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Abalonetti Seafood
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Seafood Italian, Seafood [Edit]
57 Fishermans WharfMonterey, CA 93940
(831) 373-1851
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 9:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
163 reviews for Abalonetti Seafood
Review Highlights
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"I had their delicious Clam Chowder first." In 27 reviews -
"...the Cioppino, and the Marty's Special, a kind of "Calimari..." In 6 reviews -
"Ordered the dungeness crab with angel hair pasta." In 2 reviews
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163 reviews in English
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Review from Kay Y.
Get your chowda here! (Pushes it in yo' face.)
3-1/2 stars.
Take a walk down Harry Potter's clam chowder alley. The competition is fierce with the hawker's trying to pull you in. Due to this most chowder's here are delicious.
Monterey Abalone Co., located on the next wharf over, recommended Abalonetti as a place to try fresh abalone. They would know as they are their supplier. If your abalone tastes fishy, then it is old, is what we learned from our visit. So we hoofed it over to Abalonetti to try the Abalone BLT with an $18 price tag; however, due to the overwhelming flavor of the bacon, you can't really taste the abalone. Their clam chowder is very good though as well as the flash fried calamari and fries. The Bloody Marys were also very good. I'd come back for the chowder, calamari and BMs.
Squirrely service. -
Review from Rose H.
Seaside, CA
5/10/2012
So let me be straight forward here. If we had only had the calamari appetizer I would have hands down given Abalonetti a 4 or even maybe 5 star rating.
To start with the good...
Their calamari is amazing. Honestly the best I have had on fisherman's wharf. It is crisp on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside. What is even better is that they serve it many different ways. We decided on a combination of 3 types..the Baja style, buffalo style, and garlic. The Baja style is so good. It comes with a nice lite chipotle type sauce and fresh pico de gallo with plenty of tomatoes. Normally, calamari is a heavy food but the tomatoes were so fresh that it completely transformed the calamari and made it light and refreshing almost. The Buffalo style is great as well. Just like a buffalo wing but calamari instead. (Why haven't other people thought of this!?) Finally the garlic one style is yummy too..but I have to say I was smelling like garlic for the rest of the day. They do not hold back! All three were excellent and the portion was really large. It was complete with three types of dipping sauces for us. We honestly would've been just fine having the appetizer as our meal. 5 stars on that for sure. We were pretty full by the end of it! However, we ordered entrees anyway.
Here is where I get a little...put off I guess.
For my entree I ordered a chicken ceaser salad and my boyfriend got the clam chowder in a bread bowl. Easy meals. I had a final afterwards so we didn't want anything too crazy.
Once we finished our appetizer we were sitting there for a good 15-20 mintues waiting for our entrees. Normally this wouldn't bother me but like I said we only ordered a salad and clam chowder...which is normally pre-made right?
The other thing that was a little weird was the chicken on my ceasar salad. They took all that time fixing it up so I was expecting it to be great. Honestly it was a little off looking. Reminded me of those chicken breasts that you buy pre cooked and all you have to do is heat it up in the microwave. You know..a throw back to the cafeteria lunch school days? It really wasnt terrible just not worthy of being priced $13.00.
The clam chowder was good but my BF was a little dissapointed that it wasnt warmer.
These are just the little things. Nothing tremendous just...off.
I do have to compliment our waitress. I notice the little things and at one point she poured us more iced tea. Before I could say anything about there not being a whole lot of ice in the refill she quickly brought us over a large glass filled with fresh ice. I appreciated she noticed that.
To sum it up...
If someone asks me where they can get the best calamari? I will 100% say abalonetti. -
Review from J R.
Pacific Grove, CA
Updated - 4/30/2012 2 photos
I will be glad when "Insult the Customer" month draws to a close. I'll give our waiter the benefit of the doubt & assume he was just having a bad day, but when two or three items you order get screwed up as far as portion, price, etc., the customer is made to feel like a cheapskate, & we get charged for something that was supposed to be on the house, it makes for an awkward, less-than-pleasant dining experience. The food was the saving grace & the only reason I'm giving Abalonetti 3 stars here.
It started out awkwardly when we ordered & I presented an email I had received from a representative of the restaurant, informing me that a printout of his message (from a Facebook contest) was all that was necessary to receive "an antipasto platter for two." Even though the antipasto platter is quite filling (we know this from being regular customers), we also ordered an entree (the Calamari and Fries--we decided to try the calamari "Baja" style, even though we usually opt for "Buffalo" style).
Our server seemed to doubt the email's authenticity but took it & said he'd return with our "appetizers." He came back a few minutes later & recited a lengthy description of the night's entree specials, even though we had already ordered a very significant quantity of food. After listening to this spiel (and I understand that servers are probably trained to push extras & specials), I was rather annoyed but politely told him we'd take these suggestions into consideration.
Shortly after that, we received some good, warm bread (with very cold, hard butter), and then.our server brought us a calamari appetizer (no fries). After waiting for him to finish his long spiel at a nearby table & answer multiple questions, I flagged him down & reminded him that we had ordered the entree. His first response was that it is the same as the entree but without fries, which he could bring us. He then said that the appetizer actually had more squid than the entree (which I think I had been told there before). We enjoyed our bread & by-then lukewarm calamari & waited for our fries and antipasto. (I do have to say--the calamari was awfully good--fork tender, not overly greasy, & almost as good as their signature Buffalo calamari).
A short time later, our antipasto arrived. All good, as usual. No more bread was offered. (Roasted garlic is great, but it's even greater if you can spread it on some bread!) But the plate seemed kind of small for a "platter for two." As it turned out, with the good, hot fries & everything else, we had plenty to eat. I also enjoyed a pint of cold Abalonetti Pale Ale--only $4.75 (not a bad price by Monterey standards!).
There were some lengthy delays in service--I assume our server was overwhelmed by the number of tables he had, or maybe he just didn't care, as we weren't ordering wine or expensive entrees. We did end up finishing the meal with a slice of very good Chocolate Praline Cake--nice & light, but rich & flavorful.
When we finally got our check, it was the wrong one--he mixed up ours with the table next to us. We traded checks with that couple, & my suspicions about the antipasto platter were confirmed--he had CHARGED US for an antipasto platter FOR ONE. We eventually got the bill more-or-less straightened out (it was only this morning that I realized he forgot to charge us for the fries).
To the management: on a Sunday evening in April, you should be happy in this economy to fill tables. The place was two-thirds empty when we walked in. You need to treat your customers (especially regulars) with common decency & competence. We like your signature dishes (calamari & antipasto) & will continue to order them & also try some of your other food, provided that we get decent service during future visits. But we're not always going to order lobster brought in from the East Coast, pricy wine, or your most expensive specials. That doesn't mean we don't deserve good service & a server that listens to our basic requests & tries to comply with them. Thank you.Listed in: Memorable Monterey Peninsula…
4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/16/2012
Food was its usual excellent self; service was a bit lacking. Not sure if this was cause we used a… Read more »
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Review from Kim H.
Tasty food with friendly efficient service! We were very happy with our dining experience. Thank You so much! See you again soon...
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Review from M T.
Alhambra, CA
5/22/2012
The chowder from the hawker was going to push us away as it tasted water down but the ones we ordered from inside was pretty tasty. I went in because of the all day happy hour deal. $3 margarita and $0.99 oysters. We also had the calamari and fries were good as it was thick and soft and not chewy as I had expected. Overall food would have been a solid 4 stars.
Then comes the service as I believe service must be link in a restaurant's review. I came with a teenager and a 10 year old and we had been biking, the kids didn't get any margaritas. Servers would not look at us. After finally ordering I had to ask for bread. I also had to ask for water. We sat in the middle of the room next to other tables. The place was half full with plenty of wait staff but they just would not serve us. Either they were racist and/or did not respect us and think we are too young or something. -
Review from Xtine S.
Sacramento, CA
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
im a first timer and i had their calamari, Italian sausage pasta and a bowl of their clam chowder. they were all deeeeeeelicious! their calamari was the best ive had so far, buffalo style! yuMmm. the pasta was pretty good, just maybe a little too wet and needed more pasta in it. sausage was good tho. And for their clam chowder, it was good as well.
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Review from Alex L.
The Wharf in Monterey is like walking down the main aisle at Costco. Everyone is trying to hand you a free sample. The only difference is the samples are all clam chowder. If you're covert, you can get full off the sum of all the cups.
I decided to just give Abolonetti a try since they were rated a solid 4 stars and had the crab sandwich I been craving. The Costco food person serving the clam chowder told us they give you a free calamari appetizer with every entree order. Score! They also have raw oysters for 99 cents all day everyday. Double score!
We ordered the crab sandwich, two bowls of clam chowder, oysters, and of course the free calamari. One was in a bread bowl and the other was in a non-edible bowl. Both were piping hot and a very generous portion. Flavor was good and consistent. Not too potatoey but also not loaded with clams either. Everyone has different interpretations of what the ideal clam chowder should be like so you should definitely sample them before stepping in. The crab sandwich was a bit bland for me and the meat was way too cold. I like biting into meat that doesn't taste like it was just yanked out of the Bering Sea on the Deadliest Catch.
The 99 cent oysters were perfect. Each portion was equipped with a generous portion of cocktail sauce, horseradish, lemon, and Tabasco. They were all split open nicely with no little fragments of shells in the meat to chip your teeth on. Why pay more? I honestly wouldn't be able to tell a difference between a 99 cent oyster vs a $3 oyster. Size is not a factor here. The giant ones taste like a blob of disgusting rotting mush of all decaying matter of sealife that's been fermenting in the sun in August in India. This size is perfect.
The calamari didn't have as many tentacles as I like. I think Americans prefer the body while Asians prefers the squiggly stuff. I think it just has more flavor. Besides, there's something about eating things that looks like rolled up condoms that grosses me out. But whatever, it was free. I'm not complaining.
Service was also great and we were constantly being catered to. Come here during non-peak hours so you can score a seat by the ocean for a spectacular view of the bay. -
Review from Christi P.
Carlsbad, CA
3/16/2012
We did not eat here stopped in for one drink, it might have been more but overall experience ensured that it was just one. It was our first time to the Wharf- every restaurant was hawking clam chowder and $3 drinks. For whatever reason this place was at the end of the road so to speak. The bartender was not friendly... at all. We were lucky she could be bothered with us at all. When I ordered the $3 Mango Margie- she said- you know its a mix? With a tone like YOU ARE ORDERING A SUCKY DRINK. The Mr tried to engage in conversation, it went no where.
Paid for our drinks and left to go to Crabby Jim's at the beginning of the wharf- much nicer people and didn't make you feel bad that you ordered the $3 drinks. -
Review from James R.
Sacramento, CA
5/2/2012
Excellent clam chowder and dungeness crab. Pet friendly and they even have a doggy menu. Service was excellent.
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Review from Vivian W.
Pasadena, CA
3/21/2012
I first encountered Abalonetti in 2010 when they were handing out samples of their buffalo calamari on the wharf. I remember it was good, but I'm not a big fan of buffalo sauce so I kind of overlooked it.
I admit that I used the buffalo calamari as...incentive to get people to go to Monterey with me.
So the night I went the buffalo calamari was on par. Texture was good, flavor was good and even though i'm not a big fan of buffalo sauce, I enjoyed it immensely. It came with ranch dipping sauce and was delicious.
I ordered the stuffed salmon (baked) which was on the specials menu and it came with spinach and mashed potatoes. If I had more stomach space I probably would have tried to eat the plate. While I didn't enjoy the texture of the salmon as much (I prefer mine to be seared), the scallops and crab and everything elise in the stuffing made me want to do a happy dance. I have also never gobbled spinach up like I did that night. The potatoes were amazingly fantastic, but I couldn't finish it because my fish portion was huge.
Service was good, food was good...another place to visit when I go up to Monterey. :] -
Review from Erin H.
2/10/2012
Seafood and Italian, my two favorites. But not so much on this one.
Had the barbecued calamari dish and it was very lifeless. Even if I used my lemon wedge drizzled (actually, drenched) some lemon juice all over the calamari to kick it up a notch, still got nada. The calamari was pretty tough also, like I was chewing on rubber bands.
I don't think my family didn't enjoy their dishes that much either. For their prices, I expected a lot, but failed to meet its end. -
Review from Jerome W.
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
Abalonetti is a step above decent IMO. Located at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey, this place is easy to miss as it's further down the beaten path. If you happen to make it passed the number of tasty-looking eateries, Abalonetti is a good option. They have outdoor casual seating if the weather is nice and big windows inside so you can look out onto the bay.
They have $3 mango margaritas. And if your family likes alcohol as much as mine does, you'll have a great time here. Their bread they serve is fresh and the service was excellent. Calamari sandwich was delish, but I wish they gave me more fries. The clam chowder was amazing...creamy goodness that will keep your arteries thirsting for more. They have a huge menu, so you're likely to find something you like. -
Review from Jess M.
Cambridge, MA
5/13/2012
Came here for lunch. The wharf's restaurants were hard to choose from so I picked from yelp reviews. The view was wonderful. I had Sicilian bread salad and it was amazing. Homemade croutons, lots of veggies, artichoke hearts, and a great vinaigrette. Clam chowder was decent, but my favorite part of the meal was the salad. Great value too.
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Review from Amanda H.
Gilroy, CA
3/17/2012
Started off excited because they have abalone! And they had a variety of oysters, including oysters Rockefeller, yum! Ordered the abalone BLT sandwich (about 18 bucks, by the way) and an order of half oysters Rockefeller, half garlic & pesto.
Well, they were definitely the worst oysters Rockefeller I've ever had. It seemed like canned puree of spinach with burnt cheese and the hollandaise sauce, I couldn't even taste. Forget about tasting the oyster. The saving grace of that appetizer was the garlic & pesto oysters, which were hot and quite tasty.
Then the sandwich came...the abalone wasn't tenderized enough, and it would have tasted much better if it wasn't breaded because the whole thing was painfully DRY. The fries were good.
The staff we encountered were very nice and didn't charge for the oysters. Also, we got a free calamari appetizer. But some of the calamari still had remnants of what looked like squid eggs. I'll be posting a picture of that. Feel bad writing a bad review because the service was good and the people were nice, but for supposedly being all about the abalone, this place just wasn't up to par. -
Review from Judy G.
Fernley, NV
1/26/2012 1 photo
Discovered Abalonetti's on my 1st visit to Monterey in the mid-70's with Marcia - been bringing friends and family ever since - one reason - the Calamari - more specifically the "Marty Special" a succulent eggplant-calamari-parmesan delight - never disappoints. I'm not one for tomato sauce based dishes, so you have to trust me, this is good stuff!
Service is always adequate & never rushed or rude, host friendly, accommodating us taking fotos of our party every time we ask...
Love the turquoise blue color scheme, decor & open style dining room, the bay view and platters of roasted veggies in kitchen area...
I've never liked mango however last visit my Daughter had the Mango Chi Chi and gave me sip- it was so delicious should have ordered one -in fact craving one now...
Happy to see that there is still an organ grinder w/ monkey at the front of the wharf although the grinder guy from memory was young & gorgeous...I don't think this guy is the same guy... wonder what ever happened to him? -
Review from Kris M.
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
I honestly was unimpressed here. My mom and I came on New Years Eve and got seats relatively quickly in a good place (though, sadly, not water-side). My mom had their special, which was the stuffed salmon (with crab, artichoke, bay shrimp, and covered in hollandaise). Her food was amazing, even great potatoes and spinach.
Mine, well.... not so much. I ordered the Seafood Combination, which sounded really good - shrimp, scallops, calamari and Pacific oysters, all fried. OK, sure. What I got looked like a kids meal. Red and white checked paper covered with fries, and a few small pieces of fried somethings on the side of the plate - two small pieces of each. I could tell, roughly, what each thing was more or less - they were gone in two bites each, and the oysters seemed darker than I'd seen before. Nothing tasted very fresh. I was pretty disgusted with the plate - and they have the audacity to charge $18 for that! It was barely an appetizer, let alone the entree the menu said it would be.
I guess this is a case of buyer beware, and things sounding better than they actually are. Again, my mom's food was pretty amazing, so clearly they can make good food. But I think I'd prefer to go to a restaurant on the pier that has more consistency across their menu, and it's not like we don't have our choice.Listed in: Waves Crashing on Rocks
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Review from Krystina C.
Hayward, CA
2/26/2012
I went here yesterday for my first time for Dinner on Saturday night. I like how they're on Fisherman's Wharf with a bunch of candy stores and stuff, almost like a boardwalk feel, very nostalgic. The service was great. There was a guy outside I think serving Clam Chowder for if you don't plan on eating in the restaurant. They have a big bar selection and they have indoor and outdoor seating. I personally had a bad image of calamari in my head from past experiences but I knew that this place was known for it so we ordered it and it was DELICIOUS! I also got a caesar salad with crab and it was big enough to have as a dinner by itself. On top of that though I ordered shrimp linguine and my fiance ordered the halibut special. Everything we had was delicious. Our server, Joe, was funny and attentive.
2 cons: parking costs money. If you park in the lot closer its more expensive but probably worth the walk. Also, all the restaurants on the wharf close at 9 :( -
Review from Drew P.
12/14/2011
I was very pleased with choosing this place to have dinner. From the looks of the menu it is very extensive, but if you stay on the "staple" items I think you will leave pleasantly full.
My fiance and I came here for dinner on a Saturday night, the one thing that kind of sucked was you have to pay for parking unless you want to walk a long distance or you know some side street that no one else knows about.
The place was not too full and not very loud. We ordered the BAJA calamari, a sourdough bread bowl clam chowder, and an order of steamed mussels/clams *you can order half and half. Everything was amazing including the warm bread they put on the table. The portion sizes were extremely generous and service was fantastic. My fiance had 2 refills on her diet coke within 10 mintunes, he was on it! We also took home enough food for an awesome midnight snack.
