My husband took me and our family here to celebrate Mother's Day. Initially, we wanted to go to the one across from this location but they were fully booked around 4pm. However, both are owned by the same owners but slightly different menu from each other. The waitress told me at this location nothing is prepared fried. Food is either prepared sautéed or grilled. We started off with raw oysters, halibut for the kids, and a seafood tower. I'm used to eating chilled oyster towers, but the here it was nice and freshly cooked! It was a total game changer! Delicious and huge portion. Worth every $$$$ and I must say the clam chowder is amazing! Sooooo good that I'm coming back for it next time I'm in Monterrey. read more

We were lucky to get one of the two tables facing the sea- it was a good view. The menu has good seafood options. We tried the pan fried snapper, the Baja fish taco and the lemonade. Both the tacos and fish came with a side of rice and mango salad. The fish was well grilled and the sauce was delicious. The tacos had a good spice. We also tried clam chowder and it went really well with the warm bread . Overall Good food, service and view. read more

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Grotto Fish Market and Old Fisherman's Grotto are owned by the same people. Not too sure what the difference is.... We opted for Grotto Fish Market for the smaller restaurant vibe. Upon walking in, the staff didn't pay attention to us, but we just felt laidback that night. One of them, a younger gentleman, turned around and saw us and his expression was one of both apology and surprise. And he quickly seated us and brought us water and also bread and butter after. Then, our server came and took our order. We basically only ordered one thing plus a chowder, and he didn't hassle us to order more or to order drinks. I asked if it would be enough for us and he said, yes. So here's what we got: Fisherman's Wharf Cioppino - $48 (Added a cup of chowder, which is $6 vs. à la carte at $12) And here's what we thought: Clam Chowder: Thick (maybe even thiccccc) and creamy and plenty of clams in it; it's legit! Cioppino: Wow! Plenty of flavor and also plenty of seafood in it - shrimp, fish filet (there was salmon and white fish), clams, mussels and crab. We asked for more bread to soak up all the sauce, and without hesitation, they brought it to us without charging us. Nowadays, most places don't give you free bread so when a place does, sometimes, the second round might be a charge. But no, free. Yay! We were quite full after. So no dessert. They offered more water for us and noticing I had a water bottle, my server actually filled it up for me. Given it was seafood and with tax and tip, it was $70 for two people. Sure, a little pricey but given how much stuff we got and the great service, we felt it was worth it and a good value! read more

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Oh, how I miss a good bowl of clam chowder! Since i have to avoid cow's milk dairy, that is one of the taste delights that's off my foodie radar. Sadly so. Dear Hubby and I were on the Monterey Peninsula for just a quick overnight stay recently. I searched the trusty Yelp reviews for a place with a water view that might have Manhattan clam chowder. The recommendations for Grotto Fish Market did mention chowder (not the red version, unfortunately for me), but also referred to lobster rolls. Sold! I was a little dismayed to see how overwhelmingly touristy the Old Fisherman's Wharf has become, but we did well at the Grotto Fish Market. After a long day we were happy to be on the casual side of the pier. There is the fancier Grotto restaurant across the way, but the Fish Market was perfect for our needs. We waited just a short time for a harbor view table, and settled in for a nice meal. The ambiance, with a tropical vibe from years past looks dated and missing some maintenance. I love a good theme, but this one could use some refreshing. The lobster roll - c'est magnifique! Loved every delicious morsel! DH and I split one order, and he had a cup of chowder. I allowed myself one spoonful to get that wonderful taste sensation hint. Sourdough bread, and an included side salad with lots of mango rounded out the meal. read more

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Was really tasty and good portions. I like th aesthetic and it over the eater. Salvado was our waiter and he was great read more

