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Taste Cafe & Bistro

4.6 (495 reviews)
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What's the vibe?
Quiet
Good for groups
Good for kids
Outdoor seating

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Recommended Reviews - Taste Cafe & Bistro

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Warmed brioche bread pudding
Ashif D.

We recently dined at Taste Cafe & Bistro as a group of nine, on the recommendation of a friend who has been coming here for decades. It's clear why this family-run restaurant has such loyal patrons--the atmosphere is warm and welcoming, and the service truly makes you feel at home. I especially enjoyed their selection of district 7 point noir and the cozy, inviting setting. My friends all loved the food, and overall the dishes were well prepared and nicely presented. Personally, I wasn't as fond of the lamb chops and the evening's special sea bass, as the texture didn't quite suit my taste. That said, the experience as a whole was delightful, and I can see why this place has been cherished for so many years.

Marinated Lamb Filets
Danielle Y.

My partner and I found this place on accident and we were very happy we did! Everything we had was superbly made and extremely delicious. I had the lamb fillets and it was amazing. The spinach was flavorful and tender, the potatoes were complex and well worth it, and the medium rare lamb was perfect. My partner got the butternut squash pasta and it was tangy from the cheese and rich with a hint of sweetness from the red caramelized onions. Truly delicious. The bread pudding was also crazy good too. The owner sat us down and was super welcoming and it felt homey in the restaurant. I could tell that the owner cared about the customers and it seemed like she knew regulars coming in. 5/5 stars

Tuna steak with broccoli and mashed potatoe
Kassie G.

I'd put it in my top 3 recommendations for those visiting Monterey. The staff is incredibly personable and give great recommendations to showcase their knockout dishes while still catering to your taste. I got outdoor seating for me and my pup but the inside is well arranged and decorated from what i saw. The waitress was even attentive to my dog, Paul, and brought out a bowl of water. The food is amazing and the dessert is a must order. I started with the soup of the day which was butternut squash--it was fine but i did add some salt and pepper to it. Then my tuna steak came out within minutes after finishing my bread and soup. It was magnificent perfectly medium rare and came with an incredibly light but delicious sauce. The dessert blew me away though. Especially the bread pudding. I would say decently priced, not cheap but not Carmel expensive. I will be back for more something small that i think could be added to outdoor seating: either a table mat, extra napkin or table cloth for when you set down silverware so it is not just right on the metal table

Butterscotch pudding
Stacey S.

As always, Taste Cafe & Bistro is amazing ! I took some out of town clients here for dinner and they all loved it ! Sue is so sweet and always treats us like family . The fresh halibut special was delicious as well as the calamari appetizer , the eggplant napoleon, the crab cake and the desserts are to die for ! The ambiance is quiet and enjoyable as well .

Valley grams salad with champagne vinaigrette dressing
Teresa V.

My husband and I were fortunate to step into the Taste Cafe & Bistro. The ambiance was cozy and welcoming. We were treated like family and enjoyed conversing with one of the owners. Everything on our plates was amazing and cooked perfectly.

Dinner salad
Bob V.

Food outstanding! Service impeccable! And ambiance very welcoming. We spent the weekend at the Asilomar event center, our first night we went looking for a place for dinner, we saw a mexican restaurant and when we made a u turn my wife sees this cafe & bistro and we decided to make a go with it, it's her birthday weekend so her choice from the moment we set foot inside we have this welcoming feeling. The owners Bill & Sue Karaki run a great restaurant. Bill is head chef where Sue and her son handle the front of the house. For dinner my wife had the sea bass dinner special and absolutely loved it. I ordered the filet rare and it was cooked perfectly. The plate presentation was beautiful, they even sang happy birthday for us. If you're in the area this bistro is a great place to put on your list. Prices are fair service outstanding and food cooked to perfection.

Mussels and meatballs & spaghetti. The mussels were super delicious!!!

