Cara

Our family enjoyed a Thanksgiving feast away from home this year – at Cara in The Chanler at Cliff Walk. There are not enough superlatives to describe our experience. Everyone’s meal – ranging from traditional turkey to North Atlantic Whitefish to vegan roasted RI mushrooms – was fantastic. The service was attentive. The view – even in the rain – was stunning. Katarina, Kevin, Executive Chef Jacob and his kitchen crew made this a Thanksgiving we will long remember.

The Chanler is a wonderful place to visit, right on the Cliff Walk in Newport. Cara is probably the best fine dining in Newport. The six course chef's tasting menu, at least on the night I was there, was very impressive. Locally sourced ingredients where possible, and impeccable execution combined to deliver a Michelin star worthy dining experience.

The atmosphere, the food, and the thoughtfulness of the chef and staff really knows no bounds. The food was incredible — thoughtful, and exudes everything Rhode Island. Every dish was explained by the chef, and the ingredients all locally sourced were some of the best I’ve ever had. It was my birthday, and they really were so thoughtful and kind. At the end of the meal, we were brought a kind gift and a signed card from everyone in the restaurant. I’ve been lucky enough to eat at Michelin star restaurants and this sits alongside any of them - to be honest it is even more special and intimate. Absolutely incredible experience. Thank you for such a memorable night.

An absolutely fantastic experience. Cara is fine dining without the stuffiness. Passion is evident from the kitchen to the waitstaff to the amazing flavors. It’s really just about amazing food. Tour the kitchen if you get a chance, the enormous custom stove is one of only a few in the country. Cole was a perfect server and put us at ease and comfort throughout the night. Service was attentive but not intrusive: The scallops were perfect, and the oxtail stew under it was rich and complex. The lobster and gnocchi was the best I’d ever had. Wine list was stellar and. The desert was fantastic. A five star experience for our valentines dinner. Bravo Cara!

This was the single best dining experience of my entire life. My husband and I went here on our mini-moon to celebrate our first dinner as a married couple, and chose the 8 course blind tasting with wine pairings. I genuinely do not have the language to convey the extremely high quality of product, beautiful plating, perfect balance and compliments of flavors, textures, and colors, and the exquisite wine that perfectly complimented each course. Shea was an absolutely amazing staff member, and the executive chef, Jacob, was incredibly talented, knowledgeable, kind, engaging, and gave us an experience I know I will never have again (unless I come back to Cara, of course!!) The entire night felt like an absolute dream, and it was by far the highlight of our wedding besides the actual "I do's!" I cannot stress enough, try this restaurant. It was worth every single penny I paid and I will be back again every year for our anniversary, if not more frequently than once per year. I give my highest compliments to Jacob and Shea, just genuinely wonderful people and so talented.

Easily the best dining experience my wife and I have had yet. Stellar service, the food was indescribable, and the pairings from start to finish left you feeling warm and satisfied. It wasn't just going out for a nice dinner, it was an experience and we'll never forget it.

Incredible intimate setting. I’ve been to many Michelin star restaurants and this one surpasses them. Just a few tables. Chef introduces courses personally, wait staff passionate about each dish and the wine, a must visit.

THE BEST RESTAURANT IN NEWPORT! I went for my birthday this past weekend, the experience , staff and food was simply unmatched. It was a tailored, personal experience which the chef made even better! I would recommend to anyone going to Newport to make a reservation and go! 12/10

Started with the pork belly, and my god it was fantastic. So much flavor! Then the Filet Mignon.... Wow. Cheddar Potatoes, while not a huge serving were delicious. The service was great our server was so pleasant even volunteered to take a picture . We walked in expecting tiny servings but it was great, healthy portions, and the desert was very tasty. Well worth the price for a beautiful location and delicious food! Also stayed at the Chanler. Magnificent all around.

We had the pleasure of being there for their opening night this year and it was amazing. The entire blind tasting was exceptional, including the best steak and scallops dishes I’ve ever had. Great ambiance and outstanding service, from bar to serving to chef. Thank you, Cara!

