jbaileyATX

Hello! I'll be flying into San Fran next Monday the 19th and driving to Monterey. My flight gets in around 4:40pm so I hope to be on the road by 6pm. Google Maps is recommending US HWY 101 South as the best route and to avoid cashless tolls. I'm looking for a dinner recommendation on my way to Monterey. A unique, locally owned spot with good food. Open to any type of cuisine and prob. around $20 per person or under. I did some research and found a lot of people like Duarte's Tavern in the Pescadero area but that's not really the direction I'm traveling. If you're familiar with Duarte's…something similar. Greatly, greatly appreciate the recommendations. Thanks!

sunbum1944

I suggest Phil's Fish Market at Moss Landing

MmePerdu

Duarte's is indeed out of your way and, while I like it, it probably isn't worth the detour.

Why not wait until you get to Monterey? I'd go up to 280 (instead of 101 from the airport) and on to 17 from San Jose, over the hill and you could stop around Santa Cruz. I haven't been there for a while so maybe someone will recommend a good place.

Parrothead

The first 35 miles of this route is solid city after city Bay Area options. After that, the next 70 miles is slim pickings until you actually reach Monterey.

There is a tavern style local joint in San Jose called Henry's Hi-Life. It is more barbecue/steaks oriented but it can be a fun place to stop in to. I don't think they take reservations and should not be overflowing since the Sharks are no longer in the playoffs.

janisj

The traffic will be Gawd awful at that time of evening. Not quite sure what you mean by tolls (cashless or otherwise) but you actually might do better to eat very near the airport - even right there in Millbrae and hitting the road a bit later.

(Phil's would be the sort of thing you are looking for, but its on hwy 1 not 101)

MmePerdu

Millbrae has a large Asian community and some good Asian restaurants near the airport, if that appeals.

The traffic will likely be less bad on 280 than on 101. If Duarte's is a place that intrigues you still, go over to the coast via 280 and 92 to Half Moon Bay then down the coast which, while slower at the best of times, may be just as fast that time of day. And you'll pass by Pescadero going that way.

jbaileyATX

Thanks everyone. The comment about the tolls relates to having a rental car for a week and the plate pass to pay the tolls is $11 per day so instead of paying almost $80 for the plate pass + the toll rates we are trying to avoid toll roads unless you can pay cash. I'm in TX and almost everything in my area is cashless for highway tolls. Thought I read the toll roads in the area are also cashless thus needing the plate pass. Goggle Maps has us going down the 101 to avoid toll highways. If we can pay cash this is a non-issue. Haha, I'm sure I'm sounding very cheap but seems silly to pay that much for a plate pass if we don't really need it.

We could wait until we get to Monterey but I'm thinking with traffic etc. we might not get in until later and would be starving so some options on the route are great!

Thanks!

ronkala

Check out Fruti De Mar Grill just minutes above Monterey, and just below where 101 connects with 1 in Marina. A neat little place in a small strip of stores that I think I heard about here. We ate there during our April 2010 trip. It is located right after the first traffic light when you exit the 1. 3056 Delmonde Blvd, Marina.

Crisp white cloth tablecloths, sparkling glassware and delicious food. I had the Fruti De Mar fettuccine, shrimp, scallops, and crab in a garlic cream sauce. Current menu shows it at $15.95. Service was also excellent.

MichelleY

You will not pay any tolls heading down to Monterey. Tolls are only for the bridges around the Bay Area.

MmePerdu

Indeed, no toll roads in California (as far as I know), just bridges. Erase the thought from your mind and take any road you like between SFO and Monterey.

janisj

There are a few toll lanes like the 91 in Orange County. But but California is the land of FREEways. No tolls to worry about except Bay Area bridges. You don't cross any bridges where you are headed.

november_moon

The route I would take from the airport is this:

Hwy 280 south/85 south/101 south/156 west/1 south.

Although Hwy 101 runs right past the airport and you could just get on it and continue all the way to 156, Hwy 101 between SFO and San Jose has terrible traffic at commute times. Hwy 280 is a much better route. You have a couple extra changes of highway, but it is worth it. Once you get south of SJ, Hwy 101 is fine.

The town of Morgan Hill is right on your route - about 10 miles south of SJ. They have a nice downtown with several good local restaurants. The main street through downtown is only a couple blocks off Hwy 101, so it would make for a good stop.

If you don't want to wait that long, you can take a slight detour off Hwy 85 to downtown Campbell - there are quite a few places there as well.

MmePerdu

I know we all have our favorite routes down the Peninsula and beyond. But I'd prefer an ocean view down Hwy 1 any day to crowded suburbs. 280-92-1 is less crowded, infinitely more beautiful and takes the OP in the direction of the restaurant asked about, in Pescadero.

I'm from the Peninsula, my son lives in La Honda, and that's the way I go. When I hit the cool salt air in Half Moon Bay, at the junction of 92 & 1, it's always wonderful. So to direct them all the way down 101 through Morgan Hill, well, sorry N_M, I fail to see any advantage, quite the contrary.

sf7307

I'd eat in Burlingame and drive later.
lots of choices and just south of the airport. For Chinese/Burmese - try Mingalaba. For Afghan - try Kabul. For a great burger and other good options - Copenhagen. Then I'd follow the route given by November_moon - I wouldn't drive down the coast in the evening. (and NM and I are also local - she lives in San Jose and I lived in Burlingame for many years).

Ps - I like Duarte's for ambiance and ollalieberry pie. I would't go out of my way for dinner.

NewbE

I'd eat in Burlingame or Millbrae and drive afterwards, as well. Whichever route you choose, traffic will indeed be awful at that time of day, so while I would normally agree that you should just wait and eat in or near Monterey, sitting bumper to bumper hungry as a bear is to be avoided. And getting off and back onto whichever route you choose to stop for dinner along the way will be a PITA, too.

So... Burlingame Avenue offers a plethora of good restaurants, from sushi to Italian to bar food to you name it. Broadway has a few nice places. These are minutes from the airport and very easy to find. And Millbrae--which is basically where the airport is--does have great Asian restaurants.

Given the time of year, you'll still be able to do most, if not all, of your drive to Monterey in daylight.

jbaileyATX

Thanks everyone! The advice is greatly appreciated!! Have a great weekend!

StuDudley

>>Burlingame Avenue offers a plethora of good restaurants

MmePerdu

I happen to love fried oyster sandwiches. So if I can't be in New Orleans, I go to Duarte's. Or treat my son to his favorite, the bouillabaisse for his birthday. And one more thing, it's easy.

MonicaRichards

The last time we were at Duarte's (this Spring I think) the food was so marginal and expensive we vowed never again. We used to go there and like it but it got worse and worse until now it's just not worth it at all. I wouldn't like the food at any price and to pay a lot for it? No way.

We like the Davenport Roadhouse a bit farther down 1, good food, cute building, right off of the road too.