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    Certified Philly’s

    4.8 (73 reviews)
    Closed Closed
    Updated a few days ago

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    Wok seared ny steak

    Absolutely incredible experience from start to finish. Every dish we ordered was packed with flavor and cooked perfectly. The steak was tender and juicy, paired with sautéed onions and rice that had just the right amount of seasoning. The shrimp dish was fresh, garlicky, buttery, and balanced perfectly with a hint of citrus and green onions. And the fried chicken wings? Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and seasoned all the way through. The fries were golden and hit the spot. No other flavors in salinas like it. You can tell there's real attention to detail in both the cooking and presentation. Portions were generous, quality was top tier, and everything came out hot and fresh. Definitely a place I'd come back to again and again. Highly recommend

    House Baked Cheese Rolls
    Claudette A.

    This was our first visit to Certified Philly's, and it did not disappoint. The food was delicious, very flavorful, and served promptly. The server was friendly and very welcoming. He was attentive and answered our questions regarding the menu. The restaurant was very clean, and soothing music played in the background. Overall, we were satisfied with the service and food. We definitely will be returning. I highly recommend Certified Philly's. Thank you!

    Garlic shrimp
    Nelda S.

    My brother RJ brought me here for dinner and it will definitely be my go to when visiting in Salinas. We ordered the garlic shrimp, salmon katsu, sinigang lumpia and garlic fries. Everything was perfect! Explosion of flavors!! I absolutely loved it! I had to ask for the sinigang ranch seasoning and the special vinegar sauce. Please sell the seasoning and sauces!! I'd buy bottles of it! lol

    Sheryl P.

    Went to visit certified Philly for late lunch. We took our order to go and ate it in the car on our way home. Fast service. We didn't wait long for our orders. We ordered 3 items prawn with Cajun, tuna and salmon poke and sweet chili wings with fries. Everything is delicious. Chicken and the fries are flavorful. The shrimp is garlicky just the way I like it. Shrimp is not overcook. The poke is fresh. They have plenty of tables to dine in. The place is clean. Also, they serve alcohol. This is a great place to hangout with family and friends and eat delicious food.

    Tufu L.

    You faka!!!!!!!!! Meeeeeaaan the Surf n turf fried rice!!!! Flavor is bomb no need add shoyu lol first time here and not disappointed, is worth the drive and I order poke on the go. Service is on top, cool. Going be coming back for sure. Small kine took the pic half way lol faaaaaaaak let's gooooo

    Chicken chow mein
    Jesus R.

    I saw certified philly's on TikTok and and saw that it was down the street from where I live. And I got the chicken chow mein honestly did not disappoint the food taste so amazing. Exploding with flavors. Will definitely be back. :)

    Chad P.

    Just ate at Certified Phillys We had the Garlic Shrimp with Garlic noodles it was excellent we also had The wings and the Garlic Roll plenty of food and we will be back Service was great and welcoming

    Charred Ahi Tune
    Gail A.

