Amazing food, great ambiance, outstanding service. Each and every dish we ordered was tasty and fresh. We loved the inside of the restaurant, very unique! We would certainly dine in here again. read more

See all

Came on a Thursday evening with reservation, though, I do bot think it was needed as it was not too busy. We were seated right away. Our AMAZING waitress, Lisa, came and brought to our attention that if we got our shit together and ordered our appetizers/starters and/or cocktail within the next 3 mins (ie. Before 6pm), it would qualify for 1/2 off. That was very nice of her to tell us. Next, my partner was having a difficult time choosing wine, so Lisa recommended Argiolas Costamolino Vermentino di Sardegna, which actually turned out to be a very nice wine that complimented our meal perfectly. 1. Caprese Burrata (5/5) Tomatoes were very soft and fresh with the creaminess of the burrata, olive oil and balasamic vinegar, it's a beautiful combination of flavors in your mouth. The sourdough crisps that came with it p perfectly crispy on the outside and yet soft on the inside. 2. Grilled Octopus (5/5) It's an Octopus-lovers heaven. The octopus was super tender and melts in your mouth. The Cauliflowers that came with it were perfectly cooked; not too mushy and not too crunchy. The capers added tartness and savoriness. Lastly the romanesco sauce added slight nuttiness. 3. Burata Salad (5/5) A well-balanced salad. The creaminess of the burrata and squash puree balanced the acidity/tartness of the balsamic vinaigrette and pomegranate seeds. The candied pecan added crunch and extra sweetness to it. 4. Osso Bucco Gnocchi (5/5) The ragu style sauce is a slow cooked-braised beef shank (per our waitress for at least 4 hours) in red wine and grana padano. You can definitely tell it was stewed for a long time as the beef was extremely tender and deliciously savory, jam-packed with flavor. The melt-in-your mouth potato-based gnocchi paired with this rich sauce is a ratatouille rat dream foodie paradise with firework explosions going on in your mouth. 6. Lobster Ravioli (5/5) Very good presentation for a ravioli dish. The Lobster ravioli was topped off with 8oz of lobster tail, which was slightly overcooked, but honestly, it was still very enjoyable. Plus, one cannot complain about it too much since normally, lobster ravioli is not served with an actual chunk of lobster, so it was a happy surprise. The ravioli dough was perfectly cooked - not too soft or al dente. The saffron sauce and tomato garlic confit was creamy and lobstery. 7. Orecchiette Bosacaiola (5/5) Ear shaped pasta noodles served with creamy wine sauce. The molinari sausage gave it a very nice porky flavor. It's served with mushrooms and green peas as well. Savory and satisfying. Overall, very very impressed and satisfied with this place and our waitress, Lisa who's a knowledgeable and down-to-earth lady. We will definitely be returning! read more

See all

After seeing reviews, always driving this place and looking at pics on yelp; I was super excited to try this place. Came in host was super nice we got a table right away. Nice ambiance super cool place I love all the decorations and just how this place looks in general. The place wasn't too loud and I realize they have jazz on Tuesday which it was amazing!! But now to the food We decided to share a Caesar salad and I chose the chicken Marsala while my partner ordered the pasta carbonara. Salad was okay a little bland but it was a good starter. My partners carbonara was delicious, creamy with a hint of the nice saltiness from the guanciale. Unfortunately my dish was not great at all chicken had barely any sauce and it was really really bland. The mashed potatoes seem bland as well and unfortunately the chicken was really dried and overcooked, almost felt a little old. I wasn't expecting the chicken to be drowned in sauce but usually this dish comes with a bit more sauce, and the sauce it did had was super thick almost like a thick gravy. Only reason why I'm giving this place 3 stars it's because our server, carbonara pasta and the availability to sit us down immediately. I'll probably come back and have something different next time but definitely stay away from the chicken. read more

See all

The food was excellent. Loved the wine list! Unfortunately we had sub par service and the cocktails were wrong/uninspy. There is a cool vibe inside the restaurant. It feels rustic and cozy, but still modern and clean. The Carbonara was delicious but definitely not traditional. Really enjoyed the beet salad. Parking in the rear. read more

