What a gem! Excellent white glove service and the freshest seafood in Monterey. The oysters were salty from being so fresh, the fish was still wiggling from being so fresh. Highly recommend to make reservations otherwise you won't get in! read more

Key Points: - Review is for takeout - Relatively fast turnaround time for how busy they were - they automatically include tip. Even for takeout. We recently visited Monterey with a large group, including multiple kids, and needed to get takeout for our get-together. After trying Old Fisherman's Grotto (which doesn't do takeout) and Old Grotto's Fish House (which didn't have what we wanted or anything the kids would like), we found Sand Bar and Grill based on its good Yelp reviews and proximity to our hotel I could tell, even on the phone, that they were incredibly busy. Every time I called, I was placed on hold with audible chaos in the background. Despite this, the staff still accepted our takeout order, which we appreciated. Despite the quick turnaround time, unfortunately, the food left much to be desired. We ordered: - Fried calamari: very soft, almost too soft, and not crispy. The texture actually resembles mozzarella sticks, which was strange. Calamari is usually the Little One's favorite, yet she would barely touch this one. - Penne puttanesca: sauce seemed diluted and watered down. Seafood portion was small. Worst of all, the sauce leaked out of the container and seeped into our bag, causing a mess anywhere we placed our takeout bag. - Clam chowder: decent, but nothing special. What really rubbed me the wrong way was the automatic gratuity included for a takeout order. While the turnaround time was relatively quick, with our order completed in about 20 minutes, I found it unreasonable to include a tip for takeout, especially when we weren't dining in. I mean, who even does that?!? Maybe I'm old fashioned, but that just doesn't sit right with me. The lady who brought me the bill did mentioned after she had already rung me up and handed it to me, stating, "Just to let you know, the tip is already included." What did she expect to say back, "no. Ring it up again!?" Even if I did, we were in such a hurry that it just wasn't practical to do it. I'm giving two stars: one being the lowest possible, and the second because the staff was polite enough and managed to accommodate our takeout order last minute, while I also understand that takeout doesn't always do food justice. However, with the subpar food experience and the forced gratuity on a takeout order, I don't plan on returning. read more

Greatest Locals Spot out on the Drive on pier, fun seating, and the best Calamari and Clam Chowder in town. Try the Bloody Mary!

Drinks: Bloody Mary: 5/10 Bloody Mary was enjoyable enough. Not the best but not the worst i've had. Old Manhattan: 7/10 My Nana enjoyed it :) Food: Clam Chowder: 5/10 We ordered the large clam chowder. I told the waiter we were sharing. He came back with one bowl instead of putting it in two bowls. A big minus. The clam chowder was just ok. It could've used more flavor Fish and Chips: 7/10 My Nana enjoyed his fish and chips but said it wasn't the worst or best he's ever had. * Whole Dungeness Crab- 6/10 I felt a bit cheated. The description says "whole dungeness crab" but I felt they only gave me portions of the whole cream that I paid for. Ambiance: 8/10 Overlooks Monterey Bay... Overall, a mediocre experience. The waiter was not very attentive and he didn't pay attention to the simplest details. I don't think I will return to this restaurant. read more

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Just like so many restaurants there, the view is spectacular. Watching the harbor is a beautiful thing. The food was fantastic. My wife had calamari and wanted to go back today to get another plate. Lol. I had fish and chips. The pieces were large and tasty, but the breading wasn't as crisp as I would've liked. It was actually kind of soggy. And a little bit greasy. Not at all what I expected. I've had better at this restaurant. Maybe just an off day. I like this place and their clam chowder is to die for. It's about a 50 or $60 lunch for two with a couple beers. So this is no cheap date. But you're on the wharf, and as I said, the view is fantastic. So just go for it and enjoy some good food. read more

Wow.. how come I've never been here before?! I'm a seafood lover and I never tried sand dollar. Located on the pier off the dock, you get the view of boats and the beautiful water. Such a cute restaurant. It wasn't too packed on July 4th. Staff was attentive. On to the food.. Bread / butter: so warm and crispy Prawn cocktail: this was huge and had a kick to the sauce 4/5 Sand dollar: get this!!!! If you never had it, you gotta try. 5/5 Clam chowder: my boyfriend said Monterey has the best & we think this was super flavorful 5/5 Calamari steak: also my first time. It was good to try, but wouldn't order again. 4/5 Overall it was delicious! read more

