This restaurant seems more casual from the outside than it is on the inside. In fact, I felt like it should have been more casual, but they try very hard to make it more formal. My wife and I had dinner here. She ordered the lasagna which she really enjoyed. I had one of their gourmet pizzas which was decent. The bread and tomato dipping oil they give you is very good. The waiters were nice. Just from looking at the menus outside prices seemed to be on the lower end of the other places around town. This was our first place to eat for our two night stay, however, so I don't know about serving size or quality.
(4)
vik c.
This place is really good. We had the margarita pizza and spinach ravioli. Both were really good. Service was great as well. The server appears to quiet and serious, but he's very polite. He's not fake like most other servers. Give this place a try, it's really good. We'll definitely be back again. The breads are also very good and the ambience is very nice too.
(4)
Connor B.
Was hesitant to come here after reading some of the bad reviews... But we were SO GLAD we did!! Everything was perfect from the complimentary bread/marinara, to the server who made you feel like family, to the romantic and authentic ambiance. Don't let the lack of customers fool you... I think the location causes it to be slow, especially with some of the other more famous places in the area. I hope they stick around because we will definitely return to this hidden gem!!
(5)
Noe A.
Went to this place with a groupon. We immediately noticed we were treated different because we were there with a groupon. If you don't like grouponers, stop selling it on groupon. We didn't get a regular menu. We got a groupon menu with very limited selection. So I didn't get a chance to really try this restaurant out. Very bad experience. I was expecting a nice restaurant experience and basically got pizza with bad service. Thanks for nothing. Avoid this place!!!
(1)
Phil N.
This place is a four not a three like some have posted. Had the Arugula Salad with Prawns & my daughter had the eggplant Parmesan. Both were cooked perfectly! Reasonable prices too. Will return for sure!
(4)
Lori L.
On our second visit we had a much worse experience. The available menu was much more limited and unable to accommodate my wheat allergy. The service was almost grudging, and when my chicken Marsala was served over pasta and I pointed out that it wasn't listed on the menu like that, the server said "well, every dish needs a starch" and walked away. We will not be back.
(1)
Allison S.
I wanted to take my boyfriend to a nice Italian restaurant in Carmel for Valentine's Day. I searched for restaurants that look like they have quality food without being ridiculously over-priced. I found a GroupOn for La Dolce Vita Ristorante for one appetizer, two entrees, two glasses of wine for $40. I thought, "that's a great deal!" Little did I know... I made a reservation via phone with a man who sounded completely miserable with his life. I made the reservation a few days in advance and asked for either 7:30 or 8 pm. I thought for sure they won't be able to do that time since it's so close to V-Day! But they did! My boyfriend and I (in heels, mind you) walking up and down Carmel looking for this place. I am from Carmel, never heard of the place, and couldn't find it! It's tucked away across from the Post Office...not a great location...We had to ask a cute little elderly man where the restaurant was and he helped us find it. When we arrived, we were lazily greeted outside and I explained I had a reservation. He led us to our table and pass by their outdoor patio where a band was packing up. We sit down, and there is LITERALLY one other couple in the restaurant...EEK! When I look at our table, I see mediocre dinnerware sitting on a PAPER TABLECLOTH! If you're looking for exquisite Italian fine dining, steer clear of this place. The server hands us a paper prefix menu, and I explain to the server that I have a groupon and wasn't aware their menu was prefix. He immediately gets defensive and rudely tells me that I should have made it clear that I had a groupon when I made the reservation, which yes, I should have. BUT they should have told me that my reservation would be for a prefix dinner of $100!!!! Ridiculously expensive for a place like that. The waiter takes advantage of our predicament, we can't afford to eat here and we feel awkward about getting up to leave. So he comes back after he gave us a minute to talk about the next step and hands us each a glass of champagne! We decided to leave because we were absolutely freezing--the doors were open and they put us right in front of it--and it was so silent, my boyfriend and I were worried people across the bar could eavesdrop on our conversation. We tell the waiter we'd like to leave and he said okay and gave us a bill. $20 for the champagne! WHAT?! You shove cheap-tasting champagne in our faces when we didn't order anything and then you charge us for it?! I was livid and embarrassed I took my boyfriend here for a romantic dinner. We ended up paying for it and stormed out. I still had the groupon and took him again a few months later. When we got there it was pretty much empty and there was no music at first. When it did come on it jumped genres, like opera to pop genres...The menu was confusing and my boyfriend and I were almost tricked into buying extra salads. We order our food eventually, and it was completely average food in every way. I love wine, and was excited to drink a glass with my meal. The order asked us if we want white or red, and then comes out with a glass of white or red...I couldn't even choose the wine I wanted! I wanted a Pinot Noir and he ended up giving me a Cabernet Sauvignon. The place is awful, rude, creepy (the waiters/hosts just stand at their post, looking at you and then whispering about God knows what to each other), and not worth a single penny. I sincerely do not recommend dining here.
(1)
PB Reader W.
We had a groupon for $25 off the total lunch check. We arrived a little after noon on a beautiful, sunny day and there was only one other table occupied. Strange for Carmel on gorgeous day for a restaurant with outdoor seating but maybe lunchtime is a new addition or the restaurant is hard to find (it is across the street from the post office in downtown). I wanted iced tea but the server said they were out of ice, no explanation of a machine being broke, missed delivery, just they were out. We could have tea and it would be cold but as I like ice in iced tea, I declined. The waiter was competent but not friendly, no smile, no thank you for coming, no pleasantries. He did check periodically and asked if we wanted anything, but never a smile, we felt as though he'd rather be elsewhere. Food was ok, I had a pizza, there is no option for a thin crust. The menu is different from the one online, it was recently changed. No sandwiches or small plates. My friend had a caesar salad, nothing special, and an appetizer of shrimp which was in a salty sauce. Most of the dishes have pasta. The food took a long time to arrive, we didn't care as the patio was nice and we wanted to talk. I mention the time only because if you have a limited amount of time, you would probably be wise to mention it to the waiter at the outset. The bill came to 36.90 with tax for one 10 inch pizza (all pizzas are $14.95) one caesar salad, one appetizer plate of 4 shrimp in sauce, and 1 cold tea. Water was cold but no ice available for water either. If there weren't so many stellar restaurants in Carmel, I might go back but given this experience, there's no point since there are so many others in town that are excellent. I won't return even with a groupon option.
(2)
Alessandro P.
Disclaimer: why do I feel entitled to write about a so-called Italian restaurant? Because I'm Italian, born and raised. The good Waiter was friendly and attentive, even if I had a coupon. The food was good, which, after all, it's what one wants in a restaurant. I got gnocchi with gorgonzola. Gnocchi were perfectly cooked, soft yet firm, and the sauce was tasty, yet not too strong. 4 stars. The bad. Simply put: it's not Italian. Italian-American maybe, but no real Italian would put mushrooms on a carbonara, or chicken on a risotto. At least neither my mother, nor any restaurant I ever visited in Italy. (Not to mention the random spelling of Italian words on the menu.) -1 star for the "false claim" Total 3 stars.
(3)
Kelley S.
Perfectly Romantic and Quiet Get Away a Special Dinner; For Me, it was my Wedding Anniversary. The Waiter, went above and beyond to make our night special.
(5)
Matt H.
Fantastic place to go. We made a reservation even though the reviews were not spectacular and were pleasantly surprised. There was only one waiter the night we went and he took extra special care of us. The portions were perfect and the wine selection was outstanding. They were running a special on a Saturday night for 50% off bottles of wine. We decided on a less expensive bottle but here was Cake Bread, Paul Hobbes, and many more amazing Napa wines. Also had an extensive selection of old world wines. We will absolutely be back next time we are on the central coast.
(5)
C D.
My daughter & I were traveling with my husband for work for the Concourse d' Elegance. This was the weekend that people come from all over the world to attend this exclusive high end collector car event. The town benefits tremendously from these patrons! My 9 year old & I were out & about & couldn't find the Mexican restaurant we wanted to go to. And stumbled upon this restaurant. It looked "established" although hardly anyone was in the restaurant. The food & service were ok. When they brought my bill out I promptly gave them my credit card- which I had been using all weekend. Only to have the waiter come back 5 minutes later & say they don't accept Amex. Well, all I had was $10 in cash & my Amex credit card. Mind you- my 9 year old & I split a pasta dinner & each had a drink. The way they acted was like we ate a 6 course meal & had a couple bottles of wine to wash it down. The bill was a measly $29- it was a mom & her 9 year old daughter!The waiter didn't know what to do & had a guy in an apron walk out & ask us why we didn't ask them if they took Amex when we walked in. Really? Who does that?? What restaurant have you gone to lately & asked them what credit cards they take??? Even McDonalds takes Amex. Maybe they should post a sign!! The guy in the apron happened to be the owner (classy!) Like most people from out of town- I don't carry checks & multiple credit cards with me. The owner was as rude & poor class as he could be. Embarrassing me & treating me like a criminal in front of my daughter & the 2 other patrons in the restaurant. All because of an honest mistake on both sides! I gave him my $10 & I drove back to my hotel to get the rest of the money for the bill. When I returned to the restaurant all the lights were off & a "closed" sign on the door. I parked & went up to the door & noticed the owner was sitting in his car waiting for me...For the balance of the bill - the $19....Pathetic! So much for an "established" restaurant. Obviously the $19 was worth more than having a repeat customer!! I should have read the poor reviews before we decided to eat there. Never in my life will I eat at this place again. For someone in the service industry to treat a customer like that is unacceptable! It's no wonder the place was empty!!
(1)
Ashley P.
My husband and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner at La Dolce Vita in July. Miguel and the entire staff helped make it a wonderful and memorable evening. The patio in front of the restaurant was perfect for mingling, with wine and appetizers. The entire staff was friendly, attentive and the service was wonderful. Every dish we selected was delicious (pizza, eggplant Parmesan, butternut squash ravioli, mixed grilled vegetables, caprese salad, pasta Bolognese, chicken Parmesan and a selection of red and white wine served throughout the event). We will always remember the wonderful time we had and how accommodating the restaurant was to make our event so great!
(5)
Dr H.
Highly disappointing. Food was sub par and Groupon was not a good deal. So many great options in Carmel.
(1)
Vince C.
March of 2014 had lunch at La Dolce Vita, I slammed them in my first review but it was well deserved.. Since my last visit they have moved to a new location, now across the street of the Post Office in DT Carmel. I can tell, that if they were busy this review could have been similar to my last experience. We ate on the patio at about 215pm so all the other tables were finishing. Our service was ok, but I noticed only one person working the floor. Food: Cantaloupe Salad w/ honey vinaigrette 5-stars Eggplant appetizer 3 Pasta 3.5-stars Sandwiches 3-stars Tiramisu 2.5 "could have been better but the use a cheap chocolate sauce" Price: Typical I'm not going to become a cheerleader of LDV, I'm not Racing back, but I won't be opposed to going back for a LATE lunch. Good luck...
(3)
Steven C.
My lunch was so good I went back for dinner. Lunch was pasta. I had the carbonara and my partner had ravioli. Both were excellent. We each had a margarita (multi-cultural - always good :) They tasted freshly made. Not mixed with bottles crap. And they had a kick, which is what I like in a cocktail. The patio is dog friendly. Most of Carmel is. I say check this place out!
(5)
Jorge R.
This restaurant was truly amazing. Warm bread was brought out with delicious sauce. The pizza has great sauce too. In all this is a great restaurant and if you are visiting Carmel you must stop to eat here.
