Monterey's Fish House

Wait time: We were told that the wait time for this restaurant was 30 minutes, turns out we waited for an hour and 15 minutes out in the cold. Giving a more detailed time, we got to the restaurant at 6:50 and got seated at 8:05. Service: When the 30 minute mark came up, we asked the girl (Matron D) with the red hair for an ETA on the wait time, she was being broad and we came out with us still not knowing an answer and wanting to leave. She also flipped to the page, where are our name was written down, and everyone’s names were crossed out, EVEN THE PEOPLE WHO CAME AFTER US was seated before us. I think this is unfair treatment. When we sat down, the waiter came and we told him we were ready to order, instead of taking our order, he told us a bunch of options - basically restating the menu- and we were confused because we just wanted to order. Food: Since we weren’t familiar with this area, we thought the wait was going to be short and ended up staying. The clam chowder came really fast and it was delicious. The bbq baby octopus tasted like charcoal. The clam pasta was soupy, and the pasta was very hard- as if it was undercooked and hard to swallow. The highlight of this dinner was definitely the salmon, although very pricey ($39) it was crispy on the top, juicy on the inside, and it was soft. I don’t know if it was the day, but they were out of stock on a lot of things like the swordfish, muscles, and more seafood. Although I don’t have a picture of one of the other foods we ordered (a hamburger), it was burnt on the side and very well done.

Folks are friendly and helpful. I love the feel and vibe of the place. Prawn pasta is a must try. Love it completely. I think there are other things to try as well. But give their clam chowder a miss. Crab cake is not bad, but probably a little too moist for some.

Wonderful seafood restaurant! Service was outstanding, atmosphere was welcoming and the food was amazing! We drove by many times and had always see a long line in front of restaurant. We finally decided to try it. We arrived Sunday at around 5:15pm, got seated right the way. I had the Sicilian Holiday Pasta and wife had the oak grilled salmon. The pasta came in a large soup bowl filled with chunks of salmon and two other kinds of fish, clams, octopus, calamari, mussels, prawns and pasta. Warm, hardy and delicious. The grilled salmon with pasta were also very tasty. The portions were large, really good value for the price we paid. We will come back again.

Wow! Was recommended by a friend and it didn’t disappoint! Make a reservation and show up on time, it’s worth it! The beer selection was nice and way better price than you would expect in Monterey. Had the crab cake and crab cake ravioli special, as well as the calamari steak parmesan. Right after we left, my wife and I talked about going back again :)

Right away we were greeted, seated and menus in hand. Service was too notch. Cioppino, fish n chips, chowder, raw oysters were for lunch. Excellent taste and quality food. We were very satisfied with our meal. We were the first ones at the door and shortly after it was starting to get packed and it was only lunch time. I've heard stories were people waiting hours to be seated during dinner service. So to have a quality lunch there was best option. They do close between 2pm and 5pm. I highly recommend this place. Even if it's during lunch. Same food and freindly staff.

Woukd definitely recommend making a reservation, because this place was packed even on a weekday. Great service and atmosphere, and the staff were kind enough to answer several questions about the menu, there are a lot of options! The food was delicious, would highly recommend.

We went here for the first time and my food was disappointing. I had the crab cake sandwich and my husband had the calamari sandwich. The $26 crab cake sandwich had no flavor. Honestly, I expected better. My husband's sandwich was better than mine. The calamari was tender and there were 2 generous slices. I don't think I'd go back.

'It Takes 1 Time To Make A Good Impression' Our 1st impression was disappointing 😞 At 1st Cesar was attentive. Then he forgot about us. We felt overlooked & ignored. He forgot about our drinks the 2nd time around. (Looks like he was the waiter, bar tender, boss who's main goal was to hurry up & close up) My raviolis were cold. Ciopinno was watered down. Our bill was not right. Before leaving I used restroom & it was out of order. We just walked out w/ no Ty come again feeling 😪 This was on our bucket list for many years. Left Disappointed.

Excellent experience, excellent staff Amazing fried oysters Great fish options I can see why this race is popular has long lines I can't wait to come back Some things are worth the hype

ATTENTION: THIS WILL SAVE YOUR ASS! Yes of course, we followed the yelp and google reviews and decided to have our lunch here. We ordered the oyster pasta soup and fish which all taste good. But this is just the beginning of the nightmare!!! It's the poisoned apple to Snow White!!! Once after I finished the meal, we continued our way to Carmel. And I started to have lots of smelly gas which I don't often have it. I have to frequently open the car window on the freeway to make the air fresh in the car. Then my family got diarrhea in the night we arrived in airbnb. Then after two days, I got 100F and diarrhea in the night and I am sure it is the seafood issue because the other family members who had the dinner together with us didn't have any problems. Please avoid this restaurant unless you don't care your stomach and smelly gas and fever due to the seafood poisoning!!!

