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Passionfish

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701 Lighthouse Ave, Pacific Grove, CA 93950-2501
Pacific Grove, CA 93950

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(831) 655-3311
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Reviews
( 11 )
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Best

WOW! This was an amazing seafood restaurant. I went here with co-workers after seeing the great reviews on Yelp and it did not disappoint. The crab cakes and oysters were delic...

Worst

Myself in the hospitality business and a local resident of Pacific Grove I have referred Passion Fish to many of my customers. Our server was very informative and friendly though ...

Amazing seafood 7/24/2010

WOW! This was an amazing seafood restaurant. I went here with co-workers after seeing the great reviews on Yelp and it did not disappoint. The crab cakes and oysters were delicious. Even the bread with good! I ordered the mahi mahi entree and it was perfection. This is a great place! more

Extremly Dissappointing 3/30/2010

Myself in the hospitality business and a local resident of Pacific Grove I have referred Passion Fish to many of my customers. Our server was very informative and friendly though the meal I had was terrible. I had the Monterey Bay Prawns that were small and over cooked. served with pasta that tasted as it looked, unappitizing. Taste and presentation were extremly dissappointing. Pros: Friendly Service Cons: Limited Menu more

Excellent food and nicely-priced wines. 3/1/2008

My wife and I went late on a Monday night, so we had no problems with noise or space. Our server was charming and knowledgeable about both the food and wines, and we were treated to a delicious meal: crab cake with a fresh salsa, salad with crisp ""croutons"" made of asiago, lamb shanks in an exquisite sauce. The wine was a hard-to-get Pinot Noir from a boutique winery in Monterey county, which was stupendous as well. When we googled it later that night, the bottles we found were all more expensive than at the restaurant. Well done! Pros: Great food, wine and service Cons: None when we went. more

Lots of Love and Passion! Pacific Groves Jewel! 1/20/2008

You'll find some of the best seafood on the Monterey Peninsula-located in the heart of Pacific Grove, along with an ample selection of meat dishes-as well as a few vegetarian treats. This gem of a restaurant is filled with the best! Best servers, bussers (yes, even the bus boys were top-notch...never had to wonder ""where's the water"".) Was very busy when we arrived-and while we dined-yet never felt rushed!) Just relaxed...(and we didn't even take advantage of their famous wine list). In a fast-paced restaurant it's a pleasure to feel ""at home""-and welcome) Our server,Barbara certainly made us feel this way and was knowledgeable of all the specials, ingredients and the ""sustainable"" features of the local fresh-catches. The whole staff was very professional! The two people I went with had meat dishes (both outstanding-lucky me-I got a sample of the Pork Shanks and another friend's ribs) My New England (fully sustainable scallops) were 95 out of 100. The risotto was also very good with fresh local-baby Bok Choy. Delicious! I inquired that chef-co-owner-Ted must be behind the stove, as everything we ordered was just perfect"" Nope-just the usual chef and cooks (Obviously-Quality Control is of the utmost importance) along with environmentally served dishes, and full adherence to the Monterey Bay Aquarium's famous SEAFOOD WATCH LIST. A truly comfortable environment-from the greeting by the lovely young ladies at the reception desk-to the tasteful art and comfortable seats. After ""putting off"" trying this restaurant for years I finaly made it-and boy, am I glad! This is one of the best in California-maybe the United States! I loved it! Definitely the best restaurant in Pacific Grove! I guarantee, I will make it back, soon-as will-my friends. We all left happy and well fed. I got the feeling everyone at this restaurant is passionate about what they do! Great experience! Loved the ""vibe"" of the place. Pros: 100% Sustainable Seafood and Truly upbeat staff. Top Notch-fresh food! Cons: absolutely none! more

Expected better food! 10/21/2007

I was so excited to go to Passionfish to celebrate my sister's birthday; the reviews made it sound like the perfect place. The staff was outstanding- seated quickly, friendly service, water was always full, plates were taken away immediately. The Dungeoness crab salad on avacado with ginger vinaigrette was unbelieveable. One of us ordered the grilled Tilapia and the other the scallops; then we swapped. I found the scallops to be soooo salty that my tongue felt swollen, sandy as well. We both found the Tilapia charred in places; therefore, bitter. And loud..wow. If you were with the larger group, it would have been fine but with two people having a quiet conversation, it was almost impossible. Great ideas on the menu- execution needs some work. Pros: staff, service,portions are very generous Cons: very loud, food not up to par more

