Having lived in PG for 2 years, I can't believe it has taken me this long to try out Rudolfo's. The location is great, it's a wonderful and friendly feel inside. And it's situated in the heart of downtown PG on lighthouse ave. The parking at the time we came was easy peasy lemon squeezy. No appetizers this time, but I've got my eyes on that artichoke for our next dining experience. Kiddo got a cheeseburger. Great flavor, done too a perfect medium. Bun was soft and fresh. Fries were great. I got the pear and arugula salad with the $8 trip tip add on for the top. It was perfect. The salad was lovely with fresh greens and fresh pear. The candied walnuts gave a great contrast and crunch. The tri-tip was flavorful and done perfectly rare, just how I love it. Hubs got the short rib ravioli. I don't customarily love pasta dishes at home or out. But, let me just say, the sauce...tomato sugo sauce....was the most delicious pasta sauce I have ever tasted. Dessert was somewhat underwhelming, but I didn't take a star away because we ate the key lime pie at home the next day or 2 days after. I assume if we had gotten it in house, it would have been fresh and delicious...just like the rest of the fare from Rudolfo's. Highly recommended. read more

Rudolfo's - Pear & arugula salad with rare tri-tip - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Searching on Yelp on where to have dinner in Pacific Grove and decided to try Rudolfo's Cafe. They have a large outdoor area which is really nice and I think even better than their indoor dining. The evening wasn't chilly, so we sat outside. Nextdoor is wild fish restaurant and they had live entertainment with a band playing popular old hits like, "I left my heart in San Francisco." I think the music just made the evening so much more enjoyable! Some people stopped just to dance and they weren't even eating at either restaurants! We were hungry so we ordered 2 pizzas and a pasta to share. Paesano pizza - sausage, pepperoni, olives, mushroom and caramelized onions The pizza bread stayed dry on the bottom and didn't get soggy! Nice chewy and crispy pizza bread with the right amount of savory toppings which surprisingly wasn't too salty. 5/5 Prosciutto pizza - organic basil, prosciutto, arugula, burrata cheese. The prosciutto was salty but the burrata cheese balanced out my palate so it wasn't overwhelming. Very good pizza! 5/5 Braised short rib bolognese with whipped ricotta and parsley oil - how can you resist in-house made pasta? Nothing beats the texture! It's just so much better when it's freshly made versus store bought dry pasta. This is how it should be! The sauce was good as well but the meat was a little bit too salty for me. Maybe if they added cream to the bolognese, it would lighten the saltiness of the sauce. Still a very good dish! 4/5 Tiramisu gelato - Perfect sweetness and flavor! 5/5 We had 3 pieces of pizza left and had to pack it. I also wanted to make room for their gelato! So I walked inside their restaurant where they had ice cream behind the counter like an ice cream parlor. I tried a sample of their pumpkin which was very good. It had pieces of gingerbread cookie in it! But I had my mind set for tiramisu gelato. It was yummy! Loved the coffee liqueur flavor and bits of lady finger biscuit in it. Sweet way to end the evening! I highly recommend Rudolfo's Cafe! read more

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Loved this spot! Nice ambiance and food was exactly what we were craving after a long day in Monterey. Excited to come back and try more read more

Rudolfo's - Carrot Cake - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Don't order coffee. It's about the worst coffee I have ever tasted. Don't order the burrito unless you don't mind greasy tortillas. The menu has no prices. Actually, I didn't see a price listed anywhere. We ordered 1 burrito, 2 chicken tenders and 1 carnitas sandwich. The total, including the nasty coffee, but not including tip was $100. We were served on take-out containers though we had not ordered take-out. On the other hand, taking the food home was a good idea and we did leave. The food WAS tasty and it the portions were generous. The seasoning is on the heavy side, but in general the food tastes good though a bit too spicy. Lastly, would we go back? The answer is no, except that I might go back to taste their gelato ice cream. The main warning is check the price of the items unless you don't mind a surprise at checkout and whatever you do don't order coffee. read more

Rudolfo's is the 'Don't Miss' restaurant in PG! Exceptional cuisine created by the formally CIA educated Rudolfo, who, in addition to being a master craftsman, is also a very interesting conversationalist. Aside from the diverse and delicious menu, Rudolfo succeeded in hiring extremely attentive, polite and friendly team members. read more

Rudolfo's - World's most succulent meatballs! - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Best Tri Tip Sandwich and Onion Rings I have ever had....excellent service. We will be back!!

