Amazing Food. Great Service. Authentic Italian! Had Sea Bass Special & perfect view of the water & marine activity.

The service here is absolutely amazing! The views are stunning and the food is out of this world! We started with the oysters and they were fresh and delicious. We then ordered the Cesar salad and the waiter heard us talking about how we loved the anchovies and brought us over extra! We each ordered one of the amazing specials and my fish with truffle ravioli was DIVINE!!! They also have a fabulous wine list and amazing desserts. The cannolis are made in house and sooo good! There is plenty of parking in the lot. The bathrooms are pristine. The ambiance of this spot is just stunning! Perfect for a romantic date night and it has that quaint, high end, intimate Italian restaurant vibe that truly makes you feel like you're on a getaway in Italy. I can't recommend this place enough and I am very excited to go back and try more of their delicious dishes! read more

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First off the ambience is beautiful and calming, we just finished a long motorcycle ride and found this place off of yelp. I ordered the Pollo Piccata, my husband ordered the Tagliatelle alla Boscaiola, both were outstanding! The only other thing I would say is, I sure wish we had one where we live. read more

Osteria Al Mare definitely lives up to its name. From the moment you walk in, it feels like you're visiting a warm, waterside Italian home--inviting, comfortable, and effortlessly charming. The service was friendly and genuinely welcoming, setting the tone for a relaxed, enjoyable evening. They offer a full bar along with a thoughtfully curated wine list. We started with a half-dozen oysters, and the freshness really stood out. The Caesar salad that followed was simple, classic, and full of flavor--exactly how it should be. For entrées, we ordered the Pollo Piccata, sand dabs, and chicken fettuccine. Every dish was prepared to perfection, balanced, and beautifully executed, with not a single complaint at the table. A fantastic dining experience from start to finish--we'll absolutely be back. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Chicken Fettuccini - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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We've come to Monterrey five times previous and walked by this place. No more! I had the sand dabs which strangely I had never heard of until my foodie Chiropractor recommended them the day before. My wife had the short ribs with Polenta. We sat in the bar and Frederico took great care of us even though he was swamped with drink orders. We will be back - maybe before we head home. Make a reservation! read more

Osteria Al Mare - Short ribs with Polenta - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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Nice spot after a dive, good clam chowder and perfect view of the bay. Indoor and outdoor seating. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Clam Chowder - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

Best meal we had in Monterey. The calamari was perfectly fried -- light and crispy, not greasy. The sand dabs were fresh and beautifully prepared. Our waiter was friendly and kept greeting us in Italian, which made the whole atmosphere feel like a genuine osteria -- he even picked a dish for me and steered me toward the Rotelle Di Parma, which was rich and delicious. Stunning waterfront views and food that lives up to the setting. Don't sleep on this place.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​! read more

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Definitely felt like a fine dining experience though the brown kraft paper over the table cloths seemed a little out of place with that. We arrived around 5:30pm on a Friday with no reservations and had no trouble getting seated as a party of two. The food came out fairly quickly. We were there probably 90 minutes, including dessert, they didn't rush us. The food was tasty and nicely presented. Our server was professional and had a huge list of specials memorized. For that many specials I feel like a printed listed would have been helpful actually. The view of the water was nice but it is mostly east facing so not the direct sunset experience. Hoping they can get the fan in the ladies room fixed, it was crazy loud in there. read more

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Love this restaurant. We've been coming for years. Location overlooking the water. Front of the house service excellent. Back of the house food exceptional. Our favorite food in Monterey. Francisco and Frederico are fabulous servers. Celebrated our 56th anniversary and we were surprised by glasses of Prosecco to start. We each had a special - scallops and the lobster tail. Both were perfectly prepared. Calamari and Beet salad for starters. My only suggestion is servers should tell the price of the specials. I asked and decided on lobster at $44. Later a couple at the next table were told the specials but not the price. I know they wanted the lobster but were uncomfortable asking the price. Thank you Chef Maurzio for your fine dining experience. We will continue to be regulars and will bring family and friends. read more

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Fantastic Meal and Fresh Flavors! My friend and I had a wonderful lunch at Osteria al Mare. Our server, Giuseppe, was attentive and friendly, making our experience even better. I ordered the chicken salad with mixed greens and poached pears, and it was fantastic. The ingredients were incredibly fresh, and the flavors worked beautifully together. My friend ordered the clam chowder, and we both agreed it was the best we've ever had at a restaurant--it tasted completely homemade and fresh. The quality of the food is outstanding. You can tell they use fresh ingredients and put care into every dish. I would come back here in a heartbeat and highly recommend it! read more