    What a great and much needed addition to the list of Salinas eateries. I have nothing but positive things to say about my first visit to Certified Philly's: Staff: Immediately upon entry, we were kindly greeted by associate by the name of Mikey. He shared his favorite dishes along with popular items that other patrons order. He remained attentive throughout and always made sure we were okay and that our drinks were never empty. Customer service = A+ Food: Flavorful and PLENTIFUL! We ordered the garlic lemon pepper wings, charred ahi tostada and the poke. The garlic lemon pepper wings were perfect! Nice exterior crunch and juicy on the inside... Tasted more lemony than garlic, but overall excellent. My husband and I both noticed the decent size of the wings in comparison to other establishments. The poke (yellowfin tuna and salmon) did not disappoint. The portion was very generous and the quality of the fish was top notch. Coincidentally, a delivery man walked in with seafood as we were dining. Mikey informed us that fresh fish is delivered daily... Bravo! The fish / rice ratio was perfect in my poke bowl and the fresh texture of the fish was beyond amazing... talk about tenderness! Lol.. Wasn't sure what to expect with the charred ahi tuna, but I was blown away. Nice crunchy tostada to complement the flavored protein (see photo). I have never had poke served this way so the introduction was appreciated. I'll definitely order this as a continued appetizer... Restaurant: * Large parking lot in plaza with shared parking * Clean establishment * Very well maintained bathroom * Perfect music videos playing on large mounted tv screen. Loved the old school jams!! Chef Philly: Talented and humble! He was a sous chef at a restaurant in Pebble Beach for many years. No wonder he has a creative menu... Appreciated the time he took to greet us and the other patrons dining in the restaurant. He intends to continue introducing different menu items along the way... Can't wait to see whatever other creative items he comes up with! This spot will definitely be on my list of must-haves whenever I visit Salinas. Can't wait to try the other menu items... Certified Phillys: Where quality and quantity meet!!

    You have to try their garlic noodles at least once (or twice idc), the shrimp fried rice was flavorful and the house made chili sauce is definitely worth taking with you

    Charred Ahi Tostada
    Dee K.

    Certified Phillys is a total gem! I had the seared ahi tostada and it was out of this world -- so fresh, flavorful, and just the right balance of textures. They bring in fresh fish daily, and you can definitely taste it. Gino and Phill were super friendly and welcoming. You can tell they love what they do and it shows in every bite. If you're looking for good food, good people, and good vibes, Certified Phillys is 100% worth checking out.

    Salmon katsu over rice

    Salmon katsu smacks my mom and I loved it. I will say the garlic lemon pepper wasn't for me but it still was decent

    Salmon Katsu

    The seafood is very fresh this is the salmon katsu I've also had the poke and prawns in the past. The food is super tasty and customer service is very nice. I like to go early in case they end up selling out of something

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    Great food. Awesome service. And making everyone feel like fam. This was a great find in a busy shopping center

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    3 months ago

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    11 months ago

    Literally so good, great service and, even though they make your food fresh, they are quick. HIDDEN GEM!

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    10 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    9 months ago

    Found this place on TikTok and it did not disappoint. The food was tasty, the service was great, super friendly!

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Food is amazing brought my mom for Mother's Day now she request to go every time she comes visits from Gilroy.

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    1 year ago

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    1 year ago

    Poke bowl was fire. The pasta dish and fries were salty. The lumpia was great. Dipping sauce was good. Excellent customer service.

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    11 months ago

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    9 months ago

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    10 months ago

    Food has amazing presentation and bold flavors and service was phenomenal. Definitely coming back

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    11 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    11 months ago

    excellent food! I got the poke and I can't wait to go back again and try more menu items.

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    1 year ago

    They were amazing, service impeccable. I love their garlic noodles and everything was fresh!!

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    1 year ago

    Best new restaurant in Salinas! Food, service, and ambiance were great. Certified Philly's is our new favorite!

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    Page 2 of 2

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    4.2(34 reviews)
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    This place is known for its craft beads sold throughout…read more This is their store front /bar front. The food it sood, we had pizza and it was surprisingly good for thin crust. Not NYC good but better than most CA pizza which is just California over dramatized as I like to put it. We also had The friend cauliflower and broccoli which was also delicious and a yummy. Again really surprised. The beer is good and very potent...2X or greater compared to other beers. I like it. It I have had seriously better but their beer is no slouch either. Service was good albeit slow at the bar. Seems they are one short if they are going to heavy food service at the bar but it was a Friday. The barista was nice though and nice goes a long way in any occasion. Ambiance is. Ice and it was definitely an old, old bank with vaulted ceilings. I absolutely love wide open areas and this placed used the space really well which made for comfy yet spacious feeling. Well done. Nothing I could really find wrong. I liked it and it was really nice. Definitely worth a visit but parking can be an issue in busy weekends.

