I really wanted to like Maligne, as we came here to celebrate a friend's birthday. The reservation process requires booking online with a $25 per person hold, which is refunded the day after you complete your reservation. Our server was amazing--very attentive and friendly, especially considering there were only two servers working that night. The restaurant wasn't particularly busy, with about 10-12 tables filled (roughly half the restaurant). There were also four people working in the open chef's kitchen area. When we asked which one was the head chef, we were told he had taken the day off since it wasn't very busy. We ordered the milk bread, beet salad, wagyu, chicken, and swordfish. The milk bread was slightly burnt on the bottom, but the inside was soft and pleasant. The beet salad, however, was incredible--beautifully presented and every bite was delicious. It was definitely one of the highlights of the meal. For the entrées, the swordfish was the clear winner, followed by the chicken. The wagyu, unfortunately, was disappointing. We asked and were recommended medium rare, but it arrived closer to medium well. It ended up being chewy and tough, which was surprising given the quality you would expect. To their credit, they did offer us a complimentary tiramisu. It was a very generous portion and the friend who was able to eat it said it was quite good, though only one person in our group could enjoy it due to dietary restrictions. Overall, the ambience was nice and the service was wonderful, but for a Michelin-rated restaurant I would expect more consistency--even on a night when the head chef isn't present. I'm not sure if I would return, but I did truly appreciate the great service and welcoming atmosphere. read more

I've been waiting to try this place for a long time and I finally got to go! Milk bread - it was good, but I wish I would've tried a different appetizer Beet Salad - very smoky and refreshing Steak w fries - absolutely amazing. My dad and I were fighting over who was going to take the leftovers home. Art lovers - the art in this place is amazing! I found out that the chef's dad is an artist and creates all of the pieces for the restaurant. read more

I had the best solo dinner at Maligne @ Seaside the other night. Honestly, being seated right in front of the kitchen was such a joy... it's like getting a front row seat to a magic show watching them do their thing. The food was delicious. That milk bread came out so fresh that when I pulled it apart, the steam just hit me, and it was so pillowy. Then the whole grilled branzino... you could really taste that char and flavor from the open fire, it was perfect. I also had the mixed crudo which was so fresh and bright, it really balanced out the meal. Finished with the tiramisu which was just the right amount of sweet. Everything about the meal was just so good. read more

Came back again because my mom enjoyed it so much the first time around, but unfortunately I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon. I want to start by saying, most of the food was really good. The crudo was as good as, if not better than last time, and the milk bread is such a comforting way to start off your meal. The royale is a wonderfully elevated cheeseburger with some good ass fries. The chocolate mousse was rich, but nothing heavy and the olive oil was a beautiful touch. But, I ordered the scallops and they were spoiled. Pretty basic food safety faux pas that I unfortunately felt later that night and the next morning. They came in an admittedly delicious and strong lobster jus so I couldn't really smell anything wrong, but as soon as I ate it I could taste the ammonia just burning in my throat and sinuses. I've never had that happen and couldn't place that taste right away so I ate a couple before I my mom tried them and told me what it was. I was able to explain what happened, send the dish back and they didn't charge us for it... but that's pretty much all we got in terms of compensation. They still charged for the dish I ordered in place of the bad scallops. Obviously, I understand things happen and people make mistakes. The wait staff of course apologized, but this felt like a pretty big, pretty serious mistake and I'm really shocked that such a high end restaurant with such a hefty price tag wouldn't offer even a scoop of free ice cream or something. Like could a girl get a ginger ale at least? To ease what was coming next? It just feels like paid a whole heck of a lot of money to eat spoiled seafood and get a pretty rough tummy ache. I'm just not loving that... read more

See all

We came here on a Friday night, but early enough that it was not too crowded. Sarah was our server and she was wonderful. She suggested we order a few things to share, which turned out to be the right move. The table split their version of a seafood tower. I did not partake, but everyone else absolutely raved about it. We also ordered the milk bread, which comes out warm and is pure comfort, the polenta, and the swordfish. The swordfish was cooked a little under, which was interesting, and honestly it was perfection. The space itself is very cool, with an open kitchen and lots of wood throughout. It has a modern farmhouse vibe that feels warm and stylish at the same time. Overall, a great dinner and a place I would happily return to. read more

