Edwin's Kaona Carmel

Review summary

1. T

   Taylor

   San Francisco

   2 reviews

   2.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on December 7, 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. X

   Xin

   Baltimore

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on December 1, 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 Very special experience (and SO much food :-) Only downside was that we'd originally made lunch reservations but the restaurant was clearly not open when we showed up (on time for the reservation itself; half an hour after the restaurant's opening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. E

   Elvira

   VIP

   Los Angeles

   8 reviews

   5.0

   8 reviews

   Dined on November 23, 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. C

   Cornelis

   VIP

   Columbus

   16 reviews

   5.0

   16 reviews

   Dined on November 11, 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. L

   Luca

   San Francisco

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on November 10, 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. K

   Ken

   VIP

   Orange County

   10 reviews

   4.0

   10 reviews

   Dined on November 10, 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. J

   Jordan

   Central Coast

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on November 9, 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. m

   michelle

   Denver

   23 reviews

   5.0

   23 reviews

   Dined on November 7, 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. A

   Andrea

   Denver

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on November 3, 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. M

    Mary and Chris

    San Francisco

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 31, 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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