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Name: Monterey Cookhouse
Address: 2149 Fremont St, Monterey, CA, 93940
Telephone: (831) 642-9900
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.63

Monterey Cookhouse

2149 Fremont St, Monterey, CA, 93940

(831) 642-9900
Store is closed

Monterey Cookhouse Menu

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g

Big Buford® 230g

Bacon Buford® 255g

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g

Checkerburger® 170g

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g

Cheese Double Cheese 190g

Chili Cheeseburger 135g

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g

Double Decker 215g

Rallyburger® 170g

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g

Smokehouse Buford® 265g

Triple Cheeseburger 250g

Healthy Meal suggestions for

Burgers

Kid?s Burger 110g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 570, Saturated Fat (ms) : 6, Calories: 280, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Kid?s Cheeseburger 120g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Cheddar Burger 125g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 29, Sodium (s): 730, Saturated Fat (ms) : 9, Calories: 370, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Bacon Double Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 1340, Saturated Fat (ms) : 20, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 6 ]

Big Buford® 230g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1090, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 570, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Buford® 255g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1510, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 680, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Bacon Swiss Buford® 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 28, Sodium (s): 1310, Saturated Fat (ms) : 21, Calories: 660, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® 205g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 490, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Champ® with Cheese 225g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 930, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 580, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

1/4 LB. Bacon Cheese Champ® 235g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 35, Sodium (s): 1230, Saturated Fat (ms) : 18, Calories: 630, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® 280g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 1030, Saturated Fat (ms) : 25, Calories: 740, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

1/2 LB. Double Champ® with Cheese 300g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 34, Sodium (s): 1360, Saturated Fat (ms) : 28, Calories: 790, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Checkerburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Checkerburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Cheese Double Cheese 190g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 1140, Saturated Fat (ms) : 17, Calories: 510, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Chili Cheeseburger 135g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 620, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 320, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Chili Cheeseburger 180g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 30, Sodium (s): 760, Saturated Fat (ms) : 14, Calories: 460, Sugar (ms): 3 ]

Double Decker 215g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 31, Sodium (s): 720, Saturated Fat (ms) : 13, Calories: 480, Sugar (ms): 4 ]

Rallyburger® 170g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 32, Sodium (s): 680, Saturated Fat (ms) : 8, Calories: 390, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Rallyburger® with Cheese 179g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 810, Saturated Fat (ms) : 12, Calories: 420, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Triple Cheeseburger 250g [ Carbohydrates (ms): 33, Sodium (s): 1450, Saturated Fat (ms) : 23, Calories: 690, Sugar (ms): 5 ]

Healthy Meal suggestions for CheckersRally

Burgers

Smokehouse Buford® 265g [ Sodium (s): 1610, Calories: 650, Sugar (ms): 15 ]

Sorry, We are updating this restaurant cholesterol menu details.

Write An Anonymous Review

Jennifer C.

Boyfriend and I decided to have dinner here after a disappointing wait at Monterey Fish House. Service here made up for our crappy nonexistant service at MFH. Host and waiter here were very polite and attentive. Food wise, it was OK. Nothing that blew my mind, but it was tasty enough. We ordered the appetizer special, beef and carrot egg rolls, the pork chop special and the pork smoked ribs. The egg rolls were yummy - nice ginger flavor in there. Came with a sweet and sour sauce. My pork chop was delicious. It was a thick piece of pork chop, cooked perfectly. It was amazing paired with the apple chutney sauce. It came with a twice baked potato and seasoned vegetables. Both were meh. The twice baked potato was overly mushy and the vegetables were kind of bland. Boyfriend's ribs had a pretty good sauce on them. However, the ribs weren't too tender...a lot of meat was actually sticking to the bones. His came with mash and seasoned vegetables. We both also got drinks. I had the passion pink margarita and he had the organic margarita. Mine was pretty awesome. Bf didn't seem too impressed by his drink lol. Alcohol was definitely not skimped on though. Atmosphere wise, this place was a cute date place. Kinda dark and just fancy enough. Whole place smells nice and toasty too lol.
(3)
Dan l.

I was a little bit skeptical of it because it's on Fremont. Most of the good eateries around here are downtown, on Cannery Row/Lighthouse/Ocean Ave. But the service was pretty good and the food was too. The only thing I wasn't sure about was my "Monterey Bay Wheat Beer." Someone messed it up. I'm not sure if it was the waiter or the brewer...but a wheat beer is supposed to be cloudy, not golden.
(4)
Lady R.

Great staff and service. Food is good, portion size rather small for the price you pay.
(3)
Brian C.

This past Thanksgiving was special. All of my brothers and sisters were in town complete with significant others and kids. There were thirty of us. Dad wanted Mom to enjoy the family instead of cooking all day, so they took us to the Monterey Cookhouse. First, a disclaimer: As my sister pointed out, nothing can ever replace Mom's cooking, but the unique situation warranted going out for dinner. The Monterey Cookhouse did not disappoint. I am easy to please, but still have an appreciation for art. The presentation of the food was amazing. I took a moment to enjoy looking at my plate and let it sink in. It was eloquent. When I finally started to eat, the dinner was as good as it looked. The turkey was divine, but I especially enjoyed the stuffing. The staff was very friendly, and I was impressed with the way they handled a party of 30 people. I highly recommend a visit.
(5)
Cindy D.

this is my 2nd time here and we throughly enjoyed it. I had the Baby Back Ribs,(so tender) hubby had the skirt steak...they were both delicious and the waiters recommendation of the stuffed potato was spot on. My son and guest had pizza, the first was pulled pork and the other was the Margharita and YUMO..max on the Garlic but loved it! The waiter was so attentive to us. It was great food...we will be back!
(4)
Gary J.

Another great Yelp find. We stayed at the Super 8 on Fremont (there are 4 or 5 other motels within a couple of blocks) and this place was only a block away. I had already decided on having dinner there based on the other Yelp reviews. Service was very good, quick and friendly. I ordered the complimentary "say you saw them on Yelp" appetizer (a half order of calamari) which was delicious. I had the short ribs, served in a red wine and cola reduction - fall off the bone outstanding. Another of us had the baby back ribs, these were the meatiest baby back ribs I've ever seen and he loved them. This has become one of our "go to" places in Monterey.
(5)
Debby F.

I came here, based on YELP reviews. We arrived on Friday at 5:30pm and were immediately seated. The bar seemed pretty lively, already. We mentioned the Yelp free appetizer and received the "Brisket Dip", served with crostini (well, more toasted plain bread). It was pieces of brisket with lots of BBQ sauce and a chunk of melted cheese. It was okay, but heck it was free. Son ordered the calamari appetizer for $10.00. They came as rings with the tentacles...not my favorite way to enjoy calamari, but son loves them. I tasted one ring, and thought they were a bit tough and a bit "fishy". Not for me. Son ordered the burger & beer Happy Hour for $10... great deal. The burger was excellent, he said and he had a Stella Artois. I ordered the Skirt Steak that came with steamed vegetables and I asked for the twice-baked potato instead of mashed (small gripe... the waiter should have mentioned the extra $1.50 charge as a courtesy). The steak was perfectly cooked, though the plate looked a little sloppy with lots of juice. The veggies were cooked to perfection-- just the right amount of crunch and lightly seasoned. The twice-baked spud was good, but nothing earth shattering. Husband ordered the brisket with onion rings and veggies. The brisket looked really dry to me, and hubs agreed. That was the only dish that didn't quite deliver. The onion rings were large and battered nicely-- not greasy. For three of us, with 3 beers, the tab came to about $65.00. Our server was efficient, but not warm and fuzzy. Would we come back? Yes! The $10.00 Happy Hour Burger & Beer is a great deal. My son, who is on a fixed budget, will definitely come back for that and sit at the bar. I'm glad we tried the place.
(4)
Sharon Z.

Lovely staff and service. The food and local beer was good too.
(4)
Lisa K.

Exellent! Everything was sooo good right down to the ranch dressing. I had fried calamari with chipotle dipping sauce that was very good. The cole slaw was so good, it had pineapple and red onion which I liked. The Sparkys rootbeer was great, like none I've ever had. My husband had the burger which he said was very good with a toasted bun. Omg I forgot we started off with the wings...Best I've ever had! The free onion rings were great too (mention Yelp). We shared a piece of warm pumpkin bread pudding, which ofcourse was soooo good! And last but not least, our server was Alex. He was very attentive and polite. Also it was nice and quiet and we didn't have to wait at all.
(5)
Stephanie B.

Saw this place on Yelp when visitiing Monterey last weekend and so glad we went in! Didn't have reservations but they were able to accomodate us at the bar, which was great for my boyfriend because they had golf on! Great atmosphere and the waitress was very attentive. Had the roasted chicken, rice pilaf and veggies and loved it! Chicken was moist and VERY flavorful! My boyfriend had steak ate every bite! Nice find off the typical touristy areas!
(5)
Ed A.

The baby back ribs were very good. I wish I could have ordered more from the menu because everything sounded delicious. Also, got a free appetizer (calamari) for checking in through Yelp!
(4)
Jynicka M.

Went in for a birthday party because it was the birthday boy's favorite restaurant. Ordered a variety of drinks and several apps while we waited for the rest of our party. The waitress was great, however the management was incredibly rude. He repeatedly came by when we were one of three tables in the restaurant to tell us that we were disturbing other customers. Move us to a back corner then you only have two other tables of two. It is five in the evening! Finally we got our food to go just to escape. As we left the manager gloated, sat at the door and said "Have a good night!". We left hungry and upset at his rudeness. On the way home we got a call from a friend that the manager called in our license plate numbers. Sucks for you we had sober drivers. Go ahead get your patrons drunk then call the cops on them, to bad we planned ahead. Great good, wonderful waitress, terrible experience. The manager will run that place into the ground.
(1)
Audrey K.

In Monterey this week for a short getaway and found the Cookhouse on Yelp. Not located in the touristy locations but definitely worth the drive. We went for an early dinner so didn't have to wait. The brisket and braised short ribs were excellent! Tender and flavors were delish . . . Mentioned Yelp and they honored the "free appetizer" deal. Must try if in the area.
(4)
Carl S.

I have visited here a few times and have never been disappointed, the food is outstanding, the atmosphere is very nice but not stuffy, the staff is very good and the desserts will make you feel guilty for eating something so good. My last visit, I had beef short ribs and once again they were outstanding, maybe I'm just too willing to make a pig of myself in public but I would have gladly paid more to have six ribs instead of two. I highly recommend this restaurant, bring friends and share in a great meal but save room for dessert, it's worth it !
(5)
Ginger B.

Free appetizer for 2 consisted of 4 onion rings, they were pretty greasy. Marguerita pizza was awful. Is it too much trouble to chiffonade the basil versus dumping four huge leaves (really, a basil leaf ad big as my palm?) on top? Overwhelmingly raw garlic which is just bitter and burns your mouth-if you use that much at least make it roasted. Crust tasted like cardboard and was not cooked in the center but looked crispy at the edge. I had high hopes but it had no flavor. Tomatoes are out of season and had no flavor either. Half of the pieces had no tomato/cheese on them. Hubby had prime rib which was average. Whipped Yukon gold potato almost watery. Bread cool and boring (very dense and not much flavor). Is there something about Monterey restaurants and lousy bread? Vegetables were fine. The waitress did comp me an order of wings since all I ate was the tomato, cheese and basil scraped off the crust. $7.95 for 8 tiny (2 bites?) pieces-6 drumettes and 2 wing? Was worried about either BBQ or hot sauce so got BBQ I the side. Not bad in small dose. I really do not get all of the rave reviews as this was not anything spectacular.
(2)
Becca P.

My party of 2 walked in on a Tuesday night and were seated immediately. We were offered drinks and warm bread soon after. I ordered the pasta pomodoro. The sauce was light and satisfying. The flavors melted together the longer it sat. My boyfriend had the ribeye steak with sauteed veggies and twice baked potato. The ribeye was cooked perfectly and covered in a light sauce that did not take away from the meat. To finish things off, we shared creme brulee topped with fresh berries, and the chocolate chip bread pudding. Great service, warm atmosphere. We will be back.
(4)
Gary V.

On an overnight trip to Monterey,I had the good fortune to have dinner here. my wife and I started dinner with the fried calamari, caught right out of the bay, simply wonderful. We also had their smoked wings with two different sauces very good. the cookhouse runs a Wood fired oven and smoker. for dinner we both had the short ribs. I will be comparing for the rest of my life, the ribs I ate here, against all others. The service was warm and professional. I am only sorry that I had no room for a wood fired pizza. Will never return to Monterey without stopping here. do yourself a favor and see how right I am.
(5)
Jess S.

Yes please. This place was great. BBQ oyster appetizer was delicious. My steak was delicious as were the mashed potatoes. The fried chicken was excellent. The staff was also a great part of the experience, everyone there was so friendly and helpful. There was nothing not to like. I'm sure we'll be back.
(5)
Charles B.

We went there on a Thursday evening in part since we live close by and also due to the number of positive reviews. Thankfully, we came away very happy and will be returning. I had the steak kabobs with a side of vegetables plus mac and cheese. Everything was great especially the kabobs which had a very tasty sauce on them. My boyfriend ordered the chicken picatta which he said tasted great. His portion was more than enough, so he took back about half of it. Mine was just the right size. Our entire bill with tip was a bit over $40 which is not bad considering it included hot tea plus a glass of wine. On a side note, we are hoping that another good place will open on Fremont. The area now has Chef Lee's Oh Sushi!, and the Cookhouse. Maybe someone will take over Eddie's and open a good place there.
(4)
Keeza S.

This place has the best fried calamari in the world!!!! My fiance and get all the different dipping sauces. Sooooo good. a must try!
(5)
skorp g.

Best BBQ in Monterey! Dinner, Lunch... It's all good. Not the same ol' over sauced, over smoked, over done bbq. Creative and well executed menu! Local Fan! P.S. Don't miss the oysters!!! YUMMY!!!
(5)
Alexandra H.

Great food and great service! Loved the variety of the menu and the laid back atmosphere.
(4)
MaryJane D.

Went again on a less busy night and it was fabulous! If your in the mood for some meat then this is the place to go in Monterey!!! Food came out quickly and everything was perfect temp. The server was great again! Yup I am a fan :)
(4)
Lonnieta M.

I LOVE THIS PLACE!!!! The fabulous food and atmosphere are a treat..the owner is the most friendly, warm classy lady. When I am at the Monterey County Fairgrounds for an event its a must...... as a member of Professional Womens Networking I have recommended it to alot of people and plan to treat myself and friends again very soon., you WILL be impressed!
(5)
Alley D.

Had a ribeye steak, asked for it medium and it was perfect. Tasted great and the service was fantastic. I would recommend to anyone wanting a good meal in a casual place with great service.
(4)
Randy M.

If you know about BBQ spare ribs, pork shoulder or brisket, don't bother. Website touts a major league smoker and chef to go with it. Brisket was overcooked (watch the timer), pulled pork had no smoke color (tsk). Cream of turkey SOUP? Please... It was etouffee or fricassee; way too thick. Stuffed mushrooms: good; Fries: decent. Fellow diner liked their fish; Nice lounge area. Would recommend drinks & appetizers, not meal. The barbecue SAUCE is 5 stars. Bottle it up and sell it. I'll buy. And add a little heat, eh?
(2)
K R.

Had an opportunity to try this place again. We had tried it just after it opened, and we found it to be severely lacking in a feeling of warmth and welcome. At that time, we were hosted by a man, who was apparently a friend of the owner and who was helping out. Having heard about how warm and wonderful the owner was, we looked forward to being hosted by her to experience a better impression of this place. However, I think the owner gives an even worse impression, and I doubt we will ever go back. We were greeted at the door by her--she was all dressed up and coifed and was a very imposing figure. She led us to a table, which my husband indicated was too close to the door, because it was a cold evening. He asked about another one farther down the room, but she said it was right under the vent and would also be cold. She then led us all the way to the back, behind the half wall, where she gave us a small, cramped table with a view right into the kitchen door! We asked not to sit there, and although there were the round booths nearby, she disgustedly slung our menus onto another table which was parallel to the one where she said the vent was. And, sure enough, we were right under the vent and felt a draft all the time. She totally lost interest in us when we refused the cramped table by the kitchen and seemed eager to get back to whatever she was doing...which, we saw a little later, was sitting and chatting with her foodie/writer friends. No wonder she gets such a glowing report in all the reviews for her "warm personality!" Since we are not part of the in-crowd, of course we do not see that. Food is just okay; I stand by my first assessment of it, and I can take it or leave it. In all fairness, our waitress was very nice and very good, but I'm sorry, she can't make up for the owner's snooty selectiveness and the so-so food. And that's why my rating and my opinion has not changed about this place.
(2)
Ashley H.

Awesome Burgers and great prices my FAVORITE restaurant.Please try the braised short ribs you will be doing yourself an injustice if you don't.
(5)
AnnaMarie S.

It takes an act of congress to buy a gift certificate at this place. Went there 3 times already today, and the "one" person that has access to the gift certificates is NEVER in. This if a very poor business practice. You mean to tell me that anyone on the staff can't sell a gift certificate? RIDICULOUS!!! Have been getting the run-around all day about when the person will be there. Only reason I'm going there is because it's a Birthday gift and the person that it's for loves this Restaurant. If it was for me, I would never set foot in there again!!!
(1)
sido p.

Had dinner/wine tasting last week there and it was excellent! To start off we were warmly greeted by a friendly host. Our wait staff was very knowledgeable and very attentive. But the food was the highlight of the evening. From the stuff mushroom appetizer to skirt steak and halibut entree. I had the skirt steak, it just melts in your mouth, it was so good. My girlfriend had the halibut, I'm probably the only Asian that hates seafood, but I ended up finishing her plate...I loved their fish entree!
(5)
Malia A.

I have gone here a number of times and have always been very happy with the service, food and beverages. My only advice that I would give would be that they change their answering machine message know this sounds crazy BUT I tried to call to make a reservation, they were closed. The answering machine picked up and I wasn't even sure if I called the right #, so I hung up checked the # and called again sure en ought it was the same message which only consisted of " hi thanks for calling please leave a message" hhhhmmmm. You would think they would say something like "thank you for calling the Monterey cookhouse, we are open-------- from-------if you would like to make a reservation please leave your etc..." I think you get where I am heading with this...at the very least let us know that we have the right #.... Otherwise, Love the food & the service is always great!
(4)
Mary D.

awesome service, awesome food, great value.
(5)
Alicia M.

Went here on Valentines day, the owner was friendly and funny! The food was AWESOME!!! and reasonably priced. Im not really a steak person but I ordered the skirt steak with shallot sauce, grilled asparagus and a twice baked potato everything was perfectly cooked and the taste was outstanding!!! And for me to really enjoy a steak it would have to be something special.
(4)
Jonathan B.

Tried it based on other reviews. They must be written by friends or family of the owner. Service horrible and food not much better. My Ribeye was not Ribeye at all. Lots of fat and very tough. Best part of meal? Seasonal veggies. If you can get a plate full of those, do it.
(1)
Gene G.

I went here once before when they first opened and had an excellent experience but I returned and unfortunately the level of quality has dropped significantly. I ordered salmon and it was far from being fresh. I found 3 bones and 1 olive seed in my fish and the rice was very dry. The waiter was the same person we had last time we went and he made it abundantly clear to us that he was not happy to be there. I think it's safe to say that I won't be returning.
(2)
Lacey B.

I see this place has some recent reviews that discuss it not quite hitting the mark, so I hope to shed some, light on this. I have been here several times now. First time was great! Got the brisket and it was awesome. The second and third time, I got the same and my bf tried tried some different things. We finally went about two weeks ago and he got the full rack of baby back ribs and I got the brisket. If you are into meat, this place is for you. They just recently got a new chef, and it shows! The flavors, the sauces, the brisket and ribs were cooked to perfection! It seems they did some revamping of the menu. They acknowledged things needed some work, so I am glad they actually did something about it! If you want great BBQ, this place is great. I havent had the pizza as I can't eat bread, and I know people were saying chicken was not flavorful. But with the direction this place is going, I think people will be very happy. I'm happy to say, we will be going back!
(5)
Peter S.

Great food and very friendly staff sums this one up. Went with a group to the Weds night wine tasting. Morgan was on tap. Always special to taste wines and chat with the wine makers/growers; in this case Dan Morgan Lee - very nice guy. Dan poured very generous samples of his Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir and Syrah blend. All were very nicely crafted as is typical of Morgan. Also nice to go back for more tasting while waiting for the food to arrive. ;-) I highly recommend their Wednesday wine nights. Our group tried a wide sampling of their appetizers (3), dinners (6) and desserts (6). Everything was consistently served fresh, well prepared, and delicious. It quickly became clear that this restaurant doesn't use canned or bottled ingredients, everything is obviously made in house fresh. Favs seemed to be the mushroom appetizer, gorgonzola mixed green salad with homemade dressing, and basically all the dinners. Comments of "mmm, try this!" floated about the table all night. Service was excellent; very friendly and efficient. Prices were reasonable as well. Not located in the typical tourist area but well worth a try. I'll be heading back for sure. I want to try their chicken spinach pizza.
(5)
D. B.

If I wrote my review solely on the bread delivered to our table , it'd be but a mere 1 star. Soft, tasteless, room temp bread. However, we went WAY up after that. Ordered the margherita pizza with fresh tomatoes and basil. Very delicious - beware, the raw garlic on that one, it's a zinger. The wood-fired artichoke was tasty with an unoffensive aioli. Children's hot-dog was HUGE - my two kids shared it and it was a real beef frank. Accompanying french fries were thin and crispy. Oversalted to my taste but my little ones loved them. Buttermilk fried chicken good - the leg was juicy, the breast, less so. Waiter was kind, attentive, and the owner stopped by our table twice to check on us. Order the "Fat Monk" pinot noir - smooth and delicious. It's a big place so it does lean to the noisy side.
(4)
Kaz A.

I love this place excellent value great food! I've been there over 20 times since they opened have taken most of my friends and associates and they love too. Some favorites of mine are, Skirt Steak, Brisket Dip Appetiser and the best Wegde Salad I've ever had . I go there often for lunch and enjoy their delicious hamburgers that are made from local natural grass fed beef. This place also has a great atmosphere, very friendly staff and a wonderful bar dinning area that has their own pub menu.. try the Organic Margarita mmmmmm...
(5)
Jenny S.

What a great place to stumble on while we were in Monterey. My husband is meat and potatoes kind of guy and we trying to decide where to eat. We had the pork sliders and brisket. the brisket was one of the best we've had. the sliders were good. the rolls were a little sweet for my taste. But overall a great experience and we'll be back again.
(4)
Devin B.

My wife and I were in Monterey for the first time last week and were totally unfamiliar with the area. I searched Yelp for a good place to eat and we decided on Monterey Cookhouse as it was close to our hotel and had decent reviews. We were skeptical at first as we have not done so well lately when dining in unfamiliar areas. We walked into a comfortable, casual setting and were greeted warmly. We ordered the tomato mozzarella salad which was visually appealing, fresh and tasted amazing. I know it's a simple dish but I was really impressed with the presentation and taste. Then we shared the margarita pizza which was also finely presented, fresh and absolutely delicious. Our server was polite, knowledgable, friendly and did not overdo it like some servers who come by your table every bite to ask how your meal is. The service there could not have been better. After dinner we decided to sit at the bar for a few cocktails, and had a great time. The bartender was also friendly and accomodating. He gave us some tips on places to see and places to stay away from while we were in town. He even let us stay passed his shift to serve us more drinks. The Monterey Cookhouse is an all around pleasant experience. Superb food and excellent service. I will definitely be eating here the next time I'm in Monterey. I can't wait to go back!
(4)
Michael C.

The brisket was phenomenal. The ribs were fantastic. I can't wait to go back to eat more. When you walk in the building the first thing you notice is the smell. It's amazing. The restrooms are clean (a detail some restaurants overlook). The staff kicked ass. I loved it.
(5)
Sally F.

We always go to the Monterey Cookhouse. Food is soooo good. I'm hooked on the pasta pomordoro- you can add shrimp to it also. I highly recommend this dish. Their calamari is excellent. Actually we have been there so many times that we have tried plenty of dishes. They are all great. You will not be disappointed. The service is great. Owner is friendly and always has her eye on things going on. Fairly priced. Give them a try- I guarantee you'll be back.
(5)
Vici W.