See all

I booked Maligne after seeing it come up in my recommendations list for Monterey and I'm so glad I did! I came by after spending a day at the aquarium and nearly missed this place because it doesn't have a name out front, you just have to know/look for it. Since there was a reservation, I was seated pretty quickly although I did see a few people try to walk in and wait a bit. I ordered milk bread, smoked tomato salad, Octopus salad, and the pork belly donabe. The smoked tomato salad was absolutely delicious. It was just the right amount of acidity and sweetness. The octopus salad was really tender and flavorful. The highlight for me was the pork belly donabe. It was kind of cold and drizzling outside so this donabe was really comforting and warming. I would skip the milk bread next time! I had a great time dining here and I would definitely be back if I'm in the area! read more

See all

Planned a weekend getaway in Carmel and while researching spots for dinner Maligne had caught my eye. We stopped by and got the following: crudo (the fish was fresh, Italian style crudo for you olive oil lovers out there), broccolini (lacked flavor, love broccolini but this was bit of a let down), polenta (cheesy, the tossed veggies cut through the salt with the cheese and it pairs well. Solid dish), ribeye (no seasoning, just the steak and its sauce. The potatoes and onions on the side are a nice addition, but don't mask the lack of seasoning) and tiramisu (possibly the star of our night). The inside is intimate, we liked the open kitchen concept as well. Service is attentive. Overall, we had high expectations and unfortunately we left disappointed (taking into account on the Michelin guide and the price). read more

See all

We've been excited to try this place out for a while now and with our 25th wedding anniversary it felt apropos to break the ice. Netting out our experience, we really enjoyed it, the team there were friendly accommodating, ambience is boho warehouse and food was on the money. I felt based on the quality of the food and the attention to ingredients that the prices were fair but we were a tad disappointed seeing the evenings menu choices which were a mystery till we actually sat down. I left this review alone till I settled my thoughts, I absolutely understand why Michelin noticed this place, they are passionate and there simply isn't a dining experience in the Monterey area like it .. Its akin to finding a cool vibe restaurant in a downtown Manhattan, unapologetic, boutique, funky, eclectic, relaxed and buttoned up service and food execution The menu is split into small plates and large plates... I think they started off small and ended up getting feedback on portions so added larger sharable plates.. Problem is, its kind of confusing, it doesnt sit easily and as an example we hared the .. I cant help feel they have a few more turns of the ethos to do. We ended up with 2 small plates and a large plate.. - Milk bread, Seafood platter and the burger.. All were super, absolutely no complaints and we couldn't hit the deserts. Why the 1 star drop ? We checked the website and got excited about the menu only to find it was 100% different and 'just and example. OK, I love the idea of seasonal but I dont want to drop a deposit down for a table then turn up to a mystery menu without knowing what's on it. We sort of had our heart set on a few dishes and a desert and nothing was the same. So if they post a current menu then we will likely have this place on rotation but if its a mystery then we will likely skip it as the food was good but nor head and shoulders over some of our regulars and at least there we know what we will be paying for. I loved the vibe, the team and ethos but I dont love the mystery read more

Maligne - Milk Bread and Olive Oil - #crowdpleaser - New American Near Me - Seaside, California

See all

Just visited for the first time. Fabulous dinner! I love the family style service so we got to try all the appetizers and entrees. Nice room. As there were 6 of us, we were in quiet corner. We'll be back. The Carpaccio, Polenta, oysters, milk bread, chicory salad and beet salad were fabulous first. For entrees were lamb, ribeye, fish scallops and burger. A+. My favorite desert was the poached meringue!! Omg!! And the chocolate mousse was great too. All in all an excellent evening. read more