Grotto Fish Market - Calamari - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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I always love grotto (the fancy one) in Fisherman's wharf and I decided to try the sister restaurant nextdoor. I was blown away by how great the food tasted. Of course, I had to get their award winning clam chowder. It is always a delight to have their savory, thick, creamy clam chowder with their baguette side. It is absolutely my favorite chowder in the world (honestly better than Boston's). I also decided to get their lobster roll. This was absolutely mind blowing. I loved how buttery their roll was and how much lobster was on there. The papaya salad that came with it was so good as well. We finished all of the plates and amazed by how good the food was. The waitress was also very friendly and gave us nice recommendations around Monterey. There was no wait time and lots of tables inside since we went during weekday lunch. Will definitely come again! read more

Grotto Fish Market - New England Lobster Roll Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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There are two Grottos locations on the pier in Monterey accross from each other. We love their clam chowder, best in the area in our opinion, but this was the fist time I sat in the restaurant to eat. Since the larger restaurant was a 15 minute wait we went to the smaller one accross the way and were seated immediately. I think the main difference is they do not offer fried foods. The ambiance is well put together for the pier boasting a seafood theme. I have to say they are very welcoming but has a feel of desperation and overkill to get you in the door. Once we were sat we were greated right away by a young man offering drinks and reviewing the special on the sparkling water on the table. Shortly after our server came by and she again offered the sparkling water, where we politly declined and said we wern't planning on eating much, mainly wanted drinks and soup. Without listening she kept returning with example plates of seafood combinations and trying to agressively upsell. It was to the point all three of us were annoyed and just wanted to order our food and eat. I started off with a bloody Mary which was $16, had 3 shrimp on it along with the usual olives and celery. I asked if there was a cheaper option without the shrimp and was told no. The drink came out and was absolutly horrible, the bloody Mary mix was awful and the glass was filled to the brim with ice, zero alcohol taste, not even a hint. Probably one of the worst Bloody Marys I've ever had. I wanted to return it but my friend offered to drink it. My friends ordered the clam chowder and I had the salmon poke bowl with sauces on side. All our food came out quickly. My poke bowl had large pieces of salmon, the flavor was ok. It was "ok" but wouldn't come back for it. My friend was kind enough to share some of his clam chowder with me and was very good as usual, the bread bowl was perfect. A+ on the chowder! Once we got our food the server didn't swarm our table so much and provided great service otherwise. All the staff were attentive, offering tea refills and clearing plates. All in all the food was good, the seafood platters they offered looked delicious, but it was a turn off with all the upselling after we came out and said we wern't interested in all that. The Bloody Mary was a disappointment and needs a makeover in my opinion. read more

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This place is amazing! The best clam chowder, poke and lobster rolls we've ever had! Amazing service! Mil gracias a los señores en la cocina que le enchan todo amor a la comida! read more

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First time around this area! Service was kind and very attentive. Very welcoming. The owner or manager also checked in on the tables which was nice. Place is small but cute inside. Got the clam chowder, ahi tuna tower, seafood pasta, and tuxedo cake for dessert! Everything was good! Clam chowder was nice but wish it was hotter in temperature. read more

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Came back to the Grotto Fish Market, but instead of a full sit-down meal this visit, we got JUST the Rockefeller Oysters to-go. They told me it would take 5 minutes for the order to be ready for pick-up. I waited about 15 minutes as asked about my order, seems they forgot to make it... Waited about another 15 minutes and asked a different server about my order, looks like they will start preparing it now. Another 10 minutes later, it was ready for pick-up. Service was mediocre, but the oysters were amazing. We needed cooked oysters for a pregnant friend. Rockefeller oysters are fully cooked with creamed spinach, parmasean, apple wood smoked bacon crumbles. Lots of great texture and quite tasty, although the price is steep at $5 each. read more

