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    Cella Restaurant & Bar

    4.5 (164 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated 1 month ago

    Cella Restaurant & Bar Photos

    CELLA RESTAURANT & BAR ATMOSPHERE

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    Intimate
    Romantic
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    Upscale

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    Japanese crudo
    Kayla B.

    Went to Cella on a Wednesday night, made a reservation just in case, but it was decently empty. Everything about this dinner was so pleasant- from the service, the meal, to the ambience and the best dessert I've had in a very long time. We went for our anniversary and wrote that on our resy reservation but didn't bring it up once in person, literally every server and hostess immediately wished us a happy anniversary and they even gave us complementary pate de choux to start, which was super super nice! We ordered the Crudo and the octopus for appetizers, which were both super light bursting with flavour. We got the lamb chop because lamb is our favourite protein, and though it was pricey I would say for the portion , super well cooked and the potatoes were divine. finally, the absolute star was the vanilla crème brûlée. What made it so unique was that it was topped with a warm chocolate mousse which I've never seen before, and the fresh vanilla bean in there absolutely changed the game. I was literally scraping the bottom of the bowl which was mildly embarrassing hahahaha but would do it again. Wha a great gem in Monterey. I love it here and I love their bakery too- Will absolutely come back.

    Scallops were definitely my favorite. We also tried each appetizer. Loved the asparagus and carrots the most!

    We live 2 + hours away. Amazing experience the second we arrived. Everyone I mean every single person is so kind and welcoming. The food is 10/10 highly recommend. Thank you Cella restaurant. We we'll see you again !!

    Chris W.

    Where do I even start! First, let me just say this meal was not only the culinary highlight of my Monterey trip but also ranks up there with one of the best meals ive ever had (which includes some Michelin-rated NY restaurants). The vibe inside is very welcoming and warm and the wait staff are all fantastic and friendly. Started off with one of their signature cocktails (Break on Through) which is a gin based cocktail. I honestly didnt know what to expect when I ordered it, so it was quite amusing to see when it arrived at the table overflowing in foam. Dont be fooled by its playful blue Gatorade vibes...it packs a punch! Next up was the Grilled Spanish Octopus appetizer. Wow...just wow! I dont think ive ever had such tender octopus in my life! They apparently braise it in white wine for three hours and sous vide it. The romesco sauce which accompanies the dish is to die for and really brings the whole dish together nicely. To maximize the experience of the Wild Striped Seabass, I asked the waiter for a white wine recommendation, and he duly delivered! The wine paired perfectly and delivered a welcome crisp and perfectly acidic balance to the dish. The Seabass itself was perfectly cooked and melted in your mouth. The textural contrast of the cauliflower and turnips to the delicate nature of the fish was also well conceived and executed. Finally, the dessert...the Crème brûlée. By this point I was rather full, however, I couldn't pass up at least trying a few bites of one of their magnificent sweet treats. There was a rewarding crack as you broke through the top into the decadent mousse and vanilla cream center. Also loved the temperature contrast within the dessert as well. Thank you Cella for such an amazing culinary experience tonight! I wish you were much closer so I could be a regular, however, Im sure I will be back again.

    Larry P.

    Oh my! Cella restaurant never disappoints. This was my 4th visit here but the 1st time for my 2 "foodie" friends. We went here on Good Friday and it was! We started with two wonderful appetizers; an Asparagus Veloute with asparagus tips and topped with fennel and a "decorative"creme fraiche type of topping, along with an amazing Duck Leg confit, which just fell off the bone delish meat served with green lentils along with slightly raw egg. WOW! Then for our entrees we ordered the Braised Beef Cheeks, Rack of lamb and the Quail. Every one of these dishes were over the top amazing,,,full of fresh and delicious flavors that amazed. And, just when we thought we couldn't eat another bite,,,our fantastic waiter, KEVIN, tempted us with these over the top desserts. We ordered and shared the Panna Cotta, which was so light and refreshing and original, and followed with an unforgettable Creme Brûlée that puts any previous Creme Brûlée to shame. And the service by our fantastic waiter, Kevin, along with all of the staff ... (shout out to Miguel our cute and enthusiastic server)) and the wonderful historic setting made this a meal we won't soon forget.

    Award-worthy Shirley Temple with a jumbo ice cube straight from Kristoff's ice supply in Arendelle. Kids still talking about it.
    Brooks W.

