Yummy fresh tasting donuts, good coffee and friendly staff. I had ordered and half dozen donuts and…read moreasked if I could do some donut holes in place of one of the donuts, they said no. No problem, makes sense. We ordered our regular donuts and the lady was nice enough to throw in some donut holes for free cause my son wanted some. Very sweet! The iced vanilla latte was strong (just like I like it)! Would recommend

10/10 Ordered the…read moreapple fritter and ube donut, plus they threw in some freebies, blueberry donut and donut holes! The apple fritter was easily the best I've ever had. Absolute perfection, crispy on the outside with that caramelized, slightly charred sugar, and packed with soft apple pieces inside. The texture balance was unreal: crunchy edges with a soft, sweet center. The ube donut was good too, definitely on the sweeter side. If you love sweet treats, you'll enjoy it, but I personally wished the ube flavor came through a bit more to balance it out. The blueberry donut was another standout. Super soft and muffin-like with plenty of blueberry flavor throughout, plus a nice outer layer for texture. Honestly way better than a typical chain version. Donut holes were solid as well, simple, fresh, and satisfying. Overall, everything tasted fresh and high quality. Service was fast, and the baker was super friendly, hooked it up with extra donuts, which made the experience even better. The vibe was welcoming, and it's definitely a spot worth checking out. I'll be back for sure.

Excellent experience! The donuts were fresh, and the coffee was on point. What really stood out was…read morethe outstanding customer service. The employee noticed I had my hands full while putting my toddler in the car, so she kindly brought my egg sandwich out to me. That thoughtful gesture meant a lot and went above and beyond. Great food, great coffee, and even better service. I'll definitely be back!

Best doughnuts around here, maybe in the world. I usually go to the one in Seaside, where I'm told…read morethe doughnuts are cooked, but I also like the original store in Monterey. When I was a boy, the doughnuts were still fried right in front of the customers, inside the front door. That was special!

Fresh Donuts Anytime! I got the salted brown butter. Imagine a glazed donut with a rich brown…read morebutter glaze and pinch of salt. Kind of like the name implies lol. Went back the next day with my friends and we tried a few more. Lavender donut is not for me but was actually delicious and it's the only time I could say a positive thing about an after taste. It's a sweet glaze with lavender flavor. Our friends got beignets and wouldn't stop talking about how they made the best choice, so I'd say that is a solid choice as well.

Absolutely overhyped. After seeing all the attention this place gets, especially on Instagram and…read moresocial media, I expected a seriously good donut. Unfortunately, I don't understand the hype at all. I've had fantastic donuts from plenty of places, and these simply aren't in that category. To me, it tasted like a pretty basic donut covered with an excessive amount of sugary toppings and glaze. Instead of tasting fresh, balanced, and flavorful, the sweetness completely overwhelmed everything else. I couldn't even finish mine. It was so overly sweet that I actually felt sick afterward. Maybe this style of donut works for people who love extremely sweet desserts, but it definitely wasn't for me. This feels like another place that became popular because it photographs well and gets pushed heavily on social media rather than because the food is exceptional. If you take away the hype, I just don't see anything particularly special about the donuts. Definitely a one-and-done experience for me. I wouldn't buy another donut here, and there are far better donut shops that I'd spend my money at.

It's delicious! If you're in the area, I highly recommend trying it. We stayed in Carmel but came…read morehere specifically to eat and it was fantastic. I recommend the gala yogurt, and pistachio cake.

Someone I met at the airport recommended Alta bakery. I tried to go on a Sunday, but there wasn't…read morea long line out the door and down the block. I decided to go the next day, and the line was more manageable and I found street parking nearby. The pastry counter is the first thing you see when you enter. You can also order food and drinks from the counter. There was seating throughout the space which was in a historic building. I got a few goodies to try which included the blue cornmeal cookie, almond financier and an orange blossom tea cake. I also ordered their seasonal coffee which was a honey saffron latte. The cookies, financier and tea cake were all delicious. The latte wasn't overly sweet and was even a bit savory. It grew on me. There were a few sandwiches ordered by other patrons that looked scrumptious. If I hadn't eaten breakfast already, I would've ordered something substantial. Hopefully, I'll return to Monterey again. If so, Alta will be on my list.

Cash only! Traditional establishment with large pastries…read more - Muffin : was a blueberry flavor that day, very soda bread scone tasting. Enjoyed the crumb top and plentiful berries! Very moist - Berry danish : the pastry itself was a little chewy for my taste, but overall not bad!

Pavel's is a Pacific Grove institution! Be prepared to wait in a long line right when they open--it…read moremoves fast, but the crowd confirms how fantastic their European-style pastries are. The four of us grabbed croissants and sandwiches, and the quality was superb: flaky, rich, and clearly made with care. The dedication to artistry is evident in every bite. The only real snag is the payment: Pavel's is strictly cash only. While the baked goods are four-star excellent, the need to remember physical currency keeps it from a full five. Come prepared with cash, and you won't be disappointed by the treats!