(4)
Nicole J.
Worst place ever! The place was entirely empty on a Friday night at prime dinner time(6:30). The waiters were creepy and wouldn't look you in the eye and kept whispering to each other. In an attempt to go to the bathroom you had to wait and then the male waiter came out of the female bathroom and held the door open even while I was in the bathroom. I had to pull the door closed away from the waiter. The food tastes microwaved. Overall a very strange creepy atmosphere, wouldn't recommend it.
Dog friendly patio always a plus. The waiter was present but not overly so, which since we seemed to be the only people can be tough to accomplish. We sat at a table for 2 and when the bread arrived the bread arrived it pretty much took over and have us no space. And then our prosciutto and ham arrived and we had no space. They automatically got a plus in my book because one of the pages came loose of boyfriend's menu and on the back was last year's valentines day menu, so a green cost saving practice is always great to see implemented. The complimentary bread and tomato spread that came with it was pretty good. Our pasta arrived. I got the artichoke ravioli and boyfriend got the veal and stuff tortellini. The sauces were very well done, the pasta it self was perfectly al dente. But the filling seemed to lack seasoning. The servings were small but perfect size really. I'd return but not rush and would pick other places first.
(3)
Tammie L.
This is the first time I had eaten here and it will be the last time. I ordered the crab ravioli in champagne white cream sauce and it had hardly any taste and the sauce had a seasoning in it that was not italian. Had kind of a Thai or Indian type seasoning in it. The clam/muscle appetizer lacked broth...it had a gravy like taste which was very good but needed more broth. The lamb leg was tender and my boyfriend pulled from his mouth something that looked like a cat claw nail. it did not taste Italian but tasted as if it had BBQ sauce on it. This was not a good experience for us. I let the waitress know about the raviolis and she reimbursed us for my plate. We decided to post this review instead of having the very nice waitress take more bad news from us. We left the restaurant hungry.
(1)
Rick T.
My wife and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Very light background music and soft lighting set the mood. The bread came with a scrumptious red dipping sauce. I had the stuffed chicken and it was excellent. She loved her Chicken Marsala. We sat inside but the cute outdoor patio was very tempting. Great meal and we will definitely be back.
(5)
Sean M.
The entree salads are smaller than most side salads! And at $7.50 a pop. You will leave this restaurant hungry!
(2)
Laura D.
Nice service and prices are quite ok, however do not go here if you want to have Italian food, DO NOT order pizza..
(2)
Martha J.
Great restaurant, easy new location. Cannelloni was good! Salads fresh. Prompt service and nice warm bread. A definite repeat!
(5)
S S.
Good food. Quiet atmosphere - off the beaten path. Good service and pacing for those not in a rush who can just sit and enjoy dining out.
(4)
Meredith B.
This restaurant was excellent. Dog friendly and sympathetic to larger dogs. Our waitress Carla was friendly, timely, and attentive without being intrusive. The food was excellent. Some of the best Italian food we've had in Carmel. I highly recommend this restaurant to tourists and residents alike.
(5)
Brad J.
Our experience was a lunch in November. The waitress was friendly enough but didn't pay much attention to us. The food was very good as was the wine. There is a lot of outdoor seating which is great for us as we were out for a walk with our dog, who was also welcome there.
(3)
Ashley B.
I really liked this place. My boyfriend and I were here visiting Carmel, Monterey, and Big Sur and I thought my Di Mare (seafood fettucine) was pretty great. Was it the best seafood I had on my trip? No. But I thought overall, the food was great, the service was nice, and the little rooftop patio was really quaint and nice. Perhaps I was just on a high from being in California for my first time, but I enjoyed this little spot.
(4)
Heather N.
Yum
(4)
Bronwen L.
The waitress was pleasant but the pizza took over an hour and a quarter to arrive and was burnt on the bottom and nothing to write home about. People who arrived after us received their food long before we did. The women's restroom door is coming off it's hinges too and was very hard to close, and subsequently to open. The outdoor seating was very pleasant though and the stars are for that.
(2)
Elizabeth P.
The best pizza ever !
(5)
johan s.
You can not get more Italian than this! Excellent eggplant appetizer and exceptional Italian menu with a reasonable price. The ambiance is beautiful and serene with a great menu. Do not miss this place if you grave Italian food.
(5)
Matt V.
We had a reasonable dinner there but it was just a little bit of a let down. Food was okay but the portions small for the price paid for pasta. Service was ok, not great. I've had takeout there which has been limited to the pizza and chicken parm both great dishes. The rest of the menu fell short for me. I guess in the end that's what it's become for me. A great takeout place for a couple of dishes. Too bad as I really hoped for more.
(3)
Melanie B.
This restaurant was yummy but I have to knock down some stars due to the SLOW service and bathroom facilities. There were only two servers working there. We came in for lunch and it started filling up. We must have waited for at least 30 mins. before we got our lunches. I love the bread. It was warm and crunchy. The dipping sauce was perfect. We ordered the talapia and creamy seafood pasta dish. I enjoyed my pasta dish. The bathroom was gross! One was flooded and the water was just seeping out of the door. I wore sandals, so I patiently waited for the other restroom to open up. Then, the lady informed us that the toilet didn't flush. That wasn't a good sign! I'm not sure if I will come back here given the fact that there are more restaurants to choose from in Carmel.
(3)
Nathan V.
The service isn't amazing because it's just the restaurant owner and a chef, but this place has the best Italian food in Carmel. The bread and sauce you get to start is amazing, and I get the tortellini every time. I live in slo and drive up to Carmel often just to eat here. They just lowered their prices so it's an even better value for the money. People that don't like this restaurant don't know what good food is. The owner is a great guy, but he's quiet so you just have to start conversation with him. You can buy the dipping sauce now too! Awesome!
(5)
CJ N.
Food was mediocre - appeared as if re-warmed from two-day old leftovers. Bolognese sauce tasted like Chef Boyardee. My husband had a ravioli dish which was so-so. Both pasta dishes were served extremely hot (microwave?). Service was extremely slow. The host was indifferent, unwelcoming. Carmel has dozens of restaurants with better food and service, so will not visit La Dolce Vita again. Highly recommend Cantinetta Luca as an alternative.
(1)
Larry T.
The table service was acceptable but the food was marginal.One member of our party had the lamb shank, The report was the shank was chewy and the entire plate of food was cold. Another member reported that the cioppino had a bouillabaisse sauce and not a cioppino broth. It was a peculiar melange of rice, sea food.and a broth, the taste of which was far from spectacular. Another member ordered the veal piccata and got veal scallopini with capers that was void of flavor. I had a shrimp spaghetti combination with capers. The taste was fine but the entire plate was cold. The salad portion size was a lot smaller than expected considering the cost. I would only consider eating here again if I couldn't get into any other restaurant in Carmel.
(2)
Robin P.
We had pizza wine and salad. Salad was ok not very Much. Their bread was good they serve it with a olive Oil with sun dried tomatoes and garlic that was very tasty. We had a pizza with sausage and mushrooms was good A little on the crunchy side. Their happy hour for wine is $5 a glass . One complaint I would have would be their was A lot of noise from the kitchen, you could hear pots and pans Banging around.
(3)
Raul N.
I was warned by a family member not to go to La Dolce Vita after she had a terrible lunch here a couple of weeks ago. The allure of a cheap $25 prix fixe menu for Restaurant Week was too much to resist, and against my better judgment I went to La Dolce Vita for dinner. Yikes! It wasn't terrible, but certainly not that tasty and I'd never pay full price here, considering the quality of food we got the other night. I started off with the soup del giorno, tomato and basil tonight. When it arrived, it was scalding hot--not just the soup itself, but the bowl too, a sign it was probably reheated in the oven or (worse) the microwave. The soup was a weird consistency, like a gooey concentrate from a can that didn't have enough water to dilute it properly. Flavorwise, it was a little strange--very salty and smoky, but with a nice touch of basil. My dining companion chose the Caesar salad, which she reported was merely average--and I immediately spotted overly dry (and perhaps store-bought?) croutons. Our second course arrived--I ordered the ravioli alla Giada, crab ravioli with bay scallops in a champagne cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes; she ordered the Contadina pasta, fettuccine with prosciutto, artichokes and garlic in a cream sauce. Her pasta arrived first, again on a scalding hot plate. The cream sauce was broken--globs of cream and oil separating on the plate--and she noted that the dish didn't have much flavor. My dish arrived next--except there was a mix up with our server and he brought out the tilapia entree. He apologized and a few minutes later brought my crab ravioli. The ravioli weren't bad, but certainly nothing special either. The crab tasted like the frozen/canned crab, a disappointment when there's delicious Dungeness crab here in the Monterey Bay. The champagne cream sauce was a nice touch, however. Our last course in the three-course prix fixe was dessert. We both opted for the tiramisu. I thought the filling was a little too fluffy and needed to set a little longer, but the flavors weren't bad, especially the touch of cinnamon. I'd be willing to forgive the lackluster food if service had been good, but sadly, our service left much to be desired. It was sooooo slow--it took more than 30 minutes to simply put in our order! And then we were left waiting and waiting and waiting between courses. Sure, there was only one server, but the restaurant was hardly crowded, maybe four tables (all 2 or 3) max--and most were finishing up when we arrived. I'd definitely avoid La Dolce Vita I'd you're in a hurry. Our dinner dragged out to 2.5 hours, even in an empty restaurant, and the food certainly wasn't worth the wait. What disappointed me most wasn't the quality of the food or service, but the prices--or I should say the prices we would have paid had we not gotten the prix fixe special. The regular dinner menu seemed a little pricey, especially given the quality of the food. There are much better meals to be had in Carmel. If you're looking for good Italian food in Carmel, skip La Dolce Vita and head over to Cantinetta Lucca or Little Napoli just a block over on Dolores. Both of these offer up a better meal and a better value than La Dolce Vita.
(2)
Christine R.
My husband and I ate here on the eve of our first wedding anniversary. We had no idea that dinner reservations would be mandatory in order to eat anywhere on a Saturday night, and as we wandered off of the main street, we found this place. They kindly took us to a table immediately and we got to sit on the patio. Since it was nighttime, they brought the heater closer to us. The server brought us warm bread and the most delicious tomato dipping sauce. It tasted so gourmet and homemade! This is definitely a small, family-owned restaurant. It appeared two brothers were working that evening- they were very polite. The service was a little slow, but definitely worth the wait! We got to simply enjoy sitting outside on a cool November night, just relaxing. I had the butternut squash ravioli---amazing! It was definitely handmade, the portion was far more than I could eat, and it was so delicious! I forgot what my husband had, but he definitely ate all of his! :) The price was a little high, but again, it's a small restaurant in Carmel, we weren't expecting great, cheap deals on a night out in this situation. I would recommend this place and definitely go back.
(4)
Joan W.
Okay people. This place rocks. NO LINES. off the beaten path. It HAS NOT BEEN DISCOVERED YET!!! This is where you want to go for good food. NOT to be "seen". Just for delicious food from owners who are providing quality ingredients. I am not a "line" person. Don't like 'em. Good to know there are alternatives, even in Carmel! Check. Them. Out. Or don't. Better for me when I go back.
(5)
Michael H.
