Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. California Central Coast
  4. Monterey / Carmel
  5. Monterey
Sardine Factory, Monterey, CA
Award-winning

Sardine Factory

4.7
4.7
4963 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
22:30
Booked 11 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
  • Romantic
Every city has that one can’t miss restaurant, where celebrities feel at home and every other guest feels like a celebrity. Since October 2, 1968, The Sardine Factory’s cachet has made dining in our historic Cannery Row setting a tradition for world leaders, sports heroes and entertainment icons. Our award-winning chefs prepare delectable creations of fresh, sustainable seafood and USDA Prime Aged Beef; winner of Restaurant Hospitality Magazine’s "Best Wine List in America" award. The Lounge’s live entertainment, Happy Hour and affordable menu are a casual alternative to our other dining rooms. Celebrating over 50 years under the same ownership and management! Voted "Best Restaurant in Monterey" by Monterey County Herald readers.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Daily 17:00–21:00 Happy Hour Daily 17:00–18:00 Daily 20:00–21:00
  • Phone number
    (831) 373-3775
  • Website
    http://www.sardinefactory.com/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Benjamin Brandt
  • Private party facilities
    Whether a family gathering or a corporate event, our professional and warmly attentivestaff assists in coordinating each detail. The Sardine Factory offers three unique and elegant dining rooms which provide a choice of ambiance for groups from 12 to 220 and luncheon groups from 25 and up. Call us to get your event started! (831) 373-3775
  • Location
    701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Area
    Monterey
  • Cross Street
    Prescott
  • Parking details
    Enter off of Wave Street ascending the driveway. Self park Sunday through Thursday with self park or valet service available Fridays and Saturdays. ADA Wheelchair entrance from parking lot.
  • Public transit
    MST stop less than 2 blocks away on the corner of Wave St. & David.
  • Entertainment
    David Conley at the Piano Tuesday through Saturday. David has been a professional musician since the age of 17. He has played in numerous bands, opening for various acts such as Steppenwolf, Black Oak Arkansas, Rick Derringer, Crash Test Dummies and more. Versatile and accommodating David takes and plays requests from Led Zeppelin to Elvis Presley to the Everly Brothers.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 4,963 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Great for fine wines

  • California Central Coast

    Romantic

  • California Central Coast

    Seafood

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Best Ambience

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Great for fine wines

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Romantic

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Good for special occasions

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Seafood

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Sardine Factory in Monterey offers an exceptional dining experience with "fabulous" food and "wonderful" service. Guests rave about the abalone bisque and diverse wine selection. The restaurant's elegant ambiance, live music, and attentive staff create a memorable atmosphere for special occasions. Despite its high prices, it's a "must-visit" for fine dining in Monterey.

4,963 Reviews

  1. Rafael

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Extremely overpriced for the portions they give , calamari was extremely chewy and servers took forever to attend us.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Mikayla

    Central Coast

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a great experience! Staff were so sweet due to our recent engagement and our waitress Lea made it so perfect. The food was so tasty and I loved my mushroom pasta, but the star of the show for sure is when we were treated to swan boat duo for dessert. Pic worthy and a lovely evening- will definitely be back again! (:

    Is this helpful?

  3. Doug

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a gem. Fantastic historic restaurant. Great food, decor, service. Fantastic!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Gerrit

    VIP

    San Francisco

    29 reviews

    4.0

    29 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was good but not special. I was expecting something more given the reputation of the restaurant. Price is higher than other good restaurants in area.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Jim

    Central Coast

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service. There were 6 of us and we all had something different. Ribeye, prime rib, sea bass, calamari, octopus and seafood pasta plus 6 different deserts. All the best . Don't skip the abalone bisque.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Dana

    Central Coast

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First timers, but will definitely return again. Wonderful restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. We were seated in the Captains Room. The ambiance was exquisite. I can only describe the service as impeccable, they know how to treat their customers and make the dining experience a delight! Brandon and Pedro were absolutely wonderful!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Elizabeth

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 16 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I would definitely recommend! The food was excellent and the restaurant is very peculiar with different settings throughout the establishment. I really enjoyed celebrating my anniversary there.
    Sardine FactoryResponded 7 days ago
    Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for choosing The Sardine Factory to celebrate your anniversary. We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your delicious food, great service and memorable atmosphere. We appreciate your patronage and look forward to serving you again!

    Is this helpful?

  8. monica

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 12 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful atmosphere and decorum Wonderful service. Large portions

    Is this helpful?

  9. Richard

    VIP

    San Francisco

    28 reviews

    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great venue for birthday celebration for nephew from Texas. Superb service and food.
    Sardine FactoryResponded on 11 December 2024
    Dear Richard, Thank you for choosing The Sardine Factory to celebrate your nephew's birthday. We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your delicious food, great service and memorable atmosphere. We appreciate your patronage and look forward to serving you again!

    Is this helpful?

  10. David

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on 7 December 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Our tiny table was squished up against a Christmas tree and nearly in the entrance hallway where customers were entering from outside. Every time the door opened a gust of cold wind blew over us. My partner, celebrating her 60th birthday, ordered black cod. After one bite she tossed it onto my plate because she could not eat it. It was so rubbery it literally bounced. I gave her my 'petite' piece of salmon which was marginally better. My mashed potatoes (I think that's what they were) was so watery you needed a spoon to eat it, and we had no spoon. The tasteless mess resembled something like a gruel that might be served in a prison. After dropping $250 for what we thought would be an elegant birthday dinner we had to stop at a grocery store on the way back to our hotel because we were still hungry. We will not return to the Sardine
    Sardine FactoryResponded on 11 December 2024
    Dear David, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, especially on such a special occasion as your partner’s 60th birthday. We understand how disappointing this must have been and wish we had been made aware of these issues during your visit. Had we known at the time, we would have done everything possible to address your concerns and make things right. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at (831) 373-3775 and ask to speak to the manager. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. We hope you’ll give us another chance to provide you with the exceptional dining experience that so many of our guests have come to enjoy.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sardine Factory is rated 4.7 stars by 4963 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
22:30
Booked 11 times today
Google Map for Sardine Factory

701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross Street
    Prescott
  • Area
    Monterey
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Daily 17:00–21:00 Happy Hour Daily 17:00–18:00 Daily 20:00–21:00
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Enter off of Wave Street ascending the driveway. Self park Sunday through Thursday with self park or valet service available Fridays and Saturdays. ADA Wheelchair entrance from parking lot.
  • Public transit
    MST stop less than 2 blocks away on the corner of Wave St. & David.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Benjamin Brandt
  • Entertainment
    David Conley at the Piano Tuesday through Saturday. David has been a professional musician since the age of 17. He has played in numerous bands, opening for various acts such as Steppenwolf, Black Oak Arkansas, Rick Derringer, Crash Test Dummies and more. Versatile and accommodating David takes and plays requests from Led Zeppelin to Elvis Presley to the Everly Brothers.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.sardinefactory.com/
  • Phone number
    (831) 373-3775
  • Private party facilities
    Whether a family gathering or a corporate event, our professional and warmly attentivestaff assists in coordinating each detail. The Sardine Factory offers three unique and elegant dining rooms which provide a choice of ambiance for groups from 12 to 220 and luncheon groups from 25 and up. Call us to get your event started! (831) 373-3775

Featured in

Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Restaurant Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable International Ltd. Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo