My wife and I went with our 3 month old son to Monterey for a spontaneous day trip/early Father's Day outing. We were looking for a place to have lunch, and stumbled upon Abalonetti. One of the staff members greeted us in a friendly manner, and walked us over to a table that had a great view of the boardwalk, and accessible for our stroller. Our server was super nice and helped us with food recommendations. We had a thing of garlic bread for starters and they were super delicious!I ordered the linguine alfredo with shrimp for lunch and my wife ordered the Abalonetti. Both dishes were FIRE. We highly recommend this spot if you plan on having lunch or dinner in Monterey. read more

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Worst clam chowder i ever try to watery and no taste of clam or either creamy at all for a bowl $12 its not worth it, especially I came from bay area i know the taste of a real clam chowder. The smell of the food when they served to you its not appetizing its smell not fresh at all like the charred squid that i ordered also no taste and rubbery the squid Crab cake no hit taste of crab is just a full of extender and way too salty. Complimentary bread is super cold and chewy. Not appetizing to eat. Please make your food worth it for the price especially people coming here to eat and worth the penny they spending. read more

Here's a We stopped by after a whale watching tour. There are so many restaurants in the area that it was hard to decide where to eat, but the happy hour and the specials advertised outside caught our attention, so we decided to give this place a try. They even have a dog-friendly menu, which makes it a great option if you're dining with your pup. We ordered the salmon linguine and the grilled rockfish fillet, and both dishes featured fresh, flavorful seafood. Next time, we'd definitely like to try the fried calamari--the menu proudly says it's been voted the best in Monterey 22 times, so now I'm curious! There was a bit of a wait, but the staff will take your phone number and call you when your table is ready. I recommend checking in first, then spending the wait time browsing the nearby souvenir shops before heading back. It made the wait go by pretty quickly. read more

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This is always one of my go-to spots whenever I'm in the area! I ordered the Mai Tai cocktail. It may not have been the prettiest presentation, but it definitely packed a punch. The Wave Rum Runner is also a great choice, with a delicious tart berry flavor. I enjoyed sitting on the outdoor patio, though my husband felt it was a little warm since there wasn't much airflow with the windows closed and the door shut. We asked if they could open the door, and it made a noticeable difference. The Buffalo Calamari is a must-have for me, and I order it every time I visit. For some reason, it seemed a bit spicier than usual this time, but it was still fresh, flavorful, and absolutely delicious! The clam chowder & the bread they give you is also great! read more

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Had a great lunch with some friends here after their whale watching tour. The friends are all from Minnesota and they just had to have something on the wharf to eat. Abalonetti's was amazing at setting up a table for 11. Service was quick, patient professional. I've eaten here a handful of times over many years and today's was as good as ever. We ordered a lot of different foods and I didn't hear any complaints. From the warm sardines, clam chowder, calamari sandwiches and others dishes. Zero grips. Last words... go to. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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We love visiting the wharf while in Monterey but have rarely had outstanding dining experiences. This one was one of the better ones. We ordered the salmon, the abalone, and two kids dishes--marinara linguini and fish and chips. Everything looked great and tasted fine but overall the dishes were underwhelming. We loved that they offered bread with our meal but I had the same feelings about the bread. It was crusty but almost tasted a tad stale. My salmon was cooked perfectly, not overdone and had a great texture, but it tasted under seasoned and my husband's abalone was coated in panko and he said he honestly couldn't tell if it was actually chicken. Overall our meal was good: the food was fine, we love dining on the water and getting to enjoy those views, the service was quick and attentive. We would definitely eat here again. read more

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Came here to taste the calamari and it did not disappoint. It was very tender however my kids like calamari squid better Also ordered the steamed clams which was delightful as the clams were super big and juicy. The sand dab was a little disappointing as it lacked flavor even though it has a creamy sauce. It was nice to sit out in the patio at the wharf. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Calamari - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