Had a wonderful time at the Monterey Cookhouse. We brought a large group for a rehearsal dinner. We were well taken care of, had a personal menu, and a great wait staff. The food was fab! Thanks to everyone!
(5)
Darla G.

This place is actually called Monterey Cookhouse, so check out the other reviews there.
(4)
Wendy B.

I have brought many people to the Monterey Cookhouse and we are thrilled! It is a beautiful, airy, spacious and comfortable restaurant - great interior design and open kitchen with ample parking. The food is fabulous, and the menu features a huge assortment of interesting choices - my absolute favorite is the flavorable and very healthy chicken breast skewers with peppers and onions from the wood fired grill. The range of delicious side dishes allows you to customize every meal - from a great salad to a twice baked potato. Another guest loved the turkey sandwich at lunch and the NY cheesecake was perfect. They use healthy, antibiotic-free meats and fresh produce with homemade sauces. There are so many outstanding and interesting resasonably priced menu choices so there's something perfect for everyone! The service is great - many come from the former Gardiner's Tennis Resort and others are my favorite staff from the prior restaurant. I appreciate that they're open for lunch until 3 PM and it's a perfect place for meetings, too. Linda Cantrell, the owner, is often on the premises and she is very warm and friendly too. I'm looking forward to many, many visits to this great restaurant! Check it out!
(5)
Coleen S.

Wanting to try something new, we decided on the advice of friend, to try this restaurant. To be honest, my expectations were pretty low. Boy was I surprised!! We were immediately greeted and sat by a friendly smiling hostess. The decor is very nice with a relaxed atmosphere. We ordered the brisket BBQ appetizer. The sauce was a little on the sweet side for me but still wonderful. Then came dinner. Oh wow! My husband had the brisket which he declared as being "perfect". My daughter ordered the calamari. It wasn't just the rings, but big tentacles too. She LOVED it! (if your children like calamari, 2 younger kids could probably split this plate) I ordered the skirt steak which I usually hesitate to do. It's one of those dishes that tend to be really good or really bad. This was FABULOUS. The steak was amazingly tender and the sauce was a perfect addition. The staff were all very friendly and attentive without being overbearing. My only disappointment was that we were all too full to try any of their deserts!! I am very pleased and will definitely be going again!!!
(5)
Doug F.

This was a great gem amongst a sea of restaurants in this area. My date and I visited on a whim, and instantly had a welcome, casual feeling walking through the door. We were greeted promptly, and seated by the restaurant's owner (a nice touch). We were presented with a list of specials along with a list of accompanying wines suggested with each meal. The wine menu is expansive and filled with many local labels, as is the beer on tap. We were suggested anything from their smoker or wood-fire grill, and we won't be disappointed. I went with the smoked prime rib from the specials list, my date chose the grilled chicken skewers, each with a suggested choice of wine (I'm bummed could not remember what those were because they were great, and inexpensive). Our plates were presented and we were wowed. I've never seen such a great looking, and large portioned piece of prime rib for its price. The skewers on my dates plate looked just as good. The prime was cooked perfectly and was awesomely tender and juicy. Being cooked with a little smoke went a long way. By the end of the meal, my date and I were stuffed, but not so much as to not try their special dessert. The chocolate bread pudding was melty and one of the best restaurant desserts I've ever had. After the meal, we spoke with the owner, Linda, about how wonderful the meal was. She informed us how nearly all items were prepared and made there in the restaurant: salad dressings, sauces, desserts, etc... I am definitely looking forward to visiting again, I plan to try the brisket next!
(5)
Don R.

We visited there with our kids ages 6 and 10, and every thing was very good. Seated by the owner, friendly and fun waitstaff, we enjoyed it and had good food.
(4)
Roberta C.

My boyfriend and I had a coupon for this place. Brand new, thought it would be awesome. We show up and they restraunt is almost empty. Right away we saw something was wrong. We ordered the brisket, which was really good. Then we both ordered a pizza. They took forever. And by the time we had gotten them mine was drowning in half an inch of oil. I insantly got sick to my stomach for a couple of bites. I found the need to save my pizza so I starting wiping down slice by slice. Nobody approached me as I did so. Just watched and pointed from a distanced. By the time I was done I had a pile of oil dripping paper napkins. I excussed myself to go wash up because I had oil running down my wrists to my elbows. The woman who was starring earlier brought the check and tried her damnest to avoid my pile. She looked like she was trying not to bring attention to it. We left filly sick and angry. And the owner of course ignored us on our way out. I was mostly upset because my boyfriend and I don't have the time or money most of the time to go out on a date out. So out of the past year we've only gone on a date three times including this incounter. Frankly for what we paid for greasy pizza and an unset stomach we would have way better off with dominos. Never again!
(1)
Jackie B.

My family with 4 people and three generations ate here Labor Day weekend. We were greeted at the door in a friendly manner, and seated at a booth table in the back. We started with the calamari which everyone loved. My mother wanted to try the confetti slaw, before ordering and the waiter brought her a full serving. We all tasted it - I believe it had pineapple in it. It was very tasty. I had the pork and it was flavorful and a big serving. My son and father ordered brisket. My son's brisket was disappointingly fatty. He wished he had ordered pork. My mother ordered the skirt steak, medium well, and it was served rare. Our waiter was busy, and the owner was nearby, so we asked for her assistance. The staff was very apologetic, and said that a few orders came out that way that evening; I think all part of being a new restaurant. When the waiter came he apologized and offered my mother a complementary dessert. She right away asked for the creme brulee. They brought her steak back after awhile, and it was still pretty pink, but she didn't say anything. The creme brulee was delicious. i would recommend the restaurant for a family. The staff was very eager to please, and the price is right.
(3)
Rosita R.

Saturday last minute date night out and we were pleasantly surprized by Monterey Cookhouse! We had a delicious, affordable and memorable food experience. The classy yet casual ambiance invited us in for our early dinner. Our waiter seated us immediately and brought us two IPAs($6) on tap while we perused the diverse menu. We started with dense stuffed mushrooms- savory and umamilicious paired with sliced focasia and butter. They were a little small, but packed with just enough yumminess to keep us hoping for the main course. The attentive waiter brought out the main courses just as we finished the appetizer. My wild salmon salad (fresh and flavorful) with olive tapenade ($17.95) was a mountain of fresh baby greens, amply tossed with balsamic vinagrette and topped by a generous hunk of salmon-perfectly prepared with succulent meat under a crisp carmelized crust under a sprinkling of tapenade. His 1/2 lb burger with shoestring fries ($12.95) was also a coud pleaser. He was stoked that they bothered to ask how we wanted the burger cooked, and it came out just as requested- medium-rare juicy and delish! Half way through the sizeable salad I ordered a tangy minty joy of a mojito! We finished up sharing a sultry and satisfying tiramisu, a world of fluffy light cream and dense coffee-cocoa ($8). Money well-spent for a fun nightbout in the neighborhood!
(4)
Jessica L.

The atmosphere of this place is nice. It looks a little fancy but you definitely don't have to dress up to come here. This place is sort of pricey but it is definitely worth the price!! Our waiters are very prompt and courteous, kind and on top of everything. I'm not sure but I think our waiters name was moses , he was very friendly in a professional way and always came to check on us and fill our glasses. We had a party of 9 so we kept him busy. The food was soooo good. I had the fettuccine Alfredo with grilled chicken which was good. A little watery but still good. I'm used to it being a little more creamy but it did not disappoint. My family got the fish and chips and the claimed it was the best they ever had! My fiancÃ© got THE BEAST burger. Half pound of meat with another piece of some type of meat and onion rings. That thing was huge and does live up to its name. After dinner we had dessert, omg. We had the chocolate mousse. So freaking amazing. It's light and airy not to sweet. Just right size and comes with 3 little berries (berries vary) but I DO recommend eating it with the berries. Tastes even better!!! I recommend this place to anyone who is not from the area and just passing through. I do believe you will not be disappointed.
(5)
Lesley B.

I would give this place 2 stars but the BBQ WAS GOOD. We were in town for motorcycle races at Laguna Seca, same weekend also has a rodeo so a lot of people were in town. This place had 4 servers for the WHOLE RESTAURANT. We were seated quickly, little 2 top by an open window. Our "designated" server came over, introduced himself, took our drink orders and appetizer order we put in right away. We sat there, and sat there, watched two new tables be seated. One table seated at least 15 minutes behind us, received their appetizer first. Huh? Finally ours shows up with our drinks, I just had water and decided to add a cocktail. We never saw our server again. Another server ended up taking care of us I think because he noticed we were so neglected. I can't fully fault our server. It's a decent size restaurant and why there are only 4 servers working the whole place is ludicrous. There were a couple of big tables there too. I felt bad for them but didn't make for a good experience for us. I will say the ribs and brisket are FANTASTIC. Maybe the service is better on a not so busy weekend? Shouldn't matter sadly.
(3)
Toni B.

Won't be back. The food was not bad. We had the beast, the sliders and fries, macaroni and cheese, fettuccini, and I ordered the bolognese. Not sure what I got, but it was not bolognese. But the server was nice enough to fulfill my request to have them redo it. She brought me something else that was not bolognese (more like spaghetti). She never came back to the table to ask if I was happy with the replacement. I did not eat it. She came back to give me a few boxes and the bill and charged me for the dish. I asked her to take it off and she went behind the bar to get it approved by her boss (I'm assuming) "The boss" looked up at my son and i and gave us the stink eye! What???? Wow really??? Won't be back! One and done...we are locals.
(1)
Rich R.

Ambience a cross between a diner and fine dining with white cloth napkins. Service poor, but affable. We had to ask for bread ( we were starving) as other patrons just had it given without asking. House wines were a bit muddy. The food was good. I had 1/2 chicken and sauce was a surprise. Very pricey for what you get:$13 burger.
(3)
Lynn C.

This place is the right food for the right price. I feel like its pretty suburb price with excellent food. I was really surprised finding a place that offers good food at a reasonable price. They have a little bar section and a dining area section. I didn't catch the name of the waitress that served us but she was super helpful and friendly. She gave us great recommendations to places we can go and drink and she was very attentive to us. If she wasn't checking on us, there were other people that did. We both ordered samplers. My bf ordered the seafood and I ordered the meat. It was honestly like having a bunch of small plates to taste. They all tasted delicious!!! The ribs were tender and juicy, the calamari perfectly crisp, light and fresh. And surprisingly they all tasted different. I was thinking they were going to taste the same. There are only good things I can say about this place.
(5)
Jim G.

Really solid meal, great service and very nice atmosphere. I had the BBQ Sampler and the Brisket was very tasty, the pulled pork slider delish and the ribs were very good. Will definitely go back when I am in the "hood".
(4)
Mike M.

We enjoyed a satisfying steak dinner at Monterey Cookhouse. I ordered the skirt steak and my wife ordered a ribeye. The dishes arrived in a timely manner and both steaks were perfectly cooked medium rare. The wood fired steaks could not have been prepared better. Both dishes feature one half a twice baked potato and a decent heap of mixed vegetables. The mix was broccoli and carrots. Veggies are meant to compliment but this mix was a full equal on the plate. A perfect tripartite of beef, potato and vegetable. Great service, comfortable dining room, good food reasonably priced. Definitely in the dinner rotation!
(5)
Jennifer L.

We stopped in to the Cookhouse as it is walking distance from where we are staying. Service was good, drinks were good food was ok. All in all not bad
(3)
Lindsay Y.

Food (burger) and beer were acceptable but way overshadowed by the most terrible service I've ever received. Myself and 9 friends came to this restaurant for a moms night out for their advertised happy hour. I had to ask for water probably 10 times, the last 5 of which I just asked for a pitcher of water. I received my check before my food and 2nd beer, all of which were on the check at regular prices. I raised my eyebrows when the checks were being handed out and the server actually said "don't look at me like that because I'm doing you a favor". Excuse me? She also did my friends "favors" by bringing them non-happy-hour-sized margaritas and charging them non-happy-hour prices. Ok. I get bring busy and overwhelmed and working overtime. I do. Nothing exuses snapping at customers.
(1)
Simon S.

The worse don't go there unless you want to walk in stand there to be seated and watch non-enthusoastic employees stare at you and yet continue on with their business like your invisible. . We have been here before but this has done it for me no more! !
(1)
Shannon M.

