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Sardine Factory, Monterey, CA
Award-winning

Sardine Factory

4.7
4.7
5005 Reviews
$31 to $50
Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 33 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 5,005 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
  • 4.7Service
  • 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
Sardine Factory impresses visitors with its "wonderful atmosphere," "fantastic service," and "exceptional food." The Conservatory room offers a "beautiful setting," and the wine selection is "extensive." Guests rave about the "amazing experience" and "friendly staff," making it a "must-visit" spot in Monterey for special occasions.

5,005 Reviews
  1. Kathy

    VIP

    Los Angeles

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Both the food and service were great, especially the sommelier, he was amazing. I loved the ambiance, except that we were seated near the server station, which was a very busy area. At least ten people bumped into my right side during dinner.

    Is this helpful?

  2. OpenTable Diner

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined today

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great experience, from the moment we got there. We got there a little earlier so we got a couple of espresso Martinis and was just enough time before we got our table. This time we sat at the garden. Beautiful area!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Michael

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Someone named I believe Ted was rule and continued this throughout our meal. Heard he was owners son. Accused me of being told not to return two months prior. I told him I had not been there in two years. He changed the date to December 2022. I further explained that I had never been there in December. He made this a totally horrible experience

    Is this helpful?

  4. Clark

    Central Coast

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    My wife and I came for Valentines dinner and everything out outstanding!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Kayla

    Orange County

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    One of the best restaurants I have ever been to. Absolute highlight of my trip.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Chad

    VIP

    Philadelphia

    6 reviews

    4.0

    6 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 5
    The reason I rated the wait staff as 3 stars is because when asked for recommendations they really wouldn’t provide any feedback ( they said it’s all on personal preference) and they seemed very disinterested
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Chad: Thank you for your wonderful 5-star review! We truly appreciate your support and are glad you enjoyed your experience. We also appreciate your feedback about our wait staff—we always want our team to be both engaged and helpful in guiding guests through our menu. We’ll be sure to share your comments with our management team to ensure our staff is better prepared to offer recommendations in the future. We look forward to welcoming you back again soon!

    Is this helpful?

  7. Greg

    San Francisco

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Sardine Factory is an upscale, old school dining experience. We sat.in the Conservatory, a glass enclosed room, on a stormy Thursday night. The service was 5 star, as was the food. The cost was on the high side of fair. We would eat at the Sardine Factory again.
    Sardine FactoryResponded 4 days ago
    Dear Greg, 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. Michelle

    San Joaquin

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on February 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Service was impeccable. Everyone was so attentive. The wine steward/ sommelier was fantastic, as was everyone who served us. Food was great!
    Sardine FactoryResponded on February 5, 2025
    Dear Michelle, 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. Sven

    Central Coast

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on February 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent restaurant, a great place to stop at if in the area. Quintessentially unique items on the menu, such as Abalone bisque. They do a great clam chowder as well. Dessert menu is large and full of great selections. The captain’s room and conservatory is a beautiful and well crafted space that stands testament to the establishment longevity! An overall great dining experience and fair prices!
    Sardine FactoryResponded on February 5, 2025
    Dear Sven, We are delighted to hear you enjoyed your visit and found it to be “an overall great dining experience and fair prices.” Your patronage is appreciated and we look forward to serving you again very soon!

    Is this helpful?

  10. maren

    San Francisco

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food was superb! Service was perfect. Don was our server and the gentleman that filled the waters and ran food, both made it a smooth and wonderful experience. Don was friendly and professional and made the meal a fun one! Drinks were spot on, and all the steaks were cooked to perfection. Finished with the bon bons which were a fun experience and tasted so good! The musician was awesome! It was lively and lighthearted and people just had so much fun!
    Sardine FactoryResponded on February 5, 2025
    Dear maren, 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?

FAQs

Sardine Factory is rated 4.7 stars by 5005 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 33 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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