Top Asian Restaurant in Pacific Grove
Takara Sushi Japanese Restaurant
218 17th St, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
Saw the good reviews and came here for dinner today. I was really expecting some good food and service as written in the previous reviews. After we sat down, we took a few moment to browse through the menu. Since I saw the sushi menu, I was wondering if they have seared salmon sushi, so I asked the lady. She replied that they only have simple basic sushi and if I want to eat seared salmon sushi I should leave and go out, turn left to Crystal fish instead. I was confused by her answer but since I was really hungry I stayed. A few minutes later, I knew what I want and asked the lady if I can order some food. This time she yelled at me saying that “you know I have lots of guests here (actually only 6 at that time) and if you are in a hurry you should go to Crystal fish and have your sushi. It's not far away and you can go there fast. You cannot expect me to serve you anytime soon because I am very busy now!” I was shocked by her words and didn't know how to reply. Although all I did was trying to place an order like a normal customer, I felt hatred from the shop owner lady. I have never experienced anything like this before. So if you don't want to go through the same thing as me, DO NOT go to this restaurant. I almost cried when I got “chased out” of the restaurant by her words.
Pacific Thai Cuisine
663 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
I really wanted to give this place 5 stars because the service was friendly but the food lacks the flavor and spice I love when in comes to Thai cuisine. I ordered Thai HOT there was ZERO kick or spice in the Eggplant Delight, not worth the price paid. The dish seemed more sweet like Chinese food. I guess I am spoiled when it comes to Asian food living in the SF Bay Area, when it comes to any Asian cuisine the Monterey / Carmel Area pretty much sucks, you are better off going to Panda Express. If you love Thai food like I do I would avoid it when visiting the area, the Asian food here is made for tourist visiting from the midwest. FYI: This is the 7th Asian restaurant Ive tried in the area... all were disappointing.
China House
125 Ocean View Blvd #126, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
There was only one server and I had a party of 15. The server was nice. However, the service was just bad for my party. The server didnt give us water after requesting several times. Eventually, we got our own glasses of water. But she did give water to all of the other parties that came after my party. She didnt take our order until we told her twice that we were ready. She was giving good service to other parties but ours. My party wasnt being rude or obnoxious. We were polite and patient. However, it appeared that she took advantage of that and tended to her other customers. Honestly, I think she ignored my party because: 1. She will get gratitudity regardless of her service 2. We are asian and not chinese. Overall, the food was ok. Nothing amazing. Lastly, when she gave us our tab, she didnt give us a breakdown of what we are being charged for. She only gave a total amount. And no fortune cookies for the kids. Never coming back.
Top other services in Pacific Grove:
Ttobongee Chicken
1184 Forest Ave Suite E, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
Mom & pop restaurant serves a variety of home-cooked Asian-style foods at reasonable prices. Portions are large. Table service is friendly, but a little slow.
Centrella Hotel, A Kirkwood Collection Hotel
612 Central Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
ProsThe location of this place is what you are paying for. It is close to Lovers point and within walking distance of restaurants and shops. The decor is nice and everything is clean. The linens and pillows are soft, shining white, and cozy. The scones were delightful. They were fresh, buttery, flaky, and melt in your mouth. There are free snacks and wine in the evening. The lobby is a lovely place to read a book. They gave us a coupon for a free appetizer at the Beach House restaurant, which was very nice.ConsThe staff are not very warm or friendly. Between check-in and breakfast I didnt see a smile once. We arrived on time for our scheduled check-in at 3 pm and had to wait for 30 minutes before our room was finished being cleaned.The rooms are overpriced for their size. There was an antique closet, but no place to sit to write or use a laptop. There was barely enough room for our suitcases. The only place to put them was in line to the bathroom, so we had to hop over them to use the facilities.The breakfast was disappointing. They say that it is made to order, but my oatmeal looked and tasted like instant oats. It was supposed to come with fresh berries. What I received was a tablespoon of blackberries that looked like they were frozen and had been defrosted. The oatmeal itself was watery. The coffee was in a dispenser, not very hot, and it ran out. When I asked the server for more he delayed and never got around to filling up the thermos.The evening snack consisted of olives (that tasted like the jar they likely came from), premade hummus, and premade artichoke dip. The hummus had no flavor. The dip looked like it was mostly sour cream with very little spinach or artichokes.The website makes it seem like you can get spa services in your room, which is misleading. The inn will schedule a massage for you ahead of time with a local business. I called two days before checking in and asked for a massage, but the receptionist acted inconvenienced and asked me to call the spa myself to make a reservation. I booked this room as a gift for my husbands birthday and wanted to make it special, but we ended up not getting massages because we got busy with our vacation, and the inn never followed up on the spa services.In all, it feels like this inn inflates the price of their rooms with amenities like snacks and made to order breakfast. If you want a homey cozy environment with welcoming hosts I would go somewhere else.