Osteria Al Mare - Fantastic Guiseppe server - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

We went there for lunch and it was an amazing spot. A beautiful picture perfect Monterey Bay with a stunning view all sorts of sea life out in front of you enjoying some amazing Italian food. All the dishes we had were really good take more of it. Personal preference. The staff was very kind and it was just a nice easy experience. We did go there for a late lunch so there wasn't very many people. read more

One of the best restaurants in Monterey! Giuseppe welcomes you with a welcoming smile from the beginning to the end. You always come away with a warm and wonderful dining experience. The food is consistently very high quality and delicious. We are so lucky to have this wonderful restaurant in Monterey! read more

Service was super friendly but lacked attentiveness. We tried for our check for around 20-30 minutes. Food was okay but the view was amazing. I got their Stew Special and was pretty disappointed. The crab was cold and the best part was the bread...not even the seafood. Sand dabs were also lacking and needed salt and pepper. Clam chowder was average. read more

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Outstanding service and delicious food! Had food out on the lanai and Raul took great care of us

This place was kind of hard to find. We had to walk through a park type area to get to it. But maybe it's just because of where we parked. Idk. We just went to where the GPS told us to go. Anyway, once we found it, we were impressed. It's not super big on the inside, but It's weird because it's spacious but cozy at the same time. They have outdoor dining which I LOVE! But we sat inside because it was a bit chill out. All of the big windows allow you to enjoy the beautiful ocean view that Monterey has to offer. I don't remember the names of our dishes. Mine was a chicken over spaghetti type dish and my husband got some other pasta and marinara sauce type dish. Both were delicious! Very fresh authentic Italian flavors. The service was great too. We will be back again! read more

Osteria Al Mare - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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Great food and view, although a bit pricey. Server was attentive and friendly. As I am nor local, I struggled with how to pay for parking, but figured it out. read more

Great food and great views! Every dish we ordered were cooked just perfectly. Not too overwhelming tart with lemon juice and not too oily. It was a very enjoyable dining experience. read more

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At the edge of San Carlos pier, you get amazing views of the pier and docks and none of the hustle and bustle and OK quality food at the wharf. Our server was Italian and it added to the ambiance and probably made the food taste better. Fritto Di Calamari: cut much larger than normal calamari but still tender and crispy on the outside. Came with a thinly sliced grilled lemon that wasn't really squeezable but the two dipping sauces were great. Rotelle di Parma: rolled pasta, prosciutto cotto, Parmesan, mozzarella, basil, tomato cream. In a very good way tasted like a mix of wet pizza and lasagna. Kids destroyed this. Sand-Dabs Capellini: sand dab, lightly breaded, white wine lemon saffron sauce, pasta and pesto. Simple and beautifully plated, loved this. Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca: A Napoli classic. Fresh tomato, garlic, anchovies, capers, calamata olives, crush red pepper. If you go at the right season you can see sea lions in the rocks if you over the left side of the pier. read more

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We received a suggestion from a local who worked at another restaurant in town to try Ostera Al Mare. This Resturant located on the second floor on the water was a bit of a walk from Pacific Grove 2,3 miles. We did not have a reservation which is suggested but we're seated within about 15 minutes or we could've sat immediately in the bar area at the high tables. Have a good wine list and a full bar. The main area had some small tables and tables that were combine for large groups. You could also eat out outdoors however when it's in the 40°, you may not want to. Wine can be ordered by the glass carafe or bottle. The waiter is Italian and very knowledgeable about the menu both of us at seafood, which was excellent. We did start with salad which had a fresh dressing and anchovies. The cioppino had crab clams, muscles, squid, and fish my wife had a seafood over fresh fettuccine while they had a diverse dessert menu. We were unable to try any as we were too full from dinner. We did take an Uber back to the Pacific Grove area, which took about 10 minutes This place for the average tourist would be considered a hit jump is definitely off the beaten path. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Cioppino - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

Beautiful view, lovely staff, and yummy Cioppino. Would skip the bruschetta next time. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Cioppino! - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

I got door dash and it was AMAZING! The fish picatta over pesto was heavenly and my friend got and loved your clam chowder so much! She hadn't had a good meal in awhile being in a SNF facility so you made her entire evening and month. Overall can't wait to eat again and this time in person to see the restaurant itself and its scenery and service (: read more