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We originally planned to eat at Old Fisherman's Grotto across the way, but they didn't offer outdoor seating or high chairs and had a strict kid policy. With a 10-month-old, that just wasn't the right fit for us. The host suggested Grotto Fish Market, another section of their establishment that still offered the clam chowder we were craving. Inside seating was cozy, and we were placed toward the back near a window overlooking the pier. The host was extremely friendly and even brought our son a small plate with crackers and fruit. My husband and I have debated for years about who has the best clam chowder. I usually lean toward the piers in San Francisco, while he swears by his hometown spots in Monterey. I'll admit, this place wins. The chowder was creamy, rich, and full of flavor. The sourdough bread bowl was toasted on top and smothered in garlic and butter. We also ordered a crab cake that was plated beautifully, very five-star presentation. My husband joked that it was "Yelp-worthy." The mango pairing was a little unexpected, but still tasty. Overall, a great experience with good food, welcoming service, and a comfortable atmosphere. We would definitely return. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Old Fisherman's Grotto Famous Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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The grotto fish market was a suggestion from someone who works in an art gallery in Carmel and we are so glad we listened! ( shout to Kai at Thomas Kinkaid!!) We came a little before 1pm and were seated right away. The hubby ordered the clam chowder in the bread bowl and I ordered the dungeness crab crusted Alaskan halibut served with lobster sauce and with mashed potatoes and asparagus.($36) our food took about 10 minutes to come which was fast! I don't think I've ever had halibut but it was delicious!! All the flavors really came together. The hubbys clam chowder was really good as well. We were seated facing the ocean with the boats and it was a beautiful view. Staff was helpful as well! And our waiter Isais was very friendly. read more

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Enjoyed this place very much after our Whale watching adventure in Monterey Bay. It was a cold afternoon and we decided to come here for something hot and tasty. Boy oh boy did we land in the right s(pot) Lol. I had Clam Chowder in many restaurants but I wasn't expecting this to be as good as it was. Although it was advertised to be the Best Clam Chowder for 21 years in a row, my expectation was its gonna be okay but I was completely doing my happy dance and forgot I was in a restaurant My wife had the Cioppino and she loved it and we split the Crab Cake which was plated so nicely with the sauces. The service is great the servers were attentive and fast. Our drinks were refilled without asking and for a quick sit down it's just right! Looking forward for my next visit and will definitely make this my goto for Clam Chowder. read more

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After visiting Monterey for the past 20 years, we have seen that the Wharf near the Portola Spa & Hotel has experienced plenty of challenges and is mainly a tourist attraction, but we also appreciate the nostalgia of having a lot of fun family memories and some good food finds over the years. During a recent business trip, we found ourselves getting a chance to stroll along the Wharf to enjoy the water, and we decided to grab a quick lunch at Grotto Fish Market who had seats by the window. Expect tourist-level prices? Of course. Expect someone in front of the restaurant trying to recruit customers in? Of course and part of the Monterey experience. Expect great service? Not always but Grotto Fish Market delivered on this. Jumping to the food, given the variability in food quality across different restaurants there, we were pleasantly surprised to find their clam chowder to be solid, creamy, full of ingredients, and accompanied by a mini-loaf of bread and butter. We also splurged on some Kumamoto raw oysters and they were clean and briny, and came with an excellent version of chilled cocktail sauce and horseradish. Finally, we tried their lobster rolls (which are 2 mini-rolls served with Maine-style lobster salad lightly dressed in mayonnaise and herbs in a buttered roll)--the lobster was tender and succulent and not overdressed. In contrast, the accompanying citrus-based slaw was dry and didn't complement the lobster rolls as much as we would have liked. Overall, it was an excellent experience and as the Wharf was celebrating its 180th birthday, we hope they are able to thrive to get to another 180 birthdays! read more

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While walking the wharf, my son stopped here and bought me a clam chowder to go. It was delicious. He is fortunate enough to work only five minutes away from the wharf, and he said he oftentimes stops at the wharf for lunch, and this is his favorite place to get some really good clam chowder. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Outside - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