The absolute best place in Rhode Island. What an amazing property. Chef Jacob and his staff are unbeatable. I have nothing to critique. Every single component here is better than the last. An absolute must visit for anyone who appreciates refinery.

Amazing!

I celebrated my 32nd birthday with my best friends by enjoying the tasting menu here. The chef came out to explain each dish. Our server was amazing and so knowledgeable as well. The ambiance was very high class but warm and welcoming at the same time, which is a hard thing to come by. The food was impeccable and I highly recommend this experience to anyone who goes to Newport.

I highly recommend doing the 5pm Cara tasting. I know that seems early for a fancy dinner, but the entire experience takes 2.5 hours, and you'll end up sitting through the most perfect and beautiful beach sunset. If you do the 8pm it's already dark when you get there and all you see is darkness and headlights up ocean drive.

This is hands down the best dining experience ever! The attention to detail was superb. The chef came out for every course and explained everything. The food, of course, was delicious. The wine pairings were also perfect! We did this for our 25th anniversary and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants a romantic or special night out with a loved one!

Food was exceptional, it was a modern interpretation of fresh, local ingredients. Each dish was beautifully crafted and bursting with flavor. The service was attentive and friendly. Really like how the chefs would explain the making of each dish. This makes the whole experience much more enjoyable.

Pricey, but definitely worth it. We've enjoyed the five-course (we counted eight) fixed-price dinner twice, and a lunch once. We've always left more than fully satisfied and looking forward to a return visit. The staff, view, decor, and food are all as top-notch as anywhere in coastal New England.

We've been coming to The Chanler for our anniversary for six years now...ever since we discovered the paradise that is The Chanler! This year's visit was our most amazing yet!! The blind tasting at Cara was an experience of a lifetime...honestly the most exquisite food I've ever had. We opted for the wine pairing also, which I highly recommend, as the wines were all a perfect complement to the courses. The staff was so kind and attentive, the chefs were engaging and informative....it truly was such a relaxed, enjoyable evening surrounded by such beautiful ambiance and the most amazing food we've ever been served! We will definitely be back (again and again and again....)

This was a very unique experience. The chef came out and explained to us about every dish on our table as it came out. At the end we were very full. The flavors were very unique and creative. My wife and I came on our honeymoon, and it was a little out of our comfort zone. Some of the food was outstanding, while a few of the portions required us to be a little more open minded. If you want a truly unique dining experience, this is the place to come to. Thank you chef!

The Cara Restaurant is located in the iconic Chanler at Cliff Walk Hotel. The food is extremely good. Take a walk along the Cliff Walk after dining.

Cara was a good find on our walk to the beach. It should have been better for the price however. The garganelle pasta and swordfish were tasty but served room temperature. They quickly cooled off leaving the overall experience disappointing. Hoping dessert would save the meal, it did not. The dried out financier cake was tasteless. Thankfully the ice cream served with it provided some tastier bites. I would give Cara another try as the atmosphere and service were enjoyable.

Nice presentation of savory dishes was very lovely, but some flavors fell short. The desserts were too salty.

We celebrated our 5th anniversary here in December and were engaged here when it was the spiced pear years ago. We enjoyed our meal then and had hoped for the same experience. Let me just start that the food was very nice. We opted for the three course. The fixed menu gives you three courses with eight choices. Two apps, four 'main', two dessert. The food itself was top end. It was finished with the intention of giving a beautiful presentation. That being said the portion size for the main courses isn't even enough to constitute an appetizer. I had two main courses and felt like I was just getting started( I'm 160lbs no where a big eater). I estimated about 2oz of protein. The reason I could only give 2 stars is what this costs. $100/person plus mandatory gratuity. I always tip well but prefer the option of tipping based on the quality of service. Taking that option out just makes waitstaff lazy. During covid and a restaurant that only did 2 tables that night it's hard to mess up but I would never go to a busy place with a preset tipping system. Expect to pay ~$300 for a couples night out. We went back to our hotel, relaxed for 1/2 hour then went down to the restaurant, split a platter of oysters and had two main courses for just under $100. It's so sad they opted to go to an overpriced, pretentious experience. Dinner should have left a memory, not a hefty price and empty stomach

Beautiful restaurant. The food was subpar and over priced. Two of us sent courses back.