My wife and I were visiting Pacific Grove for the first time and were looking for a good place to eat for dinner. Rudolfo's knocked it out of the park! Our server was incredibly attentive, thoughtful with her recommendations, and a true delight with every interaction we had with her. We ordered the soup of the day, which lucky for us was an artichoke bisque- the best we've ever had. We also ordered the pesto tagliatelle, which was incredible. We took home a piece of chocolate cake that we have yet to try, but I'm here to say that if you find yourself in the area and want a lovely dining experience, please try Rudolfo's. We will definitely be back. Hopefully sooner than later! read more

Rudolfo's - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

I had the arugula/pear /walnut/gorgonzola salad and lemonade. The lemonade was okay but the salad - ooh la la. The best salad I ever had! The walnuts had a generous sugar glaze and the arugula leaves were evenly covered with the exact right amount of balsamic dressing. Sufficient pear slices and gorgonzola. The decor is tastefully modern, pleasant to look at with an enormous vase of gladiolas on the center table. The waitress was attentive but not overly so. I give it an enthusiastic perfect rating of "Great!" read more

Cute casual place with indoors and patio. Great service, but the Pizza!! OMG. Best pie I've had outside of NY! read more

Rudolfo's - Amazing pizza pie! - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

went with a large group and the staff was amazing taking care of us and even sang happy birthday and gave a complimentary slice of their in house tiramisu. (if it's your birthday you can pick any one of their desserts but tiramisu is the best). I would definitely recommend getting a pasta. I git the burger and was a bit disappointed nonetheless would go back read more

They NEVER answer their phone at night. And when the phone call eventually goes to voicemail, the greeting says their voicemail is full. Of course it is full --- that is because no one ever answered the phone, and unhappy customers left messages that were never returned. So if you want to order to-go, you have to go to the restaurant and then wait for 45-60 for them to prepare the food if they are the least bit busy. And you can't make reservations since they don't answer their phone. NOT ANSWERING THE PHONE IS A CARDINAL SIN FOR A SMALL BUSINESS!!! They do use a small online ordering platform that is cheap (cheap for the restaurant, not for cheap the customer). But that online platform has known security vulnerabilities, privacy concerns and most importantly, there are constant complaints from customers that it overcharges. Avoid Rudolfi's, you will regret it. read more

AMAZING food! The meatballs are the best meatballs I have ever had. Reminds me of Grandma's House. Home made pasta that is spectacular! I cannot say enough amazing things about the chef and the food! Amazing service and ambiance! Recently discovered this restaurant and have already brought family back. We will absolutely be coming back again! read more

Rudolfo's menu is interesting, with a variety of selections to choose from. My favorite dishes are the chicken alfredo and the orange risotto. The restaurant is attentive to dietary restrictions and my chicken alfredo was carefully prepared with that in mind. If you are a risotto fan, the flavors are changed often. Rudolfo's also offers a variety of cookies, ice cream and other desserts. Most of the cookies are all natural and taste incredible. Maddie and the entire staff are very friendly and welcoming. Even though I was vacationing in Pacific Grove, I soon felt like a regular customer, in the best way. I highly recommend this restaurant. read more

My meal was everything I expected and more! Service was 100%, attention and communicated request with Chef ( Thank you Chef). I highly recommend because it really is just that good. Sorry no pictures because, I was too busy demolishing plates . ( Fried Chicken, Caesar Salad and Chicken Fettuccine ) read more

Arrived at 4:15 without reservation, my fault I get it, but at 4:15? Hostess said we could eat inside if we were out by 5:30. Honestly, she was just rude about it. Waitress took our order for food and we never saw her again. We had to ask the hostess for drinks. Someone brought us our bill and we done by 5:00. Wife had the Bees Knees pizza. I had the Wagyu burger. Both plates were very good. The food was very good, service not so much, and ambiance very loud. Maybe we hit them on a bad afternoon? read more