It's funny. If you've read my other reviews, you'd think nothing could please me, but this place was overall a very satisfying experience on the two occasions we visited. They recently moved and took the place of the old Chinese restaurant (across from the post office) that had previously been there for years. Although the price was a bit high, it seems to go with the territory in Carmel. My wife had the Ravioli and I had the angel hair pasta in Marinara sauce. Both dishes were very good, but equally important was the quiet ambience and the friendly staff my wife and I encountered after what had been a gut-wrenching workday of panic and frustration. The staff did something all restaurants should do: they made us feel special during our visit. Gosh, how nice it was to have a quite meal --- free of motor-mouthed boobs on cellphones, or hyperactive, curtain-climbing Ritalin brats. I will definitely go back.
(4)
Tracy N.
Give it a try. I know there are a lot of mixed reviews here but perhaps they are trying to improve. Everything tasted fantastic and service was exceptional, kind, and attentive. We had the calamari appetizer which had very tasty sauce and was fresh and perfectly cooked and the sausage mushroom pizza was delicious. It could have used more tomato sauce in our opinion but it was very good nonetheless. There was no wait and we received our food promptly.
Terrible. If i could have given a half star, I would have. If you are visiting carmel and want italian, go to any other italian restaurant besides this place. Demetra is more mediterranean but soooooo much better with much more ambience. La dolce is a complete waste of money.
(1)
Eran D.
We went in there without checking to much....my bad. It was one of the worst places i have been lately - the kind of places that should be in Restaurant Impossible on Food Network. My kids wanted Pizza - They got it. It was the kind that you buy frozen at the Grocery store and heat it up in the oven..... Oh yes, they put a Basil leaf on top.... My Wife had Tomato Soup - a tip to the chef: When you use Soup from a Can, dont keep it hot! The Water evaporates and the salt concentration gets higher and higher. The Soup was simply inedible (and i think that in a restaurant such a simple soup should be made from scratch!) I had Spaghetti Bolognese - what could get wrong with that ? Well, it was from a can, and if not, then it tasted as if it was from a can. Another remark, all the plates were hot just like plates that came out of the Microwave Oven. Well, we didn't even stay for an espresso....
(1)
Cindy P.
We spent one night in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a beautiful area that we plan to return to. My husband wanted pizza and, while going thru a stack of menus at our B&B, came across La Dolce Vita which featured "gourmet pizza". After stumbling around in the dark, and getting redirected after a stop at a gallery, we finally found the restaurant. Our first clue should have been that there was only one other couple in the restaurant. We were tired and hungry, so we ordered a pizza to share. The pizza crust was burned around the edges, toppings were sparse and the sauce was bland. The only thing gourmet about the pizza was the price. Table service was slow and the waiter never checked back with us or refilled our water glasses. I would not return or recommend this restaurant.
(2)
Linda C.
We went there for a light dinner The warm bread and dipping sauce was a wonderful start The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable I appreciated that he filled the lady water glass first I would definitely go back
(4)
A. M.
Loved this place! Great atmosphere, great food and great service. We really enjoyed the fresh pasta sauce, very fresh! Pizza was yummy. Couldn't have been happier and nice price point. We will definitely be back. Cool breeze from ocean on patio or indoor window. Highly recommend!
(5)
Bee M.
i would give negative five star if there's such option on yelp, me and my fds waited for over an hr for our appitizer. NO APOLOGY from the waiter, and no sight of store manager. Makes me wonder who manages the resturant and if they are taking our business seriously.
(1)
Steph H.
The hubby and I were originally going to check out a homemade ravioli place in the area but they turned out to be closed on Sundays, so when we spotted this place right next door, we were like, what the hell, let's give it a try. It was a Sunday evening in early fall, which meant most restaurants off the main drag were closed. It was cozy and candle-lit, and with only one other table occupied, it turned out to be a great place for a nice romantic dinner. They brought out a basket of warm fresh biscotti-shaped bread slices accompanied by a dish of pureed garlic in sundried tomato oil--totally YUM. I ordered the meat tortellini in cream sauce and the hubby got the crab ravioli. Mine was pretty good, if a little bland, but the hubby's crab raviolis were really interesting; it was in a slightly sweet sauce and you could really taste the crab--we really liked it. For dessert I got the creme brulee and the hubby got tiramisu, both very good, but once again the hubby got the superior dish. My creme brulee came in a little coffee cup and the texture was a bit too dense and custardy, not silky. But it was still delish. During the course of our dinner a few other couples wandered in but I can't say it ever got crowded. A dense fog had rolled in so no one was sitting outside, that's for sure. The service was nice but kind of slow, and considering there were only like 6 people in the restaurant I can just imagine what it might be like if the place was full. Also, they could stand to remodel the bathrooms a bit--they were kinda grungy, ew. Overall. it was a pleasant dinner and the food was yummy. Judging from other reviews, probably not a place to visit when it's really crowded. And i apologize for my dark photos--the lament of the iphone.
(3)
David S.
Food was amazing and the waters were very nice . You are treated like family when when you walk in . Live music outside.
(5)
Kristin K.
This was truly a disappointment. I was in town for a wedding and we were STARVING the night before. It was Friday night and almost every place on Ocean was booked solid. It was between this place and ordering pizza delivery. I was super excited to sit down and have a great Italian meal. We started with a shrimp appetizer and while it was delicious, I didn't feel great about paying $13 for six shrimp. The pasta fagioli came out and I'm pretty sure it was simply garbanzo beans and chicken broth, plus the beans were significantly undercooked. And finally, my friend and I split a pizza and I've had frozen pizzas in college that were much better than this. I probably would have had a much better experience if the service was better. We got one bottle of tap water and they never came by to refill, plus it took us 20 minutes to get our check. What should have been a nice 30 minute meal took us almost an hour and a half. It appeared they only had two servers for the whole restaurant so I'm not sure what was going on. Bottom line: If you're stuck in Carmel on a Friday night and can't get a table until 8:30pm, suck it up and wait because it's truly not worth going here.
(1)
Jen R.
We ate at the restaurant about one week ago. It is now located on 5th between San Carlos and Dolores, right across from the Post Office in Carmel by the sea. They have just moved there about a month ago from their old location. They have taken over a Chinese restaurant and are working with the city of Carmel to spruce up the exterior. If you know anything about the City of Carmel you are parting the Red Sea. Since we are locals we like to try different restaurants in Carmel and it's vicinity. We stopped in here for lunch and we were pleasantly surprised. It was lunch time and very quiet in the restaurant. We were seated by the owner and reviewed the menu. It was tough because there were so many delicious entrees on the menu, and I am picky. Bread and tomato garlic dip was served and water. We ordered pasta carbonara and I ordered artichoke ravioli with pesto sauce. The pasta carbonara was a moaner, it was exquisite and melted in your mouth. My ravioli was also delicious and ate it all up. We ordered a glass of wine and the owner gave us a tasting of some sparkling wine. It was called Spriz. It was so good I wanted to take a bottle home. The food was delicious and the people who were sitting next to us loved it. They live in Michigan and everytime they visit Carmel they are sure to eat at La Dolce Vita. We definitely were ready for a nap. If you go for lunch I would suggest you split the carbonara and add a salad. The prices are very reasonable expecially for Carmel.
(4)
donny r.
SO the night just started off bad as we had a reservation for 7 and we were not seated until 7:45. The staff didn't apologize or anything. The service once we were finally seated was seriously lacking. The bread was pretty good but it was slightly undercooked. I ordered the Lamb Shank and that was also pretty good but definitely not worth the price. My girlfriend ordered the cioppino and that was quite mediocre. Overall pretty much a dissapointment. Highlight of the night came when the two pretentious old ladies who basically just went in front of us while we were waiting for a table (because they were locals or something) broke a whine glass and spilled all over themselves!!
(1)
oreo h.
My boyfriend and I come to Carmel quite often and eat at la dolce vita every single time for lunch and/or dinner. The food is always great and the service is excellent. Even though we are out of towners and come every so often,they always remember us and ask about our dogs if they don't see them with us. Try their calamari dish and the rusticana, you won't be disappointed!
(5)
Mary Kay W.
Order the Crab Ravioli with Champagne Cream Sauce. It is out-of-this-world good. The bread, fresh and very lightly toasted, was also delicious. We also have the veal marsala, another excellent dish, as well as great appetizers. But the Crab Ravioli is as close to heaven as you can get in a food! Highly Recommend. The place is styled old-italian, comfortable, clean, not kitschy. It was definitely worth walking the extra block south of Ocean! Make reservations for weekends during tourist season. We've been to at least 50 different restaurants in the Carmel area. Many were very good. THIS is the best we have had.
(5)
Danette R.
Whenever we are in the Carmel area we never miss a visit to La Dolce Vita! Love the food. We especially love the wait staff and owners. Always happy to see us and we have always received top notch service.
(5)
David C.
This is a huge let-off ..... so much and so long for us to try to getting into this restaurant to see if the patio seatings and the food will boost our time and experience at Carmel. Worst of all, the let off came at last too. First off, you guys need to improve your service me thinks, it maybe a slow day with about .... 5 -6 tables seated with one server .... but i don't think it will take about 10 minutes for us to actually have our orders taken (especially when we totally looked ready to order after about 2 minutes, after you took about three trips to and from the patio), but it might just be that we were hungry. However, was it so hard for you to take orders for two tables on the same trip? Don't get me wrong, they did their appetizers, bread, and sun dried tomato dip so right that it might have been those that got us hoping for a killer entree. Before that, I'd like to say we had carbonara and a chicken, mozarella and tomato sauce pizza. The chicken pizza was a little "meh", nothing too surprising, with the tastiness on the bland side. So far, the service, combined with the taste of the pizza will at least grant them 3 stars for me but then I got to taste the carbonara, first impression of that was ..... the chef must've slipped a whole block of butter while they were cooking our dish, there was so much butter in that pasta that my gf basically was trying to "filter-out" the butter to one side of the plate so that she didn't have to eat so much butter. But still, when I took a bite into my mouth, my throat still complained that it was too much butter and my throat complained about too little taste ...... and just how can you mess up cooking a pasta dish? Uhhhh ..... thank so much for the fantastic french bakery we had later that afternoon i was able to forget this meal quickly ... but it will be very hard for me to return here if i do return at all.
(2)
Kristine D.
If you're willing to venture off the beaten path that is Ocean Avenue, Ristorante Dolce Vita will reward you for making the trek. Despite the somewhat mixed reviews I spy here, I enjoyed this place. My family and I ate out on their casual rooftop patio overlooking San Carlos Street in true Carmel-style, with our dog. The food was good --- we feasted on bruschetta, polenta, generous portions of pasta with mushrooms and sausage and the kids ate cheese pizza of course! I enjoyed this delicious salmon and spinach dish over risotto. The service was attentive and place was decently priced. I believe it is worth checking out!
(4)
Joan Q.
My friend and I are not "tourists", but since our favorite restaurant wasn't serving lunch, we stumbled on La Dolce Vita and thought we'd try it. My capellini was alright, and my friend's gnocchi was good, although a very small portion. The bread and wine were fine. Our disappointment was with the depressing atmosphere. The female server and the gentleman host (?) were unable to smile and seemed to be extremely sad. This depressing ambiance spoiled our dining experience.
(2)
Connie W.
Stumbled upon this place on a warm October day. It was the best meal I have ever eaten with Italian fare. Bread is so delicious. A must visit spot.
(5)
R. G.
Impressively bad all around. Do NOT go here. Seriously.
I checked into this place a couple of mos ago but never got to writing a review. The restaurant was across the street from our motel so it was convenient. We sat outside on their deck. It was a bit chilly but they had heaters. I had the chicken parmesan, it was good. Not great. My friend had gnocchi which she enjoyed. They also had some amazing sun dried tomato olive oil dip to go with the bread.
