Monterey County Press
(Feature on Bashar)
Profiles Bashar’s journey from Syria to owning five local restaurants and leading nonprofit and education initiatives in hospitality.
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Carmel's Fish House
Catch is Carmel-by-the-Sea’s fish house on Ocean Avenue, tucked between Lincoln and Monte Verde. The perfect seafood spot at Carmel-by-the-sea. Every meal starts with a celebration. A toast with champagne and caviar: our way of saying we’re glad you’re here. The celebration is followed by fresh, sustainably sourced seafood and Mediterranean-inspired dishes in an elegant, coastal dining room. Our menu brings together flavors from Greece, Italy, the Middle East, and North Africa, with vibrant fresh ingredients at the center of every plate. Guests come back for dishes like rich lobster risotto, local sand dabs, and generous seafood platters made for sharing. Whether you join us for a special lunch, a coastal afternoon with the happy hour favorites, or an elegant dinner, our hope is simple: warm hospitality, memorable food, and the feeling that you’ve found your place in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Mediterranean food is at the heart of the owner, Bashar, who opened this restaurant in 2020 to express the ideal seafood experience at Carmel by the sea.
Meet Bashar
Catch is owned by Syrian American restaurateur Bashar Sneeh, whose journey took him from working at a gas station and bussing tables in Pebble Beach to opening five beloved restaurants across Monterey County. His passion for hospitality led to Dametra Café, Dametra Fresh Mediterranean, Porta Bella, and finally Catch in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Beyond the dining room, Bashar serves as president of the Swaida American Society, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Syrian immigrants in the U.S. and providing medical aid to villages in southern Syria, supports hospitality education programs locally, and sits on the board of the Carmel Bach Festival.
Bashar and his wife, Shatha, have many restaurants to choose from, yet Catch is where they most often sit down to share a meal together. It's the place that best reflects their love of seafood. Catch is owned by Syrian American restaurateur Bashar Sneeh, whose journey took him from working at a gas station and bussing tables in Pebble Beach to opening five beloved restaurants across Monterey County. His passion for hospitality led to Dametra Café, Dametra Fresh Mediterranean, Porta Bella, and finally Catch in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Beyond the dining room, Bashar serves as president of the Swaida American Society, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Syrian immigrants in the U.S. and providing medical aid to villages in southern Syria, supports hospitality education programs locally, and sits on the board of the Carmel Bach Festival.
Bashar and Shatha’s favorites:
View full menuHow We Make Our Cioppino
Cioppino is one of the dishes that truly captures what Catch is about: generous seafood, bold flavor, and coastal comfort in a single bowl.
Watch our feature on California Live and learn how we prepare a hearty cioppino, packed with fresh clams, mussels, prawns, and fish in a rich tomato-herb broth.
Food & Travel Blogs
Reviews
Guests and writers praise the cioppino, lobster risotto, sand dabs, and the welcoming atmosphere—often calling it one of the best seafood experiences in Carmel.
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