See all

We were seated inside for dinner and the ambiance was nice and calming. Our server was pretty attentive and everything came out so well. We tried the risotto, chicken marsala and seafood pasta. Everything tasted great. I also had the mango margarita and it was just perfect. The crab aranchini was my personal favorite, so crispy on the outside and flavorful on the inside. read more

See all

Great service and food. The menu offered a nice variety and the Moscato was a great compliment. Butternut squash with pecans was different and scrumptious! read more

il vecchio - Butternut Squash with Pecans - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

More like 3-1/2 stars. The ambiance is wonderful, with a neighborhood feel, and you see a wide range of ages. I can't say the service blew me away: I often felt like we were forgotten--it took a long while to get water, like, after we'd gotten our drinks--and the orders came out a bit sporadically. Since this was a Monday night, I can't say that the service was due to being slammed. The artichoke appetizer was delicious, though: nicely fried without being oil, and you could taste the artichoke. The cheesy garlic bread makes it clear that the bread is not a quality one, since the appetizer is drenched in cheese. I didn't taste much garlic. My zoodles sounded appetizing, but the amount of oil was like, yowza. In an area with a lot of produce, it's ok to let the vegetables shine. My salmon that accompanied it was fine--also a lot of oil. It seems like one of their tricks is to use a heavy hand to cover up ingredients that might not be as impressive. read more

In a town with so many Italian seafood restaurants, we stumbled across this hidden gem! Attracted the authenticity & fresh seafood, this place doesn't disappoint! The restaurant is decorated gorgeously with maybe some outdated Christmas lights but we loved the atmosphere. Going on a Thursday, there was also live jazz which made the entire experience so lovely! The staff was nice, so helpful that they took our photo for us when they us struggling to take a group selfie! Staff was very responsive & quick with our food! We got the bread service, cesar salad, Orecchiette, & the saffron seafood pasta. Cesar salad was delicious, the dressing has a big stronger anchovy taste & a little zestier than some other cesar dressings ive had but I thought that made it unique & delicious! The Orecchiette was amazing, the sauce was so creamy & paired well with the sausage. The pasta was cooked perfectly and wasnt mushy & the mushroom tied everything together. The Saffron seafood pasta really blew us away. The sauce was creamy, HUGE shrimps & were perfectly cooked. The other seafood included was also very good & the pasta itself was also exceptional. A must have if you're craving seafood pasta!!! We didn't get dessert because we were stuffed, but seeing it on other peoples table almost convinced us to squeeze in a little more. read more

See all

First visit back in maybe a year or more. Used to frequent quite regularly. Service was outstanding! The Il Vecchio drink is no longer on the menu, but the new waiter (3 weeks or so, he told us) went and figured it out with the bartender who also wasn't sure but they texted older staff to get it. First was not quite right, but second try was great. We started our meal with the Dungeness crab arancini, served on a lemon aioli. Generous crab in the arancini and the aioli was amazing. 10/10! I didn't love that the menu indicated they changed up my "go to" pasta dish there, with the carbonara to include a poached egg which I guessed is a sub for the raw egg. While I wanted to go here for pasta, I love a good short rib which was on the menu and ordered that with the polenta and carrots. Unfortunately the short rib was dry and flavor lacking. The wine demi glaze flavor was fine (not outstanding in any way) but the dry short rib was a fail. Most short ribs have just a little fat to keep in the moistness and flavor. This was more like a chunk of meat off a roast that had been overcooked. The polenta it was served on was outstanding! Our dog scored on the leftover short rib. My BF had the beef tenderloin broccoli and carrots and his tenderloin was perfection. Overall it was a nice dining experience, because our waiter and supporting staff was great, the drink, appetizer, and a meal and a half was done very well. I don't know that I would "rush" back to Il Vecchio, but that arancini and polenta will be memorable and I'm sure we'll try again sometime in the future after making the rounds to our other local favorites. read more

