chef darwin always cooks up the BEST stuff in town he opens up my pacifico and puts a lime in it before i even open the door.

It's last call at a bar in Monterey, but you're not ready to call it a night -- boy, do I have a spot for you. The drinks are reasonably priced and it's tucked in a cool alley. The building is older, but that's what gives it character! I might not start my night here, but it's a great place to end it. read more

Well it's been a few months and i was there on a Friday, got sat at the bar next to a local and regular. I was treated well at the beginning as I slowed my drinking while waiting for a friend who got caught in an accident south of San Jose on the101 the bartender got hostile when I stopped ordering drinks while waiting for a friend. I ended up leaving after being threatened to be removed because I was taking up a seat that was needed! So I've never been back. We've now spent the last year in Monterey with six coworkers working 6 10 hours days drinking after work and spending the time with in walking distance at a hotel that walking distance. I do not recommend the hot headed bartender asking people to leave! Fuck that place. read more

Overall, the staff is friendly and the place is good, though I'd recommend steering clear of the shorter bartender in the baseball cap. He may react to perceived disrespect by leaning heavily on his limited authority. read more

A long time dive bar in the heart of downtown Monterey. There a lot of regulars here during the day and it is super lively at night with locals and tourists alike. Service at the bar is general pretty good during the day but be patient in the evening and on weekends. No food at this location but drink up. Close to downtown Monterey and hotels. Come see where the action is in Monterey. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - the menu for the restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Not a friendly place, and the place stinks of cigarettes. It has a shady feel to it. They allow indoor smoking. A $7 beer turned into $11 because of $4 atm fee. Don't recommend at all. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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Best dive bar in Monterey!! Don't be fooled, this is not a Mexican restaurant. the drinks are high octane and it's full of rummies. Everyone is chill and friendly, chat up your bar mate. Don't order any fancy drinks, hi balls or beers only. Don't be afraid! read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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Enjoyed reading the reviews lol, I came here years ago when I lived in Monterey and just went back the past two days, it hasn't changed at all and I mean that in the best possible way. Cash Only, No Food, Lots of Friendly Locals and my experience with bartender was very friendly. If you go into it understanding the above and without pretense, you will have fun. If you expect something else suggest going somewhere else. This place knows what it is and what it is not and I respect that. read more

I have to say I went in there to have a beer , the bar tender acted like I was invisible. Serverd people at each end of the bar, washed glasses in front of me. NEVER ASKED FOR MY ORDER. I got up and left without getting any service. Go to cuzs sportsman on broadway in seaside. I will never go to alfedos again. I don't recommend Alfedos to anyone read more

like walking back in time. old stuff on the juke. dark. locals. Good times were had by all. But note: If you're like me, then you are used to settling your tab and tipping. Doesn't work like that here (come to find out) tip as you go or dbag pooring drinks will 86 you for not tipping as you order. Wish i had known up front. I wouldve complied. I would note here that more than 15% was left sitting on the bar. I won't be back. Great thing is there are crap ton of places to drink in Monterey. read more

The Mrs. and I visited Alfredo's Cantina on Tuesday night. It was a cold quiet night in Monterey. Perfect for visiting a dive bar. Alfredo's is located on the corner of Pearl and Houston in historic Downtown Monterey right next door to the Robert Louis Stevenson house. It's a small place with walls cobbled together with nothing more than rocks and mortar. In fact, there is a warning sign in the window that tells you the building isn't earthquake proof. We arrived around 5:30 and the place was quiet. The bar was occupied by some older locals. I've been to a few dive bars. I have certain exceptions such as sticky floors, torn barstools, dim lighting, chipped tables and chairs, a bar top engraved with notes to loves lost, a bathroom so small only one person can be in it at a time, and cheap strong drinks. Alfredo's can best be described as a well maintained dive bar. With the dim lighting and cheap strong drinks being the only prerequisites above that were met. The bartenders were friendly. Especially the lady that was behind the bar when we arrived. Drinks were $11 each which isn't bad considering we called our alcohol. The other patrons were very friendly. I could tell we were the only tourists in the place. The older crowd left around 6 and the younger crowd shuffled in when the bartenders had their shift change. There is a jukebox that will give you eighteen songs for $5. The selection is eclectic. Mostly older stuff. If you're in Monterey and want to go to a classy dive bar I highly recommend Alfredo's. read more

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Too expensive for an off the main drag, poor little, cash only dive bar. Bottle of Bud light and a well shot of tequila 16$.