My friend and I wanted to get have a seafood lunch at a restaurant on Fisherman's Wharf, so we chose this long standing establishment. The decor was sea inspired in a spacious setting with large windows, high ceilings, and a lovely outdoor area in the back. Since the weather was nice, we dined outside. We had to try the Fried Calamari, as this place is continually voted Best in Monterey. This was chef's kiss, served with both tartar sauce and marinara. The Calamari was coated in a herb rich batter, satisfyingly crispy chunky pieces, and delightfully well seasoned. We also got the Garlic Bread on ciabatta with plenty of buttery garlic and Parmesan cheese. This was toasty and tasty. For my entree, I went with the Pacific Sand Dabs, which were grilled with lemon butter sauce, served with rice and vegetables. The Sand Dabs were cooked delicately, but I prefer a little bit more sear to my fish. The sauce was creamy, wonderful savory and had rich flavor. The vegetables were a nice, fresh touch to the dish and included zucchini, red peppers, as well as squash. The rice was made perfectly with just the right consistency. Service was excellent. Our waiter was welcoming and knowledgeable about the menu. We had a lovely al fresco lunch here. read more

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In town visiting and after unpacking decided to take a walk on the wharf, easy walk from where we were staying weather was perfect and after taking in the views couldn't help noticing the many menus of the eatery's on the wharf. Stopped to read a story about the history of Calamari and its significance to Monterey and the fishing industry. We decided to grab an order of Abalonetti's famous Calamari. We sat outside to take in the fresh air and soon came our order. Hot and plenty for the two of us, we grabbed some lemons, tartar sauce and cocktail sauce and dove in to the famous dish. I have to admit it was very good, calamari was soft and tender with a unique blend of spices in the coating that all it really needed was a squeeze of fresh lemon. We are big fans of Calamari especially when it's fresh and it was extremely fresh, but what caught my attention was the preparation. Well done Abalonetti you are the Maestro of prep when it comes to cephalopods. Bravissimo e delizioso read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Famous Calamari - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

Needed a reprieve from walking so stopped in for a quick bite; we were seated right away. Unfortunately, our table wasn't completely in the shade and it got hot very quickly. We loved the outdoor area, but dining furniture clearly needed a refresh. The service was friendly enough, but slow and disorganized. We ordered a side of fries, calamari appetizer and a California shrimp cocktail. The fries were crispy and well seasoned. The calamari was tender, crispy and also well seasoned. The shrimp cocktail wasn't what we expected; it was more a Mexican style shrimp cocktail versus the traditional poached & chilled shrimp served with cocktail sauce. It didn't matter to us either way as we like both ways. The cocktail however, needed more heat. We thought the shrimp were too small; it got lost in all the other flavors and it ate a little slimy. For our beverages, we ordered a soda, old fashioned & an IPA. The old fashioned tasted fine but not the best. We paid $81.45 (with tip) which seemed reasonable, but definitely will check out other places next time we are in the area. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - California Shrimp Cocktail - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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On the coast for another COL. it's 1920 hope to catch the awesome sunset. I missed my favorite server you know who you are. The food is always 5 stars. The playlist of the "Big Band" era provides the setting for people watching & enjoying outstanding seafood cuisine. I highly recommend Abalonetti Bar & Grill. Kudos to Britney for her bottomless "blue dolphin" attention to detail & making sure "all is well" mannerism. read more

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Walt from Walt's Adventures in the new 2026 year. I am adventuring in Monterey, California at Albalonetti Bar and Grill. This restaurant has both indoor and outdoor dining... covered with heaters. There are many restaurants to choose from on the Wharf. I had last visited this establishment years prior. To my satisfaction, it was as great as I had remembered. The customer service was excellent, the food was good and I will be returning the next time I revisit the Bay. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Full menu - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

