Nicolas Cocina de Herencia - Carmel-By-The-Sea (CA)

4 /5 Carly Klein: Romantic and trendy dinner spot! The food was good - the mole chicken was a highlight. Drinks were delicious - Mezcalita and Mexican Mule were stand outs. Recommend for something fun and different in Carmel - specifically great for couples.

5 /5 Adam Dunhoff: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best Meal & Drinks in the USA! We’re on a massive 30-day road trip from Vegas to LA to San Francisco—planned three months in advance from Pittsburgh, PA—and Nicolas Cocina de Herencia was *the* number one dining experience of the whole journey. Poula, was hands-down the best server weve ever had. She explained everything beautifully and helped us choose cocktails with unique ingredients we’d never heard of. She even walked us through the hibiscus process behind one of the drinks—super cool. The staff was warm, sweet, and attentive. When they saw me taking a photo of the kitchen, they invited me to peek inside and I got to watch them make tortillas from scratch. So impressive. I had the halibut with mole (phenomenal), and my girlfriend had a fire-roasted poblano pepper stuffed with the best Dungeness crab in California. The cocktails? Absolutely top-tier. I had several mezcal-based drinks that blew me away. Next time I’ll be trying the wine! Huge thanks for an unforgettable evening. I wouldn’t be surprised to see you with a Michelin star in the near future. Cheers, Adam & Kaley

5 /5 Cynthia Beverage: Wow!!! Every single item, the appetizers, the drinks, the food: Amazing! They make their drinks strong, the food is beyond tasty. I live in the Bay Area, and this Mexican restaurant is now my favorite and the best Ive ever found. Its absolutely worth the price because its so good and the portions are generous but not ridiculous. Cant wait to come back and I love the back story. Google it. What am amazing mom ( the chef), husband and kids! Brilliance and kudos to you Alvarezs!!!

5 /5 Shelby Cothran: Had the huitlacoche chile relleno and weeks later I can’t stop thinking about it! Didn’t even know what huitalacoche was but so thankful I tried it. Also the cilantro rice was even so good. Everything was delicious and well presented. I had a mezcal marg and even though I’m not usually a huge fan of mezcal it was well balanced and refreshing. The atmosphere inside is elegant but the patio was the popular choice the afternoon we dined. Can’t wait to get back to Carmel just to eat here.

5 /5 MARY ALLAG: This was hands down the best Mexican food I have ever had — and I live in Los Angeles. Nicolas blows places like Javier’s and La Cha Cha out of the water. The flavors were vibrant, balanced, and genuinely exciting. The prices were incredibly fair for the quality, and the entire staff was lovely. Our server Gina was fantastic, and Chef Andres was so warm and welcoming — he visited every table and made the whole place feel like a family-run gem (which it is). The dishes you cannot miss: the bone marrow elote the birria queso dip the short rib (unreal) The cocktails were excellent, the menu variety was surprising in the best way, and every bite felt thoughtful and elevated. This restaurant would absolutely thrive in LA. We were blown away and already can’t wait to come back.