Clam chowder was good. Calamari was amazing - definitely order it. The Moussaka was okay. The ravioli was good but a tad too salty. The lamb had a very strong lamb taste. The baklava was not very good. Service and atmosphere was great. Overall a good place and might come back for the food if in the area.

I was surprised to know that one of the highest rated restaurants in Carmel is a Mediterranean one. The service is superb, the people there are wonderful, and they gave us free dessert! They had live music and everybody was dancing, it was such a great vibe. The food was not as authentic as I would have liked since it was cooked under different cuisines, but it was still good enough. A must visit for those coming to Carmel or Big Sur. The area surrounding the restaurant is also nice to visit.

I honestly do not understand the hype of this restaurant. The location is great-- very central to the downtown area of Carmel with lots of boutique shops within reach. The menu is pretty standard-- they serve classic Mediterannean dishes at standard prices, if not on the pricier side, because the food wasn't great. The service was slow, our server was standard at the beginning but after we were done eating, our dishware wasn't taken away and we had to pay at the server station because we couldn't get his attention to bring the bill. The ambiance was the only thing I can confidently say was good because of the live music they had on Sunday night which was really fun! The food was fine. The Flaming Cheese Saganaki ($22.95) was good, especially with their last-minute addition of acid with the lemon squeeze. Their Dametra Pasta ($31.95) didn't have any flavour other than salt as they serve it with capers, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes, notoriously salty food. The sauce was the consistency of water and didn't add anything to the dish so it was highly disappointing considering they named the dish after the restaurant. The restaurant itself was ok. It’s a small place, typical of authentic restaurants in the Mediterranean but I think the thing that interests people most about the place is the allure of a busy restaurant with a wait list. People see a bustling restaurant and expect it to be really good so they get on the waitlist but there's only really a waitlist because it’s a small place (rather than it being a superior quality restaurant). If the best thing about the restaurant is the live music which doesn't really have anything to do with the main parts of a restaurant: quality of the food and service, then that says something about the experience. Next time I'm in Carmel, I won't waste my time waiting to get a table or trying to get a reservation, I'd try one of the other restaurants in town.

This would by second time dining here and I’ve been wanting to come back since 2019! It was a little before 1p on a Monday and there was no wait to be seated. We were given bread and at the table had the cutest bottle of olive oil and balsamic (in one)! We ordered the refreshing tzatziki and and warm soft pita bread as the appetizer. Our main dishes were the chicken kabob plate and chicken shawarma! Everything delicious and not dry. The kabob plate was shared between two people. Prior to us paying our bill, they gave us a complimentary baklava - also delicious! Service was attentive and the food delicious!

Really good food for moderate prices for Camel standards. But what made me write this review was the service. Me and my buddies were tourists as assuming maybe 80% of the patrons are, but the owner Faisal (I probably butchered the spelling of his name) treated us as if we were regulars! Came to our table and introduced himself. Very warm and nice guy. Seen him talking to his employees in very nice and professional manner that you can tell they appreciate as well. He even plays the guitar and joined In serenading another Table! At the end of our meal he was kind enough to offer us a Turkish desert and Moroccan tea. Was a great experience!

The place is nice and the theme is kind of middle eastern. The food was good (nothing extraordinary). But the prices were a bit high for what they offer. I somehow still recommend this place if you want to get some Mediterranean food in the area ! It's one of the only places that offer such food there.

Easily one of the most cosiest, nicest and tastiest food. The ambience is warm and welcoming and so is the staff. For vegetarians there are quite a few options more over the staff does accommodate the vegetarian requests. The cafe is in the middle of the downtown surrounded by a ton shops galleries and whatnots. So it kinda makes you feel like you are in some European small town. About the food. Well made and well presented. There may be a chance that you have to wait a while before seated but it’s worthwhile.

This place is high on energy. High quality Mediterranean food experience with lots of options in veg/ non veg. Wine list is top notch, loved the local (Monterey sourced Reds). Perfect place for date nights, celebrations. I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner at Dametra! Music and Dance every hour is an important highlight during the visit.

Lovely restaurant! Smoked salmon and clam chowder were fantastic. We enjoyed the brief live music towards the end of the night—lots of fun and most guests were up dancing. It is a small restaurant so I don’t recommend it if you aren’t okay with noise or being close to other guests. It is manageable though! Staff is very friendly and accommodating.