We had a party of 6 including my two children. Hidden gem tucked away on the Monterey Peninsula -- warm, inviting, and delightfully authentic. Cozy atmosphere - Simply outstanding: friendly, attentive, and always ready with an expert recommendation. Everything we tried was fresh and delicious and creative. Even our grandkids loved this place. Highly recommended for anyone craving top-tier pasta and hospitality in Pacific Grove! Five stars, easily. We'll be back! read more

See all

we were seated immediately with a saturday lunchtime reservation, and don't get me wrong, the service and ambiance were quick and rustic - no complaints there! we opted for the soup of the day ($10), which was a home-made clam chowder bowl, as well as the bread service ($6). the soup itself was solid. the toppings were overloaded with potatoes rather than actual seafood, however. the bread itself was quite tough, but the balsamic vinegar + tomatoes was a nice touch. now, the pasta. we entered feeling ready to eat some pasta, and unfortunately left feeling pretty full - and not in the ideal way. the pesto gnocchi was quite doughy, and the pesto sauce itself lacked flavor. it had a very healthy flavor, almost as if the sauce consisted of just blended spinach. the meat itself was quite delicious, but there's only so much meat we can ration to go per gnocchi to rely to bring the flavor. the orecchiette with white wine sauce was better. the toppings were nice, however the sauce was quite forgettable. compared to the pesto, this was better - but i wouldn't order this again either. we did go in with the intention of ordering the truffle pasta, however this must be a seasonal item as it wasn't on the lunch menu when we went. read more

il vecchio - clam chowder Soup of the Day (Chef's Choice) bread basket ($6) - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

Casual Italian, friendly staff, great food! I had a Ceasar salad and chicken cacio pepe, both very good. My bartender was very friendly, offering me a taste of a different wine just because he thought I'd like it even after I had ordered a glass of something else. It's always the small things that make a difference. read more

il vecchio - Chicken Caio e Pepe - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

What an amazing meal! Wow! The food was delicious and you could tell the pasta was made fresh there. The restaurant itself is also very nice inside. Try to make reservations if you can as it does get busy. read more

il vecchio - Lamb Ragu d'Abruzzo Pasta (Dinner) - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

Wow, this place is 10/10. I ordered the cheesy bread + lasagna and nothing disappointed. The service was great too! They checked in and always made sure we had drinks. I came for a weekend but it was the start to annual trip. I'll be sure to stop here every time. read more

il vecchio - lasagna - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Traditional Italian cooking methods in the carbonara and cacio e pepe. I like that they didn't use cream bc my lactose intolerant ass would die (cheese is ok). Big portions!! Tiramisu was also the best ive ever had. When we come back to Monterey in the future this is def a place we'd stop by at again. read more

Food was great -- crab cake appetizer and chicken Marsala were excellent. Portions large -- we took half home. The live music was a bonus. The service was also great -- kudos to our server Samantha, she was funny and efficient! read more

The food was delicious! The service was impeccable and the ambiance was romantic. We brought our babies and they slept through the entire candle lit dinner. Lots of locals here and very sweet ones at that. My steak was cooked medium and the gelato was wonderful. We will be back again. read more

il vecchio - Grilled New York Steak (Dinner) - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Ambiance was incredibly cozy, service was very friendly, and I was pleased to have a unique and flavorful vegan option! (My pumpkin risotto with mushrooms was nut allergy and dairy allergy friendly, too). Both my friend and I found the food a bit too salty, but the drinks were great and the kind waitress put the olives on the house. Perfectly close to the beach for a stroll after :-) I recommend! read more

il vecchio - Olives, Riesling, cocktail! - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

