Best Historic Restaurants in Monterey

Our fifth year in a row having Christmas Eve dinner at Abalonetti’s. Delicious as always with exceptional customer service and a damn fine Long Island ice tea. Scampi was amazing!

Our experience was great across the board. The service was impeccable. The food was great My husband and I had Alaskan halibut with an herbed risotto. The fish was cooked perfectly which can be tricky with halibut. The risotto was good, well seasoned though not quite what I expect in a risotto. My daughter had a garlic herbed roasted Jidorii chicken which was also perfectly cooked and served over buttery gnocchi. The noise level was moderate. The vibe was convivial.Check it out.

We absolutely know we will be treated like royalty when we visit Old Fisherman’s Grotto. Once again they delivered. Sal made us feel like family. We started with calamari and artichokes with a nice drink from the bar. The calamari was crispy with the sauces adding a bit of excitement to each bite. The artichoke was creamy and rich. Bread and butter was served. We felt relaxed and never in a hurry. After the appetizer we put in the order for dinner, double lobster tails for him and 1/2 crab, salmon and grilled shrimp for me. We were both so happy with our meals. Dessert was the cherry on top, ollalieberry pie a la mode for him and and beautiful chocolate and vanilla cake with strawberries for me. Our water was constantly refilled. The view of the harbor was also very relaxing. I can’t wait until we are in town again to enjoy the hospitality once again.

Even though this restaurant is in a touristy area, somehow they still manage to serve amazing food with a down to earth attitude. The ambiance and service are both great, we never feel rushed. We love the calamari steak sandwich and abalone so much that we keep coming back.

We went with a large group and the food and beer were great. I am picky and this place delivered. Try the lamb burger!