Awesome!

DAMETRA CAFE "...MADE OUR DAY (IN CARMEL)..." My most humble apologies for not posting earlier--better late than never. My first experience @ Dametra was following a relaxing walkabout of the gorgeous local scenery/beach. Also enjoyed a great used book purchase experience at the local Harrison library right across the street (another story...), but while hoping to visit another somewhat well-know local Inn for lunch (didn't "make our day" due to renovation closure...) Dametra's buzz became THE signature hospitality experience of our first foray to Carmel-by-the-Sea... Sadly it's been a few years since our last visit, but was able to enjoy their calamari (shame to try and even order this in Canada...) plus never failed to order extra skewer of Dametra's shrimp to go along with sharing one of their salads. Yes, the 'kitchen violinist' always added to the great--yes somewhat cozy now by COVID-19 optics--dining ambience, the front of the house staff have always been just as upbeat & entertaining to all the guests (they likely spoiled us to our request for more of the bread dip to go with the balsamic vinegar/oil...) and I want to conclude with the intent & spirit of the same sweetness of the complimentary baklava dessert that still resonates my humble experience. Bravo Dametra! Wishing you many, many more years of providing a great cultural dining experience to one & all. Until we meet again...

The staff from beginning to end worked like a well oiled machine especially the fabulous Ivan who was so friendly, professional, and knowledgeable.The food was so fresh and delicious! Every item was tasty, savory, and prepared to perfection.We loved everything! The wine and bar were stocked with wonderful libations. The atmosphere has an eclectic Mederterain vibe as does the food.The desserts were decadent and absolutely delicious!

Great food and great service. Their hummus and baba ganoush is divine.

Good: Convenient location in dt carmel. Good service, quick response. Good practice of social distancing std of COVID. Not so good: Food taste is mediocre at best. Entree portion is quite small.

Outstanding service and excellent food.

Delicious dinner and dessert. Best I have experienced. Heavenly.

This place does it right! The atmosphere and food were on point! midway through our meal the restaurant was serenaded by live music! We got the lamb kabobs and the combination.

Food is good. We order Clam Chowder and lamb. The people are nice and the prices are very reasonable for Carmel. they had live music for two songs but it was very very nice atmosphere.

This charming restaurant complements the town's ambiance so perfectly that it's bound to draw you back repeatedly. They've excelled in every aspect – food, service, and atmosphere. Speaking of the food, it may not be extraordinary Mediterranean cuisine, but it's consistently delicious. Prices are slightly on the higher side, which is typical for this area. During weekends, the place gets incredibly busy. It's advisable to make reservations in advance or prepare for a wait, potentially up to an hour, especially if you have a larger group. They also have an adjacent space next to their wine cellar to accommodate larger groups. On weekends, they host special events with regional music (Spanish, Italian, etc.), enhancing the overall experience and making it extra special. For those with a sweet tooth, make sure not to miss out on the perfect ending to your meal – a bite of their baklava paired with a cup of their Turkish coffee. It's a delightful way to conclude your dining experience. Restaurants like this one make venturing out for a meal truly worthwhile. Hats off to the owners for creating such an exceptional dining experience.

Hands down the best Greek cuisine we have had in a long time! We came right before the busy dinner crowd with our service dog...we had the perfect table, delicious wine, excellent hummus & pita, we got the roasted vegetable salad with addition of gyro meat, for protein, and it was fabulous! All portions were HUGE...we could've stopped with the salad, but being our 1st time there, we wanted a good sampling of the menu and also got the Moussaka! Nothing short of superb in flavor, spice, presentation....without question, we would return...Also, it didn't stop there, we were treated to complimentary baklava with drizzle of caramel & puffs of whip cream, great finish!