Came here on a Saturday night and the restaurant was packed. We waited 30 minutes for a table for 2, so we had pretty high expectations for the food. Plus, the reviews online were all pretty positive. After sitting down, it took an abnormally long amount of time for our server to come take our order. He stopped by our table twice to tell us that he'd be "right with us" and that some other table had arrived first before us, so he was going to take their order first. We'd never been to a restaurant that prioritized what order customers arrived in like this (usually whoever is ready just gets helped, right?), and the table he went to help first wasn't even ready yet so he ended up coming back to us to finally take our order. It felt inefficient and like our time wasn't being valued. We waited a while for the food to finally come out. I ordered the rigatoni ragú and my husband ordered the spaghetti. For dishes that costed $24 and $21, they definitely did not taste like it. The pasta sauce was mediocre and their pasta was just cooked De Cecco (saw it in their kitchen). I had a few bites of pasta in there that weren't fully cooked and tasted chalky still. When I finished my plate, I wasn't even full. For reference, I'm 5'3" and normally a size small for clothes. I don't usually eat a lot. We also ordered their garlic whipped potatoes as a side for $8 and that was perhaps the most unfortunate part of our whole experience. The first bowl we got was literally cold. We told our server and he brought out a new one, so clearly they just heat up their potatoes. That's not the worst thing, but when we actually finally tried the dish, the potatoes were bland, we couldn't really taste the garlic, and there was no texture to the potatoes. It just tasted like bland mush, all for an overpriced $8. For how mediocre that side dish was, it is extremely bold of them to be charging $8. Waiting for the check took a while, and so did waiting for them to take our card. Every single little step just took way too much time and after a long day of whale watching and exploring Monterey, I almost wanted to put my head down on the table and just take a nap while I waited. We arrived at 6:45 PM and left the restaurant at 8:15 PM. Spent 1.5 hours there, of which we were only actually eating for about 15 minutes. The employees were all nice but how long we had to wait for every step was incredibly disappointing. The food also just wasn't worth the price tags. For $24 pasta, I expected something unique and fancy, but ended up with De Cecco that I really could have made at home and mediocre red sauce. And the potatoes? Won't be back anytime soon and would rather just spend my money on something that's better and more delicious if I'm going to spend that much money anyway. Please hire more people on busy days like Saturdays and at least improve on the quality of food you're offering for the prices you're asking. read more

il vecchio - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Oscar made our experience 10/10!! He was so funny and so nice that we went back again! Sadly the next time it was on Friday 8/29 at 2pm when they were closing, and Oscar wasn't there, it was a lady that was VERY RUDE! She was not happy that we got there at 1:50. Which I get we were late but we said how much we loved the food and we knew what we wanted so it'll be fast but we kept asking if for sure it's ok if we stay and she said yes. But gave us an attitude the entire time. I even mentioned that " we were here the other day and loved the food" and she just said " uh huh" and passed by without looking at me. So rude! About the food: it was all amazing! The burnt grape and feta appetizer was soooo good. That's what we went back for! And the cacio e Pepe was amazing! Best one we've had! Also the caprese burrata was amazing! 10/10 food. 10/10 service with Oscar. 0/10 for the lady we don't know her name. read more

See all

We are on our anniversary trip and craved some Italian food. The reviews on here lead us to come on a Wednesday night. When we walked in the host was seating a larger party. When she came back, she took time to answer a text on her phone that was hidden on the podium before taking us back to the table. Along with this, she only gave us one menu so sharing it to look at was a bit difficult. We waited about 5 minutes before one of the runner's brought us a large glass bottle of water and our waitress Lisa greeted us. By this time we knew what we wanted and asked if the bread was complimentary (saw posts on here about it). She hooked us up with one on the house, and this did help lighten my mood that was a bit soured by the first impressions at the host stand. We started off with the butternut squash appetizer: the flavors paired well with each other, the fried sage adding a bit of heat that coats the tongue. My boyfriend ordered the rigatoni and you could taste the meat on the noodle itself. This was an extraordinary dish, very rich and filling. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs: one of the best meatballs I've had with a great balance between meat and spices, the pasta tasted house made and had a bite to it but you know it was properly cooked. Lisa let us know they had a special going on that if you tag them on Instagram, you get a free dessert. We chose the tiramisu and it is very creamy, rich and indulgent. It took a couple bites before getting to the ladyfingers with how whipped the filling was. We asked for ours without the cocoa powder and there was no issue with it. Overall, the food and Lisa's kindness and overall wonderful personality would be the reason we would come back. read more

See all

I seriously can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Definitely one of the best dining experiences I have had outside Italy itself. The restaurant feels like you are stepping into Italy. The pasta is evidently homemade and cooked aldente. The server are always checking on you and making sure you have everything you need. And one thing you do need before leaving is the Tiramisu. read more

