I only ordered a fruit bowl, but what I got was a bunch of…read moregrapes, 4 smaller pieces of pineapple, and a diced banana. They threw in a 1 sliced strawberry. $12 dollars

Sadly I'm going to be the bearer of bad news and say that First Awakenings is highly overrated. I…read moregrew up in Salinas and always remember this place being busy and thought of in high regard by pretty much all the locals. Being back in town, I had to give it a try after 15+ years being away. What a let down honestly. We were seated right away which was appreciated. It was about 10am on a Wednesday and we arrived just before the big rush it seemed. To drink, we ordered waters and orange juice and coffee. A whole coffee carafe was left on our table which was a bit of a surprise and the orange juice as advertised tasted freshly squeezed. Before ordering our food, my husband began asking the waiter about gluten free pancakes or waffles (since such was advertised online in a review from 11yrs ago) and before he could even finish the question the waiter cut him off to explain all the pancake and waffle options. My husband kindly asked again and was told they didn't have any specific gluten free options. That's ok, he ordered their Bacado omelette and instead of toast on the side he asked for a side of fruit. I ordered their Cinnamon Bread French Toast and a side of 1 scrambled egg and 1 sausage. I was told the sausage only comes in 2 or 4, and so I chose 2. When the food arrived, I immediately thought this all looks ok. And the taste was just the same. The omelette was not fluffy like you'd expect a highly rated restaurant omelette to be. The side of fruit came in a condiment cup and had 1 grape as well as 3 pieces of other fruit. The hash browns were sad looking, pretty pale and absolutely no crunch. My husband even added salt which was sad and rare to watch him do. My French toast was ok, kind of soggy and didn't have any caramelization or crunch on the outside whatsoever. It's definitely cinnamon toast vs a cinnamon roll French toast and was nothing special. The sausage was the best part which says a lot. I wouldn't come back here because there's infinitely better options minutes away.

I took my grandma and grandpa here on Friday, and this place exceeded my expectations. My grandma…read morereally enjoyed her tacos, and my grandpa liked his food too--although he thought the salsa was a little too spicy (I personally loved the kick). The tortillas were amazing--soft, fluffy, and delicious. My molcajete had great flavor as well. My only personal preference was that the steak was cooked more well-done than I typically like, which made it a little dry for me. I understand that may be how many customers prefer it, but it could be nice to give guests the option on how they'd like their steak cooked. The beans were creamy, the rice had great flavor, and overall everything tasted fresh and well made. It does get busy, so parking can be a little difficult, and it can get pretty loud inside during peak hours--but that's also a sign that people clearly enjoy this place. Overall, delicious food and I definitely want to come back to try more items on the menu.

Food was good. I ordered carne asada. It was 3 thin slices--juicy, fresh. It came with rice, beans…read morea grilled chile serrano, a cebolla and 3 home made corn tortillas. My daughter had the birria plate and a chavela. I was checked on about 5 times.

The food was fantastic. The service was exceptional. The atmosphere was down home comfortable…read more Highly recommend this place. We had breakfast but they had lunch on the menu which had lots of variety.

TACOS are excellent. Remember that…read more My goodness this place is great! So my elderly mother took me here for brunch yesterday. I skipped right over the all inclusive breakfast specials and went right to the Mexican food. I've been in search of great Mexican food for a while, every since moving away from California and Colorado. Well, it's right here, in Salinas, CA at Ariana's Restaurant. I've never had better tacos in my lifetime. They were truly heaven on a plate and I only could eat so much, therefore I will be back before my trip ends to try every single taco on the menu and maybe a few other things. I here from my mom that the pancake breakfast with bacon and has browns that comes with coffee is really great too. BUT THE TACOS must be tried!

Absolutely delicious meal!! Each bite was full of flavor. A fun diner-type vibe. Friendly server…read morewho offered great advice on which pie to order. Will definitely be back!!

Amazing everytime we come by! The menu is super big so we're always trying new things, and the…read moremimosas are always fun to have!

This place is packed but they're great with customer service, finding seating, and serving quality…read morefood! When we walked in, we were asked to join the waitlist. we waited MAYBE 5 minutes if that and seated at a booth. Our server was attentive, and brought us our drinks shortly after we ordered them. something I liked was how efficient the service was despite how busy they were that morning. I ordered the spam an eggs, potato cakes, and sourdough toast and jelly with a cup of hot tea. everything was amazing! I totally recommend this place if you're visiting the Monterey area or even if you're a local!

The restaurant is actually pretty nice and the servers were polite. I think this place must be a…read morelocal favorite as they were pretty busy. The food here is a fusion between Filipino type ingredients and American breakfast. Those familiar enough with Filipino food has to know that it is going to be oily, salty, sweet, heavy, and rich in flavor. That's exactly what we got. The longanisa must be a favorite at the restaurant but it wasn't my favorite. It's a little too lean to be an authentic longanisa. I needed the fatty sweetness of it. Lol. None the less we enjoy this place.

