Finally made it to the original location of El Cantaro in Monterey and was definitely not…read moredisappointed. Same great service as the Sacramento location, but this one has a few additional items that can only be found here. Once I saw Mole Negro I was sold- and rewarded. I sat outside with my dog and enjoyed my meal after a day at the beach. The flavor was absolutely delicious and the portion made two meals. Take advantage of the small parking lot out front if you see an opening, otherwise it's paid street parking. Highly recommend if you're anywhere near Monterey.

SCW and I stopped into El Cantato while staying in Monterey Bay. This place was a priority for me…read moreas it's all plant based and Mexican. Parking is sparse in front of the restaurant but paid parking is nearby. We entered and wow, the place was busy. Not overwhelming but lots of people in the indoor dining area enjoying their food. The menu is overheard and we decided what we wanted and ordered. The employees were kind and helpful, we probably were the only people that didn't speak Spanish well in the restaurant but that wasn't an issue, SCW got the number 2 combo, I got the mole. Also ordered an appetizer. Seated and waited about 10 minutes and our order came out. Everything was freaking amazing. Such great flavors and so fresh. Even SCW who doesn't necessarily gravitate towards Mexican food made nom nom nom sounds the whole time. The mole was incredible, the best I've ever had. The whole time we were here it was an endless stream of customers, even late lunch hour. SCW was impressed by the contrast stream of people coming in. We even walked around the wharf nearby for a while and drove past again and it was still packed with people. Do yourself a favor and visit El Cantato. I know I will.

My friends made a reservation at this Michelin Star restaurant and it was a 5-star experience…read moreindeed! From the food to the drinks to the overall chic and comfortable ambiance, it was an absolute treat! The service was impeccable for our party of 8. We had various tequila drinks and the chips, salsa, hot sauces (some quite hot!) made for an exceptional start. I ordered the salmon, which was sitting on a bed of cauliflower mashed potatoes and draped with an arugula salad, topped with a mache chili oil drizzle. The taste was as perfect as the presentation! The best salmon I've ever had, indeed. One of the guest had birria tacos served with a split bone marrow! Never saw that combination before! He let me try some and it was delicious! Overall, a perfect setting, a perfect meal and a truly 5-star evening!!

Tried Alejandro's because it's part of the Resy dining network, and we wanted to use our quarterly…read moreAmex Platinum dining credit. If you're an Amex Platinum cardholder looking to burn Resy credits in Monterey, this Mexican restaurant is worth a try -- but manage your expectations. We had a reservation and were seated right away, which was a plus. Started with chips and guac and a couple of drinks, then ordered the chicken enchiladas and the skirt steak and arugula salad, adding shrimp to the salad. The food was fine, the atmosphere was fine, the service was fine -- nothing memorable, nothing bad. The real issue is price. Adding shrimp to a salad cost about $15, and our total with tip came out to around $140 for two people. For that price point in Monterey, I expected more from the food and overall experience. Would I come back? Probably not at full price. But if you have the Amex Platinum and quarterly Resy dining credits to use, it softens the blow enough to make it worth trying once.

We were in the area to check out the aquarium and had a craving for fish tacos…read more We parked a block or two away. Staff was very friendly, we sat in the window and I had the al pastor taco and fish taco. Soooo good, I need to come back. Salsas were tasty too.

We ordered the birria ramen, vegetable nachos, and an asada burrito through DoorDash, and…read moreeverything was delicious! The order arrived quickly, the food was at the appropriate temperature, and the delivery was left in the hotel lobby as requested. Our only complaint -- and it was a pretty frustrating one -- was that no utensils or napkins were included. Since the order was clearly being delivered to a hotel, we obviously didn't have access to our own silverware. This was especially inconvenient considering one of the items was birria ramen -- soup is a little difficult to eat without a spoon! Other than that oversight, the food itself was excellent and we really enjoyed everything we ordered.

Have been there twice and amazing food and it's halal! The second time I especially went because of…read moremy previous experience and it did not disappoint!

Me and my girlfriend love this place! We had one of our first dates here and come back at least…read moreonce a month. All of the employees are super nice and chill; great hospitality. Whatever we need, the employees have taken care of. The owner came to our table recently and said hello; we told him how much we love this place and how much it means to us and he gave me and my gf both complimentary t-shirts. NACHO BIZNESS FOR LIFE We have tried all of the main nachos selections, they're all great! Pro tip: open the flaps on the cardboard trays to lay the nachos out like a big platter

We had such a great lunch today! We were there with two 5-year-olds, a 1-year-old, and two adults,…read moreand everyone had a wonderful time. Our waitress was so sweet and attentive. She brought crayons and paper for the girls right away, which was such a nice touch and kept them happily entertained. The food was really good, and they had some great options for the kids, including chicken nuggets and fries. The atmosphere was great and felt very welcoming, even with three little kids in tow. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made us feel really comfortable. We also got to meet the owner, who was incredibly nice and welcoming. It was just an all-around great experience. We'll definitely be back and are already looking forward to our next visit!

