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    Melville Tavern

    4.1 (565 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 9:00 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

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    MELVILLE TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Dogs allowed
    Outdoor seating
    Happy hour specials

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    Recommended Reviews - Melville Tavern

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    Blackened Shrimp Salad
    Samantha

    I love it here! Food/drink, service, quality and location are ALL ON POINT. Lily my server was attentive and helpful in making suggestions. My blackened shrimp salad was refreshing, fresh and satisfying. A great spot for any occasion.

    Hamburger Fries
    Breanna S.

    One of our favorite go-to spots during Monterey Car Week! This time we opted for a regular hamburger and a grilled chicken sandwich both of which were super good and we couldn't recommend it enough. This tavern has everything for all platters, and is a great option for whenever you're visiting! The service was fast and attentive, we got in and out at an efficient time, and our server was really wonderful, thank you for making our visit fun. Additionally, I adore the ambiance of this restaurant, it's a cool vibe dedicated to, you name it, Herman Melville. Overall wonderful place, and we can't wait to be back.

    Grilled Chicken Sandwich

    Food was great and staff were nice. Indoor/outdoor seating. The restrooms are located away from the restaurant and you need a code. A little pricey, but I thought it was high quality food with large portions. Will return!

    Faux vodka or rum beverage - delicious, but no real liquor onsite
    Judie H.

    I've eaten here many times over the past 9 years with mixed results. Price & menu items are always consistent. Parking is okay with a mix of street & lot availability, but one might need to walk a street or 2 if there's a nearby event happening. Who cares? We can all use more time walking & Monterey is a beautiful town with great weather. Dining is available at the bar, inside the restaurant, outside - near the street or tucked in the footpath to other offices. Service has always been friendly. Bathrooms are located in the main building - a bit of a walk & no signage till you're there. Keycode is provide, but there's just one gender-neutral room so there's a wait if it's a busy day. It's clean-ish. This time, I had just a cocktail - faux rum or vodka with some fruit juice. It wasn't sweet (perfect for me) and it was refreshing served in a large mason jar with a fruit salad as garnish. My friend had a too sweet Prosecco. I added dessert - blueberry bread pudding with vanilla ice cream (hold the whipped cream, please!). It doesn't need the whipped cream. Dessert wasn't extremely flavorful, but it was fresh & a good texture. Blueberries were also fresh. On other visits, the food has been inconsistently flavorful-flavorless, not hot, overpriced, and no Apple Pay at the table. This time, was a good experience overall. This is not my fave restaurant, nor one I recommend; but, it was convenient & located away from the event crowd. To the business owner -- invest in new technology for payment, so customers don't have to walk behind the bar to pay with our devices. Apparently, bar is unable to serve real mixed drinks; but no explanation was given. Wine & beer menu were adequate with a good selection of local choices.

    Inside
    David B.

    After walking the farmers market on a Tuesday night, we stopped in for some dinner. There was free street parking available and the Melville has live music on Tuesdays. We were able to get in before 6pm to take advantage of the happy hour from 4-6 for $6 drafts and $7 glasses of wine. Very charming restaurant with good service. Expect to spend between $25-$35 per person for food. We had the meatloaf sandwich and a blackened chicken sandwich of which the meatloaf was the better choice although both were very good. The beers offered rotate and there is a nice long bar that seats like 10-12 people. I would eat here again, nice cozy spot.

    Tavern Burger
    Olivia B.

    I was craving a good burger and found this place! We had our dog with us and asked to be seated outside. They said no problem! We were the only ones outside, which was great. It was a bit chilly, but they turned on the heater for us, which was very nice. I ordered the Tavern Burger with fries, and my fiancé got the Bacon Burger with tater tots. Our waiter asked how we wanted each burger cooked, I asked for medium well and my fiancé asked for medium. Everything was great! My burger was filling and cooked perfectly. My fiancé's was definitely overdone for him, but he didn't mind too much. The bacon and cheese made it good anyway, plus the brioche bun. The best part, though, was the garlic Parmesan tots! I tried some and was jealous I didn't order my own. They were soooo good! Friendly staff and yummy burgers. Bonus points for being dog friendly!

    Tavern Burger
    Devin M.

    The burger was nothing extraordinary, but it got the job done. It lacked seasoning and didn't stand out in any particular way. That said, the homemade pickles were absolutely amazing, and the patty was cooked perfectly to a medium. Overall, the burger was just okay I'd give it a solid 7.5. Service was fast and efficient, and the venue itself was beautiful. The atmosphere felt like stepping onto an old-school boat unique and nostalgic in the best way.