Bartender of the night isn't very welcoming felt like damn outsiders walking in lol please be nicer we don't bite.

5 star dive bar! My kinda place - I've dropped in here a number of times over the years, I've been visiting Monterey for work and pleasure for awhile. The after work service crowd drops in as the local restaurants close - always a good sign. I've sat at the bar and talked with servers on my left and millionaires on my right - all drinking and chatting no pretense...the essential quality of a dive bar in my book: no pretense. Cheers! No food though. Snacks available. And if the patrons get drunk enough some of them will insist the huge mirror is another room, you can have some fun with that. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Classic Monterey dive bar (in the best way). Cool locals, good vibe. Great bartenders.

Heard it was a good local dive. Definitely not a dive and the bartender said they only served locals, despite us having just moved nearby.

Classic locals bar full of friendly regulars. The owner spotted us as out-of-towners right away and made us feel welcome. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a down to earth watering hole. read more

What an incredible spot!!! We came here on a Sunday night and was the perfect way to end our first day of our vacation. We got to meet the owner of the bar. Well he is actually the son to Alfredo but his father has passed away and he now owns the location. We got to share stories, be provided a free drink, and just ultimately be happy we decided to stop here. Everyone inside that night was truly super sweet and kind. My purse might of helped open up the conversations lol. The place has a lower light setting and quite small in size, but makes it feel that much more cozy. If you are in the area, come stop by. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Owner of the bar to the right - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

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The bartender was fantastic and so accommodating. Made the evening unforgettable. The atmosphere was perfect. There were no chairs when I arrived, but I was fortunate enough to snag a bar rail on the wall adjacent to the bar. When I looked about, I observed that the area is nicely designed in an art-deco style. However, there was no place to hang a coat ((add coat hooks, please!!)). There were a lot of people waiting to be served at the bar, but the bartender appeared to be slinging drinks swiftly enough. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Walked in and bartender was focused on one group with a bar full of empty glasses. Not once did the bartender look our way

When you are looking for a historic place to grab a drink without all the tourist trendy places; this is the place to go. Opened in 1973, they have no speciality drinks and it's an all-cash bar. I think the place has the original furniture when it opened and the bar is well worn showing a lasting legacy. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

The bartender told me their house gin and tonic was 20 dollars. That is insanity. If this is true, what kind of middling dive bar in a seaside town would ever have the gall to charge such prices. I assume they were lying. I am 22 years old and a tourist so if they wanted to turn me away, instead of lying, they could have asked for my ID and told me the actual price so I could withdraw an appropriate amount from the ATM. Overall, a pathetic display of unprofessionalism. This is a terrible business. Lying to paying customers is inexcusable. read more

Cool small eclectic place that has the coolest name but thats about it as it just didn't quite hit the mark for me n my guests! So a Cantina would let you believe they have some food or appetizers or anything n thats just not the case so maybe just call it Alfredos Bar! Super noisy n crowded with nowhere to have a non yelling conversation! Creepy old guys kinda lurking by the bar and kind of a sausage fest which made me think it was a gay bar when we first entered! The kicker for my rating was that the drinks were just overpriced n its a CASH ONLY bar!! Who does that nowadays as its just counter productive and unfair for guests to have to carry at least a few hundred dollars in their pockets as a round for three drinks was almost 40$ . read more

My boyfriend and I came in and weren't acknowledged for way too long. No craft drinks, no quality food, and we're totally ignored! wouldn't recommend at all read more

Solid pub feel, warm tones, low tables and low lighting. Note: cash only, standard drink prices/NOT dive bar (eg. Tito's $9) read more

Alfredo's Cantina - FYI, yelp info says accepts credit cards but it's cash only - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Crappy bartender begging for tips for cracking open my beer for me. Stopped serving me because he was hurt by this, therefore losing money for the business as a whole. read more

As someone who worked in the bar business for almost three decades I can say unequivocally that I just had the weakest mixed drink that I have ever been served. This is quite unfortunate as I was initially very impressed with the venue. I appreciated the low lighting as well as the inviting fireplace which my group settled in next to. Unfortunately each of our drinks was nothing more than a glass of ice with a garnish minus even a hint of alcohol, something I have enough experience to recognize. Despite leaving my customarily generous gratuity I was unable to risk ordering a second "drink". Too bad as I was prepared to go deep into the night but opted to hightail it out of there in search of a real pour. Not sure how this place scored four stars good effen luck and my suggestion, order a beer! read more

It's always nostalgic to stop by Alfredo's. The customers are friendly and welcoming. Feels like coming home.

