Best seafood on our three week trip up the coast of CA and OR! Each dish was artfully plated and delicious! We celebrated a special birthday and all three of us loved everything we ordered. The panna cotta dessert was an extra special treat! read more

Exceptional. For the chef to be able to cook seafood, meats, vegetarian and vegan all at the same excellent caliber: that is a gift. Our experience was more than lovely. Will be returning! read more

Came here for an anniversary dinner. They noted it when I made the reservation and our table was set up with a written greeting on the table - an understated but classy move. The service was great - our server was very attentive. We ordered the fried oysters (yum!) but the BEST part of the meal was the appetizer special. It involved cheese and tomatoes (but not the classic mozzarella/tomato thing) and it was amazing. I wanted to lick my plate!! Our entrees were also fantastic. I highly recommend this place - especially if you are in Monterey as a tourist. I was and got so sick of eating at all the tourist traps on the wharf and along Cannery Row. read more

joe e should go back to the burbs where I am sure every SEAFOOD restaurant features lots of nice, big cabs.... While 15 pages may not be the worlds most tiresome long tome of a wine list, the fun and unique wines featured at Passionfish not only go WITH the food, but the creativity and personality of the list absolutely BLOWS away every other boring list in Monterey County. And Mick R, it'sdocg, not doci... try knowing something before slagging a restaurant on the internet. read more

This is the kind of meal that lingers in your memory. I went with 3 friends and we all tasted almost all of each other's dishes so I can tell you that everything was delicious. Diner 1 had a crab & avocado salad as an appetizer. She was the only person in our group who had been to Passionfish before, and although she said the salads were small, with some crackers or bread this appetizer would have qualified as a light lunch. For the main dish, she had the daily special, a miso-marinated striped bass with some kind of edamame puree (butter? I can't remember) that complemented the bass perfectly, and wild rice on the side. The miso gave the fish a nice sweet flavor that was really delicious. For dessert she had a banana caramel madera(?) bread pudding that was also really good (and I don't usually like bread pudding). Diner 2 had a green salad for an appetizer that came with gorgonzola wrapped in phyllo dough and baked, a curry apple ginger chutney, grilled carrots, radishes, and pecans. For the main course he got the "spoonable 12-hour lamb" with a Meyer lemon tajine and goat cheese (something like that, I probably don't have the description quite right). I only had a small bite. Don't be put off by the fact that it's lamb at a seafood place; diner 3 said it was the best dish at the table. I'm not a big lamb fan but I have to say the meat was definitely spoonable. The server even provided a spoon with the dish, as if the restaurant was out to prove themselves. For dessert he had a lemon verbena creme brulee. I had a bite and it was very lemony. Diner 3 had the ricotta gnocchi with arugula as an appetizer, and he loved it. It was followed by a basil-stuffed trout with red wine-braised vegetables (both delicious) as the main course and the flourless chocolate torte with passion fruit sauce for dessert (shared with me, diner 4). The chocolate cake was VERY fudgy, dense and rich. It was delicious but I was "only" 90% blown away, partly because the cake was almost TOO rich and dense (if such a thing actually exists) and partly because flourless chocolate cake is almost always amazing (it can be amazing even at a mediocre restaurant), so it's hard to make it stand out as much as the other dishes did. I (diner 4) had the smoked trout ceviche for an appetizer. It was to diiie for! As diner 2 pointed out I'm not sure how you can have a smoked fish ceviche, but I didn't taste any smoked flavor anyways. It had a spicy kick to it (maybe that drowned out the smoky flavor?) which was perfect because I love spicy food. My main course was seared scallops in a tomato brown butter, greens and a savory rice custard. The scallops and sauce were absolutely delicious and cooked to perfection, not at all overcooked. The greens was sauteed romaine lettuce -- not bad but unexpected. The rice custard was pretty delicious was well, cheesy and eggy and tender, just like custard should be. I shared the flourless chocolate torte with diner 3 for dessert. We all had a bottle of Santa Barbara wine that was fantastic, fruity, not at all dry, and EXTREMELY drinkable. The waitress "bragged" that they sell their wine at retail prices instead of at the usual crazy markup, and sure enough our bottle only cost $31, a bargain considering what any other restaurant would have charged. The bread AND butter provided at the beginning of the meal were both really great. I'm quite the bread snob (having spent my fair share of time in France) and I thought the flavor and texture of the bread were impressive: a crisp, crusty crust and a light crumb (not as dense as a lot of crusty breads served at fancy restaurants). I will dream about this place tonight. read more