Mezzaluna Pasteria & Mozzarella Bar
1188 Forest Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
4.5 stars. Mezza Luna lived up to previous reviews with a vibrant atmosphere, attentive service, a wide-ranging menu of Italian specialties. Clearly a popular spot for dinner with an upscale decor and clientele. They specialize in mozzarella bar which showcases the different types of mozzarellas made in house with a well curated selection of accompaniments such as beets, wild mushrooms, eggplant, etc. Along with the mozzarella, they make all the pasta and gelato in house daily. The menu reflects this with just antipasti (with parmesan gelato!), mozzarella, and pasta sections. Our server could not have been more helpful and attentive. The mozzarella appetizer we chose consisted of the three types of cheese available. A buffalo mozzarella, a burrata, and a Fiori di latte mozzarella made with cow's milk. Served with crostini, pickled olives, pickled cauliflower and roasted red peppers. The Fiori I considered fairly bland. Just not a lot of flavor. The burrata was delicious-it's our favorite type. And the buffalo was as expected, tasting exactly like the cheese we were served in southern Italy. A great way to start a meal. After much deliberation we make our pasta selections. DW chose the Pappardelle con Bolognese di Maiale-pork Bolognese with red wine and pistachios-with my choice being Rigatoni alla Buttera. This dish is one that the chef has made for a long time starting in NYC. It's rigatoni pasta with Italian sausage, peas, and a tomato cream sauce. Both of our pasta dishes were delicious (though beef is preferred by the Bolognese eater). You can truly tell the pasta is fresh and the food is created by people who care about what comes out of the kitchen. We unfortunately left no room for dessert-missed the gelato opportunity dang it. This is certainly one of the most popular places for dinner in Pacific Grove. And many patrons clearly knew one another. We would dine here again without question. Highly recommended.
il vecchio
110 Central Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
I rarely write reviews, but wanted to share our unpleasant experience.We visited Il Vecchio a few weeks ago. While the food, drinks, and our waiter were all fantastic, our experience was completely ruined by the managers unprofessional and frankly, racist behavior.The manager, a white male, was blatantly catering to a large white graduation party throughout our meal. While popping a bottle of champagne for their table, the cork flew off and hit my husband directly in the shoulder. The manager did nothing but shrug and walk away, with no apology whatsoever.Initially, we thought this rude individual might just be part of the party. However, as the night went on, we observed him socializing with other white patrons, pouring their wine, and adjusting their window shades. At no point did he acknowledge us or apologize for assaulting my husband, despite clearly knowing he had done so since he was right there removing the cork.This entire experience left us feeling extremely unwelcome and frankly, targeted due to our race. We were the only Asian couple in the restaurant, and the managers blatant disregard for us was appalling.While the food itself was good, we would absolutely never return to Il Vecchio. This kind of discriminatory behavior by management is unacceptable.
Martine Inn
255 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
Beautiful B&B in a perfect location! My husband and I spent two nights in the Marie room which has a gorgeous ocean view. It was so peaceful lying in bed in the morning watching dolphins and sea lions swimming in the waves and the seabirds flying through the morning fog. The bed was cozy and the room (the whole building, for that matter) had lovely antique furniture and art.A full service breakfast is served each morning in the dining room overlooking the ocean, with a fire in the fireplace. The food was outstanding! One morning we had French toast with berries and another morning was eggs with Parmesan potatoes. There is one main entree each day but other choices available if desired (scrambled eggs, oatmeal, granola). There is a tea and coffee bar 24/7 in the lobby. We didn't get to try the evening appetizers since we were out.The B&B is located in a quiet neighborhood of beautiful antique homes, right across the street from the ocean with a nice walking trail along the shore. In the morning we walked this trail 15 minutes to the north to visit Lovers Point and beaches. Walking 10 minutes in the other direction takes you to the aquarium and cannery row. It's a flat trail with gorgeous views. Perfect way to enjoy the area without worrying about driving and parking! The B&B has its own small, free parking lot but be aware spaces are first-come first-served and difficult for large cars to get into. However, there is free street parking with plenty of available spots.We didn't spend a lot of time hanging out in the B&B but it's a very peaceful spot, with multiple sitting rooms overlooking the ocean and a pretty courtyard garden with a goldfish pond. Deer frequented the yard. Every staff member we met was very polite and helpful. Be aware you must check in by 8pm as there is no front desk and no staff there overnight. When you arrive you ring a bell to get your keys.This is a great place for couples but I would not recommend it for families with children. It's a quiet place with a lot of breakable antiques and an older clientele. Not kid-friendly.Overall it was a great stay and we would definitely return!
Fandango Restaurant
223 17th St, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
Came here for the Christmas set menu, which was four courses for $65. I liked that every table had a dish of fresh olives right as you sit down. For starters, I had the tomato basil soup followed by the spinach mimosa (It was called mimoasa because the dressing had champagne in it). For the entree, I had the bay scallops with pasta, and dessert was a frozen souffle. Everything was okay, but nothing mind-blowing. I liked the scallops the best, which were cooked just right and slightly tender in the center. The scallops were pan-seared to a golden brown and also quite heavily buttered. I wished the whole dish were prepared more delicately.We were upsold a glass of wine that was wayy overpriced at $20 for a Cabernet Sauvignon from Monterey! They wouldnt show us the menu when we asked, and then the glass of wine turned out to be $20! Just wow.The frozen souffle also had liqueur in it, but that wasnt noted on the menu. I felt a bit woozy after eating it, and it would definitely not be safe for kids!I didnt realize this restaurant actually had a Spanish / European twist to it, and many of the employees spoke Spanish. The ambiance was a very quaint, old-timey Spanish setting.
Wild Fish Restaurant
545 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, United States
This place came highly recommended by the blue door inn. We had our reservations at 5:30 and arrived on time and was seated promptly. The place only has eight tables and is very small but very elegant and quaint and has a view of the ocean. A younger lady seated us. An older lady took our orders and took our wine selection. Sometime later we finally got our wine. The young lady rushed over with our bread plates and bread. While the older walked by us several times ignoring us and making sure the other patrons were served. The hubby said maybe they were prejudiced? I was dressed very casually (and Asian) and him black. He usually doesnt like to say that but after waiting so long for our meal and every one else seated and feed before us had me wondering. All in all, some quaint restaurant with good food but with okay service. But I will have to say the younger waitress did her best with us.