This is the same restaurant as Old Fisherman's Grotto, just not the fine dining experience. Hubs and I loved our experience & food last time at Old Fisherman's but we wanted a quicker dinner stop. Grotto Fish Market had no wait for seating and staff was friendly. We absolutely LOVE the clam chowder here. It's a must! We shared the seafood pasta which was a bit heavy (LOTS of cream and butter), but still delicious! The Ahi Tuna app was fresh and had great portions. Definitely will be back since this place & Old Fisherman's Grotto are staples whenever we visit Monterey!! read more

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Truly appreciate that Grotto Fish Market took us in when we weren't able to get seated at the Old Fisherman's Grotto (they seem associated when one herded our party to the other)! Quite honestly, however, we weren't impressed and I was quite annoyed by our server who seemed a bit suspicious while serving us... probably on something he shouldn't be on while working. Dining space felt pretty tight and their server got a couple of things wrong and didn't even recognize me when I was trying to pay the bill since it took forever to get some service at times. Food LOOKED great, but the taste was underwhelming and way overpriced. We were seated near the small entrance with my party of 6, so no view to comment on unfortunately. All in all, food was decent but for the price we paid, service received, and subpar experience, I'd recommend to dine elsewhere and save yourself the trouble and $. Don't fall for the smoke and mirrors - presentation on some dishes looked fantastic but the taste and price tag attached to it was far from being aligned. read more

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The staff here were nice and the food didn't take long to come out. It is a more casual vibe compared to their sister restaurant across the street but it is still in the mid price range depending on what you order. The best thing we got by far were the garlic butter oysters which I forgot to take a picture of however, they were a bit small. The clam linguine was not what I was picturing at all when I ordered it the sauce is just watery clam juice. The fish tacos were decent. I would try them again I think I just didn't order the right items. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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Very good clam chowder at the wharf in Monterey. Truth be told, Grotto Fish Market wasn't my first stop - I initially went to Old Fisherman's Grotto across the street, which is a more upscale restaurant with harbor view seating and a much more extensive menu. But the wait was 45 minutes, and all I wanted was a bowl of clam chowder, so the maître d' suggested I eat at the Grotto Fish Market as they "serve the same chowder!" 5 minutes later, I was enjoying a delicious sourdough bread bowl with clam chowder on an outdoor table, having a lovely conversation with my server Rose, who took good care of me. The chowder was excellent value at $14 - and she offered me free refills, which I politely declined. Will be back! read more

Grotto Fish Market - Sourdough bowl with clam chowder ($14) - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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Stopped by the take out. Restaurant didnt offer fried foods so we opted to eat outside. Service was ok but the breabowl clam chowder was the best ive ever tasted!! Will definitely go back for that, restaurant was a bit pricey but food looked great and had nice view whn seated inside. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Breadbowl clam chowder - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

This restaurant is the same as the Old Fisherman's Grotto on the other side, this spot is just less "upscale" and has outdoor seating - which in turn makes it perfect for customers with dogs. I recommend not only their clam bake or clam chowder bread bowl, but the garlic oysters as well. Service could be better for outdoor guests, but that's always the nature of outdoor seating. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Clam chowder bread bowl, Garlic oysters - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Chef Tene is the famous Chef for so long, so trust him with the best and fresh seafoods in Monterey. We try the Seafood Platter for 4, it's huge!!! The Alaskan King Crabs are so fresh and worth every penny! Louis is my server today, he is super nice, friendly and helpful! We had outside table, it's crowded and busy. It's just little uncomfortable to using hands to eat while people walking by :) Definitely will be back if we are in town again read more

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The vibe here is amazing! Food is extremely fresh and delicious We came here with three adults and two children This is our family trip and kids would like to have seafood Chilled ice platter is delicious and the oysters is so sweet Seafood pasta and lobster roll are must-eat Fish taco is fine Steamed clams is so good with the soup itself Our servers are very hospitable and welcoming us We will definitely come back if we are traveling here read more

