I haven't been to the Grotto in close to 2 decades and even after all this time, their service, food and hospitality is still top tier. My son's first time here so I was glad to accompany him. First of all, from outside the door, to the counter and then our table, we we greeted several times. Our server was also quick and on top of everything our entire time there. Complimentary bread and butter and water topped off throughout the entire meal.

We ordered the Roasted Garlic and Garlic Bread appetizer and 2 cups of Clam Chowder to try. I had no idea it came out in a big ol loaf nice and toasty with plenty of garlic. The clam chowder was delicious. Every spoonful had clams and it paired very well with the garlic bread.

My son had the Calamari Steak Sandwich. The sandwich was very tasty and the calamari was nice and tender, not overcooked and rubbery at all. I had the Linguini Isabella. The pasta was al dente and the buttered cream sauce coated each strand of noodles perfectly. The scallops was nice size, sweet and tender. Shrimp had a great bite to it too.

Love their dim ambiance with a classy old school feel overlooking the bay. This trip was definitely 10/10!!

Great service, great food, traditional atmosphere;charm. I came here several times but never posted. All of my meals here are good. Big portions, very tasty and fast service but never rushed!

Always enjoy my time here with family and friends. Will always love coming here!

This has become our favorite dinner place on the wharf. We come to Monterey once a year and ALWAYS stop in here for dinner. Our waiter, Pablo, was fantastic. (We had previously had him as a waiter another time.) The bread is fresh, the fish is fabulous and well presented, the risotto is to die for, and the dark paneled wood rooms and great soft music make it a romantic evening. We have dined at every other fish place on the wharf, but this one is the best. And a nice touch - besides olallieberry pie - is the long stemmed rose that I was presented upon completion of dinner. See you next time!

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.