I detoured the fam to our old favorite. They are still putting out good deep fried artichoke hearts just like I remember! It's easy to eat to many! read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - Deep fried artichoke hearts! - American Near Me - Castroville, California

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We were all very excited to return to the GA after many years. Unfortunately, the interior smelled so awful (sewage?) and the place was so run down that we didn't even sit down. Sad. read more

How can you not like a restaurant with a giant artichoke next to the front door? Actually, going inside I was worried -- looks kind of rundown and like you're stepping back in time to a coffee shop in the 1950's. But the food was good and very different from anything we can get in San Francisco and I love artichokes. We ordered the Artichoke Platter to share and each got a side cup of creamy artichoke soup. The platter had a very large, perfectly steamed artichoke with a small slice of ( sweet) artichoke bread and a generous serving of fried artichoke hearts with mayo and another dip. Really good! When's the last time you saw all those artichokes on a menu? Service was good . Restrooms were not great. But I'd say Go if you're having a roadtrip and driving through Castroville ( the Artichoke Capital of the World) and you like artichokes . And that giant artichoke is a fun photo op. read more

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You know we had to make a pitstop at the world's largest artichoke in the artichoke center of the world! For all the artichoke lovers out there, it really is a cute little rest stop to stretch your legs and snap a quick pic. When we walked into the restaurant, it was a little disappointing. Definitely had vibes that it was a little run down, and one person was serving the whole restaurant. We ordered the artichoke sampler platter to-go, thinking it would be quick and easy. We got a message that our order was ready, and we still had to wait inside another 5-10 minutes because it was in fact, not done yet. No problem. When we were ready to dig in, I couldn't help but notice a lot of the food looked out of a jar, bag, or frozen. The only food that looked a little fresh was the half artichoke. The taste of the food matched the look of the food. Canned and jarred food was the main staple of this $35 sampler plate. Disappointing food? Yes. Was the visit fun? Also, yes. I think a quick leg stretch and photo op with the world's largest artichoke is fun and niche, but the food left a lot more to be desired. read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - American Near Me - Castroville, California

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Artichokes in Castroville, it's like a must. We walked in and it was almost empty. We were seated and given menus. We ordered the artichoke soup, the fried artichokes and the spinach artichoke dip. The food came out pretty fast. The dip was just ok. Tasted like it had been nuked in the microwave. Too much mayonnaise and sourcream, not enough artichoke and spinach. The soup was bland, and had tiny pieces of artichoke. The fried artichokes were great, though. Nicely battered and big chunks. The place itself is dated, and just felt dingy. Probably would not stop in again. read more

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Dirty and not good. Mistakenly walked in here instead of the place next door. Realized after as artichokes came. My mistake but don't make the same. Go next door to the grill & cafe and grab some to go. read more

If you're obsessed with artichokes and are from a place where there's not a lot around, I can see the appeal of checking this place out. However, do not expect quality food. It's fun because of the largest artichoke in the world (though you can have JUST as much fun stopping, taking a photo, and leaving) but the food is underwhelming, at best. The amount of low quality products they use is quite disgusting, though I can't lie and say I didn't still try everything in the sample platter. It was a semi-fun experience to say I did it, but I will never ever visit here again. read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - Sample platter - American Near Me - Castroville, California

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It's a nice easygoing diner, had the burger and the artichoke soup as a side. The burger was a bit well done for my taste but everything was fresh and I enjoyed my lunch here. Easy stop off the highway too between Monterey and Hollister if you're in the vicinity. They have a lot of fun artichoke dishes, wish I'd been hungry enough for an appetizer. read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - The Giant Artichoke Burger - American Near Me - Castroville, California

I'm with Robert H. on this. I've been getting French fried artichoke hearts here for more than 20 years. LOVED THEM! Went yesterday, saw the renovation & crossed my fingers. I mean, it was nice to see the place looking clean & bright. But the artichoke hearts? Freshly fried & piping hot as usual. Completely. Flavorless. If I'd eaten these with my eyes closed I wouldn't have known what they were. Definitely a huge change. I'll be looking for someplace else to get my artichoke hearts. Huge disappointment. read more

Food was outstanding - we tried it all! Prices good, owner kind and attentive and artichokes way better than we had the night before at a fancy restaurant in Carmel. read more