My wife and I stopped in the fish house for a quick lunch. She wasn't super hungry so we opted to just split an entree. I really liked the salmon and it was a super generous portion of fish. The sides were also great (grilled veggies and pasta that come with the entree). I wish we had come here with more appetite so I could try more things on the menu. It is the kind of place where you want to try everything on the menu to find your absolute favorites. We will be back and ready to explore more of the menu next time.

What a great place to celebrate my 35th birthday on 1/29/2025! I booked marked Monterey Fish House after seeing pics on my Yelp feed. We made a reservation and were seated as soon as we arrived. I had the Sicilian pasta, which had a generous amount of seafood and the linguini tasted homemade. Dad got the grilled octopus and his partner got the salmon Diablo pasta, the latter of which she took home and I enjoyed for lunch the next day. We shared a Cesar salad. I had a glass of Riesling. We were seated near the kitchen and thought they seemed efficient. Our waiter was friendly and the food came out quickly. Can't wait to enjoy another meal at Monterey Fish House next time we're in Carmel!

Home of both the regulars and visitors. Great business, congrats. A solid 4 star visit. Quality/Quantity - Complementary Bread with Butter - I noticed the regular customer next to us also got olive oil, balsamic vinegar with parmesan. Asked and you shall receive. So much better than the butter! The picture doesn't do it justice. We had to get seconds of the bread, it was that good (not the bread, but the olive oil mixture). My daughter and I both got the specials, different specials. Then to be more difficult, we asked for subs and changes.... Sorry and thank you. Bowl of Clam Chowder - I had her get a bowl as I said I would help her eat half... After my first spoonful, I stopped. Flavorless in my opinion, but she liked it and ate it all. So I knew after that there was NO way she was going to be able to eat her dinner. She still did a good job with her dinner. :) Crab Cake with Crab Raviolis (custom special) - My daughter subbed the crab raviolis. I really liked the crab raviolis and she really liked the crab cake, win/win. Artichoke Seafood Dish (custom dish) - It was supposed to come with a cream sauce, I subbed it for marina. What kind of noodles was this? I fell in love with it. Decent quantity with both seafood and noodles. Good proportions. Not sure if I would get the artichoke in the future as it kind of threw the dish off for me. Atmosphere - Cool local business. Crazy busy. No reservations, but the locals in line said that because we got here before they open (at 5pm) that we should be able to get in. When we left after 6pm, there was a wait list. Full house. Congrats again. Small to medium size restaurant, but they do a good job with spacing and maximizing the space. I believe they have a very small parking lot, see picture. Not sure if the parking lot next door was theirs also? Either way, because we got here so early, no problem with a great free street parking space. Indoor table, booth, and counter seating. Two clean unisex restrooms. Open 7 days a week from 11:30am to 8:30pm. Service - Good, checked on us often. Friendly and welcoming. Catered to our many requests. My water was never empty, probably not good for my 2 hour drive next, lol. Price - $100 + generous tip. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1994. Look forward to my next visit. Going to try your oak grilled oysters next as I saw it at the table next to us.

It's a cute place - definitely on the smaller side though they don't seat you too close together. The service was insane - so attentive, it felt like every couple minutes we were being checked on which I kinda felt bad about. They also have a lot of specials - probably too many to be honest but they were super detailed with letting us know what was available. Fish was amazing - I will say there was a spice in the piccata I did not like personally so I would ask what spices they use in it if you are concerned about that. I have also done a pickup /take out order from them before and the quality was still good, I was a bit worried since you know, it was takeout but still felt fresh within all the containers.

Update 12/31/2024: still the best seafood place in town, quality remains top notch, service is still fast and friendly, portions are generous. They just completed a minor renovation over X-mas to refresh interior paint etc, but the place is still tiny and tables are hard to get. The line of customers hoping for a table is still 10+parties long 20 minutes before opening for dinner.