Lastly, we sat right next to a window which was great, would have been better during the day though or before the sunsets...
I would definitely comeback.
P.S. the couple next to us ordered a whole crab each and got these embarrassing yet kinda cute bibs, next time I want to try it out ;) -
Review from Joni S.
Camarillo, CA
1/22/2012
Pros: Largest pet-friendly patio on the wharf. They do specials on fresh oysters.
Cons: Not very clean outside. Inspect your glasses and silverware, they don't clean up very well.
Tip: http://Restaurant.com participant. -
Review from Priscilla S.
San Leandro, CA
12/5/2011
Took my honey here on his birthday. Small restaurant with a full bar. We sat by the window-- great view of the water.
We had the cesar salad and a half dozen oysters to start
Oysters were fresh and the ceasar was huge with fresh anchovies! great for sharing.
We should've known the portions would be huge based on the salad alone, we ordered the italian sausage pasta and a seafood dish recommended by our server Joe.
Italian sausage pasta was cooked in a fresh marinara sauce.
The seafood dish was cooked in a delicious white wine sauce in angel hair pasta with jumbo prawns, lobster, and scallops.
Joe was an awesome server! He treated my honey to a creme brulee with a candle for his birthday! So sweet! I recommend this restaurant and our server Joe! -
Review from Nicole D.
Monterey, CA
11/28/2011 4 photos
Popped in the other day on a cold, blustery Monterey evening. I was on the hunt for warm chowder and some fresh seafood. Narrowed our search to the Monterey Bay seafood hub, a.ka., Monterey's Fisherman's Wharf. We took a stroll down the Wharf pier on the quest for our dinner wish list. After gleaning a few dinner ideas from Yelp and perusing a few menus (and dodging a few restaurant solicitors), we set our sights on Abalonetti's. Great schmorgish board of delectable offerings spanning the dinner spectrum.
Once our server recited the daily specials, my mind was irrevocably sold.
The Parmesan-Crusted Red Snapper doused with a sublime lemon burre blanc emulsion and a dollop of fresh pico de gallo, served up with some creamy garlic mashed potatoes, was fantastic! Ever last bite was consumed with a flourish! My boyfriend had the Shrimp and Fries Plate, which was a slam dunk seafood sensation. Large shrimp coated in a crispy batter with tartar and cocktail sauce on the side. For dessert, the Praline Chocolate Cake keep us completely satisfied well into the night. Velvety chocolate cake with swirls of praline, drizzled with caramel and topped with mint...need I say more?!
Everything, from start to finish, was delicious and amazingly fresh. Beautiful vistas of Monterey Bay from every seat too. We'll definitely be coming back!!Listed in: Drink It In
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Review from Claudia H.
Sammamish, WA
3/6/2012
Ok, Seattleite here. Would never go to my own waterfront butnthese locals do. This place offers the locals parking and a special menu! Jealous. My server offered me a 2.95 side of veggies which keep me healthy on the road. Marthy's special calamari is ok but I cook so kinda soggy breach. Happy hour margarita sucks, imo. So switched to house Pinot. Would come again if hadn't spent 25 min looking for street parking! Nice people and ambience... Clam chowder salespeople all along the way very funny to me. Sorry!
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Review from Yamona S.
Pacific Grove, CA
11/5/2011
This was a solid four star lunch for me - lots of happiness...
The inside of the restaurant isn't dated as some of the Wharf places can be - or at least I remember them being. It's been about ten years since I ate at the Wharf. This isn't snobbery, just that I work across from the Wharf now and I haven't worked in the area for a long time. The inside of the restaurant makes you feel like you're underwater. I think that is blue tinted glass on the sky lights - nice lofted ceilings and everything is really clean.
We started with the calamari - I didn't know this but they are the only place on the Wharf that actually process their own calamari. Apparently, when the calamari gets caught at the Wharf - it goes to China to get packaged and then comes back. The calamari here is so light and fluffy. I am not a fan really but this was so good.
Lunch specials are $8.95!!! Yep - 100% true. I ordered the Parmesan Chicken which came with veggies and rice - I skipped the rice. Nice piece of tender chicken with a super panko parmesan crust. There's a little relish which is done bruschetta style and some nice veggies - not overcooked. The Boss had Sanddabs - those were really mild, nicely cooked and he seemed to enjoy them.
I will definitely be back. -
Review from Amanda B.
Santa Rosa, CA
11/20/2011
I got food poisoning.
I could just leave it at that, and call it a day, but I think this review deserves a bit more than that four-word sentence above.