See all

We had booked our first trip to Monterey and while doing some research on places to check out, this restaurant came across my path. To make a reservation they do require a $25 dollar deposit per diner, which you get back when you either cancel at least 24hrs before your resy or when you show up for your reservation. The outside of the restaurant is modern and unsuspecting and we actually walked past it. Once in, you're greeted by contemporary set up with an exposed kitchen area so you're able to see the staff preparing your meal. We were seated and provided with a menu which our hostess did a wonderful job of explaining. The dishes are meant to be shared so it was suggested that we get aboit 4-5 between two people. We decided to order the Crudo, Wagu beef tartare, Calabrian chili lamb meatball, and the Smoked halibut. Because the food is served to order Please keep in mind the dishes are a la minute so it may take a bit of time for the dish to be served. The highlight of our meal was definitely the Wagu beef tartare. The beef was buttery and melted in your mouth. My boyfriend loved that they added capers which really helped to balance the dish. Maligne is definitely worth checking out if you're in the area. It lives up to all the praises it receives and I can't wait to come back. read more

See all

Wow. Wow. Wow. In Seaside? Really? I felt like I was in New York. Los Angeles. San Francisco. Chicago. Miami. Simply fantastic. The service was impeccable, not overbearing but perfectly on point. The food exceeded expectations. Truly. From the lamb leg special to the cabbage and everything in between. The flavors, preparation, plating, all of it. Fabulous. Savory bites every single time. Just right. It felt like I was sitting inside of a friendly dining room, not too loud, but you could hear the laughter and the noise of those around you While still being able to focus on the conversation at your table. Look, I'm sure there's better food somewhere in the world. I'm sure there's a better environment somewhere. I'm sure there is more attentive service. You can probably find it. And into that, I wish you good luck. Truly. If you find the one or two places on earth that exceed this let me know where they are. I'll hop on a plane. read more

See all

Maligne is awesome. I'm so happy to see a restaurant like this in Seaside thriving. I was worried at first since it's definitely the highest price point dinning establishment in Seaside, but they seem to have cracked the code. Every time I've been there, either weekends or week days, this place is jamming. It's not uncommon to see most restaurants busy on the weekends, but to be as busy as this place is, during the week is really wonderful. I think the fact that Maligne's as busy as they are speaks to the quality of their food. I've listened to various people while I've been waiting and there, the customer base is from all over. It's sad that this is probably could/would be one of the better restaurants in Carmel-By-The-Sea just because they actually change their menu and care about their food. I appreciate a place that is willing to change and challenge themselves. With that being said, it's very difficult to find a restaurant that will do what I'm about to describe. We asked the kitchen to just bring us out food. Anything on the menu, or whatever they could/wanted to do was fine with us. They absolutely killed it. I don't know many other places who'd be willing to execute this, let alone even attempt it. The only thing I'd say, that's slightly negative, is that the restaurant could benefit from some acoustic treatment. I'm all about the open concept, but it can be difficult to keep track of conversation when it's really going in there. read more

Wow. What can I say... Maligne was absolutely delicious. Loved the open kitchen concept and the dining area is cozy and chic. Everything we ordered was a must except the crudo, for the steep price you can pass. Everything else was pretty exceptional. A must try if you're in the Monterey area! read more

See all

What an amazing restaurant in Seaside! We were welcomed at the door to the restaurant by a lovely, vibrant woman, Sarah, who became our server. We shared a smoked beet salad, milk bread, oysters and a perfectly cooked pork steak along with a luscious bottle of French Pinot Noir. The restaurant is handsomely furnished. The artwork is magnificent. This is truly a restaurant and experience not to miss. read more

The food here was good, but the portions were pretty small. We had 7 people, ordered about 75% of the menu and it ended up being about 80/person and I don't think we were very full. However, the food was good and I enjoyed it. They had a pork in clay pot and the rice was so crunchy and not in a burnt way, that was probably my favorite dish. There were some beets that were good and honestly dishes were well done but idk if I would come back just due to the portion sizes and cost. You probably need to spend about 120/person to be satisfied here and that doesn't include drinks. I actually went back and ate some ramen. read more

Amazing food and experience! We were able to get a same day reservation (within the hour) and headed right over on a Saturday evening Once you enter, it is extremely smokey inside from the grill. Ambiance is very cosy We ordered: - Smoked paloma: great balance of flavor - Chicken parm: HUGE portion, but our least favorite of the 3 - Pork: SO good! Juicy and tender - Duck: he said it was delicious - Tiramisu: can't go wrong with dessert! It was your average tiramisu, nothing incredible Definitely on the more expensive side and more of a "treat yourself" or special occasion meal. Average age of the patrons dining was 50-60+. We felt like we received sub-par service because we were the youngest in the restaurant. The manager brought the table next to us free drinks and kept stopping to ask how everything was, perhaps they were friends. We couldn't even find our server the entire meal, hence the 4 stars read more