See all

We had a rat run through the restaurant while we were eating in February, and the employees did not care at all. I am a local and I have been to this restaurant over the years and loved it, as it has always been a locals favorite. The original owners sold the business about a year ago and we thought we would have the same experience we have always had when dining there. The host was pretty rude to everyone that walked in - we had a 45 minute wait and observed her behavior over that time. The service was really slow, but ok with us. It was busy so we assumed they were understaffed. Other patrons in the restaurant were quite upset by this and you could tell they were not pleased. The food tasted fine, and they were giving out large portions of cake for dessert - likely in response to the slow service. Before we get the cake (and the check) we saw a large rat run out of the kitchen, into the dining area, over and up the wall that divides the entry from the dining area, down a beam, and then and back behind the bar. The bartender, host, and waiter saw it. All of us in the restaurant saw it. guests watched that rat run with disgust and concern. Now again, I live in the area and rats are not an "uncommon" problem to have. We all get them once in a while.... But when we DO get the stray rodent that makes it's way inside - whether in our house, our workplaces, or our garages - we instantly react. Usually we are grossed out, immediately try to get it out, and double check that there wasn't an opening that they could have made their way through. Here however, the employees has absolutely no reaction. The rat went behind the bar where the bartender was and he kept working as usual, even after seeing it. The host looked at the waiter she was speaking to and actually sat down at the bar, completely ignoring the situation. One of the servers looked behind the bar and went back to work. A family that saw it got up to look behind the bar to see if they could find it, and pointed it out to the staff incase they did not see it. Again, no reaction. We were so grossed out by that that we left immediately after paying and could not have been paid to touch that cake. The lack of reaction from the staff told us much more than the owners, or employees ever could; it's a common occurance in the restaurant and they simply do not care. We contacted the Monterey County Health Department on this matter the very next day. At our last check of the website, the county has not yet inspected the restaurant. We wanted to share our story so visitors can be informed on the conditions of where they are eating, as this is a major health code violation. read more

First time dining and we were impressed by the rustic ambiance of this small Italian restaurant located in our own backyard. We arrived at opening (5:00pm) with reservations. Parking is conveniently towards the back of the restaurant along with curb front. Excellent service, attentive staff. We were also privileged to meet with the head chef/owner, Stefan, who circulated throughout the dining room serving and attending to guests mirroring his own staff. The menu selection was well balanced with local sea food, pastas and meats. Our meal was well paced, not rushed and the food was excellent. We are planning to come back for lunch and highly recommend Il Vecchio for locals and visitors alike for tasty authentic Italian food. read more

il vecchio - Dessert which is not on the dinner menu ... yummy! - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

Our part of 4 had a reservation for 5:45pm on the Friday after 4th of July, and were seated immediately even though we arrived 15 minutes early. The restaurant wasn't busy at the time but by 6:30pm there was a bit of a wait at the front. Our server Rich was very friendly and checked in throughout the menu. The decor is very charming, with cute mismatching wooden chairs, warm lighting and farmhouse vibes throughout. We ordered everything to share for the table; - orecchiette boscaiola ($24): Rich said this was his favorite, and I really enjoyed the light white wine sauce, flavorful sausage and freshness from the peas. - carbonara ($24): super creamy and well seasoned with black pepper with thin and light crisp prosciutto, though I'm not really sure if I actually noticed any guanciale, and the poached egg was quite overcooked. - lamb pappardelle ($26): my favorite pasta of the night, with al dente wide noodle that gave it the perfect bite. The tomato sauce was fresh and just the right amount of tartness to cut through the richness of the lamb. - foresta gelato creation ($12): this was a very tall glass of gelato and we shared it between the 4 of us; the whipped cream on top was excellent and not sweet, and the gelato was creamy and went very well with the tart frozen berry layered throughout. My friend also got an affogato (not on the menu) which was the perfect pick me up! Overall il vecchio had great atmosphere, service and food for a reasonable price, and I'd love to come back again. read more