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Great food great atmosphere , great views right in the wharf and can see all the boats Always come here for the sandals and the fried calamari appetizer read more

Wow!! I called a couple hours early to see if I could get a table for a party of nine. They said they could squeeze us in. I called back and said how about 11 people? They said ok. We showed up with 12. No problem. We had 5 kids and they were so gracious and fun serving us. I had checked the menus on the old fisherman's wharf and compared prices. The Sandbar was much more reasonable. The location is awesome but a little out of the way. Now for the food. Best calamari we have ever had. Awesome fries. We had to order more even though the portion was very large. Excellent clams and wedge salad. I had the scallops and I am a scallop aficionado. They were great, plentiful and in a very flavorful creamed corn sauce. Sounded weird but it worked. The scalloped potatoes and green bean sides were delicious. I wish I had more descriptive words to describe how great the food was. Awesome cocktails and wine list. Go here. You don't be disappointed. read more

A great locals place in Monterey with the best sand dabs in town. Good selection of local wines and beers. Super friendly staff with great stories of local history. read more

Found Sandbar & Grill on Yelp while looking for a quick takeout dinner. Parking: Paid parking on the pier or side parking lot. The restaurant isn't located on the pier level. You have to go down a set of stairs on the pier to get to the restaurant door. I walked into a bustling restaurant and waited by the door. A lady came over and took my order. The wait was 20 minutes. I suggest walking around the pier while you wait because there's no waiting area by the door. Food: * Sand Dabs Appetizer ($14): Soggy. I received five small fillets in a large container. I was disappointed when I opened the box. Honestly, frozen fish sticks out of a box are better. * Clam chowder ($10.00): Also disappointing. There were very few clams - all veggies. Herbs in chowder were so overpowering * Calamari ($12.50): Decent. Calamari was calamari. It was probably the better of the three items we NOTE: They add automatic gratuities on take-out orders! I was in a rush, didn't realize this until left, and realized I double-tipped. Even more regretful when I opened the takeout boxes and saw the tiny fish fillets that barely filled a quarter of the box... I wouldn't recommend coming here. Go to Wharf #1 - there's a ton of better food. read more

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The food was amazing. Had a stuffed sea bass that was amazing!!! The clam chowder was excellent too. Service was fast, friendly and professional. read more

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Great local spot that mixes the locals with the tourists. Deliciously fresh seafood at affordable prices. Fast friendly service at an awesome location on the pier. This is in the OLD FISHERMAN'S WHARF. Not the newer tourist trap wharf next door. Highly recommend. read more

Everything from the food, service, locals atmosphere, and location on the water was outstanding. Would highly recommend and will be back the next time we're in Monterey! read more

So admittedly we didn't mean to eat here. The place we meant to eat at was full for an hour and we were hungry and we gave it a shot. You walk down from the wharf and immediately you get the vibe this is a home style no frills place. The kind of place you order fish and chips and call it a day. Our server was good and attentive, the views of the harbor were very nice, but the food left a lot to be desired. Overall I won't likely be coming back sad to say. We had the clam chowder which while it had a ton of meat and bits in it was under seasoned imo, and the avocado prawn melt was good but I felt it was just something that could be made quickly at home. Sand dabs were okay, good for a quick bite but I wouldn't recommend it :/ read more

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This place is my to go place to dine when I'm in the old fisherman's wharf I come here after I buy my fresh fish in the market nearby Love the view while I dine good food and reasonable price big portion Lots of selection Ni live the freshness of the seafood friendly servers read more

Awesome locals spot - highly recommend! Great seafood, views and ambiance, but hard to get a table. Come with a big appetite.

Very nice on our last night in Monterey. Had Clam Chowder, Sand Dabs, Cioppino, Squid/Sausage, and a Bloody Mary. Sand Dabs were new to us, but we were told we had to try them. Good, not great, but most everything else was inbetween good and great. Nice food, fairly good service, but being crowded (which I think they usually are), it was good dining, but not fine dining. Still, worth a visit or two. read more

Sandbar & Grill - Sanddabs - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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Service was great! The beer was cold and the food was good. The sand dab platter was generous (4 fillets). However, the onion rings were very greasy and the vegetables had far too much butter on them for my taste. read more

Ambience and wait staff is great. The raw oysters were mediocre. The fried oysters were mediocre. My boyfriend had fried prawns and he said they were very good. read more