Excellent little neighborhood restaurant, worth diverting... 7/21/2007

Excellent little neighborhood restaurant, worth diverting for if you are in the Monterey Bay area.... more

Excellent little neighborhood restaurant, worth diverting... 7/21/2007

tfenrich Provided by Partner
Excellent little neighborhood restaurant, worth diverting for if you are in the Monterey Bay area. Specializes mostly in fish (from non-overfished ... more

One Amazing Restaurant 5/28/2007

Our dinner at Passionfish was one of the best meals we have ever had. First, the food is excellent. The appetizers, salads, main courses and desserts were all delicious. Second, they have an extensive wine list with very fair prices. Third, the service was outstanding. Our waitress was very helpful and always there when we needed her. Finally, if you are there for a celebration of some kind, an anniversary, a birthday or what have you, they go the extra step. They'll add a little extra decoration to your table and add soem candles to your dessert.\r \r All in all, Passionfish is a wonderful restaurant. I highly recommend it to everyone (as long as you like fish). Pros: Great Food, Wonderful Service, Great Wine List more

OMG! This Place is wonderful! 5/26/2007

This place is incredible from the food to the service. My husband and I were in Carmel for the week and decided to go to Passionfish because I saw some good reviews. Since I love to cook and am a foodie I always try to look for a place that has a menu that is unique and offers variety. The food here is excellent! From the appetizers to the entrees and they also have a great wine list. Here?s a tip, don?t order the wine by the glass. The prices here are almost retail prices, they just add a few $ for the corkage so it is much more economical to order the bottle if you are going to have more than 1 glass.\r I love to start with the Fried Olives and a glass of red wine. Kalamata olives are battered to perfection and served warm. This great combination of crunchy, salty, and the soft plump meaty texture of the olives will have you hooked at first bite! While here you have to try the fish. It is extremely fresh and the sauces are light to compliment the fish and not to drown or cover it as many other places do. I have been to Passionfish 2x in 1 week and look forward to many more. Do not pass this restaurant up, you will be pleasantly surprised by the food and great value.\r Pros: Food, service, wine list, Prices, did I mention GREAT Food?! Cons: Absolutely none. (well I wish they were in Los Angeles : ) more

Amazing Food! 7/24/2006

I was down in Laguna Seca for MotoGP and needed a nice ""date"" place to take my boyfriend on Sunday. Using the reader reviews as a guide I decided to go to Passionfish and I'm happy to say I was extremely pleased. The service, from the host all the way to our server (who just happened to be Cindy, the chef's wife) was excellent. They were friendly, knowledgeable and very warm. We were treated like family. The space was clean and well lit, and while there were many conversations going on, I didn't find it to be exceptionally noisy. However, what was exceptional was the food! The fish was absolutely fresh, from the salmon to the ahi to the sturgeon. Their crab cakes are awesome and their desserts with the suggested apertif or tea (we chose tea) were remarkable. Our only complaint was the salad dressing was a bit strong. Otherwise, the greens were very fresh and the salad accessories (beets, goat's cheese, etc.) were very tasty. Overall, we give it an A+ more

Fantastic but be prepared for the cramped seating and noise. 7/20/2006

Having read all the reviews, I have to agree the food was fantastic. The service was very good. The only problem was the seating and the noise. The waiter had to put his rear practically on our table to wait on the end table. No one said anything about it being noisy. Maybe it was just our luck that their were a lot of 6 and 8 tops the night we went. \r \r Don't get me wrong the food was great and it was a great value. We didn't stay for desert but went across the street for ice cream. more

passionate @ This Place 6/8/2006

What a night, the food is excellent, the service was good and the location is easy to get to. My boyfriend from Nashville found this place on City search, and we had the best meal ever. We started out with the Ahi Tuna appetizer with the crab cake, both were as expected high quality and prepared to order, the cost was a great value $9.00 per appetizer, unbeatable. We shared the salad with fried olives, also large portion and wonderful taste. We then split a large piece of mahi mahi which was prepared in a oriental sauce and was the best fish we have had on our trip to California spanning LA, Santa Barbara, and now Monterey. The entire cost WITH a Bottle of wine was $89.00 without tip. This also included 2 cups of coffee and 2 desserts, (get the mint and clocolate mud pie) Excellent food, great value good service wonderful experience! Pros: Seafood, location, parking Cons: small close quarters more