Osteria Al Mare - Picatta over pesto - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

Very much enjoyed our experience here. We sat at a high table in the bar and had a great meal. Many of the staff come from Italy and have that genuine Italian culture. The bartender was making lots of drinks and our 2yo loved watching him use the shaker and he took the time to come over and show her the drink inside the shaker, which was just soo sweet. Food was great. No complaints and really enjoyed the fish and calamari. Atmosphere service and food all hit the spot. Would go back! read more

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While in town for a conference, I stopped by for happy hour in the bar area. Osteria Al Mare has one of the best happy hour menus I've seen in NorCal. Great selection and prices. The food was delicious, the ambience was lovely (it's right by the water) and the service was friendly and warm. In addition, I contacted the restaurant a few weeks after my visit to ask for an itemized receipt and they got back to me right away. A huge thank you to the wonderful staff. We'll be back here every time we come to Monterey! read more

My husband and I had our 10th anniversary dinner in this restaurant. First they are really nice with our dog, bringing water. Really friendly service. The ambiance is beautiful, classic, and chic. The food is delicious! The funghi pasta was incredibile good. You will feel in a osteria in Italy. read more

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Single ladies/men. You will be treated like a queen or king. Whether you are a group of people or a solo, you will be treated equally. Very handsome Italian speaking male servers. A plus And look at this huge steak! read more

Osteria Al Mare - Bistecca medium rare - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

Sat outside on the heated patio on a cool and busy Saturday night. Complimentary bread with oil and vinegar came after we put in drink orders. We chose the special fiochi (pear filled pasta with butter and sage) and fried calamari. The calamari was very crispy and light with a wonderful tartar sauce (thes best I've had) and a spicy marinara. Delicious and fairly large with about 20 pieces of believe. We ordered The fettuccine with cream, mushroom fettuccine with truffle, the short rib on polenta and the ravioli with bolognese sauce All were very good. I can see why so many people speak highly of this place. Prices were moderate for Monterey with a view of the marina. Paid for parking which was plentiful. We saw some nice wildlife and enjoyed a beautiful sunny evening with the sun going down while enjoying all of our food Great attentive service also. We will come again to try more items read more

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We learned that this restaurant offers happy hour from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and decided to give it a try. We were impressed by the happy hour food--especially the Ziti in Forno! Also, their selected beer on draft is great! Highly recommend! read more

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If you can reserve a table. If not, it's definitely worth the wait. We had to wait about 20min as a walk in. They have a good menu with well prepared Italian favorites featuring a lot of seafood dishes. I had the seafood pasta, which was tasty and well seasoned. The seafood was fresh. The Tiramisu was delicious and authentically prepared. The interior is elegant with a view of the sea. read more

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When in Monterey, it only makes sense to be on the search for some seafood for dinner. We happened to come across this spot on our walk while we were waiting for a table at Schooners. My boyfriend's curiosity was instantly piqued when he saw the Italian restaurant name and heard the live music, and usually I'm not one to go about changing the plan but I figured it wouldn't hurt to take a look at the menu. I was really in the mood for a seafood pasta and saw that they had a good looking one on the menu at a fair price, which combined with the fact that we didn't have to wait for a table thoroughly convinced me into changing the original plan. The service took quite a while between being seated and getting our order taken and the live music was really loud for my personal enjoyment, but high-quality authentic Italian food and live music are both things that my boyfriend really enjoys so I'll make this a five star review for him. He got the Fettuccine Al Pescatore with a Limoncello Spritz and I got the Fettuccine Al Funghi. I might have a slight shellfish allergy but that's never stopped me before, except when combined with my less slight lactose intolerance meaning that I can convince a shrimp or two over to my plate but cannot convince an order of clam chowder to the table. I wish I could eat clam chowder so bad, it always smells so good in the bread bowl and everyone who can eat it is always talking about how good it is! Anyways, I'm no foremost expert on Italian cuisine but my fettuccine did satisfy my pasta craving. In terms of opportunity cost, Schooners was a little too formal and upscale for the people that we are so I'm glad that we had a good experience at Osteria Al Mare instead. There is a bit of an unpleasant ocean smell if you're dining on the balcony but it's part of the Monterey experience so take it in. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Fettuccine Al Pescatore - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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First time here. We were celebrating my bday and our anniversary . I made a reservation for a table on the balcony . They said they I could when I called. Not only did they not fulfill my request, they put me in the corner with no view of the Marina whatsoever . They didn't tell us the specials until after we ordered drinks and appetizers . I heard them telling another table and one of my favorite appetizers happened to be part of the specials . Very sad . The food is very delicious and authentic . The drinks are great , I would've had another if they came around to ask me . The service was lacking big time. We did not want to have dessert there . Ordered our espresso and asked for the check at the same time because who knows when they would've been back to our table . Not sure if we'll give them another try . read more