With so many restaurants to try in and around Monterey, our list of bookmarks for our trip down here certainly wasn't a short one. However, even among the spots I wanted to check out the most, none stood out more than Monterey's Fish House. In no small part because of all of their reviews (3k+ and counting!), but also because just about all of my friends (Yelp or real life) seemed to have thoroughly enjoyed their meals here! Plus, given how they aren't anywhere near Cannery Row or Old Fisherman's Wharf, this felt both literally and figuratively far from a tourist trap, which is exactly what we were hoping for. Now, even though it may not be a tourist trap in the traditional sense, you could argue this place is still a bit of a Yelp/foodie trap, as a lot of folks make the short driver over here/stop off on the way back to the Bay Area. Thankfully, we didn't encounter a line as bad as what I had heard/feared can form (only about six parties ahead of us on a weeknight). Inside, the restaurant has more of an old school, homely vibe than anything cliche or trendy. As for the menu, across its slate of appetizers, soups, salads, pastas, seafood, and non-seafood entrees, there's a solid variety of offerings to choose from. However, there are even more options once you get through the dozen or so different specials they have on any given day (which was far too many for us to keep track of...). -- CLAM PASTA - Clams Sauteed in a Butter Garlic Clam Broth...$25 This looked great, but it was underwhelming. The clams were terrific, and there was a fair amount of them, but the pasta itself was just okay and the broth was far too wet/runny to stick to the noodles. Also, I wish they shredded the cheese tableside instead of using the dry, pre-shredded parm (that never melts!). -- CIOPPINO - Fish and Seafood in a Tomato-Based Clam Broth with Garlic Bread...$31 As much as the Clam Pasta fell short, this impressed! The seafood (mussels, clams, salmon, shrimp, calamari, and a white fish) tasted great and the broth was super rich, flavorful, and wasn't heavy on tomatoes. If only this came with more than just two pieces of garlic bread so that we could sop up the broth! Although our dishes were mostly fine, we felt like the service fell short. Initially, things started out okay - the hostess was really friendly and the wait for a table was relatively short. However, when our name was called, we thought it was weird how were brought directly to a small table in the middle of the dining room while the couples behind us were given the option of a two top or larger tables by the window. As for our server, he seemed decently nice, but we also got the sense that he wasn't very interested in helping us. He rattled off the specials robotically, paying more attention to his other tables nearby, and then disappeared for a long stretch. After finally returning to take our order, we didn't see him again until he came by to see if we wanted to dessert and then to bring us our check (runners brought out our dishes and refilled our water). While our server was never overtly rude, nor did anything awful happen, it's undeniable we had a bad taste in our mouths at the end of our meal. Even if there was a legitimate reason for his aura of indifference towards us, it still left us feeling like we were more of a bother than welcomed. Given how popular Monterey's Fish House is with locals and tourists alike, though, it's possible that we were just here on a bad night (especially with regards to the service). So, in that vein, part of me that wouldn't immediately rule out coming back to see if things go any differently (and to try a couple of the other dishes I that caught my eye). At the same time, with so many other restaurants still on that list of bookmarks, I might be more inclined to explore one of those first. THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down.

Found this restaurant on Yelp and was talking to the bartender at the hotel about this place. She highly recommended that we go. I'm so happy that we went for it as the seafood was amazing here! The fish, oyster, calamari and scallops did not disappoint. As for the appetizers the portion sizes were perfect for us and the calamari pieces were huge! I really liked the thin crispy layer but the thick juicy calamari underneath it. For our main course we got the specials. The Alaskan Halibut and scallops. Each dish was very unique and different than any place I've gone to. For dessert we had the tiramisu and cheesecake. The cheesecake was so rich and creamy, just the way I like it. The servers and wait staff were super friendly here and very knowledgeable about their menu. The ambiance was cozy and homey feeling. Make sure to come early or make reservations as this place gets very busy.

Had a lovely casual dinner here and sat at the bar since all the other seats were filled. I tried the Sicilian holiday pasta which came with an assortment of seafood: octopus, salmon, clams, etc. The pasta is all hand made and al dente. The other dish I tried is a special and not on the normal menu. I don't remember the exact name, but it was a creamy scallop pasta with some pesto. This was my favorite dish and I'm jealous and it's not available for people to try every night. I also tried the clam chowder, and that is one thing I would recommend not getting. It is very liquidy and not that flavorful. Overall, I enjoyed both pastas and don't think you could go wrong by ordering any of the pastas

Great service, smaller restaurant, good vibes, but okay food. I got the rib eye but I didn't realize it had pesto so that ruined it for me since I strongly dislike pesto. I felt bad & didn't end up having them remake it -- plus I was already starving. The vegetables were okay, it was pretty soggy. There's a parking lot next to it, it's not huge but I think it's plenty. It does get a bit dark at night though. Overall, it was okay.