I've lived in the general area for 15 years and I wish I'd discovered this place sooner. I'm a huge…read morefan, this is some of the best Mexican food in the area, to the point where it reminds me of some of the better food I've eaten in both Mexico City and Oaxaca City. And I'm struck that reviews seem to be a bit polarized, but my experience was definitely at one end of that spectrum. I'll be back!

Food good mostly. Drinks weak. Bone marrow starter --- not…read moremuch there. Slow service. Not a place for celebration. Went to celebrate my mom's birthday Nothing mentioned--- not even a happy birthday.

I stopped by Portabello's for a Sunday brunch and overall, I had a very nice experience. We were…read moreseated right away and provided menus promptly, which is always a good start. We ordered avocado toast, French toast, banana pecan pancake, house potatoes, and an Aperol spritzer. My avocado toast was served on a single very thick piece of bread, which had a very generous amount of avocado smash and was topped off with this delightful and fresh arugula salad. I added an over easy egg for an extra charge that was the perfect balance. The house salad was simple with butter lettuce, cherry tomatoes, radish, cucumber, with a light lemon house dressing that brought the salad together. It was refreshing. The French toast is pretty standard. Nothing that particularly stood out. The banana pecan pancake was delicious and shared with everyone at the table. The house potatoes were extra crispy on the outside but soft on the inside, which I found particularly satisfying. Overall, we had a pleasant experience and found Portabello's to be a good brunch spot in Salinas. The service was fast, the food portions were big, the food tasted fresh, and it was a nice ambiance. I would definitely return for the avocado toast and potatoes. Side note - I noticed Caesar Salad was misspelled on the menu as "Caeser"

This is a cute spot to drop in and grab a bite if you are in the Salinas area. The service was a…read morebit slow despite the restaurant not being very busy, but the waitress was also very kind. The portion sizes were large and the food was decent. I opted for the club and my partner grabbed the blt. Bacon was super crispy!

Here's the complete list of everything I disliked about Caffe Soleil:…read more Please note the generous white space above, there were no complaints. Even arriving close to closing, we were met with exceptional customer service, a thoughtfully designed menu, delightful pairings, and truly outstanding espresso. All of this unfolded in an intimate, charming setting that basically transported us to a European bistro. It's a rare and wonderful experience to feel so completely taken care of, and this café delivers it effortlessly.

First time trying Caffe Soleil, and overall I had a good experience. It's a very small café with…read moretwo counters and a few small tables, but the inside is adorable. The atmosphere feels warm and welcoming, with trendy décor that is very appealing to the eye. When I arrived, it was a little challenging to find the full menu, and I wasn't greeted right away. However, I understand places can get busy, so I didn't let that affect my overall impression too much. I ordered the Panini Caprese sandwich, and my son ordered the Caesar salad wrap. My sandwich didn't look quite as full as the photo, but honestly, the flavor made up for it. It was delicious with great texture, and I loved every bite. I also appreciated that it came with pickled jalapeños on the side, which was a nice extra touch since I love adding those to sandwiches. My son rated his wrap a 3 out of 5. He felt there wasn't much chicken inside, and there also wasn't much Caesar dressing, so it mostly tasted like a wrap with lettuce. It would have been a much better experience if they had included more chicken and Caesar dressing on the side to add more flavor. Overall, I'd definitely come back and try this place again because I really enjoyed my sandwich and the café itself has such a cute, cozy vibe.

I haven't been here in years and I'm so glad I decided to come back! I ordered the chilaquiles…read moreverdes with egg and steak and they were absolutely delicious! Everything was flavorful and fresh. My cousin ordered an omelet with potatoes and she loved her meal as well. The owners were incredibly kind and attentive! Great ambiance. Overall, it was a great experience and I'll definitely be coming back! Highly recommend supporting this local business!

I'm sorry to leave a bad review. But we ordered the fried calamari and it's like chewing on a…read moregarden hose. It was cold, flavorless, and chewy. The lobster ravioli was decent though but also cold. The service was nice, no complaints there. Maybe I will try them again for breakfast or lunch? I hope this was just one bad meal.

The new Marina location is really good! I ordered the chile verde burrito and rated it 4 out of 5…read morebecause it was still missing a little of the sazón that makes the Salinas location so special. That said, the restaurant is super clean, including the bathrooms, and the space feels cute, modern, and welcoming. Nothing will ever beat the Salinas location for me, but this new spot definitely deserves 5 stars for the overall experience. Ordering online was quick and easy, and everything was ready on time. Great addition to Marina!

Located in the heart of Salinas and a local staple to community. El Charrito brings flavors that…read morecome from tradition and years of experience. It's a must have and always part of the detours when I'm driving near the area. The first touch is everything of the burrito. Your fingertips meet the surface and pick up a whisper of the flour. fine, almost silky, clinging just enough to remind you this was made by hand, not machine. It dusts your skin like a memory and suddenly, you're not just standing in your kitchen anymore. You're back with your mama or your abula kitchen. 10/10 on of my favorite places in the area and always worth the detour