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Edwin's Kaona Carmel, Carmel-by-theSea, CA

Edwin's Kaona Carmel

4.2
4.2
179 Reviews
$30 and under
Asian

Make a booking

2 people
20:00
Booked 9 times today
  • Charming
  • Great for live music
  • Innovative
Edwin's Carmel is a South East Asian Fusion Restaurant located in the heart of Carmel by the Sea, CA.

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Asian, Filipino, Indonesian / Malaysian
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Thu–Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (831) 250-7744
  • Dress code
    Business Casual

What 179 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.2
4.2 based on recent ratings
  • 4.2Food
  • 4.3Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 3.8Value

NoiseModerate

Diners' Choice Awards

  • California Central Coast

    Hot spot

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Great for brunch

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Hot spot

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Lively

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Edwin's Kaona Carmel offers a lively atmosphere with exceptional live music and friendly service. Guests rave about the "island basket" and unique Asian fusion cuisine, highlighting the "wonderful burst of flavors." Although some inconsistencies in service and food were noted, the overall experience is "highly recommend" for its vibrant ambiance and flavorful dishes.

179 Reviews
  1. Taylor

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 7 December 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    My experience at this restaurant was unfortunately disappointing. To start, it took 50 minutes just to receive our appetizer, which set the tone for the rest of the evening. The Balinese fried chicken, which I was excited to try, turned out to be dry, stringy, and ultimately underwhelming in flavor. The service was painfully slow, though it was clear this was due to the restaurant being severely understaffed. There was only one waiter managing the entire floor, and while they were clearly overworked, they remained kind, patient, and professional throughout the ordeal. I can’t fault the staff member who was trying their best, but the management needs to address the staffing issue and improve the quality of the food if they want to keep customers coming back. For now, I won’t be returning.

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  2. Xin

    Baltimore

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on 1 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food, cute location, friendly server! Also had live music- a bonus since it was unplanned-for. Since we had a group of 4, we went for the "small" island basket, which was 3 entrees and 2 appetizers on a giant woven basket / platter. Very special experience (and SO much food :-) Only downside was that we'd originally made lunch reservations but the restaurant was clearly not open when we showed up (on time for the reservation itself; half an hour after the restaurant's opening time for the day). Ended up going in for dinner instead (hence the "unplanned" part of the live music). Would highly recommend, aside from the owner's opening-up glitch.

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  3. Elvira

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on 23 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We recently had the pleasure of dining at Edwin's in Carmel, and I have to say, it was truly a highlight of our trip! Our kids declared it the best meal we had during our travels, and I couldn’t agree more. We ordered a variety of dishes, including lechon kawali, chili shrimp, salmon, lumpia, and nasi goreng, and each one was a delightful treat! The flavors were vibrant and authentic, making it a feast for our taste buds. One of the things we loved most was the soothing background of Filipino music—it really set a warm and inviting atmosphere. Despite the chef not being able to make it that day, Dexter stepped in and handled everything as the waiter, chef, and bartender. He was absolutely wonderful—his passion for the food and hospitality shone through, making our dining experience even more enjoyable. And let’s not forget dessert! The ube ice cream with turon was the perfect sweet ending to our meal—creamy, delicious, and a great way to finish off such a fantastic experience. We highly recommend Edwin's to anyone looking for a delicious meal in Carmel.

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  4. Cornelis

    VIP

    Columbus

    16 reviews

    5.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on 11 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent island food, vivid live music and a great atmosphere.

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  5. Luca

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food! Not the usual stuff... tasty and light! Good service too.

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  6. Ken

    VIP

    Orange County

    10 reviews

    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on 10 November 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    My Girlfriend and I stopped there on our first night in Carmel by the Sea. The waiter was friendly and on top of it. You could tell it was a hit spot with the locals. They had a few live musicians, and they were all very good. The dance floor opened up later and it was fun. The local wine was fantastic. The only real bummer was that we were told the Clam Chowder was amazing and it was simply not to our liking. We don't like the runny/watery clam chowder and the potatoes were a bit undercooked. Overall a good, fun experience.

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  7. Jordan

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 9 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing and flavorful dishes that highlight fresh ingredients and unique combinations

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  8. michelle

    Denver

    23 reviews

    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on 7 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very good food. No one else there on a Weds evening. Apparently very busy and hopping on weekends.

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  9. Andrea

    Denver

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 3 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent meal and the kindest, friendliest service!

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  10. Mary and Chris

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on 31 October 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great location and very friendly staff but the food is not worth going back for

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FAQs

Edwin's Kaona Carmel offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 250-7744.

Edwin's Kaona Carmel is rated 4.2 stars by 179 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a booking

2 people
20:00
Booked 9 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Edwin's Kaona Carmel

San Carlos st, Carmel-by-theSea, CA 93921

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    6th Avenue
  • Area
    Carmel
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon, Thu–Sun 5:30 pm–9:00 pm Fri–Sun 12:00 pm–3:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Asian, Filipino, Indonesian / Malaysian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    There is a bus stop down the street
  • Privacy policy
  • Terms of Use
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