If there's ever a place that serves food that's to die for and celebrates its customers/patrons like the way Bashar and co do at Damietta cafe, please do let me know!!! They take special pride in celebrating their customers and their day ( we witnessed a couple birthday celebrations where I haven't seen it been done this way till date ) as if it was for one amongst their team/familia. We got in a bit later in the night and got our names down to be seated at the bar. In less than 5-7 minutes we got a call and got seated comfortably on the bar stools next to their cozy little corner bar. Amir would be our server/host for the evening and made our experience further awesome as he aptly described how each of our dinner/desert choices that we made, were prepared , celebrated the birthdays for the evening by playing an instrument and being an amazing human overall. We started with an order of the Calamari and Spanakopita, each of them being deliciously delicious and done to perfection. Our main course included a Lamb Shank (Lamb is the only Halal meat that they have) and an Almond Crusted Halibut. The Shank was done to such perfection that it oozed nothing but amazing taste in every bite. The fish was phenomenal as well and definitely had us asking for more. Amongst all of this there were a couple of celebrations that were squeezed in celebrating birthdays wherein in one of those Bashar came out and sang his heart out while playing the instrument and had everybody on their toes dancing. We ended the night with an order of delicious Raspberry Cheesecake and it turned out to be amazing. Definitely an evening/dinner to remember for us for a long time to come. It would be a cardinal sin, if you happen to be around and haven't visited Dametra Cafe and their wonderful hosts along with an exceptional cuisine that they have to offer!! Even if you had to drive down from a distance to enjoy what they have to offer, it would be so well worth it!!! Cheers!!!

Love this place! A bit pricey, but the portions are huge and the quality is outstanding. Lamb shank melts right off the bone. Delicious homemade hummus, baklava, great wine selection... what's not to love? PLUS, every hour the restaurant erupts into a middle eastern dance party where the owner comes out with his oud (a bit like a lute) and dune of the servers grab drums. SUCH a great atmosphere. Always an enjoyable time!

Everything’s top notch here. This is the least to say. First of all the food was amazing. There are some options for vegetarians so no worries there. Cherry on the cake was the special event they have in the evenings. They play guitar for 2-3 min every hour and whole cafe is dancing on their beats. Loved the atmosphere overall.

Where do I even start? Dametra Cafe is amazing. Bashar the owner and Nadeem the manager are amazing and so is all the staff. Every single time we come, we feel like we are coming home. The food is superb- the chicken kabob is delicious and so are all the desserts. The atmosphere is very cozy with occasional music that is a lot of fun. We came here every single day for the past 5 days when we visited Carmel. I will definitely be back again!

Dametra in Carmel is one of our favorite places to eat. The presentation of the food is always beautiful, great service, lots of choices and food is ABSOLUTELY delicious! You must try their Labneh Cheese appetizer! It was so good I forgot to take a picture!! Their hummus is so delicious and after your meal they give u a complimentary little Baklava! Seating is tight and their ALWAYS full but the wait not that long and believe me it's worth it!! Love all the decor!!

Very Nice Restaurant. Pleasant Staff and Good Food, Me and My Wife were visiting Carmel and had our Lunch at this place and really enjoyed the environment and the food, Must try this place. Interesting Décor and my wife really liked the yellow table cloths :)

We really enjoyed the vibrant ambience and atmosphere here! Their food was great, and they treated us a dessert at the end of the meal. We really love their fried squid and dessert. Unfortunately we didn’t have a chance to dine in for dinner to enjoy a night performance here! I highly recommend this Greek Mediterranean restaurant in Carmel-by-the-sea! It’s worth to have a visit!

the is a very popular place. We came at 2:40pm for lunch and it was full. The food taste nice except for the steak. The portion is not very big. With 2 glass of wines it can easily cost you $60+ each.

This place is a gem! We were surprised by everything and pleased! Great food, entre choice, and service!!! Halibut with potatoes was very delicious. Owner and management are doing the excellent job, definitely be back and highly recommend! A wonderful bonus was a live music and lovely atmosphere <3

This is the one the best restaurant at carmel by the sea. Its a must visit restaurant. Its a mediterranean cuisine. We had to wait for 10-15mins for a table. Its a medium size restaurant and also has a bar too. People are really friendly and the menu selection is really great. They give free bread on arrival and it was really tasty with olive oil. We had clam chowder soup, it was amazing. Its a must try soup. If you are looking for something that fills your stomach then go with sandwiches. They give it a huge quantity that’s really sufficient and fulls up the stomach. Entrees are enough for two people. For one just go with sandwiches. I took chicken shawarma and it was really really amazing and tastes really good and they give it with tahini sauce and it was really the best. We also ordered falafel wrap and lamb shish kebab. Falafel wrap comes under sandwich and which is perfect for a single person. Lamb shish kebab was little more and it Is sufficient for 2 people. At the end of the meal they gave free baklavas and it was perfect sweet and it is really delicious. We loved it. A perfect desert to end our delicious lunch. The restaurant ambience is really great and the bathrooms are clean and good. Management is great and the service is really good. Had a good lunch there and headed to the beach. Its a must try restaurant. :)