Got there late and they had very little to pick from. Most would be annoyed but I just knew they…read morewere that good! Quick and easy transaction. Donuts were bigger than most shops and delicious

First time trying the donuts here. I ordered a plain sugar round donut ($1.50), which is a fair…read moreprice for Monterey, and a cake donut with white frosting and coconut ($1.75). The cake donut was described as a "premium" option, which surprised me because it felt pretty standard. The coconut topping was minimal, just a light sprinkle, and the frosting was unusually heavy and thick. It didn't taste like a typical glaze or bakery frosting--instead it reminded me of the dense, processed frosting you'd find on packaged snack cakes. I ended up peeling most of it off and wouldn't order it again. The sugar donut itself also didn't stand out. It had an odd aftertaste that reminded me slightly of cinnamon, though I'm not sure if that was from the oil or the dough. Overall it didn't taste very fresh, and I didn't enjoy it enough to finish. Overall, the pricing is reasonable for the area, but the quality didn't match expectations. I actually ended up throwing the sugar one away and eating the cake donut after peeling off the frosting. The shop itself feels more like a small diner counter than a dedicated donut shop, with a few donut options alongside a basic counter setup. I wouldn't return based on this visit.

2 stars Just ate an…read morealmond croissant made by Lupita at a marina coffee shop. It is nothing like a traditional almond paste croissant that you can expect to find in Paris. Everything about it was wrong. The dryness of the bread, the apparent lack of butter, the use of powdered milk, the overly sugariness of the almond paste itself. The marina coffee shop used to carry an almond croissant from another bakery, which I was really looking forward to. So when I bit into this one, I was immensely disappointed. Taste is subjective so I can't say that it's terrible, but I really wanted to throw out the remainder of what I was eating.

My husband and I clearly fell in love with this place. We were back in our hotel room and needed…read moresomething sweet. I punched in bakery and this place caught my eye instantly. I love pan dulce.. As soon as we opened the door I was in Pan Dulce heaven. We selected a few, enough for the evening and for the morning with coffee. Conchas were amazing, not dry at all. We also had blueberry muffins for the morning and those were moist and tasty. We ended up going the next evening for a refill as we were headed back to the Bay Area the following morning. Welp, it was sooooo good we went again in the morning. We had to share with our family. We went three days in a row!! I look forward to my next trip out there!

We stopped by Lilly Mae's Cinnamon Rolls while walking along Cannery Row, and it's a cute little…read moreshop in a great location. Service was quick, and they had a nice variety of cinnamon roll flavors to choose from. We decided to keep it simple and ordered the classic cinnamon roll. They warmed it up in the microwave before serving, which made it nice and soft. While it definitely satisfied our sweet tooth, we were a little underwhelmed overall. The roll was smaller than we expected for the price, and it didn't quite compare to the soft, gooey, over-the-top quality of a Cinnabon. If you're craving something sweet while exploring Cannery Row, it's a convenient stop with plenty of options. Just don't go in expecting a giant, bakery-style cinnamon roll.

The smell from the street? Enticing... wonderful…read more.. The vibe when you step inside? Nostalgic, cute, seemingly from another time... The prices? From the year 2086. $11 for a plain cinnamon roll the size of a Pillsbury refrigerated tube roll is diabolical. A family of 4 getting dessert here might as well just do that second mortgage now. Let alone the $7.25 for an 8oz Red Bull for that mom on vacation just trying to get by. The flavor? Not worth $11 I can assure you. Truly feels like a tourist trap masquerading as an old timey local haunt. If you're thinking to yourself "I REALLY just need a cinnamon roll...I'm hankering for that sweet, sweet, gooey, sticky cinnamonny treat!" This ain't gonna cure that hankerin', chief. It was both miraculously dry AND wet somehow. Like some kind of kinetic sand. Not to mention, the cinnamon level sat at about a 3 out of 10. But, to be fair, the term "slightly seasoned roll" doesn't really have a nice ring to it. Save your money. Bake them from a grocery store tube. You can get a dozen for the same price to be honest. Plus, you won't have to heat it up in the microwave like they do here (when the oven is right next to it). I'm convinced these 5 star reviews are bots, family friends or Lilly Mae's was the first cinnamon roll these poor people have ever had. Someone in the suspicious 5-star section mentioned California being "more expensive". I get that, I'd have no issue paying $11+ dollars for a small cinnamon roll if it was an ACTUAL quality product and not something thrown together and slapped into an oven for a quick buck to make seaside rent.

HUGE fan of this place. their croissants are always so delicious, and their coffee is good too. so…read moremany tasty pastries and they're always fresh beautiful location but not very many seating options

Holllyy. The best bakery I've ever had! & I'm that person…read morethat seeks out bakeries everywhere I go! Super cute decor inside & such nice welcoming staff! - get there by 10:30/11 for the best baked goods! - try: fruit tart, almost croissant, kouign-amann & rectangle shaped filled cream puff pastry (forgot name but incredible, in top R of last pic) Cute, homegrown, very nice staff!

Alvarado Street Brewing Company was recommended to us by a bartender in Big Sur. He told us it's…read moreone of his favorite places to hang out, grab some food, and watch sports when he's not working. That sounded like a pretty good recommendation, so we gave it a try. Glad we did. The food was excellent, the service was friendly and fast, and the atmosphere was perfect for watching baseball or just relaxing over a meal and a beer. It has the casual feel of a sports bar, but definitely a step up from the average one. Great food, good energy, plenty of TVs, and a comfortable atmosphere. We'd definitely go back.

Alvarado Street Brewery is a great spot in Monterey if you're looking for good food, quality…read moredrinks, and a lively atmosphere. The portions are generous, the food was delicious, and they have a great selection of craft beers and cocktails to choose from. The staff was friendly, helpful, and quick with service, even with our larger group. Overall, we had a great dining experience. My only critique is that our server seemed eager to close out our table and never mentioned that the kitchen was about to close. Several people in our group were looking forward to ordering dessert, but by the time we asked, the kitchen had already closed. A simple heads-up would have been appreciated. Overall, it's still an easy 4-star stop.