See all

Let me just say, I reserve the integrity of my one star reviews and my five star reviews. To get five from me, you need to have it all. Ambiance, service, exceptional food, and value and sure enough Maligne had it all. Came in here on a weeknight with my husband for my birthday. Servers were very attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. The ambiance is mid century modern cozy aesthetic. We ordered the steak tartare, lamb, grilled polenta, and duck confit. Everything was fresh and I was truly blown away. I felt the prices were for how upscale it was was fair. As someone from the Bay Area, this is more value than Napa prices so I guess everything is relative. Our server insisted on dessert and gave us a cream puff on the house which was nice! It was flaky and delicious. We will certainly be back. read more

See all

PLEASE... this restaurant is good but not great. Prices certainly do NOT align with food. Ambiance is meh and service is adequate. Super overpriced!!!! Sooo many comparable restaurants without the boogie hype and equally as good. read more

The food and service here are absolutely amazing. I love the atmosphere with low lighting, filled with art. We had the milk bread, which was amazing It was so soft and warm and pillowy on the inside. The beet salad, completely lives up to any compliments it has had before mine! So incredibly fresh and . We tried the Branzino, the ribeye and the lamb it was all incredibly perfect and perfectly seasoned. I particularly enjoyed the puréed parsnips under the lamb. The baby potatoes were as if I had never actually eaten a baby before it was so flavorful and perfectly . Every bite was just so interesting and fun and fresh. Our server and setvice was excellent and provided lots of good recommendations for us. We had the floating island for dessert and it was mind blowing and incredible too I would not miss this restaurant if you get an opportunity to try it, and I will look forward to going back for the reason that their menu changes and I can't wait to see what they come up with. read more

See all

Made a last minute reservation here for dinner on a Friday night, and we were pleasantly surprised that our meal was so good. Grilled whole branzino ($45) was the standout and possibly the best grilled fish I've ever had. Expertly smoked while hanging on a hook over an open flame, this fish was fall off the bone tender, and loaded with flavor (even though I think it was just chives, salt and lemon). Just beware if you sit near the cooking area (or maybe anywhere inside?)--your hair and jacket and child's stuffed animals will smell strongly of smoke. Fine for the hubby, but bothersome for me! Next time I'll leave my jacket in the car and wear my hair in a bun. My only critique on this dish is that there was nothing served with it (where's the starch?) while the short rib came with both salad and fries. Smoked short rib w/fries and a delicious salad ($58) - short rib was boneless (my only question to the waiter lol), tender, very rich and covered in chives. Fries were skinny, crispy and tasty, though I didn't get to eat much since my daughter loves some fries with her ketchup. The salad was simple, fresh and wonderful, covered in cheese. I don't usually order salads, but if this is separately on the menu I totally would. Overall solid, large entree with the 2 accompaniments, but still that branzino was the clear winner. Albacore crudo ($23) - 3 thick slices, smothered in more chives, as well as olive oil and capers. I love me some chives, though since it happened to completely cover 3 of our dishes, it made the menu seem very one note in flavor. We wanted to return on Sunday because the meal was surprisingly good, however they are closed on Sunday, so plan accordingly. read more

See all

The best chicken parm you will ever have. It was so good. I love the open kitchen concept. The service was super amazing. The staff was very friendly. Definitely a must try place. read more

See all

Hands-down one of the best meals I've ever had. Period. There's a clash that makes it exciting the fine dining and a nondescript building in Seaside, the slappin' rap music and the relaxing atmosphere, even down to the art on the walls when you realize that they're a bunch of abstract oil erotic scenes...it's tantalizing and engaging and the service is impeccable. It's kind of family style so you order for the table and they bring it out as appropriate. I could tell you about the food, but there's no point. The drinks are stellar. It was simply amazing. This is a must. Get your reservations and go now. (My phone won't allow me to post pics but you can go to the Internet and see the pictures I posted if you'd like.) read more