I wish I could give this place 10 stars, what an amazing experience. The food was incredibly delicious and the atmosphere was equally compelling with live music so good some folks got up to dance! A must try in caramel (and California in general)

Delicious Greek food and large portions! Probably best Greek food I’ve ever had. Service was quick and friendly, and it’s such a nicely decorated restaurant!

Stopped in for a late Saturday lunch around 3, and it was still quite busy for the time. Most tables were full and turning regularly. We decided on a hummus app and it was good...a little plain fir my husband's liking but still a good dish. The pita bread was the perfect temp and just ever so slightly crunchy on the outer edges. Our main dishes were a Gyro and Prawns pasta a la creme. Both were mild in flavor and cooked just right. The Gyro had loads of meat in the pita and a fair amount of tzatziki that had a very mild flavor. The Prawns dish had plenty to go with each bite and was extremely filling. The thought was there could be just a bit more seasoning to kick it up just a notch. In the end we were satisfied with our dishes and then was pleasantly surprised when they brought out what has to be my favorite baklava I have ever had. The sauce they paired with it was simply bliss. I should've gotten some to go.

Wow, what a VIBE!!! Best live music I’ve seen in a restaurant, the musicians integrated with the guests so well. Regarding food: - we ordered the labneh, spanakopita and lamb. First two dishes were good but just a bit too salty. Portion sizes were excellent. We ordered the chocolate fudge cake and they provided some complimentary baklava as we were celebrating a birthday. Overall great service, decent food and amazing music/ambience.

We found ourselves in Carmel by the Sea one evening and we thought we’d struggle to find a reasonably priced restaurant with a table for 4. The Mediterranean Restaurant was busy but lucky for us they had a table. The food and experience was amazing. My partner and I shared the Dametra Pasta which was delicious and my son and girlfriend shared the Ravioli in a basil sauce which they loved. During our meal, musicians started to play and everyone in the restaurant was encouraged to get up and dance which they did. Touristy, for sure, but felt authentic because of the genuine warmth and friendliness of all the staff. An unexpected delight at the end of an amazing day.

Good food!

Nice car

Delicious food and excellent service.

This place is incredible. We started with the Brushetta and it was incredible. We loved it and found it to be one of the very best we have ever had! I had the Bolognese Spaghetti which was better than any I've ever had. My wife had a Greek salad. It was delicious and she loved it. We were so full from eating our dishes that we had no room for desert. They brought a piece of Baklava anyway, and it was the best we've ever had! The owner is a supremely nice man who loves our compliments and is genuinely interested in giving everyone a fantastic dining experience. We live in Palm Desert, CA and know good restaurants. This one would be at the top in the Coachella Valley. His other two restaurants, Catch, and Porta Bella are equally outstanding. They are all within a block of each other. If you visit Carmel, you must visit all three of these restaurants. We will return next year. We have no relation to the owner and just happened on them during our vacations.

My wife and loved the outdoor ambience, sitting on the sidewalk in the late afternoon. The weather was perfect and the sidewalks crowded with people (everyone was wearing masks). Both our service and food were excellent, our waiter was very attentive. The wine pour was generous, the portions big. My wife had the Greek salad with salmon that was delicious. I had the Dametra Pasta that included capers, dried tomatoes, olives, and chicken. The chicken was a bit odd (battered instead of grilled) but the dish was very tasty. We definitely would return.

Super Satisfied!!! Food is outstanding, cooked with love. Very healthy, not heavy. Very attentive staff and manager! We’ve got complimentary desert which was very nice of them!

Great Great Mediterranean food. Best Lamb shank ever ! Excellent service

Great place, with the most amazing staff. So welcoming and clearly appreciate your business. Food was very good and the pita bread was fantastic!