Wow...just wow!! First time here for a business birthday dinner and we were beyond amazed. Tatiana our server was super attentive and kind throughout the evening and we were a party of nine. Our appetizers and food all came out within a timely manner and the food was beyond delicious! Fresh, quality, taste, and portion everything you want in a meal. The chef even came out to say hello to conclude our evening. Hats off! read more

Rudolfo's - Fettuccini Chicken Alfredo - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Cute lil' place in down PG. Had a light meal of mixed green salad w/chicken served with the lightest focaccia. Dressing was light yet flavorful. My espresso martini was yummy! Though it's a small place, when a group of 8 people came in and started chatting, I felt like I was in a beer hall because of the acoustics! I won't hold that against them. read more

Rudolfo's - Espresso martini - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Delicious food. Great service, I highly recommend checking this place out. The hand breaded onion wings were a hit.

Charming location. Absolutely delicious food and dessert was to die for. Great service and a fantastic experience. We will definitely be back! read more

Food was so delicious. Had the pear and arugula salad, parm crusted chicken dish. Service was perfect. Attentive but not hovering. Ambiance is great for a chill meal with friends or family. Definitely will be back! read more

Pacific Grove is my happy place. We wanted to try something new and found Rudolfo's here in Yelp. I'm glad I went. We had Brussel sprouts and the cheesy focaccia for appetizers. Quite a lot of brussel sprouts. It was just on the verge of being too much. I ordered the lasagna. Very yummy. The sauce is like a vodka sauce. Very flavorful. Again - quite a big portion. My husband had the ravioli- he felt it was a bit one dimensional, not very texturally appealing. My son had the chicken Parmesan. Noodles were sticking together. They could have used a bit more time in the water. I like that they make their own pasta. This is quite the feat and I do appreciate this. We Sat next to another restaurant that had a jazz band playing which was a nice add to the experience. read more

When I come to Pacific Grove, this is a MUST! Being from Orange County, it can be hard to find incredible food in other places. This place beats my other finds. They have a dog friendly patio which helped since we brought my dog on our vacation. The ambiance for outside was nice and our server was on top of the game. Inside, it was comfortable and had soft music playing. The menu is so diverse but done so well. All the descriptions sounded so good we came back twice! Our first day we went hard: stuffed artichoke, focaccia bread with oil, tri tip sandwich and the pear arugula salad with tri tip and had dessert of Oreo cheesecake and two berry pie. Day two we tried the cheesy focaccia bread, turkey sandwich and the short rib ravioli. We already are making plans to come back in 6 months solely for the food and amazing service. Thank you for being the highlight of my spring break! PS the cookies are worth it, trust me. read more

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I wrote a draft containing notes when I made a visit a few months back. Normally I would write a long review based on the notes, but I think this sums it up nicely. Food and beer delish Waitress was dim and had never tasted anything on the menu and could provide no suggestions "Uhhh... garlic bread sounds like it could be good?" Open airy and light atmosphere Held against will, waited years for the check to arrive read more

Yum! First spot for a quick lunch. Hungry family group seated quickly and enjoyed friendly service. Food was served quickly and didn't wait long after ordering. Everyone enjoyed their selections. My burger was great. Juicy flavorful meat with great fixins. The Monterey was a huge sandwich could easily serve two. Really enjoyed our patio dining the beautiful California day. Give this place a try! read more

Rudolfo's - Jalapeño Business - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Was looking for some good Italian food after visiting the lighthouse near by. Love going to local places and not chains.... this is no Olive ------.... service was good ... great ambiance . Had a side Ceasars salad ... really good . Not sure how they get that cheese so fine ... then I ordered lasagna and my wife had the fettuccine with chicken.... Both dishes hit homeruns ... sooooo good ... also had some cheese bread focaccia ... that did it ... this was our 10th anniversary dinner and we plan to revisit when we come back to the area .... would love to try some of the other dishes and maybe a dessert. Great portions also ... Thank you read more

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Great sourdough pizza, fresh pasta, and the Caesar salad was spot on. Save room for gelato!

