La Balena Junipero Street, Carmel-by-the-Sea, CA 93923

"This place used to be very good. This is my fifth time eating here. I tried to make it a point to come here every time when I am in town. Their appetizers are still good and it is still dog friendly. The cauliflower and octopus are delicious. The pasta however are all very bland and not great. It is very unfortunate because this place used to be excellent."

"La Balena is among the finest restaurants in Carmel. We dine there every time we visit. The Lasagna is the best we have had. On our last visit the cauliflower appetizer was impressive. The staff is attentive and the wine list features some real treasures from Tuscany."

"We enjoyed a fantastic dinner al fresco in the beautiful cozy front patio at La Balena decorated with colorful purple and white lights. First of all, the service was friendly, very attentive and professional. The food was fantastic and unique, too. We started with the delicious Burrata Tartufata (garnished with truffles), toasted bread, sea salt and olive oil. We then enjoyed the amazing chanterelle (great flavor!!!) mushrooms with linguini in a wonderful light sauce. We split their famous crispy giant Pollo Fritto which is half of a Fogline Farm Fried Chicken with flavorful mashed potatoes. We finished with a refreshing lemon sorbet nestled inside a giant lemon accompanied by Italian Biscotti. The owners, Emanuele Bartolini & Anna Abney Bartolini, stopped by to say hello and were so welcoming and kind. The restaurant also features an indoor dining room and back patio, but the front patio is my favorite! An outstanding dining experience in Carmel by the Sea. Very highly recommended!"

"Really pricey for under-seasoned food. I had the fig salad ($17) and the pesto pasta ($32). Both were quite bland and nothing about them justifies the price. We also paid $5 for unsalted bread and a thimble of olive oil. Overall kinda bummed, but the service was good and helpful."

"Delicious Italian restaurant. Highly recommended ! The dishes were all great although we would have hoped that the portions were a little larger."