    Hamburger

    Enjoyed the happy hour appetizer which was nacho chips and chili with queso. Very tasty. Service was excellent and the ambience is great. No complaints at all.

    Pizza and pasta
    Monty H.

    Prices here are fairly high but everything was excellent, especially the pesto base pizza. Definitely a gastropub type restaurant where they pride themselves on food quality and taste. Craft Beer list was also expansive with plenty of options from IPAs to stouts.

    Blackened shrimp salad
    Philipp B.

    A solid option for casual meals. There's nothing notably exciting about this restaurant, but it's never disappointed me, either. And occasionally it modestly exceeds my expectations, like with a recent blackened shrimp salad I had.

    Kathy X.

    My friend and I came here for dinner. This spot seemed to have an elevated tavern vibe, as it was festively decorated with high ceilings, and quite spacious. There was a welcoming ambiance to the place. I ordered the Fried Prawn and Ribs, which came with fries, as well as coleslaw. I requested Garlic Parmesan Fries. There were 4 pieces of Shrimp, which were a nice size, delightfully crispy, juicy, and well seasoned. The Ribs were tender, full of boldly flavorful BBQ sauce. Garlic Parmesan Fries were cheesy and satisfyingly crunchy. For dessert, I selected the Chocolate Molten Cake, served with almond biscotti, vanilla ice cream, and whipped cream. This took awhile to arrive, but it was worth the wait. There was a candle in the cake, since I was celebrating my birthday. The cake was delicious... Sweet, decadent, oozing with warm, velvety smooth, rich chocolate filling. The biscotti was a lovely accompaniment, while the ice cream also added to the yumminess. Service was solid. Our waiter was friendly and on top of everything. My friend and I enjoyed our evening here. I would be open to returning to try the Herb Crusted Mahi Mahi or Duck Fettuccine.

    Cheesecake
    Mickey O.

    We went there 45 minutes before closing. Staff was very helpful and didn't rush us. They were very helpful with my wife's Celiac, which means gluten will make her very sick. They had gluten free buns for burgers and the have a fryer that doesn't have anything gluten in it so she was able to have sweet potatoe fries. They have gluten free crust for pizza but it goes in the same wood fire oven so she couldn't eat that. However, Madison said they could probably put a GF pizza on a tray and only in the regular oven if someone wanted to. Anyways, the burgers were good. I liked the chipotle aioli that came on the side. I asked for extra pickles and they understood the assignment I got the garlic parmesan tots which were pretty good and crunchy. Sweet potato fries were very good. I don't think they have any GF desserts but they had 5 with plenty of gluten in them. I got the cheesecake with strawberries, it was pretty good. It has a little bit of lemon in the cheesecake and the crust was nice and thick. Overall, it was a good experience,

    Weekend brunch bottomless mimosas

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    19 days ago

    Burger was great! Would not recommend the coleslaw. Service was also good and attentive!

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    1 month ago

    i don't recall much about the food, but this place has the best bloody mary i've ever had

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    11 months ago

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    Business owner information

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    2 months ago

    Yummy duck sandwich and sweet potato fries. Nice place to watch the World Cup and not feel over crowded. Chill comfy room and the bar.

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    3 months ago

    Great customer service, nice ambiance and good was fresh and hot. Made to order just how we like.

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    It's fine but that's all. Friendly folks but unexceptional pub grub. Pleasant room but unlikely to return. Super ordinary.

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    Melville Tavern Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Melville Tavern

    Do they offer free wifi for their customers?

    We have free Wi-Fi

    Do th?ey serve breakfast

    It would be great if they did but unfortunately do not.

    Do you have gluten-free bread or buns for your burgers or do you offer sourdough bread for your burgers?

    We have gluten-free burger buns in addition to gluten-free pizza crust. We have sliced sourdough. We have many other allergen restrictive items available.

    Is there a children's menu?

    Yes! They have a coloring/activity menu with quite a few options for kids. I will snap a photo next visit, but off the top of my head I remember they offer full meals like Alfredo pasta, pizza, and chicken tenders, and also sides like fruit cups.

    What type of fish do they use in their tacos?

    Skuna Bay salmon and CA sea bass. I sell it to them;)

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Mulligan Public House - Roasted Portobello Mushroom Appetizer

    Mulligan Public House

    4.0(314 reviews)
    3.4 mi
    $$

    Good place for a beer. Never had the food but this is a place you have a beer or a bourbon. Staff…read moreis sorta friendly. Noisy but this is a bar.

