This place is so amazing! We went for a friends birthday and visiting out of town. The servers treated us so well and provided a cute birthday surprise to elevate the dinner. The food was absolutely delicious, from the appetizers to the dessert. Highly recommend the scallop special with the pasta. The area where we were seated has very intimate. The servers were so kind, and really provided excellent service. Highly recommend!! read more

Fandango Restaurant - French Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Food is always good. It used to be great. High prices, uneven service and loud atmosphere ruined it.

I was really excited to come here. I saw the good reviews and photos of the really cute interiors. I came here on. Thursday evening at 6pm and was seated right away. The place is really cute and love the ambiance. It has a feel of an old town French restaurant. It reminds me of a little cottage that you you find in the country side of France. The ambiance and decor are really superb. The service is really good too. The waiter was fast and attentive. Unfortunately I only gave three stars because I felt the food was very lacking. We got the Paella Fandango and the Osso Buco Fandango. The Osso Buco Fandango is supposed to be veal shank stewed with wine and bone marrow over vegetables. Veal should be soft and tender. It was definitely not that. The veal was overcooked. There was no taste of wine or bone marrow added. The veal was not soft at all and the stew just tasted like some canned beef broth. It was served over a bed of rice. Overall just not very good and very disappointing especially for the price ($40 for the dish) The seafood paella was equally disappointing. Paella is a Spanish dish that should be filled with lots of saffron and other delicious spices, seafood stock and reduced in white wine. The rice barely had any flavor. The seafood was overcooked and chewy. The seafood was pretty sparse too. Tasted like the rice was just cooked in some generic broth and called it a day. The overall dish was just bland and missing so much. Especially for the high price tag ($40) I was just expecting better. I most likely won't be revisiting. Can't really recommend it either for the food. Good for large parties and nice ambiance but not for their food. read more

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Always a 5 star experience! Food, service & atmosphere spot on, every time. Miguel is the absolute best & by far one of my favorite restaurants in the area! read more

The food and service is outstanding! Would highly recommend! Love the atmosphere and professional , knowledgeable staff . Great menu .

Window table on a rainy night close to the fire was nice. Streamers on the table helped to celebrate our anniversary. Our server, Carlos, was attentive without making us feel rushed. Very descriptive of the specials helped my wife choose the Dover sole fileted table side. I ordered the famous paella. Calamari as a starter got the ball rolling. 4 strips of thick calamari seasoned perfectly. The sole came as a whole fish that Carlos deboned expertly. Had 4 nice pieces accompanied by scalloped potatoes and carrots all served hot and delicious. Sole was the best ever. Moist with a squeeze of lemon, delicious. Of course the paella came to the table steaming and in the skillet it was cooked in. Plentiful shrimp, chicken, calamari, mussels, scallops and more. Nothing was overcooked, individual flavors were evident. It was great and there was so much I had some to take home. We topped it off with a soufflé (ordered earlier) that was so light and delicious. It was a terrific meal and the rain stopped as we were leaving. read more

Enjoyed our visit to Fandango. The server was super accommodating with our doggo. Had the calamari's starter (very tender, one of the best we've had), the short ribs (yum) and payaya. All dishes we would get again. With our dog, we had our own section which was so helpful. Lots of customers on a Thur so the place had a nice ambiance. Recommended! read more

Sub standard food at super high price. Poor service. Would never go back. It was my wife's birthday and ask for candle. Waiter totally forgot. Desert was awful. read more

Their $15 capresse salad was awesome, would definitely consider coming back for that. Their $15 calamari appetizer is a breaded calamari steak. I like that it came precut and had a nice thickness to it to give it a good bite. The sauce it came with was also nice. That said, I think that while the calamari appetizer was good, it wasn't necessarily super memorable, so I don't think I would come back just to order it. I think it was really cool that they also make fresh soufflés here, so if you have a soufflé craving this is a good spot to get a $15 soufflé. I liked the bright lighting of the dining area and it is quiet enough to have a conversation with your table. The service was excellent, with regular check ins and thoughtful suggestions. I'd come back to try other items on the menu. read more

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So far this has been our favorite restaurant we have been to in Pacific Grove. Last night's dinner was a great experience with wonderful service and delicious food. Having a parking lot with tons of spaces attached to the building is also a major bonus. It's set inside an old house so it has a very quaint and homey feeling. I started off with the Beet and Fried Goat Cheese Salad and really liked it. It was a bit short on the beets in my opinion, it was 1 large beet cut into quarters so actually it was officially not a large amount of beets, but still it was very tasty. For my entrée I chose the Sandabs and it was honestly very good. I have been ordering Sandabs since I was very young so I've had the opportunity to order it many times over the years and this is definitely one of the better ones I have had recently. Overall a great meal and I would recommend to anyone looking for a good dinner in or near Pacific Grove. read more