My husband, daughter and I went in for dinner and had a wonderful experience. Our server was attentive and informative. We shared the bruschetta and devoured it. My husband and I shared the New York and we're enamored as was our daughter who had the flat iron steak. The meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked as was the veggies! We will definitely be back!
(5)
Tesi C.

I was excited to go to this place because my boyfriend wanted to go a new restaurant. My boyfriend ordered fish and I ordered the Chicken Alfredo pasta i was not impressed. It needs more garnish because my food didn't look pleasant or appetizing and the sauce in my opinion was tasteless. The chicken was okay but in my opinion it needed more seasoning. We also ordered buffalo chicken wings which were amazing! The waiters were great and attended us for everything we needed and were constantly checking up on us.
(3)
Albany M.

good but kinda pricey for what you get. good service tho. it was about 70 total including tip for 2 ppl and a 12 year old, but the portion sizes are kinda small to me..not sure if I would eat there again. maybe if someone else was paying lol
(3)
Debbie D.

Great service and really great food. Had salmon with pasta and the wood fired salmon was amazing. The pomegranate cosmo was so delicious too. Definitely a must if your in town.
(4)
Gem S.

The boyfriend and I decided to give this place a shot for lunch, especially since there's a 20% off deal through Yelp for lunch or breakfast, only to find that they only do a salad bar type meal for lunch. I suppose it seemed odd that there were really no other cars in the lot and when we walked in, there was no one else in the place aside from the 2 servers. $12.99 for salad bar. We didn't want to be rude and just walk out so we asked if we could look through the salad bar. She did mention that there was fried chicken (for the protein) but that wasn't enough to entice us to stay. We walked right out, a bit annoyed since we were pretty hungry already. Thought I'd mention this on yelp so that others won't find themselves in our same predicament.
(1)
Adam C.

Good place nearby our very bad hotel. Ribeye Cooked perfectly with just the right amount of butter and spices although the veggies that came with the dish were not cooked throughly. (I got double veggies) Fried Sole A little over done although the lemon Casper sauce was spot on. Mushroom risotto was just okay. Children's cheese pizza My oldest daughter loved it, I did too ;) Children's spaghetti My youngest daughter ate it but was not in love with it, we brought about half of it back to the hotel. No drinks were ordered or desserts. I'll rate this 3.5, although pretty good I did notice or food sat underneath the hot lamps a little while and my waiting daughters were hungry. I also did not get a refill on my diet Coke which costs $2.50. We also were really never checked on by our waitress, we had to always flag her down. For 2 adults and 2 young kids we spent about $70 including tip.
(3)
Erin S.

This is a real gem of a restaurant. The staff are so incredibly friendly, the food is just amazing and the prices are very fair. We took our 3 kids with us and the staff made sure they had crayons and snacks while we waited for our entrees. This is the place to go.
(5)
K C.

This for me was a case of looks can be deceiving. The ice tea tasted like instant not fresh brewed, not one time during the entire meal did the waiter ask us if we wanted a refill, glasses empty for last 1/2 of the meal, then proceeded to try and argue because we ask for two separate tickets. The brisket was average at best and they serve there sourdough bread with 1/2 melted butter instead of the better choice of cooled whipped butter. The atmosphere wasn't to bad but you can't eat atmosphere now can you. I will not dine there again.
(1)
Stacy S.

Absolutely loved it! Great menu and we sampled lots of items. The pork sliders were my favorite. The BBQ sauce is great-very tangy!
(4)
Mike T.

Friendly service. Must order the Sand Dabs! Great dinner meal!
(5)
Adam S.

Today I found the pot over the rainbow and it wasn't filled with gold - it was topped to the brim with the most amazing clam chowder that I have every had in my life - I have been tasting CC all over the place and try to prepare it on my own. Impossible to get the freshness, acid, tart, smooth, creamy but not heavy, filled with chunks of real clam and clam in the shell. I have been to a couple of the places up the street that claim to have won the best CC in monterey for years - it was alright - but compared to this - it tasted like canned mushroom soup. I just ran in to grab a bowl of chowder to go, and I will be back tomorrow after work (don't tell my wife) Cheers to a fantastic chef and cool spot. BTW, a bowl was $6 - try $10 in other spots.
(5)
EJ H.

So pleasantly surprised!! We have been eating dinner for the last 3 nights on cannery row and have been so disappointed. So we decided to try this restaurant located next to our hotel. The looks from the outside were deceiving and when we entered we loved the feeling of the atmosphere right away. The service was great and the food even better. So sad it's our last nigh because so much on the menu looked and smelled Devine. If we could do it over we would have eaten all our meals here.
(4)
Eric C.

Good food, trying to be a little too upscale for me personally but my family and I still enjoyed it. Prices were reasonable, and the food was delicious. I had the brisket, not super smokey but I believe they are using pellet smokers so that comes with the territory. Mop sauce was ok, the bbq sauce (it's served on the side) was very good. Very tender, only thing bad was they didn't trim the fat cap at all. Daughter had the ribs and enjoyed them, half a rack was served with veggies and very good mashed potatoes. Wife wanted the chicken fried steak but they are changing up the menu so it was no longer available. Ended up going with the flat iron steak instead and she was glad she did. One downside is the number of tables they have in the restaurant. Ambient noise was a bit of an issue.
(4)
Christi D.

The steak was amazing,cooked to perfection, the atmosphere is really nice, and even though my kids are messy, the staff didn't seem to mind. Lol The kids mac n cheese is more buttery than cheesey but the grilled cheese is great for kids. We got the double chocolate cake i believe and yeah, heaven! Jasmin, the waitress was really sweet and i appreciate how attentive she was to our table, we ended up coming back again the next day!
(4)
Tommy B.

MONTEREY COOKHOUSE...GREAT SERVICE... RESPECTABLE FOOD... A few locals had mentioned the well-priced, decent food at the Monterey Cookhouse for a simple dinner. So we were in the mood try a new place (for us) so away we went to this easy to find place. The Monterey Cookhouse has a wide variety of offerings. From burgers, salads, pastas, ribs, steaks to seafood - that pretty much covers it. We ordered the Smoked Half Chicken (with veggies and mashed potatoes), the Cookhouse Burger (with some real tasty French fries) and a bowl of their soup-of-the-day (potato-leak). The meal was "OK" - not really something to shout praises about but a sizable meal overall. Actually we couldn't finish the chicken so we packed it up - and two days later it was better than the night at the Cookhouse. The burger was just plain and ordinary - it could have been better with a higher quality bun. The house wine was quite good and better than some of their other selections. The service was excellent; the servers were there every moment to handle our requests. On the "Tommy B Restaurant Rating Scale" from "A" to "F" The Monterey Cookhouse gets an "A" for service and a reliable "B" for their cuisine - a good enough rating to return - but there are others to try first.
(3)
Kimberly H.

Yelp has failed me. What the hell is wrong with all these reviewers? I ache with so much disappointment, I can't even bring myself to relate every complaint. Ambience, quality, and price per plate have me raging. RAGING!
(1)
Lilia L.

EVERYTHING was beyond amazing. Food was so I incredible, that I wrote the review while I was eating, because I couldn't wait to share how wonderful the food & staff were. This is a must stop place for a steak dinner. Had the skirt steak dinner & literally wiped the plate clean with their bread. My friend had their blackened chicken dinner & they too cleaned off their plate. Please go there!! PS... The burgers looked yummy, so they're next on the list!
(5)
Ozzie M.

Food was good. I was hoping for a little bit better. So I am leaving Monterey soon, and there were a couple of spots I wanted to hit before I left. This was one. Honestly I expected a little more. The food, while it tasted good, wasn't out if this world. The price was pretty exorbitant to boot. The ambiance kind of reminds me of an upscale lubys. I'm sorry. I really had high hopes for this place. I don't know of my experience is sullied due to my deflated hopes, or the actual experience. Either way it wasn't too too bad. Big complaint was the price for the food. Paid $50 for a ribeye, vegetables, mash, a couple of beers, and the tip. I think I've been to better places for cheaper.
(3)
Alex G.

It's a TRAP! The only reason I am rating a high as a 2 is because the food looked good and my friends did not complain (much) about the food. My problem with this place was the service. We arrived just before the 4pm dinner/happy hour time and despite a fairly empty restaurant, it took a while for our party to be seated, even with a reservation via Open Table. When we were finally seated we were told that at 4pm, we could order from the happy hour menu. We were never given a happy hour menu or water for that matter. We sat as staff scrambled to set tables for dinner and waited too patiently as customers arriving after us place orders as they were seated. My friends entertained the possibility of getting up and leaving; I wish we had. Finally, after about 25 minutes, our waitress asked if the waiter had helped us. I found this weird since the waiter she motioned to, seemed to be working a different section of the restaurant. She looked annoyed and rolled her eyes, letting us know she would be right back to take our order. By now I didn't really want to spend my money here so I only ordered a salad and a soft drink. She seemed annoyed at my order, the rest of my friends ordered full dinners. The food came out quick enough, one of my friends had to send his calamari steak back, it was undercooked, cold and slimy. When he pointed this out, the waitress took it back she seemed annoyed but did not apologize until she brought back another order for him. During dinner, we were treated to begrudged looks between our waitress and the waiter who she tried to blame, before, for not taking our order. My salad was pretty good, no one complained about their food but the experience was pretty bad. If staff is having trouble working together, keep it professional in front of customers. We don't need to see that and don't blame others for your mistakes. I won't be giving this restaurant a second chance
(2)
Homero E.

The food was okay. Don't get your hopes up. Sauce was watery and the services was really slow. No way this place is a 4 star
(2)
Kristi T.

The service was okay, but the food wasn't good. My boyfriend had the steak, ordered it medium rare, and it literally came out grey full of fat and gristle. Overall, we definitely over paid for a bad steak.
(2)
Robert R.

Very good...had the Brisket, Coleslaw and pasta salad for lunch, and the chocolate torte for desert. I am full! Adel our waitress was great, took really good care of us. Price is okay and it wasn't really to busy for a Sunday afternoon, another great thing was the 2 tvs playing football games! And we also got a % 20 discount for checking in on yelp. Gotta love that!
(5)
Hope M.

After a tragic stay in Monterey we came across the cookhouse. The staff was great! The food was ok/good but pricy. The staff made up for it in on the spot service and friendliness. The only thing I didn't like was the table cloths were butcher paper. Easy clean up but awkward for the consumer.
(4)
Dean K.

Excellent in every way! The brisket is tender and to die for. Don't miss the pulled pork pizza, absolutely delicious. The bar is a little limited, but the basics are covered and the bar staff makes excellent concoctions. The service is where Monterey Cook house really shines. Always so very polite, responsive and quick to meet your every need. I really can't recommend the place enough!
(5)
John H.

I came here for a birthday meal and I did like it, but wasn't blown away by it. I'm a bit of a BBQ snob (I'm from Texas... I can't help it), so I'm a little particular with restaurants that claim to have anything smoked or cooked over wood. With that said, if you're a BBQ connoisseur you will like it enough but won't have your mind blown. If you just like the occasional grilled meat, you'll really like this place. But I think one of the best things they offer here is great service, and that's worth four stars. They were attentive but not overly, and did their job to push us at a decent speed thru our meal without giving us the feeling of being rushed.
(4)
Jaime M.

New york strip was excellent and my wife had the pork loin which was also delicious. Also their local monterey rye whiskey was very tasty! I will be back.
(4)
Tamara A.

Food was great. Service was great. Peach cobbler was no bueno. Chocolate chip bread pudding was just ok. We will absolutely be back next time we are in town. Thanks Yelp for this great find!
(4)
Edward K.

The wait staff and management were excellent. We were promptly sat and our drink and appetizer orders were taken. We felt completely welcome. The artichoke appetizer was phenomenal. One of the greatest things I have tasted. The turkey chowder was superb. The flavors for both of the appetizer dishes were excellent. I ordered the smoke sampler for the entree and my girlfriend had the mac and cheese. Neither dish had any flavor. It was as if salt were scarce and conservation methods were in place. Since the staff was pleasant and the atmosphere right, I will go again. I look forward to trying the chicken skewers and hope the flavors are more present during my next visis.
(2)
Kiki T.

Great service, although my waitress had trouble remembering the special, it was fun trying my decider them So I had the bruschetta appetizer, prime rib, which was superb, and the best beer this side if the Mississippi, some local ale Excellent service, good atmosphere, friendly staff
(5)
J K.

