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Sardine Factory, Monterey, CA
Award-winning

Sardine Factory

4.7 (5093)
$50 and over
Seafood
701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
animated flamesBooked 60 times today

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Romantic
  • Charming
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
    $50 and over
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 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
  • Website
    http://www.sardinefactory.com/
  • 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
  • Location
    701 Wave Street, Monterey, CA 93940
  • 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

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Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 5,093 people are saying

Sardine Factory reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

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
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.8Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • California Central Coast

    Romantic

  • California Central Coast

    Seafood

  • California Central Coast

    Most Booked

  • 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
Sardine Factory in Monterey offers a "classy and romantic" ambiance with "fantastic service" and "delicious food." Guests rave about the wine cellar tour and "amazing" seafood options like abalone bisque and Chilean sea bass. While some find it "overpriced," others highlight it as "iconic" and "a must-visit."
5,093 Reviews

  1. Tim VIP

    Wisconsin72 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great service and food! Highly recommend. Courtyard indoor seating was a bit cold, but managable.

    Is this helpful?

  2. John VIP

    Indiana5 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Ask to take the wine cellar tour - it’s an awesome place. Nicole was our sommelier - she was wonderful.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Saman

    Las Vegas1 review

    5.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Incredible place, with lovely staff. Very accommodating.

    Is this helpful?

  4. David VIP

    Hawaii3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The early 3-course menu is high quality and an excellent value. However, we were only presented with the regular (overpriced) menu when seated, so I had to request that the early 3-course menu be brought to the table. It's embarrassing to have to make such a request and shame on the restaurant for making me do so, especially because they promote the early menu prominently on their site.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Vanessa

    Las Vegas1 review

    1.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Not great for special occasions, my family comes to the sardine factory often and recommended it to me. I came here on my birthday and booked months in advance. Although we booked in advance and came when the restaurant was pretty empty, we were seated in a very random corner at a table for 4 when it was just my partner and I. it took a long time to get service and every interaction felt like we were burdening the servers, we had to ask 4 times for a single glass of water. at the end of our dinner we were expecting to order dessert but when we asked for boxes, our food was packed up and the check came and our server never came back to ask if we wanted to order dessert. i don’t feel entitled to free dessert on a birthday but it felt disrespectful that another woman celebrating a birthday got a dessert for hers, and the couple directly in front of us who were filming their dinner got a free ice sorbet swan. I just wanted dessert so my fiancée could sing happy birthday to me. we sat around for an uncomfortable amount of time waiting for the option to order but we decided just to give up and leave. i was very sad, i had to go to walmart to get a cake and candles since it was the only thing open at that point.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Joe VIP

    Washington DC21 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent service and good but pricey for sure! The rooms were beautiful!
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Joe, Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit overall, we truly value your feedback, and we look forward to your next visit!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Michelle

    Tahoe1 review

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The service was great our server Don was the best, the runners there were it seemed like so many of them coming to the table it felt like we were being rushed. The atmosphere was beyond amazing. I ordered a shrimp pasta it was pretty expensive 61.00, when I got it the dish tasted sour, the sauce mainly that was disappointing, that sour taste overpowered the dish, however Don our server was the best. Super friendly, knowledgeable and made my daughter laugh alot so the sour pasta would t stop me from going back and trying something else.
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Michelle, Thank you for dining with us and for sharing your thoughtful review. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the ambiance and that Don made such a positive impression—he truly embodies the warmth and hospitality we strive for. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to him. That said, we’re sorry to hear the shrimp pasta wasn’t to your liking. Your comments about the sauce are taken seriously, and we’ll share this feedback with our culinary team so we can take a closer look. We truly appreciate your understanding and willingness to return—we’d love the opportunity to provide a five-star experience all around next time. Please don’t hesitate to reach out ahead of your visit so we can help make it extra special. Warm regards, The Sardine Factory Team

    Is this helpful?

  8. Adam

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was my first time dining at the Sardine Factory , and I couldn’t be more impressed! From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was warm and welcoming. The staff were incredibly attentive and made me feel right at home. The food was absolutely delicious—each dish was beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. I especially loved the Surf & Turf! For a first-time visit, this was an unforgettable experience. I’ll definitely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for amazing food and top-notch service!
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Adam, We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your visit and thank you for your review. Your patronage is appreciated and we look forward to serving you again very soon!

    Is this helpful?

  9. Radames

    Las Vegas3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 29, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Sardine factory is one of my favorite restaurants in Monterey. The food is very good and the service always been great. I never been disappointed while visiting the Sardine Factory!
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Radames, 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?

  10. Mike

    Greater Boston19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food was very good and service superb! The staff were prompt, educated and very attentive!
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Mike, Thank you for your kind words and for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit overall, we truly value your feedback, and we look forward to your next visit!

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Sardine Factory is rated 4.7 stars by 5093 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. California Central Coast
  4. Monterey / Carmel
  5. Monterey

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
animated flamesBooked 60 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 Mon–Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:30 pm–9:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 5:00 pm–6:00 pm Daily 8:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $50 and over
  • 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
  • Website
    http://www.sardinefactory.com/
  • 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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