...... this is a very different type of restaurant, definitely off the beaten track & worth it~ very casual (this doesn't mean wear your sweats!!) & friendly plus unpretentious menu will appeal to most people. Most of us ordered their burger upon recommendation from a local, however this isn't a burger joint. Some beautiful salads, appetizers plus dinner options. Open kitchen so you see what's happening &. Really GR8 Bar too . I would invite you to go and use your navigation as I don't believe they have ANY SIGNAGE read more

See all

Absolutely phenomenal experience! From the moment we walked in, the hostess made us feel incredibly welcome, warm ,friendly , and attentive.The service was seamless, and the food ? Simply amazing! Every dish was bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. You can tell the kitchen puts real heart into their work. This place is a gem read more

See all

We decided to visit for a date night, the Friday after Thanksgiving, hoping for good food and to give ourselves a break from family. We were immensely satisfied on both fronts. The sharing plates may make it a bit difficult to estimate just how much food we needed, but our server walked us through things very well and we ended up with a number of delightful plates, each of which left us wanting just one more bite. We started with the milk bread, accompanied by a peppery olive oil for dipping. The little gem wedge salad (so we could pretend that we were being healthy, but absolutely worth it without such a pretense), the kampachi crudo with capers and shallots (which prompted a small fight over the last piece), and six oysters. Next up was the 12 oz woodfire cooked ribeye, with pearl onions and fries. The steak was perfect, with the wood smoke rounding things out well. Desert was Ilse Flotante, which didn't get photographed because it was inhaled as soon as it hit the table. The restaurant itself is a lovely space, and not at all noisy - even with all the large parties present. It felt cozy, welcoming, and almost familiar. We both have back issues but had no discomfort, or even had to stand up during our visit. TLDR: the food was great, the portion sizes were actually very good for 2 people, and we really enjoyed hanging out for 2 hours. Definitely some place to look into for special occasions or splurge nights read more

See all

Had an excellent dinner at Maligne tonight. The food and service were great but the noise level was pretty loud. I guess it's fine when you're young but for those of us that are older it is difficult to hear the person across the table. Oh well, the rack of lamb, double burger, trout and tuna were delicious. The tiramisu was awesome and the beet salad was equally delicious. We also loved the warm Brie and Ad Astra bread and our waitress was excellent too. I would give the restaurant a 5 for food a service but the noise level makes me rate the total experience as a 4. read more

i tried the milk bread 6/10 regular bread, nothing over top for me grilled polenta 7.5-8/10 cheesy, soury taste ribeye steak 8.5/10 flavorful food was delicious, great service, vibes are casual, some people came dressed other in pjs. read more

Maligne - milk bread - New American Near Me - Seaside, California

Staycated recently & didn't want to drive all the way to Carmel for a nice restaurant. Maligne is seriously a hidden gem of Seaside! We had passed the restaurant several times without giving it a second glance, until discovering this place via Yelp. Our waitress was very knowledgable about the menu & gave us some great recommendations. The milk bread was flaky yet soft.. perfection & their chicken parm bites had just enough kick! From what we gathered, Maligne may be the only restaurant of its kind/elevated dining in Seaside. Would definitely come back! read more

See all

Wow! Lucky you, Seaside, for having this little secret, AWESOME gem of a restaurant in your hood. We've been coming up to Carmel/Big Sur annually for over 20 years and we are always looking for new places to try since we've exhausted all our usual favorite foodie spots. So, when we got referred to Maligne by our friends at Aubergine (best restaurant in the Central Coast btw) we knew we had to try it. Maligne is only a 15 minute drive from Carmel and very easy to find however the restaurant is in a very nondescript building so be on the look out. Street parking is easy to find too. We actually came here for dinner last night but to be honest we were worried it was going to be closed from the previous reviews we had read here on Yelp but nope. Maligne was definitely open and filled with happy diners. Upon walking in, you enter through antique, heavy, dark wooden door and are greeted by the delightful smoky smells wafting from the wood burning stove in the open kitchen where all the magic is happening. The restaurant itself is modern, dark and cozy. Alexander was our host/server of the night and he was magnificent at his job. We ordered and liked everything single thing we ordered. -Little Gem Salad -Beet Salad (beautiful herbaceous dish) -Crudo -Chicken Parmesan (most unique way we have seen seen chicken parm served and it worked) Steak Diane (Yum. Perfectly executed and the sauce was divine) Fries (Loved them the aioli they are served with) Blood Orange/Mandarin Semifreddo (just wow!) I will DEFINITELY be putting Maligne on our list of favorite restaurants to visit while we are up here from now on. Even though you probably hold the record for the tiniest martinis ever served. Thank you Alexander and Maligne for the good times and fantastic food. And cheers to your talented chefs! read more

