The service is TOP NOTCH, and our Waitress Bri waited on us hand and foot. My Wagyu smash burger was to die for. I will definitely be. read more

The Salty Seal - This the Fish Tank Drink - American Near Me - Monterey, California

Just had a server named Kenzie she was soooo sweet and very polite definitely will come back again. Food also came out very quickly!

I love this place ! so much fun, Kenzie the bartender was great. drinks are good and open mic night on Thursdays

I've been going to The Salty Seal since they opened, and they've remained one of my go-to spots for a good time. The new ownership is doing an awesome job of getting the locals' input and providing a variety of activities for everyone. From open mic and live music to themed nights like Y2K Night, Magic Hunks, and Burlesque, there's always something happening -- even if some events aren't totally my thing, I love that there's truly something for everyone. The bartenders I've met so far -- Chris, Dan, Andrew, Kyle, Kenzie, Hunter(i think there's two?), Scott and Arie -- know exactly how to keep the crowd happy and the party going. Huge shoutout to the manager, Frank (aka DJ Edison Tesla), and the bouncers for keeping the vibes high, the crowd contained, and always anticipating any trouble to keep everyone safe. Their dog-friendly patio with fire pits -- and the fact that they're open all day -- is perfect for bringing your pup, grabbing a drink, and hanging out! The Monterey bike path from Lovers Point to Casa Verde runs right past the Salty Seal, try it out for your next hot girl walk The management team and owners are doing an amazing job of making sure they really give the people what they want, and you can feel the forward momentum & energy every time you walk in. If you're looking for a place that actually listens to its crowd and brings the energy every day & night, The Salty Seal is it. Can't wait to see how they keep leveling things up and turning Monterey nights into something special!! read more

Salty Seal Brew was an okay stop during a busy travel day. We stopped in mainly to take a quick break, have a beer, and grab something to eat. The beer was cold, so that part was good. We ordered the chicken nachos, but they took forever to come out. When they finally arrived, they were okay, not bad, but nothing special either. It was fine for a brief stop and a little reset from the day, but I would probably keep expectations casual. read more

The Salty Seal - American Near Me - Monterey, California

Ok this is going to be a the good, the bad and the ugly review. There is no good. The bad is security scanning ID's at the door. I wasn't paying close attention when he wanted to see IDs and the next thing I know the back of our IDs are scanned. Dude look at the picture and date and if you think it's fake we will go elsewhere The ugly. A bunch of obnoxious loud young drunks. I know its a bar late at night but come on. The only bright spot was the bartender jamming on the drinks. This guy was handling everything on his own. We had 1 drink and bounced. Maybe during the day it's a different experience. read more

great atmosphere, great drinks. Kenzie was wonderful and a pleasure to talk to. happy to have stopped by while enjoying Monterey. read more

Went out for Father's Day and Had the best time here! Shout out to Ty for the awesome service & back patio was cozy.

The food was really good the mozzarella sticks were good and the marinara sauce. My bread bowl was really good. And the Dark and stormy burger was ok. I wouldn't say worth that much money.. The service was good kind of quick and standoff he never even said what his name was. Would ask a question and then just leave. Kinda strange not very personnel or professional. The restaurant is cool has a nice feel the ambiance is good like a bar but the dining are is cozy love the seats. read more

The Salty Seal - Clam chowder bread bowl. - American Near Me - Monterey, California

Oversauced wings, and I mean drowned, that I couldn't eat. Server was not helpful. Didn't offer to get a new item or remove from the bill. Just basically said, oh. read more

The clam chowder was a perfect way to judge the establishment...I had a flora woods to compliment my meal. They had malt vinegar for my fish n chips...sold. read more

When we walked in, we were greeted like family. Bri met us at our table and was absolutely delightful. I asked her to surprise me with a beer and choose my dinner. She brought me Moose Drool and a Dark and Stormy burger. Amazing!! My wife got the fish tacos and was equally happy! Thank you, Bri! We will be back! read more

Convenient location in Cannery Row with lots of seating, TV's, pool tables, a patio and even dancing! The food was okay, bar food. Seems like a great place to watch games. read more

Great spot, I only go for the dance floor but they've got pool tables, darts, and multiple outdoor fireplaces.

