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    El Cantaro

    4.4 (1.3k reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 8:30 pm

    Order El Cantaro Takeout or Delivery

    El Cantaro Photos

    EL CANTARO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Classy
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - El Cantaro

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    Reviews With Photos - El Cantaro

    Combo #3
    Adriana Z.

    First timer here, I decided to venture out and try vegan Mexican food for the first time. Boy was I pleasantly surprised with this location. It is a small restaurant with a variety of dish options. I ordered their Combo #3 which came with 1 rolled Chikin taco, 1 crispy potato taco, 1 enchilada & finished off with a side of rice & beans. A very filling plate and presented very lovely I might add. The flavor from the green salsa on the enchilada completely stole my attention. It was so flavorful, a balance of acidity and salt which really competed the dish. My girlfriend ordered the Nopales Burrito, the flavor was most definitely there but a little too wet on the inside. Needed a bit of a crunch or something to soak up the pico de gallo. Aside from that, we also ordered the agua de Jamaica & it was not too sweet which paired up nicely with our meals. The service was fairly quick which was great given they stayed pretty busy our entire time there. If in the area, we would definitely come back. I would order a plate of those enchiladas though!

    Menu and order here
    Kimberly C.

    This restaurant is located a few minutes from the busy area near the aquarium and I'm glad we ate lunch here. There are a few parking spots outside of the restaurant, which is nice as parking is pretty limited in this area. I love that everything is vegan. I'm vegetarian and while there are a lot of non meat Mexican dishes, a lot of them are cooked with beef or chicken stock. So eating here was great. They have so many items on the menu, from pozole to tamales. I went for the mole tamales. It was not bad, a bit dry. My husband got the chikkin taquitos - crispy and yummy. Service was good and the restaurant was clean. I'd be happy to return when I go back to Monterey!

    Taquito and Crispy Potato Taco
    Ashley H.

    My sister was in town for the weekend, and after spending the day at the aquarium, we got hungry and she suggested we stop here for a bite. To be honest, I probably would have never visited this restaurant as I am not vegan, but my sister on the other hand is. El Cantaro is 100% vegan which is absolutely amazing for those who eat a vegan diet. It's a casual spot where you order at the counter and seat yourself. They bring the food out to you, which is great, but you're expected to clear your own plates when you're done. There is plenty of indoor seating with outdoor seating available as well. The location is perfect if you are spending the day at the aquarium or walking along the costal rec trail. I ordered the combo #3 that included a crispy potato taco, a "chickin" rolled taquito, and one enchilada and a side of rice & beans. For my drink I went with a large horchata. The food was delicious. 10/10!!! Service took about 20 mins from order to ready but I appreciate that the food was made fresh. The cost was on the high end for a casual spot like this. My combo plate was $22.62 and my drink was $ 6.50.

    Nachos, Crispy Potato Taco, Rice and Beans

    This review is long overdue! From our first visit 5 years ago to our most recent yesterday, the food quality and service have remained stellar. We have tried a variety of items on the menu and have never been disappointed. The nachos (we get 1/2 size) are, according to my husband, the best he has ever had! Reviews have mentioned long lines and limited seating. Yes, space is limited, but by going at slightly off hours we have always found plenty of seating. The lines are usually shorter off hours as well, but we are glad to know that business is hopping- we want El Cantaro to be around for a long time! We live an 1 1/2 hours away but never miss an opportunity to eat here when in town, and have even made the drive a few times just to grab lunch at El Cantaro.

    Chile relleno
    Srini V.

    Great tasting vegan food. Very convenient location right in front of aquarium. The staff were very friendly and professional. Large portion sizes. Plenty of sides and salsas that you can order. The food was well put together, well presented and arrived on time. All of us enjoyed the food. We will visit again. Thanks to the team at this place.

    Chilaquiles. Not recommended

    I saw the good reviews and wanted to try it for lunch while we were in town. To say we were underwhelmed would be an understatement. We ordered a serving of chilaquiles with green sauce and chicken enchiladas with red sauce. The chilaquiles were basically a handful of chips and mushrooms, soggy and swimming in what tasted like cheap grocery store green sauce. The enchiladas were no better. It was $50 for 2 dishes and a water. I rarely write reviews but felt compelled to write one for this place. Anyone who has access to good Mexican food (this means YOU, my fellow travelers from LA) will find this overpriced and unappealing. Sadly one of the worst meals I've had in recent memory. Tasted worse than hospital cafeteria food. Served on paper plates with plastic cutlery, as well. Just overall a bad experience.

    One Large Chile Relleno Plate
    Christina M.

    Delicious!! We came here a few years ago and just got to go back yesterday while we were visiting. Wow SO good! I wanted to get everything on the menu! I ordered the relleno combo plate that came with a fish taco, rice beans and salad. I also got the pozole, and brownie with ice cream for dessert. Everything was REALLY good. Yum yum. Makes me want to visit Monterey again just to come here. Friendly staff, clean and quiet restaurant.

    Melanie M.

    Every time my husband and I are in Monterey, we find ourselves coming back to El Cantaro. This is hands down some of the best plant-based Mexican food we've ever had. The service is amazing, and the food options feel endless. I highly recommend the chikin nachos!! The chips are homemade and the chikin is packed with flavor. Truly some of the best vegan nachos my husband and I have ever had. The tortas are also really good and super satisfying. As far as the plant-based meats go, the "asada" and "chikin" are definitely our favorites. If you're looking for delicious vegan food in Monterey, this place is an absolute must try!