(3)
Helena M.
The worst Italian food I've ever had. I'm Italian descent, so I thought the worst it can happen is the food to be boring...how wrong can you go with pasta, right? Well, you can and they proved it. I ordered their "Gamberi Di Michele --Prawns sauteed w/garlic, capers, tomatoes, lemon, & vodka, served over spaghetti." Sounded great. Tasted simply awful. The prawns were chewy and came drowning in a pool of oil, in what appeared to be their version of a puttanesca sauce. Absolutely horrible.
(1)
Frank L.
Stay away. Unfriendly host; rude. High price compared to quality. Sloooow service.
(1)
Vince A.
Tourist spot because of good location. The bread is nicely done, but the dipping sauce is off. The chicken dishes seem to be thawed breast because of how tough they are. The pasta is nothing special. However, they did make a good latte :-).
(2)
Rodney P.
I'll keep this short and sweet: 1) Mediocre service 2) Bland food 3) Overpriced The wine list was the redeeming factor. A myriad of places in Carmel that are far better and worth checking out.
(2)
Cid T.
ZERO STARS. So. We get inside this small joint. It's tiny. We stand at the host's stand and wait. And wait. And wait. Meanwhile, two waiters pass us by, multiple times. No eye contact, no "we'll be right with you." So we left. But thank gawd we did because we ended up at Cantinetta Luca and LOVED IT. Go there instead. Don't be fooled by the hip-looking front entrance.
(1)
Alejandro J.
ZERO STARS I visited there with my two kids. When we arrived the waiter looked at us like saying " really?". I guess this place is more for couples on a romantic rendezvous. The place was half empty, and the service was a bit slow. The bread and Tomato/Garlic sauce offered when we sat was superb (4). We were prepared to have a great meal, but we were rapidly disappointed. The gnocchi was good but the tomato sauce was "tomato can" level. My Pasta Rustica had Pene OK (1), but once again the tomato sauce was not good. I have had ketchup that tasted more tomatoey. The pizza pepperoni was good (2) but not worth the 13 dollars. The lemonade was OK, a bit too sugary. The worst part was the bathroom. The toilet cover had missing parts, and the floor looked dirty. The espresso machine was not functional, and had been like that for days commented our waiter. It also surprise me to see a Huge bowl with Parmigiana cheese. Who knows how long has this been here, I was not brave enough to taste it.
(1)
Jim L.
The oh-so chic streets of Carmel sent us into a dull, somnambulist state so we decided to have lunch and stumbled into La Dolce. We were not overwhelmed but we were also not disappointed. My wife ordered the Pasta Primavera and said it was tasty, light and very satisfying. I got the Chicken Panini, a hearty helping of our favorite fowl pressed between two delicate layers of bread, complimented with with an impressive pesto sauce. The servers were not overly attentive but that was just fine with us. Unlike other reviewers, we didn't find the place cramped---we thought it was cozy.
(4)
Teeps T.
if you eat outside the old umbrellas look pretty bad, the patio is not gorgeous by any means. The thin crust pizza is very good, we only ate lunch with some minestrone soup which was ok.
(3)
Cynthia G.
We thought at first that the restaurant was closed because none of the exterior lights were on at night. We saw it was actually open and went in. There was one other couple there. My salad was very small and over-dressed. It was tasty and would have been better with less dressing. The wine was great. The waiter was conversational and attentive. I went into the bathroom and the toilet was coming off the floor! The paper towel dispenser was coming off the wall. The bathroom seemed like it was under construction for a long time. very shabby. The dining room was a bit shabby and could use a paint job and new flooring. I won't be back. Not terrible, just disappointing.
(2)
Karen Z.
The waitress was very cold and the food was terrible. Don,t get excited about the outdoor balcony seating.
(1)
Chan-Hua L.
We had to dine here since my 4 year-old son refused to walk any further. It was after 1:30pm, and we were thankful this restaurant was still open. The bread was delicious. The Antipasto Misto was very tasty, and the soup of the day (tomato basil soup) was amazingly good! However, the Panino con Prasciutto was kind of disappointing, otherwise I'll give them 4-star...
(3)
diane q.
My boyfriend and I ate here close to a year ago and we have not been back since. We were seated and ignored for the first 15 minutes and finally had our drink order taken. It was lunch time and we were only one of 3 tables in the entire place. The bread we received 25 minutes after being seated was decent. The carpaccio was delicious and the best part of my meal. My boyfriend had some type of pasta with white wine and zucchini in it and it was vile. We each had a few bites and concluded that it was um, sour tasting. I had some generic fetticine alfredo dish that was too sweet. The cream sauce tasted like vanilla flavored heavy cream with too much sugar, like one would taste in a pastry. It was not a savory dish at all. We both had ice tea with our meals and even though we didn't have any wine or beer with our meals the bill came out to a whopping $70 dollars! For food I could have gotten at Olive Garden!!! (eww). To top it all off, when my boyfriend went to the restroom he said it was disgusting and that there were no paper towels and no hand dryer. He also told me that on his way to the restroom he took a look at the kitchen and said there was trash piled up on their counters and it smelled well, like trash. Service was 2.5 stars. The cute little patio on a sunny day might seem enticing but save yourself some time, money, and subsequent headache by avoiding this place.
(1)
Kristin E.
I am SO torn writing this review. We have been here multiple times. The first few times it was really good. We have only done lunch here. They start you with some TO DIE for bread hot out of the oven and a tomato type dip. It is SO good. We have had the bruschetta as an appetizer but with the bread its not really necessary. We have had the thin crust pizza, it was super good. I would say the times we visited before would have been a 4 star experience maybe even a 5 but unfortunently our last visit would have been a ZERO so I tried to balance the different visits with my 2 star ratting. The last time we visited La Doce Vita is was a horrible experience. The outside patio was full so we had to sit inside (disappointment). There was one guy working and one girl. I am pretty sure the guy was also the one cooking in the back as he would disappear for 20 to 30 min and then food would come out. We were seated it took about 25 minuted before they came to out table to take the order. We asked if we could have some bread with dipping sauce and oh guess what, they are out! Our order was a simple Cesar salad and tomato soup. Not to hard right? It took almost an hour to come out and the soup was cold. As we sat eating we saw the waitress taking bread to another table. When we called her over and asked for some she gave us an obviously irritated look and brought it out. She was very very rude the whole time. The waiter / chef was very nice he was just never out long enough to help anyone. I really think this place needs to hire some extra help. They are going to lose any customers due to the time it takes to eat there. We were so disappointed last time we went because we have really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere of this little place. Even though the last time we went there it took over 2 hours we will probably try them one more time... hopefully i can write another review and tell everyone how awesome this place is!
(2)
J D.
One of my favorite cozy little spots when I'm in Carmel. Great food and service and warm, inviting atmosphere. Everything on the menu is good, especially loved the homemade pasta and bruchetta.
(4)
David G.
ZERO Terrible place. Worst place we've ever eaten! My wife and I and our two kids arrived at 5:45PM and waited at the host stand for a long time. Then when the "host" finally arrived he tried to pretend they were full, although there were many empty tables. After some minutes he finally agreed to seat us at the worst table. The bathrooms were filthy and there was no toilet paper in either one. We told them and they didn't seem to care. Then we noticed after us some people got seated right away without reservations, others turned away. It was an African American couple with two kids that were turned away although there were empty tables. Others who came after them with no reservations got seated. Finally the food was canned/microwave quality. $23 for 6 raviolis filled with sugar for taste. Wine glass was dirty. They never came back to refill our waters. Etc. Finally we asked to speak to the manager about all this and he never showed! We left and it spoiled our entire day in Carmel. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE.
(1)
Jean K.
We enjoyed a late lunch indoors at Dolce Vita and found the food excellent, the service generally fine and the decor pleasant and inviting. We had the clams/mussel starter that was delicious with the warm bread dipped in the sauce. We had pasta - bolognese and the dolce vita (cream and sundried tomatoes) that were hot, fresh and flavorful. The staff were attentive - just not overly doting but we had a positive experience overall. We had not read any reviews prior to coming so we were surpised to see the unfortunately experiences others have had here. Perhaps they are listening...
(4)
Beth C.
they "ran out of steak"??? We had an early (6:30) dinner res. on a Saturday night...and clearly no res. was needed. No one else was there. Our party of 7 sat out on the funky patio in folding chairs. Staff not attentive, we overheard the 1 employee on the floor "guy talking" with the kitchen staff, no clue that we were there. Short version, sauces seemed out of a can, everything over salted, and when I ordered one of the 4 steak options on the menu... they came back to me and said they were out of steak! Way too many great local eating establishments in Carmel to waste a meal at this place. Others in my party commented on how greasy, overly oily, and way too buttery their sauces were. Thick heavy sauce seemed to be covering most of the options on the menu. Seems like they are trying to hide something. My son had cheese pizza, and it was simple, thin crust, nothing to complain about, but quite similar to what we could have gotten from Trader Joe's! When the service staff offers parm. cheese for your meal, the huge bowl that they brings out does make me wonder how long it has been in that bowl, and WHY that seems like a good idea. We didn't stay for dessert. Won't ever return. Life is too short to eat the same bad food twice! Onward we go! Wish I had read these other reviews before I agreed to dine here!
(1)
marie f.
I absolutely wasn't expecting this restaurant to be terrific but was pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed it. The service was lovely, the food was generous and well prepared. I even really enjoyed the the simple house wine I ordered. Lo Dolce Vita certainly isn't pretentious but it is a very sweet place to enjoy a meal.
(4)
See F.
Worst service ever. This visit totally ruined my weekend to carmel/monterey. Food took eternity to get out... almost an hour. And it looked like it was cooked using a microwave. Two tables arrived and ordered after I placed my order. And yet they all got their dishes before our table did. When I asked about my order, they just pretend to go check and give you the run-around. They don't admit their mistake, which it's no brainer they totally forgot to cook our order. No apology or effort of customer service. I wasn't even in the mood to eat at that place, they are not the only place in town for good food. We walked just 1 block down the street for another italian restaurant which the food came in 20 minutes . Stay away from this place by all means.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Beer & Wine Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
Tyler H.
This restaurant seems more casual from the outside than it is on the inside. In fact, I felt like it should have been more casual, but they try very hard to make it more formal. My wife and I had dinner here. She ordered the lasagna which she really enjoyed. I had one of their gourmet pizzas which was decent. The bread and tomato dipping oil they give you is very good. The waiters were nice. Just from looking at the menus outside prices seemed to be on the lower end of the other places around town. This was our first place to eat for our two night stay, however, so I don't know about serving size or quality.
(4)vik c.
This place is really good. We had the margarita pizza and spinach ravioli. Both were really good. Service was great as well. The server appears to quiet and serious, but he's very polite. He's not fake like most other servers. Give this place a try, it's really good. We'll definitely be back again. The breads are also very good and the ambience is very nice too.
(4)Connor B.
Was hesitant to come here after reading some of the bad reviews... But we were SO GLAD we did!! Everything was perfect from the complimentary bread/marinara, to the server who made you feel like family, to the romantic and authentic ambiance. Don't let the lack of customers fool you... I think the location causes it to be slow, especially with some of the other more famous places in the area. I hope they stick around because we will definitely return to this hidden gem!!
(5)Noe A.
Went to this place with a groupon. We immediately noticed we were treated different because we were there with a groupon. If you don't like grouponers, stop selling it on groupon. We didn't get a regular menu. We got a groupon menu with very limited selection. So I didn't get a chance to really try this restaurant out. Very bad experience. I was expecting a nice restaurant experience and basically got pizza with bad service. Thanks for nothing. Avoid this place!!!