Amazing food and fantastic service

Nice place with the great hosts! They were very nice, offered us vegan pasta as we requested and delicious complementary dessert. The place itself is very cozy and nice to spend enjoyable time at. Definitely recommend❤️

Wowed by the service and safety protocols due to COVID-19. Our outdoor table took longer than the time quoted and the manager brought out free sangria to apologize. After dinner, they brought out tiny baklava samples. The Greek food was fresh and tasty too. Bonus: all the wine is half-off right now. Great stop in Carmel! Also, all servers wore masks, gloves, and everything was sanitized frequently.

Wow! We love Demetra Cafe in Carmel. Delicious food, excellent service, fantastic atmosphere. And...a great selection of wine. Delicious Mediterranean Food. Highly recommended.

Went here for takeout after seeing the crowd and good reviews - surprised to find food was below average. Prawn pasta sauce lacked flavor, pizza was very doughy and undercooked. For the price of the food, you could find better. However, service was friendly which is why I give it 2 stars.

Huge portions, super friendly staff and really delicious food. I ordered the lamb shank and my friend ordered the falafel wrap. Next time I'm going to get the Greek combination because I took a bite of the falafel and it was delicious (and I don't usually care for falafels). The lamb shank was really flavorful and tender. It came with really yummy veggies (carrots and green beans). We both had enough food for 2 meals each. They had dining options but the wait was 45 minutes on a Thursday night so we did takeout (ready in 20 minutes) and ate at a nearby park.

The food was AMAZING!!! The presentation was very authentic and lovely. The portions were very generous. The service was out of this world. I can't wait to go back!

Went there for our Anniversary dinner as last minute. Great service, great food. The Gyro and Calamari were very good with the Robert Mondavi wine! Thank you to the management and servers for your great service!

Ok food, great service and people

Great food and great service!

Amazing service and super yummy food! They made great accommodations for my diet with ease and have a wonderful wine and beer list!

Best dolmas I’ve ever had!

Everything about this dinner experience was out of a dream! The staff were so warm and accommodating, the atmosphere they created for outdoor seating was so beautiful, a couple gentlemen played some music and entertained guests, and the food and wine were so so delicious. I still can't get over how everyone there treated us like we were their own family, it was sad to leave! Lol I can't say enough good things about this charming place and people.

Loved it! Ordered chicken shwarma to go(for a picnic on Highway1). The people who served us were extremely courteous and provided great service. The food was delicious we loved our picnic. We even found a complimentary baklava in our bag. I love baklava so that was a pleasant surprise! Would highly recommend if you're in Carmel

Amazing food, service and atmosphere! I love this restaurant. The food is delicious. Everything taste like it's from scratch and authentic. All the employees are so welcoming. Each one makes you feel genuine welcome and they are happy you're there. Sometimes they have spontaneous live music and dancing, played by the employees and encourage you to join them in dancing. A wonderful experience, I truly look forward to going again.

Very good food and great staff. They are working hard to serve you during COVID

Faisal was absolutely immaculate with his hospitality. Service is unmatched, absolutely worth the drive from Stockton

I ordered on yelp and went and picked up the food. Totally worth walking about a mile to pick up the food since there was no parking close by. They were at capacity and the servers still managed to keep it together with the social distancing requirements and such. I stood outside the entrance since I was few minutes early and did some people watching with my kid. Ate there a few years ago and it was delicious than and it was delicious again. I didn't take pictures of the food since we all devoured it as soon as it hit the table.

Good food. Better service.

The absolute nicest people, freshest, most delicious food!

They have tasty pizza and a great selection of wine!

Very poor food. This is our first time at Dametra. We were expecting excellent Mediterranean food and were disappointed by the quality and taste. We ordered the pesto chicken pizza and a chicken shawarma. The pizza was a thick tasteless crust with unflavored pieces of chicken and a uneven spread of pesto which make each bite it’s own adventure. The shawarma was not shawarma. It was roasted chicken pieces cut thickly and served with a LOT of soggy lettuce. I asked for substitution which is noted on the order but not reflected in my meal. Really zero stars. Lot of hype for nothin’

Great food and service, very tasty, even my 5yo enjoyed the food, if you are in Carmel you should try it

The best attention!

Amazing customer service and food!