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Sardine Factory, Monterey, CA
Award-winning

Sardine Factory

4.7
4.7
4955 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 42 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
  • Neighborhood
    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 4,955 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 Ambiance

  • 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.

4,955 Reviews
  1. monica

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

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

    Is this helpful?

  2. Richard

    San Francisco

    28 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    28 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great venue for birthday celebration for nephew from Texas. Superb service and food.
    Sardine FactoryResponded 3 days ago
    Dear Richard, Thank you for choosing The Sardine Factory to celebrate your nephew's birthday. 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!

    Is this helpful?

  3. David

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 1
    Our tiny table was squished up against a Christmas tree and nearly in the entrance hallway where customers were entering from outside. Every time the door opened a gust of cold wind blew over us. My partner, celebrating her 60th birthday, ordered black cod. After one bite she tossed it onto my plate because she could not eat it. It was so rubbery it literally bounced. I gave her my 'petite' piece of salmon which was marginally better. My mashed potatoes (I think that's what they were) was so watery you needed a spoon to eat it, and we had no spoon. The tasteless mess resembled something like a gruel that might be served in a prison. After dropping $250 for what we thought would be an elegant birthday dinner we had to stop at a grocery store on the way back to our hotel because we were still hungry. We will not return to the Sardine
    Sardine FactoryResponded 3 days ago
    Dear David, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations, especially on such a special occasion as your partner’s 60th birthday. We understand how disappointing this must have been and wish we had been made aware of these issues during your visit. Had we known at the time, we would have done everything possible to address your concerns and make things right. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly at (831) 373-3775 and ask to speak to the manager. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts. We hope you’ll give us another chance to provide you with the exceptional dining experience that so many of our guests have come to enjoy.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Emma

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Perfect spot for a special occasion! Delicious food and perfect ambience.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Mark

    Central Coast

    40 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on December 4, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    An old world style experience. The server called me by name, then as our party received bread, water, other food, he then remembered and asked how to pronounce the names of others in our party. Food was very good, and our servers team was very pleasant, professional , and everything you could ask for. A gentleman, not with us, was seated at a table close by with his party and the and the server and his team made every effort to see he was seated, comfortably and moved his and his parties, drinks, chairs etc. to make it so. All with a smile and a wonderful attitude.
    Sardine FactoryResponded 3 days ago
    Dear Mark, Thank you for your recent visit and for taking the time to review our restaurant. We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your food and service. We appreciate your patronage and hope you will visit us again very soon.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Terri

    San Francisco

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on December 2, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Exceptional dining experience!  Can’t  wait to eat there again.  Shout out to our waiter, Dylan  and all the staff who gave us such a wonderful time.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Kevin

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Lovely place, awesome service, awesome food, great time.
    Sardine FactoryResponded 3 days ago
    Dear Kevin, Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit overall, and we truly value your feedback, and we look forward to your next visit!

    Is this helpful?

  8. Julie

    Sacramento

    17 reviews

    5.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on November 30, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everyone from our waiter Jose to Reggie our buser were fabulous & so helpful. Jose had the chef make a linguine & clam dish for me that was not the menu. The restaurant is always so beautiful. 
    Sardine FactoryResponded on December 4, 2024
    Dear Julie, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had an exceptional experience at The Sardine Factory. Your kind words mean the world to our team, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable visit!

    Is this helpful?

  9. john

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 29, 2024

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    Called ahead to make sure I could get the regular seafood menu for Thanksgiving and I was assured, yes. When we got there at 8 pm and they only had a holiday menu. The food I did order was ok but not worth the price. The crab cakes, unfortunately, were soft and expensive as well for not being quality.
    Sardine FactoryResponded on December 4, 2024
    Dear John: Thank you for your review. We’re so sorry for that mixup. Please accept our apology and we sincerely hope you will allow us to serve you again in the future.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Antonia

    Tahoe

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 29, 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time going toSardine Factory and it was for Thanksgiving hands down one of the best restaurant experience I’ve had everything from the food to the service and ambiance was amazing truly we will definitely be back ! If you are looking for a lazy holiday come to the Sardine Factory !
    Sardine FactoryResponded 3 days ago
    Dear Antonia, Thank you for choosing The Sardine Factory to celebrate Thanksgiving. 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!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sardine Factory is rated 4.7 stars by 4955 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 PM
Booked 42 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
  • Neighborhood
    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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