Attempted to make a reservation on a Sat and OpenTable showed an available time but on Sun - didn't notice they switched the day. Accidentally made the reservation, then immediately canceled it 5 mins later. Their policy requires cancellation 72 hours before. This was 11 days before. Yet they never refunded me. Super shady.

If I could give zero I would because I wasn’t allowed to dine here. I had just finished the Cliff Walk during a muggy evening and wanted a bite to eat and some drinks on the patio with my sister. I asked the server if we could grab a seat to which he said reservations are required and go see the hostess inside. As I started walking inside to see the hostess as I was asked to do, the door inside was blocked as a woman stood right in front. I said oh hello I was asked to go inside to see the hostess to which she said that was her. I asked if we were allowed to eat outside and she said the reservations were all full while there were quite a few empty tables. She did not offer to take my name nor grant me a reservation. What she proceeded to do was look my sister up and down like we were trash and so I left. What she was doing was saying my attire wasn’t appropriate. If this was the case she could have politely say we have a dress code and sneakers aren’t allowed. She didn’t. She proceeded to say what she needed to without a single word but a nasty look. She should realize my $100 bills I would have spent to eat there are worth the same as the man and woman dressed just a slightly bit nicer. This was on Aug 12, 2023. The hostess should be fired and the owner should know he lost a customer who has been here multiple times. We made our way to Tickets and were greeted warmly.

The food was some of the worst we have had. I ordered special tuna steak. The waiter it was fresh catch, the chef then told us it was caught last year and frozen.

Not for vegetarians. My husband and I went for what I thought was going to be a very special Thanksgiving. We had been there before when it was called “The Spiced Pear” so decided to try it again. I called to see if it was vegetarian friendly and they assured me vociferously that it indeed was. However there were no, nada, zip vegetarian entrees, only side dishes bulked up or pasta dishes with meat taken out. The only option was an unfortunate hen of the woods mushroom dish which had apparently been pickled and adorned with god knows why, a piece of chicken skin. I had a minute bowl of soup with an indifferent green salad that was overdressed and not in an impressive way. I was so hungry I had to have some of my husband’s sides from his more traditional dinner. My dessert took a bit of work to drill a fork through. Let us say pastry is not their forte. At $400 for a couple I should have been transported.

We have eaten at Cara multiple times and have stayed at the hotel as well many times. We have referred people to both Cara and the hotel. We booked a graduation diner for our son for this May. When asked if there were any food preferences my husband answered with “we have NO food allergies however since you asked my wife would prefer no crab or shrimp as it is high in iodine and gives her a headache”. The chef then refused to honor our reservation. When the hostess called back we assured Paula there was no allergy it was only a preference and we gave an example that it was only a preference like “raw onions make people have headaches sometimes as does chocolate” and that it was nothing more than that. She proceeded to call the chef and tell him that we did not want onions. We never said we did not want onions it was an example! To his reply “we cook with alot of onions so one more reason not to honor the reservation”. We are not picky eaters and are very easy to please and have never had a single complaint only rave reviews and compliments each time we’ve dined at Cara under the cooking of chef Jacob! Anyway they clearly are not grateful for return clients as they would not honor our reservation. Highly recommend that you do not fall for the “trick question” if you are asked if you have any food preferences! After assuring them of ZERO allergies and telling them this was a favorite dining experience for us and we were excited to celebrate our sons graduation there. They still denied us. Paula is a very poor communicator of preferences so do not communicate anything with her about your preferences when she asks… this will get you canceled! She clearly prompts the client to give her your preferences and then relays back to the chef concerns that absolutely do not exist. Again I have NO allergies and was very clear I was able to eat most everything that swims in the sea that could possibly be served that evening…and if anything was presented that I did not prefer I would simply eat around it. No issues whatsoever from us.. yet Paula turned an absolute no issue into a huge issue with chef Jacob and he in turn canceled our families graduation dinner reservation.