See all

We enjoyed a great dinner here once our table was finally ready. We had a 7:30 pm reservation ($25 deposit required per person), arrived at 7:45 (called but they didn't pick up the phone), and were seated around 8:30 pm. We enjoyed a cocktail / wine while waiting which was eventually comped (thanks!) but there wasn't a good place to stand and wait for our table. Once we were seated, our waiter was great and we loved the 6 oysters ($30) and amazing beet salad (smallish but so good). Then my husband had the GIANT chicken parmesan and I had the mussels with fries. Everything was delicious! My husband had another glass of wine (both glasses he chose were very good) and I had a dirty martini which was good too. We shared a great affogato for a light dessert. The ambiance was cool and a bit dark (in a good way) and our table wasn't too loud despite the restaurant being very busy. We'll likely be back and will just be hoping our table is ready around the time of our reservation. read more

We had a reservation at 8 PM on February 13 to celebrate our 26th anniversary. I have the confirmation email for the reservation. And the restaurant was closed. I got a confirmation about the reservation. I tried to call them and the greeting said the mailbox has not been set up yet. So I could not leave a voicemail. Very frustrating and very upsetting especially when we were here to celebrate our 26th anniversary. Not acceptable for this level of restaurant. Not acceptable for any restaurant. I will never come back. read more

Maligne - Restaurant is closed. So upsetting. - New American Near Me - Seaside, California

Maligne is on the Michelin guide so we decided to stop by. Tucked away on an assuming street in Seaside, the customer service and food was amazing. Constantly changing their menu, the team at Maligne do an incredible job utilizing fire and the grill to finish off meats and create delicious entrees. To this day, I still rave about the whole roast chicken I've had. Truly the best roast chicken ever. However, Maligne is not without flaws. Firstly, without a full or even complete bar, basic drinks such as a Negroni are incapable of being made--despite having excellent gins and spirits to choose from. Furthermore, at this price point, pre-mixed cocktails made in batch should not be in the picture. The wine selection is good, but limited--so it may be best to consider accepting a corkage fee. Additionally, my friends and I have come to the belief that the pasta dishes are a bit lackluster. Bottom line, Maligne is an excellent restaurant that SHINES when it comes to cuts of meat and fish but falls short in pasta dishes. The bar and wine selections are great but limited at the price point. Beautiful settings, conversational art, immaculate customer service, and a homie feeling round out the space and experience to be overall positive. read more

We LOVE Maligne!!! My boyfriend grew up in the area and we recently moved back. We found Maligne as it was mentioned in the Michelin Guide. We now visit regularly almost monthly because of how much we love it! We like that the menu does change and new,exciting things are added. Both of us enjoy fine dining and this place is absolutely our go to date night for something a little more casual. We've tried a variety of menu items and cannot recommend the beet salad and chicken parm enough. I DREAM of the tiramisu too. Staff is friendly and they have been growing their front of house for some time. Back in the winter we came in one rainy night for our reservation, but tables were very slow to get up (likely because of the rain). Staff took excellent care of us while we waited. We were brought complementary drinks, had our appetizer and desert comped as well. We are so happy to have found Maligne and that it can be a regular date night spot for us! read more