My very first yelp review. Anyways, my boyfriend and I took a weekend trip to Monterey. He had eaten at Passionfish before and wasn't blown away by it, but I thought the menu looked awesome and really wanted to try it. Service - three stars: our server seemed new. She was nice and polite, but there was just something lacking that you would expect at a fine dining restaurant. For example, she came to check on our food about fifteen seconds after it had arrived--neither my boyfriend nor I had tried our food yet...and then we never saw her again until dessert. I think she was new to the gig, and as a former waitress, I'm willing to let it all be due to her nerves or newness, etc. Apps/Dessert - Four and a half stars: We had the spicy fish soup and smoked trout tostaditas for appetizers. The soup....was probably one of the best soups I have ever had. Hands down. The smoked trout tostaditas were also good, but nothing out of this world. For dessert, we had the mud pie...which was also really wonderful. Entrees: My boyfriend had the gnocchi, which was pretty good. The poached egg was a nice touch. However, and this is where the rating gets dropped to two stars...my entree was the "special" of the night. It was a seared albacore dish and, as a special, I expected it to be super fresh, melt in your mouth awesomeness. I took one bite and felt like I was eating the bottom of the sea floor. I had my boyfriend try and it and merely told him "I want to know what you think." He took one bite and immediately said "that is the fishiest fish I have ever had." We're both convinced that their "special" wasn't due to it being fresh, but rather the kitchen wanting to get rid of whatever they had left. For a restaurant that specializes in fish...I expect better. I wish I could say I'd be back, but I doubt I will. read more

Passion Fish is the BEST restaurant in Pacific Grove! The starter I had was the fried octopus. It was very tender and came with greens. Definitely recomend. For the meal I had the chick pea stew which was fantastic! Then for dessert I had the Maple Banana Bread Pudding. I could not get enough. Excellent! My waitress, Samantha, was very helpful and had lots of energy. The service was great! Everything was fresh and they only use sustainable fish. I would recommend Passion Fish for a special occasion. 5 stars!! read more

The crab cake was wonderful and my family each enjoyed their meals. I was very disappointed by the service which was friendly but incompetent. Plates were not cleared before the next course was served. Long waits between meals without any contact except the waiter who promised to come and clear plates which he never did. I am disabled and they have a bathroom which is not fully accessible despite stating that they did. The stall was narrow and my scooter could not fit. I had to leave the door open. I left feeling badly about the whole experience. I will not return. read more

Wonderful halibut dish..... Trout ceviche appetizer was fabulous.... Clean with great waitresses.

I waited a few days before writing this review. With calmer heads, my opinion of my experience has not changed. The cuisine is simply outstanding. We had the spicy fish stew, heirloom tomato salad, rockfish, black cod, truffle torte, coffee and WesMar Pinot Noir. The stew was perfectly spiced, salad well balanced, rockfish a little blah though the jicama salad was out of this world, cod delicious, torte good, coffee delicious and the pinot noir perfection. What I struggled with was our initial setup. We checked in with Elise (she's a server but was in charge that evening). After going through Covid guidelines, we were taken upstairs to a beautiful location however it was extremely cold - feelign like a wind tunnel. I went back down and asked her if I could sit downstairs. She dismissively said yes. We moved ourselves and our stuff to the new location but that too was windy to the point we were shivering. Mind you we had three layers on. So after scoping a four top against the wall, I went up to the front and asked to switch again. She clearly was frustrated. She told me to sit anywhere and didn't even make eye contact but told another server to go disinfect the table we were leaving. We were never escorted to any of the new tables. I approached the server that was cleaning the old table if the new table we were moving to was disinfected. She curtly said yes. This was the start of our experience here. We both felt unwelcomed. No one bothered to see if our new setting was comfortable. After the four top by the stairs left, I asked the bus person if he could move the heat lamp towards us, he said that manager would not allow it. I could understand if the table had guests but we were the only table on the bottom floor for the rest of the evening. Amanda our server was nice but Elise ruined our evening. Over $200 spent on good food but miserable experience. read more