The family and i went to Monterey Fish house on our last visit to Monterey for my husband's birthday. We didn't make reservations on a Wednesday night but luckily there were some openings and we were seated in 10min. The restaurant is not big inside and can seat maybe 10-12 tables. It's very cozy and had the vibes of a cute house. It felt comfy and cozy like we were visiting a friend or family's home. The food was wonderful! We got clam linguini pasta and grilled snapper. Clams were good and it was cooked it a light broth that was delicious. Linguini had good bite and was tasty: The snapper was fresh and well cooked and came with a side of veggies and pasta. We got a bottle of red wine which was so good too. I couldn't believe a bottle was less than $30...What a steal! The service was fantastic! Our waiter was incredible considerate and attentive. He got our 3 year old extra pasta and veggies on the side without us even asking for us. It was so thoughtful! Also I ordered a cake in the end for desert and asked if they had any candles so I could sing happy birthday to my husband. He not only brought a candle, but had the whole staff sing! They even comp'd us the cake which was so nice of them! Our waiter really was extraordinary and went out of his way to make us feel really special. We were so happy to have chosen this place for our dinner celebration. Food and service were both amazing We'll definitely be coming back soon!

We were on a week long trip to Monterey, California. We didn't know this area, so we weren't sure where we were going to eat. We had been driving all day so we wanted something close to our hotel. We chose Monterey's Fish House, which was 5 mins from where we were staying. As we drove past the location, we were shocked to see it was Not a fancy looking restaurant! But there was a line out the door, so we decided to give it a shot! Luckily, I managed to find parking in their little parking lot, so that was a good sign for us. There was not an empty seat that we could see from the front door, so we were shocked that they only gave us a 10 minute waiting time. As customers were leaving the restaurant and passing us on the walkway, they were happily sharing their recommendations for us on the menu! Especially the Halibut! There were other dishes that were recommended, but it was the Halibut we heard more about. 10 minutes later we were seated. The restaurant is small but welcoming. It was crowded but not too loud to where we couldn't hold a conversation at our table. The waiter promptly greeted us and took our order. I ordered the Surf n Turf, and Diana ordered the Halibut. We were both more than satisfied with our choice! As we enjoyed our meal we noticed how pleasant the staff seemed for such a busy place! From what we could see, everyone was either ordering, eating, or leaving. Staff members were constantly on the move with a smile and friendly gestures as they passed guests. No voices were raised in a negative tone. People were genuinely happy as they visited with people at their table or exchanged dialogue with the staff. We definitely enjoyed our visit to Monterey Fish House!

What a find! (And away from the hustle and bustle of Cannery Row or Fisherman's Wharf.) This place was hoppin'! 45 minute wait on a Sunday evening at 7:15. Service was very attentive. Warm bread and water was brought out promptly and refilled regularly. For starters, we shared a Spinach Salad and Crab Ravioli. The vinaigrette on the salad was more sweet than vinegar-ish, but I preferred it over the traditional vinaigrette. The ravioli was perfect, but the rich, creamy sauce was a keeper to dunk all sorts of goodies in it. The Crab Cakes seemed house made, and they weren't the typical round, symmetrical patties I'm used to. The Scallops were tender, but had a unique salty taste to it. It was different. I just hoped they were fresh. The Sicilian Holiday Pasta was filled with seafood. It looked like Cioppino with a healthy side of pasta. And we couldn't leave without a Cannoli! Fresh and crispy . The House is not too big seating wise. There is a small parking lot, but street parking was plentiful.

Fresh fish, slow service. The quality of the fish was fantastic. However, the service was a bit inattentive. Worth visiting for sushi lovers.

Did dine in this time and it was delicious. Got the: Clam Chowder: Good but not amazing, mostly soup not much clam, but briney and salty. Moss Beach Distillery has the best clam chowder so far! Clam Linguini: Perfect, delicious, amazing. Tons of clams and noodles with extra cheese on top. Noodles are cooked to perfection and perfection. Fish Curry: Would not recommend, not too flavorful and the portions were quite small. Bread Baskets / Service: Fantastic, waiters kept asking if we'd like bread refills and it's delicious. Bread is perfect and tender.

I visited Monterey's Fish House in Monterey, CA on Friday, 7/5/24, around 7 PM. The restaurant appeared to be extremely busy and I decided to wait. It took about an hour to be seated. For dinner, I ordered: *Half on the Shell Oysters *Bowl of Clam Chowder *Cioppino The oysters were extremely huge and fresh. They tasted well with the cocktail sauce, horseradish, and hot sauce. The clam chowder was a tad watery, however, still tasted decent. The Cioppino was phenomenally delicious and flavorful. I loved the abundance of seafood and the tomato broth. The staff members were very attentive and friendly, even considering how busy it was. The inside of the restaurant had a nice setup. Coming here was worth the wait. I recommend trying Monterey's Fish House.