Fairly unexpecting place in the cannery row area of Monterey. Not quite dingy enough to call it a dive bar, but it still gives off those "vibes". The live music on a Friday night was nice. Decent amount of food and drink options to come for a full meal, as long as you're in the mood for pub food, but also nice to come just for a couple drinks with friends. The outdoor area is small so if there's live music, it may get tight back there. The service is friendly but they get fairly busy on weekends so things may feel slow as you wait for your drink order. Kitchen stays open fairly late (I think around 10?). Pro tip: bring cash. They do accept cards but there will be a "non cash adjustment" of 3% added to your total if you chose to use plastic. read more

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Every time I try this place it's always a disappointment , front guy with the grey hair ruins the club. Bartenders are cool tho

We stopped in to the Salty Seal in the middle of a Monterey Aquarium trip. We were on a family tourism trip. The Salty Seal is a timeless seafood and other fare restaurant with outdoor seating. The food was excellent. I had fish and chips which I never order but did because it's the place to get it. Delicious. Kids had chicken and fries. Wife had them make a vegetarian dish with potato wedges. Service was excellent too. Ambiance is probably considered outdated by some. Gordon Ramsey may have them redo the furniture. But you want this. You need this in a cannery row traditional restaurant. read more

The Salty Seal - Fish and Chips - American Near Me - Monterey, California

Erin is awesome! She made my brother and I feel like family. Thank you so much for your hospitality!

Love the ambiance here. Drinks are great and beer is cold. Live music is always a plus as well. read more

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Went to Salty last night, love sitting at the back bar when Arie is working! Her customer service is amazing and she makes you feel so welcome. Not to mention she keeps the drinks flowing! She is the reason we keep coming back!! read more

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Isaac is the best and makes sure every patron is having a good time and - most importantly - safe! Cannot recommend enough.

Service was quick and friendly. We just stopped in for a quick snack & drinks. Food & drinks were very good. read more

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My wife and I had a great time at The Salty Seal today. There was a nice patio outside with an excellent DJ and our server Bri was the best. Top 5 of all the servers we've ever had in any city in the country. My burger was perfect and so was my wife's fish and chips. They made my wife a cachaça drink that she was very excited about too. It was a nice way to spend a weekend afternoon. We will be back for sure. read more

The Salty Seal always delivers amazing music -- huge thanks to all the DJs and bands because without them, the vibe just wouldn't be the same. The bartenders are always attentive, security keeps everyone safe while doing their job professionally, and the owners and management truly care about the business and their customers by constantly asking for feedback. Running a bar and restaurant isn't easy, but every staff member goes above and beyond to make everyone feel welcome the moment they walk through the doors. Great atmosphere, great people, great experience -- every time. Thank you! read more

The Salty Seal - American Near Me - Monterey, California

Came here after the Monterey Half Marathon with some friends. We drank, played pool, hung out, and had some appetizers. Service was good, drinks were strong, and we loved the vibes. read more

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Had a beer at this pub on Cannery Row. Had a black and tan. It was ok. It was the middle of the day, so I can't really speak for the food or nightlife. The bartender was nice, checked on us a couple of times. The bar itself was dated, but it adds to the charm. read more

Visiting Monterey near Cannery Row looking for a dog friendly place to eat. Right on the street was the entrance. As we entered and asked if we could bring the dog and got the answer, of course! There is inside dining as well as a courtyard with fire pits and live music. The pup was happy. A server brought her water before we got menus! Gotta love dog people. From the people menu we chose quesadillas, margaritas and a high noon seltzer. Oh that's just the first day. The next day we had chicken wings and margaritas. They offer a nice selection of brews and several margarita variations. Lots of options for food. The Chuck Brewer band was belting out the tunes and the weather was perfect. Good food, drink and entertainment made for us a repeat visit. Definitely on our list for next time. read more

