Monterey, CA
 

I will be spending a few days in Monterey, CA and was wondering if anyone can recommend some inexpensive places to eat or things to see. Thanks.

I would highly recommend the 17 mile drive, the Aquarium and definitely the nearby town of Carmel.

i like Fishwife across from the entrance to Asilomar in Pacific Grove. You can get "tapas" plates or share. Great food.

smiles2007:
I also like Fishwife, it was recommended here and it is really good, great prices. I also enjoyed Cannery Row, Point Lobos, Julia Pfeiffer, the view was something out of this world if you get a change have lunch at River Inn in Big Sur, really neat place and the food was good too.
Gina

I would definitely head down Hwy 1 into Big Sur - gorgeous coastline. I second the recommendation for Point Lobos. A must-see in my opinion.

In Pacific Grove, there is a paved path along the coast that is very nice - nice homes on one side, gorgeous coastline on the other with some good tide pools and so forth. If it is butterfly season, check out the monarch groves. Amazing sight.

I also second the recommendation for the aquarium - it is very good. And you can wander along Canery Row for a little bit while you are there. It is sort of overrun with tourist shops now, but some of the old canery buildings remain.

Just north of Monterey there is a town called Moss Landing, which is very small but is the home of Phil's Fish Market, which has some terrific clam chowder - and fits your request for inexpensive eats. You can also get french-fried artichokes there and a bunch of other yummy stuff. There is a row of antique and junk shops that are fun to poke around in too.

We love the fried artichokes in Castroville at the Big Artichoke stand, you can also purchase yummy sauces and dips here. It's the first place we hit when we come over to the coast.

The aquarium is very nice, definitely worth seeing. Fishwife is a cool, colorful little cafe, we enjoyed the Crab Tostaditos there. Also we enjoy the wharf area. Isabella's is a nice stop for clam chowder and seafood. Cafe Fina and Domenico's are also very good.

Tarpey's Roadhouse in Monterey is a fairly inexpensive place to dine with some good comfort food, right next door is the Ventana Tasting Room where you can wine taste free of charge.

Enjoy Monterey, it's a lovely area of the CA coast! ***kim*** ((f))

These are all great suggestions! Thanks for the input!!

Try Rosines in downtown Monterey. Home cooked food, plenty of it, its a locals place.
Also another best kept secret for locals is the Monterey Airport restuarant.Yes, its that good!
Try also if your in the Carmel area, Bahama Billy's.

If you are heading north out of Monterey, try Phil's fish market http://www.philsfishmarket.com/ for a great casual and high quality selection of local crab and artichoke dishes. It's in Moss Landing (take a left at the power plant stacks). Check out the website for directions and a menu. My family and I try to stop there every time we go to Monterey from the SF Bay area.

Bahama Billy's was sold by the original owners. and have not heard too many good things. Original owner opened a new place with Southwestern touch at the Barnyard Center, which is down the street from Carmel Rancho Shopping Center, or around the corner from the Crossroads Shopping Center--all reachable from Highway 1, take Carmel Valley Road or Rio road. The new restaurant is where formerly Thunderbird Bookstore and is called The Bistro.

For the best sushi possibly in the country, and definitely the most reasonably priced, go to Akaoni downtown Carmel, again reachable from Highway 1, take Ocean Ave, and check out daily specials, crab is in season, and for lunch the bento boxes (different entree selections) is a bargain. Don't be put off by the staff's sometimes unfriendly demeanor--they are busy or they are so focused on their work. Closed Mon and closed for lunch Mon,Tues,Wed.

Casanova on 5th between San Carlos & Mission is reasonably priced for lunch. Linguini scampi is my fave.

Again, the best in the country, Chinese food at Tommy's Wok on San Carlos St 1/2 block from main drag Ocean Ave behind Wells Fargo Bank and down the stairs, or you can also access from other side on Mission St 1/2 block south of Ocean from parking lot. Closed Mondays.

For breakfast, go for The Cottage on Lincoln, 1/2 block south of Ocean, they serve breakfast until 3pm, or if more convenient, there's also Katy's on Mission down the street from Akaoni; or if you want to drive 10 mins East on Carmel Valley Road and see a totally different area, go to Jeffri's at the mid Valley Shopping Center.

If you want to drive South on Hwy 1, and see the area adjacent to Point Lobos or go to Point Lobos, the best scenery yet, drive 2 more miles to the Highland's Inn (Hyatt possibly now owns it), and have lunch at the cafe, California Market--good food, reasonable, fantastic view, but service is inconsistent.

Hope this helps. Enjoy!

PS If you go to the Monterey Wharf, check out Abalonetti's, it's reasonable.

Agree about Casanova's!