    Jessica S.

    i'm currently eating the yummiest burrito ever!!! this restaurant just doesn't miss!!!!

    Nopales & veggie burrito.

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Authentic Mexican food with so much flavor with a vegetarian menu as well. Really good food. Try the potato taco, eat better than corn.

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    4 years ago

    The food was simply amazing there are so many options and we came back twice just because it was so damn good.

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    5 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Wow, so good. I wish I lived in Monterey because I know I would go here all the time.

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    11 years ago

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    4 years ago

    This is pretty much the best place to eat in all of Monterey, hands down . I don't see the need to order from anywhere else!

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    7 years ago

    This is a great place for vegans. I had the potato tacos with a torta. The tacos were similar to flautas not a tortilla.

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    Page 15 of 33

    El Cantaro Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - El Cantaro

    Are you open Memorial Day Monday?

    Hello, Yes we Will be open from 11:00- 8:30 pm.

    What kind of cooking oil is used?

    Vegetable oil

    Are they open today?

    Yes

    Is the restaurant all organic? Like all menu items are organic?

    ALL ITEMS ARE 100% VEGAN, AND NON GMO’s MOST ORGANIC PRODUCTS ARE USE WHEN IN SEASON, AND IF NOT ORGANIC WE GET THE NON PESTICIDE PRODUCTS. OUR GOAL IS ALWAY TO GET THE BEST… Read more

    What vegan cheese do they use or do they make their own?

    They use Daiya. I asked when I was there.

    View All 9 Questions

    Captain + Stoker

    Captain + Stoker

    4.4
    (963 reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Stopped by Captain + Stoker and really enjoyed it. The matcha latte was DELICIOUS, best matcha yet!…read moreI subbed oat milk and a little vanilla sweetener and it was perfect. Service was quick and friendly, and parking was super easy with plenty of open spots nearby. When I got there there was no line at all, but by the time I left there was a line out the door, which definitely says something. I didn't try the food this time, but everything coming out looked amazing. Looking forward to going back!

    I've always enjoyed coming here. The coffee is consistently great, and that's one of the reasons I…read morecontinue to return. Today's visit was disappointing. I ordered two avocado bowls and requested that two eggs be added to each bowl, for a total of four added eggs, which the cashier repeated back to me to confirm the order. I understood there would be an additional charge for the eggs. Unfortunately, when I got to my destination and opened the containers, each bowl only had one added egg, even though I was charged for a total of four added eggs. The avocado bowls are already on the expensive side, so it's frustrating to pay for something that wasn't provided. I immediately tried calling the café so I could speak with a manager and have the issue corrected, but my call was disconnected, and I wasn't able to reach anyone. I understand that mistakes happen, and I appreciate that the cashier entered the order correctly. My frustration is with the order not being prepared as requested and not being able to reach anyone to resolve the issue. I hope the team can be more attentive to verifying orders before they leave the kitchen and ensure customers have a reliable way to contact someone when there is a problem. I enjoy supporting this business and genuinely hope this feedback helps improve the customer experience.

    Photos
    The ordering counter.  Still nostalgic
    The ordering counter. Still nostalgic
    Iced matcha latte
    Iced matcha latte
    Iced Matcha Latte w/ extra matcha shot, oat milk ($7.50) + Shaken Sesame w/ espresso, housemade black sesame syrup, milk ($6.75)

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    Iced Matcha Latte w/ extra matcha shot, oat milk ($7.50) + Shaken Sesame w/ espresso, housemade black sesame syrup, milk ($6.75)
    Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant

    Julia's Vegetarian Restaurant

    4.6
    (1.3k reviews)
    1.3 mi
    $$

    Good food! Great service! Yellow coconut curry was exquisite! I would visit it next time we visit…read morecarmel by the sea

    The wife and I rarely repeat a restaurant on vacation, but we came here for lunch while vacationing…read morein Carmel By The Sea and saw they had a gluten free and vegan biscuits and gravy, so of course we came back for brunch. For lunch, I went with their Big Sur pizza on gluten free crust. The crust was impressive. Not my favorite I've ever had but still a really good job. The pizza was vegan with fried oyster mushrooms, baked white mushrooms, various veggies, and a red sauce with white sauce drizzle. Pizza was great. Really sold me on coming back the next day. As for brunch, they did not have the GF biscuits. The gravy was still vegan and they offered to serve it on GF focaccia bread. However, at $22, I couldn't do it. Besides, I would at least need to add a couple eggs for some protein and I wasn't about to spend all of that on brunch. So instead, I went with huevos rancheros. This was excellent. The poblano sauce was spicy and hearty, the tortillas nice and crisp, and the pinto beans an interesting change of pace. The potatoes were awesome. Place is plain and pretty basic. The outside seating is in the sun and facing a blacktop parking lot, so you don't come here for the ambiance. But the food and service were excellent. Great vegan meals.

    Photos
    Fried mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings. Both are vegan & GF, each served with vegan garlic aioli.
    Fried mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower wings. Both are vegan & GF, each served with vegan garlic aioli.
    Brunch bowl with crispy paprika potatoes, regular or vegan egg and salad
    Brunch bowl with crispy paprika potatoes, regular or vegan egg and salad
    Choose your mimosa! Orange, mango or strawberry. Did someone say bottomless?

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    Choose your mimosa! Orange, mango or strawberry. Did someone say bottomless?

    El Cantaro - mexican - Updated July 2026

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