Lala Grill in Monterey is the place to be if you want to turn a meal into a memorable fiesta! We rolled in with a crew of 25 hungry folks, and let me tell you, we made quite the entrance. I wish I'd taken more pictures, but I was too busy trying to keep my eyes off the delicious food that was about to land on our table. Now, let's talk about the wait for our food--it felt like watching paint dry, but in the best way possible. Seriously, our stomachs were growling louder than a rock concert! But if the long wait had a soundtrack, it was the sound of our group "Dugging" (yes, you read that right!). Everyone was so excited that we could have been mistaken for a bunch of starving lions ready to pounce on a buffet. And when the food finally arrived? Oh boy, it was like the heavens opened up and dropped down a feast fit for royalty! High-fives all around! The flavors were so good, I almost forgot my name. The cioppino Flawless. The steak A masterpiece. I think I even saw some of my friends weeping tears of joy between bites. In conclusion, if you're in Monterey and want to experience a meal that will leave your taste buds dancing, head over to Lala Grill. Just be prepared to wait a bit--because good things come to those who wait, and trust me, this is worth every second. Bravo, Lala Grill! You've earned yourself a standing ovation! read more

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Breathtaking ocean view while dining, we went there on July 14 around 6 pm, friendly staff at the door. The problem stared with the male server with a long face, he has an attitude. Asked him the origin of their raw oysters, he answered impatiently that they came from California. The blackened Sandabs and salmon tasted good, but not the mash potatoes which taste like bleach, or the yellowish rotten looking asparagus. Won't go there again read more

My husband and I spontaneously decided to spend the night in Monterey for our anniversary. We came to Lalla Grill for dinner around 7:30pm on Sunday evening and were sat at a window facing the ocean with the sunset. Our server Serena was incredible as soon as she greeted us. She was very sweet, helpful and kind. Her attentiveness was appreciated as a she checked in with us often and consistently refilled our waters as need, which we love. She offered a delicious recommendation for my cocktail (Poblano Margarita) and allowed my husband to taste 2 different beers before deciding which one he wanted. My husband got the Argentine Steak and I got the Steak Frites, both were delicious! We had planned to go to Ghirardelli for dessert but Serena made our time here so enjoyable we stayed here for dessert. We got the chocolate lava cake and Serena even wrote us a special note for our anniversary! Serena made our anniversary dinner so fun and memorable with her exceptional service and fun personality. This is my first ever Yelp review and I just had to write one specifically for the amazing service we received from Serena! read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - chocolate lava cake with a handwritten note from Serena. - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

I'm impressed. From high quality drinks, to high quality food this place did almost everything right. The crab melt was perfection and the two drinks I had were top notch. Might be my favorite restaurant in the area. read more

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We come here every time we are in town since it is one of our favorite spots! However, this last experience was not as good as previous ones due to our server, and I would have hesitated to come back if it were my first visit. Thankfully, the manager redemmed Ceasar's flaws. Cesar, who has worked here for 10 years, does not know how to separate a check. He wanted me to circle the items I has when I reminded him we asked for separate checks. I had to get a manager to fix it because he acted like he couldn't because we had a $100 reservation deposit. I was a server in the past, so I made sure, as soon as we sat down, to inform him we were on separate checks. He was too busy rushing us to order to listen. Other than our bad experience with Cesar everything was great! The cocktails (painkiller, paloma & old fashioned) were good & strong. The blue cheese steak bites were amazing! We always love their calamari! The sandabs were fresh & delicious. The desert was great as well. The view, drinks & food were great! I do wish they had bathrooms upstairs for handicapped people because it's a lot of stairs to get to the bathroom. read more

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Lalla gave us a great meal with the best view. We came during a slow time and were able to grab a seat right at the window which places you almost right over the ocean. Our server was so friendly and helpful. We started with the Blue Cheese Steak Bites which are not to be missed. The bacon-wrapped blue cheese-stuffed hanger steak was so tender and packed a flavor punch. Our server highly recommended the pasta so I had the Pasta al Limone and added prawns. The portion was huge, it was extra saucy, and the prawns were perfectly cooked. My only complaint would be that the lemon peel appeared to be sliced into thin pieces rather than zested, which was a bit jarring, but I otherwise loved the dish. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Pasta al Limone w/ Prawns - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