Classic, historic, local establishment that serves artichokes in every way. I ordered the famous fried artichoke hearts and a cup of cream of artichoke soup. Absolutely delicious -- it satisfied my craving. The Giant Artichoke restaurant is a landmark that's been around forever. Located just off Highway 168 in Castroville, it's easy to see with the giant sign. A produce shop shares the same building. I drove out of my way to have a late lunch so I could enjoy artichokes at the "Artichoke Capital of the World". Fields of these giant globe plants surround the place so you can be sure that the star of the show is fresh. The cream of artichoke soup is full of bits and pieces of artichoke hearts. So warm and smooth. The crispy fried artichoke hearts were perfectly cooked and served with ranch dressing. I suggest you make a special trip to this iconic California dining experience because it's SO worth it. read more

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Excellent HUGE build your own sandwiches! Big enough to share. We got the roast beef sandwich it came cut in half and individually wrapped. Extremely fresh ingredients. The fried artichokes were great also. Fast service. The restaurant is under new management don't worry about old yelp reviews. Trust me its worth the stop! read more

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I absolutely LOVE artichokes so I just had to check out this restaurant.  I ordered a cup of soup and a half order of deep fried artichokes to go.  I ate the deep fried artichokes in the car while my husband ordered a Japanese dinner from a food truck.  The artichokes were really good.  I ate the soup back in the hotel later.  It was good and packed with big chunks of artichokes, but it didn't have much flavor.  I was glad I got my artichoke fix! read more

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Come here for the kitsch. The food is typical diner food, which a lot of fried options. We only ever really order the fried artichokes, which are tasty. The staff is friendly. There's nothing really stand-out aside from the artichoke theme. read more

I love this place!!! As a kid I came here all the time. My extended family used to live in Castroville and we would come and visit when I was young 8-12. I moved away about 15 years ago out of state and moved back earlier this year and was wondering if they made it through the COVID drama. I decided to come by last week when I was in the area and ordered a 1/2 order of fried artichoke hearts and a BLT! Man what a wonderful lunch it was. The service was great though the building looks a little run down after all these year, but who/what doesn't after 40-50 years...right? I'm just glad they are still around and still serving those fried artichoke hearts. Brings back such precious memories read more

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What an iconic little place. I went here with my friend whose family has been coming here for over 40 years. We had fried artichoke hearts. They were so good. The place has run down a bit but still Carry's the theme from all those years ago. Would recommend coming. A bucket list type thing. The guy who worked there wasn't the most friendly but whatever, the artichokes spoke kindly for themselves read more

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I have been coming over to this restaurant for over 30 years. But with new management came with new cooks and recipes. After finishing off the deep-fried artichoke hearts, I felt disappointed with the product. It was definitely over cooked. And it did not taste as good as the previous owners. There was something missing in the recipe. The taste was not there. The end product was too crunchy due to over frying. Bring back the old cook with her recipe. I do not know if I want to come back. I do know there is a restaurant in Moss Landing which sells deep-fried artichoke hearts. I may try them. Sometimes change is good. In this case, it is worse. read more

One of the saddest restruant experiences I have had. Really. We went in at around 11am on a Thursday. We were the only people in the place. It was very cold and very run down. The waited was not really friendly. Had the $22 artichoke platter. Comes with a small steamed artichoke. It was very meh. The bottom of the heart was not trimmed and was really stringy. The fried artichoke hearts were really bad. Over breaded and they must have been fried much earlier. The artichoke bread was meh as well. The overall plate was very uninspired. The ambiance was dingy. Was worried I may get sick eating here, but I did not. Seems to be a tourist trap. So sad to have such a poor place that serves sad artichokes in Castroville. read more

The best deep fried artichokes and soup!! Burgers are kind of plain but the sandwiches are pretty good.

I've been going here for decades every time I visit Monterey. I always get the french fried artichoke hearts to go. This time, they felt and tasted different. They were really too crispy to be have been fried fresh. They had an off taste as well. I called the restaurant and asked if they fry them fresh to order. The woman said no, they fry them the night before and then refry them when someone orders them. I ate them anyway, much to my regret. I paid for it later that night. It's too bad because I've been going here for over 40 years and I won't be back. read more