(1)Phil N.
This place is a four not a three like some have posted. Had the Arugula Salad with Prawns & my daughter had the eggplant Parmesan. Both were cooked perfectly! Reasonable prices too. Will return for sure!
(4)Lori L.
On our second visit we had a much worse experience. The available menu was much more limited and unable to accommodate my wheat allergy. The service was almost grudging, and when my chicken Marsala was served over pasta and I pointed out that it wasn't listed on the menu like that, the server said "well, every dish needs a starch" and walked away. We will not be back.
(1)Allison S.
I wanted to take my boyfriend to a nice Italian restaurant in Carmel for Valentine's Day. I searched for restaurants that look like they have quality food without being ridiculously over-priced. I found a GroupOn for La Dolce Vita Ristorante for one appetizer, two entrees, two glasses of wine for $40. I thought, "that's a great deal!" Little did I know... I made a reservation via phone with a man who sounded completely miserable with his life. I made the reservation a few days in advance and asked for either 7:30 or 8 pm. I thought for sure they won't be able to do that time since it's so close to V-Day! But they did! My boyfriend and I (in heels, mind you) walking up and down Carmel looking for this place. I am from Carmel, never heard of the place, and couldn't find it! It's tucked away across from the Post Office...not a great location...We had to ask a cute little elderly man where the restaurant was and he helped us find it. When we arrived, we were lazily greeted outside and I explained I had a reservation. He led us to our table and pass by their outdoor patio where a band was packing up. We sit down, and there is LITERALLY one other couple in the restaurant...EEK! When I look at our table, I see mediocre dinnerware sitting on a PAPER TABLECLOTH! If you're looking for exquisite Italian fine dining, steer clear of this place. The server hands us a paper prefix menu, and I explain to the server that I have a groupon and wasn't aware their menu was prefix. He immediately gets defensive and rudely tells me that I should have made it clear that I had a groupon when I made the reservation, which yes, I should have. BUT they should have told me that my reservation would be for a prefix dinner of $100!!!! Ridiculously expensive for a place like that. The waiter takes advantage of our predicament, we can't afford to eat here and we feel awkward about getting up to leave. So he comes back after he gave us a minute to talk about the next step and hands us each a glass of champagne! We decided to leave because we were absolutely freezing--the doors were open and they put us right in front of it--and it was so silent, my boyfriend and I were worried people across the bar could eavesdrop on our conversation. We tell the waiter we'd like to leave and he said okay and gave us a bill. $20 for the champagne! WHAT?! You shove cheap-tasting champagne in our faces when we didn't order anything and then you charge us for it?! I was livid and embarrassed I took my boyfriend here for a romantic dinner. We ended up paying for it and stormed out. I still had the groupon and took him again a few months later. When we got there it was pretty much empty and there was no music at first. When it did come on it jumped genres, like opera to pop genres...The menu was confusing and my boyfriend and I were almost tricked into buying extra salads. We order our food eventually, and it was completely average food in every way. I love wine, and was excited to drink a glass with my meal. The order asked us if we want white or red, and then comes out with a glass of white or red...I couldn't even choose the wine I wanted! I wanted a Pinot Noir and he ended up giving me a Cabernet Sauvignon. The place is awful, rude, creepy (the waiters/hosts just stand at their post, looking at you and then whispering about God knows what to each other), and not worth a single penny. I sincerely do not recommend dining here.
(1)PB Reader W.
We had a groupon for $25 off the total lunch check. We arrived a little after noon on a beautiful, sunny day and there was only one other table occupied. Strange for Carmel on gorgeous day for a restaurant with outdoor seating but maybe lunchtime is a new addition or the restaurant is hard to find (it is across the street from the post office in downtown). I wanted iced tea but the server said they were out of ice, no explanation of a machine being broke, missed delivery, just they were out. We could have tea and it would be cold but as I like ice in iced tea, I declined. The waiter was competent but not friendly, no smile, no thank you for coming, no pleasantries. He did check periodically and asked if we wanted anything, but never a smile, we felt as though he'd rather be elsewhere. Food was ok, I had a pizza, there is no option for a thin crust. The menu is different from the one online, it was recently changed. No sandwiches or small plates. My friend had a caesar salad, nothing special, and an appetizer of shrimp which was in a salty sauce. Most of the dishes have pasta. The food took a long time to arrive, we didn't care as the patio was nice and we wanted to talk. I mention the time only because if you have a limited amount of time, you would probably be wise to mention it to the waiter at the outset. The bill came to 36.90 with tax for one 10 inch pizza (all pizzas are $14.95) one caesar salad, one appetizer plate of 4 shrimp in sauce, and 1 cold tea. Water was cold but no ice available for water either. If there weren't so many stellar restaurants in Carmel, I might go back but given this experience, there's no point since there are so many others in town that are excellent. I won't return even with a groupon option.
(2)Alessandro P.
Disclaimer: why do I feel entitled to write about a so-called Italian restaurant? Because I'm Italian, born and raised. The good Waiter was friendly and attentive, even if I had a coupon. The food was good, which, after all, it's what one wants in a restaurant. I got gnocchi with gorgonzola. Gnocchi were perfectly cooked, soft yet firm, and the sauce was tasty, yet not too strong. 4 stars. The bad. Simply put: it's not Italian. Italian-American maybe, but no real Italian would put mushrooms on a carbonara, or chicken on a risotto. At least neither my mother, nor any restaurant I ever visited in Italy. (Not to mention the random spelling of Italian words on the menu.) -1 star for the "false claim" Total 3 stars.
(3)Kelley S.
Perfectly Romantic and Quiet Get Away a Special Dinner; For Me, it was my Wedding Anniversary. The Waiter, went above and beyond to make our night special.
(5)Matt H.
Fantastic place to go. We made a reservation even though the reviews were not spectacular and were pleasantly surprised. There was only one waiter the night we went and he took extra special care of us. The portions were perfect and the wine selection was outstanding. They were running a special on a Saturday night for 50% off bottles of wine. We decided on a less expensive bottle but here was Cake Bread, Paul Hobbes, and many more amazing Napa wines. Also had an extensive selection of old world wines. We will absolutely be back next time we are on the central coast.
(5)C D.
My daughter & I were traveling with my husband for work for the Concourse d' Elegance. This was the weekend that people come from all over the world to attend this exclusive high end collector car event. The town benefits tremendously from these patrons! My 9 year old & I were out & about & couldn't find the Mexican restaurant we wanted to go to. And stumbled upon this restaurant. It looked "established" although hardly anyone was in the restaurant. The food & service were ok. When they brought my bill out I promptly gave them my credit card- which I had been using all weekend. Only to have the waiter come back 5 minutes later & say they don't accept Amex. Well, all I had was $10 in cash & my Amex credit card. Mind you- my 9 year old & I split a pasta dinner & each had a drink. The way they acted was like we ate a 6 course meal & had a couple bottles of wine to wash it down. The bill was a measly $29- it was a mom & her 9 year old daughter!The waiter didn't know what to do & had a guy in an apron walk out & ask us why we didn't ask them if they took Amex when we walked in. Really? Who does that?? What restaurant have you gone to lately & asked them what credit cards they take??? Even McDonalds takes Amex. Maybe they should post a sign!! The guy in the apron happened to be the owner (classy!) Like most people from out of town- I don't carry checks & multiple credit cards with me. The owner was as rude & poor class as he could be. Embarrassing me & treating me like a criminal in front of my daughter & the 2 other patrons in the restaurant. All because of an honest mistake on both sides! I gave him my $10 & I drove back to my hotel to get the rest of the money for the bill. When I returned to the restaurant all the lights were off & a "closed" sign on the door. I parked & went up to the door & noticed the owner was sitting in his car waiting for me...For the balance of the bill - the $19....Pathetic! So much for an "established" restaurant. Obviously the $19 was worth more than having a repeat customer!! I should have read the poor reviews before we decided to eat there. Never in my life will I eat at this place again. For someone in the service industry to treat a customer like that is unacceptable! It's no wonder the place was empty!!
(1)Ashley P.
My husband and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner at La Dolce Vita in July. Miguel and the entire staff helped make it a wonderful and memorable evening. The patio in front of the restaurant was perfect for mingling, with wine and appetizers. The entire staff was friendly, attentive and the service was wonderful. Every dish we selected was delicious (pizza, eggplant Parmesan, butternut squash ravioli, mixed grilled vegetables, caprese salad, pasta Bolognese, chicken Parmesan and a selection of red and white wine served throughout the event). We will always remember the wonderful time we had and how accommodating the restaurant was to make our event so great!
(5)Dr H.
Highly disappointing. Food was sub par and Groupon was not a good deal. So many great options in Carmel.
(1)Vince C.
March of 2014 had lunch at La Dolce Vita, I slammed them in my first review but it was well deserved.. Since my last visit they have moved to a new location, now across the street of the Post Office in DT Carmel. I can tell, that if they were busy this review could have been similar to my last experience. We ate on the patio at about 215pm so all the other tables were finishing. Our service was ok, but I noticed only one person working the floor. Food: Cantaloupe Salad w/ honey vinaigrette 5-stars Eggplant appetizer 3 Pasta 3.5-stars Sandwiches 3-stars Tiramisu 2.5 "could have been better but the use a cheap chocolate sauce" Price: Typical I'm not going to become a cheerleader of LDV, I'm not Racing back, but I won't be opposed to going back for a LATE lunch. Good luck...
(3)Steven C.
My lunch was so good I went back for dinner. Lunch was pasta. I had the carbonara and my partner had ravioli. Both were excellent. We each had a margarita (multi-cultural - always good :) They tasted freshly made. Not mixed with bottles crap. And they had a kick, which is what I like in a cocktail. The patio is dog friendly. Most of Carmel is. I say check this place out!
(5)Jorge R.
This restaurant was truly amazing. Warm bread was brought out with delicious sauce. The pizza has great sauce too. In all this is a great restaurant and if you are visiting Carmel you must stop to eat here.
(4)Nicole J.
Worst place ever! The place was entirely empty on a Friday night at prime dinner time(6:30). The waiters were creepy and wouldn't look you in the eye and kept whispering to each other. In an attempt to go to the bathroom you had to wait and then the male waiter came out of the female bathroom and held the door open even while I was in the bathroom. I had to pull the door closed away from the waiter. The food tastes microwaved. Overall a very strange creepy atmosphere, wouldn't recommend it.
(1)Charles C.
Wow, even my very finicky 14-year-olds loved it here! We shared the bruschetta appetizer, which we all agreed was the best any of us had ever had (although the fresh garlic was a bit strong for my tastes). I had the crab ravioli, which was wonderful; my wife had the butternut squash ravioli; my sons had the veal and mortadella ham tortellini ("Amazing" -- this from a kid whose preferred meal is a dry cheeseburger or cheese pizza!) and the spaghetti Bolognese. Each was delicious, and we all finished our entrees; the spaghetti was large, while the others were fairly small. For dessert, we shared the creme brûlée, my sons for the first time, and we all loved it. The server was very attentive, although we ordered a split of wine, but received -- and were charged for -- a full bottle. At least it was the right label, and we enjoyed it.
(5)Sarah C.