    You do, admittedly, have to get over a bit of sticker shock (yes, $46 for risotto is a thing). But once you clear that mental hurdle, you're free to fully appreciate the quiet genius that is Cella. The atmosphere alone is worth the visit -- rustic, warm, and moody in the best way. It feels like a moonlit European hideaway you somehow wandered into with kids in tow. And speaking of kids, the staff deserves serious credit for being gracious, accommodating, and impressively tolerant of our 4- and 6-year-olds, who can occasionally strike fear into the hearts of fine-dining establishments. Our waitress was an absolute sweetheart and made us feel genuinely at home. Now let's talk food -- because wow. Ridiculously good. Michelin-star-level good. The kind of good that makes you feel like you're floating on a cloud made entirely of butter, salt, and joy. We started with the bread, which arrived beautifully baked and paired with homemade butter and salt that immediately set the tone. My wife and I intended to split the burrata salad... until our little culinary thieves discovered the burrata and beets. At that point, it became every diner for themselves. The kids' pasta deserves its own paragraph. It was shockingly excellent -- better than pasta we've had at plenty of adult-focused spots. Honestly, I'd take this over anything at Felix in Venice without hesitation. My wife ordered the risotto -- yes, the $46 one -- and every single bite justified the price. Creamy, rich, and deeply satisfying. I went with the beef cheek at the suggestion of our waitress, and whoa, Nelly. Fork-tender to the point where a knife felt optional, served with horseradish, pomme purée gratin, broccolini, and perfectly roasted carrots. It transformed me from a normal diner into a near-feral, plate-lifting, considering-licking-it-clean creature. The busser laughed and said she wouldn't judge. I appreciated that. Dessert sealed the deal. We had every intention of getting ice cream later, but once the crème brûlée arrived -- fruity, rich, and glorious -- all bets were off. Gloves came off. Spoons flew. Every last morsel was claimed. And a special shoutout is required for the Shirley Temples, which deserve their own Michelin-adjacent recognition. These weren't kid drinks -- they were full productions, served with massive, crystal-clear jumbo ice cubes that instantly stopped our kids mid-sentence. The awe was real. They were convinced the ice had been harvested moments earlier by Kristoff himself and shipped directly from Arendelle. I didn't correct them. When a restaurant makes kids feel that seen and delivers this level of fine dining, that's rare air. Yes, it's expensive. And yes, it's worth every single cent. We would go back every time we're in Monterey without hesitation. Cella isn't just dinner -- it's an experience. And a damn good one.

    Sea bass
    Jason D.

    Service was nice, watch out for the outdoor heaters when the turn on, they dropped ash all over my wife and table. Nice European country feel. Sea bass and brûlée was delicious, the steak was decent.

    megan o.

    A true honor and privilege to get to eat here. This isnt just food. It's an artform. And let me say it BY FAR surpasses every single Michelin star restaurant I have dined in. This is what food is supposed to taste like. This is my second time dining at cella. Me and my partner come once a year for our anniversary. The first time I thought maybe I was blinded by my hunger. That I may have had rose tinted glasses on as first times dining places can often do that. As we return for a second time. Cella has proven itself to be some of the best food my mouth has had the pleasure of eating. What to order. Order every single cocktail they have to offer. The duck is a non negotiable for a starter and if you're a tapenade fan get the beans. For entrees. The chicken. Although it's hard to go wrong with any of the entrees. But THE CHICKEN. I don't know how they do it but it's ruined almost every other chicken dish for me. Unfortunately any duck is also ruined for me because of how good theirs is. We had the scallops too. I'm not one for fish but i devoured these. The ambience is beautiful and the service couldn't be better. Thanks cella. We truly appreciate you guys. Also I'm looking at other reviews and I'm utterly disappointed by the lack of duck dishes reviews. GUYS. Get the duck. Just do it. I beg of you.

    Burrata garden salad
    Rachelle O.

    I've been wanting to try this restaurant for a while. Testing restaurants with custom menu due to medical diet restrictions: (before being seated, I asked the host if this restaurant could accommodate me. She said I'd have to ask the server. The ambiance is great and my server was nice and asked the kitchen if they could custom some menu items. They said yes. I ordered their burrata garden salad without burrata and oil and extra greens to compensate for taking away the most expensive item. 1st try, served me the dish with the burrata. 2nd try, served me about a cup of greens (without smashing it down) with vinegar. Barely a side salad size. 3rd try, they gave me the same small amount with oil. Not the size I expect from a $24 salad. However, the flavor and texture was excellent. And dish is pretty The garlic herb fries were perfectly crunchy. However, I could barely taste the garlic and herbs. Disappointed. Maybe the chef/cooks were having a bad day?

    Alaskan Halibut
    Sue D.