We went to Monterey for a wedding and decided to stop at this place for dinner since it was so well known. I gave it a 4 star but I think it's closer to a 3.75. I ordered the cioppino, and it was good... but not great? Especially for the price, but I guess seafood is a little pricery. I think I'm eating this place a little lower because I don't think I would come back to here, even without factoring in the distance.

Little unassuming restaurant, what a surprise we had from our visit! Was seated immediately and our waiter was friendly and welcoming. My sister and I had the BBQ artichoke, and split the side salad and snapper. The artichoke was perfectly cooked and had a light sauce to accompany it. The salad had a refreshing and tangy dressing. The snapper was prepared slightly battered in a light lemon sauce and paired with mixed vegetables and pasta. The staff is attentive and friendly and the food was delicious. I would recommend

Quaint little restaurant with wonderful, attentive customer service. We ordered the oysters, wow! They were huge, fresh and so good! Hubby ordered the seared ahi tuna, which was cooked over an oak wood grill, fresh veggies, and a really tasty pasta. I ordered the scallops over linguine. The scallops were large, tender and sweet; I did not care for the oak wood flavor. Modelo beer was crisp and ice cold. We would definitely return to try their cioppino, looked fabulous.

I've been here twice now, once during outdoor COVID times and once now during the after times, and enjoyed it greatly. The food portions are stupid large for the price point, the service sitting at the bar was incredibly attentive, and the food is stand-out for the category. What really shows about their sourcing is how many completely different specials they will have on.

A great spot to try fresh seafood in Monterey, and it isn't as expensive as some of the touristy spots closer to downtown. We tried the cioppino and the grilled snapper plate. The cioppino came with a flavorful broth and plenty of different types of seafood like squid, salmon, mussels, clam, and shrimp. I would skip the snapper plate next time, as the fish was under seasoned and the pasta was overcooked. I recommend trying to go off peak hours, we showed up at opening at 5pm on a Sunday, and there was already a line out the door. There's also limited seating for people waiting for their table, so be prepared to wait in the cold! Shoutout to the bartender, he was super friendly, making sure we had everything we needed despite being super busy with drinks and shucking oysters!

Wow! This place doesn't look like much from the outside but inside it's like eating with family. Our waitress Morgan was phenomenal and suggested all of the specials. We got the oysters and the fried calamari as appetizers. The calamari was great and the oysters were HUGE. My husband got the Diablo salmon pasta and said it was great. I got the artichoke pasta special that came with muscles, prawns and scallops in a cream sauce . It's was the BEST seafood pasta I've ever had! Best customer service we have had in a LONG time. It is small so call ahead and make a reservation.

Really enjoyed this place. Wanted good seafood in Monterey and yelp directed us here. Did not disappoint. Oysters were from north west and were tasty, delicious, and HUGE. The seafood was splendid coupled with the pasta made it a truly enjoyable dinner. Only issue, is that it is not big but still popular, so come early or wait a while or eat at the bar which we did, and was fantastic since the bartender was awesome. He shucked or fresh oysters in the video attached. Love this place

Service is excellent. The bread is served cold, which seamed odd. Had smoked oysters and raw oysters to start. They are not kidding when they tell you the horseradish has a kick! We had the ribeye and cioppino. The ribeye was good. The cioppino had a nice flavor but the octopus and calamari were very tough and overcooked. The buttered grilled bread was underdone and a little soggy. Overall it was not a bad experience, but nothing I would crave and come back for. Seating seemed a little packed but was quite comfortable. The bar area is small and it gets a little crowded there.

Everything was so fresh and delicious! My favorite was the grilled oysters and fresh halibut. Service was very friendly and attentive. The atmosphere is very cozy and cute. Definitely try this place out if you are in the area!

Came with a group of 5 on a Friday night at around 6. Only waited five minutes before getting seated! Parking is limited outside, so we parked on the small side streets. The inside is cozy and the servers are friendly! There was complimentary bread that was served. Nothing fancy, it wasn't warm and didn't taste like it was baked in house. We got the calamari to share, and it came with a good amount. Each piece was super soft and tender, not overcooked like most places! I ordered the snapper, which came with a generous amount of fish (with some pesto) and pasta/veggies. It was definitely great value ($24!!), and yummy. Presentation was nothing fancy. We got the mousse to share , and our table enjoyed it. It was rich and chocolatey. Great experience! Would come again.

