The food here was so good, and the service was so quick and friendly, would definitely come again!read more

The service was fast and friendly! The smoked salmon on…read morepotatoe pancake was fresh flavorful and an iconic dish. I will be back !

Delicious I ate everything in sight lol pancakes were fluffy and the sausage was delicious…read more Would definitely recommend.

A few weekends ago we were on our way to the Monterey Bay Aquarium but we were unable to get a…read moretable because there was a long wait and we had hungry kids. We stayed in Monterey this weekend and were able to come again but at a different time with no wait time. We are really glad we came back to try it. It is so cute inside! Everyone who works there is so friendly, they seem to really enjoy working there. The food was really good, way better than the pictures. Very cute and would love to come back again when we are visiting to try something different. If you come and there is a long wait, there is a reason for it.

We were part of a 20-person wedding dinner, and Foray handled it like pros. Group dinners can get…read morechaotic fast, but the timing, pacing, and service were flawless from start to finish. Every dish arrived at temp, plated beautifully, and with the same attention to detail you'd expect at a two-top. Between my partner and me, we shared the Wagyu tartare, seared scallops, 30-day aged bluefin tuna, and the foraged mushroom risotto. Every bite felt intentional. The tartare was silky and perfectly seasoned, the scallops were caramelized and tender, and the bluefin was rich and clean with that perfect melt. The risotto hit all the comfort notes without being heavy, layered with truffle and deep umami. Cocktails were another standout. The Coastal Bloom was bright, crisp, and herbal, while the Foray Old Fashioned brought rich coffee and cacao flavors that tied perfectly into dessert. We ended with the candy cap bread pudding and dark chocolate tres leches, both elegant and balanced, the kind of desserts you remember days later. Foray delivered a wedding dinner that felt personal and polished all at once. Exceptional food, kind staff, and one of the best group dining experiences we've ever had in Carmel.

This restaurant was amazing. Had the best/most interesting dish ever offered by the chef as a thank…read moreyou/welcome after picking the pre fixe menu and wine pairing- a fresh oyster with lime/cilantro ice shavings! The entire meal was once in a lifetime.

HIGHLY recommend!! Wow! My only disappointment is that we did not have time to return and try some…read moremore of their fantastic dishes. I really wanted to try the arancini but we ordered enough. We were in town for a wedding, found this place on OpenTable, where I was able to make a reservation. From the time I arrived, it was smooth sailing. The hostess was professional and efficient. She got us to our table quickly. Service was also prompt and on point. The restaurant is clean and beautiful, not too loud, nice date night ambience. Finally, the food!!! Wow, just wow! My husband and I shared a salad, a couple pastas and clam chowder. The chowder was the best I'd had in Monterey on our trip-the most tender clams, inspiring even. We had the Gorgonzola gnocchi with apples and pecans. Delicious but strong flavor-was grateful we were sharing. And also the carbonara-absolutely delicious! I am spoiled with good food often and also love to cook. I can tell you the ingredients are fresh and quality and the kitchen staff knows what they are doing. Very grateful to have found this place. Don't miss out!!

My entree was wonderful, but 2 others in our group of 6 described their entree's as "okay". My…read morewife had the seabass special. The fish was perfect but the gnocchi was "just okay". Another person had the short rib which was presented perfectly. The meat was tender but he said it was extremely salty. Everyone else really enjoyed their food. It was crowded but they found a table for us outside. We were in the sidewalk dealing with foot traffic and cars but it was fine. Our server was extremely attentive and very helpful. I recommend giving this place a try.

My meal at Wild Fish lived rent-free in my head for days after. I didn't expect the steamed fish to…read morebe so flavorful- the coconut broth was so delicate in a good way! The smoked fish chowder was also unbelievable. A seafood restaurant is a culinary risk- it's niche- but in this case you will not be disappointed! Everything is market fresh and prepared with complex flavor in mind.

The service was very disappointing. We never saw our waiter Hector after he took our order. He came…read moreback to give us our bill. I had to go and ask the hostess for a glass of wine. Food was good, but I wouldn't run back for a second time.