We had a great meal here on Thursday, July 2nd. We didn't have a reservation, but were seated right away at a table by the window. To drink, I had the Maui Fizz mocktail. I was hoping that the lemon, lime, and soda water would make it lighter, but it was pretty sweet from the juices. My husband had the mojito and it was a perfect classic mojito. We also asked for waters with our meal but our waiter forgot them and we had to ask again about halfway through our meal. To start we had the coconut prawns, which were huge and delicious, the sauces that came with them were so yummy. To eat I had the seafood risotto with scallops. The scallops were cooked perf rly, but the risotto wasn't my favorite. It did have lots of seafood in it, but the rice itself didn't have much flavor other than what came from the seafood and it needed salt. There were also large pieces of asparagus throughout and the asparagus flavor was also surprisingly overpowering. My husband had the crab-stuffed salmon, which was amazing! I'm usually not a huge salmon fan but it was cooked perfectly and the sauce was incredible! After dinner our waiter brought us a dessert menu and we were going to order something, but then he didn't come back for a long time to take our order so we decided to leave because we hadn't even gotten to order the dessert yet. Overall a good meal for our first night in Monterey. read more

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Delicious food and very swift service! He was honest in giving opinions and seemed to know the menu very well. Beautiful views over looking the bay. The only thing I wasn't fond of were the lady workers (I'm assuming bussers?) ..the look of total disgust and judgement on their faces every time someone came in or said something to them was unreal. I dined alone so I was more aware of my surroundings. They'd smile at the customer, then turn around and roll their eyes. Totally unprofessional. I know the other guests didn't notice, thankfully, but it was hard to watch. Over all, tasty lunch, a little pricy (but that's assumed for the location), and I'd consider trying this restaurant again. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - California Chicken Sandwich - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Had lunch here instead of the busy aquarium cafe to mix things up and enjoy the gorgeous views on a sunny day. While the restaurant is not large, their oceanfront view is beautiful and so nice to enjoy the cooler atmosphere while soaking in the ocean views, boats sailing by, and wildlife. We saw a sea otter and it hung out near the shallow area while we dined. Items ordered: Kid's chicken tender with fries- kiddo enjoyed this meal Kid's mac n cheese- both kiddo and hubby (who tried it) said it was really good! Kid's cup of clam chowder- kiddo enjoyed this also Adult cup of clam chowder- it was for me but kiddo ate it. Good flavor and plenty of clams, potatoes, and carrots Shrimp scampi pasta- really enjoyed this dish and the lemon garlic flavor Pesto pasta with blackened shrimp- A tad too overdressed with pesto and a hint of bitterness (possibly from burnt pine nuts?). Otherwise, the blackened grilled shrimp was cooked perfectly. Unsweetened iced tea x2- this was so refreshing and especially with extra lemon! read more

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This is such a perfect spot to go in Monterey. You get a beautiful view and the food was amazing. The service was great, very friendly and helpful! read more

Never in my life going here again!!! The worst customer service and the waiter only came to us once. Management needs to have a meeting with ALL their staff. No need for the waiter to grab are menu's from us and doesn't even explain why. read more

Great place to enjoy a drink with spectacular ocean views. Great choice of Bourbon and local brews for happy hour. Bartender was attentive and we appreciated his recommendations. We did not eat at this restaurant so it was simply a great place for friends and drinks however the menu was a good mix of local cuisine. read more

We walked by this place during lunch time and saw how busy and smelt how delicious it was, we knew we'd have to stop by for dinner. Service was excellent. From the host down to every server and busser. This place runs smoothly because of them. We had drinks at the bar while we waited, paid. Then moved on to our table, we enjoyed some fries and clams, some bacon wrapped steak bites, I ordered the crusted halibut (a bit dry for my living), and husband ordered a risotto and scallops. His was delicious!! All in all, great experience. Thank you all read more

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Every one in our party enjoyed their dishes, in particular I liked the local sand dabs. The calamari appetizer was more like calamari steak, not just the usual tubes and tentacles. Generous portions, served quickly, friendly and attentive service. Great ocean view, bright and airy ambience. Nice selection of beer and wine, mixed drinks too. Would definitely visit again. read more

Turns out we didn't get to have a La La Oceanside experience. We wanted to scout it out for an event we are planning for friends and family, so we booked dinner for 7 on a week night. 2 hours before our reservation we got a call telling us that they had a private party booked downstairs that night that had expanded to the point that they had to seat some up in the area we had our reservation in, so they would have to cancel on us. Who does that‽ Are we responsible for their poor planning? I wish I could give a review of the restaurant, but I doubt I will ever get that chance. I hope they made lots of money that night, because they missed out on a chance to host our party. Damn. read more