Came here with quite a few of my fellow graduates the night before graduation to catch up (we're from all over the States). They made a reservation for 12, but 6 more of us showed up and the restaurant was able to accommodate the change easily. I ordered the special, which was an artichoke seafood fettuccine. We also received bread beforehand, which was delicious and welcome since I hadn't eaten for hours! I was so excited for my pasta, which included mussels, shrimp, and scallops along with the artichokes and other vegetables. Unfortunately, more than one piece of my seafood was practically raw and the mussels did not taste good. I was extremely disappointed. I really wish I had ordered the ribeye one of my companions did, as she offered me a bite and it was delicious! The service was ok, I had to flag down the server a couple times to refill my water.

Unlimited amounts of sesame bread for the table. Get the cioppino - comes with 2 huge slices of garlic bread great for dipping. The grilled octopus is a pass- it was very chewy and burnt on the legs and tasted like eating charcoal. Service is great, our water never went unfilled. Make a reservation!

My girlfriend, a friend, and I visited on a Sunday evening for Mother's Day. Despite the place being packed, we were seated within 10-15 minutes. The service was nothing short of incredible. Darwin, our server, was amazing and made excellent recommendations. The menu features Italian fare with a focus on seafood and pasta. I ordered the special, oak-grilled sea bass, along with the oak-grilled oysters, as suggested by Darwin. The oysters had a nice smoky flavor, but unfortunately, they were marred by a lot of shell grit, which made them less enjoyable. My sea bass was overcooked and tough, lacking the flavor I had hoped for. The highlight for me was the house bread service, which was tasty. My girlfriend and friend both had the ribeye steak, which we all found to be mediocre at best. While the food didn't quite hit the mark, the service was impeccable. However, given the quality of the food, I don't see myself returning to this restaurant.

We arrived at 4:45 and waited about 15min as they opened at 5pm. Parking in their lot adjacent to restaurant. We were 2nd in line so able to select a corner table for 2. Service and food was excellent. Hubby ordered the rib eye, salad and and I ordered the special salmon with shrimp scampi. All was very good. Service is great and nice cozy, casual ambiance.

Good parking, good service. They were out of the crab ravioli, and the scallop linguine if I recall correctly. That was fine, it was a weekend. Bit of a compact small restaurant with decent restrooms. The cioppino and prawn pasta came out really good, the second dish was via suggestion from the waiter. Definitely a too-cozy kind of atmosphere for the seafood and pasta that they serve, so that's somewhat odd - contradictory atmospheres in one setting. Overall, though, turned out to be a good experience.

Whenever I am in Monterey, my first stop for a delicious meal is the Monterey Fish House. They have an amazing menu and always have an array of daily specials. I have had the rack of lamb there in the past, which was amazing, but I always recommend getting the seafood. I had the BBQ baby octopus and the artichoke and seafood pasta today. The pasta had muscles, clams, scallops and shrimp along with the artichokes and the sun-dried tomatoes. A truly filling and flavorful meal. The service is always friendly and willing to spend time going over the array of options available to you. They are a little out of the way from cannery row and fisherman's wharf, and they do not take reservations so you may have to wait to get in. But it is well worth the wait. Please give them a try when you are in Monterey.

Monterey's Fish House is a cozy, bustling local seafood spot. My party of eight waited for 40 minutes on a Saturday evening which is not bad, considering we were told the wait would be an hour. Our server was friendly and efficient. The highlight of the meal was the oak grilled oysters! They were absolutely incredible-smoky, large, juicy, and honestly the reason why I'm giving this review 4 stars. I enjoyed my Sicilian Holiday pasta, which had lots of seafood, and I always like to save the complimentary sesame bread and dip it in the broth! As for the things I wasn't so keen on, the fettuccine pasta was quite thick. It also seemed like clam pastas sat on the pass for some time while the other dishes were being finished. All three clam pastas were all a bit cold by the time all the entrees arrived, whereas my Sicilian pasta was piping hot. So, the timing could've been better. The clam pasta could also use more flavor besides butter and garlic. Overall, the grilled oysters and Sicilian Holiday pasta were tasty, but I've had better seafood out there in general, especially given the price.