One of the best meals I have ever had! Actually two of the best meals, as we returned the second night that we were in town. Flavorful al dente pasta, with beautiful sauces, the type you savor! read more

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Service 5 stars Food 5 stars Vibe 5 stars Experience 5 stars We were introduced to Rudolfo's food at Pebble Beach Food & Wine and were excited to try his restaurant. Did not disappoint is the biggest understatement ever. I called late in the afternoon to make a reservation and was told I would be put on a waitlist and called if something earlier came up. Less than an hour later we got the call and we were in early! The service, from being greeted as soon as we walked in the door, was attentive, comfortable and excellent. Multiple table touches, water constantly refilled, orders taken promptly, food served at a perfect pace and table cleared regularly. Now for the food. My daughter and I love dining out and make the most of our experiences by ordering a variety. We started with the Cheesy Garlic Focaccia and Fried Chicken, then the Spicy Rigatoni Alla Vodka and Organic Beef Lasagna, and took home a Tiramisu because we couldn't eat any more but also couldn't pass it up. The food was divine. The focaccia was the perfect texture and came in handy to scrape up every bit of sauce from our pasta. The fried chicken was perfectly juicy and the batter was so good and crunchy. The rigatoni spice was perfect and the lasagna is the best one I have ever had. Honestly, everything we had was absolutely delicious and so cravable. My daughter had the Paloma cocktail that was pretty and pretty dang good. The tiramisu managed to last about ten minutes after we got home, and it was perfect. A highly anticipated experience that exceeded all expectations. Cannot wait to go back to repeat our 20 star experience! read more

I got an egg bagel to go because the menu that is on yelp is not the most recent or accurate. Service was OK and the food was OK. For the price I could've made my own. read more

I just stopped in to pick up my food that I had ordered ahead but I wish I had ate in or at least ordered dessert too! I showed up a couple minutes early but my order was ready right when it was estimated to be, great service! The salad was just the right size and the ingredients paired well together. Would definitely recommend if you're in town! read more

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My husband and I had dinner at Rudolfo's for the first time tonight. It was delicious!! Cheesy bread was perfection, spaghetti and meatballs superb and carbonara yum!! Service was great, recommend calling in advance if you'd like an inside table. Very pleased and will return! read more

Food was delicious, service was great! We got the bolognese, the black truffle fries & the special of the day the brisket sandwich. read more

Rudolfo's - Italian Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

Food and service were excellent. I got a mushroom pizza and gelato. The marinara sauce is amazing and they use fresh house made ingredients for everything they cook. They also have the best gelato in town. read more

Food was absolutely delicious! I would give 5 stars for the food. Unfortunately the service was unsatisfactory for the most part. In addition to messing up our order, our server let our drinks sit empty the entire time we were there and never offered to refill them. For $100 bucks for lunch for two people, I expect better service. read more

Everything was fantastic! The ceasar salad was wonderful as well as the chicken parmagane and spicy pasta.

We didn't have a positive and enjoyable and relaxing experience at Rudolfo's Cafe. Service was not personable and friendly. Lasagna was too salty. We had a smaller table, they brought the appetizers and salad and main meals all at the same time, there was no space left on the table for all these plates. Reached out to the manager to no avail, she was very ineffective. read more

Loved it so much we came back for more the second night! We came for the first time on Friday evening. Was pretty busy but we had a reservation. We ordered the chicken Parmesan, bolognese, and spicy rigatoni. Wow. Spicy rigatoni was the star of the show for me. We ended up ordering again for take out on Saturday. I opted to swap out the chicken Parmesan pasta (comes with bolognese) for the spicy pasta rigatoni and wow that is how I will order from now on. So delicious! My only "complaint" would be that I wish they were more heavy handed/consistent with the Parmesan like I've seen in other reviews. read more

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Our favorite PG spot. We love all the pasta's, pizza's, sandwiches, burgers, doesn't matter, it's all good.

Excellent pizza. We ordered the make your own pizza with red sauce , and selected sausage, mushrooms, and caramelized onions for our 3 toppings. Fantastic! We also had the strawberry and beet salad which was excellent. read more

Nice small spot but very loud, even when only 1/3 full it felt awfully loud in there. I had carbonara which was good but unfortunately water based pasta. And server kinda looked at me funny when I asked for ground pepper on it and she never brought the pepper (which I love on pasta). My partner had a pizza which was great and portion sizes were perfect. read more