Board$26.00

Day Boat Seared Scallops$32.00

Mussels & Clams Bowl$26.00

Fritto Misto$25.00

Grilled Octopus$24.00

Salads

The Pocket Caesar Salad$16.00

Portobello Salad$18.00

Citrus Salad$16.00

Mozzarella di Buffala$24.00

Asparagus Salad$18.00

Entrees

Pappardelle Funghi$26.00

Pasticcio Gratin$26.00

Spaghettoni Caposante$29.00

Bucatini Carbonara$26.00

Gnocchi Gamberetti$28.00

Orecchiette Barese$26.00

Steelhead$49.00

Fresh Catch of the Day$59.00

Rib Eye Steak$59.00

Braised Short Rib$48.00

Pork Chuleta$52.00

Langostine Rice$46.00

Lamb Ossobuco$62.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Filters

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

How is The Pocket restaurant rated?

Is The Pocket currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information