Yelp

Truly the best food on the wharf, especially the calamari (no chewy rings here, just filets), salmon and crab. We've never had a bad meal! My only critique is some of the booth seating needs restuffing which can make eating a little difficult if you're on the petite side because you have to reach up to your plate. We saw a couple last week that could barely reach the table top. Perhaps they could lower the tables to compensate on the well-worn booths. But the food is excellent!

I had really high expectations in this place..we had a great time, had a window table, waiter was nice. The claw chowder was solid 100%..best I've ever had. The "ultimate seafood pasta" was not a hit...bland with no taste, missing some seasoning, did not have that wow to it. - maybe i need to order something different next time.

I grew up eating the clam chowder from Old Fisherman's Grotto and I have to say that I have not been able to find another chowder like it anywhere else.

On my recent trip back to the area I didn't have a lot of time and could not dine in but I made sure to get multiple containers of the clam chowder to take back to Vegas.

The Monterey clam chowder is rich, flavorful, and just satisfying with plenty of clams, and a really creamy consistency.
Everyone there is nice and I was able to chat with Chris Shake (owner) before I left whom I've never actually met until this last visit.

The restaurant is located on the wharf in Monterey and it hasn't changed much from how it looked when I was a kid which is great. It's easy to find - there is a statue outside and some neon signs and there is a "to go" market outside. I hope to be back soon so I can actually have a full meal.

We've walked by this place a couple times in the past but after looking at reviews we decided to drop in. Very cozy welcoming and friendly staff. Our server was lagging a bit but when she came by she was exceptional. The food was great! Hands down the best oysters Rockefeller, our daughters loved the clam chowder and we really came for the lobster roll. It was perfect. The roll was grilled to a per crisp. We also shared a cup of chowder on the side and we were full for the car ride home. We will definitely be back to try a seafood sample with plenty more oysters.

If you are visiting Monterey I highly recommend trying Old Fisherman's Grotto for some delicious seafood dishes. The crab ravioli was absolutely to die for. It had a phenomenal tomato sauce base with perfectly cooked crab ravioli and a generous portion of crab. The ultimate seafood pasta was also delicious but definitely had a milder flavor as the cream sauce was not as strong. The loads of seafood makes up for the flavor as it gives you all the delicious notes of the sea. Lastly, the olallieberry was the best dessert to end with. It was the perfect amount of sweet and tart.

The restaurant has a beautiful and classy ambiance. It's a great restaurant if you want to impress a lady or man 😉 The service is quick and very kind as they constantly check in on you and cater to your needs. My bf and I even had the opportunity to meet the original owners grandson, Austin, who was so kind, humble, and knowledgeable. He went around to every table to ensure everyone was having a good time and enjoying their food.

Overall the food, ambiance, and service was great! I highly recommend a visit to Old Fisherman's Grotto!

Food: 5
Decor: 3
Service: 4

Came here for lunch after walking in. Overall great food and would definitely come back.

Crab Cakes $22.00
Lightly breaded and grilled, served with Sun Dried Tomato Aioli, Mango Sauce and Mango Papaya Relish
5/5. Tasty crab cakes without too much breading. Complemented very nicely with the mango papaya relish and mango sauce.

Chilled Prawn Cocktail (5) $22.00
3/5. Thought they were just okay. Would probably skip next time.

Original 'Monterey Style' Clam Chowder
Garlic Butter Toasted Bread Bowl$27.00
5/5. Garlic butter bread was delicious, and the clam chowder was very good. It stayed surprisingly warm inside the bread bowl.

Service was good. Restaurant wasn't very full, so we got a booth with a view next to the water.

My party ate in the main grotto thing. Came with complimentary bread and butter and the staff were so generous and caring. The ambiance was so beautiful and cozy and we sat near the ocean-side view. The food was so good, I really recommend the steamed clams because the broth was so yummy. I also really recommend the Isabella linguine!

This place has always had the best fresh calm chowder at the wharf in Monterey Bay. The chowder is fresh and made daily and every spoonful of chowder is so delicious and savory a must try when visiting the area. Staff members have always been friendly and welcoming in all my visits here and if you decide to dine in the wait time is not to long especially since you can always just go across and browse around the souvenir shop. The restaurant has a nice view of the water if you decide you want to sit by the window must not much you will miss out on. The restaurant's lighting is dim, but overall it's nice and has an old vintage feel to it and is clean and restrooms are maintained clean.

I saw a lot of people recommending this restaurant online, so I booked a table on OpenTable ahead of time. Since it was my birthday, the restaurant thoughtfully gave me a window seat with a beautiful view,I was so happy!

The food was all super tasty and the portions were huge. I'd highly recommend the crab tower (sometimes it's a tuna tower, depending on the season) -- so fresh, light, and refreshing. I especially loved that dish. The grilled oysters were also really good.

I ordered the lobster pasta too, and the pasta itself was cooked really well. The salmon was a bit dry for me, maybe because of how it was grilled. I personally prefer it a little creamier, but it didn't really take away from how much I enjoyed the dish overall.

They even brought out a complimentary slice of cheesecake for my birthday, which was delicious.

I'd totally recommend this place, definitely worth a visit!

We came hungry and this spot did not disappoint. Impressed that we got seated pretty quick and our server Mister Giovanni was on it for us. Service was on point and Mister Giovanni was super pleasant. Food came out in perfect order and let me tell you, nothing was left on our plates. Oysters were soo good and the Crab Stuffed Pretzel was my favorite. Cuddlefish was strong so be warned. Cute spot, wish we sat with a view but people watching was fun too.