    Nice, a good place to grab a cold beer or drink and have a tasty bite, burger or sandwich…read more Wide open floor with lots of elbow room. A dozen screens for sports. The service was excellent and very patient...elder'ish. This for me isn't trying to be a foodie stop though the food is good. More like food for your delicious beer. Last words...with in walking distance.

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    The Growers Pub - Crème brûlée

    The Growers Pub

    4.3(497 reviews)
    3.4 mi
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    Finally made it to The Growers Pub and it did NOT…read moredisappoint! The location is easy to get to, parking is good, the inside is spotless and clean in my eyes . Bathrooms are cute. My boss and coworkers have been raving about this place for the longest time, and I finally decided to come check it out for myself during lunch. Safe to say, I completely understand the hype now and I don't regret it one bit! I ordered the fries with steak bites and they were absolutely delicious. Now here's the thing , I am not a dessert person. I almost never order dessert anywhere I go, but something told me to give the brownie a try, and wow, I am so glad I did. Finger licking good doesn't even begin to cover it. That alone is worth the trip! But what really made the experience stand out was my server, Jasmine A . She was a solid 10 out of 10 incredibly friendly, attentive, and just an overall joy to be served by. I am someone who takes customer service very seriously, and Jasmine is exactly the kind of energy every restaurant needs more of. She genuinely made the whole experience even better. If you're reading this and on the fence about coming don't hesitate. The food is amazing, the service is top tier, and it is absolutely worth every single penny. This won't be my last visit, that's for sure!

    Had the wedge salad and Lobster Ravioli. Bread and butter was complimentary. Good pick for dinner…read moremeetings as it's intimate but also lively enough for some fun over conversation. Server was attentive. Full bar serving wine, beer, and cocktails. Located in old town Salinas -- I was told this spot is one of Salinas' oldest establishments occupying the same building from when it was founded in 1940. Hope they make it to 100 years! Also, my friend said this spot is known for their prime rib. I'll have to make it in one day to try for myself.

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    The King's Den - Corona Extra

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    3.5(57 reviews)
    3.5 mi
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    I'm 46 years old. I've been to a lot of bars in my life, some of the "diviest" bars in America…read more There is a lady that bartends at night at the Kings Den that is one of the absolute worst bartenders I've ever experienced in my entire life. Zero bartending etiquette. She argues with patrons, she argues with her coworkers, I honestly don't really even know why she works there. The other guy has to tolerate her, and they appear to argue in front of patrons - it's not cute. He just stands there, staring at patrons as they sit waiting for drinks while the line gets longer and longer. Bartending is clearly not their jam. They have no signature cocktails, and the cocktails they do make are pretty bad. The karaoke is pretty egregious, it's like a guy who likes to sing poorly decided he wanted to set up karaoke just so he had a reason to sing sometimes and make other people listen to it. It's a dive bar, which in itself isn't bad. But it's like if you were driving through the bad part of Bakersfield and said "this place looks cool" and then stopped for a drink and then realized that it's Bakersfield but it's not. It's actually Salinas. You go here because you NEED to, because there's nothing else open, and then when this place closes you go to Jaime's. It's the second worst Salinas has to offer, and I'm saying that with optimism.

    It's the only bar that stays open late in downtown. Dive bar…read moreat it's best, no classy clientele wanted. Want to get drunk? This is the trashy place to do it. Alley nearby for anything goes clientele. The Pub, is still the classy atmosphere establishment of choice in downtown. Stonies has a great atmosphere and music on weekends in the Southside. Better off going to a chain establishment. Like chili's, or other good bar & grill establishments in the Northside.

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    The King's Den - New look everything is super clean

    New look everything is super clean

    The King's Den
    The King's Den - New paint carpet and ceiling. High backed  banquette seating

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    New paint carpet and ceiling. High backed banquette seating

    Certified Philly’s - asianfusion - Updated May 2026

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