The Lobby Lounge

Music got a bit better. Kenny Yarborough now plays piano, guitar and sings.

This is a great place to come for drinks and light eats if you live nearby and don’t want to deal with the hustle bustle of the Highlands.
They valet park your car, so bring some cash for the tip.
There are a couple of big couches, several big comfy chairs, and a few tables, as well as 2 fireplaces– we always pull a couple of chairs in front of them and put our feet up.
Our latest visit was on the 4^th of July (I know, that was a while ago, but I forgot to finish my review lol), and we thought we’d just go have a quiet drink and listen to the live music that plays most nights. Surprise – they had their own private fireworks! We took our drinks on the balcony and enjoyed the show, then went back in front of the fireplace!
Service is impeccable – very polite and attentive.
The menu is small, but they will often let you order from the Amaya menu if you’re really hungry. We usually get the calamari and the hummus– yummy and filling! Chopin martinis are a generous pour, always nice! Prices are steep, but you’re in a luxury hotel, so that’s to be expected.

This is the best hotel bar I’ve seen in the US. It is rivaled only by a small, quaint bar at Vancouver’s Hotel Rosewood Georgia, but I digress. The setting here is sumptuous and the lighting is perfect. The mixologists at the bar do amazing work — if you like an Old Fashioned, try the signature Grand Old Fashioned. It’s an experience! If the rest of this resort weren’t so damn perfect, this bar would be reason enough for a visit!

Well, put on your finery and check out the gorgeous, carved wood-​paneled lobby bar at the Grand Del Mar in Carmel Valley. My friend Diane and I were early for an event, so we dropped into the The Lobby Lounge for a drink and a bite. What a wondrous place. The bar area is quite small, which just makes it a delicious intimate locale. The bar is intricately done in wood paneling, carving and mirrors. The service was superb; our waiter came right out with a big smile. Diane had iced tea and I had a delicious margarita, on the rocks, no salt. They put it in such a large glass that I could only drink ¹⁄₃ of it but the taste was perfection.
We ordered two shrimp appetizers: the shrimp salad, and the calypso shrimp. The salad was scrumptious, really really good, with big plump shrimp and delicious greens and accoutrements. The other shrimp appetizer was swimming in a spicy creamy sauce. Just delicious. Later on we were really happy we had stopped in here, as the banquet food was nothing to write home about.
This is a fab place to drop by for a drink and daydreaming about long ago times, whilst supping on delicious appetizers. I will definitely be back.