Hog's Breath Inn advertises itself as 'old west ambience' (see Hog's Breath Inn) and that description is true to form. Located in downtown Carmel at Carlos and Fifth (they don't use street addresses in Carmel), Hog's Breath was surprisingly not crowded on a Saturday night. We were seated immediately. Diners have the option of an outdoor brick courtyard with heat lamps and a beautiful mural or inside the cozy restaurant near a fireplace.
The menu consists of upscale comfort food: steak, ribs, pork chops, salmon. My companion had the Filet Mignon with Portobello mushrooms and potatoes au gratin. He was very pleased with his dinner and the healthy portions. I had the Prime Rib and garlic smashed potatoes. The Prime Rib was over an inch thick. It was very rich and I did not care for it; however, I think that was more due to my tastes than the quality of the food. The service is worth mentioning here, as everyone we came in contact with seemed genuinely happy to be there and they were very responsive to our needs. As an aside, though not relevant, this restaurant is owned by Clint Eastwood. Our tab was $84, including two dinners, a desert, a single glass of wine and tip.
This restaurant seems appropriate for a family, couple, or group of friends. It is upscale but not snooty. Open 7 days a week from 11:30am-10pm.