One lovely sunny Sunday, at lunch time, my friends and I were looking for a place to sit and have some good seafood. My friend was enticed by this place since they were offering $2.99 happy hour margaritas and beer.
Our host was very friendly, and our waitress was attentive and friendly as well. We also received a voucher for a free appetizer.
We ordered the crab cakes and garlic calamari. I'm glad we had the voucher because the appetizers were mediocre. The crab cakes were mushy, barely cooked. The calamari was tolerable only because they loaded a ton of garlic on top. It was very obvious that the two appetizers weren't exactly fresh, and seemed as though they had been sitting under heating lamps waiting for the next consumer.
The happy hour margaritas tasted like mostly simple syrup, and were too nasty to even finish.
I had ordered the clam chowder, which wasn't bad at all, but wasn't award winning either. One of my friends ordered a platter of oysters. Yes, the oysters were large, but only because they were very mature. Barnacles had grown on the outsides of them, and were not at all very appetizing. I had ONE oyster from my friend's platter, just try it. Well, I regret my curiosity to try just one, because I chose the BAD one. Several hours later, I embarrassingly embarked on the ever-so-fun voyage of food poisoning. And if anyone has ever had food poisoning (especially from seafood!), you can imagine how I was feeling later that day.
I regret to say, I will never venture to this restaurant again, and I will not be recommending it to anyone else either. -
Review from Marissa W.
Brooklyn, NY
3/21/2012
We arrived at 4pm and were excited to see a sign for a happy hour special on margaritas. The hostess asked if we wanted dinner and was appalled when we said "just drinks." It was only 4:00, who eats dinner then? Also, when you advertise a happy hour why are you surprised when people want it? So we sit and order our margaritas and before we get them she tells us what we owe and brings the check. For someone in the service industry, in a tourist town, they sure aren't very nice. Go across the way for happy hour.
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Review from Shiho F.
Carmel by the Sea, CA
Wow really? Wish I hadn't stopped frequenting the wharf all these years... a few things have changed at Abalonetti's since my high school years but one thing hasn't... that's their delicious food.
We stopped in and sat at the bar... Stewart has been there for years and he knows what's up. Killer house Margarita only because he cocnocts it with agave nectar and lime juice no artificial fillers like margarita mix, triple sec or sweet and sour. Thank goodness because I cannot stand an overly sweet Margarita. Stewart's killer concoction makes for a mild, slightly sweet and tart uber refreshing margarita in a pint glass. Lovely. Every hour is happy hour here so you can enjoy this tasty beverage for $2.99/tax... are you kidding me?
It get's better... right now oysters are 99 cents... so I post on FB 99 cent oysters and my friends go ballistic since they had just read about an oyster scare in the local paper yesterday. These babies were from Fanny Bay. cold water and super fresh looking and tasting... so I was not worried one bit. They do over a dozen kinds of calamari... no joke... we tried the Buffalo Calamari with a light blue cheese dressing. All their sauce and dressings are homemade and I love an establishment that does that.
Also, found out if you are a local, with a flash of your license you get 2 hours of free parking in that big parking lot where there is a ticket booth/ gatekeeper. Good to know! We've been parking on the pier paying with quarters and any change we could find in our car all this time.
Can't wait to go back and take advantage of their killer libations and tasty fun calamari creations!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/4/2006
Love it. They offer a nice selection of antipasto. Good food, great views what more can you ask… Read more »
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Review from alan r.
Cupertino, CA
Updated - 3/3/2012
Joe did a great job serving us we were spoiled thanks to Marina and Stuart for the hospitality. Baja Calamari, Oysters with some extra horseradish, steak and fish with very good cocktails a very good experience
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/16/2012
Joe took three of us a tour with calamari two ways one traditional and one with pico de gallo. Beer… Read more »
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Review from jana s.
Rocklin, CA
10/12/2011
If the rating meter allowed for 1/2 stars, I would give this eatery 2.5 stars.
I would give most -- if not all -- of the other restaurants in this tourist trap known as Monterey Fisherman's Wharf 2,1 or zero stars. (God knows I have dined at far too many of these dash and diners throughout the years for reasons unknown to me -- laziness perhaps).
That being said, 2.5 stars is a compliment! But 3.5 stars means something different to a restaurant not in the business of serving transient diners.
Since the restaurant is on the water, the ambience is cheerful; the scenary beautiful. And since it's located on this world class spot filled with travelers from every inch of the planet, the management expects to turn tables like it's McDonalds or something.
So the wait staff is not interested in chatting or explaining or joking. But we managed to get our waiter to smile and chill out a little. He actually had an answer to my very difficult question of "What's your favorite thing on the menu?"