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Old Fisherman's Grotto had a 20-30 minute wait, so we decided to go across the pier to their market location. No fried items at this location. The award winning clam chowder was okay. No complaints except for the silly seashell shaped bowl it was served in that made it hard to drink the chowder. The hot crab sandwich was disappointing. I don't think the ciabatta was the right bread for it. The crab ratio is okay for the price of the sandwich, but not enough crab for two giant pieces of bread. I ate just the bottom half of the bread. I appreciated that it came with salad, but it was kind of a weird tropical salad - papaya and mango. Overall, I'd say skip this touristy spot unless you're set on eating on the pier. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Hot crab sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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This restaurant was located at the Monterey Old Fisherman Wharf. We got there for Sunday dinner and were lucky to sit next to the window with an open view of the ocean. We got oyster, clam chowder and fish tacos. The oyster was small, but pretty fresh. Clam chowder was great - creamy, fresh, and not too salty. The fish tacos came with a generous portion of grilled fish. The restaurant space was small and got pretty crowded during dinner time. Service was good and food was great too. Recommended if you're visiting the area and craving for seafood! read more

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I usually order the fish and chips, but one of my family members tried the seafood pasta, which I might be misnaming. Regardless, the pasta was definitely delicious. Next time, I will order a plate of pasta for myself. The service was exceptional, and the restaurant's interior is always amazing. read more

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Our favorite fish restaurant in Monterey. Just as good as when we were last here 4 years ago. Ysa had the grilled salmon and I had the seafood pasta. We both had the small clam chowder. Everything was delicious. Service is friendly and fast. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Grilled Salmon - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

The staff were super friendly, attentive, got us seated super fast and got our food right away. The Black Pearl Seafood Platter was loaded with lots and lots of seafood and they were seasoned so well. They pride themselves with not deep frying anything so everything was awesome. The place is overlooking the marina and had enough table to sit our party of six! Altogether great experience! read more

Grotto Fish Market - Black Pearl Platter with Clam Chowder - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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Excellent options Baby spinach salad had the best goat cheese- creamy Excellent service Pricey, but you are paying for atmosphere and location $130 with tip for 2, including 1 shared main course, salad and dessert read more

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I haven't been here in years! Tiny place but really good food on the wharf. Service was fine, obviously somewhat touristy but still fun. Clam chowder in a bowl was decent, the whole crab (MP) was very tasty, and the seafood pasta was yummy but heavy. Glad we came here it was fun. read more

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Oh my goodness- I would come back! It was a cute little spot with the sweetest workers. They were so helpful and always coming by. The crab encrusted halibut was amazing 10/10 read more

Grotto Fish Market - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Food: 5/5 Clam chowder was amazing, had a good amount of clams and came with bread. The bread bowl one looked even better, wish we got that instead of the bowl. Cioppino was great, hearty and warm with a good amount of seafood. Lobster roll was 3/5, not bad, but not amazing. People comment about the small size, but forget there are two. Price: wasn't abnormally high, just normal expensive given location. Good service. Location was good, but not many seats to view the harbor and isn't the most scenic view regardless. read more

Came in around 4pm on a Saturday, got seated right away. The place inside is quite narrow and small but at the back there's a beautiful view of yachts and the water. Our server and owner (I'm assuming) seemed to have a good relationship so it was nice to see and made me feel comfortable, as if I'm eating at someone's home. The kumamoto oysters were so delicious and fresh! The only but crucial downside was that the shucking wasn't done very well. I had many small bits of shells in my bite which affected the overall experience. The clam linguini was seasoned well, loved it. The clam flavor really seeped into the soup and made it such a rich broth. The noodles were also really yummy, perfectly bouncy texture. I didn't expect it to be a soup dish! read more