We were in Monterey, CA recently and in the mood for some clam chowder. The Monterey fishermen wharf was a good spot to find some good clam chowder in the area. We arrived at Abalonetti Bar and Grill for a Sunday lunch recently during the winter break. The restaurant is located at the historic Monterey fishermen wharf. Parking is accessible in the large paid parking lot and the street parking. The restaurant is fairly large inside with plenty of tables and a full bar. There is a big outdoor patio with heat lamps and tables for dining outdoors. The modern decor is simple, bright, and welcoming. There are some tables with beautiful views of the ocean and wharf. We ordered cups of clam chowder, roasted garlic with Italian cheese bread, margarita, and Chardonnay wine. Our clam chowder was delicious. There was a lot of chunks of clam and it went very well with the complementary fresh bread. The roasted garlic was buttery and flavorful. My margarita was refreshing and hit the spot. Overall we enjoyed our experience at Abalonetti Bar and Grill. The staff were friendly and helpful. The daily happy hour prices of our drinks were a nice touch. Glad we got to cross off another restaurant on the wharf that we got to try. read more

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This place was incredible! I got the calamari appetizer and the lobster ravioli with grilled prawns. Both were delicious! Service was great, sat outside overlooking the harbor read more

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******VERY DOGGO FRIENDLY**** Found them on the bring Fido app- if you ever wanna take your pup to lunch or dinner the wharf is the spot to go!!! Shrimp cocktail- yum- does have a lot of cocktail sauce which I love but if you don't- ask for it on the side! Scampi Monterey- utterly deliciousness cooked perfect! Captains platter - a perfectly cooked taste of everything! Extra shrimp cocktail hold the cocktail sauce for the pup as well as the chicken special served on a frisbee that he could keep! Service was top notch- friendly and so welcoming! Absolutely wonderful! Food came hot and fast (keep in mind freshly cooked so not 5min fast but fresh made fast) And we enjoyed a lovely meal with our furfamily! Absolutely going back on our next road trip! read more

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This is a tourist trap you can skip. Everything was overcooked, dry and/or chewy. Will not return. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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While vacationing in Monterey i took the family here to eat. It is one of the best restaurants on the wharf. The clam chowder was delicious. The fish and chips was so crunchy and delicious. We will definitely go back. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Outside - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

The little one was feeling under the weather so we did take out but while waiting for the food, it seems like the view was nice if we had dined in. We tried the fish and chips and the original calamari plate and I loved the calamari along with the vegetables and rice (it's a good contrast to the fried food). Hoping to return next time to try dining in. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

We were in town for the weekend and wanted a seafood lunch with a view but dog friendly. Unfortunately there were not as many dog friendly restaurants as I had expected, but Abalonetti did! They also have an enclosure with glass windows that helps with the cold wind of Monterey. They also have water bowls and water for the pups outside. I wasn't sure what to expect with the so-so reviews but we were pleasantly surprised. We asked to be seated with the heater and our waitress created a table setting for us with the heater quickly. We started with their famous calamari and Baja calamari and a dozen oysters along with cocktails. These were brought out promptly as we arrived right when they opened. They definitely do live up to their winning calamari as it was perfectly tender and fried. It's not your typical rings and tentacles or filet, but we all really enjoyed it. The oysters were just okay, there was not much brine and very dry. I'm also not a fan of huge oysters and these were much bigger than we thought as they said they were small oysters from Canada. Their complimentary bread basket was also very yummy. Most of us ordered the crab salad sandwich and my sister ordered the Captain's fried platter. These also came out right as we finished our appetizers. Their fries are my favorite, with that extra seasoned batter. The crab sandwich was pretty good though the brioche bread to ratio of crab salad is not even. The bread also had a funny smell/taste to me, so I didn't eat most of the bread which was fine. The fried fish on the Captain's platter was small and too thin compared to other places. I had noted it was a birthday at our table in our Open Table reservation and they brought out a complimentary slice of cheesecake. Very nice of them! Service was great from beginning to end by our our server, Sammy and the hostess. We would definitely come back, especially for their calamari! read more