Fandango Restaurant - Filet Of Sanddabs - French Near Me - Pacific Grove, California

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Fandango is a great place and a great value compared to other restaurants in the area. Unfortunately my meal was not edible but they took care of it no questions asked and offered to replace it but I passed. However I got eat part of my wives scallop/pasta special which was delicious. The ambience is very nice and our waiter was spot on with all his recommendations. Even with my meal being bad it doesn't make me feel like I want to give a bad review. This place is worth the visit. read more

5PM reservations for an early dinner. Conveniently located next to a free city lot, so we had no issues with parking. However, later in the evening may have been more challenging. Glad we went early because we got great service and had apps, drinks, and food at the table very quickly. The calamari app was absolutely delicious - good quality squid for sure. We were pleased with pasta, fish, and steak as well. Get the soufflé! The interior nails a difficult balance between rustic and posh. We absolutely loved our experience! Was well worth the $$$. read more

We had a large party with two kids and they accommodated us beautifully. Even though it was a busy evening, the service was amazing, and attention to our youngsters were very special. We enjoyed everything we had starting with our cocktails, wine, and on to the appetizers, entrees and dessert. Felt so satisfied and enjoyed our evening with the beautiful atmosphere and attention to detail. This has been one of our favorite restaurants and remains so. Will definitely go back. read more

When it comes to Fandango, it's always the right choice! Whether it's a romantic dinner, a family celebration or special event, I've celebrated so many of life's great moments there. The food is always delicious and perfect. My favorite is the paella and calamari, but so many other dishes hit the spot. The service and ambiance are unmatched. The owner, Marietta, is the most welcoming host, and makes sure the details are always taken care. Our favorite restaurant!! read more

Try the sand dabs! So good. We really enjoyed them. I could have had those by themselves.

Great service Great food But Open Table wants way to much information to give a review read more

My wife and I always enjoy our meals here! The ambiance is great and theirs ample lighting. The temperature was comfortable so we could focus on our meals. We are always seated on time per our reservation. The host and staff ate polite and responsive. The service is excellent! I had the Filet of Salmon with scalloped potatoes with petite green beans and a carrot! My wife fhad the osso bucco with mushrooms,tomatoes, and rice. For appetizers I had the best calamari which was buttered and easy to cut! My wife had the Escargots which she thought were exceptional! We both had a caesar salad with guyere cheese. Even though we were quite full, we split the creme brulee with a hard browned sugary crust and delicious creme filling! Unfortunately, I've paid more at other restaurants other than Fandango and left dissatisfied or ignorant. Thank you to the Fandango team for a great eating experience!! read more

We recently visited for the firat time for our company dinner , it was fabulous! There was a small hiccup with open table canceling our reservation for a large party but after speaking with Miguel the GM it was all taken care of. The food was superb, the staff welcoming and very accommodating. We will definitely return! read more

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We visit the area often and had been to Fandango once before with a large group. The experience was wonderful, with great dishes all around, a great wine selection, and friendly, attentive service. This time it was just two of us, for a birthday weekend. The start was a hearty birthday greeting from the Maitre d', followed by a table festooned with streamers. They had a special of abalone, which I hadn't had in decades, so eagerly ordered. It was magnificent. They also had a special dessert, Grand Marnier soufflé. It was decadently superb. Concluding with a complementary ruby port was a perfect finish to a wonderful evening. There were even more aspects of the experience which made our no-rush dining event as memorable as any of the best. These are true hosts, offering food, service, and hospitality among the top of the top. read more

I ordered medium rare lamb chops. They came out well done. I cut through the middle and showed the waiter and he agreed. He took my lamb chops my date at her scallops and then the lamb chops came cooked better. They made no apologies for the delay or miss timing of the entrées. From what I understand this used to be a high-end well run restaurant and it is certainly declined over the years. I gave them one more chance, and that was the last chance. The waiter was knowledgeable, but no apologies or adjustments for the poor service or the lack of quality of the timing and delivery of the entrées. Definitely skip this place. read more

Very romantic with menu not to be missed. Some classics dishes not easily found. Friendly and helpful staff. read more

This is such an adorable restaurant. The service was amazing, the staff were attentive, kind, and knowledgeable. We were lucky to be able to walk in with no reservations. The food was delicious! From the bread/butter, wine to our dessert... everything was amazing read more