Grotto Fish Market - Clam linguini - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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We haven't been in many years. It was just as delightful as was in the past. We had an amazing, helpful waiter 2 days in a row; lucky us. Of course, we had to order a bowl of their famous chowder; creamy, packed with clams and a few potatoes; the way I like it and remembered it to be and not over salty. Hubby ordered their lobster bisque, phenomenal! Packed with big pieces lobster, creamy thick; so good! He also ordered the tuna tower. Wow! Packed with fresh ahi tuna, chopped mango, and avocado. A sace of teriyaki and essayist surrounded the tower in the most beautiful design. I had to order their oysters, always mouthwatering and flavorful. I love that briney taste, yum! The next day I had to order the same thing, was not disappointed. Hubby ordered the crab tower, delicious but not as good as the ahi tuna tower. Dessert was a surprise, but we made room for it. Layers of cake with chocolate mousse, with a surrounding design of cherry and chocolate sauce. Oh my gosh, delectable! So happy we found our way back to this historical long standing restaurant with great food and service! read more

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Overall, what you'd expect from a wharf seafood joint in a touristy area. This is the "cafe" for the Fisherman's Grotto, which is the restaurant just across the way. This review is strictly for the crab sandwich. Super disappointed. In retrospect, we should've asked a more detailed question. We asked "is it salad?" And the girl said "it has a salad on the side", but the sandwich came with cold dry bread, the crab SALAD was under seasoned. Maybe we're just used to places where the bread is more of a roll and usually served warm/or buttered. It wasn't until writing this review that we realized there was a "grilled crab sandwich" on the menu? Sandwich also came with an undressed salad on the side, which also had mango and papaya in it. No review for the salad since I didn't eat it. read more

Grotto Fish Market - Crab Salad Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

The lobster roll was decent but a bit disappointing due to the lack of lobster meat--it felt a little light for the price. On the other hand, the crab roll was much more satisfying, packed with plenty of meat and great flavor. The clam chowder had a rich, delicious taste, but it was only lukewarm when served, which took away from the experience. Overall, the meal had some highs and lows, but there were still some enjoyable aspects. Was it a great first experience? Probably not. Did I expect more since they have raved and post signs that the Grotto has 4 stars on Yelp? Yes, of course. I would probably not go back. Shout out to the gentleman in the front taking orders to go and providing positive vibes. read more

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We came here on a Friday afternoon so the wharf wasn't crowed. It was hard to decide on which restaurant to try. Pricing was pretty equal between all the restaurants so that didn't matter. We decided on the Grotto Fish Market which is simple and low key version of its bigger restaurant Old Fishermans Grotto. They advertise that they have been voted best Clam Chowder 21 years in a row. Our server was very animated which brought fun to the dining experience. The dining room is very small with maybe 10 tables. We were lucky enough to get seated at one of the two waterfront tables. They didn't have a happy hour menu but we overheard the couple next to us what were the happy hour offerings for the day. I guess they were locals. So we followed their lead. The oysters were discounted as well as the shrimp cocktail appetizer plus beer and wine and a few other offerings. So we ordered 4 oysters, the shrimp cocktail and of course a large bowl the chowder. Everything was so fresh and the chowder was so large that it fed both my wife and I plus we had extra to take back to our hotel room. Everything was a 5/5. And as for the clam chowder, it honestly was the best I've ever had. No wonder the were voted best for the past 21 years in a row. We got out of there for less the $50 and that included a beer. So glad we chose this location. read more

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All the food that we got was 10/10. Probably the best clam chowder i've ever had. Server was very knowledgeable. It was a chill vibe inside. Will definitely be back! read more

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This was my first visit to the Grotto fish market and the Monterey area. After making one pass down the boardwalk, and being a little deterred by the amount of hosts out front of restaurants trying somewhat desperately to get customers, I pulled up Yelp and used it as my guide. I wasn't expecting a fine dining experience but I was pleasantly surprised by the linen napkins, quality silverware, proclamation of no fried foods, and well plated and pretty entrees. The lobster roll was just the right amount of filling to bread and the side "salad" was fresh and light. Clam chowder was smooth and creamy-just perfect. Would definitely return and recommend! read more

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Had no flavor and only gave a little bit for $20 used to be my favorite salad I won't be going back read more

Grotto Fish Market - Was very disappointed this is what they me for $20 I should've checked the container not going back - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California