Aubergine the restaurant at L'Auberge Carmel

Eryn Smith

Oh man... We made reservations for our 10th anniversary and had such a great experience... the food, the sommelier pairings, the service, the attention to detail. Everything was impeccable. I really don't have adequate words to explain how exquisite the whole experience was.

M G

Don't book here for a special occasion unless you don't mind the risk of Aubergine calling to say you have to give up your spot the night before your big day, as just happened to me. My wife and I got married in the middle of Covid. This year, we were excited to celebrate our first anniversary with everything open and back to normal again. We chose Aubergine because it is small and intimate, and had rave reviews. I booked the table months in advance, and agreed to pay $290 if I cancelled at the last minute. The night before our dinner, Aubergine called me to say something had come up and 4 (of 9) tables had to be bumped. They told me since I only lived a couple hours away, and other guests were traveling from further, that I should just come another time. I explained that it was my first anniversary with my wife and that the date itself was important. They suggested I was being selfish and denying more worthy dinners the opportunity to experience Aubergine on their vacations. He said he would call others, but if they weren't willing to give up their seats he would call me back to inform me I wouldn't be able to join them tomorrow evening. I spent the next two hours furiously googling and calling and thankfully found a last minute spot open at Birdsong (two Michelin stars and only $25pp more than Aubergine, perhaps the cancellation was a blessing in disguise). Rather than risk making the trip to Carmel and checking into our hotel only to get the dreaded call back from Aubergine that no other diners were willing to give up their table and our reservation was gone, I jumped on the spot at Birdsong. Aubergine wasn't able to explain why they had to bump us (when I asked, he said he didn't know, he guessed it might be staffing). If I had to guess, I'd say some VIPs wanted to go on a Saturday night and Aubergine thought it would be fine to just pressure some plebians to give up their long-standing reservations to accommodate them. Even an airline that bumps people offers some form of compensation, but Aubergine didn't even offer to use their relationships in the industry to find us another table for our anniversary, let alone offer a discount or apology. Just a quick thanks when I called back to tell them I'd found another place on my own. I think a huge part of the fine dining experience is the service and, on that measure, I'd say Aubergine missed the mark by a mile. (As a side note, if you find yourself in the area, instead of Aubergine, I'd highly recommend Birdsong, Lazy Bear, SingleThread, Saison, the French Laundry, and Manresa. We've had incredible meals and wonderful experiences at each, and all are well worth it.)

Errol Inci

An unparalleled outstanding experience. Every course was brilliantly executed with superb ingredients being creatively and expertly presented, the sommelier gave a rich experience with excellent wines, and their cocktail bartender is a hidden gem in his craft. Would absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a meal you will not forget.

Yao Wong

A fantastic restaurant well worth a visit