Such a perfect dive bar in the peninsula. It gets busy and it gets fun! Lots of locals who are happy to have a drink and just chill and make friends. I felt quite comfortable here and I think it is a solid local gem! read more

This place isn't for everyone. If you are looking for a solid dive bar, this place is for you. Every bartender in here has treated me with respect (because I do the same for them) and even the owner is a good solid guy. The ambiance is nice for me, and I don't mind the cash-only policy, it keeps me in control. There are few places I go and feel this at home. read more

Alfredo's Cantina - Alfredo's Cantina - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

Absolutely perfect, if you like dive bars with strong and cheap drinks, questionable regulars, and a dapper bartender, this is your home away from home. read more

I mean...not sure the words LOL. Cash only place should say it all. What a great bunch of bartenders. Super great drinks, safe and fabulous atmosphere, and it's very local (which I love). What a great place to end a Friday/Saturday night. read more

Really solid low-key local's bar; my go-to place when I'm in Monterey. Quintessential dive bar: Strong drinks, no frills, cash only, old school decor, slightly surly but friendly bartenders, local characters, always good conversation. read more

Visited this place Saturday night after our friends wedding in Carmel (05.23.23) and rude bartender (the older one) attended my friends and got their drinks but then ignored me. I tried to ask him what drink he had just made, was even politics and said "excuse me" and he retorted "you're excused." Don't know what his deal is and not saying it was racially motivated or if he's just rude by nature but I was the only non-white Latino there. My friends even commented on it and made note and were like "what's up with that guy? He totally ignored you" which confirms at the very least that I wasn't imagining being treated poorly. Maybe he just didn't like my suit or maybe he was just in a bad mood from previous customers. Who knows. Anyway--I wasn't the only witness and just thought people should know what service is like here. read more

I'm not much of a cocktail drinker, but I had two hours to kill on a Monday afternoon and wanted to try a cocktail made with gin. I found this small place with the help of a nice man working at a nearby Tavern (Melville's?) that only served beer and wine. The guy literally walked me around the corner and pointed to the bar. I might have missed it otherwise. This place is small and full of locals. The bartender didn't have a blender or the ingredients for the type of cocktail I had in mind, so one of the patrons suggested a drink. It was good and the price was not bad. I think the owner is behind the bar. He was pretty patient with this tea totaller tryna figure out what to order. read more

Rude bartender, questioned us upon walking in, didn't give us a chance to order. We immediately left. We also saw people smoking cigarettes. read more

Bathrooms are the pinnacle of bathrooms! 5 stars is not enough for the bathroom experience I had here. Forcing my husband to go check it out now. read more

My wife and I were in here early December for my birthday weekend. We loved it! Bobby behind the bar was the best bartender I have witnessed in years. Friendly locals too. Cool old stone building with great decor inside. Best dive we've been in for a long time. Will definitely be back next time we're in town! read more

My fiancé ordered a Tequila sunrise with cazadores rep. The bartender gave him Jose with orange juice, triple sec and cranberry juice. That's not a sunrise. Anyone over 21 knows that. Forget that we tried to say "we actually ordered cazzy." Ignored me. I ordered a Tito's and soda. Most bitter drink I've ever had! They need to clean their lines. Worst of all? $18 for both our drinks! Jose Cuervo for $10 and Tito's for $8! I've been bartending for 14 years, almost 15. Jose should never cost that much! If you're not 55+ or a local. You won't be welcomed. Go somewhere else! read more

Alfredo's Cantina - $10 Jose Cuervo and $8 Tito's. Rude bartender & he made my fiancée's sunrise with oj, triple sec and cran. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Monterey, California

I recently discovered this place on a weekend trip to Monterey. Definitely a local dive bar where everybody seemed to know each other but even as an outsider I felt welcomed. I also met local monterrians who were also very welcoming. This place may not be for the younger hip crowd but for an outsider like me in his 50's, I will definitely come back next time I'm in Monterey! read more