See all

We came up after a long drive from LA and were starving. We waited about 15 min to get seated on the patio as the indoor wait was 1.5 hours. They split our servers sections between the back of the inside and then just our one table outside, so service was weird. The chicken cacio Pepe was so good as was the carbonara. We could have used an additional heater on the outside patio as well. read more

il vecchio - Exterior - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Please improve service! Waited an hour and a half for food. Used to be good and quaint. Brought us the wrong food twice! Ended up having two salads delivered, both of which we didn't order. Ultimately left without food and very hungry children. Not the same. Unfortunately, I won't be returning. They were gracious enough to not charge for the drinks we ordered...that's the only reason for the 2 stars. read more

We went tonight for the first time. It was pretty obvious that the place was short staffed but the food was worth the wait! Crab Arancini 9/10. They were perfectly fried with a lemon aioli and microgreens. Caesar salad 4/10 bland and nothing to write home about. Lacked flavor. Would skip. Cacio e Pepe with chicken 8/10 solid dish but could've used more pepper Lamb Pappardelle 9/10 really unique flavor and the texture of the lamb was perfect The restaurant itself was very cute inside and had nice music playing the entire time. Richie our waiter was really sweet and accommodating given the busy status of the restaurant for a Sunday night during MLK weekend! read more

See all

On a busy Friday night, my father and I walked in to this cute restaurant and managed to sit at the bar for dinner. I liked the interior design and ambiance. Even though we sat at the bar, our waiter was still very friendly and attentive throughout our meal. We ordered the lasagna and spaghetti with meatballs for dinner. The complimentary bread was delicious with the balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and red bell peppers. I loved my lasagna! The tomato sauce was very fresh and sweet. Definitely homemade! There was a generous amount of cheese and ricotta, making the dish very filling. My dad enjoyed his spaghetti and meatballs too. The pasta was well cooked and the meatballs were well seasoned. Our waiter also gave us a free tiramisu for waiting a little longer for our food to come out, even though we had hardly noticed any lag in our food coming out. I'd definitely recommend getting a reservation here and ordering the lasagna! read more

See all

I just wanted to LOVE this visit because it has been almost two years since we have been. The menu seemed more alive with options. I went with the gorgonzola gnochi....ugh it was terrible. Hard and no flavor. There were pieces of apple which tasted like nothing, just soggy. The walnuts were an afterthought. It was just plain not good. My daughter had the rigatoni and the noodles were all broken and rather gummy. There was not a single whole rigatoni noodle in the dish. She had a side of shrimp scampi which was good and so was the salmon and clam chowder. My uncle didn't get his seafood pasta until we were all practically done eating and they did apologize profusely. Will we back, idk. Maybe. read more

il Vecchio is a great Italian restaurant. The food was delicious and they give you plenty to eat. Lots of people in the restaurant for a Friday and the atmosphere was nice. I had a 7:30 reservation and didn't get seated until 7:50 and our service was ok. I would for sure eat there again but perhaps on a less busy night. read more

Went here for a special occasion and asked for them to setup something in OpenTable but they did not see that request. That said, the dinner was very good and we both enjoyed it. The $$ seems like more like $$$ as we had 2 glasses of simple red wine, split a salad and two entrees ($5 for bread service, NEVER been charged for a few slices of bread and you can pay $5 for olive) out the door was $150. The seafood pasta was excellent, would highly recommend that as for $35 it had a great deal of quality seafood (shrimp, scallops and sorta small clams) and excellent pasta that felt homemade. Server was sort of confused at times and they were out of Chianti, have you ever been to an Italian restaurant out of house Chianti. Recommended, we'd go back for sure if we came back down to visit the area. read more

We had a wonderful birthday dinner here! Service was wonderful! $25 cordage fee to bring your own bottle which was totally reasonable. Food was very good. We didn't have a reservation on a Tuesday night and were seated immediately with no issue. Lovely spot. Pasta was super yum! read more

il vecchio - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

I've been told Il Vecchio is under new management. I went with a group of 7 recently and had a good experience on a busy night. We were served by a tall blond young guy whose name I regrettably forget, but his service was excellent. I noticed several new menu items. We tried 2 that were very good - burnt grapes + feta, fried artichokes. The pesto that came with the chokes was divine. I always get the orecchiette, it's consistently delicious. This time, however, I tried something new - chicken cacio e pepe. It was pretty generic, nothing special, but still satisfying. The hibiscus lavender mocktail was delightful. I had to chuckle when I saw that another reviewer got some messy to-go tiramisu. Why not just get clear plastic cups with lids and serve it the same way as in-house? Theirs was an improvement from mine, so I guess they're headed in the right direction. I am still an Il Vecchio fan and looking forward to eating there even more now with the new management. read more