The service was excellent, the food was inedible. Our first course of oysters were drowned in a combination of grease and herbs that took away any possible flavor of the intended dish. One bite was enough, and they were kind about taking it back. Their green salad came slathered in the same grease. It is hard to ruin greens that are supposed to be served in a vinagrette dressing, but they managed. Again they were kind about taking it back. Having the dressing on the side is no help - it is simply inedible. The chicken course was covered in a white sauce that would have done Denny's proud. My wife had seafood dishes that were relatively good, though even in that department, the menu is limited. For something that is supposed to be a seafood restaurant, it appears these people have yet to develop good contacts to purchase fish. Stay away from this overpriced place until they learn that less is more when it comes to their sauces. read more

Passionfish? More like Passionlessfish. I can't tell you how disappointing our most recent visit was, especially because we had such a wonderful dinner here just a few years before. My husband and I stayed in Pacific Grove in mid-October, and were looking forward to what we thought would be another great meal. Unfortunately, the problems began as soon as we arrived. It was a Thursday night and there were plenty of tables available. Yet (likely in an effort to make it appear to passersby as though more diners were seated in the restaurant), the hostess seemed to want to space the diners apart. So first we were offered a table directly next to the front door -- on a chilly night, not the most desirable spot. When I asked if we could be moved, we were relocated directly across from the kitchen, which is not closed off, meaning one of us would have a lovely view of kitchen staff, along with a considerable amount of noise, for the evening. We had to ask for a different table a second time, which is unacceptable. Our appetizers were average, at best. During our first visit, I had a wonderful Brussels sprout salad. But last October, the same salad was overdressed and lackluster. My husband ordered the house salad, which was decidedly ho-hum. I was planning on fish, so I ordered the house white. It arrived overchilled and cloudy, and tasted watered down. When my husband asked our waitress for a recommended wine pairing for his meal (a decision between two red wines), she merely said that one is going to be stronger than the other, and didn't seem to know anything about either selection. I think we could have figured out that one on our own. My husband ordered duck confit, which was average. For a restaurant that specializes in fish, however, you'd think they could do better than the disaster I was served. It was a Thai sturgeon, but was drenched in the cloying lemongrass dressing from the side salad, and the spice was so excessive on the fish, I could have been eating chicken and wouldn't have known the difference. It was so bad, I could barely finish more than a few bites. Needless to say, we cut our losses and went elsewhere for dessert. Overall, so disappointing, and I can't understand why the restaurant still merits such reviewer praise (except, perhaps, that people think they're supposed to enjoy it based on all of the accurate reviews from earlier, better days). If you want good seafood in Pacific Grove, visit Favaloro's down the street and order the fish of the day or their delicious cioppino. read more

Must get a reservation or you won't get in. The lady on the phone taking our reservation and I presume the same one who initially greeted us is the reason it's not a full 5 star review. She was rude and self absorbed. The food was incredible. Service was very good. Must get banana pudding dessert with ice cream. Will be back. read more

Food was terrific. The noise level not so condusive to a romantic evening

Dined here during one of our frequent visits to Monterey. Fantastic fish/seafood restaurant with friendly service! Started with buttery biscuits which were part of their nightly "additions" menu. They were "to-die for", a must have! I ordered the ahi tuna which was seared with sesame and fennel exterior and creme cauliflower. My wife had the scallops. Ahi tune was amazing, but the scallops had a strong baking soda taste which detracted from the delicate shellfish. The waiter was nice enough to take it off the bill (without asking) since she only ate a piece and a half.. For dessert we had the banana bread pudding. One of the best I've had with a nice bourbon tasting caramel and scoop of vanilla ice cream! Would definitely come back and highly recommend despite the hiccup with the scallops. read more

Everything about this place just clicked. Our waiter was fantastic in suggesting great half bottles of wine, and the wines of course are very reasonably priced. Other restaurants mark their bottles up by 200% or more, but none of that gouging here, which allows you to really experiment and try new wines you never would have considered before. The food was amazing, from the sturgeon to the lamb. This is a chef that clearly loves his work and we're lucky that he shares it with us each night, rather than try to open up some diluted name-based empire to rack up dough as far too many others have done. read more

Amazing food and the salads are perfect too! Staff is friendly and the restaurant is set up just right. Cannot go wrong with anything on the menu! read more

