Juniper on Main — Restaurant in Carmel

Yesterday afternoon my sister and I had the pleasure of stopping in for a snack and some drinks. It was early enough that nobody was out on the patio (yet) but looked packed on the inside. When we stepped inside we were right behind a small group of people that was just getting seated, and without missing a beat the nicest, cutest, and most warm and welcoming host (EVER) greeted us (I didn’t catch his name but had glasses and a beautiful moth tattoo). It looked like it was going to be a little bit of a wait before we could be seated, however, the host (in between answering the three thousand calls haha) took a look around and saw an empty table that needed to be cleaned. Without missing a beat he gathered the stuff to go wipe it down, got us seated and got us water to drink all within like.. 3-5 minutes! That was the fastest service I think I ever had and it was amazing.

Our waitress was Antoinette and she was absolutely positively on top of things, and super sweet as well. She checked in on us multiple times and made sure we had everything we needed, and was always there when it looked like we needed something. So attentive!

The food was phenomenal. We got the fried green tomatoes and garlic aioli French fries, with a pitcher of white sangria. When I tell you the FGTs were AMAZING I need you to know that I absolutely hate tomatoes with a passion. BUT THESE. My gods. Chefs kiss!! The French fries are always amazing and honestly, paired with the drinks, are why we keep coming back haha. I got halfway through the pitcher before I realized I didn’t get any pictures like I planned. Maybe next time!! Because I will never, NOT recommend coming here. Beautiful place, amazing and adorable staff, WONDERFUL food, and beautifuuuul air...

I recently dined at Juniper on Main and had a mixed experience. The evening started off strong with their appetizers—absolutely amazing! The Brussel sprouts were perfectly cooked, bursting with flavor, and the deviled eggs were a delightful twist on a classic, showcasing some creative new ideas.

However, things took a turn for the worse when it came to the entrees. The wait time was ridiculously long, and after what felt like an eternity, I was informed that they were out of okra—the very ingredient that drew me to order that specific dish in the first place. It was frustrating that this wasn’t communicated earlier, especially after such a long wait.

By the time the entree arrived, the excitement had worn off, and honestly, my appetite had too. I wish the staff had been more communicative and quicker in serving the entrees. A bit more efficiency and transparency would go a long way in improving the dining experience here.

That said, they did compensate for the long wait by not charging for a beer, which was nice of them and certainly appreciated.

One more suggestion: I wish they offered a hot sauce that matches the Southern cuisine, like Crystal hot sauce. I think that would be a great addition and really complement the flavors they’re going for.

Overall, while the appetizers were fantastic and the gesture to compensate was appreciated, the service and long wait for entrees left much...

Gorgeous outdoor patio - cute atmosphere! We were seated immediately, but waited for 19 minutes before anyone came to our table. Three tables that were seated after us received water immediately and placed orders before us. Our table was right in the middle of the patio - you couldn’t miss us - and there were no fewer than six staff members who walked by us multiple times. We asked the hostess about service after 15min, and it was another 5min before anyone came over. The food itself was disappointing. The pimento cheese had good flavor, but was much runnier than it should have been. It was also served with delicious naan - but only enough to consume less than half the cheese.

I am a sucker for shrimp and grits - if it’s on a menu, I order it. The Charleston shrimp and grits was just ok. Shrimp was very over cooked, and extra fishy. The sauce was SO rich, and there was way too much of it. The sausage was better than the shrimp - the grits were fine, but not excellent.

The low country boil was very potato-heavy. Shrimp was also over cooked and fishy. The dipping butter tasted like fake movie theater butter.

Overall, I wouldn’t go back here. The setting was enjoyable, but while the menu prices appeared reasonable, for the quality, the price is...