Good food. Attentive server- perhaps a bit too attentive- but our needs were met. I had the French Dip sandwich special and it was fabulous- lean meat and lots of favor. My friend had the cheese burger which she loved as well. The prices here are a bit high for what you get, but I will return for lunch. For dinner it's too expensive.
(4)
A W.

Pretty decent spot. Food was pretty good, ordered prime rib and I must say it was a pretty generous cut. Girlfriend loved her calamari, definitely try it again.
(3)
Rose M.

I lovedddddd the food!!!!!!!!! We got the sampler plate and the smoked half chicken and it was delicious! The dessert was kinda mÃ±eeee... We ordered the apple one with vanilla ice cream, and the server was pretty slows and kinda ignored us at first. But again, food was amazing!
(4)
Gail J.

Hey everybody if you want to eat some delicious food with great service please eat at Monterey Cook house. Oh yes Ask for Jennifer she's there everyday but Sunday and Monday.
(5)
Elena I.

Came here many years ago when it was new and really enjoyed it. But it looks like time has not been kind to this place. I really don't like writing negative reviews but people use yelp to find good places and I can't honestly recommend this one. The service was slow....we had to continually ask for more water and drinks. We had the poppers appetizer and it was flavorless and watery. The ribs were ok and the sides it came with ok to but that was the problem everything was just ok and when you are treating yourself to a night off from cooking its pretty disappointing. There are way too many other great choices in monterey for us to bother going back.
(3)
David S.

My family and I we're looking for something different than the normal seafood meal. We found this restaurant and we're excited. We caught them on a busy night, BUT the service was extremely horrible. No communication from waiter or offers of refills which were free. The meal was excellent but would never go back due to poor service!
(1)
Mary H.

We stopped in last night for dinner at the referral from our hotel. I was thinking we would get that good Smokey BBQ but that wasn't what we got. My husband and I shared the Smoke Sampler, first off none of the food had an smoke flavor or any spices on it at all it seemed. The pulled pork was fatty and didn't really have that good flavor. The brisket came without sauce and was fatty also. The last item was baby back ribs, they came with the sauce just on the top not marinated. The mashed potatoes and vegetables that came with the meal were good and probably my favorite items on the plate. My son had their chicken tenders and he said they were okay, I tasted them and really didn't have any taste but were okay. Overall for what we paid I didn't think it was worth.it . Wouldn't visit again too many good restaurants in Monterey.
(2)
Christine C.

Disappointing- given the varied menu its a roll of the dice in hopes they do it all medium to satisfactory- they did not- my hubby ordered from the BBQ side and I the seafood side- his burger was overcooked, fries were extraordinarily greasy. My fish was just OK and its been 24 hours since yet digestion is still trying . Haven't had that feeling since I don't know when - we are foodies and this was a real bad choice
(1)
John L.

My gf and I ordered the cookhouse burger and the fettuccine alfredo w/ grilled chicken and it was delicious! We also ordered some garlic fries which were very good! The portions were solid and we were very full after we ate. The best part was the service. Our server was very attentive and professional. Definitely a place I would recommend!
(5)
T K.

Read the reviews & decided to try it. Didn't live up to the ratings. Food tasted bland & flavorless. Husband ordered brisket & I ordered fettucini Alfredo with shrimp (special order). Brisket wasn't flavorful. There was only a hint of smoky flavor on the outside, like it wasn't smoked long and not seasoned well. The meat itself was fine. The sauce for the Alfredo was watery & had an odd flavor to it. Tasted like thickened milk. There was a light sprinkle of Parmesan cheese in the middle. The shrimp were smaller than I expected, being told they were jumbo shrimp. The setting is casual. Service was fine, except he never refilled our drinks. My husband's glass was completely empty & he had to drink from mine. We won't be going back. The food wasn't so great, especially for the price. If you're looking for real good, truly smoked food, yelp bbq in Salinas.
(2)
Kevin M.

I came here for dinner with my mom and dad. It was the first visit for each of us, and we just decided to go on a whim. We ended up having a delightful time and were really pleased with both the food and the service. I had the blackened chicken for $14.95 if I'm not mistaken. I've had some bad experiences with "blackened" entrees at other restaurants. They're often just way over-spiced, way too heavily peppered, burned, or otherwise only marginally edible. Upon my inquiry our server assured me that it is very good and only lightly blackened. It ended up being absolutely delicious - perfectly spiced and expertly smoked (as I understand, the Cookhouse has a smoker), super tender with just a touch of crispiness around the thinner edges. Great flavor without being overwhelming at all. Also a very generous portion. It came with broccoli and mashed potatoes which were also good. My mom had a fish dish (sole, I think), which she liked and my dad ordered calamari which was also tasty and well-prepared. On to the service. Our server, Richard, was wonderful. Very professional and welcoming. We appreciated his candor and his knowledge about the dishes. The manager also greeted us at the table around the end of our meal, which was endearing and overall lent more to our notion that the staff of this restaurant care. Monterey Cookhouse is a hidden gem and I'll certainly be back!
(5)
nelson c.

Not recommended, service is slow, Moises was my server. My wife had the fisherman, the salmon was dry, the calamari was greasy, and the shrimp was just okay. I ordered the hamburger with extra bacon and mushrooms. The service took so so long I forgot I even ordered the bacon and mushroom. It was not a pleasant experience. I would not return to this establishment any time soon.
(1)
Safiah P.

Came to Monterey for our anniversary get away n got hungry. So we decided to eat here since it was next to our hotel. This place was amazingly delicious. Richard was our waiter n he was so animated when telling us about the special. I love that about waiters/waitresses. Food was on point. It was a GREAT first experience n I will definitely go there again whenever I'm back in town. N it wasn't as pricy as I had expected to be. It was worth every penny, that's for darn sure.
(5)
Thomas G.

Working in town this week... Had the Cornish Game Hen and it was off the hook dawg! Finger licking great!
(5)
Karen H.

Not sure exactly what happened to this place but out of the 5 of us that came to have dinner, all BAD....chewy wings, dry chicken, oily pasta sauce etc....not very clear English spoken by the waiter either.....will not be coming back here.....terrible service and food.
(1)
Shauna D.

Excellent food! Calamari was cooked perfect. Had the chicken bacon pizza, pulled pork sliders, the beast burger and the French dip. No complaints on ANY of the food. Left with food because portions are large.
(4)
Linda M.

Went here tonight based on previous reviews on YELP. Excellent food and great service by our waiter Chris. We had the special of lamb and the sampler platter
(5)
Cody M.

Three stars, but only just barely. We came in early (4:30) on a Friday, so we were the only people in there for a while. We ordered some truffle fries, which were VERY good. We all ordered off the happy hour menu, which kept the price down. I ordered a cheap margarita and received an appropriately cheap margarita (I don't know what I was expecting). I also ordered the fish and chips ($10) and was very disappointed. The entree only had two small pieces of fish, and they may as well have been from a grocer's frozen section. After eating those and all of my fries (and finishing off the remaining truffle fries) I was still hungry.
(3)
Sal G.

Amazing! Simply put. They don't make you feel out of "place". I noticed either you are dressed up or dressed down, they treat you like if you are at home. I mean it is definitely a home-style environment. Truly a place that caters to you. The people that wait on you are extremely nice, down-to-earth, out-right friendly and just make the consistent amount of rounds to your table to make sure you are taken care of with your needs. They do not pamper you, they give you GREAT attention and service. These people are really attentive to your food temperature, texture and really break down your options for the night too. They also have a great selection of craft beers. Sonoran Brewing (White Chocolate Ale) which I have found at Bevmo. They even have Mexican Craft Beers imported from Mexico. Mexicali Beer, Day of the dead and others. They also carry a craft line from San Marcos, Ca. Stumblefoot. Various beers on tap and in 12oz and 22oz bottles. I pay attention to their distilled spirits and they do have a great drink menu! Okay, Oyster's/Check, Swordfish/Check, Burgers/Check (try the "beast") Its a challenge as it is a great burger filled with great toppings. Steaks, Pizza's (YES I SAID IT) Pizzas are amazing. You really have to try their pastas too. The sauces and the appetizers are just out-right decent. Visit the Cookhouse in Monterey on North Fremont St.in Monterey. After you are done, walk next door to the Bowling ALLEY! Live a little after a great family dinner. I did notice that the host "Linda" is great with every-one there. She pays attention to everyone. She greets, sits and re-visits you time and time again. And if there is a quality of this place I will say that I have admired something special when you come here... That when you get up and leave, someone say's: "Thank you for coming" Please visit us again. That is really nice. Here you do not feel like a dollar. You feel like a Patron. This is why its one of my regular spots in the area. By Far a great place to keep coming back to and expect the same or BETTER! Check them out. Monterey Cookhouse. Its pretty hard not to want to take something home and freeze it! Sal
(5)
Tasha S.

Service was awesome!! Wish I could say the same for the food. I had The Fisherman. The salmon was riddled with bones. The shrimp was over cooked and the calamari was really greasy. The rice pilaf was sticky like sushi rice. My husband had the BBQ sampler. He really like the pulled pork and ribs. He said he did not care for the brisket. The mashed potatoes were amazing. Perhaps it is the seafood that is disappointing. I do not think I would return. Maybe for lunch/service. The pizza oven was intriguing.
(3)
Rhonda N V.

We ordered and picked it up to eat at home. It was unbelievably amazing! We got the sampler and it could not have been any better! Can't wait to eat there again soon!!
(5)
Tony W.

I had scallop wrapped with bacon and baby back ribs. The scallop is excellent and rubs are not fat but juicy and tender. The price is modest. Very good value and quality.
(5)
Amy O.

Stopped in for breakfast. Great service, clean restaurant.
(3)
Jaimie S.

This place was pretty good. The menu has a lot to offer, the food came out delicious and our group had a great time. I had the new york steak and it was fine enough. But my boyfriend got a half rack of ribs and we were STUNNED how many ribs came out. (He had to take leftovers and he NEVER does that!!) Our server started out great - fast, really attentive, good at keeping the table clear. He ended up getting sat another table that was a larger party and then he kind of disappeared on us for the latter part of our dinner, but he was friendly. The food is a bit pricey, but we found out they made evvveerrrything (including ice cream) in house, so it makes sense. Overall, good experience!
(4)
Sunny J.

Im really not impressed. My bf and I decided to try a new place weve never been before and so we came here for lunch. When we looked at the menu on the website it looked appetizing. So we came here instead of a mexican place. I sat down and the menu had nothing on it. A few pastas, their sliders and a chicken sandwhich. Then the other side of the menu was just alcohol. What happened to the tantinising lunch menu on the website? I got the salad bar that had ribs and some pasta salad. I got one plate and by the time I went for second, they took all the spoons and tongs from all the dishes then took the meat away. Really? My bf got the sliders... and he said the meat wasnt seasoned and they just slapped on bbq sauce which felt like it wasnt enough. Still dry. He onion rings were the only good thing. This place is really sad. Dont serve lunch if u cant make the cut. I dont think ill be coming back.
(2)
Alex P.

Dinner with my daughters on a Monday night around 8pm. Place was almost empty. Food and service was prompt, but kept getting the evil eye from the waiter. Not sure if he wanted to be at work that day. Food was not that great either. The smoked half chicken was tough. Probably pass on this one.
(2)
Moshe K.

Stranded at the drive in, branded a fool! So I get things happen but it was tragic what occurred. Had reservations, arrived 25 min early. Shame on us, at this point no expectations and not counting it against the restaurant. The hostess is really nice, she seats us early and offers to leave menus so we can order appetizers. Keep in mind this is a Sunday and at 3:30pm, it was us and 1 other couple. Well the opening line says it all, nobody came back after 40 min. We sipped on beer purchased from the bar and left.
(1)
Josh H.

I guess that their wood-fired cuisine is better than their smoked meats. Tried the smoked sampler and the brisket tasted like boiled beef stew meat with barbecue sauce slathered on it and the ribs didn't have a lot of flavor. It seems as though their smoked meats need much more attention.
(2)
Michael F.

Not that great really. Have an extra star for friendliness. The reviews were good so I decided to stop in for the BBQ. The smoked sampler plate was quite different from what I expected. The brisket had gravy on it and had the flavor and texture of roast beef. It wasn't bad for roast beef but certainly wasn't a brisket. The pulled pork slider...well...ok so it was a small sandwich and had pork but that's where it ended. It was more of a cut or chopped pork and wasn't very tender. It did have a sauce that was a bit like a Carolina style BBQ but I've still had better. The ribs were cooked well and were the last thing I ate. Something was missing even though the texture was right on. That's when I realized that noting had a smoked flavor at all. Bottom line - if you want BBQ, try another place first.
(3)
George C.