    So much for a hopeful chill night while on a girls trip with out of state family. Earlier in the…read moreday while we walked past this establishment we heard laughter and what seemed like chill vibes, so we made a mental note to come back later in the evening for a few drinks. Walked in, and it was busy. Not packed but busy due to shortage of staff. The waiter got to us and said there's seating outside and if we'd rather seat inside she was the only waiter so it'll be a few more minutes before she can clean the tables. We waited patiently and got a seat. Ordered drinks and waited. Waited and waited. While waiting I could see the 1 bartender just chatting away with the people sitting at the bar. Making drinks here and there but majority of the time just talking. 20-25 min passed by and our Waiter stopped by and realized we still haven't received our 2 drinks. She immediately got our attention and went to the Lady Bar Tender who looked annoyed that she was getting interrupted talking to the customers and was asked to do her job and check on our drinks. At this time we decided to walk up and sit at the bar as there were open seats. As we sat down the Bartender gave us a drink & food menu and said kitchen closes soon. We told her that we're just ordering drinks and that the waiter had already placed our drink order a while back. She went to her kiosk system and realized there were 2 drinks placed. She immediately looked at her phone and I'm sure referenced the time and actually proceeded to make one of our drink. She rimmed it and placed ice into the cup - while doing this she placed the drink back down as the customer next to us asked for another drink. She went back to the kiosk and grabbed her phone and looked like she purposefully just didn't care to make our drinks. She was on her phone with her back turned to us... for quite some time. There was enough time in between her back turning and the other customers drink order that we decide we're not going to be waisting any more of our time & leave. While doing this she actually proceeded to skip making our drink and got the drink/beer for the customer next to us. I walked on over to the waitress and said she can cancel our drink and we're leaving; she immediately apologized and said for us to stay and she'll ask to comp our 1st drink. I was very hesitant but she obviously was very apologetic and we went back and sat. She went to the bartender and told her make our drink and comp it. The bartender all of a sudden went back to making our drink and started talking to us saying she's the only bartender and the other 2 called out... never did she apologize. At this time I just told her she wasn't busy making drinks rather just talking and also skipping our drink to serve someone else. She asked if we still wanted our drinks and at this time, clearly why would anyone stay and support this kind of behavior. I told her, her customer service attitude sucks and we walked out. Waisted 45 min of our time... To the establishment: pls have your bartender working Night of 9/10 check herself & her attitude. She's the engine that runs your bar business and if she's clearly this rude, unprofessional and unapologetic about making drinks she shouldn't be working as a bartender. She left a very bad impression on your business while another worker tried to make things right just for her to give your customers attitude and purposely just choosing to not make our drinks.

    Photos
    Mulligan Public House - Atomosphere

    Atomosphere

    Mulligan Public House
    Mulligan Public House - Quaint, dog friendly patio.

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    Quaint, dog friendly patio.

    West End - Fountain

    West End

    4.0(1.2k reviews)
    26.4 mi
    $$

    We had dinner here during our stay. We ordered the okonomiyaki fries and pacific calamari to share…read more I ordered the steamed mussels for my main. The okonomiyaki fries were delicious. The fries with the spicy mayo and teriyaki sauce made the dish. It was very savory. My son enjoyed it. The fried calamari was also good. The calamari and jalapeno peppers were crispy and salted well. The sweet and sour sauce that accompanied it was added a slight heat to the dish. We enjoyed our meal here and would return the next time we are in Santa Cruz.

    I returned to West End over a year after my last visit, and so much has changed! They rebranded to…read moreWest End Izakaya and now serve Asian-inspired dishes, rather than their previous American farm-to-table menu. Honestly, I can't say this change is an improvement. My grandma and I visited around dinner on a Saturday and were seated on the (dog-friendly) patio. They did have propane heaters, but not enough of them, so it was quite chilly. For drinks, we both got hot Green Tea to warm up, which was very standard - served in pre-packed tea bags. For food, we ordered the Okonomiyaki Fries and Maitake Mushroom Flatbread to share. The Okonomiyaki Fries were pretty good and I enjoyed all the toppings, especially the spicy pink mayo. I usually prefer thinner fries, but I liked the crispy texture. However, the Maitake Mushroom Flatbread was a bit disappointing. There just wasn't enough bechamel and mozzarella on top and the flavor somewhat bland. Service was friendly, but I miss their old menu offerings, like the Heirloom Tomato Flatbread. Not a huge fan of the rebrand!

