I visited Culture Arts on Cannery Row today with my wife and kids, and the experience was uncomfortable from the second we walked in. The owner/artist immediately started hovering and acting like we were there to steal instead of shop. Constant comments about "being careful," watching us closely, and speaking to my wife and kids in a suspicious, disrespectful tone. My kids are well-behaved and know how to respect art, so that wasn't the issue at all. What really stood out was the obvious double standard. While we were being watched like a problem, other (non-Latino) customers were freely browsing, holding items, and being treated with kindness and actual customer service. When we were looking at some rings, he got even more tense--watching us and even checking the cameras like he expected us to take something. Then he approached my wife again in the back asking if she was buying something instead of just letting her browse. At that point, the vibe was already off. As we were leaving, he kept staring me down in a confrontational way. I finally asked him what his problem was, and instead of addressing anything, he just repeated "do you need anything?" like nothing was wrong. That pretty much summed up the whole interaction. Honestly, the way he carried himself was embarrassing--more like a paranoid mall cop than a business owner. Not welcoming, not professional, just uncomfortable. It's disappointing to see a place centered around Mexican culture turn around and treat a Mexican family like they don't belong. We were ready to spend money, but respect matters more. We walked out. Do better. read more

CulturArts - This is inside the store . - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Monterey, California

Such a beautiful store with so many alebrijes to look at. I went in to buy a alebrije cat and was able to find one! This store has all kinds of alebrijes and other cultural items. Store was clean and well organized. Customer service was nice and I had a good experience coming in this store! read more

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Such a beautiful place! They have amazing cultural pieces. The service is friendly! The is so much to choose from that it's impossible to make a selection. The price is right for what you are taking home, truly incredible pieces. read more

CulturArts - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Monterey, California

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Short skinny dark hair Mexican man behind the counter was unapproachable and condescending demeanor. I will not support this business. Over priced, no assistance and you unwelcome.. read more

I loved everything in this shop. They have some very beautiful alebrijos here that I haven't seen at other shops. The owner was really nice and helpful and a lot of the pieces were pretty well priced. I love that the animals have hooks already on the back for easy hanging. read more

My mom and I were in the shop today and were very interested in buying. We hadn't been there long and my mom asked the 1 person at the register whether he was the artist. She couldn't hear what he said so she asked again and again couldn't understand what he said and her face conveyed confusion. He then rudely asks, "do you know English?" She stated yes and explained she didn't understand what he said. Instead of apologizing or speaking louder and more clearly he again mumbled and when she repeated what he said he just said "yes." Thankfully she isn't as rude as the worker and we didn't leave right then but we did not buy what we initially were interested in. So disappointing. I hope this was a one off read more

Today, I visited this gallery with a client who was interested in viewing and purchasing artwork. My client has a deep appreciation for this historical Mexican art style, having spent time doing mission work in Chihuahua while living in San Diego. After a breakfast meeting, they decided today was the day to invest in a piece. Since my client was unfamiliar with the official history behind the artwork, I approached an employee to ask for more information. Unfortunately, the employee was incredibly rude and dismissive, treating my inquiry as an inconvenience. They made it clear that unless I was making a purchase, I had no reason to ask about the art's history. I found this attitude completely unprofessional, especially in a setting where understanding the background of a piece is fundamental to the buying experience. When I asked for the name or style of the artwork so I could research it further, the employee mumbled a response. After I asked again for clarification, they repeated it louder in a condescending manner. At this point, I was taken aback by their behavior--especially considering that I was there on behalf of a client. My client, who had overheard everything, was so put off by the interaction that they quietly asked to leave. To provide context, I am a professional with a formal education in fine art and over a decade of high-level interior design experience in regions such as La Jolla, Pebble Beach, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. My client, a wealthy collector, was ready to make a purchase, but due to the unwelcoming atmosphere, they opted not to. Beyond the poor customer service, I cannot recommend purchasing from this gallery. The same style of traditional Mexican art can be found at better prices off Cannery Row or even ordered directly from Mexico for a fraction of the cost. In 2025, access to authentic pieces is easier than ever, and if a gallery does not provide a luxury experience--including knowledgeable and respectful staff--then there is no justification for the price markup. Art is about history, meaning, and storytelling. If an art dealer is unwilling to share these aspects before asking someone to spend thousands of dollars, then what is the value of an in-person purchase versus shopping online? A reputable gallery should treat every visitor with respect, especially in a high-traffic, affluent area where potential buyers can come from all walks of life. To the employee who earned this review: I encourage you to visit the Turkish bakery next door. Despite being consistently busy, their staff is always eager to discuss Turkish history and provide a cultural experience that enhances the value of their products. That level of engagement leads to purchases. Given this gallery's location, most visitors are likely unfamiliar with Mexican culture, presenting a unique opportunity to educate and connect with potential buyers. You're missing that opportunity entirely. In summary, while the artwork may be worthwhile, this business is not. Poor customer service, a lack of professionalism, and an unwillingness to engage with potential buyers make it a place I cannot recommend--especially for those looking for a high-end or client-friendly experience. Also, you need a Google listing (which the business has probably removed for bad reviews). PS I try not to minimize everything to race so I left this at the end. I'm black and my client is Asian. We both came in athletic wear since we were just meeting my to design over brunch. I doubt this would have happened if I "looked" like I was from pebble beach. Assuming people don't have money will get you into trouble in a diverse region like the SF Bay Area where people arent fashion forward like NY or LA. read more