Wonderful service. At first things were very quick! They brought our waters promptly and our truffle fries were to die for! I am very judgmental to say the least about my truffle fries. This place blew any expectation out of the water! I've had truffle fries from Michelin restaurants and these were better. The pizza is phenomenal!
(5)
Carmel Nails S.

Went here for a birthday party, food was mediocre, service was fast in the beginning. But they seem to be rushing us out at the end of our dinner. Steak was fatty, chicken was dry. But besides that it was ok.
(3)
B B.

Curb appeal to this isn't the best. Nice on the inside. Good food. Salmon salad was good. Thin crust pizza good. The loud phone ringing throughout the entire restaurant is annoying.
(4)
Lauren K.

AWFUL!! Do not waste your money. "Creamy tomato bisque" was Campbells tomato soup, no joke. "Briskett" was a crockpot fat and gristle infused slab of Chuck. The owner walked around and peered through her glasses at guests trying to enjoy a meal. Overpriced, low-quality food with disappointing ambience.
(1)
Eden D.

I am a local and L-O-V-E the Cookhouse. I order to go more than dine-in but the ambiance is relaxed, casual and a local favorite for their happy hour ( $5 food menu as well as special drink prices). My first turn-on item on the menu was their Cowboy pizza because the sausage and barbeque sauce combined in each bite is scrumptious! The reason I came up with to answer the question, "Why are the pizza's so good?" must be because of the brick wood ovens they cook them in. Then just recently I branched out and tried the chicken cappellini and now am so addicted to it, ahh! I would spend WAY too much $$ here if they were open for lunch, good thing the prices are reasonable and worth it.
(4)
Ron B.

Wow, thanks to Yelper's who notified me of this place. I wanted to find a local restaurant that was open on New Years Day and having a hard time. Well the Cookhouse was open and well rated. The service was excellent, the server (Melissa) was very attentive and always friendly. The food (Calamari, Pulled Pork Pizza and a Combo Pizza) was shared by 4 people and was quite adequate quantity. And the flavor was delicious. The pork had a sweet BBQ sauce was especially enjoyed by my boys, the combo had just the right mix of pepperoni for flavor balanced with red bell pepper and mushrooms. If I come to area again I would try one of their stakes or burgers, everything we saw served looked great. I see how this place is a favorite. Also atmosphere was excellent, kinda "clean" like a CPK but personalized and very very clean.
(5)
Pablo G.

Great food! Great service! Smells wonderful! I came in from san jose. Found this place close to my hotel. Glad i chose it.
(5)
Deborah K.

We looked on Yelp to see what people were saying ... a lot of positive stuff ... and justifiably .... YUM ... my husband ordered his favorite cut of beef ... NY Steak ... he's not into having sauce on his steak so we asked if they would put it on the side ... not a problem and the steak was WONDERFUL ... my choice was the Blackened Chicken .... wow again ... I love that it is prepared in a healthy way and the spicing was delicious ... we are planning to return and being locals we don't have to go very far ... :) The service was excellent and the atmosphere was comfortable.
(5)
Kodi M.

Wonderful atmosphere and perfect service. They know everyone and have a great sense of humour. Garlic fries were excellent and tge balsamic dressing is incredible.
(5)
Derek S.

Food was good, sever was alright, just seemed to be In a hurry with us. Looked like he took his time with other tables.
(3)
Don V.

Staff was friendly and the food was good. I had the beast which was a great burger. I'd return. We also had the Salmon. It was flavorful along with the veggies and the rice pilaf were good as well. We had the stuffed mushrooms which were so so.
(4)
Eddie W.

Ordered The Four Seasons wood fire pizza: Divided in sections; Spinach & Chicken, Pepperoni & Peppers, Smoked Ham & Pineapple, Sausage & Mushrooms. -Cons- Crust-slightly burnt in places, lacked flavor Spinach-some parts weren't wash properly and left a grainy mouthfeel Chicken-decent flavors Rest of the ingredients were lackluster and cold -Pros- Good portion For dessert, ordered the Panna Cotta with a strawberry "sauce" Texturally the Panna Cotta was too firm but flavor wise wasn't half bad. Overall Thoughts Not properly prepared or executed ingredients served on a mediocre crust led to an average at best experience.
(2)
Richard J.

Went here for dinner with 3 friends. We all had different entrees and all had the same opinion: Above average prices,low average food and below average service. We even ordered two deserts and were still completely underwhelmed. Waiter acted like he was doing us a favor. Since they achieved the restaurant trifecta of deadly sins, none of us will go back. I'd suggest looking elsewhere..........
(2)
Rachelle W.

hmmm...the restaurant is pretty! The food wasn't great. I ordered the stuff mushroom appetizer and it wasn't what I had expected. I don't think the sausage paired well with mushroom. Also order the trio. The meat was very tender but lacked flavor. I had to ask for extra sauce hoping that would make it better (but not really). Our server Josh must have had a long lost friend there because every time I looked for him, he was in the back of the room leaned up against the wall chopping it up with his boy (I hope he left you my tip!) Overall I would have just gone to the Denny's two steps away. At least I would have paid for the food and service I expected.
(3)
Betty S.

We went to Monterey Cookhouse two days later and again it was delicious. This time my husband had the pork chop special and I had the pork tenderloin. Wonderful food and wonderful service. Thank you!
(5)
J D.

Try their desert. It's the best. Honestly!! Best I've ever ate!! Fried calamari is off the hook and the sea food chowder!
(5)
Eugene J.

This place is outstanding! My wife and I are locals and this is ghastly becoming our favorite place to eat!
(5)
Faye P.

My sis, bf, and I ate here after our hike at Point Lobos and we couldn't wait to eat. We were so hungry and were happy to see that there weren't really any customers here when we arrived, lol. It was around 2pm, so we probably beat the lunch crowd so that was good. We got seated right away and our server was Melissa. She was the best! We ordered appetizers first and I wanted the calamari but it was only in the entree section (calamari and fries) and not the appetizers, so I asked if we could make it our appetizer with just the calamari and she was more than happy to do that for us. I ordered the half rack of ribs, my sister ordered the beef brisket sliders, and my bf ordered the sampler plate which came with ribs, brisket and a pulled pork slider. All of our meals came with fries and coleslaw. The calamari was really good. Not too salty and perfect breading to calamari ratio. I was slightly disappointed with my ribs because they were too hard to eat and eventually started to taste like jerky. Definitely not fall off the bone. Since we all tried each other's food, I'd have to say, the beef brisket was soooo good. Super tender and juicy. I've never had beef brisket that tender before. The pork slider was yummy as well. When we started slowing down, we just started watching tv and Melissa would come from time to time to check on us and refill our water and she would actually make conversation. She asked where we were from, what were doing in Monterey, etc. She even gave us tips and places to see around the area, which was very nice of her. Awesome service. I'd definitely come back when I'm in the area.
(4)
G 8.

I went in on a Monday night and sat in the bar with my buddy. I like the local beer selections on draft and the bartender chic with red hair was really cool. This place makes you feel comfortable and the food is damn good! Definitely coming back here soon.
(5)
Peter H.

I've been here many times but this Friday was the first time I had something smoked. Had the sampler plate of smoked meats and was rather disappointed the brisket had not flavor and nor did the pull pork slider. Next time I'll stick to the fire cooked pizza it's always good.
(3)
Fancypants X.

My two experiences with Monterey Cookhouse have been exactly what I was looking for. Don't let the humdrum decor, mature clientele, or old school diner feel deter you. It's far from glamorous, but it matters not at all. I'm such a picky eater & my craving are so specific, but ironically, this restaurant had just what I was looking for...a nosh of appetizers one evening (roasted garlic with bruschetta & roasted artichoke with the best aioli ever), and a simple bowl of capellini w/ tomato, olive oil, garlic, & basil another night. Their dessert special this week, chocolate mousse, is to die for. Thick, creamy, but satisfyingly airy the way mousse should be. Intense, sweet chocolate flavor. My chocoholic mother would adore this dessert served in a martini glass. He didn't enjoy the smoked sampler of ribs, brisket, etc., but the ny steak was a thumbs up. Super friendly, efficient waiters. Fun, flirty waitresses. And prices that don't break the bank ($55-$65 for dinner for two.)
(4)
John N.

The food here is amazing! Specially the smoked choices and service here is reasonable. Overall good experience just wish it was close to any other after dining entertainment
(4)
J M.

I have to update my review because of our strange experience we had here tonight. I'm still a fan of their food since our pork ribs, pear salad and short ribs were great and our waitress, even though preoccupied, dealt with our requests for no sugar in our irish coffee and modifications to our vegetables offered with our entrees. One thing that bothered me was the short ribs were priced at 18.95 on the menu and when we received our bill, we were charged 22.95. Since we both had the short ribs, this totaled an $8.00 difference so I pointed this out to our server. She stated that the dish was really $22.95 but would give us a 20% discount on the bill. I thought that was strange but didn't argue and thanked her for the reduction. Out of curiosity I checked the posted menu outside the restaurant and it stated the short rib entree was $17.95. I checked online and the menu states the same dish is $18.95. Someone needs to get their act together at this place because they're dealing with misrepresentation of the menu and I'm not sure if this is even legal. Nonetheless, we did enjoy our meal but will be ever viligent of their shifting pricing practices.
(4)
Mary D.

The pizza is good. The pork sliders not so much. The cheesecake did not taste well either, it had a lemon taste to it. Would only go back for pizza.
(2)
Gina T.

This place was nice, very yummy food. Unfortunately, the wait staff was spread way too thin. Our waiter was friendly and accommodating, but just rushed around. We requested a booth and were set far away from his other tables. He was so busy over there, that he didn't have a lot of time to take care of us. It took a long time to order and an even longer time to get our food. It wasn't the waiters fault, they were understaffed. I would have enjoyed it more, if he had kept my beer glass full through all the waiting. But the food was good. My husband and I split a pulled pork pizza, so good! I would definitely eat here again.
(4)
Stu S.

Everything was fantastic. Staying a few nights at the hotel next door and was thinking what to have for dinner. Looked at the window from the hotel and seen this place and immediately jumped on yelp! Walked right over, great service with great food. FYI check in and get the coupon for breakfast or lunch.
(5)
E G.

Busy spot, driven by many times and wondered what it was all about. Interior appears to be slight updates from a former breakfast chain. Ordered house salad, so-so, wedge salad--good with nice bacon bits and blue cheese, a little over done with too much dressing. The one meal, a steak was very good with a nice sauce, if done way past the requested medium rare, more medium to well done. The bbq baby back ribs, which appeared to be a house specialty were served warm not hot, with a drizzle of a sauce that was room temp that consisted of mostly ketchup. I wouldn't recommend it.
(3)
Shun S.

This place was horrible. We were really excited to try this restaurant and were extremely disappointed. First, the service was extremely slow. Took forever for the food to come out, and we had to ask a few times for tabasco, and it was hard to flag anyone down for the bill. Also, the bus boy was clearing my mother in law's plate while she was still eating, and also tried to take our appetizer away when there's still a lot of food on the plate, WTF! Also, the server got my order wrong twice. I ordered calamari steak and asked if it was grilled, she said yes. When my order came out, she brought me FRIED calamari RINGS and TENTACLES. My husband reminded her that I ordered calamari steak and had previously asked her if it was grilled. When she brought out my dinner the second time, it was FRIED calamari steak. I asked before ordering to make sure it was grilled, but obviously it wasn't. It was getting late, and I didn't want to wait anymore so I shut up and ate my food. Now onto the quality of the food. They served me rubber, not calamari! It was extremely tough! My husband ordered pork loin and it was very dry. My father in law ordered rib eye rare, and it came out medium. My mother in law ordered a few appetizers, and her onion rings were all clumped together, and the onions were busting out of the batter. I would've complained but it was my father in law's father's day dinner, and I didn't want to ruin it. We're never coming back. Our bill came out to $80 something dollars and I gave a 20% tip, because I felt bad for the server. She was very nice, but obviously not all together. My MIL also gave her $5 in case they took the wrong order out of her paycheck. I don't like writing bad reviews about local business, but our experience at monterey cookhouse was just not acceptable.
(1)
Luke B.