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Ahh, Abalonetti's how far you have fallen! The fresh local calamari is still good! But this used to be a fine dining restaurant 25 years ago. Old photos of the family on fishing vessels on the walls, beautifully plated squid delicacies. Dining room upstairs, view onto the water, I believe where Cafe Fino is now. I think the previous owners retired and sold the business. Please make more of an effort to match the excellence of the local squid. Add a veggie onto the plate. This is the Salinas Valley where produce is king! Upgrade the wine list, offer some more upscale wine. You've got bottles of "J Vineyards" Pinot Grigio on the tables for decoration but not on the wine list? What gives? Buy real sourdough from Ad Astra bakery in Monterey, it's 1000% better than the tasteless rock you're currently offering. Improve the service. Offer to refill water glasses. Bring the check in a timely manner, don't ignore the customer after dropping off the food! I'd still return for the squid but my expectations for the rest of the meal aren't much. read more

OMG! Loved this place! We were spending a few days in the area for a conference and ate on the wharf - each day trying a different place. Upon entering, you immediately feel the difference. Staff are super pleasant and engaging; the place is clean and organized and the menu only slightly different than the other seafood places nearby. We shared a cup of chowder and enjoyed the Fisherman's platter and the grilled rock fish dinner. The chowder was the best that we had sampled on the wharf. The platter was very enjoyable - even the calamari (which can sometimes be tough), but was excellent! And the grilled rock fish was so tasty and prepared just right! Even the sides were very good. Our server was attentive and very friendly! Great service, great food! Now we have a favorite place on the wharf and will return when we're in the area! read more

The fresh oysters were extremely fresh: sweet and juicy without any of that old seafood taste. They have an outdoor seating area that's dog friendly. They even have a menu item that's for the dog and my pup loved the beaf patty. The doggy dish also doubles as a frisbee that you can keep. Overall great place and great food! read more

My sister and I went to Monterey for the 4th. We had two small dogs with us. We were immediately greeted by the hostess and given a nice table by the window outside. Joe was our waiter and treated us so well! We had a prawn cocktail (not a fan of the smaller bay shrimp so Joe said he could do prawns!). We split the angel hair with crab. Both were delicious! Great service - great food - great location! read more

The calamari and the pizza were the stand out items for our lunch. Service was a bit slow for a restaurant that was less than half full. The first table we sat at outside was very unstable so we moved to the adjacent table with no issue. They should maintenance that table. Pizza was crisped up well and the mozzarella was high quality. I had the blackened salmon salad which was uninspiring, but adequate given what I was looking for. The calamari was some of the better squid we've had on this trip and the fries are well seasoned and crispy. It was reasonably priced. read more

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we ordered our food and waited. Then we waited some more. Wait person said they were busy. Then we waited some more. Waitress went home, the place was empty but food never came. read more

Their food was not very good and they charged service tax 24% to the receipt.. Considering their food and service, it's not acceptable.. it's a tourist trap place. read more

Stopped in for a small bite and drink. Not too busy Sunday afternoon off season. Waiter recommended shrimp cocktail which was surprisingly robust and quite nice. Enjoyed the outdoor breeze, was a bit chilly though. Prices are about the same if not slightly lower than other areas of the dock. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - California Shrimp Cocktail - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

No pics of food this time because we waited 45+ min for an order of sand dabs & fish n chips & never got them! Waiter kept saying 5 more min. While every table in the outdoor seating was served food. I have not walked out of a restaurant ever but patience ran out. read more