Dog friendly patio always a plus. The waiter was present but not overly so, which since we seemed to be the only people can be tough to accomplish. We sat at a table for 2 and when the bread arrived the bread arrived it pretty much took over and have us no space. And then our prosciutto and ham arrived and we had no space. They automatically got a plus in my book because one of the pages came loose of boyfriend's menu and on the back was last year's valentines day menu, so a green cost saving practice is always great to see implemented. The complimentary bread and tomato spread that came with it was pretty good. Our pasta arrived. I got the artichoke ravioli and boyfriend got the veal and stuff tortellini. The sauces were very well done, the pasta it self was perfectly al dente. But the filling seemed to lack seasoning. The servings were small but perfect size really. I'd return but not rush and would pick other places first.
(3)Tammie L.
This is the first time I had eaten here and it will be the last time. I ordered the crab ravioli in champagne white cream sauce and it had hardly any taste and the sauce had a seasoning in it that was not italian. Had kind of a Thai or Indian type seasoning in it. The clam/muscle appetizer lacked broth...it had a gravy like taste which was very good but needed more broth. The lamb leg was tender and my boyfriend pulled from his mouth something that looked like a cat claw nail. it did not taste Italian but tasted as if it had BBQ sauce on it. This was not a good experience for us. I let the waitress know about the raviolis and she reimbursed us for my plate. We decided to post this review instead of having the very nice waitress take more bad news from us. We left the restaurant hungry.
(1)Rick T.
My wife and I enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Very light background music and soft lighting set the mood. The bread came with a scrumptious red dipping sauce. I had the stuffed chicken and it was excellent. She loved her Chicken Marsala. We sat inside but the cute outdoor patio was very tempting. Great meal and we will definitely be back.
(5)Sean M.
The entree salads are smaller than most side salads! And at $7.50 a pop. You will leave this restaurant hungry!
(2)Laura D.
Nice service and prices are quite ok, however do not go here if you want to have Italian food, DO NOT order pizza..
(2)Martha J.
Great restaurant, easy new location. Cannelloni was good! Salads fresh. Prompt service and nice warm bread. A definite repeat!
(5)S S.
Good food. Quiet atmosphere - off the beaten path. Good service and pacing for those not in a rush who can just sit and enjoy dining out.
(4)Meredith B.
This restaurant was excellent. Dog friendly and sympathetic to larger dogs. Our waitress Carla was friendly, timely, and attentive without being intrusive. The food was excellent. Some of the best Italian food we've had in Carmel. I highly recommend this restaurant to tourists and residents alike.
(5)Brad J.
Our experience was a lunch in November. The waitress was friendly enough but didn't pay much attention to us. The food was very good as was the wine. There is a lot of outdoor seating which is great for us as we were out for a walk with our dog, who was also welcome there.
(3)Ashley B.
I really liked this place. My boyfriend and I were here visiting Carmel, Monterey, and Big Sur and I thought my Di Mare (seafood fettucine) was pretty great. Was it the best seafood I had on my trip? No. But I thought overall, the food was great, the service was nice, and the little rooftop patio was really quaint and nice. Perhaps I was just on a high from being in California for my first time, but I enjoyed this little spot.
(4)Heather N.
Yum
(4)Bronwen L.
The waitress was pleasant but the pizza took over an hour and a quarter to arrive and was burnt on the bottom and nothing to write home about. People who arrived after us received their food long before we did. The women's restroom door is coming off it's hinges too and was very hard to close, and subsequently to open. The outdoor seating was very pleasant though and the stars are for that.
(2)Elizabeth P.
The best pizza ever !
(5)johan s.
You can not get more Italian than this! Excellent eggplant appetizer and exceptional Italian menu with a reasonable price. The ambiance is beautiful and serene with a great menu. Do not miss this place if you grave Italian food.
(5)Matt V.
We had a reasonable dinner there but it was just a little bit of a let down. Food was okay but the portions small for the price paid for pasta. Service was ok, not great. I've had takeout there which has been limited to the pizza and chicken parm both great dishes. The rest of the menu fell short for me. I guess in the end that's what it's become for me. A great takeout place for a couple of dishes. Too bad as I really hoped for more.
(3)Melanie B.
This restaurant was yummy but I have to knock down some stars due to the SLOW service and bathroom facilities. There were only two servers working there. We came in for lunch and it started filling up. We must have waited for at least 30 mins. before we got our lunches. I love the bread. It was warm and crunchy. The dipping sauce was perfect. We ordered the talapia and creamy seafood pasta dish. I enjoyed my pasta dish. The bathroom was gross! One was flooded and the water was just seeping out of the door. I wore sandals, so I patiently waited for the other restroom to open up. Then, the lady informed us that the toilet didn't flush. That wasn't a good sign! I'm not sure if I will come back here given the fact that there are more restaurants to choose from in Carmel.
(3)Nathan V.
The service isn't amazing because it's just the restaurant owner and a chef, but this place has the best Italian food in Carmel. The bread and sauce you get to start is amazing, and I get the tortellini every time. I live in slo and drive up to Carmel often just to eat here. They just lowered their prices so it's an even better value for the money. People that don't like this restaurant don't know what good food is. The owner is a great guy, but he's quiet so you just have to start conversation with him. You can buy the dipping sauce now too! Awesome!
(5)CJ N.
Food was mediocre - appeared as if re-warmed from two-day old leftovers. Bolognese sauce tasted like Chef Boyardee. My husband had a ravioli dish which was so-so. Both pasta dishes were served extremely hot (microwave?). Service was extremely slow. The host was indifferent, unwelcoming. Carmel has dozens of restaurants with better food and service, so will not visit La Dolce Vita again. Highly recommend Cantinetta Luca as an alternative.
(1)Larry T.
The table service was acceptable but the food was marginal.One member of our party had the lamb shank, The report was the shank was chewy and the entire plate of food was cold. Another member reported that the cioppino had a bouillabaisse sauce and not a cioppino broth. It was a peculiar melange of rice, sea food.and a broth, the taste of which was far from spectacular. Another member ordered the veal piccata and got veal scallopini with capers that was void of flavor. I had a shrimp spaghetti combination with capers. The taste was fine but the entire plate was cold. The salad portion size was a lot smaller than expected considering the cost. I would only consider eating here again if I couldn't get into any other restaurant in Carmel.
(2)Robin P.
We had pizza wine and salad. Salad was ok not very Much. Their bread was good they serve it with a olive Oil with sun dried tomatoes and garlic that was very tasty. We had a pizza with sausage and mushrooms was good A little on the crunchy side. Their happy hour for wine is $5 a glass . One complaint I would have would be their was A lot of noise from the kitchen, you could hear pots and pans Banging around.
(3)Raul N.
I was warned by a family member not to go to La Dolce Vita after she had a terrible lunch here a couple of weeks ago. The allure of a cheap $25 prix fixe menu for Restaurant Week was too much to resist, and against my better judgment I went to La Dolce Vita for dinner. Yikes! It wasn't terrible, but certainly not that tasty and I'd never pay full price here, considering the quality of food we got the other night. I started off with the soup del giorno, tomato and basil tonight. When it arrived, it was scalding hot--not just the soup itself, but the bowl too, a sign it was probably reheated in the oven or (worse) the microwave. The soup was a weird consistency, like a gooey concentrate from a can that didn't have enough water to dilute it properly. Flavorwise, it was a little strange--very salty and smoky, but with a nice touch of basil. My dining companion chose the Caesar salad, which she reported was merely average--and I immediately spotted overly dry (and perhaps store-bought?) croutons. Our second course arrived--I ordered the ravioli alla Giada, crab ravioli with bay scallops in a champagne cream sauce with sun-dried tomatoes; she ordered the Contadina pasta, fettuccine with prosciutto, artichokes and garlic in a cream sauce. Her pasta arrived first, again on a scalding hot plate. The cream sauce was broken--globs of cream and oil separating on the plate--and she noted that the dish didn't have much flavor. My dish arrived next--except there was a mix up with our server and he brought out the tilapia entree. He apologized and a few minutes later brought my crab ravioli. The ravioli weren't bad, but certainly nothing special either. The crab tasted like the frozen/canned crab, a disappointment when there's delicious Dungeness crab here in the Monterey Bay. The champagne cream sauce was a nice touch, however. Our last course in the three-course prix fixe was dessert. We both opted for the tiramisu. I thought the filling was a little too fluffy and needed to set a little longer, but the flavors weren't bad, especially the touch of cinnamon. I'd be willing to forgive the lackluster food if service had been good, but sadly, our service left much to be desired. It was sooooo slow--it took more than 30 minutes to simply put in our order! And then we were left waiting and waiting and waiting between courses. Sure, there was only one server, but the restaurant was hardly crowded, maybe four tables (all 2 or 3) max--and most were finishing up when we arrived. I'd definitely avoid La Dolce Vita I'd you're in a hurry. Our dinner dragged out to 2.5 hours, even in an empty restaurant, and the food certainly wasn't worth the wait. What disappointed me most wasn't the quality of the food or service, but the prices--or I should say the prices we would have paid had we not gotten the prix fixe special. The regular dinner menu seemed a little pricey, especially given the quality of the food. There are much better meals to be had in Carmel. If you're looking for good Italian food in Carmel, skip La Dolce Vita and head over to Cantinetta Lucca or Little Napoli just a block over on Dolores. Both of these offer up a better meal and a better value than La Dolce Vita.
(2)Christine R.
My husband and I ate here on the eve of our first wedding anniversary. We had no idea that dinner reservations would be mandatory in order to eat anywhere on a Saturday night, and as we wandered off of the main street, we found this place. They kindly took us to a table immediately and we got to sit on the patio. Since it was nighttime, they brought the heater closer to us. The server brought us warm bread and the most delicious tomato dipping sauce. It tasted so gourmet and homemade! This is definitely a small, family-owned restaurant. It appeared two brothers were working that evening- they were very polite. The service was a little slow, but definitely worth the wait! We got to simply enjoy sitting outside on a cool November night, just relaxing. I had the butternut squash ravioli---amazing! It was definitely handmade, the portion was far more than I could eat, and it was so delicious! I forgot what my husband had, but he definitely ate all of his! :) The price was a little high, but again, it's a small restaurant in Carmel, we weren't expecting great, cheap deals on a night out in this situation. I would recommend this place and definitely go back.
(4)Joan W.
Okay people. This place rocks. NO LINES. off the beaten path. It HAS NOT BEEN DISCOVERED YET!!! This is where you want to go for good food. NOT to be "seen". Just for delicious food from owners who are providing quality ingredients. I am not a "line" person. Don't like 'em. Good to know there are alternatives, even in Carmel! Check. Them. Out. Or don't. Better for me when I go back.
(5)Michael H.
It's funny. If you've read my other reviews, you'd think nothing could please me, but this place was overall a very satisfying experience on the two occasions we visited. They recently moved and took the place of the old Chinese restaurant (across from the post office) that had previously been there for years. Although the price was a bit high, it seems to go with the territory in Carmel. My wife had the Ravioli and I had the angel hair pasta in Marinara sauce. Both dishes were very good, but equally important was the quiet ambience and the friendly staff my wife and I encountered after what had been a gut-wrenching workday of panic and frustration. The staff did something all restaurants should do: they made us feel special during our visit. Gosh, how nice it was to have a quite meal --- free of motor-mouthed boobs on cellphones, or hyperactive, curtain-climbing Ritalin brats. I will definitely go back.
(4)Tracy N.
Give it a try. I know there are a lot of mixed reviews here but perhaps they are trying to improve. Everything tasted fantastic and service was exceptional, kind, and attentive. We had the calamari appetizer which had very tasty sauce and was fresh and perfectly cooked and the sausage mushroom pizza was delicious. It could have used more tomato sauce in our opinion but it was very good nonetheless. There was no wait and we received our food promptly.