BEST crab cake i've had in my life! i devoured it in seconds. highly recommended. too bad there was only one on the plate, though! the service was impeccable, and there's an extensive wine list, though i know nothing about wine & didn't order any. also, their bread was fresh and the butter had a hint of sweetness to it that was just irresistible! read more

Labor day weekend 2009, I came here to eat and I think this is the best restaurant I've ever experienced in terms of price, quality of food, and ambiance all rolled into one. I had booked a reservation well in advance of arriving to the area. Although many would find this pricey, I think to eat sustainable / organic products here is well worth the price. Everything I had eaten here was fresh, and the taste of various seafoods here was well worth it. The waitress who served us was so polite, friendly and very informative of the extensive wine list they have here. She even recommended a local wine that perfectly complimented our meal and wasn't the most expensive on the list. I believe they don't even have a corkage fee as well, which is rare in this area. If I wasn't all the way down here in Los Angeles, I would visit this place more often. I am definitely dining here again if in the area. read more

Best place I've eaten at in Pacific Grove/Monterey/Carmel area. This place is eons above the rest in food quality and creativity - I've been back twice and haven't been disappointed by anything on the menu - you can't go wrong - its a must stop to eat at in the area read more

Passionfish was a yelp find the one night my sister and I stayed in Carmel. It is technically in Pacific Grove, or Monterey, but the drive is quite short (20 min max?). The restaurant was hopping when we arrived at 9:30 on a Sat night, but we were quickly seated. The first server who took our wine order, and then food order, was not our real server- he was quite slammed and sent the other server over, but that was fine. Both were very knowledgable about the wine list (an *incredible* wine list) and the menu. The wine list is quite affordable- it must be 10 pages long, with the majority of the bottles being between $26-$31 for a bottle, and being great California wineries, but plenty of European wines too. The restaurant had run out of gnocchi, to my sister's disappointment, but we instead ordered the soup special, the greens salad, the baked gorgonzola salad, the tabbouli, and sea scallops. Also, the bread was served with a garlic butter that was spectacular. The greens salad normally comes with prosciutto, which we left off because we don't eat meat, but I think the prosciutto would make this salad. It was a little bland, and needed the crispy/saltiness prosciutto provides. The baked gorgonzola salad was THE BEST SALAD WE'VE EVER EATEN. We ordered a second to have with our entrees. It was absolutely delicious. The entrees were very good too- I believe the Tabbouli dish is vegan, but for sure vegetarian. It was quite minty, and had a very fresh taste. The sea scallops were perfectly cooked, carmelized on both top and bottom, and were served with wilted greens and a roasted red pepper polenta that was phenomenal. If we had spent more time in Carmel we probably would have dined there again. read more

wow. I feel guilty coming to Monterey and going out and eating fish. But not at this place. They have sustainable food. Not only that the food is amazing. everyone ordered something different. I ordered the sturgeon which was firm in texture and tasty. My friend ordered the trout, nick and flakey. Anther order the filet, and gnocchi. Gnocchi was overdone. Place was comfy, and appointed perfectly. Nice bright restaurant. You need restervations. Its crowded, but sectioned off and did not really notice the busy restaurant. Great romantic restaurant to come on a Thursday night. food***** service**** décor****** read more

Really really good. Great service. Fresh ingredients. Interesting and inspired seafood. The real deal.

Best seafood restaurant on the Peninsula! The fish is always fresh, the biscuits are out of this world, and the prices on the wine menu are fair. This place is a hidden gem of PG! read more