We Happened to be across the street at Ghirardelli and needed to find some dinner before heading back to our hotel. A lot of the restaurants seemed to be more "sit down" and we were looking for something to-go at the time and we both happened to be very indecisive at the moment; in came this place. Jess wanted a Burger, this place happened to have burgers, then she saw the Feta and Tomato Sandwich; she was instantly SOLD! Note: this place doesn't show prices on the menu outside the doors, neither do several of the other restaurants. Now i know why. Because if more people saw the price point out front, they would keep walking. This is the true definition of a Pub. To the right once you walk in is the pool tables a bar and hang out spot, to the left is a self serve seating area where there's a bar, outside patio and some seating. Was a little confusing at first, signs are there but to out of town people like us, was hard to understand where to go. Definitely has the feel of an old school dive bar that also sells food. Waitress was super nice and very attentive when we sat down. Yes, we went from to-go to dine in, because the restaurant was quiet. At first. Then we saw the menu. $19 dollars for my burger and fries, extra $4 for cheese. Soft Drinks were $5 and they didn't say if they give "free refills" but it also didn't say no either. But i played it safe and opted not for a refill, so i nursed my Diet Coke. We placed our order and didn't wait long for the food to arrive. Jess got the clam chowder and it was just "ok", i am not one for seafood but she had me try it anyway. It was more reminiscent of a creamy chicken and rice soup but with clams instead of chicken. But even with adding pepper and some Tabasco, it still lacked flavor. I'm sure "even as a non seafood lover" there's definitely better in town. She said the clams were tough and chewy. She also ordered the Feta and Tomato sandwich with a side of fries, the sandwich was true to the name and certainly didn't disappoint for someone who loves the two equally between two slices of bread. So she was certainly happy with her meal. I on the other hand not so much. I asked for my burger medium. It was more well done. Plus side for them still making it juicy, but the size was rather small for $19 and the bun, although brioche, I love brioche, was burnt on the top and bottom. The veggies inside were rather plain and really didn't need to be there. The fries definitely tasted store bought, reminded me of the fries they used to serve with the old K-Mart burgers. Plus charging $4 for cheese and any other addition toppings seems outrageous to me. Close to $30 for myself and another $30 for jess, our bill came out to $65. What!? I feel like i just got robbed! lol.' This town really does feel like it over prices everything! Not even because its on a tourist part of town, the whole town at this point feels like its price gouging everyone when it comes to eating out. With tip we paid $75 and change. Could've went to Chick Fil A and had a better experience for half the price. Heck even In n Out would've been a 4th of the cost for better quality. I'm Glad Jess enjoyed herself, but now i definitely see why nobody eats on Cannery Row. I personally would not come here again, nor would I recommend it to anyone else coming to Monterey. Jess even said the beers that a table behind us got, were super small and they're charging a hefty price for those also. If you're in a pinch, have at least $100 on you and don't want to travel out for food, then i guess this place or one of the other restaurants down here will have to do. But save yourself a HUGE chunk of money and go somewhere else. Update: THANK YOU to Rebecca the Owner of this establishment for reaching out. As you will read down below, she was super informative and addressed all of my issues and concerns. Unfortunately I didn't see the HUGE sign until we walked down the hallway to the left, but there are signs stating seating to the left once you walk inside. Although I do feel for the owners having to pay high sums of money to keep people employed as well as rent and utilities, I do still stand by the fact that (not) just this location, but others in this town, should and could provide better food for the price point, no matter what the situation may be on the financial aspect. Yes you can go somewhere across the street and pay an extra $3 dollars for a burger and fries, but you can also find other mom and pop spots and pay way less. Don't take away from the fact that this location might be great for your tastes, but unfortunately for my own personal opinion, it was just not for me. But again HUGE Thank You for the quick response! read more

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The food was good and the place is nice. Staff could be a little more friendly but in all not to bad read more

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To start with, I'm reviewing Saturday and Sundays. Not certain of the weekdays. Upon first arriving around noon, on a Sunday in March 29, 2026, around 12pm in Cannerey Row, Monterey was packed as well as all the restaurants, except the Salty Seal. They accepted dogs as did about 5 others in Cannerey Row area and we had our little dog with us. We were starving. This is the first dog friendly resturaunt we came upon & the front part closed with back patio open it said in a sign. The walkway to the patio is an "Insurance Claim" about to happen. Pitch Black coming out from Sun & almost fell thinking shiny tape look like steps in the pitch black. All 5 of us was like whoa, hang onto the walls. So be careful. Our ages are 55 to 69, so Not old foggies. Only a few customers and we sat down on Patio around fireplace. It was fairly quiet so we could all chat with one another. There was guy setting up a music stand & he said it was about to start playing music. We didn't think too much about it then he started the music. Loud, aggressive, In Spanish Rap. How many people visiting Cannery Row are into Mexican Rap? I doubt few. So loud you Could Not hear one another talk even when you leaned in close together to hear. I ask the DJ to lower it please and he completely ignored us. I then asked our waitress to ask him to lower the music as it's just over the top loud for a little patio. He did not lower it. We realized he was a fat DJ guy trying to influence a cute young girl at the bar way too young for him. So he wanted to only impress her. We must have asked 5 times Over the course of an hour and half and then finally the waitress disclosed to us she had relayed our request to the "Very Young Manager" that day so there's nothing she can do more, & profusely apologized. Hardly anyone was there. There were a few in the bar area which is away from the patio & more indoors. There were 2 couples out by us. They left shortly after the music began understandably. We were waiting 1 full hour and 30 full minutes for our food having to endure loud miagrain developing music. 3 of us after 45 minutes started the beginning of migraines the music was so loud. I finally went to the manager myself and he just gave me a condensending type smile as if he was laughing at me, "An old lady who didn't matter" and would not like the Rap music in Spanish. Heck, They could have played Jimmy Hindrix or Janis Joblin even Neil Young to Red Hot Chili Peppers but I doubt they even know who that is. Manager guy was probably even the owner's son who didn't give a shit we had headaches. The inside had gotten busier but no one would sit out on the patio. A few tables were the friends of Manager and the DJ. We would have gotten up and left if not for already ordering when we first arrived. We had to endure 1 hour 30 minutes for our food and when it finally arrived we ate fast to get out of there. Horrible, Horrible experience for a $200+ tab. The only reason I gave it 2 stars was that the waitress was nice and so sorry about the music and in addition my drink and one of the dishes were very good. (Not worth the experience though) Get the fish & Chips if you have a couple of hours to wait and ear plugs with you. The Clam Chowder was awful and it was only about an eight ounce cup of soup in a big bread bowl. The Wagu Burger was mediocre. They obviously do not give a hoot about their well paying guests and no wonder they are the least busy restaurant on the Cannery Row. I would by-pass this place if you have a dog as the music is too loud for even an animal and there are other Dog friendly places in Cannery Row. There is no view, no ambiance and horrible music. Heck, they could have played Mariaches and that would have been great! read more