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Gotta love Yelp. You may notice that this place has a few bad reviews and a lot of good reviews. It deserves the good reviews. I'm laughing at the few bad ones. The quality of the food is amazing -- unless you want American- Italian food. The service is borderline Italian -- meaning they serve you the food and let you eat; they brought us what we needed when asked. They are Italian; they even answered the phone in Italian when I called. Our group of four had spritzers before dinner which were great. We had the beet salad, the clam chowder, and a couple of pasta dishes. The tagliatelle was great! I really can't think of a strong criticism. This is as my second time there and I'll go back. read more

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Staff was so incredibly friendly and greeted us kindly. They used multiple Italian greetings and phrases which were fun. I made a reservation online which was easy and we got a nice beautiful view of the water as the evening sun was setting. The burrata was delicious and I liked the fried lemon that came with the calamari. The clam chowder was a little too buttery and rich and I needed to add hot sauce to cut it. Overall such a great date night! read more

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This place was smaller than I thought. We went there for dinner last night. It was pretty busy, but we got sat right away with a table outside, just what we wanted. But, the outside felt a little cramped and claustrophobic. The tables were really close together. We've ordered an appetitzer to start off with, the fried calamari, it came out pretty quickly. But, by far, this was the worse flavorless and bland battered fried calamari we've ever tasted!!! It literally had no flavor to it, besides the dipping sauces it came with. Portions were small for an $18 dish. We've ordered their specials for that night. My husband got their lingcod special. I had their seafood soup, similar to a cioppino. All the pieces of seafood was cooked perfectly, except for the shrimp, it was was dry. Each piece of fish was so tender and buttery! The broth was full of flavor! It came to $45 for this dish and came with a lot of seafood. I enjoyed it very much. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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amazing food and amazing service! My sister and I go there every time we go to Monterey. Ambiance is lovely with a view of boats and the water. Food is exceptional! Love the waiters! read more

Best service from waiters that actually are from Italy. The food was delicious. My wife got the salmon it was good but the fettuccine Al pollo was amazing with sun dried tomatoes. We opted to sit inside as it was a bit crowded on the outside deck. The inside was very welcoming and the owner was nice enough to chat it up with us about Italy and what's it's like to order fish there. Overall a very welcoming and yummy dining experience. Will be returning soon. read more

Osteria Al Mare - Fettuccine al Pollo - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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Excellent service, friendly and efficient. Ambiance is warm, casual and folks dressed up. The food is classic Italian, served hot and aromatic. read more

Really nice evening at Osteria Al Mare. The dining area is properly lit and the atmosphere welcoming. Food was spot on with the special seafood stew -we split the meal and had plenty of leftovers! Our server Michael was warm, friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and wines. read more

Service was great, nice to see authentic Italians running it! Food was very good and fresh. A little pricey for the amount you get. read more

Osteria, on the second floor, is on the water and has both inside and outside tables. The server was attentive and helpful. We started with the calamari which was nicely fried without a heavy oil taste. Portion was plenty. The beet salad was nicely dressed without being over the top. The vinegar gave it a nice flavor. The Sand-Dabs were the evening star. Sand-Dabs are local to Monterey. You will rarely find them outside Monterey so give Sand-Dabs a try. Sand-Dabs have a distinctive flavor but not too strong when prepared correctly and fresh. Parking is in a paid lot. Make certain you find the machine or use one of the popular apps. All in all, excellent. We recommend you give Osteria Al Mare a try. read more

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Came last night without a reservation, two of us but were able to sit outside under heat lamps and so glad we did. Sit outside. It was beautiful and actually toasty. Think we found our new favorite place. We split a salad, their large, I had ravioli and cod with truffle and husband has seafood pasta. Both were absolutely delish. Two large cannoli for dessert too plus crafts of Italian red which was their house wine and so smooth! Our waiter was from Sicily so we chatted and very attentive. We arrived at 5:35 on a Thursday and by the time we left every single table inside and out was full with people waiting at the door. Love this place.... read more