Ok, so I read a lot of reviews on yelp about this restaurant, so I had high expectations to start off. We made reservations so we did not have to wait when we sat down, we were given water immediately. The staff was very attentive, the bus boys were repeatedly filling our water glasses. As for the wine selection, there were numerous bottles of wine that tantalized our taste buds, but decided to order the Cabernet. The wine was great, even though we opted to order seafood for our meal. Warm crusty bread was provided with butter while we decided what to order yet I believe that the bread did not have much flavor. As some yelpers exclaimed, the tilapia and sturgeon were some of the better entrees and for appetizers the oysters with cucumber seaweed and for dessert the pear bread pudding and chamomile creme brulee. We turned to the reviews and that's what we chose. For the appetizers along with the oysters, that were very nicely prepared with cucumber, seaweed and jicama was very light and refreshing. Along with that appetizer we chose the pork belly, this dish was accompanied with baby bok choy and a sweet soy sauce, the pork belly was very soft and tender which reminded me of adobo a Filipino dish. As for the entrees, I ordered the tilapia which was plated with mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas. My boyfriend order the sturgeon which was surrounded with a thin white sauce and was accompanied with corn, potatoes, spinach, jicama, and bacon. At this point I must explain why Passionfish received three stars. First off, we were given the wrong entrees, apparently they gave it to another couple. My tilapia was given to me, but my boyfriend was mistakenly given the salmon. The waitress immediately took it back and told us that the mishap and would have the chef make a dish..while my dish sat on the table, I did not want to be rude and start eating my entree while my bf had no food, so I waited patiently. The waitress then took my plate and said she would come back when the food was prepared. I hoped that my dish would not be the same dish that came out the first time, but to my surprise it was! The mashed potatoes were cold and the fish was dry, I'm assuming that they kept it under a heat lamp or something, causing it to become dry. Once I got the attention of the waitress and explained it was the same dish, she was adamant that it was not the same dish and that it must be a cold batch of potatoes, and would bring me back new potatoes, but I told her i wanted a new dish. She took it back and so my bf had is entree and I did not. So we just decided to eat his dish while I waited for mine. I've never had sturgeon, and would have to say its not the greatest fish. The types of fish that I do like are softer in texture, and I found this fish to be a little bit similar to halibut. The potatoes that came along with it did not have any flavor, and overall i didn't like the accompaniment of the vegetables with the fish. When my fish finally came out, it was okay. The only part of the dish that i liked was the potatoes, the sugar snap peas did not seemed cooked and as for the fish, was typical. The best part of dinner is the dessert. And because the restaurant made a mistake we were given two desserts for free. We were given the chocolate cake that had berry sauce on the side with a scoop of whip cream. This dish was very nice, it was not too sweet and went well with the berry sauce. We were also given the chamomile creme brulee, which was perfect. It was perfectly glazed on top and not burned and nice and soft and cool inside. The creme brulee had a slight hint of chamomile which was very nice. Overall, the restaurants service was great! and the appetizers were good, but was not too pleased with the main course. And as for the desserts, dessert is always good and especially at this place. read more

This restaurant is now in our top four in California. The chef understands the nuance of flavor. Each dish had five or six layers of flavor. Most American restaurants are really good if they achieve three levels. Presentation was lovely, portion size was perfect. We are not overstuffed, but happily satiated. Great dinner. Comfortable ambience, excellent service. Thank you for a memorable dinner. read more

Meh. I've experience better food in Monterey without spending over $75 a meal for two people. They have a great wine selection. The atmosphere is ok. The tables are too close to each other and when the restaurant is packed it gets really loud - definitely not romantic. The most important thing! The food was just way too rich and greasy for my taste. We shared sea scallops and rainbow trout and both were swimming in butter. It's ironic because most people around us were overweight. I couldn't even finish my plate because the richness went beyond the capacity of the grease intake for my pescetarian stomach. Was Chef Ted Walter sick that day? I don't know. I just hope that Passionfish adds couple healthier dishes to their menu. read more

Great Service, Great Wine List, and a great food choice. Everything I had, from the Warm Brussels Sprout Salad to the Mud Pie was really excellent. The pickled grapes were an amazing addition. The scallops were seared perfectly, and the rice custard was a perfect accent. The mud pie was amazingly large and perfect with coffee. I had a local half-bottle of wine that was perfect and my server was knowledgeable about all of it. My only complaint, if this is one, was to have more variety on the glasses of wine; however, I find the addition of the extensive half-bottle list was really okay, too. Perfect for those who want wine with the entire meal. All in all, for just walking in off the street, this was a great dining experience. read more

My girlfriends wanted to try out this restaurant during a ladies weekend retreat. I am a believer in redemption, and Passionfish demonstrated more cultural sensitivity this time around. We were all Asian but one and the young female hosts were very welcoming and an experienced server, besides asking if we were all related (?!), treated us very well. The food was also much better on balance than our previous experience. Halibut was a stand out as well as the spicy broth and crab with avocado appetizers. read more