    For the week of Thanksgiving, my sister and I decided to drive down to Monterey for a short getaway. Decided to try this place now after reading some reviews about the octopus appetizer that is yummy. Ordered grilled spanish octopus, japanese hamachi crudo, alaskan hailbut, and pasta tagliatelle It was a very busy night but food was still delicious. The grilled octopus was not chewy and it didn't feel like I was actually eating octopus (because normally octopus is cooked in a way that makes it chewy). The hamachi crudo was fresh and yummy (slight bitterness from the cucumber or maybe the lemon zest perhaps? But still good overall). Anyways everything ordered was good, and the portions were perfect for two people to share who don't have big appetites.

    N P.

    Cella was so good, it really deserves 6 stars. Went with two childhood friends on a girls trip and shared several dishes. We were so blown away that we cancelled our reservation elsewhere for the next night and returned to Cella. Highlights included the beet salad, pork chop, rigatoni, scallops, the pavlova was to die for and the persimmon cake amazing. Our server Kevin was the cherry on the cake, along with the entire staff who were so welcoming and friendly. A special experience and can't wait to return!

    Lettuce salad
    Anita L.

    Several of us came here for a late dinner. While it was definitely pricey, I do take into consideration that this is a highly touristy area. The service was outstanding, from the moment we arrived to the time we left. I also loved that she suggested items without being overly pushy. We shared an excellent salad, and then proceeded to or entrees. My scallops were perfectly executed. The chestnut puree was different, but worked well with the bits of slightly bitter greens dotted on the plate. My dining companions had the sea bass and pork chop respectively. Their comments were very positive as well. If you're looking for a cute spot with great food and excellent service, Cella will not disappoint.

    Striped sea bass and red wine braised beef cheek
    Amanda M.

    3.5/5 This was a decent restaurant for a New American date night spot, but nothing to rave about. I really liked the restaurant itself. It's relatively small, cozy and intimate, and has a big heated patio that I would've loved to sit at in better weather. The service was standard and the food came out within good time (not too slow but not too fast), but I felt like the staff came by excessively to fill our waters even though we had a bottle on the table. I ordered the Barbados Handshake and my boyfriend ordered an Old Fashioned. My cocktail was a good option for something fruity and tart, but my boyfriend's Old Fashioned tasted really syrupy. For our meal, I ordered the striped bass, my boyfriend ordered the beef cheek and we shared the side of bread. The white sourdough bread was rustic and hearty, and we liked it a lot. However, we did not like the multigrain bread--it was a little too earthy for both of us. If we had known the plate was a combo, we would've asked for just a plate of the plain sourdough. The sea bass was cooked well and I enjoyed the crispy skin on top, but I thought the risotto and sauce was generic and not super interesting. The beef cheek was delicious! It was tender, meaty and rich, and made the dinner worthwhile. We also liked the chocolate hazelnut mousse. It was a good size to share, and the crumble / nuts added a nice texture to the mousse. I will say I was a little disappointed by the appetizer selection. I was looking forward to something like grilled octopus, quail or kale salad but none of those were on the menu recently. We love getting appetizers normally but the beet salad, asparagus soup, etc. just didn't attract us when we visited.

    Ending the evening desserts
    Mari L.

    Service - chefs kiss.. greeted at the door, servers (all of them) very attentive. Want to give a shout out to Alicia who took care of us all evening! Outstanding. Greet with Champagne. Ambiance very festive (it is New Year's Eve). Off to bring in 2026... what a great meal to end 2025.

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    Ask the Community - Cella Restaurant & Bar

    How is this place for kids? We have a very well-behaved 7 year old and an 18 month old that eat everything

    I took my 18 month old and my sister had her 6 year, 12, year and 13 year old daughters. They were welcomed and treated very well. We sat outside and there were two other people with little babies as well it was great!

    Is the patio dog friendly?

    We welcome our furry friends on our patio, however we do not have a pet friendly menu or water bowls.

    Are there options for kids? They are older, 11 and 14.

    There is no special kids menu, just one main menu for everyone.

    Does the phone work here or is it just an answering machine?

    We do our best to answer the phone Tuesday-Saturday 2pm-9pm. Reservations can be made through Resy.com… Read more

    What is your corkage policy?

    $35 per 750ml (2 bottles max) 1:1 in-house bottle purchase for waived corkage fee

    Are there any vegan options available?

    Our menu features a small selection of vegan options that would create a ‘tapas’ style experience. If something more substantial is needed, our kitchen is happy to accommodate dietary preferences if possible, and comprise a beautiful dish off the… Read more

    View All 7 Questions

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