We strolled along the wharf and looked at each restaurant's menu and asked if they were dog friendly and most were but Abolonetti had a dog menu and it was served on a souvenir frisbee. The doggie menu had a choice of a beef patty or chicken so we ended up here and ate at a nice patio area that was enclosed with no roof. The waiter was nice and gave us a few minutes to digest the menu and I settled on sand dabs with rice and veggies. My wife had the crab sandwich with fries and the kid who isn't a kid anymore ordered a shrimp cocktail, lobster ravioli with shrimps and a beer. I asked the waiter if the ravioli actually had real lobster he said no but there was something in the sauce that made it "lobster." The kid was fine with it so he went for it. Our 4 month old pup had the patty and love the patio with pigeons occasionally swooping down to eat some morsels left by other customers. Shes a real lab alright; wanting to pounce on the rats with wings but no more hunting for me as I'm too old and in need of a TKR. If you're my age you know what a TKR is. Overall our dinner was pleasant and the meal was okay. Nothing spectacular but a solid meal. read more

After leaving a place with horrible service, (crab house) , we went to abalonetti and We were not disappointed! We were seated very quickly and helped fast too. This place had great/fast service and very friendly staff. The food was delicious as well. Would definitely recommend! read more

Service was great. Food was mediocre. Clam chowder came out lukewarm and unseasoned. crab cakes were too greasy and overpriced. Garlic bread also came out cool. Will probably not come back read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

The food was great, the wharf itself it's super cute, an experience for sure, but a bit overwhelming so it was hard to choose where to eat but this is definitely the spot! My partner got the chef special great platter he loved it, super fresh and tasty, perfect if you love seafood. I personally don't eat seafood often so I got the Parmesan crusted chicken, it was SOOOO good omg I'm still thinking about it! I can eat it again and again. Sammie was our server she was exceptional, so helpful, so nice and sweet, she needs a raise! Oh and the 5 dollar happy hour drinks are a must! Sammie made the experience even better. I will definitely be back in the future! read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breast - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

Calamari Napolitana was super. Have it again. Service was super and friendly. One of my go to places now.

They specialize in calamari dishes. They have at least 6 calamari items on the menu which is fun. The char-grilled calamari filets was really good. They prepared the mini Monterey calamari in white wine sauce with carrots, peppers, zucchini and tomato. I'd definitely order it again if I came back. The wine list is limited but very affordable. They don't have many local ones. Servers were all very friendly. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - The original calamari dish. Lightly fried and delicious. - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

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Damn! The bartender is a solid professional: ice tea and lemonade cocktail beer. Runs a tight bar inclusive of food timelines and to go packaging A scholar & a gentleman read more

Went to lunch here 7/16/26. My fish sandwich was cooked to the point of being so hard you couldn't bite thru it. Granddaughters burger also was overcooked to the point that she only ate the bun and fries. Service was fine, just horrible food. Will not return. read more

This is for the older Caucasian hostess in the front on 05/23/26 around 4pm. Restaurant was practically empty. A table of two white women walked in and they were seated right away. We walked in right behind them "it's a 15 minute wait". It wasn't easy even busy but okay we can wait. Took down our name and number said she would call, never did. We ended up eating somewhere else. Have been there before and never had a problem. Felt discriminated against this visit. Never going back. read more

Service was amazing. Just stopped for a drink. The bartender was friendly and informative. Will be visiting again soon. Ask for the local menu. Prices are great. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California

The Monterey Fishermans wharf has so many places to choose from for good food and this place is one of my favorites! It has the most amazing Sicilian bread salad. Super fresh tasting, with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, tomatoes, fresh basil and delicious chunks of Sicilian bread- heavenly! I add Bay Shrimp to it as well. This place has a great ambience and service. Tables right along the water, and a fantastic bar. I've also had the clam chowder, chef's kiss! I love the California shrimp cocktail as well. Good place to take a group of people! read more

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Everything tasted really good we got free bread and butter which was really good! Iced tea was good the service was really good! Our server was really attentive and friendly. The restaurant is right on the water it's very beautiful. We ordered the calamari and chips which were very fresh probably the best calamari I've ever had. The fries were outstanding as well. We also shared the linguine Alfredo with crab meat which was my absolute favorite part. It was seriously amazing we finished every bite. read more

Abalonetti Bar and Grill - The view - Italian Near Me - Monterey, California