Although the menu is priced lower than other places in Monterey, the food is totally not worth it. They weren't very busy but it still took 15 minutes for the table to get waters. I had the fish and chips with the clam chowder... Except the clam chowder never showed up and the waitress brushed it off. The fries were soggy and cold and the fried fish was mush. Other plates we ordered were obviously frozen or canned. The kids pizza was nasty.
(1)
Ticha B.

Thanks Yelpers! Found this place thanks to you all and your reviews! Ohh...BTW..checkin with Yelp and receive a free Chef's Choice appetizer also (ours was the calamari..which we were actually going to order). Close to our hotel, plenty of parking, plenty of seating, a nice establishment to visit for dinner (wished the booths weren't so close together though since you could probably use your selective hearing to listen to the couple next to you chat it up). Wow...what a nice menu! When you see the name "Cookhouse" you might think of a BBQ place. The M.C. has all sorts of dishes, salads, appetizers, a full bar and desserts! Loved this place. Caesar's salad was pretty good, my braised beef dish was super yummy but a bit too rich, BBQ ribs with the sauce piled on was yummy and tasty. Service impeccable. Waiters and busboys were always attentive and you didn't need to ask for it, the staff brought it out to you before you even had to request the item (napkins, togo boxes, refills on your beverage, etc.). We had a great time. I'll be back next year when we visit Monterey for the races. Prices pretty reasonable too.
(4)
Jolie L.

I visited Monterey Cookhouse about 5 years ago. I do not remember much about the experience, just that I was not very impressed and I never went back. UNTIL... Recently I heard they had a new chef, so I gave it another try. I really enjoyed my food this time as well as the friendly staff and atmosphere. The new head chef has recently recreated the menu. I have been back to the Cookhouse several times and have always enjoyed my selections. The variety of pizza and pasta options i have tried have all been super tasty. My intention is always to take home leftovers, but it has been hard to save any because i have enjoyed the food so much. This has become a go to place for me. I am consistently pleased with my food and drinks, plus i really enjoy their local beers on tap. If you've tried Monterey Cookhouse in the past and maybe weren't too amazed, I say give it another try, you won't be disappointed.
(5)
Poiuytrewq A.

Poached Pear, yes! We came in for dinner during Happy Hour (4-6pm) and sat in the bar area. The bartender was our waiter, and he was really nice and helpful, and he's a Giant's fan. For appetizers, we ordered calamari and garlic fries. The calamari was okay, it was served with battered capers and lemon slices. The garlic fries had tasty bits of garlic, but they definitely need more garlic. For dinner, I had Cornish game hen. I could only eat half after the appetizers! It reminded me strongly of homemade chicken soup and of carving turkey at Thanksgiving. The top, outer layer and the grey meat was tasty, but other parts were dry. :( Boyfriend conquered The Beast in 5 minutes. We shared a poached pear, which was poached in red wine, and wrapped in a crepe, drizzled with caramel. When I first sliced the crepe and saw the pear, I thought it was a tomato! I liked the crepe, but I ate that first, and saved my pear for the last bite, because the pear was really good. It was like eating candy, but I could feel better about myself eating it. I never had a poached pear before, and I hope the next time I order a poached pear somewhere else, I'm not disappointed. Wednesday night around Happy Hour wasn't too busy...and it seemed like everyone knew everyone. Even in the parking lot as we were leaving! I don't like going to the same place all the time, but I will definitely come back the next time I'm in Monterey!
(4)
Todd E.

Below average dinner. Pizza was very greasy. One of the people in our party had the seafood platter - the fried calamari was completely underdone. The only redeeming factor was very good service.
(1)
Shmarty P.

Nice service, but that new guy Mo seems to enjoy disrespecting female employees. It must be a short, scrawny guy complex.
(3)
Smart F.

I was in Monterey for a few days and stayed at the hotel next door, so I decided to go in for dinner. The food was very tasty and our server, Richard, was amazing. Very fun personality, very engaging, and sometimes psychic (everything he suggested to me was as tasty as he described). The food and service was so good that I had to go back the next day. Richard remembered my name and said it correctly in 1 try; I never told him my name so that was a pleasant surprise. Greeting by name usually come with being a usual. We had such fun conversations and his service is top notch. Great food, and an even better server. I will be going back everytime I'm in town.
(5)
James C.

Went here with my girlfriend after driving around forever, we were seated quickly and the staff was friendly, we had the happy hour apps and drinks at the perfect price and the dinner was great I had steak which was cooked medium and tasted fabulous. Burgers looked and tasted amazing the only thing is that it was a pretty thick which was fine, but might not be some peoples cup of tea. Overall I would recommend it and would eat here again.
(4)
DJ. N.

My son had the chicken bbq pizza and was very pleased. Other son ordered the blackened chicken and it was eaten quickly. I ordered the clam chowder and seafood platter and the food was good. Shrimp and salmon perfectly cooked squid was fried and the batter was light. My husband got the steak and it was tender.
(4)
Steve H.

Very pleased with my dining experience here, the food was very good, but what really made the night was the server. She was so friendly and accommodating and attentive. She convinced the kitchen to prepare a vegan pizza which was delicious. It was a welcome change to have a server genuinely care that I enjoy my meal. So I definitely recommend the Monterey Cookhouse, just hope you get seated in this wonderful servers section!
(5)
B H.

The food was excellent and our server Melissa was on it! Check out the Smoke Sampler and great desserts
(5)
Crystal F.

Lovely restaurant! Went there tonight for dinner. In town on vacation! Close to our hotel. Great service! Delicious food. We got chicken baked ranch pizza and T-bone steak. Delicious! Absolutely yummy! We were very satisfied with our visit. A little pricey for my taste, but totally worth it. Definitely will come back again when we visit again!
(4)
Lunita S.

The food and service is 5 star. They gave me a double portion of calamari by mistake. The burgers were big and juicy. You can really taste the wood fire flavor. The service was great. Don't worry about having to dress up. We came in our flip flop shoes/ summertime relaxin' clothes. I did notice other bad reviews tended to be from visitors to the area. Maybe they had bad attitudes coming in here after staying in a dank motel. Anyways, my meal was great and ill be back.
(4)
Nick S.

Work took me to Monterey for the week so I bought the family along. This restaurant happened to be next to our hotel. Walked in with family and was asked if we wanted the Happy Hour menu. We were walking, so why not?!?! We said, yes and that put us in the bar side of the restaurant. The bartender (maybe owner?) was instructing our waitress, something about sitting arrangements. My initial thought was he didn't want the family of 5 (with one in a highchair) taking up the space in the bar area. Boy was I wrong- he was telling her to give us 2 tables pushed together and not squeeze us in the back corner (which I would've been fine with and understood). Now that's a switch! The Happy Hour was awesome. The aioli fries and poppers were excellent starters. The $10 burger/beer was fantastic -- cooked to perfection - no one seems to get medium rare right anymore, its always overdone. The kids enjoyed a pizza and some sliders. Very family friendly -- great service and great food (and fantastic price!). Will definitely be back next time work brings me to town.
(5)
Kym K.

My boyfriend and I spent 3 days here in Monterey for small vacation. We ate here for two of the days. It was so good. We knew after the first day that this was the spot. He had the skirt steak the first day and the rib eye the second. I had the wedge salad and the mac and cheese. I highly recommend this place. They know the meaning of RARE!!!!!
(5)
Ashley S.

I love coming to this place. The service is so incredibly professional and friendly, and the place is quiet, clean, and pleasant. My favorite is the chicken fried steak with sweet potato fries, but their fish and chips is good (could maybe use some bigger servings, though), their hamburgers are amazing (try the 4-6 pm happy hour special on that! $10 for a beer/beverage and hamburger!), and their desserts are stellar. Big selling points: - Great, professional service - Military discounts - Great specials My absolue favorite is to go on breakfast and get the chicken fried steak and eggs and sub in the sweet potato fries (gotta love the aioli with it). Don't expect a traditional southern CFS, though. The meat is not cubesteak covered in ten pounds of batter and gravy. It's a tenderized piece of actual steak with a light, seasoned batter and brown gravy. There are a few downsides that keep me from giving a full five stars, though. 1. A bit of inconsistency. Usually, the sweet potato fries are thick, crispy, and amazing. But sometimes, I get these skinny, soggy ones that are clearly from the freezer, and I don't know why. 2. Some of the dishes are not all that amazing and really should just come off the menu. For instance, the spag and meatballs is kind of generic. Not a lot of flavor, the sauce seems canned, etc. 3. I'm not a big fan of sweet barbeque sauces, so it could just be personal preference, but the big selling point of the place should really be bbq, and I don't find theirs all that exciting. The smoker always smells great, but I think they could stand to lay off the sugar. On the other hand, the Cookhouse Eggs Benedict with their pulled pork on it is awesome... but it's minus their usual sugar sauce.
(4)
B C.

We've always had great experiences at the cookhouse! Our most recent trip was a good example. I ordered "The Fisherman" which has Salman, prawns and other goodies. The wife ordered the flank steam. Everything was delicious! Our server, Josh, was attentive but not overbearing. He gave us just the right amount of attention without overdoing it. I also particularly enjoy their breakfast brisket. If you like smokey barbecue flavor first thing in the morning that you will certainly want to give this a try. I also discovered a new beer here, but I forget the name of it. I think the fact that it had 9% alcohol content might have had something to do with why I can't remember the name... but oh well, it was tasty ! Overall I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)
Emily B.

Friendly, prompt service. Reasonably priced, tasty food. Had the wedge salad, stuffed mushrooms & blackened chicken. As a Celiac, I greatly appreciated the detailed GF menu.
(5)
Cathy P.

Our server, Richard was great and attentive. We had the sliders and brisket and both were very tasty.
(5)
Nicole D.

My boyfriend and I were headed to Chili's but they were having an electrical issue so we cruised around in search of an eatery with classic American favorites and a casual, relaxing vibe. Lucky for us, we came across Monterey Cookhouse, which I'd been meaning to try for some time. A few months ago, I read a great article is Monterey County Weekly about the Grill Master here at The Cookhouse and his love and determination with the labor-intensive brisket BBQ. It was a very enlightening article! I found out this place is like only one of two places in the Peninsula that takes on the brisket. It's a arduous, timely process involving lots of patience, ingenuity and some serious dexterity with the grill. So of course, we had to try out the brisket, which comes with grilled vegetables and your choice of one of their delicious sides. The brisket was perfectly rendered with a marvelous texture and natural keen flavors that are sure to please the pickiest palette. We ordered some Carmel Road Pinot Noir to capture the full flavor of the meat - alright, I really love Carmel Road vino was the sole reason!! :-) We also shared the Wood-Fired Grilled Artichoke that came straight out of the magic oven. I had the Wood-Fired Mergherita Pizza, which was a smoldering blend of fine cheese, tomatoes, basil and killer crust. What a beautiful pizza with a bastion of fine flavors. Thank you for bringing killer brisket to Monterey Peninsula and some great-tasting classics!!
(4)
Diego S.

My wife and I had an incredible time last night. If you are in the monterey area or you are local, try this place. You will be happy you did. 1. Food Creativity = 9 2. Food Flavor = 10 3. Food Freshness = 10 4. Food Presentation = 9 5. Service Friendliness = 10 6. Attentiveness Service = 8 7. Location = 9 8. Ambiance = 9 9.Menu = 9 10. Cleanliness = 10 Total = 93
(5)
Mike W.

Yummy food, nice service.
(5)
Ralph T.

Good service Ate here with the family. Tried the brisket appetizer. Good flavors and well mixed together-flavor, heat and temperature. I had a house salad. Very large and you could almost go with just ordering a salad if you were not that hungry. I had the pulled pork pizza. Great flavors. Too bad they just don't have a plain pulled pork dish because the pork on the pizza was excellent. Decent selection of wine. We had the house Pinot and it was ok. They do have a happy hour from 4-6pm. And if you're on Yelp a 20% discount for breakfast or lunch. The owner came by twice to make sure everything was ok. My granddaughter had mac and cheese. It was good. Needed to be more cheesy-per her comment. We will be bac
(4)
Kendall C.

