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    Vivolo's Chowder House

    4.0 (2.4k reviews)
    Open • 11:30 am - 8:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Vivolo's Chowder House Photos

    VIVOLO'S CHOWDER HOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Outdoor seating
    Good for kids

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    Recommended Reviews - Vivolo's Chowder House

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    Fish & Chips
    Brian T.

    Was looking for some clam chowder in the area and found this place. Great service and has 3 tables for outdoor seating to accommodate a dog. Food came out quick. We got the clam chowder bowl with garlic cheese top. The garlic bread was cheesy and soft. The clam chowder went great with the freshly cracked black pepper. The chowder was creamy and had good chunks of clams. I'd prefer mine a bit more chunkier but solid chowder here. The fish and chips were tasty and came with a decent amount of fries. Both items were crispy.

    Nate M.

    When in a small coastal town, clam chowder is a must. Vivolo's popped up on the Yelp app and we headed straight there. The vibe in here is cozy and the the staff was super helpful when it came to ordering. My wife and each ordered a cup of clam chowder, fried calamari for the table and I ordered the Cajun salad and with chicken. Real talk, the salad was better than the chowder, but that doesn't mean the chowder was bad, the salad just had more flavor. The chowder needed needed some salt and a touch of heat. I added hot sauce and that did help with the flavor. My wife felt the same way about the chowder, it was a little bland. The calamari was delicious, my kids absolutely loved it. The salad is basically a huge chef salad is loaded with flavor bombs like peppercinis, spicy chicken, greens, avocado, blue cheese, bacon, hard boiled eggs, and garlic bread. I swapped out the blue cheese for feta and it was sooo good! They also have a great selection of wines and local beers. Kind of bummer their chowder was a little mid, but I'd come back just for that salad.

    Linguini and Clams
    Terry C.

    Vivolo's Chowder House is known to be popular with tourists, so we waited until well past the usual lunch hours to try their fare. Upon entering, a harried waitress quickly but friendly greeted us and pointed out the last two seats in the restaurant. With the restaurant being packed, the noise level was a bit loud but we were still able to converse. Our waiter, Andrew, handled the busy rush in an expeditious and professional manner. We ordered their Linguini Calamari & Clams, Rock Cod Tacos along with a basket of French fries. The Linguini entree was a perfectly moderate-sized lunch portion. It was excellent. Their Rock Cod Tacos however were a bit disappointing as the rock cod was deep-fried, a bit overdone (and thus chewy), and could have been a larger portion of fish. The generous portion of hot fries were quickly delivered after ordering and were perfect - crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside.

    Soup sandwich lunch special
    Daniel S.

    $28+tt crab sandwich, clam chowder, side salad. Chowder is absolutely worth hunting down. I think the chef adds mushrooms to add depth. Crab sandwich was a top tier "crabby-melt". Salad side was as expected. No complaints. I would definitely eat here again if I was in a slightly higher tax bracket.

    Tim R.

    We had clam chowder and cioppino here. It was all very delicious and filling. Lovely local spot with good service. Perfect meal during our stop in Monterey.

    James L.

    Vivolo's Chowder House in Pacific Grove is a solid spot if you're looking for an unpretentious, classic coastal seafood lunch. It's got a cozy, old-school diner vibe inside--super clean, relaxed, and completely free of any touristy gimmickiness. The clam chowder served in a sourdough bread bowl is definitely the main draw. It comes out filled straight to the brim, thick and creamy without feeling uncomfortably heavy, and packed with tons of clam flavor. Plus, getting those toasted garlic cheese bread tops on the side to dip into the soup is a great touch. Beyond the chowder, their fish tacos are surprisingly good. The fish is fried golden and crispy, topped with fresh pico, cabbage, and huge slabs of avocado on warm corn tortillas. If you want something heavier, the tuna melt on marble rye gets nice and crispy with plenty of melted cheese, and the side salads are pretty fresh too. Service is friendly and down-to-earth. The dining room is on the smaller side so it can get crowded during peak lunch hours, but it's a great, reliable neighborhood joint if you're in the Monterey/PG area.

    corina l.

    As always revisited recently last month and sat outdoor seating enjoyed a nice dinner.. new waitress very kind it was classic car week and we enjoyed everything as usual can always count on great service nice fresh air beautiful ambiance and great tasting food ... yay!! see you all again soon my home away from home the ocean is always my favorite place to have dinner near

    Loved the ambiance of this restaurant. We appreciated all the servers workings as one team with their sense of urgency! Clam Chowder was good but had way too many grilled onions. The Garlic butter on the sourdough lid was super yummy.