Food was AMAZING so authentic ! This is our new favorite sport when we come to Monterey ! Great…read moreservice from Ignacio as well as Estephani ! Great food and we've tried multiple things on the menu, from Camadones Diabla being one of the best we've had as well as great molcajetes ! We'll definitely be back

Michael's is a Pacific Grove staple. It's got that "California casual" vibe with a weird but…read moreperfect mix of Mexican, Texan, and even some Cajun influences. You can tell it's been a local favorite for decades--the hand-scrawled signs and slogans everywhere give it so much character. They've been around for 40 years! The Blackened Chicken sandwich is what they're famous for, and it lives up to the hype as I've been ordering it since middle school. It's got a solid kick, and that buttermilk garlic dressing they use is addictive. If you're leaning more toward the taqueria side, the Blackened Shrimp Tacos and the Steak Fajitas are the move. I also get the House Burrito a lot as it's one of their famous specialties. Everything feels fresh and grilled, not greasy, which is a nice change of pace. The service is fast and friendly and the portions are huge for the price. It's a small, no-frills spot inside, but they have plenty of seating and a steady stream of locals picking up takeout which is always a good sign. Every meal comes with chips and salsa! Pro tip: They're closed on Sundays, so make sure you get your fix during the week. Definitely the best spot in PG for a quick, high-quality lunch that won't break the bank.

Walkup to the counter, order, grab your tray with order #, chips & salsa, Fill your drinks (if…read morepurchased) then find a seat. The beef taquitos were awesome! The shredded beef was amazing. The shells were fried to perfection, nice and crispy. They were on a fresh bed of lettuce, tomato cheese, and sour cream. For my two-plate combo I got the cheese enchilada and asada taco. The red sauce was very tomato forward. The asada and the taco was seasoned perfectly. Delicious food

Visiting from LA, I honestly didn't expect to find great birria tacos, but Mission 19 Taqueria…read moreproved me wrong. The birria tacos looked amazing in the photos, so I decided to give them a try. My kids loved them and immediately asked for more. What really stood out to me was the tortilla, it had a nice crunch that made the tacos even better. The Salsa Roja was absolutely fire and paired perfectly with the tacos. I would definitely eat here again. My only suggestion would be to have lemons, onions, and cilantro available near the sauce station. That said, if you ask, they'll gladly give you more. The prices are a little on the high side, but I'm assuming that's because of the location. Personally, I don't mind paying extra for quality birria tacos. If you're looking for good birria tacos, I highly recommend giving this place a try.

The inside of the building is not very clean. Where they have a stand of salsas and pico, is very…read moredirty as well. I was not greeted when walking in, and had to take my own order on a self check kiosk. The food came out hot, and the chips were seasoned with a good flavor. The prices are high for the items. $30+ dollars without a drink for one person.

Daniel was an incredible server 10/10 loved eating here. Yummy flan - very attentive - got to watch…read morewhales and otters while we ate

We had an amazing dinner. We sat at the bar and had a great conversation with pancho and Sarah. The…read moreservice was amazing!

Beautiful setting, wonderful food. Great for birthdays! Make sure to check on slow/winter seasons…read morefor hours of operation.

We loved the food and the place a place that you must for sure try when visting Carmel.read more

It's great to know that there are still good restaurants around. We were both very satisfied with…read moreour meals, I with a chili verde burrito and hubby with carne asada one. The server, a tall, attractive blond gal, was very efficient and accommodating. The restaurant was charming, very clean and well-maintained. It had a lively atmosphere.

The margaritas are great! Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to them…read more The Mission District burrito was very bland and seemed to lack any real seasoning or flavor. I had particularly high hopes for the Chicken Caribe based on the description of a citrus-habanero marinade with mango salsa fresca. The chicken itself actually had really good flavor, but unfortunately it was extremely dry. That might not have been quite as noticeable if the mango salsa had added some moisture, but the salsa was also very dry. It was essentially diced mango, onion and chiles without the juiciness or saucy consistency you'd normally expect from a salsa. There were definitely some good flavors in the Chicken Caribe, so the potential is there. But between the dry chicken, dry salsa and bland burrito, the food was disappointing overall.