But I really like this place for the anti pasto bar and the ravioli and the fact that the menu is closely Italian in its offerings and style.
The profferings of the antipasto bar ($9 for a small plate; $13 for a large) include artichoke hearts, roasted garlic, Italian olives, feta cheese, sauteed squid, roasted eggplant, red bell peppers and more. The antipasto bar deserves 4 stars More Italian themed restaurants should consider such authentic dishes.
The salmon ravioli in a creme sauce was good -- 3.5 stars. The pasta was a little thicker than my palate prefers and the sauce was just this side of being too thick. But the flavor won me over.
My dining partner went for something comfortable and familiar with the Caesar salad. She said it was "decent," which means the chef didn't use enough (or any) anchovy.
We were in town for a conference and Abalonetti's served a quick and tasty meal by the sea. It wasn't a life changing experience, but it worked. -
Review from Gerry T.
Pacifica, CA
3/3/2012
Guess it's "hit-and-miss" here. I went on a weeknight around 7:30pm, they close out 9:00pm. 1st time here. Pretty empty, unfortunately most of the places on the wharf were. We had a party of four. Drinks a bit expensive, but the size of the shots were pretty generous. Bread was good, fresh, and warm. Good menu selection, but it's true of most of the places here. And most have a person in front hawking their clam chowder. There were three that night.
But unfortunately, the food was lacking. We ordered the garlic fried calamari appetizer, Fried Combination Seafood Plate (2), Linguine and Clams, and a Rib Eye Steak. Lots of fried calamari, nice dipping sauces, but the batter was a bit doughy and oily. The fried seafood plate food wasn't hot, but not cold so we opted to eat it and not send it back. The batter was not only light, which i do like, but a bit soggy for the oysters and scallops. I had 2 oysters, 2 shrimp, 2 scallops, 3-4 wedges of calamari, over fries, which weren't bad. Linguine had good sized clams, but the sauce was coagulated, bit salty, and pasta wasn't exactly al'dente. Steak was okay, a bit undercooked for a medium, but always better than overcooked and a pretty good portion.
Sadly, one of us got the runs (might have been the oysters and/or scallops), and one of us just felt plain lousy the rest of the night.
Service though was excellent. Server was attentive and friendly. Not sure we'll be back. Sounds like others had better experiences than we did. -
Review from Scott F.
Pacific Grove, CA
4/20/2012
Had lunch there yesterday. Was disappointed with the hamburger and the clam chowder was only average for the wharf. The hamburger was a preformed patty that lacked taste and character. The two stars are for the location and atmosphere.
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Review from Kara M.
Manhattan, NY
10/24/2011
I descend upon Monterey every couple of years for the Internet Librarian conference and usually have a dinner somewhere on the wharf. I've gotten pretty tired of the usual chowder houses and almost gave up on this tradition. I am so glad I walked a little further to Abalonetti!!
The fish is fresh and not greasy, the restaurant is well-lit and roomy, nice ambience, pleasant view--as most of the wharf restaurants do.
GET THE CALAMARI!! Barbeque is the best!!
Regarding the service, I'm not sure where the low marks came from. Our waiter and the host were extremely personable and friendly. In fact, the waiter let us ruminate over the menu for quite a while before giving us some recommendations that were spot on. We were even treated to a complimentary roasted garlic appetizer!
I highly recommend walking a little further down the wharf to Abalonetti. I can't wait for my next trip ! -
Review from Janet J.
Newark, CA
4/14/2012
We just got back from a road trip down to Monterey,and had the pleasure of having lunch at Abalonetti Seafood restaurant.I have never been to the wharf down there and some friends had told us to try their awsome food.Oh boy,were they right! We were seated by a super nice waitress named Delaina.She got us a window table by the water and served us the free calamari appetizer.It was really good.It had a salsa on it that was to die for and was cooked just right.The salsa had a kick to it that was amazing.Then we had the clam chowder,OMG-it was to die for.Served with fresh sourdough bread.We both ordered two kinds of fish.I had the cod fish served over mashed potatoes.It had that great salsa on it! Some spinach underneath and I ate every bit.My boyfriend had the salmon with a tomato sause on it.It was a generous portion and was served with saffron rice and vegis.He said it was cooked perfect.Then we topped it off with a cannoli for me and some chocolate cake for him!! I can't wait to go back again.Thank you Abalonetti for making our road trip so yummy!
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Review from Veronica C.
San Jose, CA
10/24/2011 2 photos
Impressed.
I've been going to the Wharf as a kid and how did I not try this place before? I think it's because I'm so addicted to the chowder at the Old Fisherman's Grotto that I don't have room for anything else after having their bread bowl lol.