See all

Maligne has gotten some buzz being fine dining in Seaside so we were curious. From the outside, the building is rather nondescript, almost brutalist and stark and the interior is sparse but allows plenty of room for diners to have "space". The overall effect is relaxing and that carries over to the waitstaff who achieved a perfect balance between attentive without being intrusive. Occasionally engaging in conversation or leaving us to chat. Alex was our waiter and was wonderful. For the food, my wife and I ordered a number of appetizers and split an entree. We each got a glass of wine and dessert as well. Food wise we had: 1) Milk bread with olive oil-awesome with slightly browned crunchy crust and perfect salting. Great with the oil or to mop up sauces from the other dishes. 2) Smoked beet salad- truly exceptional. The beets were sliced thin and rolled and mixed with a sauce, parsley, and other herbs. I'm usually pretty unexcited about beets but the texture and flavor were unique and delicious. 3) hamachi crudo- again came with a great sauce and small jalapeños providing a nice spark. Very tasty. 4)Sirloin with asparagus and hollandaise sauce. Served as a number of sliced, medium rare- steak was perfect- tender and very flavorful despite being lean. Complemented very well by the asparagus which was cooked perfectly- not overdone and soggy. 5) panna cotta and citrus- lovely fresh grapefruit and orange with a silky smooth panna cotta. Combined very well. All in all we loved all the dishes and took home a bit of steak and bread for a "slider snack ". Two caveats: background music may be loud for some. We could have a conversation without a problem but the minimal decor makes for challenging acoustics. Pricing- it is priced like fine dining so can easily be $100-175/person depending on what and how much you order. If you are expecting typical Seaside prices (I wasn't), beware. From my perspective, I had looked at the sample menus so had reasonable expectations, but it is worth being prepared. We are happy to highly recommend and expect we will be back to try different seasonal menus. read more

Came in for an early Fathers Day dinner with my family. This was a Michelin recommended restaurant. I have been to several 1, 2, and 3 star Michelin star restaurants throughout the world, but this has got to be the worst food I have eaten and the service was horrible. I am not even sure how this place was Michelin recommended, unless they knew beforehand the Michelin reviewer was coming and made an exception meal for him or her. The service started off nice, we were greeted and seated and then the rest went downhill from there. There was only one server in the entire restaurant and she was just over worked I assumed. We all asked for water with ice and lemons. Well the water came but no lemons. My sister, my nephew, my brother as well as me asked the waitress 4 separate times for lemons...well we never got lemons. Next we all placed orders from the menu including food, wine and appetizers. She recommended several appetizers which we ordered. The roasted broccolini was undercooked and barely edible. We couldn't even cut it. For $18 I would give it a zero star. Next we ordered the grilled octopus. It was tough as well, I have eaten really good grilled octopus, but this was not one. For $28 I would rate this a 1 star. The grilled carrots were good, but for a few pieces and $16, I would not order again. The crudo ie aged kampachi was really good, 4 stars for this dish. The flavor and texture were good. The special appetizer of the night was beef tartare and it fresh and smooth tasting, 4 star for this dish as well. The wedge salad wasn't anything special either, presentation looked nice but taste wise, it wasn't anything special than I could make at home. We didn't get any WOW from any of the appetizers. As for the entrees, we ordered lasagna, the burger, seabass, halibut, wagyu, and the rack of lamb. The lasagna was quite spicy and tasted bland but the flavor just wasn't there. Let's just say nothing I would have expected from a Michelin recommended restaurant. The burger was cooked well, but hey how can you mess up on a burger. Burger was cooked to perfection and tasted great. The seabass was really good as well. It was tender and the sauce was amazing. The halibut tasted good and the meat was flakey and overall cooked well. The Knights Valley Wagyu was a huge disappointed, it was basically inedible. For me being a meat eater I expected amazing. This wasn't even close to thst. For $180 for the plate you would think it would melt in your mouth, but it was super chewy and had zero flavor. We couldn't even cut the steak with the knife. It would have been nice if they gave us a steak knife rather than a butter knife. Honestly this was the worst piece of steak I have ever eaten. I mean Outback steak was better and more tender than this and I don't even like Outback steaks. A real disappointment for our entire table. We also ordered the rack of lamb which was cooked well, but it was just way too gamey for our liking. I have had amazing rack of lamb at other restaurants in the past that was not gamey...this restaurant was not one. For desserts we tried four selections...the mandarin creamsicle, the pistachio tart, the tiramisu and the affogato. The mandarin creamsicle was very good, the rest was just average. In the end they forgot the entree for one person in our party. My sister NEVER got her entree. We kept asking the waitress and she said it was coming and was getting rude with our party. In the end she asked if we wanted to just take it home, since they totally forgot her order. Normally most restaurants I have been to would apologize and comp that entree, but not Maligne, no apologies from our waitress, they just ended up taking it off our final bill since my sister never received her entree. Disappointment all around. They ended charging us a mandatory tip of 22% for a party of 9. We would NOT have tipped 22% because not only was half our food inedible but the service was horrible. The waitress had a horrible attitude and just asking her simple questions she just wasn't attentive and never even smiled. No way could this restaurant ever get a Michelin star in my opinion. I would give an A for presentation, but that's about it. Anyone can make a meal look good to the eye, but making it taste good is another story. Maligne missed the mark on food and service and I would highly NOT recommend this place if you are staying in Monterey. There are many other restaurants in Monterey you can choose from. For a meal that was over $1300 I would have expected more. read more