An amazing dinner!!! We started with crab cakes, eggplant napoleon and mussels! My husband had the special lamb and beef meatballs spaghetti. Our favorite was the mussels. Service was friendly and attentive. A nice homey and spacious place. We will definitely return! Highly recommended!

Brioche Bread Pudding

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Bill K.

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10 months ago

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4 months ago

We always LOVE taking friends and family to Taste for great entrees, desserts and drinks!

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5 months ago

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6 months ago

Picked up a large Caesar salad to go. There were 2 tiny bits of cherry tomato as though it was a rare commodity. I mean c'mon!

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7 months ago

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11 months ago

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6 months ago

Food, service and location is great!! One of the best places on the Peninsula!! Can't wait to go back!

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2 years ago

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7 months ago

We are thrilled to find a restaurant that obviously takes pride in their menu and their service. This is a winner all the way around!

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2 years ago

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Ask the Community - Taste Cafe & Bistro

Vegan entree options?

Yes, I believe there are…..

Do you have live music?

I've been several times and have never seen any live music there. But the food and service are great!… Read more

Do they serve Thanksgiving dinner?

Sorry we don’t, thank you

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VIN Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique

VIN Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique

4.4(12 reviews)
4.8 mi

We have been here 3 times since opening, and always enjoyed ourselves, and taking our guests also…read more The last time we were only two of us, for at least 1/12 plus, enjoying ourselves. Roslyn, the owner, was there at the bar counter, never came by to say hello, how was your meal, thank you for coming, ZIP, so we won't be back, very unprofessional. My girlfriend also secretly mentioned it was a birthday celebration, to no acknowledgment, which doesn't work in a small town. Sad, but true.

I absolutely love Vin! From our first stop in, we knew we had found a new wine bar that we will…read morevisit over and over again. Roslyn is the perfect host - knowledgeable and welcoming. She has curated a fantastic selection of small production boutique wines. It's obvious she is very picky about what she will serve in her establishment because honestly they are all delicious and great quality. The location itself is just gorgeous. Local art is featured on the walls. The bar seating is comfortable and there are some tables as well. Overall, just a wonderful place to hang out. The thing that makes Vin special is that every single wine is available by the glass! We are talking a lot of wines. It's a wonderful opportunity to try something you won't find in the grocery store. She offers three flights as well; Swirl which is a mix of whites and reds, Savor which is all reds and Sparkle obviously champagnes. In addition, she offers cheese and charcuterie boards curated by The Meatery and a Tahini Fudge Brownie which is baked exclusively for Vin by Sweet Reba's. What would be a more perfect pairing with a nice red....wine and chocolate are just so good together! We stopped in most recently on a Friday night and were treated to live music by Bro. Great singer who was just perfect for the wine room. Roslyn does not carry any local wines which is fine by me. If I want a local wine I can stop at Taste of Monterey or the tasting room itself. When I am in the mood for something truly special, I'll definitely be stopping in Vin. The wines rotate so there is always something new to try. If you have not yet been, run, don't walk. You are in for a real treat!

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VIN Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique - Wine Wall

Wine Wall

VIN Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique - The bar

The bar

VIN Wine Bar + Bottle Boutique

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The Spotted Duck - Berries, chocolate and whipped cream

The Spotted Duck

4.8(164 reviews)
1.1 mi

The restaurant was about 80% full on a Friday night, yet it still felt intimate and comfortable…read more With a capacity of only 49 people, there isn't a bad seat in the house. The fun artwork and paintings throughout the restaurant added so much personality and made the space even more enjoyable. We started with the duck pâté and bread. The pâté was silky smooth with just a hint of sweetness, paired perfectly with the toasted bread. It literally melted in your mouth. The octopus with bean and honey sauce was another standout. The sauce complemented the octopus beautifully. The octopus itself was incredibly tender and soft -- not chewy at all -- and honestly reminded me of some amazing octopus I had while visiting Portugal. The mussels came in a very generous portion, and the tomato sauce was so good you could drink it by itself. For our mains, we had the sea scallops and the seared tuna, and both dishes were excellent. Everything tasted fresh, thoughtful, and well executed. The coffee and tea cups were the Bodum brand, great quality, double-lined, and they kept the drinks warm while still being comfortable to hold. Definitely a memorable dinner in Pacific Grove, and I'd gladly come back again.