Outstanding experience 3/2/2006

Ate dinner here this evening, and was very impressed overall. The place has a nice ambience, without being pretentious. Service was very attentive and helpful. The wine selection was substantial without being overly pricey. The food was the star though. Our dishes were outstanding, from the ahi tuna appetizer to the short ribs and halibut mains. They were prepared to perfection and were delicious. I wholeheartedly recommend this place... more

Excellent! 10/4/2005

Seated promptly. Excellent service. Knowledgable wait staff. Helpful. Great wine list with good prices. Great food. All around great experience. Pros: Food, Wines, Service Cons: pricey more

""Passionfish""--the name fits 7/13/2004

Our recent dinner at Passionfish in Pacific Grove, CA included some of the best-prepared fish we've ever experienced. Located in a nondescript building at the end of Pacfic Grove's downtown shopping district, Passionfish doesn't offer views or elaborate decor. The restaurant focuses on cusine featuring ""sustainable"" seafood. Prices are moderate, for the area. The wine list is extensive, as is expected near major wine-producing regions. Our desserts were also top-notch. Pros: excellent seafood, good value more

Always a good meal 10/10/2003

This restaurant always pleases. Great food, great service, great wine list. Food is wonderful with their constant changing of the menu. This is do to the fact of keeping variety, but more so to stay with what seafood is in season. Servers are very nice and do not hover. They let you enjoy your meal with your party rather than interrupting every 5 minutes. I never felt rushed so they can turn another table. Wine list prices cannot be beat. Pros: Food, Service, Wine Cons: Noisy more

Loved it 8/10/2003

What a fantastic restaurant, in an area that is oddly challenged to come up with good dining options. Great food and great wine list, both at extremely reasonable prices. Not only are the wines as inexpensive as you'll find anywhere, they have a great selection of non-California wines. The gorgonzola salad was awesome, as was the Monterey Sea Bass and the Rib Eye steak (best I've had, and I'm not a big fan of this cut of steak). Service was prompt, courteous and friendly. The lack of attitude and a minimal number of ""ugly"" tourist sightings were also totally refreshing. Pros: food, wine, service more

Nothing to ""Wine"" about 7/17/2003

While visiting the Monterey area recently, we asked some of the locals what restaraunt they recommended. Pashionfish came up several times. The shellfish bouillabaisse we had was second only to the extensive wine list. Pricing on both the wine and the food is excellent. This is a ""Not to be Missed"" restaraunt. Pros: Good Value, Great Food, Quaint Cons: Servers lacking, Somewhat unattentive more

A pashion fancy 1/7/2003

Before ourrecent visit to PG we had had two restaurants recommended to us by friends from out of the area. When we got there, we also asked the locals. The locals know. This was as good or better than many of the ""name"" restaurants in the City for food, service, and ambience. And the price is very reasonable. Pros: interesting food, good use of space, excellent service Cons: bench seating so-so more

Passions Run Strong 7/13/2002

This is THE restaurant that I take all my out of town guests many of whom are world travelers. They all rave about Ted's unique and inspired sauces. I have never had a greasy food item and the waitstaff have been attentive but unintrusive. Friends of mine from Italy thought Ted's calamari was the best they ever had and whenever any of my guest's revisit me the all want to return to Passionfish. Pros: excellent food, prompt service, reasonable prices more
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Editorial
  • The Scene
    Located in a low, boxy beige building at the end of Pacific Grove's main shopping strip, Passionfish does indeed have a passionate following. Locals and savvy visitors keep the...

  • 11/3/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
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