My boyfriend & I took a spontaneous overnight trip to Monterey to compare it to Santa Cruz. Wasn't too busy here at the time we went (late afternoon). All of the staff looked clean & polished. Not to mention extremely welcoming & professional! Super bright & open dining room during the day, rich & intimate atmosphere at night. We weren't feeling too good, so we just ordered some appetizers to split. We shared a tray of oysters that were to die for! Can't get any fresher than at Old Fisherman's Wharf. Calamari appetizer was made fresh to order, and the drinks were perfect. My boyfriend ordered a beer while I had a Paloma, one of the best ones I've had in a while! I don't say this often, but everything was well worth the market price! Definitely stopping here again next time we visit Monterey! read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Apps, sans the drinks - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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After coffee it was a short walk to Lalla for some food. We initially asked for a window seat by the water. With a 15-20 minute wait we decided on a high top in the bar area area. Just as well. After a few minutes of my partner facing the floor to ceiling windows looking at the bay she moved to the other side due to the brightness. It was a sunny day after all the rain. Sitting next to the window would have been too bright. We started off with a dozen oysters. We always start with at least a dozen oysters pretty much everywhere if they have them. After the oysters we settled on the California Club with sweet potato fries. We continued to hang out for a hot minute and were not rushed at all. We hate being rushed. We take our time. All in all a nice place and will be back when in the neighborhood. read more

We visited Lalla for lunch after spending the night in Monterey. Popular spot, and it's not hard to see why, with their killer view of the ocean. Beyond that, the menu offers many enticing options. I typically zero in quickly on one or two things that sound best to me on any given menu, but in this case there were a number of things that sounded really good. Maybe I was just extra hungry, I don't know. We started with a dozen oysters (of course), which were plump, delicious, and reasonably priced at $40/dz. The oysters totally hit the spot. Afterward, we decided to split a California Club, with a side of sweet potato fries. Would have liked more mayo and avocado on the club, but it was still good. Service was a bit on the slower side, it seems they could use more help, but the staff was nice. Would return and would recommend. read more

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I'm a fry girl through and through, and let me tell you....these rosemary garlic fries are now the gold standard. Crispy, herby perfection. I'd come back just for them and not even pretend it's for the view (though the view is amazing). We started with calamari that was everything it should be....crispy, seasoned, not chewy. As a texture person, that's a big deal. My husband's seafood risotto was creamy and flavorful with this fancy floral note that made me side-eye his plate more than once. I ordered the pistachio-crusted chicken salad, which looked promising but just didn't deliver. The dressing was aggressive and drowned out everything else. Not terrible, just... the weak link. Portions were generous, the view is unbeatable, and our server was kind and attentive, though so soft-spoken I felt like I was leaning in for gossip. The decor could use a refresh, and once the place filled up, it got loud and a little warm. But overall, the experience was solid. Bottom line: Come for the view, stay for the fries, maybe skip the salad. And bring someone who's okay with sharing their risotto. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Seafood Risotto - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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We make this place a priority every time we are in town. The view is spectacular and the food is always fantastic. I have had many dishes here and have thoroughly enjoyed them all. The flatbread is an absolute must. The pesto chicken is my current favorite. The carne asada tacos are top notch as well. The drinks are great. I had a paper plane today and it is now my going to be my go to. In fact I may have had two of them. The staff is always friendly and they truly care about their patrons. My wife has a food allergy and they went to great lengths to accommodate her. Come give them a try. You will not be disappointed. Just come before noon to get a window seat. read more

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This day was my actual birthday we got up had some lunch. It was great. The view was great. The service was great. The food was great. I had the crab melt. I believe it was delicious. The fries was so good but if you guys go to Monterey check this place out great view and great service read more

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We were staying at The Spindrift Inn next door, and they use Lalla's for their room service. We ordered the blue cheese steak bites, Lalla bacon burger, and clam chowder. All excellent!! Super easy ordering system using QR code, and fast delivery. We will definitely order from Lalla's again, or dine-in next time. read more

Very accommodating with dietary restrictions. Beautiful view. Great service. Clam chowder bread bowl was our favorite. Will definitely be back. read more