We had the aereo cocktail, burnt grapes, agnolotti, fish special, and kids lasagna. Everything was delicious. Wish we could have stayed for dessert, but toddler was melting down. It was loud inside, but felt cozy. read more

We always try to find time for dinner here when in Monterey. Last night's standouts: Butternut squash, ravioli appetizer was absolutely amazing. One of the best dishes I've ever had. The papardelle with the lamb Ragu is my absolute favorite pasta. I also like the gnocchi pesto and sausage. Others in our group had the pasta pomodoro and the lasagna with big smiles all around. I liked, but did not love, the beet salad. I thought it needed more beets and a little less goat cheese, as the cheese sort of overpowered everything else. Not a ton of wines by the glass offered, but the Montepulciano we had was very good. The "gelato creation" dessert was not my favorite. It's layered in a parfait glass, and I think made ahead and kept in the freezer. Texture and creaminess I look for in gelato was not there, this came off more as ice cream layered with a few additions. Not bad, just not what I was expecting or hoping for. Service here is always very professional and knowledgeable. We were there on a Monday night, and it was jumping. My opinion: reservations are always recommended, and an absolute necessity for weekends. If you're in the area, don't miss a chance to visit this amazing restaurant! read more

4.5 Stars. The food is really excellent (but dense). The interior of the restaurant is nicely appointed and the staff is very friendly - the only reason for 4.5 stars and not 5: the room that we sat in smelled very strange - almost like mildew. I think it's the wooden walls. Other than that, I'll return! read more

il vecchio - Garlic bread - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

See all

Excellent food. Excellent service. Excellent ambiance. Excellent chef's. I highly recommend this restaurant for cuisine from Tuscany! Bellisimo! read more

Decided to come back since we love the food. Service was good. A bit slow today but overall, everyone was attentive. We sat in a booth where I guess my back shared the wall where things were stored. I felt every vibration every time something was put away. Not the best feeling. Bread is not complimentary but if you run out of bread, they happily give you more. For a cocktail, I ordered the Lucrezia Borgia. It's their version of a sangria. Good and strong. Sweet and not bubbly. For dinner, we ordered: Ligurian Fish Stew - It's basically cioppino. Lots of seafood. Tasty. Osso Buco Pasta - Our favorite. The meat is tender and flavorful. The pasta is al dente. Carbonara - Authentic. No cream was used. Great flavor and creaminess but it was a tad salty for me. Three Cheese Rigatoni - Delicious and lightly sauced pasta dish. My daughter's favorite. For dessert, we all agreed on the Amore Pazzo. So good!! Cherries and chocolate in vanilla gelato. Always a pleasure coming here! read more

See all

I've been coming to Pacific Grove for decades and have somehow managed to miss this wonderful gem of a restaurant...until today! From the warm greeting on arrival, the excellent service (thank you to Rich and his fellow staff), and every delicious bite, I was transported to the best meals I've had in Italy. The food is true to la madrepatria and you can taste the freshness, skill, and love that went into preparing it. I started with the Dungeness crab arancini as my appetizer (more like little balled crab cakes set atop a lovely cream sauce), then had the spicy squid ink scampi as the main course (incredible mix of wonderful flavors all complimenting and enhancing each other...be sure to squeeze the grilled lemon onto your meal to brighten it all up and if you enjoy a little extra spiciness, ask for some red pepper flakes to kick it all up even more!), and topped it all off with the lemon tart for dessert (the accompanying raspberry sauce was the perfect complement to the sweet zingy "lemoniness" of the tart). It was all delicious! I can't wait to come back! read more