Another great meal! One of our guests was not feeling well (prior to arriving) and had to cancel their order and leave for the evening. The rest of our party continued with the dinner and the Manager and staff insured that we had a phenomenal experience. We were so impressed with their compassion and patience. Highly recommend! read more

Here for a work dinner. Everything was delicious. We had 20 people ordering just about everything on the menu and we had zero complaints. I am not a seafood person so I ordered the gnocchi and The goat cheese salad. The waitress was very attentive and helpful with suggestions. A beautiful space and a wonderful evening. read more

Sad to write this review. We've been coming here for years, and loved this restaurant until tonight, but our experience, the food, Amanda, our waitress, the whole thing was really disappointing, and we wont be back. This is A very unfriendly place if you are dining with a child. No kid's menu. No smaller kids drink cups. No kid friendly foods. I has to make dinner for my child when we got home bc she wounldnt eat a bite. Amanda was super unfriendly / indifferent to us the entire time, while very charming to those around us. I suppose she was eager to show us just how unhappy she was at having a child at her table. The food came out within minutes of being ordered, clearly rushing us out the door. The arctic char was below par, undercooked, and was previously frozen. Not flavorful. The wine list is ok, used to be what I went in for, but overall the whole package is just not worth it. read more

Really enjoyed dinner here. Had a crab & avocado salad, a sweet potato bisque with prawns and mascarpone, and awesome ribs. The wine list prices are killer and the selection is excellent. We were seated at exactly our reservation time. Service was perfect. Parking on the street is easy. read more

Oh Passionfish, how I heart thee. Last night, I had a dream about one of the dishes here: scallops in tomato truffle butter. (I wish I was kidding). In my dream, I wrote to Bon Appetit magazine to ask them to get the recipe for this blissful meal and they did! What is it about this divine creation that invades my dreams, you ask? I have been obsessing about this dish since I first tasted it a few years ago. On Saturday, bf and I ate here for the third time, and for the third time, I had the scallops. OMFG, it's soooo wonderful. The tomato-truffle butter sauce is indescribable...I'll just call it a heavenly, rich, melt-in-your-mouth, to-die-for culinary perfection. It's that good. The side dishes of thyme risotto custard and sauteed greens (swiss chard perhaps) are merely garnishes as far as I'm concerned. Sure there were only 3 scallops but they were HUGE! Ok, enough about my dish. I don't want to hype it up too much. =) Bf had the pork shank with penne and more green stuff. Wow, this was also amazing: hearty, wholesome, unpretentious, creative. The bone-in pork was so tender and moist, and the sauce was a beautiful, sweet apple glaze. We also started our meals with fried oysters with arugula in a citrus dressing. The oysters were hot, crispy, and creamy. Yummy! We also had the bake gorgonzola with curried greens and golden chutney. Also very delicious. For dessert, a rich chocolate torte with raspberry coulis. Wow, the torte was decadent and gooey inside. The coulis was slightly tart which balanced the super rich torte very well. Passionfish is also known for its massive wine selection. We had a bottle of the Dr. Loosen Reisling which was crisp, light, and sweet. In my eyes, Passionfish could do no wrong. Even when the waiter did not offer a ice bucket for our white wine (when everyone else got one), I forgave bc he was nice overall and the food is just so damn good. In summary: The service is outstanding, not snotty or suffocating. The ambiance is a tad loud but who cares when everything else is perfect. The price is extremely fair. They don't jack up the prices, and there's only a very small markup for the wine. Our whole meal of 2 starters, 2 entrees, bottle of wine, dessert, and coffee was only $114. Lastly, the food is honest- from sustainable sources, fresh, creative, and unquestionably one of the best meals I've tasted. Since I've moved out of the state, and it'll be years before I can experience Passionfish again (sadness), I think it's time to write to Bon Appetit. read more

Just me, but I don't mind paying a little money for some excellent food. Some of the reviews that knock the food must not be from people that appreciate "good" food. I can't imagine why people give this place one-star. It's been a while since I was here but Passionfish was a highlight of my trip to the area and I'd gladly take another detour just to eat here again. read more