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Definite no on this place. Because we were "only" there for dessert we were told we were only "allowed " to sit at the bar. That's fine- but the "bar" was a dusty counter shoved in the corner (away from the actual bar) . Like a storage table? It gave us time to observe the rest of the mostly empty dining area but we got to hear the waiters tell customers the menu - announcing loudly the $98 for lobster, $90 for whatever else. Is that supposed to make it high end by announcing the prices? Just a weird feel in there . Also- even though I made a reservation and noted we were coming for a birthday dessert- they CANCELED our reservation by text! We were already on our way over; really tacky. And worst of all, the dessert was just "meh", probably made worse by the poor service environment. read more

A fine, beautiful restaurant with delicious foods and excellent service. We've had wonderful times at Fandango and highly recommend it to everyone. read more

Ambiance was awesome imo. Food was bleh. My wife & I ordered the Spaghetti Siracusa, Paella Fandango & Scallops Papardelle. Siracusa just lacked seasoning. Tasted watered down. Sad. Paella Fandango was not what my wife & I remembered two years ago. It was the most watery paella we have seen in our lives. This of course tas tasted watery. Scallops were four pieces & was cooked awesome. Paperdelle & its sause were bland. One saving grace is souffle'. That was delicious. Total was close to $200 with tip. Oh man. I feel deflated with the food. Carls Junior seemed more appealing imo. read more

We ate here last night and in the middle of the meal we were like "this is basically just fancier Olive Garden." The ambiance is incredible, the location great, and the service was lovely and attentive. But the food was just mediocre at best. Especially for the prices. They're trying to do too much (is it French? Spanish? Italian?) and not doing anything well as a result. The tapas appetizer was a celery root salad, a little pate on tiny pieces of toasted bread, some suspicious and weird tasting mushrooms, smoked prosciutto, and a weird bell pepper cheese situation that we couldn't stomach. The French onion soup was good. The cannoli was fine. The scallops were delicious, everything they came with (pasta, veggies) could have been out of a freezer bag. Juice not worth squeeze. read more

I recently dined at Fandango with their fixed menu, but it was an extremely disappointing experience. For the price, I expected much more in terms of quality, portion size, and overall execution. The meal started with a shrimp cocktail that was downright inedible. The shrimp had an off-putting, almost spoiled smell, which made it impossible to enjoy. It left me questioning the freshness of the ingredients. The main course wasn't any better--an overcooked, dry entrée with uninspired sides that tasted like they had been sitting under a heat lamp for hours. My friends ate there 5 days later, again fixed menu, & warned them of my disappointing meal. Needless to say they had my same experience. read more

Traveling back to visit friends ( we lived in PG for 18 years ...beautiful) The food here at Fandangos is worth every penny ... absolutely delicious and the service is also perfect . I had the sole ,... the waiter removed the fish from the bones at the table ... and the green beans... yum .. delicious ... yes ... I recommend...absolutely read more

If I could give it a NEGATIVE 50 I would. This food was disgusting. I had the salmon parpadelle and it was greasy, NO FLAVOR whatsoever and to cut cost they took a piece of salmon and cut it into pieces. This food was disgusting on all levels and the price you pay was ridiculous. I wouldn't recommend this place to a stranger. For $34, save your money and go to Gino's. This food was disgusting read more

Delightful cozy restaurant with exquisite food and a very gracious staff. The atmosphere has an old world European feeling.

Good service. Food was ok. Good company made it better. Menu was old school, which seems to be the norm in Monterey.

The inside of this place is too cute. I enjoy the separate rooms for dining. It keeps things feeling more private and pretty quiet. The food here is quite good as well. We did not try any of the appetizers, but scallops and the duck a l'orange were very good. We were not a fan of the osso bucco or the lamb shank. They were under seasoned and we were not fans of what the protein was paired with. The service was okay, our waiter had disappeared the entire time we were eating so we had no way or ordering any additional items or drinks. read more

My Husband and I we spending a day by the sea and stopped in Pacific Grove for dinner. We have always had great luck with restaurants in this town and today was no different. We started with my husband's favorite French onion soup. Very tasty without feeling like you just sucked down a mound of salt and it didn't have that greasy film that some soups get from the Swiss cheese. Moving on to entrees: I had the Veal piccata again the taste was a perfect balance between the tart lemon and the salty capers The accompanying green beans and mashed potatoes were cooked well. My Husband had the Short Ribs. The meat just melted in your mouth and the sauce was just sweet enough with out drowning the flavor of the meat. Where the restaurant fell short for us was the desserts. We have the Carmel Custard and the Chocolate Mousse....very underwhelming. The service was fantastic. The waiter was right there to fill my ice tea before I even thought to ask. The sour dough bread was very rustic with great flavor. One thing that caught me by surprise was the dish of Kalamata olives, that just happen to be my favorite. Over all if your in town and want to have a great meal you should put this on your list. read more

