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Sardine Factory, Monterey, CA
Award-winning

Sardine Factory

4.7
4.7
4965 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 56 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Great for fine wines
  • Romantic
Every city has that one can’t miss restaurant, where celebrities feel at home and every other guest feels like a celebrity. Since October 2, 1968, The Sardine Factory’s cachet has made dining in our historic Cannery Row setting a tradition for world leaders, sports heroes and entertainment icons. Our award-winning chefs prepare delectable creations of fresh, sustainable seafood and USDA Prime Aged Beef; winner of Restaurant Hospitality Magazine’s "Best Wine List in America" award. The Lounge’s live entertainment, Happy Hour and affordable menu are a casual alternative to our other dining rooms. Celebrating over 50 years under the same ownership and management! Voted "Best Restaurant in Monterey" by Monterey County Herald readers.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 5:00 pm–6:00 pm Daily 8:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (831) 373-3775
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    Benjamin Brandt
  • Private party facilities
    Whether a family gathering or a corporate event, our professional and warmly attentivestaff assists in coordinating each detail. The Sardine Factory offers three unique and elegant dining rooms which provide a choice of ambiance for groups from 12 to 220 and luncheon groups from 25 and up. Call us to get your event started! (831) 373-3775
  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Neighbourhood
    Monterey
  • Cross Street
    Prescott
  • Parking details
    Enter off of Wave Street ascending the driveway. Self park Sunday through Thursday with self park or valet service available Fridays and Saturdays. ADA Wheelchair entrance from parking lot.
  • Public transit
    MST stop less than 2 blocks away on the corner of Wave St. & David.
  • Entertainment
    David Conley at the Piano Tuesday through Saturday. David has been a professional musician since the age of 17. He has played in numerous bands, opening for various acts such as Steppenwolf, Black Oak Arkansas, Rick Derringer, Crash Test Dummies and more. Versatile and accommodating David takes and plays requests from Led Zeppelin to Elvis Presley to the Everly Brothers.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 4,965 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Great for fine wines

  • California Central Coast

    Romantic

  • California Central Coast

    Seafood

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Best Ambience

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Great for fine wines

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Romantic

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Good for special occasions

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Seafood

  • Monterey / Carmel

    Most Booked

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Sardine Factory in Monterey offers an exceptional dining experience with "fabulous" food and "wonderful" service. Guests rave about the abalone bisque and diverse wine selection. The restaurant's elegant ambiance, live music, and attentive staff create a memorable atmosphere for special occasions. Despite its high prices, it's a "must-visit" for fine dining in Monterey.

4,965 Reviews
  1. Kathryn

    VIP

    San Francisco

    28 reviews

    2.0

    28 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    The food was ok, definitely overpriced for what we received. The abalone medallions were overcooked, and at $100, they should have been perfect. The lobster linguini was okay, not much meat in the dish at $65. This is not Michelin level food. The service was good and there was live piano, which was fun. I wouldn't opt to come back as the food should be worthy of the pricing, but this may just be due to being a tourist focused restaurant, and the pricing reflects this.

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  2. Rafael

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 5
    Extremely overpriced for the portions they give , calamari was extremely chewy and servers took forever to attend us.

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  3. Mikayla

    Central Coast

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    It was a great experience! Staff were so sweet due to our recent engagement and our waitress Lea made it so perfect. The food was so tasty and I loved my mushroom pasta, but the star of the show for sure is when we were treated to swan boat duo for dessert. Pic worthy and a lovely evening- will definitely be back again! (:

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  4. Doug

    Los Angeles

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    What a gem. Fantastic historic restaurant. Great food, decor, service. Fantastic!

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  5. Gerrit

    VIP

    San Francisco

    29 reviews

    4.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was good but not special. I was expecting something more given the reputation of the restaurant. Price is higher than other good restaurants in area.

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  6. Jim

    Central Coast

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service. There were 6 of us and we all had something different. Ribeye, prime rib, sea bass, calamari, octopus and seafood pasta plus 6 different deserts. All the best . Don't skip the abalone bisque.

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  7. Dana

    Central Coast

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on December 21, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First timers, but will definitely return again. Wonderful restaurant to celebrate a special occasion. We were seated in the Captains Room. The ambiance was exquisite. I can only describe the service as impeccable, they know how to treat their customers and make the dining experience a delight! Brandon and Pedro were absolutely wonderful!

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  8. Elizabeth

    Central Coast

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 16, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I would definitely recommend! The food was excellent and the restaurant is very peculiar with different settings throughout the establishment. I really enjoyed celebrating my anniversary there.
    Sardine FactoryResponded on December 18, 2024
    Dear Elizabeth, Thank you for choosing The Sardine Factory to celebrate your anniversary. We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your delicious food, great service and memorable atmosphere. We appreciate your patronage and look forward to serving you again!

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  9. Walt

    VIP

    San Francisco

    75 reviews

    5.0

    75 reviews

    Dined on December 15, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Fabulous! A real gem. Fresh seafood. Great service. Good wine selection. Our new go to place when we are in cannery row Monterey.

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  10. monica

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on December 12, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Beautiful atmosphere and decorum Wonderful service. Large portions

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sardine Factory is rated 4.7 stars by 4965 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 p.m.
Booked 56 times today
Google Map for Sardine Factory

701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Award-winning
    1. MICHELIN Plate 2022
  • Cross Street
    Prescott
  • Neighbourhood
    Monterey
  • Hours of Operation
    Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 5:00 pm–6:00 pm Daily 8:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $31 to $50
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak
  • Dining style
    Fine Dining
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    Enter off of Wave Street ascending the driveway. Self park Sunday through Thursday with self park or valet service available Fridays and Saturdays. ADA Wheelchair entrance from parking lot.
  • Public transit
    MST stop less than 2 blocks away on the corner of Wave St. & David.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, JCB, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Benjamin Brandt
  • Entertainment
    David Conley at the Piano Tuesday through Saturday. David has been a professional musician since the age of 17. He has played in numerous bands, opening for various acts such as Steppenwolf, Black Oak Arkansas, Rick Derringer, Crash Test Dummies and more. Versatile and accommodating David takes and plays requests from Led Zeppelin to Elvis Presley to the Everly Brothers.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Indoor Fireplace, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Phone number
    (831) 373-3775
  • Private party facilities
    Whether a family gathering or a corporate event, our professional and warmly attentivestaff assists in coordinating each detail. The Sardine Factory offers three unique and elegant dining rooms which provide a choice of ambiance for groups from 12 to 220 and luncheon groups from 25 and up. Call us to get your event started! (831) 373-3775
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