The food is amazing! The atmosphere is sensual, just like any French restaurant should be. And the food! The food is clearly made with care and passion. I had a plan in mind when I came to Passionfish...wreak complete and total havoc all over that menu. So I tried, and I think I waited too late to eat, so I only got through a few things. Everything I enjoyed was from the nibbles section of the menu...I really didn't do much havoc wreaking at all. :/ Here's the rundown: - Beet salad; It's a decent portion of nicely cooked, and chilled, beets tossed with a few citrus pieces (maybe tangerines?) and mint . The citrus-beet mix was refreshing and a good palette cleanser, too bad I'd only started eating. But the mint was...strange. - Sea scallop! SEA SCALLOP!! It was delicious!!! One jumbo sea scallop sat on a risotto/artichoke cake that had this walnut-caper-raisin something special. It was divine! - Venison meatballs rounded out this tasting. I have to say that fish IS their strong suit. If you can, stick with that. The outsides of the meatballs were a bit hard, but the inside was pretty tasty...tasted like venison meatballs. Not too many spices. It was paired with a goat cheese bread pudding, which (to me) was a little off-putting in name. I don't really care for bread pudding. But once you ate the pudding with a bite of the meatballs (where were swimming in a walnut pesto gravy of-sorts) it all came to together rather nicely. But, sadly, it was not my favorite dish. - Then comes dessert, mud pie! The menu doesn't tell you that it's cold or that it's ice cream, so it was a pleasant surprise. And it's delicious! Top layer is mint ice cream with little mint chocolate chips, the middle layer is an espresso ice cream done right (even with coffee bits), and the bottom layer is a chocolate crust, maybe graham cracker. It was the best way to end the night. And I washed all this down with a half bottle of Peay, Pomarium, a Pinot Noir from a Sonoma County Winery. It was delicious. Passionfish has a pretty extensive listing of wines, so come with taste buds ready! read more

We are here a couple of months ago and we are still saying that it was the best and most memorable meal for the last 2 years. AWESOME food!! Great wine list. The chef is not afraid to express something distict in his work. I am a huge fan! read more

After all the many places you can dine for a special occassion at Monterey, I chose Passionfish because my sister recommended and of course the yelp reviews. I was a tad bit discouraged when I first read the first review that popped up that was 1 star but I still gave this place a try. I made reservations and noticed that they offered to write a little something something on the table if you requested so I told them it was an anniversary dinner with my boyfriend and once we were seated ON-TIME, he noticed "Happy Anniversary" was written on our table :) They had a HUGE WINE LIST for those who love to wine and dine but my boyfriend and I settled for a glass of Chardonnay each as requested from our lovely server to match our entrees that night. I had the SEA SCALLOPS with tomato-truffle butter and a savory rice pudding which was delicious and the boyfriend had the DUCK CONFIT with smoked chile-potato cake and brocolinni which were both not disappointing at all. NOT MICROWAVED as stated in a previous review. And to TOP IT OFF with the BANANA BREAD PUDDING for dessert! YUMSSSSSSSSSS Definitely will come back if I'm in town again! read more

Sadly, just not good enough. The lobster (special) was quite small and overcooked. The lamb was OK. The crab and avocado salad was the highlight of the night. If you're planning to go (because of lack of other options in the area), just take the other reviews with a grain of salt, and lower your expectations. Food and service are far from San Francisco standards, whereas prices are comparable, or even higher. read more

It is rare, in my experience, that any resto lives up to its hype. We arrived early for our 6:45 pm reservation on a Thursday evening, and were quickly seated but in the end of the narrow room, at the last table against the wall. Oh, oh, I thought. We were two women dining alone in a half-filled restaurant; did they put us in Siberia? Once the service began, my fears vanished. We shared a bottle of house Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough region, New Zealand, and ordered the asparagus fries and a crab salad to start. The spears were individually coated, swiftly fried, and arrived piping hot with a spicey dipping sauce. Great start. Next, the fresh crab timbal was huge, easily split by two, and so delicious I could make it an entree if I only ate that. Pacing of the meal was just right. We couldn't wait for the main courses to arrive. J ordered the trout with sautéed vegetables over rice, and I selected the scallops with mashed potatoes and a lightly sautéed leafy winter cabbage. Passionfish knows how to cook fish; the meals were heavenly, beautifully prepared and presented. We split Creme brûlée to finish the meal, but it didn't hit the high note of the rest of the food. The atmosphere was informal, service professional, and the food not over priced. We were totally satisfied, hence five stars. read more