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Erin was amazing! I asked her for a margarita less sweet and It was perfect!! She has great customer service. She was engaging with us and made us feel welcomed. We are definitely coming back here more often! read more

Kenzie was a great bartender! Made me feel very safe and gave me a great experience! One of my favorite bars in town!

Service and food was great. Our server Ty was fast and very nice. I would definitely come back.

Recently came to the Salty Seal for their "glow night" event at the back bar! I came in with a fairly large group and we all had such an amazing time ! The drinks and service were on point, shout out to Dan and Cameron. They had a more than full bar and yet still got drinks to everyone in a timely manner ! I had an order of mozzarella sticks and some garlic fries and they definitely hit the spot as well. The DJ, Edison Tesla, kept the energy up and everyone dancing ! It was one of the best nights out I have had in a long time ! It's so nice to have a venue in Monterey that offers so many different forms of entertainment! A little something for everyone, truly. Good job salty seal crew, keep it up ! read more

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Fun place for a bite and cocktail. Their menu advertised a traditional Bermuda Fish Chowder, and I was all in. I had the chowder with the splash of black rum and sherry pepper sauce (love the stuff), my SIL had the Mexican Street Corn Soup and we shared the Sticky Bourbon Pork Belly appetizer. We loved everything and will definitely go back when we are in town again. The only thing we didn't like is the door to the patio area was open and a very chilly breeze came through the whole time we were there. We didn't stay, but they were setting up for live music when we headed out. Definitely recommended for a comforting and fairly reasonably priced meal and drinks. read more

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Been going here for a couple years as a CSUMB student (been going since i was 21) and they told my friends and I that we could no longer go in without a passport (even though we had ID and SSID). Very sad on their part because they claim the reason being too many "fake ID's" although that is an issue with their staff not being able to check ID's correctly not the customer... They'll figure it out eventually (hopefully) read more

This place was okay. Service was pretty slow and it was completely empty except one party of 6. The whole bar staff was messing around the whole time. Fish Sammy is kind of bland. Pretzels are a little greasy but cheese is good. Corn dog was good but the fries were over salty. Would skip this place instead! Lots of other better places read more

The Salty Seal - Fish Sammy Pretzels with cheese Corn dog - American Near Me - Monterey, California

A great place to have a good time with some friends. They always have the most amazing bands playing and even when they dont they have some really good DJs. Lets not forget the amazing bartenders! Chris makes everyone feel like a VIP and makes the tastiest drinks:)) read more

Sunday February 22,2026 415 pm Went in to have some drinks. Went to front bar with my wife. There was no one at all attending bar, 3 customers sitting there. We waited 5 minutes, still no one. We went to back bar, and tried to get drinks. No bar tender, no servers, waited 5 minutes, still nothing. Went back to front bar, saw a bartender there. He just started talking to a girl that already had been served, and never looked or asked my wife or I if we needed anything. We have been here 4 years and just left fish hopper we excellent service and it was busy! We just wanted to have another drink some where else. We are restaurant owners ourselves, this is not how to run a business. Maybe if new owners were monitoring their business better and have trained properly this would not have been an issue, but I hear they are in Brazil currently. We will never be back. read more

Kenzie was an excellent bartender. Great experience. Great atmosphere. I would definitely recommend.