"Monterey’s historic Cannery Row (named for the John Steinbeck novel about the area) was once home to dozens of sardine canneries but is now one of the area’s biggest destinations for tourists thanks to attractions like the Monterey Bay Aquarium and restaurants like the Sardine Factory. When it first opened in 1968, the Sardine Factory was in a run-down, little-frequented part of town; today, the area is considered the heart of the city, and the Sardine Factory one of its most popular restaurants. The menu features all kinds of local seafood, from wild abalone to Pacific sand dabs to, yes, calamari. Order the crispy-fried calamari, or try the parmesan-crusted calamari steak with prawns, scallops, chive risotto, and a lemon-caper butter sauce." - Annalise Mantz