Our first visit to Nepenthe in Big Sur was an enjoyable experience overall, primarily because of…read morethe incredible location and atmosphere. This is a very casual restaurant perched along the beautiful Big Sur coastline, with spectacular ocean views and a lively energy created by visitors coming from all over the country. From a food perspective, however, I would describe our experience as good rather than exceptional. My wife and son shared the 12-ounce ribeye steak, which was approximately $77. They requested it medium-plus to medium-well, but unfortunately it initially arrived considerably undercooked, almost blue. To their credit, the staff immediately addressed the issue, and once corrected, the steak tasted good. The quality of the beef was decent, but at $77 for a relatively small 12-ounce steak, my expectations were considerably higher. At that price point, you're approaching what established steakhouses such as Mastro's charge for premium cuts, and I didn't feel the quality or preparation was quite at that level. I ordered the famous Ambrosia Burger. The flavor was fine, but the presentation wasn't personally appealing to me. Essentially, the beef and French-style roll arrived with much of the lettuce, tomato, onion, and other accompaniments presented separately on the plate. When I order a burger at a restaurant, I prefer the kitchen to properly assemble and present it according to my request rather than having to construct it myself at the table. For my burger and its presentation, I would give about three stars. For the ribeye, once properly cooked, approximately four stars. Overall, I would rate Nepenthe around four stars, perhaps a four-minus. The spectacular setting and atmosphere are unquestionably the stars of the experience. The food was decent and the staff responded appropriately when there was an issue, but considering the pricing, I would like to see greater attention to preparation, presentation, and overall value. Certainly worth experiencing at least once while visiting Big Sur, particularly for the views and atmosphere. With a little more attention to detail in the kitchen, the food experience could better match this extraordinary location.

Another great experience at Nepenthe! This time we sat…read moreinside which was still an amazing view of the ocean and tree lines. We enjoyed the carajillo cocktail and clam chowder before our halibut and steak frites meals. This will always be our go-to spot while visiting Carmel/Big Sur.

After multiple failed attempts to find somewhere to eat with our dogs in tow, we arrived at Sur at…read morethe Barnyard hungry, tired, and a little defeated. What a wonderful surprise. It was just me, my two girls, and our two dogs, and from the moment we arrived, we were met with genuinely excellent service. The staff was kind, attentive, and welcoming. The food was absolutely fantastic, fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared. Sometimes a meal is more than just a meal. After a long day of searching for a place that would work for our little crew, Sur felt like exactly where we were meant to end up. We left happy, full, and already looking forward to coming back. Highly recommend.

We dropped in to SUR today after hiking a bit. We hadn't been there before, and since Scratch was…read moreclosed and this place a great reviews, we decided to check it out - and I'll chalk this up to anther time Yelp did us wrong. TLDR:: Meh.. I wanted something to drink that wasn't sweet, so I tried their raspberry ice tea. They used a sugary syrup to flavor the tea, and that was a strike out. It was sweeter than a soda, so it went back and I swapped it out for a plain unsweetened ice tea. Then we tried the cheesy garlic bread, which we were really looking forward to. Welp, it came out with mozzarella cheese and a ton of corn. No butter. No garlic. We all looked at each other when we tried it. Ok, let's try their brussel sprouts. Those are hard to mess up - but sure enough, they managed to. They deep fried them to the point they were black and charred. There wasn't anything left of the brussel sprout itself, it was mostly crunchy charcoal. At this point, we all ordered something we assumed would be safe for our main. I got the sliders and a side salad. I had the salad but only of the sliders. The cheese on it was queso, like you use to dip chips, so it was ran all over the place and the burger was a grease ball. I won't even get into what everyone else had, but they had similar experiences. Overall, it was pretty disappointing. Maybe there are other things or other times where this place is better, but it was a swing and a miss for us.