(3)Ian B.
I used to absolutely love this place. Every generation of my family has been vacationing in Carmel several times a year since the 50's. My wife and I visit about 2 or 3 times a year and La Dolce Vita has been our (especially my) favorite place for dinner. I'm a creature of habit and have ordered the same entrée for the past 21 years: Poker de Mare. It was fabulous; consistently delicious. Additionally, everything my wife ordered had been top notch. Her favorite was the pesto gnocchi. The service was also great. Since we typically travel on weekdays, it was almost never busy when we were there so we always received over-the-top friendly and personal service. Our waiter recognized us whenever we were there and would often bring us samples of new thing to try, just for us to enjoy. Sadly, our experience for approximately the past two years has been vastly different. The food was so bad one night that we actually didn't finish it or stay for dessert. Hoping that was a fluke and not wanting to give up on our favorite place, we went back on our next trip. Unfortunately, the poor experience was not an anomaly; the food was off again and the service was slow and impersonal. This restaurant still has a special place in my heart but it will be a while before we are willing to give it another try. Hopefully some day, if it's still around, La Dolce Vita will return to it's prior glory!
(2)Greg F.
Terrible. If i could have given a half star, I would have. If you are visiting carmel and want italian, go to any other italian restaurant besides this place. Demetra is more mediterranean but soooooo much better with much more ambience. La dolce is a complete waste of money.
(1)Eran D.
We went in there without checking to much....my bad. It was one of the worst places i have been lately - the kind of places that should be in Restaurant Impossible on Food Network. My kids wanted Pizza - They got it. It was the kind that you buy frozen at the Grocery store and heat it up in the oven..... Oh yes, they put a Basil leaf on top.... My Wife had Tomato Soup - a tip to the chef: When you use Soup from a Can, dont keep it hot! The Water evaporates and the salt concentration gets higher and higher. The Soup was simply inedible (and i think that in a restaurant such a simple soup should be made from scratch!) I had Spaghetti Bolognese - what could get wrong with that ? Well, it was from a can, and if not, then it tasted as if it was from a can. Another remark, all the plates were hot just like plates that came out of the Microwave Oven. Well, we didn't even stay for an espresso....
(1)Cindy P.
We spent one night in Carmel-by-the-Sea, a beautiful area that we plan to return to. My husband wanted pizza and, while going thru a stack of menus at our B&B, came across La Dolce Vita which featured "gourmet pizza". After stumbling around in the dark, and getting redirected after a stop at a gallery, we finally found the restaurant. Our first clue should have been that there was only one other couple in the restaurant. We were tired and hungry, so we ordered a pizza to share. The pizza crust was burned around the edges, toppings were sparse and the sauce was bland. The only thing gourmet about the pizza was the price. Table service was slow and the waiter never checked back with us or refilled our water glasses. I would not return or recommend this restaurant.
(2)Linda C.
We went there for a light dinner The warm bread and dipping sauce was a wonderful start The waiter was attentive and knowledgeable I appreciated that he filled the lady water glass first I would definitely go back
(4)A. M.
Loved this place! Great atmosphere, great food and great service. We really enjoyed the fresh pasta sauce, very fresh! Pizza was yummy. Couldn't have been happier and nice price point. We will definitely be back. Cool breeze from ocean on patio or indoor window. Highly recommend!
(5)Bee M.
i would give negative five star if there's such option on yelp, me and my fds waited for over an hr for our appitizer. NO APOLOGY from the waiter, and no sight of store manager. Makes me wonder who manages the resturant and if they are taking our business seriously.
(1)Steph H.
The hubby and I were originally going to check out a homemade ravioli place in the area but they turned out to be closed on Sundays, so when we spotted this place right next door, we were like, what the hell, let's give it a try. It was a Sunday evening in early fall, which meant most restaurants off the main drag were closed. It was cozy and candle-lit, and with only one other table occupied, it turned out to be a great place for a nice romantic dinner. They brought out a basket of warm fresh biscotti-shaped bread slices accompanied by a dish of pureed garlic in sundried tomato oil--totally YUM. I ordered the meat tortellini in cream sauce and the hubby got the crab ravioli. Mine was pretty good, if a little bland, but the hubby's crab raviolis were really interesting; it was in a slightly sweet sauce and you could really taste the crab--we really liked it. For dessert I got the creme brulee and the hubby got tiramisu, both very good, but once again the hubby got the superior dish. My creme brulee came in a little coffee cup and the texture was a bit too dense and custardy, not silky. But it was still delish. During the course of our dinner a few other couples wandered in but I can't say it ever got crowded. A dense fog had rolled in so no one was sitting outside, that's for sure. The service was nice but kind of slow, and considering there were only like 6 people in the restaurant I can just imagine what it might be like if the place was full. Also, they could stand to remodel the bathrooms a bit--they were kinda grungy, ew. Overall. it was a pleasant dinner and the food was yummy. Judging from other reviews, probably not a place to visit when it's really crowded. And i apologize for my dark photos--the lament of the iphone.
(3)David S.
Food was amazing and the waters were very nice . You are treated like family when when you walk in . Live music outside.
(5)Kristin K.
This was truly a disappointment. I was in town for a wedding and we were STARVING the night before. It was Friday night and almost every place on Ocean was booked solid. It was between this place and ordering pizza delivery. I was super excited to sit down and have a great Italian meal. We started with a shrimp appetizer and while it was delicious, I didn't feel great about paying $13 for six shrimp. The pasta fagioli came out and I'm pretty sure it was simply garbanzo beans and chicken broth, plus the beans were significantly undercooked. And finally, my friend and I split a pizza and I've had frozen pizzas in college that were much better than this. I probably would have had a much better experience if the service was better. We got one bottle of tap water and they never came by to refill, plus it took us 20 minutes to get our check. What should have been a nice 30 minute meal took us almost an hour and a half. It appeared they only had two servers for the whole restaurant so I'm not sure what was going on. Bottom line: If you're stuck in Carmel on a Friday night and can't get a table until 8:30pm, suck it up and wait because it's truly not worth going here.
(1)Jen R.
We ate at the restaurant about one week ago. It is now located on 5th between San Carlos and Dolores, right across from the Post Office in Carmel by the sea. They have just moved there about a month ago from their old location. They have taken over a Chinese restaurant and are working with the city of Carmel to spruce up the exterior. If you know anything about the City of Carmel you are parting the Red Sea. Since we are locals we like to try different restaurants in Carmel and it's vicinity. We stopped in here for lunch and we were pleasantly surprised. It was lunch time and very quiet in the restaurant. We were seated by the owner and reviewed the menu. It was tough because there were so many delicious entrees on the menu, and I am picky. Bread and tomato garlic dip was served and water. We ordered pasta carbonara and I ordered artichoke ravioli with pesto sauce. The pasta carbonara was a moaner, it was exquisite and melted in your mouth. My ravioli was also delicious and ate it all up. We ordered a glass of wine and the owner gave us a tasting of some sparkling wine. It was called Spriz. It was so good I wanted to take a bottle home. The food was delicious and the people who were sitting next to us loved it. They live in Michigan and everytime they visit Carmel they are sure to eat at La Dolce Vita. We definitely were ready for a nap. If you go for lunch I would suggest you split the carbonara and add a salad. The prices are very reasonable expecially for Carmel.
(4)donny r.
SO the night just started off bad as we had a reservation for 7 and we were not seated until 7:45. The staff didn't apologize or anything. The service once we were finally seated was seriously lacking. The bread was pretty good but it was slightly undercooked. I ordered the Lamb Shank and that was also pretty good but definitely not worth the price. My girlfriend ordered the cioppino and that was quite mediocre. Overall pretty much a dissapointment. Highlight of the night came when the two pretentious old ladies who basically just went in front of us while we were waiting for a table (because they were locals or something) broke a whine glass and spilled all over themselves!!
(1)oreo h.
My boyfriend and I come to Carmel quite often and eat at la dolce vita every single time for lunch and/or dinner. The food is always great and the service is excellent. Even though we are out of towners and come every so often,they always remember us and ask about our dogs if they don't see them with us. Try their calamari dish and the rusticana, you won't be disappointed!
(5)Mary Kay W.
Order the Crab Ravioli with Champagne Cream Sauce. It is out-of-this-world good. The bread, fresh and very lightly toasted, was also delicious. We also have the veal marsala, another excellent dish, as well as great appetizers. But the Crab Ravioli is as close to heaven as you can get in a food! Highly Recommend. The place is styled old-italian, comfortable, clean, not kitschy. It was definitely worth walking the extra block south of Ocean! Make reservations for weekends during tourist season. We've been to at least 50 different restaurants in the Carmel area. Many were very good. THIS is the best we have had.
(5)Danette R.
Whenever we are in the Carmel area we never miss a visit to La Dolce Vita! Love the food. We especially love the wait staff and owners. Always happy to see us and we have always received top notch service.
(5)David C.
This is a huge let-off ..... so much and so long for us to try to getting into this restaurant to see if the patio seatings and the food will boost our time and experience at Carmel. Worst of all, the let off came at last too. First off, you guys need to improve your service me thinks, it maybe a slow day with about .... 5 -6 tables seated with one server .... but i don't think it will take about 10 minutes for us to actually have our orders taken (especially when we totally looked ready to order after about 2 minutes, after you took about three trips to and from the patio), but it might just be that we were hungry. However, was it so hard for you to take orders for two tables on the same trip? Don't get me wrong, they did their appetizers, bread, and sun dried tomato dip so right that it might have been those that got us hoping for a killer entree. Before that, I'd like to say we had carbonara and a chicken, mozarella and tomato sauce pizza. The chicken pizza was a little "meh", nothing too surprising, with the tastiness on the bland side. So far, the service, combined with the taste of the pizza will at least grant them 3 stars for me but then I got to taste the carbonara, first impression of that was ..... the chef must've slipped a whole block of butter while they were cooking our dish, there was so much butter in that pasta that my gf basically was trying to "filter-out" the butter to one side of the plate so that she didn't have to eat so much butter. But still, when I took a bite into my mouth, my throat still complained that it was too much butter and my throat complained about too little taste ...... and just how can you mess up cooking a pasta dish? Uhhhh ..... thank so much for the fantastic french bakery we had later that afternoon i was able to forget this meal quickly ... but it will be very hard for me to return here if i do return at all.
(2)Kristine D.
If you're willing to venture off the beaten path that is Ocean Avenue, Ristorante Dolce Vita will reward you for making the trek. Despite the somewhat mixed reviews I spy here, I enjoyed this place. My family and I ate out on their casual rooftop patio overlooking San Carlos Street in true Carmel-style, with our dog. The food was good --- we feasted on bruschetta, polenta, generous portions of pasta with mushrooms and sausage and the kids ate cheese pizza of course! I enjoyed this delicious salmon and spinach dish over risotto. The service was attentive and place was decently priced. I believe it is worth checking out!
(4)Joan Q.
My friend and I are not "tourists", but since our favorite restaurant wasn't serving lunch, we stumbled on La Dolce Vita and thought we'd try it. My capellini was alright, and my friend's gnocchi was good, although a very small portion. The bread and wine were fine. Our disappointment was with the depressing atmosphere. The female server and the gentleman host (?) were unable to smile and seemed to be extremely sad. This depressing ambiance spoiled our dining experience.
(2)Connie W.