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Cute little restaurant right over the water. If you're lucky you'll get a spot by the window so you can watch the waves at the beach below. Ordered salad and fries, the salad was huuuuge and delicious, but there was absolutely no way one or even two people could finish one!! Fries were okay, I asked for garlic fries because on the menu it says they are available with the steak but the waitress said they didn't have them? A little confusing but I just settled for the regular fries. Service was friendly. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - View from our table - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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I have been to several of the Lalla Grill locations and this one has the most stunning views--Monterey Bay stretches out below you in a panorama of windows that capture the breathtaking scenes on and around the bay. We were a party of 11, so my daughter called ahead to make reservations for our group (5 adults and 6 children). They do have a kids menu and crayons and a coloring sheet of bay creatures to keep the younger ones in your party busy until the food comes. I got the Wedge Salad with Chicken. It includes a wedge of iceberg lettuce with blue cheese crumbles, bacon, tomatoes, and a HUGE amount of seriously tasty grilled chicken, all topped with ample blue cheese dressing ($28) and there was such a diversity of orders in our group that I cannot even remember everything ordered. Everyone seemed to enjoy their food. Prices are about what you expect for a sit down restaurant on Cannery Row in Monterey (high). Service was a bit uneven. We were seated right away because we did have reservations. However, our food did not all come out at the same time. The child sitting next to me did not get her pasta dish until everyone else was almost done with their meal. We had to ask to have our water glasses refilled. Some items that were requested when we placed our order came out too late to be consumed with the meal (example, requested pickles for a sandwich came out after the sandwich had already been consumed). Now for the challenges: There are no parking facilities near this restaurant (the hikes from parking garages and lots is quite far on unlevel terrain). The bathrooms are in the basement down some very steep stairs and there is no elevator for the mobility impaired. The layout of the kitchen in relationship to the entry to the resaurant, the kitchen, the stairway to the rest rooms and the dining areas is very awkward--leaving patrons with the feeling that as they enter or exit the dining areas or try to get to the bathrooms, they are in the way of servers bringing large trays of food from the kitchen. read more

Steak frites delicious Chicken sandwich tasty Clam chowder creamy Lemon pasta Sitting ocean side pretty scenic area Service was quick... read more

The Chicken Fettuccine was above average as it relates to taste. The fettuccine was soft (not al dente but that's the way I like it), the sauce was creamy, and the chicken was well seasoned. The portion was large. The Bolognese was too seasoned. The portion was incredibly large. The lobster and shrimp enchilada portion was a good size. I loved the black beans. The enchiladas green sauce was authentic and had plenty of protein. The wasn't keen on the rice, however, but that may be because I am particular about Mexican rice. The tea was excellent with the lemon. The portion was excellent as well. I especially appreciated the hot drink given that I had been really cold. The best part of my meal was the cup of clam chowder. I wish it was served with a small piece of sour dough. I order some but it was brought way after the clam chowder. The server kept refilling the water. She took our order promptly. She also came to our table multiple times to check on us. It was a busy evening and she did an amazing job. The restaurant decor is nice. It was loud but we could still engage in conversation. The windows toward the ocean are large. We came late so we couldn't see the view. Overall the experience was great! Good food and great service. read more

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My wife and I came into Lalla Grill today for my birthday to catch the end of an NFL game and ended up having such a great time. They had the game on at the bar, which made it a perfect spot to hang out with a gorgeous view of the ocean, grab some delicious food, and watch the game. Not really the place to come watch games as they only had one tv, but we wanted to just watch the end of the game but enjoy really good food and drinks. We ordered the calamari and the lobster nachos (with no pico de gallo), and honestly... both were absolutely amazing. The calamari was cooked perfectly and was topped with this mix of garlic and chili flakes, and the lobster nachos were loaded and full of flavor with the sauces that were on them -- easily a standout. For drinks, we had a paloma and margarita, and both were really good and well balanced. Great service, great food, beautiful view, and solid drinks. Definitely a place we'd come back to, especially to enjoy a night out together. read more

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I have been planning to come to this restaurant to have an amazing experience. However, after this experience i will never be back. 1. I came inside the restaurant no one greeted me, i was looking around and there is a lot of employees standing around, they all looked at me and not a single person greeted me. 2. I was told by the host that they dont have high chairs for my 2 years old baby and only booster seat, and i could see high chairs around the restaurant. After a while holding my baby, props to the busser that asked if i needed a high chair. 3. I asked about the portion for the kids side the server said they are small i ordered 2 . When the food for my kids arrived it was big and on top of that one looked very good and jummy and the other looked very disappointed per say. 4. I returned one of the plates for my kids. When my husband got his burger the server did not even bothered to comeback and check how was everything. My husband order a burger medium rare and got it well done. He just had a few bites he wasnt happy. 5. I looked around if the server the manager or any one can come over and assist in anyway. All i saw was the manager and the server watching the football game and talking about it rather than come over and help. Overall very disappointed. I think that being a customer that visits a lot of restaurants we are expecting at least something decent for service. read more

We had lunch in Monterey on Cannery Row. Yes it's touristy, but it was a cold, gloomy day, so what's better than some hot clam chowder? We sat on the patio with our playful pup at Lalla Grill and enjoyed great service and wonderful soup. The chowder came in garlic bread bowls and was hot and full of clams, diced potatoes, carrots and a lovely creamy base. The chowder really warmed our tummies on a cold, dreary day. We will definitely come back! read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Clam Chowder in a Garlic Bread Bowl - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