First of all, when I found out that we, a large group of over 40 people, were going, I was excited. I hadn't had a fried artichoke for years! As we had called ahead a month or longer, we were able to sit in the same area, at several tables. Our table of 6 guests waited over 2 hours to get our meals. And even then, we were not served as a table. Meals came in slowly. One person had eaten his entire meal before he even got his soup. While I understand that there were so many of us, as the restaurant personnel knew way in advance of our coming, their planning was not very good. At least 2-3 others of our tables waited as long as we did. Many of our group had gotten their food and eaten before we even got our meals. Now, for the quality of the food. I was very disappointed in the fried artichoke. There was too much batter; it overpowered the taste of the artichoke & it was not very crispy. Our friend said that the cream of artichoke soup was not very tasty. My entree, lasagna, was ok. I'm sorry to say but I will not go back. read more

The deep fried artichoke hearts are legend here. We always stop here on the way to Monterey or Carmel and we can always count on the hospitality at the giant artichoke. The restaurant is like an old diner in a small, quaint farm town, read more

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Family tradition for over 50 yrs coming to Castroville for the fried artichokes at the Giant Artichoke. Today's visit did not disappoint!! Fried artichokes as tasty and crispy as remembered. Sourdough patty melt full of flavor, buttery toast, deliciousness! Crinkle cut fries on the side. Simple, savory, and well worth it! Service was quick, attentive and friendly. Staff here works hard for their customers....THANK YOU!! read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - The Famous Deep Fried Artichoke Hearts - American Near Me - Castroville, California

Heard so much about this restaurant so when we were visiting the Monterey area we decided to stop by. However, rather than dining here we decided to just order take out for their most famous artichoke items like fried artichokes, artichoke bread and cream of artichoke soup. The reason is that other than the artichoke items, the rest of the menu looks very uninspiring. Also, the interior of the restaurant was dark and looked dated. We were glad for this decision as we brought the take-out foods to enjoy at Moss Landing, where we get to dine at a sunny picnic table with a beautiful harbor view. While the fried artichokes were great and I loved the sweet artichoke bread, the prices seemed high for the portions you get(we thought that maybe we only got half an order even though we asked for full order). I am glad to have experienced the artichoke eats but I don't think there will be a return visit for us unless the restaurant revamped the menu to be more exciting, and upgrade the restaurant interior. read more

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June 6, 2025 and we detoured from 101 N. and stopped in to buy some artichokes to take home. Wow were we disappointed, the selections were few and they all looked old (dried cracked stems with the leaves/petals dried out and split). We bought nothing and went to Pezzini Farms (about 2 miles east). This is the second time we have been disappointed and thus do not plan on returning. read more

I have been wanting to come here for YEARS (literally every time I drive by on the way to Carmel) Saturday was the day! - It was oddly empty for lunchtime on a Saturday, maybe this is more of a dinner spot. I knew I wanted the artichoke (creamy version) of soup and OF COURSE some deep fried artichokes. We opted to split the small order of fried artichokes and the patty melt which comes with soup, salad or fried - we got the creamy soup. The fried artichokes were very good - they came with a sauce akin to ranch - I bet Blue cheese would have been great here - wondering if I could have asked for it? I actually added some tabasco to the sauce provided and it was infinitely better - so hot tip! I didn't have high hopes for the patty melt, and I didn't realize it until after we ordered, but the patty melt here gets great Yelp reviews! - It was really good, the patty was obviously hand formed (not frozen) - there was a decent amount of grilled onions and it was not super greasy. Perfect for a split. There was only one other table here occupied the whole time we were there. But service was friendly and fast. Just funny the door to the bathroom reminded me of that old Gary Larson cartoon "school for the gifted" where the kid is pushing on a door with a big "pull" sign...the doors to the bathroom have a door push plate installed - but also a handle to pulled open. Ha Ha - I laughed to myself. read more

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We came in obviously to try the fried artichokes on our way out of town and even though it was a bit too early to eat we bought them anyway. They were so fresh and hot and really yummy, we couldn't eat them all and probably didn't need a large order but so glad we stopped in, the ladies were so welcoming and helpful. Decided to try some of their Artichoke bread too and it was moist and flavorful. Next time we will definitely come at meal time and sit and try some more of their offerings. But if you only have a little time and want a snack get the fried artichokes you won't be disappointed. read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - Fried artichokes - American Near Me - Castroville, California