Stumbled upon this place on a warm October day. It was the best meal I have ever eaten with Italian fare. Bread is so delicious. A must visit spot.
(5)R. G.
Impressively bad all around. Do NOT go here. Seriously.
(1)Michael S.
La Dolce Vita is a confused restaurant. It seems to be aspiring to be a Pasta Pamadoro/Maggianos and offers traditionally typical Italian fare with little creativity at hefty margins and hides behind a "homely family style ambiance" to make up for the carny décor but it finds itself trapped in the quite beach town of Carmel by the Sea and is forced to dress itself up and try to fit in with the old money of 17 mile drive. As Rodney P. accurately put it - the service and food quality does not match the prices you are paying. The food was so-so - Salads (we had the caprese and spinach) were good but exceedingly average and were something anyone could whip together with a handful of ingredients from the Safeway down the street. The chicken saltimbocca was tasty but its fairly difficult to not please me with three of the best tasting ingredients on earth (Chicken, Prosciutto and Mozzarella) as the main components of a dish. The wine was excellent and fairly priced but that probably won't get me going back anytime soon.
(2)DeDe K.
I checked into this place a couple of mos ago but never got to writing a review. The restaurant was across the street from our motel so it was convenient. We sat outside on their deck. It was a bit chilly but they had heaters. I had the chicken parmesan, it was good. Not great. My friend had gnocchi which she enjoyed. They also had some amazing sun dried tomato olive oil dip to go with the bread.
(3)Helena M.
The worst Italian food I've ever had. I'm Italian descent, so I thought the worst it can happen is the food to be boring...how wrong can you go with pasta, right? Well, you can and they proved it. I ordered their "Gamberi Di Michele --Prawns sauteed w/garlic, capers, tomatoes, lemon, & vodka, served over spaghetti." Sounded great. Tasted simply awful. The prawns were chewy and came drowning in a pool of oil, in what appeared to be their version of a puttanesca sauce. Absolutely horrible.
(1)Frank L.
Stay away. Unfriendly host; rude. High price compared to quality. Sloooow service.
(1)Vince A.
Tourist spot because of good location. The bread is nicely done, but the dipping sauce is off. The chicken dishes seem to be thawed breast because of how tough they are. The pasta is nothing special. However, they did make a good latte :-).
(2)Rodney P.
I'll keep this short and sweet: 1) Mediocre service 2) Bland food 3) Overpriced The wine list was the redeeming factor. A myriad of places in Carmel that are far better and worth checking out.
(2)Cid T.
ZERO STARS. So. We get inside this small joint. It's tiny. We stand at the host's stand and wait. And wait. And wait. Meanwhile, two waiters pass us by, multiple times. No eye contact, no "we'll be right with you." So we left. But thank gawd we did because we ended up at Cantinetta Luca and LOVED IT. Go there instead. Don't be fooled by the hip-looking front entrance.
(1)Alejandro J.
ZERO STARS I visited there with my two kids. When we arrived the waiter looked at us like saying " really?". I guess this place is more for couples on a romantic rendezvous. The place was half empty, and the service was a bit slow. The bread and Tomato/Garlic sauce offered when we sat was superb (4). We were prepared to have a great meal, but we were rapidly disappointed. The gnocchi was good but the tomato sauce was "tomato can" level. My Pasta Rustica had Pene OK (1), but once again the tomato sauce was not good. I have had ketchup that tasted more tomatoey. The pizza pepperoni was good (2) but not worth the 13 dollars. The lemonade was OK, a bit too sugary. The worst part was the bathroom. The toilet cover had missing parts, and the floor looked dirty. The espresso machine was not functional, and had been like that for days commented our waiter. It also surprise me to see a Huge bowl with Parmigiana cheese. Who knows how long has this been here, I was not brave enough to taste it.
(1)Jim L.
The oh-so chic streets of Carmel sent us into a dull, somnambulist state so we decided to have lunch and stumbled into La Dolce. We were not overwhelmed but we were also not disappointed. My wife ordered the Pasta Primavera and said it was tasty, light and very satisfying. I got the Chicken Panini, a hearty helping of our favorite fowl pressed between two delicate layers of bread, complimented with with an impressive pesto sauce. The servers were not overly attentive but that was just fine with us. Unlike other reviewers, we didn't find the place cramped---we thought it was cozy.
(4)Teeps T.
if you eat outside the old umbrellas look pretty bad, the patio is not gorgeous by any means. The thin crust pizza is very good, we only ate lunch with some minestrone soup which was ok.
(3)Cynthia G.
We thought at first that the restaurant was closed because none of the exterior lights were on at night. We saw it was actually open and went in. There was one other couple there. My salad was very small and over-dressed. It was tasty and would have been better with less dressing. The wine was great. The waiter was conversational and attentive. I went into the bathroom and the toilet was coming off the floor! The paper towel dispenser was coming off the wall. The bathroom seemed like it was under construction for a long time. very shabby. The dining room was a bit shabby and could use a paint job and new flooring. I won't be back. Not terrible, just disappointing.
(2)Karen Z.
The waitress was very cold and the food was terrible. Don,t get excited about the outdoor balcony seating.
(1)Chan-Hua L.
We had to dine here since my 4 year-old son refused to walk any further. It was after 1:30pm, and we were thankful this restaurant was still open. The bread was delicious. The Antipasto Misto was very tasty, and the soup of the day (tomato basil soup) was amazingly good! However, the Panino con Prasciutto was kind of disappointing, otherwise I'll give them 4-star...
(3)diane q.
My boyfriend and I ate here close to a year ago and we have not been back since. We were seated and ignored for the first 15 minutes and finally had our drink order taken. It was lunch time and we were only one of 3 tables in the entire place. The bread we received 25 minutes after being seated was decent. The carpaccio was delicious and the best part of my meal. My boyfriend had some type of pasta with white wine and zucchini in it and it was vile. We each had a few bites and concluded that it was um, sour tasting. I had some generic fetticine alfredo dish that was too sweet. The cream sauce tasted like vanilla flavored heavy cream with too much sugar, like one would taste in a pastry. It was not a savory dish at all. We both had ice tea with our meals and even though we didn't have any wine or beer with our meals the bill came out to a whopping $70 dollars! For food I could have gotten at Olive Garden!!! (eww). To top it all off, when my boyfriend went to the restroom he said it was disgusting and that there were no paper towels and no hand dryer. He also told me that on his way to the restroom he took a look at the kitchen and said there was trash piled up on their counters and it smelled well, like trash. Service was 2.5 stars. The cute little patio on a sunny day might seem enticing but save yourself some time, money, and subsequent headache by avoiding this place.
(1)Kristin E.
I am SO torn writing this review. We have been here multiple times. The first few times it was really good. We have only done lunch here. They start you with some TO DIE for bread hot out of the oven and a tomato type dip. It is SO good. We have had the bruschetta as an appetizer but with the bread its not really necessary. We have had the thin crust pizza, it was super good. I would say the times we visited before would have been a 4 star experience maybe even a 5 but unfortunently our last visit would have been a ZERO so I tried to balance the different visits with my 2 star ratting. The last time we visited La Doce Vita is was a horrible experience. The outside patio was full so we had to sit inside (disappointment). There was one guy working and one girl. I am pretty sure the guy was also the one cooking in the back as he would disappear for 20 to 30 min and then food would come out. We were seated it took about 25 minuted before they came to out table to take the order. We asked if we could have some bread with dipping sauce and oh guess what, they are out! Our order was a simple Cesar salad and tomato soup. Not to hard right? It took almost an hour to come out and the soup was cold. As we sat eating we saw the waitress taking bread to another table. When we called her over and asked for some she gave us an obviously irritated look and brought it out. She was very very rude the whole time. The waiter / chef was very nice he was just never out long enough to help anyone. I really think this place needs to hire some extra help. They are going to lose any customers due to the time it takes to eat there. We were so disappointed last time we went because we have really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere of this little place. Even though the last time we went there it took over 2 hours we will probably try them one more time... hopefully i can write another review and tell everyone how awesome this place is!
(2)J D.
One of my favorite cozy little spots when I'm in Carmel. Great food and service and warm, inviting atmosphere. Everything on the menu is good, especially loved the homemade pasta and bruchetta.
(4)David G.
ZERO Terrible place. Worst place we've ever eaten! My wife and I and our two kids arrived at 5:45PM and waited at the host stand for a long time. Then when the "host" finally arrived he tried to pretend they were full, although there were many empty tables. After some minutes he finally agreed to seat us at the worst table. The bathrooms were filthy and there was no toilet paper in either one. We told them and they didn't seem to care. Then we noticed after us some people got seated right away without reservations, others turned away. It was an African American couple with two kids that were turned away although there were empty tables. Others who came after them with no reservations got seated. Finally the food was canned/microwave quality. $23 for 6 raviolis filled with sugar for taste. Wine glass was dirty. They never came back to refill our waters. Etc. Finally we asked to speak to the manager about all this and he never showed! We left and it spoiled our entire day in Carmel. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE.
(1)Jean K.
We enjoyed a late lunch indoors at Dolce Vita and found the food excellent, the service generally fine and the decor pleasant and inviting. We had the clams/mussel starter that was delicious with the warm bread dipped in the sauce. We had pasta - bolognese and the dolce vita (cream and sundried tomatoes) that were hot, fresh and flavorful. The staff were attentive - just not overly doting but we had a positive experience overall. We had not read any reviews prior to coming so we were surpised to see the unfortunately experiences others have had here. Perhaps they are listening...
(4)Beth C.
they "ran out of steak"??? We had an early (6:30) dinner res. on a Saturday night...and clearly no res. was needed. No one else was there. Our party of 7 sat out on the funky patio in folding chairs. Staff not attentive, we overheard the 1 employee on the floor "guy talking" with the kitchen staff, no clue that we were there. Short version, sauces seemed out of a can, everything over salted, and when I ordered one of the 4 steak options on the menu... they came back to me and said they were out of steak! Way too many great local eating establishments in Carmel to waste a meal at this place. Others in my party commented on how greasy, overly oily, and way too buttery their sauces were. Thick heavy sauce seemed to be covering most of the options on the menu. Seems like they are trying to hide something. My son had cheese pizza, and it was simple, thin crust, nothing to complain about, but quite similar to what we could have gotten from Trader Joe's! When the service staff offers parm. cheese for your meal, the huge bowl that they brings out does make me wonder how long it has been in that bowl, and WHY that seems like a good idea. We didn't stay for dessert. Won't ever return. Life is too short to eat the same bad food twice! Onward we go! Wish I had read these other reviews before I agreed to dine here!
(1)marie f.
I absolutely wasn't expecting this restaurant to be terrific but was pleasantly surprised how much we enjoyed it. The service was lovely, the food was generous and well prepared. I even really enjoyed the the simple house wine I ordered. Lo Dolce Vita certainly isn't pretentious but it is a very sweet place to enjoy a meal.
(4)See F.
Worst service ever. This visit totally ruined my weekend to carmel/monterey. Food took eternity to get out... almost an hour. And it looked like it was cooked using a microwave. Two tables arrived and ordered after I placed my order. And yet they all got their dishes before our table did. When I asked about my order, they just pretend to go check and give you the run-around. They don't admit their mistake, which it's no brainer they totally forgot to cook our order. No apology or effort of customer service. I wasn't even in the mood to eat at that place, they are not the only place in town for good food. We walked just 1 block down the street for another italian restaurant which the food came in 20 minutes . Stay away from this place by all means.
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