I wanted so much to love Monterey Fish House but alas... Came here for lunch and we were seated immediately. Food: Appetizers: * Fried calamari: 3/5 didn"t taste fresh. previously frozen and fried .. * clam chowder: 2/5 didn't taste fresh. * Ahi tuna soecial: 3/5 Me and my Nana both ordered the ahi-tuna specials The tuna was a bit overcooked. Came with vegetables and pasta. The vegetables were soggy carrots, zucchini and broccoli... Service: 5/5 Service was top notch. All of the waiters were helpful and attentive. always made sure my soda was refilled. And hot fresh bread always refilled. Overall, I would not return. The service was wonderful but the food was lackluster....

Hands down our favorite restaurant! We literally drive 2 hours just to eat here and drive back home. It gets busy, but there is a reason...Everything tastes delicious! It's a cute restaurant, we love sitting at the bar top!

I ordered the Cioppino. While it was good, I was a bit underwhelmed since the restaurant was hyped so much and it was a 30min wait. Again, it was good, I wish the Cioppino had more seafood, and the broth could have maybe been a tad more flavorful. The garlic bread was fine with not a strong garlic flavor. I think, if I ordered the seafood pasta I would have enjoyed this more, since they have homemade pasta.

ABSOLUTELY WORTH THE HYPE AND MORE!! My husband and I live in Monterey but we're from the Bay. We always see people lined up here before opening and didn't get the hype. Let me tell you, this isn't a tourist trap this place is amazing. We came 30 mins before opening (because I'd rather wait before and get in than after) and got seated. The lobster ravioli was to die for. I'm usually a snob because I feel I can just get frozen lobster ravioli and toss it in a sauce but no this was worth every penny. Very flavorful sauce, homemade pasta, I savored every bite. The place is small and cozy so not the best for groups. There's a small parking lot in the back.

Thankfully, I made reservations for this restaurant. They were willing to seat my party of 8, unlike another seafood restaurant in the area, oh well, their loss of our business. There was a small wait outside this one on the ramp before we were seated, even with reservations. Inside, the restaurant smelled great, so I knew it was going to be a good experience. I ordered cioppino, and the rest at my table had steamed clams and calamari, salmon, ribeye, alfredo, and lots of cups of clam chowder since it was a little chilly outside. Everything enjoyed their food, and we somehow managed to not break the bank and stayed under $250. Service here is excellent like you would expect from a fine dining restaurant, even though it is only a casual setting.

I totally get the hype! We went to dinner Friday night and I made a reservation and I'm glad I did! It was packed. Our server was great and he answered all of our questions. Only downside was the food came out to fast and by the time I got to my crab ravioli it was cold. All the food was still great though. Cozy setting with a lot of tables. I will be back

We came for a late lunch on the way out of town. They were busy but had plenty of seating. Our server was very kind and knowledgeable of the menu. He listed many specials from the kitchen that were not on the menu. A nice touch, but the number of "specials" could warrant a printed daily menu. It was hard to contemplate each option without him repeating the whole thing. We each ordered the special ahi tuna prepared our way. I had mine blackened and cooked med-rare. It came out med-well, almost fully cooked, but tasted delicious. I was happy with the fish. The sides were disappointing. Pasta was served lukewarm and the seasonal veggies were just overcooked zucchini and a couple of carrots (also served lukewarm and unappealing). The fish was fresh but $38 for the plate was more than I thought it was worth.

Service -excellent. Ambiance - crowded and noisy. Food - disappointing. Steak was tough, chewy, not tender. *Table next to us had same issue. Swordfish was perfectly cooked but had no oak smoked flavor to it as advertised. Appetizer (chilled artichoke) had an odd tasting Russian dressing on it, mixed with mayonnaise, that was very unpleasant. Wanted to love this place, but was too disappointed.

Fun classic place for sure, but as a vegetarian who no longer eats fish, it was hard for me to eat here. The pasta had questionable squash of different sizes and shapes, and the sauce had a smoky flavor. I will say the party I was with seemed to love their dishes, and some even managed to clear their plate entirely. I may be the wrong person for this place, but I tried!