I read some of the reviews before coming and had a friend tell me about coming here. So we're were excited! I was a huge fan of The Grotto's fried artichoke hearts and they were removed from their menu years ago, so we gave this place a try. When you know how to cook and are familiar with how fried items should feel, you know also how they shouldn't feel through trial and error. The fried artichoke hearts weren't light and crispy and they definitely soaked up all the grease which meant the oil temp was not correct. Also, when I go to a restaurant and there is a description, I expect the item to match the description, not have added extras. The menu stated they sold a platter which contained artichoke nachos, artichoke and spinach dip, fried artichokes, and a grilled artichoke heart. The platter was served with discolored crusty looking nacho cheese which was NOT on the menu and definitely didn't fit and looked OLD and reheated a few times! The menu should definitely be update to include this information, it wasn't a well suited match aside from the cheese appearing old! The nachos also contained the what tasted like the same cheese, which we felt was ABSOLUTELY inedible! The platter cost was $35 and was basically left on the table with the exception of the artichoke hearts! The cumin taste in the cheese was overwhelming and almost burnt tasting. We went to the restaurant mid day on a Saturday afternoon, we now know why the restaurant was dead on a weekend! Dead as in we were the only ones there. SERVICE: The waitress was kind, and was quick to fill our coffee cups up. WOULD WE RETURN: No thank you! read more

It's a staple and classic and it's a taste you can't really get many places. The fried artichokes are deep fried happiness. I like dipping in ranch for the perfect hint of all the things flavors. And the giant artichoke outside?? How can you not enjoy and love this must stop place. read more

I am a big fan of artichokes and this place did them justice! We did the whole sampler and my only complaint is the spicy sauce on the roasted one. Get that in the side instead. read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - American Near Me - Castroville, California

I'm an artichoke lover. I imagine you must be if you stop here. It's a kind of odd rundown little restaurant right off the highway with a massive artichoke built into the front wall. The staff is a bit quirky and the place is empty- at least on a Sunday afternoon about 230. Thankfully we planned for takeout for the road so we grabbed our fried artichoke hearts and cream of artichoke soup and happily hit the road. The hearts were fried in a batter with a spongy texture reminiscent of pancake batter almost. But the heart inside are what make these addictive. True hearts carved right out of a fresh artichoke- that's the flavor you get! The ranch for dipping is nice as well. The soup was not the best artichoke soup I've had but I don't regret ordering it. Make sure you get the bread for the side- it needs it. read more

This place is dingy and old, but we love their deep fried artichokes! A full order is plentiful and the price was reasonable. Be mindful that the prices on their menu is older and they should definitely update them. We've been here several times and the last time we were there we noticed the prices were low (on the menu), but when we paid everything was pricier than the menu. We were rushing so didn't bother to inquire but the signage by the register did have the higher price tags. The food is diner quality, so don't expect gourmet food with the best quality, but it does the job. They are not associated with the market nextdoor that also sells fried artichokes to go. read more

Had to wait for help which was disappointing but did get to see the sandwiches being made that were holding us up, they looked amazing!!! Not much to the place but the artichokes were delicious and worth the wait. If your going for service and fun, skip it. But food was great! read more

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Good food, very depressing environment. Dark, quiet, no traffic, etc. The restaurant environment will detour people from returning. read more

Artichoke platter and artichoke bread bowl were fantastic. Truth the ambiance is not fancy but the quality of the food was good. Don't judge a book by its cover read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - American Near Me - Castroville, California

Truthfully we come just for the fries artichoke hearts, which are delicious. Then we eat them in the parking lot. I don't know how the rest of the menu is. The bathrooms are reasonably clean too. read more

Love their fried artichoke dish and it was worth stopping in here twice for that dish . Place is run down but fine for lunch. Hamburger meal is a bargain and so was breakfast. read more

I drive by this place often enough, first time impression. Soooo kitsch, probably more than anywhere else I've been. If that's what your into, you will find your heart here. I had an order of the fried artichokes so if you dislike the surrounds, just get it to go. A-plus rating, happy noshing! This review brought to you by Dogedollar. read more

Everything was just okay and really overpriced. Spent almost $40 on two items. The spinach artichoke dip had no artichokes and looked unappealing. As for the taste, it wasn't any better. Artichokes were fine with lemon and salt, but then again, you can't really mess up steamed artichokes. We also ordered wings that were fine but very small and drenched in sauce for $15. I wanted to like this place but it was quite underwhelming. read more

Giant Artichoke Restaurant - Artichoke hearts and spinach dip - American Near Me - Castroville, California

Friendly staff, and lots of variety in the menu. Food was good and portions were plenty! We had the room to ourselves for lunch, so I don't know how it is during dinner time, but it was great for us read more