    Photos
    West End - Booths

    Booths

    West End - Fireplace

    Fireplace

    West End - Ipa sampler

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    Ipa sampler

    Bauer's By Sazon

    Bauer's By Sazon

    4.3(202 reviews)
    87.1 mi
    $$

    Had an overnight work trip that had me in Modesto so I was trying to find something fun to eat…read more After a bit of research I found this place. I showed up around 7pm and I thought it might have been closed because no one was here. But they were open. I ordered a Bauer burger with the house seasoned fries. They asked how I'd like the egg cooked and the burger cooked: I asked for medium for both. Given how dead the place was, it did take a minute to get my food. The burger was ok, not worth $21. The bun fell apart very quickly which is a bit of a cardinal sin in the burger game. The bacon on the burger was not bacon strips but a bit of bacon crumble. The patty was a bit overcooked so it was dry and it wasn't seasoned so it was bland. The egg was cooked perfectly, but the aioli and the egg yolk with a disintegrated bun made for a huge mess. The fries were interesting. The house seasoned fries are not salted. So the fries were almost sweet due to the spices, but no salt. And they do not have regular table ketchup or malt vinegar. I did ask for some ketchup and they brought me their house ketchup. While not like a classic ketchup, it was actually quite good. Oh, be aware. They will charge you a 4% fee when they bring you the check (what would have happened if I'd paid with cash?). I do not see anywhere on the menu where they say their is a payment fee so that is a pretty shady business practice. Overall: meh. I think for the price point the burger should have been great, but sadly I can't say it was great or even good. I'd likely not return.

    Food menu was so on point. Everything sounded good! Everything was delicious! The restaurant had a…read moregood amount of people and we got a nice table right away. Our waitress was so nice and in a good mood so that was nice too. The restaurant doesn't have have music and I liked that, we could actually have a conversation and not yell at each other. Lol our food was super flavorful and we will be back! The ketchup had a unique & I will say my black berry coulis & Brie burger was delicious. I loved the flavor combo. The seasoning on the fries and the Mac and cheese was also unique and kind of sweet.

    Photos
    Bauer's By Sazon
    Bauer's By Sazon - Ribeye burger & hazy IPA

    Ribeye burger & hazy IPA

    Bauer's By Sazon - Menu

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    Menu

    First Street Alehouse - California Burger

    First Street Alehouse

    4.0(2.4k reviews)
    75.2 mi
    $$

    I recently visited First Street Ale House and was thoroughly impressed! The atmosphere is casual…read moreand inviting, making it a perfect spot for a relaxed night out. Their selection of craft beers is extensive--there's something for everyone, from fruity IPAs to rich stouts. I ordered their burger, and it did not disappoint! Juicy and flavorful, paired with crispy fries. The service was attentive and friendly, which added to the overall experience. One minor downside was the noise level during peak hours, but it's to be expected in a lively pub. Overall, First Street Ale House is a must-visit for anyone in the area. Great drinks, delicious food, and a vibrant atmosphere--what more could you ask for?

    It saddens me to have to leave a bad review, since I frequent this place quite often... but the…read morequality of their to-go orders has gotten so bad. In-house we haven't had much issue, but I don't know what's going on with door dash/delivery orders. Almost every time, there's an issue. My littles absolutely love the mini corn dogs, and even though the listing says "with fries" they've suddenly stopped delivering with fries for the past few months ( and don't allow customer notes.) It's also a 50/50 chance the mini corn dogs will be dark and hard... I have a sensitive stomach with dietary restrictions, so I find great comfort that I can get the seared ahi tuna tacos while my husband enjoys a hamburger... but the last few orders have been so wrong. Once I was missing avocado, next I was missing the sauce, and this time my tuna was completely raw, not seared with hard jasmine rice and very tiny avocado slices. I always put input in to DoorDash, but I don't think it's getting to the restaurant... and it's reached a point where I feel like I have to leave this review and maybe find a new go to for quick family dinners. I enjoy visiting, the staff is always so kind and the kids like the back patio. Perfect vibe for a laid back dinner.. but why are the to-go orders so terrible suddenly? Absolutely heartbreaking.

    Photos
    First Street Alehouse - Inside

    Inside

    First Street Alehouse - Bavarian Pretzel

    Bavarian Pretzel

    First Street Alehouse - Seared Ahi Tacos with Jasmine rice

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    Seared Ahi Tacos with Jasmine rice

    Melville Tavern - tradamerican - Updated September 2026

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