See all

Quite bummed to have to leave this review. Have been coming to Maligne since they opened and food is some of the best on the Peninsula. But they handled a recent issue with a pre-deposit quite poorly - within their rights, but a bit shabby for such dedicated regulars. I think the worst part is to have completely ignored my politely written follow-up email. Crickets for days. It's a bit of greedy grab considering our table of three spent more than $500. Very sad to strike this restaurant from our list, will not be returning. read more

Lovely spot for a nice meal in an unassuming, working-class area. Something about the way the restaurant is laid out makes it feel like one massive house, and I liked the open kitchen. Portions are small, but it worked well for me since I wasn't very hungry. We tried the foccacia, figs & proscuitto, and fried calamari as starters. The fried calamari was excellent ("some of the best calamari I've ever had" - my boyfriend), and the figs were nicely sweet (though the dish itself is super basic). My boyfriend really liked the focaccia. I ended up just getting the grilled maitake and beet salad as my "main". Beet salad was unique (slices of beet rolled up), although I'm not sure I loved the buttermilk dressing. The grilled maitake I would skip next time. My boyfriend enjoyed his royale with cheese, though he didn't love the pickle flavored sauce it came with. Tiramisu was a solid way to end the meal. read more

I'll start by saying the food was good!! We'd been excited to try Maligne. I told the server it was my husbands birthday and our 1st visit, hoping he'd tell us a bit about how they did things, like they typically serve " family style" . I ordered a 2019 Pinot noir, he brought a 2022 Pinot noir. I asked why, the menu said 2019? He went to the back then came back saying the menu is wrong. We took the wine anyway, it was OK. He charged me more than what the menu stated as well. Just before the entree came he asked if we wanted to share, we said NO. Then they bring my husbands lamb & 2 side plates. We had already told them we weren't sharing. I waited about 5 minutes for my meal. Then, We decided to share a tiramisu and coffee. All the food was good. Oh and the waiter comped our $6 coffee, WOW, insulting. I never leave bad reviews but I think people should know this. Sorry Maligne! read more

Ohh what a treat ! Love the ambiance and atmosphere.. for our first time we stuck to small plates and the seafood platter.. Smoked Beets were beyond description-( 3 days in the smoker) Flavor is over the top yum, Honest, like no beets you have ever tasted ! The lamb balls and simple salad with delicious with house buttermilk dressing- then a raw seafood platter with - mignonette dipping sauce . Servers are knowledgeable about the wine selection. With a Michelin * -Star on Broadway in Seaside! You must experience Maligne.. be a tad indulgent- experience a meal ! read more

People a 10. Vibe a 10. Food an 8. Smoked beets outrageously good. Milk bread, homemade warm bread rolls but bread rolls nonetheless. Grilled polenta very good. NY Strip cooked perfectly but do you go there for steak and pearl onions? Scallops and clams, meh. The clams have a microscopic amount of clam in the shell and the scallops were great. But clams and scallops in a dish with nothing else with them is unusual. Chocolate mousse was chefs kiss. You order everything at once and they pace the dishes. The pace was done very well. Firing and expediting is on point. I would encourage you to give them a try. Nice to have a Michelin Bib Gourmand in Seaside and $250 for 3 people (including one cocktail) is indeed a good value for the experience. read more