The spotted duck is a very cute restaurant here in Pacific Grove. This is a sleepy neighborhood…read moreand there is parking available in front. We enjoyed both the service and ambiance, very attentive and clean inside. What works here? The duck liver pate was excellent, so creamy and all that fat along with it. The mussels, yum also very good! We also enjoyed the recommended seafood bolognese, very flavorful! What didn't we care for? Unfortunately, the duck breast which was dry, and on the small side. We do eat probably wayyy too much duck so we are somewhat critical when we come across it. Definitely would return, always root for small businesses!

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The Spotted Duck
The Spotted Duck - Duck Liver Pate

Duck Liver Pate

The Spotted Duck - Saké |$12

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Saké |$12

Stave Wine Cellar

Stave Wine Cellar

4.7(19 reviews)
1.3 mi
•$$

Great spot for a causal drink or trying something unique. My group stopped in for a birthday…read morecelebration drink. The gentleman serving us was polite and gave great recommendations. I settle on a champagne flight for around $65.00 reflecting three types of

After having lunch at Roy's on a Saturday and hung out at the lounge outside of Roy's, we were…read moreready to head home. Then, we saw Stave's sign and they were open! I sounded surprised because we never had a chance seeing them open. They open at 2p and we usually leave before that time. My husband loves wine so he had to go in and check it out. Most of the time, wine cellar stores like this don't carry decent selections. But Stave's selections blew my husband's mind. He said majority of their selections are decent and priced reasonably, which it's rare to see nowadays. So we decided to stay and open a bottle of wine that interested him. We also ordered their cheeseboard, which they said we can get more breads if we want. My toddler was a fan of their cheese and bread, she finished most of them. Steven was the gentleman who served us. He was friendly, attentive and patient. After I checked in on Yelp, there was this 10% promotion popped up. I showed it to one of the staffs, and she said they have new promotion of 15% off now - even better! Of course my husband had to get some. We ended up getting additional 6 bottles with the 15% off promotion. Loved our experience there. We enjoyed the atmosphere, the service, the selections. Nothing we can complain. Amazing experience and highly recommended for all wine lovers.

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Stave Wine Cellar
Stave Wine Cellar
Stave Wine Cellar - Wines we are buying

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Wines we are buying

The Wine House - Indoor seating

The Wine House

4.5(56 reviews)
13.7 mi

Love the outdoor seating options and my glass of Sauvignon Blanc was wonderful! Enjoyed my burger…read moreand loved that they had a water station set up on the patio.

This place was the cutest getaway for our weekend and celebration of a friends birthday. There…read morewasn't much parking around but you'll find one somewhere if you dont mind walking a short distance. We reserved an outdoor firepit for a friend's birthday, and as other tables left, we sat at them since there were more people than chairs. The ambiance is really chill, pet friendly, baby friendly. A nice selection of wine, beer in a can and on tap and small bites. You order food and drinks inside, if you get food, they give you a number and bring it out to you once it's done. I highly recommend their grilled cheese and tomato soup. I wasn't trying to get that, but the very kind servers recommended it of all things and pretty much sold me on it. It was a great and delicious purchase to pair with the beer that I got, (I'm not much of a wine person). It's a very relaxing and beautiful winery with tasting rooms all around, both indoor and outdoor seating. There are fire pits and heaters everywhere outside in case it gets cold. I with the heaters, it never got too cold during the night. The servers also came out to tell us about last call for food but reminded us we were welcome to stay as long as we'd like. Great service, good snacks, good wine (so I've heard) and good beer.

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The Wine House
The Wine House - Outside patio

Outside patio

The Wine House - More beer

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More beer

Taste Cafe & Bistro - modern_european - Updated May 2026

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