TL;DR: Food is good. Waiter and service are fantastic, but the hostess sucks. Wait time will be long so call and make a reservation if you can...literally if can...good luck getting a hold of them on the phone to do that. Under typical circumstances, I would totally give this place 5 stars for the food and even the service, but our whole experience of trying to get through the door was bad enough to dock off one star. I'll get through the good stuff first. BBQ Baby Octopus (appetizer) (5/5) - This dish definitely did not disappoint. You had chewy whole baby octopuses that had a nice smoky flavor and a light citrus from the lemon. Delicious! Crab Ravioli (entree) (4/5) - This dish was pretty good. The ravioli dough was perfectly cooked. The crab ricotta filling and rose shrimp sauce were good. The crab was maybe not as pungent and present, but overall it's a solid dish. Service (5/5) - Our waiter was fantastic! He was very quick, observant, confident, and jolly. His specials' spiel was persuasive enough that we almost changed our orders, but we decided not to. My bf and I shared the crab ravioli, and we were pleasantly surprised when they had already split the dish onto two plates when bringing them to our table. You gotta love that! Now onto the bad part. NO ONE PICKS UP THE PHONE. The day before we went here, we had wanted to order takeout from this place for dinner, but we called at least 3 times, and they did not answer the phone. We ended up ordering from a different place. UNCERTAIN WAIT TIME. The day after which was the day we went, we went for an early dinner around 4:30pm. The parking lot was already packed, and the hostess said it would be at least a 40 minute wait for our group of 6 plus an infant. We were hoping that we could just take a walk along the beach or something and come back, but they do not take phone numbers or even have buzzers so you have to be physically present when they call you in. The father of the infant decided to go back to the Airbnb with the baby since he didn't want her to wait in the parking lot and out in the sun. The rest of us waited for almost 40 minutes. When checking with the hostess on the status after 30 minutes, she was very uncertain of when we would be able to get seated. She said it could be another 40 minutes, and this was when we had told her our party size reduced to 5 adults. When we decided to do takeout instead, she reevaluated and said she would be able to fit us in shortly. Now, I'm not one to just dock a point off for a long wait time if a reservation could have been made on my end, which a handful of people there did do. HOWEVER, it is the fact that we tried to call them multiple times, even the day of to check the wait time, and they failed to pick up the phone each time. It shouldn't be that hard. HOSTESS. Ultimately, the poor side of the experience was due to the hostess who in short was just not good at her job. She did not pick up the phone and inadequately judged wait time which is her main job. She also seemed like she didn't want to be there. Another customer came around when I was trying to speak to her, and it seemed that he was waiting for a seat at the bar and was angry that the hostess did not inform him when there were empty seats at the bar. When asked why she didn't let him know, she waved her hand and gave a wide-eyed passive aggressive response that she forgot about it. It also took us a long time to get our bill, which was the reason I went up to talk to her. When she came around to drop off the bill, we were ready to put our card down then and there, but she quickly turned around and left. Luckily, our waiter saw and picked it up for us. Food was good enough for me to want to return if I'm in Monterey again. It's just unfortunate that the hostess was not that great. Hope we won't have this type of experience next time.

The best fresh seafood in town!! The fish was divine, the long meaty, raw oysters were terrific, the calamari was addicting, the chowder, pasta - mmmmmm!! The attentive staff and the nice ambiance were much appreciated. Being tourist, we're so happy we asked some local her fave resto and that's how we ended up here. Oh my goodness!! Hope to come back and enjoy this awesome resto again in the future. Great job Monterey's Fish House!

My bf ordered the blacken snapper. It was kind of dry. It could've been better I guess. I got the artichoke seafood pasta, which was ok. The pasta is doughy . But I loved the oak grill oysters. Waitress was very nice. Very good service. The people inside were so nice. The couple that sat on my right were friendly. Before the lady left, she said it was nice to be seated next to us and we reply thank you and good evening. The couple on my left were nurses from Sacramento for the weekend also. They were very friendly people also. I would come back again. It was good vibe.

I was passing through Monterey and stopped at this quaint spot for seafood. It's a small restaurant and rather crowded at dinner time. I took a seat at the bar and ordered the soup du jour shrimp bisque. I have had bisques that were too sweet, or not sweet enough. This was simmered just right. My entree, the crab ravioli, was delicious and the crab tasted fresh. The garlic bread, which comes with it, was tasty. The service was impeccable. I only give four stars because the restaurant felt a bit cramped.

My wife and I came here two nights in a row for dinner. The first night I had a crab and shrimp linguine that was amazing. It had a homemade pasta with Diablo sauce. My wife had the Alaskan halibut. The service and food were so good that we came back a second time the next night. I ordered the blackened pork chops and my wife had crabcakes with a side of smoked vegetables. Everything was very good. The crab ravioli was also amazing.

Hands down best seafood I've had in a very long time. I sat at the bar, had a lovely glass of buttery white wine. Started with the oak grilled oysters (featured on DDD) and I cannot tell you how wonderful they were. Huge, sweet, garlicky, and the fresh horseradish packs a punch. Server suggested the scallop pasta (garlic cream sauce with mushrooms and handmade pasta). The scallops literally melted in my mouth. Every employee was friendly and working so hard. It's busy, but absolutely worth the wait!