Came here with the fambam on Saturday night to have dinner with my cousin and her family visiting in town. We hadn't seen her in about 13 years and wanted to check this place out per the recommendation my grandparents gave.
We made reservations for 9 people at 6:30pm and requested window seats. I hate going to places when you have a reservation and they make you wait- this was NOT the case here as we were seated right away. :)
I wasn't craving seafood, I was feeling more like pasta so I ordered the Angel Hair & Sicilian Marinara. Yummy al dente perfection! This pasta had fresh tomatoes, basil and parmesan cheese. It was a generous portion- I didn't think I would be able to finish it. The combination of me being famished and the dish being so tasty made me leave not one bite! Since having that plate, I've been craving it so I'm looking forward to going here again the next time I'm at the Wharf. Next time I will pair that al dente goodness with a nice glass of wine. Mmm!
Everyone from the host, to servers we interacted with were polite and very friendly. When we left the restaurant, we were standing outside taking pictures and the host offered to take pictures of all of us. He took a couple and asked us how we liked our food then said he hopes to see us all again. We liked this spot and will definitely be back again. -
Review from Peter G.
Lafayette, CA
1/1/2012
Volume, volume, volume - get 'em in and out fast. This place is fine. Atmosphere is okay - not much different than any of the wharf restaurants. Calamari appetizer was pretty good. Fish and Chips - weak - fish was not crispy - seemed to have uncooked batter still between the outside and the fish. (3 of the 6 of our group had Fish & Chips). Other items were just okay. Service - friendly enough, but not particularly attentive or skilled.
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Review from Debbie W.
12/27/2011
Came here as a child so we made reservations, but the guy outside serving samples of HOT clam chowder gave us a coupon for free appetizer too! Since we had a large party, they actually gave us two dishes of free apps. the calamari was ok. The big hit was the chowder and their fresh sourdough bread which they serve only hot outta the oven. I had the sourdough bowl with clam chowder but was disappointed that the bread was not the same, it was stale and older, so I just used the other fresh bread to dip. We were full for hours after that so it must have been the fried stuff we ate...I heard the fish and chips were a little greasy. Anyways, service was exceptional and the ambience was really nice and clean too. Perfect lunch on the wharf!
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Review from Chad A.
Pittsburg, CA
12/27/2011
Tasteless food. The calamari is ok. Other than that we had the Ahi Tuna and the seafood pasta and they both were horrible.
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Review from dave m.
Santa Cruz, CA
1/10/2012
The service at this place sucks. ESPECIALLY if you sit outside on the patio, it's like your in the twilight zone. I used to like this place, they do have a decent clam chowder but can't get past the lack of service anymore.
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Review from ed w.
Monterey, CA
2/7/2012
For the wharf/tourist scene, this is at the top end of the group. We had out of town guests and decided to take them to the wharf area which we usually try to avoid for serious food. We had a Calamari dish with parmesan in addition to the boullabaise and cioppino and all were all excellently prepared and presented. Service was fine and even though it was the wharf, prices were reasonable considering it was seafood in today's market. The view is outstanding if you are just going for a drink.
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Review from Jeannie P.
Los Angeles, CA
9/4/2011
Wary of tourist traps but armed with a http://Restaurant.com coupon, we settled into our waterfront table with low expectations. Abalonetti exceeded them. Coming off our highly instructive tour of the sardine industry exhibit and the Real Cost Cafe exhibit at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, I ordered the sardines appetizer. 5-6 hefty sardines, perfectly grilled and sauced - well worth nine bucks. The calamari was pretty good too, especially compared to the chewy hunks at Woodies in Santa Cruz. We did well by ordering only appetizers (the sample platter was wonderfully Mediterranean and a low-commitment way to sample roasted Gilroy garlic bulbs) and the clam chowder. The entrees seemed to be a overpriced. Wished I had remembered the Yelp appetizer deal, but we did okay with the coupon.
Sitting on the patio with my glass of draft local beer, eating roasted veggies, roasted calamari, hearing strains of Greek music from the Customs House plaza, I could easily imagine myself in Europe. A lovely experience overall. -
Review from Tuan P.
Mountain View, CA
2/7/2012
Garlic calamari is tasty when added to the veg linguine. Kid pizza is quite large. 1 salad, cup chowder, kid meal, 2 entree, side of broccoli = $64. Pricy but it's in the wharf so expected for tourists. http://Restaurant.com $25 certificate knocked it down to $50 after tax and tip. No validation from any wharf entity for parking lot.