    Oysters.
    Sonya E.

    When in the area, one should experience neighborhood staples that people near a far rave about. On a recent trip to Monterey, curiosity landed me at Vivolo's -- a favorite of the locals for nearly four decades. Highly recommend their signature calm chowder - it's everything you expect in a chowder that has been slow cooking for hours. Rich, savory, creamy -- and with hints of celery (?) and potatoes. Not sure of their secret sauce but it was certainly a hit for me! Add some black pepper and tobasco to make it an even bigger hit. The oysters on a half shell were good but not my favorite -- probably not the right type of oysters to serve raw. Other than that, service was great. The restaurant is spacious and inviting. Would definitely return!

    Clam chowder bowl
    Alejandra D.

    still my favorite clam chowder spot! got the same as last time and a 1/2 order of the garlic bread. Service was friendly and the staff were nice. one comment, I think they could benefit from a second restroom b/c I waited a good 15-20 minutes till I got inside and who knows how long it was occupied before I got there.

    Sole fish tacos
    Shalan D.

    Visiting Monterey, checked yelp reviews on suggestions of good dinner choices for Pacific Grove where our hotel was located. The Chowder House had amazing reviews and lot of rave for the clan chowder. I was with my daughter and fiance. Daughter ordered the fish and chips. She said they were so good! You know it good when she ate everything on the plate and only left 2 lettuce leaves that were garnished. Fries and fish were hot and crispy. There is a kids menu as well lots of kid option meal for picky eaters like kids. She order the adult portion fish and chips but there is also a kids fish meal. I ordered the fish tacos with sole fish. That was the fish of the season. The taco were plentiful with cabbage avocado and special dressing or sauce that made they these tacos oh so good! This place was small but had plenty room for drop ins. There was no wait on a Friday night around 630. There is also seating outside front if you prefer. The wait of food was quick! The server and everyone in the establishment had great customer service. Always asking if we needed more water or drinks. It's seems they really care about taking care of you making sure everything is great. I'd highly recommend coming here lunch or dinner. They have a variety of dinner options. Check out there menu and make sure when you are in Monterey or Pacific Grove and go here. You won't be disappointed. But be thankful you did go!

    Decor
    Annie W.

    It had been a number of years since I'd been to Vivolo's Chowder House and I remembered it was really good back then, but this recent visit was a bit of a disapointment. There were four of us and we decided to dine family style. We ordered the fried calamari, a bowl of clam chowder, the pan seared rock cod with lemon butter sauce, and the linguine pescatori. The clam chowder was really good and the rock cod was pretty good, but the calamari was a bit too chewy and the linguine pescatori lacked flavor; just didn't seem to have the richness in the marinara sauce to give it that good homemade taste. In fact, the marinara seemed watered down. While half the meal was a disappointment, the service was still really good. Extra lemon was brought to the table quickly when I requested it and our water glasses were refilled when necessary. I would definitely return for a bowl of chowder if I was in the area, but I'm not sure I would order a complete meal again. When we left, there was a long line waiting for tables, so maybe they were just having an off night!

    Shrimp Scampi
    Justin H.

    Visited this spot in Monterey due to the many reviews they had. Sat outside their restaurant since we had our dog with us. We ordered the shrimp scampi, clam chowder, calamari, and their special pasta. I enjoyed their shrimp scampi; perfectly seasoned for my taste. As for the clam chowder, taste was okay, but I prefer my clam chowder to be on the thicker side. The calamari wasn't seasoned properly, and wasn't exactly crispy...and also, there was a piece of hair embedded with the breading of the calamari, which threw me off. My wife enjoyed her pasta though. Overall, it was nice to try, but unsure if I'll be back for a second visit.

    Quick bite salad and bread

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    Vivolo's Chowder House Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Vivolo's Chowder House

    What's the difference with Boston Pan roasted chowder from the regular white one?

    The Boston Chowder has tomato in it, so it's pink a little thicker and a different recipe from the regular chowder. It's delicious!

    Is the chowder house made?

    Yes it is made in house

    Are you open for indoor dining during Covid19?

    Yes. Here on 7/4/20 and sat inside. They adhered to social distancing when seating inside

    View All 6 Questions

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    Vivolo's Chowder House - seafood - Updated September 2026

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