Seafood restaurants in Monterey? Special snowflake requirements ho!

September 15, 2014 3:17 PM

Seafood restaurants in Monterey? Special snowflake requirements ho!

My parents will be visiting California from the Great Plains and I'm taking them and my seven year-old son to Monterey. Mom loves seafood, Dad's not a big fan, and my son hasn't had much beyond shrimp. We're not looking for anything "fancy" (although Passionfish looks delicious), just good, fresh seafood but with options for my son and Dad. Can we get by with the tourist spots on Cannery Row, or does the hive mind recommend something else?

posted by DakotaPaul to Food & Drink (11 answers total)

If you do go fancy, I had the best scallops in my entire life at Passionfish. I can't link right now because my phone is being cranky but I asked a similar question in March of this year.
posted by skycrashesdown at 3:24 PM on September 15, 2014

Thanks, skycrashesdown, I did see your question and their menu looks fabulous. I just don't think there's anything there my son would like. Maybe my mom and I can ditch the other two and go ourselves. :-)
posted by DakotaPaul at 3:33 PM on September 15, 2014

So crazy, I just ate at Passionfish this weekend and was going to recommend it. It's fantastic. The interior is not super fancy, just very clean and modern. It's probably more expensive than the average chai restaurant, but not a lot more. I'd take it over Bubba Gump every time.
posted by GuyZero at 3:33 PM on September 15, 2014

I think this weekend they had steak and lamb as non-fish entrees. And several of the appetizers were not fish. I think the selection isn't bad overall but it's always tough with a 7 year-old.
posted by GuyZero at 3:34 PM on September 15, 2014

In general there are a few other restaurants in Pacific Grove as opposed to right on Cannery row including a pizza joint and a thai restaurant which are both apparently OK according to my spouse who has eaten at them. I think it's a better bet than Monterey proper.
posted by GuyZero at 3:37 PM on September 15, 2014

There is a restaurant in the Monterey Bay Aquarium that I personally think is quite good, with fresh/local/sustainable harvested fare. This is not the cafeteria, but actually a sit-down restaurant with wine lists and a bread basket and all. It also features a gorgeous view - right on the water with binoculars to spot wildlife while you wait. It's a kid-friendly space but still upscale, and the aquarium itself is obviously a great family destination. It is Cindy's Waterfront and they take reservations. Downside is that it's 11-3, so not a dinner meal. They take reservations, but I think you'd probably need to pay to visit the aquarium as well (I am not sure about the last point). It is pricey, but not crazy extravagant.
posted by handful of rain at 4:02 PM on September 15, 2014

It sounds like your family fits the prototype for "tourist family" in terms of appetite precisely. I think you'd find at least 3 places near Cannery Row that would be acceptable. Domenico's is good enough, and diverse in offerings.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 5:33 PM on September 15, 2014

I will second Domenico's with the caveat that I was only at the bar while I waited for my whale-watching tour, but the food looked good, it got mostly good reviews on TripAdvisor, and for some reason one of the owners has an in with the Hillstrands of Deadliest Catch fame, so they have all sorts of photos of the Time Bandit in the place, in case that is of interest.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 7:20 PM on September 15, 2014

We have visited Fish Hopper several times with guests. The food is fine. The highlight is that it's over the water. Sit next to the window and you can see kayakers, sea otters or crashing waves below you. The kids menu is decent and our guests loved the view. My son was delighted to have all the kayakers and paddle boarders wave at him through the window.
posted by saradarlin at 8:16 PM on September 15, 2014

If you are willing to go a little bit off the beaten path, I had a great meal at the Sea Harvest Fish Market & Restaurant, a couple of blocks up from Cannery Row. Lots of fresh, well-priced seafood options, and I believe they also have a kids menu with stuff like corn dogs. They are a functioning market that also has a few tables, so they are both very casual, and also very light on the non-seafood options for Dad. Urbanspoon has recent photos of the menu, as does the Sea Harvest website, in case you want to consult with him about whether he sees anything he'd like.
posted by zebra at 9:14 PM on September 15, 2014

I really loved The Fish Hopper, thought the food was the best I'd ever tasted, but I had just completed my first skydive so I was rather glad just to be alive.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 10:41 AM on September 16, 2014