Exceptional Lunch Experience at The Grotto Restaurant - Old Fisherman's Wharf, Monterey

We had an exceptional lunch at The Grotto Restaurant on Monterey's Old Fisherman's Wharf!

I had read many reviews about the famous clam chowder, and it certainly lived up to the expectations. It was delicious, rich, and generously filled with clams.

Our second dish was the crab cakes, which were absolutely delicious. For the third course, we enjoyed the halibut served with sweet-glazed potatoes. It was a unique combination of flavors, and I had never tasted anything quite like it before!

The service was very nice, the restaurant was clean, and the overall atmosphere made our lunch even more enjoyable.

Highly recommended! We would definitely love to come back.

Warm and welcoming while professional and knowledgeable, Brad was our server and took excellent care of our dining experience. We had been munching our way through Monterey, so he suggested we share a cup of Old Fisherman's famous clam chowder, an appetizer of grilled Castroville artichokes, and a half crab. It was perfect. The clam chowder was the highlight for me - creamy, generous chunks of clam and potato in a well-seasoned broth. My sister, celebrating a milestone birthday, favored the crab. Perfectly flaky, Washington crab, cooked on site, and so fresh.
Don't let the neon outside fool you, this is a lovely restaurant with tables on the water, beautiful lighting at night and professional service. Excellent experience!

Service was great . love the food. I had the swordfish and it was delicious

The resturaunt itself is beautiful, the music choice is classic, and the establishment is very clean. Everyone greeted us as we walked by, asked how we were, and wished us a great day. So friendly!
The food was stellar. My mother said everything tasted incredible and I (who cannot taste) loved the different textures of the food. We ordered the grilled artichoke appetizer, clam chowder, mushroom ravioli, crab ravioli, and a chocolate cake dessert. The presentation of each dish was gorgeous. Honestly, the creamiest clam chowder I've ever had in my life. This place is going to be my new staple for visits to Monterey.

We had a fantastic dinner at Old Fisherman's Grotto! We visited on a Tuesday night, so it wasn't packed at all, and we were lucky enough to get a window table by the window on the second floor with a gorgeous view. The moment you walk into the restaurant, you are welcomed by the most pleasant smell of cooked seafood.
We went with friends who are local to the area and found out they have a special menu for locals. The prices on it were an absolute steal--for just roughly $30, we got an appetizer, an entree, and dessert! The portions were generous, so much so that I couldn't even finish everything. The clam chowder was perfect and not overly salty, and my salmon was beautifully done. Excellent food, great atmosphere, and amazing value if you can catch that local menu! Service was excellent as well, definitely recommend on weekdays.

Great evening starting with their amazing crab cakes followed a wonderful maple soy sauce skirt steak wife had clam chowder she was equally happy with.

I remember coming to Monterey as a kid, visiting the aquarium and seeing the striking view of the bay. But mostly I remember how good and filling the clam chowder was here.

I've always claimed the best chowder I've ever had was right in this area. I forget the name of the restaurant, but it very well could've been the Old Fisherman's Grotto. They definitely have the heartiness, the characteristic sourdough bowl (this time with garlic butter on the crust), and they definitely have the flavor that threatens to flood your senses.

This is a bowl of clam chowder worth having.

The service was good. Everything was brought out fast and the server managed to manage the meal with verve despite the restaurant being busy. I have nothing but praise with the way the meal was presented and delivered.

The ambience is typical sea shanty dive, with all the nautical and sailing paraphernalia. It's louder and busier than I normally like, but it's amazing the trials you'll go through for superb clam chowder.

All in all, this bowl very nostalgic and brought back all the memories I had as a kid. I've nothing but love for this food joint and will have to remember this place for when I might be back.

Food was delicious in every bite! Came over yesterday from Modesto & Sabu made it happen. We didn't have a reservation but he put us at a table against the glass overlooking the bay ...what a treat!
Miguel is what you say when you want the best service. He waited on our table with professional posture! Ask for him when you go in, you won't be disappointed.
Ambiance is incredible & Sabu & his family know how to make this restaurant feel like a destination for fine dining. The views of the Monterey Bay are the best from just about every table.
Do yourself a favor & skip all the ads & the social media suggestions ...head over to the Grotto & treat yourself!

This was the loveliest anniversary dinner any of the restaurants gave us this week. When we checked in for our anniversary and I could see the view, I asked if we could possibly get a table by the window, and they had already set this up for us. We were not only by the window, we had a candle with rose petals and a tablecloth (the other tables did not). They also brought us a beautiful and delicious dessert at the end. Our waiter, Esteban, was the best server we have had all week, and he was a lovely man.

The calamari is absolutely delicious and I wish we had more of it. I was VERY VERY excited for mine, as it is two of my very favorite foods. The sweet potatoes fries did not disappoint. Sadly the coconut shrimp WAS disappointing. I found them to be very bland, and also the dip they served with them did nothing to help. It tasted like they used unsweetened coconut to make the coconut shrimp, and the dip had more of a sour fruit flavor. Though I did try to eat some, I did not enjoy it as much as I should have, given how much I love coconut shrimp. This dish needs some help. My husband really enjoyed his food, and his clam chowder. It's a really beautiful place. I really didn't expect it going into the wharf. It was nice than most of the places we dined in Carmel!