This place was such a surprise. It looks as though it's a hole in the wall but the food was excellent. We came hungry with reservations. The vibe was nice & the waitstaff were kind. The crab cocktail and calamari were AMAZING!!! For entrees we got the Salmon, Cioppino, Lobster tail meal, & prawn scampi. Excellent food! read more

Excellent specials great service they really take care of u when dining there great food and the ambiance is amazing

My first visit here was super great! It's a small place but big on flavor, service, and friendliness! I got seated with a nice few of the marina. So calm and peaceful. Met Pablo who took excellent care of me. I started with oysters from the bay. They were fresh and tasted great. I also tried the specialty mango mojito. It sounded so good and it was! I went with the special Pablo recommended and it was delish. The Halibut' was light and flakey and the scalloped potatoes and asparagus were a perfect addition! Plenty big meal for sure but quite perfect! Of course I had a couple more of those mojitos and also met Pablo's son who was tending bar in fine fashion. Everyone on the staff was so attentive and chatted me up as if I was family Or a regular. How great is that? Loved my time here and it's worthy of a revisit to be sure. read more

Sandbar & Grill - The marina. So nice! - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Best seafood in town! Had fish and chips along with seafood shrimp and penne dinner. Great atmosphere read more

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The sandbar grill has the best seafood dishes I've ever had! Their scallops were sweet and savory and their calamari was the best calamari I've ever had. Their Dungeness crab was also delicious and fresh like all their other seafood. Our waitress was very kind and gave us an amazing time as well!This restaurant is must go for seafood lovers and I highly suggest sitting next to the windows as there is a lovely view outside! read more

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We had reservations but arrived early and they were able to accommodate our party of 6. You really can't go wrong with fresh seafood and good vibes while overlooking the water. The clam chowder, prawn and crab Louis salad, and shrimp tacos were all really good. The hostess and our waiter were very friendly and attentive. read more

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I ate everything on my plate! The salmon was cooked to perfection with a crispy crust and the dish had a beautiful depth of flavor. Typically spinach would not be my first choice vegetable, however I ate every last bite! The orange margarita was worth it. The overall price for dinner was decent and I would pay again for the same dish. I would highly recommend calling ahead for a reservation since we had about 30-45min wait time. Inside the restaurant there is not a lot of room to wait for your table, so I suggest parking nearby while waiting for a table. There is an ocean view from every table. Great experience! Very kid friendly. read more

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Amazing Place food service and ambiance From the time you walk in the door to the time you leave the staff make you feel like family. Everything on the menu is delicious and the views are exceptional read more

Food was delicious and the service is fantastic! Will definitely be coming back and I totally recommend their shrimp tacos!! read more

Came by after scavenging through TikTok for the worth-it food options in such a tourist-filled area. The Sandbar is located in Fisherman's Wharf, directly on the pier. You wouldn't see it walking if you miss their sign; the place is hidden and tucked underneath the pier. My partner and I came in around 6pm on a Saturday and faced with an hour wait. An hour later, we returned after receiving no phone call despite putting our number down. There were a lot of people tightly jammed into the waiting area as the hostess balanced writing people's names down, seating groups, and what also looked like tending to the bar - I felt sorry for her! After making ourselves known, we were seated within minutes. We had a table right next to the windows - what a shame we were there so late! We ordered the calamari, cioppino, and mussels in white wine. The wait was surprisingly not that long. The cioppino was alright, the cheese bread that came with it was a great touch but otherwise didn't stand out as flavorful. The mussels were our least favorite because of how lacking in flavor it was; we found ourselves trying to add the sauces from the table (which were both interesting and plenty) just to add some taste to the dish. Finally, the calamari was probably the best thing we ordered. Simple and enjoyable. We left with satisfied stomachs, but not satisfied tastebuds. read more

Sandbar & Grill - Cioppino, mussels in white wine, calamari - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Nice hidden gem by the bay. Good atmosphere and friendly staff. Well balanced fish menu, good drinks. To avoid wait, make reservation ahead.