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Fandango is special! I highly recommend a visit if you have not been. The lovely dining room with its cute quaint areas remind me of dining in a homey spot in Europe. This is definitely old-school fine dining, but with a casual vibe. Tablecloths on the tables, lovely place settings and a wonderful ambiance. You can dress up if you want, but you would not be out of place in a nice pair of jeans and shirt. I would not come in something as casual as shorts. It's the perfect place for date night or to celebrate a special occassion. Fandango has nightly additions to their regular menu (a few of which are pictured with my review). We have visited twice now since returning to PG - once for date night and another to celebrate my birthday with my mom. On these occasions we have enjoyed the French Onion Soup, Melon with Prosciutto de Parma, Caesar Salad, Filet Mignon with a Green Peppercorn Cognac Sauce, Chicken Piccata, Spaghetti Siracusa, New York Strip and Rack of Lamb. Both visits we ended with the Profiteroles. Everything was delicious and fresh! The steaks and lamb were cooked to the perfect medium rare as requested. Melon with Prosciutto is always a lovely light appetizer. I love the saltiness of the prosciutto combined with the sweetness of the melon. The French Onion Soup had the perfect amount of cheese and a hearty onion flavor. The Spaghetti Siracusa was probably our least favorite meal, but just personal preference. The Profiteroles, well we ordered them both visits so obviously we loved them although I long to try the Grand Marinier souffle. They also have an extensive wine list if you are inclined to order a bottle. Service here is always professional and friendly. I look forward to going back. I highly recommend reservations. They are only open for dinner. read more

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Interesting menu. All dinners come with lumpy mashed potatoes and overcooked green beans. Very overcooked. Not nearly as good as Before. Too bad! read more

A beautiful little restaurant in pacific grove with great ambience, I feel like I'm teleported to Europe in this restaurant. Favorite items we tried were the goat cheese salad, Canneloni Nicoise, and duck a l'orange. Also probably the best margarita I've had in a while (make it spicy!). Servers are all kind and accommodating. This is the perfect place to go for a special occasion. read more

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Long time customers, we went back to enjoy dinner, and were both disappointed. Service was very nice initially from everyone. However, the waiter cleared our plates while we were still eating and there was food on the plate. Asking 'are you done' while he is removing them from the table. and my friend's mouth is full as she is chewing. Disgraceful. The restaurant was virtually empty, and we were not lingering. Filet mignon while perfectly cooked, was tough as can be. Dessert with meringue was rock hard. No excuse for this. Souffle was sickening sweet, and very eggy in flavor. Don't know whether it is a different Chef, different owner, or they have had such a hard time with the pandemic and then inflation, that they just don't care anymore like they used to. We are sad about it, and unlikely to return. read more

What a fun place to have dinner. It's a very homey decor with lots of little rooms in every direction. The service was excellent and the food was very very good. I started with the hearts of palm salad, which was fine with a nice presentation. He was not my favorite part of the dinner. I think they could've been a little more creative with hearts of palm as I use them in salads often. My scallops were divine and perfectly cooked. I've never had diver scallops before so that was a slightly new experience. They are a little bit bigger and a lot richer than normal scallops. I can only eat three of my four. Reed had the rack of lamb and there sure wasn't much left on the plate. Definitely a place to try one in Monterey read more

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The ambiance is warm and pleasant, however, our experience was quite mediocre. It was a very expensive evening where we were served very uninspiring food by a waiter who barely had time to make eye contact with us as he whisked away our menus. The French onion soup was warm, not hot, and it lacked onions. The salmon pappardelle, the sand dabs, the steaks frites, the veal, and the green beans were all bland. We found the flavor of the grand marnier soufflé disappointing; it was light and fluffy and very eggy and buttery yet there was no taste of Grand Marnier even in the cream sauce. The profiterole was not properly defrosted or heated through before adding the chocolate ice cream and chocolate sauce so it was sent back and remade. The best part of the meal was the wine we ordered, a bottle of Meiomi Pinot Noir. It was a kind gesture for the restaurant to end the meal at each table with complementary port, which was drunk by some in our party. We spent nearly $500 for a party of six, which felt exorbitant for a mediocre meal experience. read more

Angel was our server tonight and his service was excellent!! They served bread and olives, I thought that was a perfect touch to dinner. We ordered the Escargot, it was truly flavorful. I ordered the San-dabs and it was delicious!! My partner ordered the Tortellini, it to was flavorful and delicious!! I highly recommend Fandango for a nice restaurant with a beautiful atmosphere. read more