This was our 2nd visit in the last 3 years. Our first time, 3 years ago was great! However yesterday we went and it's gone downhill since then. My salmon salad was delicious though, and i highly recommend it! The asparagus was the best and super fresh and delicious that came with my husband's steak. However, we had a window seat, the view is amazing, and the windowsill was filthy. Crayon coloring, a dead baby fly, and just gross looking. The vinyl on the chair was ripped and torn. I'm not sure what has happened in the last few years, but the appearance and cleanliness has . Don't think we will be back next time. The location and views are great! The service was good and our food arrived in a timely manner too. read more

We have come to this location a few times and it was never amazing nor terrible. They are a good restaurant with good food. One time the food was cold but they fixed it right away and hey mistakes happen. The staff has always been friendly and never had any issues. It's pretty casual but people Dress up sometimes depending on the occasion. I have seen dates, birthdays, casual outings, and family dinners. This is a family friendly restaurant but I wouldn't recommend it for fussy kids due to it being pretty mellow and quiet for the most part other than random drunk tables as is the usual in most restaurants. Overall good. Not amazing but never terrible read more

Not a very large space but most seats are ocean view. The first night we dined at Lalla's it was noisy . 2 tables of eight. Ugh! No one has the spine to ask people to keep their voices down. We both ordered salads for dinner and they were excellent! Large and full of ingredients. The cocktails were also on point. The next day we met a friend for lunch. Different salad for us, excellent again! Our friend had a sandwich and it was huge. He couldn't finish. The next night we just went in for cocktails. MaiTai was excellent. Bartender was friendly and attentive! Look forward to returning next trip. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Margarita with a view. - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Still a great restaurant because of the ocean view. We always ask for a table by the ocean and we only had to wait 5 minutes. Wasn't busy on a Saturday as it's off peak tourist season. I did notice prices have gone up since we were here 2 years ago. It was over $100 for 3 people, which is pretty pricey. We did get gorgeous photos by the ocean though! As much as I love this place, I might have to find another one that's not so expensive. read more

The food was really really good. Highly recommend the pesto pasta. It was delightful. Mocktails were good. The views also cannot be beat. The booths are comfy. But the service was awful. The waitress seemingly forgot about us. We had to ask for water and really everything multiple times. We wanted dessert but didn't want to have to wait on her so we didn't. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Serena was absolutely amazing! She was very informative, attentive, and made our dining experience enjoyable. She gave excellent recommendations, checked in on us consistently, and made sure we had everything we needed. We truly felt taken care of and would love to be served by her again. The view was also amazing. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

The view is awesome. The location is great. Right in the middle of Cannery Row. The food was decent, nothing special. The service was not good. The server was slow and barely checked on us. The staff seemed disinterested and bored. Plenty of good places to eat in this location. I don't recommend this place. read more

Been wanting to try this place but we usually try to avoid Cannery Row because of parking limitations but we got lucky this time. I was a bit disappointed that they don't offer the same menu as Lalla Grill Del Monte. Food was good but not as good as Del Monte, tbh. Service was good. Ours seemed to be a bit formal but that's totally fine, it was just an observation. We loved the view of the water. read more

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We went for Valentine's day which was a super busy day in Monterey. We only had to wait 40 minutes vs other restaurants were a 2 hr wait. My boyfriend was impressed by the food and great service. I had the salmon stuffed with crab, he had the seafood risotto. For appetizers he ordered the coconut shrimp which are huge and steak with blue cheese wrapped in bacon. He really loved it. My dish was delicious and the 1 coconut shrimp I had. The ambiance was romantic. I am attaching photos for reference. We have already suggested this place to family and friends on FB. We highly recommend this restaurant for any of you reading this. read more

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Although I've been to Lalla Grill Oceanside before, this is the first time I've ever sat at a table. I'm so glad I finally did! What a great view of the ocean!!! While hosting a friend from out of town, we really worked up an appetite by the time we made it to this Cannery Row favorite. With only two of us at the table, we grubbed hard! Coconut Shrimp Caesar Salad Margarita Pizza Shrimp & Lobster Enchiladas And an Old Fashioned to wash it all down. From start to finish, we were well attended and well fed. If you're looking for a fun, hip spot with amazing ocean views, Lalla Grill Oceanside checks all the boxes. Whether you're looking for a fun bar scene or a scrumptious seafood supper, I definitely recommend this restaurant. read more

Lalla Grill Oceanside - Menu - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California