Visiting Monterey for two days and wanted some great seafood. Absolutely LOVED this divey locals hangout. We sat at the bar for apps and drinks, waiting for our table for dinner. The bartender could have been having an off day, (grumpy) but we enjoyed the drinks and atmosphere. It was packed, but definitely worth the wait for a table. We started with an Old Fashioned, a Cider, and a Manhattan. YUMMM! My cup-o-clam chowder was especially delicious with tons of chunky goodies in it. My friend got the cheesy bread to dip in the chowder. Whoa, was it hot and cheesy. Our other friend had grilled Sand Dabs. Perfectly prepared. We moved to our table and had Halibut, Putanesca, & a Crab Louie salad, along with their Pinot. Everything was spectacular and cooked to perfection. Definitely a great place for dinner on the pier. We will absolutely be back! read more

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Calamari appy is the best!! Service is always great. Our favorite hangout for drinks and food. Great location. You're right on the marina watching all the harbor activities. read more

This review is long overdue. Last month, on August 7th, my family and I celebrated my mother's birthday at Sandbar & Grill, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. We arrived around 7 p.m. on a Wednesday evening to find the restaurant packed, with a line extending out the door. After waiting about ten minutes to speak with the host, we were informed that the wait could be between 45-60 minutes. However, much to our delight, a host was able to seat our party of five within just a few minutes. It was a pleasant surprise and set the tone for the evening. The drinks were a particular highlight. I ordered the mango mojito, while my mother ordered the pomegranate margarita. Both were beautifully presented and impressively strong, offering great value for the price. We began our meal with the calamari appetizer, which deviated from the standard preparation of rings and squid pieces. At Sandbar & Grill, the calamari is pounded thin before being fried to perfection, resulting in an incredibly tender and flavorful dish. We devoured it in record time and will undoubtedly be ordering it again. Now, for the stars of the evening--the decadent pastas that both my mother and I enjoyed. I opted for the penne pasta with prawns and scallops in a roasted garlic Alfredo sauce, while my mother chose the penne puttanesca, featuring fresh fish, prawns, steamed clams, garlic, anchovies, chili flakes, capers, and olives. My dish was everything I had hoped for: rich, creamy noodles paired with perfectly cooked seafood. As for my mother--who is easily the pickiest person I know--she declared her pasta to be the best she has ever tasted. The balance of flavors was exquisite, and she wouldn't have changed a thing. Of course, the crowning jewel of our experience was our outstanding server, Edgar. One of the reasons I hesitated in writing this review was simply because I wasn't sure how to adequately convey the level of warmth and joy he brought to our evening. Not only did he surprise my mother with a delightful chocolate bundt cake for dessert, but he also created and sustained an atmosphere of positivity and comfort that made the celebration truly memorable. Each member of our family engaged in lively conversation with him, and his presence was a significant part of what made the night special. When we return, we will undoubtedly request him by name. Overall, Sandbar & Grill proved to be the perfect setting for our celebration, leaving us with wonderful memories and a desire to return. read more

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My wife and I went here to get a snack and a drink before our sons football game. Yeah it's a ward place but do yourself a favor and put that aside. This place is so good. We ended up coming back 2 hours later after the game for lunch. Fish sandwich add Dungeness Crab and avocado. This was SMACK YO MAMA good. We will make it a point to come here every time we go to Monterey read more

Stopped by for some oysters and prawn. Had a good time and loved the seals. It was a long walk to get to the location which wasn't too bad but might be of concern for some. The clam chowder was pretty good but the celery was very abundant. Service was outstanding. read more

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The hole in the wall is located on the wharf. Walk down stairs and it's right on the water. The initial impression I got wasn't great. Standing and waiting for several mins awkwardly as multiple people passed by who work there, not even a quick greeting or acknowledgment. A very busy, quick talking woman came rushing our way at some point and whisked us away to a table. The view was beautiful. The ocean, the boats, the weather. Fairly quickly we did get served. Trying the fresh halibut special, it did. It disappoint. Deliciously encrusted with pecan and bread crumbs, a creamy mango sauce. My other half opted for the salmon, also fresh and delicious. The overall observation and interaction is that this is a locally owned establishment with a great reputation of the locals and tourist drift in and out. read more

Sandbar & Grill - Fresh Halibut - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

Mike made our short stop through Monterey a memorable one . Thank you Mike for doing what ya do !! We will be regulars for life when visiting ! read more

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Lively, cozy ambience, and delicious food and drink drinks. Friendly and efficient staff. A bit of a wait for seat seats, but well worth it.

Great drinks! Love the service! Location is perfect, parking was easy! Would definitely come back! Ambiance is great! read more

Sandbar & Grill - Tequila habanero martini - Seafood Near Me - Monterey, California

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I think they have the best oister in the place cause I'm try different places and the oister have the ocean flavor the best restaurant and the Monterey read more