Fresh, delicious food, and wonderful service!…read more We came to Monterey for a quick getaway vacation and we had a wonderful dinner at Passionfish. Located in Pacific Grove, this restaurant is well known for its sustainable seafood and fresh ingredients. Street parking is available but you may need to drive around to get a spot close to the restaurant. We made a reservation online, and we were notified our table was ready 15 mins prior to our reservation time. When we arrived, we were greeted warmly by the hostess. The restaurant was mid sized, but it felt warm and cozy. The menu was quite simple, but the selections were solid. We had the salmon cervice as appetizer, salad, scallop entree, and halibut entree. The cervice was delicious and we loved the innovative concept. The salad was great with perfect balance of veggie, dressing, and cheese. The scallop entree was very flavorful as well. For desserts, we gad the banana pudding with ice-cream, and it was the perfect way to wrap up our dinner. As for service, our waiters were attentive and friendly. The bill for our meal was around $200, which was very reasonable for the quality of the meal. Highly recommend!

This was our first time going to Passionfish! And it did not disappoint us! The crowd was super…read morenice. We ended up talking to a few people which made it nice. The food was excellent. We had the bread rolls which are absolutely to die for! We had the jicama salad and the halibut. We shared this between two adults, and it was more than enough. And their wine selection is incredible! We will definitely be returning!

We had another delicious meal at Montrio with family while we visited Monterey. Located downtown,…read moreit has indoor and outdoor seating. On some occasions, they will open up the front wall which provides a great environment during good weather. Our food was excellent. I had short rib ravioli, which I never had before. The dish convinced me it should be one of my favorites. For desert, we had Chocolate cake with ices cream. The service was fantastic! Looking forward to coming back and enjoying their food again next time!

Montrio is a restaurant struggling with the same dilemma everyone wanting to open a fine-dining…read morespot in a touristy area does. The closer you are to ground zero-Fisherman's Wharf in SF or Pikes Market, Seattle-the harder it is to remain profitable. Geographically, the density of Taco Bells and tee shirt shops increases. So, kudos to Montrio for trying to run an up-scale business as close as they are to the Wharf. Unfortunately, they fall well short of the mark. We arrive early and the place was nearly empty. To start with, we ordered the Porcini Pomme Frites ($14) as an appetizer. The fries came out limp and starchy-raw in the center. I sent them back. The replacement or refry of the original batch came back a little past GBD. They pushed the limit on the far side of doneness. And they tasted exactly and precisely like In-And-Out's awful fires. The match was amazing. For reasons known only to the Snyder family, and in spite of endless terrible reviews from food critics, I-A-O refuses to double-cook their fries. So they come out tasteless with an off-putting consistency. Not qualities anyone should try and emulate, IMHO. Now, ostrich and octopus, for example, are famously difficult to cook correctly. But fries are the polar opposite easy to do well. To screw them up twice in a slow kitchen at a $14 price point is inexcusable. I knew we were in for a rocky ride. I ordered the scallops. Yes, you guessed correctly, the kitchen screwed them up big time too. They had a light seer and were stone-cold raw in the center. The creamed corn side was excellent BTW, but not forty nine dollars good. Why didn't I send them back? Well, first, I knew they couldn't cook fries or scallops. Why would their second effort on the second course hold out any promise. Secondly, I refuse to be that guy who sends every course back, even when it should be. At a certain point my philosophy is shut up, learn your lesson, and share an honest review so that other might avoid the sad experience. My wife had the short ribs and enjoyed them. I thought they were dry, which is hard to achieve with fatty short ribs. Her mashed potatoes were okay, though under-seasoned. But if she was happy, so was I.

Good food, plenty of games for children and a bar for the adults. M-Th. Best time to go.read more

My favorite pizza out of our order was BBQ chicken. Regular dough is so good that family members…read morethat usually don't finish pizza crusts ate them. The pizza verde was salty from pesto so I think I should have gotten the Pesto no. 1 for the artichoke hearts instead of chicken. Their special was pepperoni and that's what took the average down, because there is nothing gourmet about it (could have been extra with the addition of fennel, for example). They were out of gluten-free dough on a busy weeknight.