75 YEARS IN THE MAKING
TRUE FINE DINING EXPERIENCE
Consistently, Old Fisherman’s Grotto has been recognized as the champion of Clam Chowder. Over the past two decades, the Grotto’s clam chowder has remained at the forefront in Monterey, consistently vying for the title of the best clam chowder.



Testimonials
from our visitors
We've been visiting Old Fisherman's Grotto each time we stay in Monterey several times a year. This restaurant has exceptional food, amazing ambiance and we are always treated like royalty! It's fun to be recognized by staff members. We cannot recommend this wonderful experience enough! Try the Ultimate seafood pasta or the Macadamia Nut encrusted Halibut, but never pass on the opportunity to enjoy the best chowder anywhere!
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Linda W.
6/28/2026
Best spot for dinner with a view! From the moment we walked in the door we were treated with the up most respect! I believe the grandson walked us to our table and he gave us some history about the restaurant and started a conversation. He offered us a complementary calamari appetizer just for us returning here. Our server Ricardo was amazing. Very attentive and the food was amazing. To end the night we were handed a rose. Thank you for amazing food and amazing view.
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Hayley T.
6/28/2026
We booked a reservation here after going to the Monterey Bay Aquarium, which is about 15 min away. I heard booking a reservation gets you an ocean view, which they gave to us, although the restaurant was pretty empty at 5pm on a Thursday. It slowly filled up though! Unfortunately our view was a bit obstructed by the blinds they put down, but maybe that was for the better it probably would've been very hot with the sun beating on us. Service was attentive and quick, they give all the women a rose at the end of service, which is a nice touch. The upstairs was far nicer than I had expected from the outside restaurant front, which was a nice surprise. The seafood paella was very expensive, but they do give you pretty much everything you could want in it, save for mussels. I booked this place because they apparently have the best clam chowder, and honestly it was alright. For $28 it was a bit hard to get past the sticker price for creamy soup and bread. For the quintessential Monterey clam chowder experience though, this is a pretty good location to do so. The drinks were awful though, do avoid!
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Nicole A.
6/25/2026
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