We stopped by CulturArts today while we were on Cannery Row, and it was truly amazing. There is a huge selection of alebrijes and they are the most beautiful ones I've ever seen. We had such a hard time picking out our favorites, but we found two that really spoke to us. Roberto was an incredible owner who took so much time and care to explain the patterns and symbolism to us. He is so knowledgeable about the process of carving and painting the alebrijes, and it was so great to hear about it from him. We will definitely be back next time we're in Monterey! read more

CulturArts - Beautiful ajolote (axolotl) and coati alebrijes - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Monterey, California

Beautiful artwork. I was going to go tell the gentleman about reviews on his demeanor so that his business would thrive but did not want to escalate. Rude to my wife and left immediately read more

Store's short salesman is very rude and condescending to customers and lacking customers service skills. He belittled and talked down to a man in our presence who was looking at Day of the Dead dolls. He took a picture of the price to zoom in on the price and was rudely told to ask to take pictures. The man then apologized and asked and he replied it was too late. It was very demeaning and humiliating to watch this play out in front of other customers. We don't take that sh##t and took our business elsewhere along with our referrals to this business. I recommend going online or ordering direct from Mexico to get this artwork. Do not buy from this overpriced business! read more

We happened to walk in seeing the bright vibrant colors and fantastic craftsmanship and walked out looking at each piece in amazement as each is a story unto itself! We spent almost 90 minutes getting a beautiful peak into an amazing culture as we received an epic education on the history and symbolism of alebrijes. I'm sorry to say I've forgotten the kind gentleman's name that helped us, but he took so much pleasure and pride in sharing the history of his beloved culture and my dear friend and I were blown away by what we learned. We left their bewildered and awe-struck with a new and deep found respect and love for such an amazing style of art work! To top it off we had 6 and 8 yr old little girls with us and treated them like princesses! He was so sweet working with them to find rings and the girls were so enthralled with the art and were so good. It was as much fun for them as it was us! I've read the negative reviews on here and all I can say is that my experience was a complete 180 from the 1 star reviews. I will buy from him again and I look forward to another lesson from him. BTW our purchase was less then $90 and we were treated like we were investing 7 figures. Amazing customer service! read more

It's a little hidden....But once you find it, you won't be disappointed. Love, love, love the colors and vibrancy. The shop is on the smaller side but don't let that fool you, they did a wonderful job of displaying everything. It felt magical, with the hummingbird alebrijes hung with clear strings. They made good use of the space. I love any stores that sell art from Mexican culture, it makes my heart sing. Prices are reasonable and staff that was there today at the store was friendly and helpful. I hope that this store thrives! read more

In the past three years since finding this amazing little shop, I've acquired easily over 20 pieces of various sizes and types. One of my favorite pieces being kind of a commission. I had purchased a specific piece online, which had already been sold before the website could be updated. There were a few pieces that were to be coming in and Roberto gave me the choice of which one I would like more. I always look forward to seeing all the new pieces when I come in. If money wasn't an issue, I would always leave with everything I wanted. read more

I've never seen another shop like this. They had an incredible selection of Alebrijes. There was so many to choose from ranging from sizes to different styles. If you're on the fence about an Alebrije and you think you will wait it and possibly shop around....trust me you will not find the same thing you find here easily so just go for it and grab that one that's calling your name. With that being said it is a little pricey, BUT there is a lot of work that goes into them and no matter where you shop for your Alebrije they're pricey anywhere you may locate them once you get into the larger sizes. read more

We got to the store but thought it was a big art exhibit but found out it was a small store.It was very colorful with colorful carved animals and other stuff. read more

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I bought a special custom alebrije for my husband on our 5th year anniversary. Wood is the traditional gift for 5th year anniversaries, so this was a perfect gift. The guinea pig was beautiful and my husband loved it! The designs on the guinea pig tell a beautiful story about our marriage and signify the special day we got married. Each design element and color means something special. Our little guinea pig will be something we treasure forever. read more

CulturArts - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Monterey, California

We stepped in this shop very excited to look around as we were visiting the area for the first time and immediately the man behind the counter, I am assuming he is maybe the owner since he is in one of the photos on this Yelp page, told us VERY rudely for us to watch our child and that's what parents are for is to watch their kids. My daughter had not touched anything and is very respectful in general. He judged us. He scolded us. In front of other patrons in the shop. This man knew nothing about us and we had committed no action to warrant the harsh way he spoke to us. It was out of nowhere. We had been in the shop for maybe 10 seconds. Horrible experience. We were truly in shock at all the anger and aggression this man at this shop displayed at our innocent child and us as parents for simply walking in to this shop. read more

CulturArts - The guy on the right. Very rude and scolded us for absolutely no reason. Worst experience I have ever encountered as a customer in a shop. - Arts & Crafts Near Me - Monterey, California

I wanted to buy an alebrije but I wanted to know which one. There was a gentleman who I think is the owner. He gave me the story. He didn't just told me who is my alebrije. He said why and what it does for me. I can believe my experience there. This guy is amazing. You're not just buying a bookshelf decorations, you're getting something that was made just for you. This is incredibly. read more

This store is absolutely beautiful. These Alebrijes (spirit guides) are all (as far as I know) carved and painted by hand. Each animal, color, design, and intricate detail has a meaning. The stories you learn about each of the figures is really beautiful. The father and son that run the store are very friendly and helpful. They explain everything about the figures very clearly. As a returning customer, when I have come in, they have offered to let me choose a small figure of my choice, for free. I cannot say enough positive and wonderful things about this shop. I will continue to come in every time I visit Monterey's Cannery Row. read more