Fun rooftop deck! Nice selection of wines by the glass. We enjoyed the grilled artichoke with the aioli and the mushroom pizza. Both were delicious! Service was very friendly and efficient as well. Will definitely return on my next visit to Carmel by the Sea

Our dining experience was superb! The steakhouse burger was one of the best I ever had. Maybe the best? My burger was seasoned well and cooked perfectly. It's buttery, savory and just gosh darn it delicious! The quality made every ingredient standout. My wife's cioppino was amazing. A lot of love went in that made it a party in our mouths. My son had the spaghetti and meatballs and he loved it! Our server was nice and friendly. We ended with a dessert the left an impact to our dining experience. The open kitchen vibe made it special. Inside has a nostalgic classic vibe. Happy tummies here and all smiles!

I was so impressed with Vesuvius after my first dining experience. It can be stressful dining with a toddler but the staff was so accommodating and put us at ease. We ordered a variety of items off of the happy hour menu. We all loved the arancini and truffled gnocchi. They were both rich and decadent. My husband also really enjoyed the Fritto misto (calamari). The fangool pizza was also the perfect mix of savory and a dash of sweet.

Italian restaurant in downtown Carmel by the sea. Opens at 4pm. Great place to go for happy hour multiple servers are on deck to help a quick and smooth experience. Take advantage of the beautiful weather sitting on the rooftop bar enjoying cocktails. I ordered a pizza which was great. Will be back again

Living two hours from Carmel By The Sea means that we get to go when we want, but unfortunately that usually ends up being only about 1/2 dozen times a year. We have a few go to eating spots, but wanted to try Vesuvio, we waited too long! This place is amazing. The food was excellent. The ambiance was incredibly relaxing. The staff and service were all first class. The food was some of the best we've had. My wife had a pizza, the dough was phenomenal. The Jackie O pasta dish was the right choice. I took pictures, but we had already dug into our meals so I decided not to use them. Definitely recommend.

Had a great dinner a couple of weeks ago with my sister and brother in law while spending the weekend in Monterey. Came here to use a gift certificate that we had purchased at a Junior Achievement fundraiser. I appreciate Vesuvio for supporting this wonderful nonprofit. Been here a few times and the place is always packed. Food is good and the staff is very pleasant and attentive. Good place to come with family and friends.

Alright, who reading this has actually used the expression... "Third times' the Charm?" Anybody?? O.k. Fine...I'll go first. I have!! Well in case you haven't used it and are curious to know what it means, let me tell you what googles definition of this expression is: "The third time something is attempted, luck is sure to result" Basically, if the 1st time and then again on the 2nd time you attempt something and it fails, or doesn't go as planned, the expression states that the 3rd time around... Luck will be on your side! Well Luck be the Lady tonight! Because both my very first time in Carmel-by-the-Sea back in 2014 and now on our most recent trip in October 2024, a third attempt was not required to have a little Charm! Let. Me. Elaborate. My wife and I first came to Carmel back in 2014. Little did we know then, but we would return several more times to this quaint, ocean side town in the years to come. On our most recent visit, ten years later, we would return yet again, but this time bringing our 3 beautiful young daughters with us so they too could experience the magic of this town. On our very first visit, when it was just the two of us love birds, we came across a little restaurant with an upstairs, outdoor rooftop terrace known as Vesuvio. We had drinks, sat by the fire pit, enjoyed the view and for the first time ever we had Risotto Arancini Balls that we would simply never forget. Let's just say...there was something Charming about Vesuvio that we would always remember. As mentioned, we returned to Carmel many other times either with friends, or just the two of us, but for some odd reason, we never made it back to Vesuvio. Well in October 2024... That. All. Changed. My wife looked at me and it went something like this: My wife: "Hey remember those Risotto Arancini appetizers that we got on our first visit to Carmel?" Me: (in my head) "Umm duhh, how could I forget?" (The words that actually came out) "umm you mean that one place where we sat on the rooftop, had drinks, and had those yummy risotto ball appetizers?" Wife: "Yeah, that one! Let's go back there!" Me: "you're the boss" And. Off. We. Went. Mind you, it was a Saturday evening... The weather was nice... Downown Carmel was hoppin'... And we had NO reservations... Dun. Dun. Dunnnnn. Oh wait! Remember earlier when I said 'Luck be the Lady tonight??' Well I'm no Lady, but luck was definitely on our side! We pulled up, the restaurant was slammed, but we still took our chances. I talked to the young gal at the front and a reservation at 730pm was a no show! So They were OUT. & We were IN. Once seated, we picked up our menus, and prayed to the man upstairs that they still had those Risotto balls... I began perusing the Antipasta section and this is what I saw: Garlic Bread, meatball lollipops, fried artichoke crocchette, burrata, fritto misto... (All while Thinking to myself) "crap I'm not seeing them" But I pressed on... Sauté Damiani, Baby Back Ribs... And then suddenly... There. They. Were. 'Saffron. Risotto. Arancini' Hallelujah! And while the kids got their bread, olive oil + balsamic vinegar on... My wife and I were in our happy place reminiscing over our prized Arancini balls! This, accompanied by a bottle of Italian White, Truffled Gnocchi, Risotto Calabrese which had prawns, scallops, spicy salumi (not salami), & a lobster reduction... And you know we got Tiramisu for dessert.. We were this close to just selling all of our belongings, and getting on the next flight to move to the Mother Land ;) Hey, YOLO! In all seriousness, Vesuvio has a Charm, a fun vibe, and a humble, hospitable approach that makes you feel proud to be there in the moment, celebrating life and eating damn good food! So... Come check it out for yourself! As for us, we will definitely return one day and we know for a fact that the 3rd time will 100% maintain that charm that makes Vesuvio, well Vesuvio! Buon Appetito! Ciao!!

This is a great place to enjoy time with friends. They have a great rooftop seating area. This time we sat inside. We had Amazing service from our waiter!! He was friendly, helpful and pleasant. We ordered a pizza that had pepperoni and hot honey on it. My friend was a little concerned that it wouldn't taste good, but after one bite, she loved it! We also split a Caesar salad, which was delicious. This place has lots of different menu items and everything I've ever tried. It is delicious.