Five stars isn't enough to rate this place. Should be 10 stars. I've met the owner on a few occasions. She's so sweet. Beautiful too if she doesn't mind me saying. Anyway, we've been here two years in a row for MotoGP at Laguna Seca. We've had nothing but excellent service and fantastic meals. One of these days flying down at Sand City...I'll have to drop in for a ribeye. Or the short ribs are amazing.
(5)
Alan C.

Very nice staff at this place, but the food is just OK. I ordered the sampler plate which had smoked pork ribs (good), pulled pork slider (good), beef brisket (OK). My wife ordered the rib-eye steak which was decent but a little salty. They did mess up our order and bring us a sirloin instead, but my wife's keen eye for red meat told her that something was awry. They brought out the correct steak very quickly though and gave us a free dessert for our troubles. Wednesday's is the day to come as they have a free local tasting menu. The day we went they had tastings of Carmel Valley Brewery. Free beer? Yes, please.
(3)
Denise S.

This is for breakfast only. He gave it 2, and I gave it a 3... so we'll round up and go with 3. Anthony Bourdain warns people to never trust a place that only does breakfast on the weekends. The Monterey Cookhouse is one of these weekend only breakfast places. I got the Cookhouse Combo with scrambled eggs, bacon, french toast and country taters. it sounds like a lot because it was a lot. The amount of food was MASSIVE. But it was quantity over quality as the bacon was dry from buffet heat lamps and the eggs were well too mixed to have been fresh eggs. The taters were great though! My boyfriend got the Country Fried steak - which was neither country nor was it fried. His steak was floured and cooked on a stove top - not breaded and fried - and the gravy was not country, but brown with milk. $27 for two people. Not bad, but you do get what you pay for. We live close so may walk over for a Happy Hour beer.
(3)
Nick M.

Great Service and management. Employees are friendly and food is fantastic. Linda Cantrell was the best. Thank you Monterey!
(5)
Jim N.

I really want this place to be awesome... This place should be a 5 star: they could achieve it but for certain things holding them back. While the wait staff were professional and did all by us, they moved too fast and didn't seem to care about what we were experiencing. That could be simply that other patrons were more needy, or, as it was Happy Hour, they were the focus of attention, buying booze. The food was good: slightly, above average. I had calamari which was not over done, but was too breaded and brown, little seasoned flavor; I sampled the pork ribs (both items on the Happy Hour tasting menu - which the waiter didn't present to us until I asked for it, well into the ordering period for our party of 4) and they were overdone; since we were at the dinner hour: how could that be so? they were moist under the hard shell; the sauce was unique and tasty, warranting a bottle to purchase for home use, a common occurrence in the world of Branded Restaurant Sauces. They do this very practical thing with the table coverings: brown paper with their brand printed on one edge: cute, but, actually, out of place: the owners have invested in a very distinctive style, one that should be appreciated; the lack of appropriate table covering implies the customer is a slob: not an homage to a funky rib shack in Texas, North Carolina, or Missouri. I don't think nice cloth is the answer, either. I would recommend a wood, roughly honed finish, but finished properly, which would complement the rest of the decor and achieve that distinctive goal in unifying the brand (their logo is amazing and sets the tone and expectations for the dining experience.) It is entirely possible that the location is a mismatch for the intentions - or the owners are actually savvy trying to lift the motel row area with something that sets them apart. When the music festivals or other events that take over the Monterey County Fair Grounds, and for those who patronize the motels and are looking for a nice bite to eat closer to the Grounds than their hotel, motel or bed and breakfast further South: this ownership can get away with certain things, that a more sophisticated diner expects, but the commercial efficiencies are actually in place to be effective: when the crowds pour in! We were there when the crowds were thin: we are in and out very quickly, which was not necessary for the vertical market we represent: a family of four on a journey... Likely, an explanation for the pace of the wait and cooking staff during the Happy Hour, shell-shocked; anticipating triage within the actual Dinner Hour...? So, my recommendation to the owners: - Tell the staff to slow it down when the mood and clientele seem to require it: establish a more personal rapport; - consider this a test case for future outlets that can leverage all you learn, here: if you are going to be a growing chain, fine. However, your brand and Yelp! reviews lead one to it being a far more hospitable place, implying, less commercial; - be upfront about all costs, all options: not disclosing to a family, on a budget, that there is a Happy Hour tasting menu is simply dishonest: you simply cannot afford to make any customer feel bad for asking. Finally, I think your prices are a bit out of whack: you charge over $10 - about $11 - for a modest sandwich (mostly) on a roll with a plate of normal french fries: do you offer a salad option? I didn't see one. That is simply too much for what is on the plate. It isn't expensive, relative to other places that own their sandwich market, but it is too much for what appears rather unappetizing on the plate: even though there is a lot of food to ingest. While I appreciate the incentive for eating at this establishment, they provided a complementary appetizer: slapped together, cold elements; no one took into consideration that at least two were having (yet to be discovered by us) large-rolled sandwiches: what was served was a spread of sliced Italian toast with diced tomato and Parmesan shreds: very unappetizing; not on the menu as one of the "chef's choice". One more thing: They charge $7.95 for FIVE buffalo wings. Bottom line to owners: Figure out if you are actually in the service business; if you want to retain customers; if you want people like me to speak highly of what seems like a very well-thought out BBQ + dining experience slightly off the beaten path: unless you are only trying to tap into a market that is locked into its temporary motel residence obligation, at your mercy, like post-long drive from origin unknown; before a "restful" night, before they continue their journey to destination unknown: Maybe, your way staff could ask, take an interest in your customers, to consider precisely what they want in their dining experience, when they have 100 options within a 4 minute radius to choose from.... BTW: if you were to make just a few changes, and I was aware of it in advance: I would return to give you another shot!
(3)
Caron P.

I want so much to like this place, and I keep trying. There are some solid likes on the menu for sure, but sometimes they can only get it half right. Like on the breakfast menu. Corned beef and hash is always must try for me on any menu that makes it from scratch. Oddly thinly sliced corned beef with too many thick cut potatoes. Ordered crispy and came out almost cold and hardly crispy! A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT at any breakfast place, is cheap jam for toast. This time they over achieved on cheap. FIRST STREET brand plastic packets from Smart & Final. Really? And only in grape and mixed fruit? REALLY? I will not go by choice here anymore, but if any of my less particular friends want to meet here I will keep trying and likely order something familiar and safe. Breakfast will ONLY happen if they change the jam. Sometimes ittle things make a HUGE difference.
(2)
Melody C.

If there was half a star this place gets it! I came out to visit the beautiful town of Monterey and of course was looking to hit the spot with this location. They have a nice location and walking into the restaurant you would not be able to tell you're in for a rude awakening. Their food does have potential but at the end of it all for the price you pay it is not worth it. The steak here was cooked nicely but was ruined by the sauce and other toppings. Their nachos were overloaded with microwaved cheese and were far from being filled with meat...just chips!! I wanted my money back but clearly that did not happen. My advise: keep looking for a different place to eat!
(1)
Jamie M.

The good: food was yummy (we both had the sirloin and they were cooked perfectly). And that's the only good. The bad: We were seated in the bar area instead of the main dining room (this is partially my fault -- the hostess suggested the lounge and I should have told her no) and I just did not like it. We sat at a table right by the window and since it was getting dark, the exterior florescent lighting was shining right on us, which really took away from the experience. Also, the tables/chairs felt really cheap and they used paper placemats (like you would see in a diner) that just added to that cheap feeling. Our waiter was completely ignorant about the wines. I asked him to recommend a good red to go with my steak and all he did was point to wear the wines were on the menu (literally: "here's all the whites and here's the reds"...). Additionally, since we were seated in the front area by the bar, the waiter was frequently called away to help out the bartender (bringing boxes from back, stocking bar, etc) and we did not get the attention I expected for the prices we were paying. He came and collected our empty plates, asked if we wanted desert (no thank you) but didn't ask if we wanted the check when he walked away. I assumed he was going to get it... wrong-o! We waited at least 10 minutes before the bartender finally came over to our table to check on us! She printed up our check, but it was at least another 7 or 8 minutes before the waiter came back to pick up the check/my credit card. Our experience ended on a pretty bad note, but the food was good so I would consider giving it another try.
(3)
George G.

First time here after a day at the Aquarium- overall satisfied with this place. Food was really good, and the place was packed! Service was a little slow, but that is to be expected with such a full restaurant. Will definitely be back to this place.
(4)
Grace O.

We are locals in Monterey. My boyfriend an 2 of our close friends came here for dinner on Saturday April 3,2014 the restaurant was not at full capacity but still took more then 20 minutes to get our drinks ordered when our server came for our drink order we already knew what we wanted to eat an had closed our menus he didn't ask if we were ready just dropped our drinks off an left. We waited another 10 to 15 minutes an finally stacked our closed menus on the side of the table to show we were ready to order our server came back took our order an left again. We were excited when we got our food we ordered 2 pizzas a salad an fish an chips. The pizza was greasy an the fish tasted to 'fishy' not a fresh fish taste I was expecting from this restaurant that looks like it should be a nice date spot. Over all the food an service wasn't great an we will not be returning to this restaurant. No stars from us.
(1)
duane u.

I *want* to write "Your experience here will leave you wishing there were more establishments with every quality they instill", but then that's EXACTLY what puts Monterey Cookhouse in their own light. Everyone's meal was stellar in preparation, flavor, and presentation. You can truly taste the kitchen's pride with every bite. I realize that everyone has varied levels of what tastes good, but my mom and 94-yar young grandmother are the PICKIEST of eaters and shun upon menus of modern contemporary fare. They both enjoyed their meals and even commented on how their meals tasted... mish accomplished! I saw another server bring an order of their baby backs to another table and was amazed they didn't bring it out on a forklift or pallet jack. I'm definitely going to have to give them a go-round next trip... Even if the food sucked, I would still come back time and time again just on the quality of service. Everyone that works for them is friendly and goes out of their way to accommodate you. I didn't say just your server or key floor staff... EVERYONE. These are people that work to earn their pay, not milk the time clock. The on-site parking lot was full, but not cramped. Fancy enough yet not over-the-top in any regard, Monterey Cookhouse is definitely going to be a stop on every trip up to Monterey or Laguna Seca. My only wish is for them to be closer to north OC. Mahalos for reading!!
(5)
Sean B.

Better service, food and value from Safeway. Have been in USA for over a week now and eaten out for lunch and dinner every day, this is by far the worst experience of our trip. Our food was average to be kind (fries were good though) steaks were cheap and one was saucy and the others bland. Not worth half of what we paid for them. Would recommend you look elsewhere, for a restaurant to get it this wrong I don't know how there are positive reviews at all! Ps. We could have delt with the food, but the service was so rude it motivated me to actually write a review (first in my life!)
(1)
Ashley M.

Happy Hour all week long from 4-6. Half price well cocktails and appetizers. My new little fav place to go right down the street. Great service, wood burning fireplace that they cook their pizza's over... DO try the sliders! Out of this world!
(5)
Devon B.

A group of friends and I went here for Easter brunch. Everyone's food was great. The drinks were reasonably priced too. The calamari appetizers was delicious. I ordered the chicken fried steak which didn't blow my docked off and the shoestrong fries were a bit soggy. Service was great, but we made the mistake of waiting until the end of our meal to tell the waiter to split our checks so it took a good 20 minutes for the bill to ne processed. There is also a coupon for 20% off your entire meal of you check in on yelp at the time we went. But the fine print lacked the notice that the coupon was not good on a holiday. We were very disappointed. The manager was also slightly rude about informing us about the coupons's invalidity, but we had to ask. Overall a decent experience, but not fantastic. I would choose a new place to try before going back.
(3)
Silly B.

Loved the food. I got the sampler with the famous brisket, ribs, and pork sliders and everything was perfect from the homer are rub to the juicy brisket. I brought my family and the kids lived the Ribs and mac and cheese as well. Would defintly recommend to anyone visiting.
(5)
Eric S.

Came in specifically for the wood fired pizza. Not quite as good as Punch Pizza in Minneapolis hence the 4 stars. Still very good, though. Fresh ingredients as one would expect in this part of the country. Crust was thin, crispy and tasty. Also had the bruschetta and it was solid as well. The service was outstanding and the space was very pleasant. Would return if we lived a bit closer. If you have a chance, go enjoy the Monterey Cookhouse!
(4)
Glenda N.

I've been here a few times. Every time is like the first time! They great you at the door as you walk in! The staff is so friendly and caring, I always feel like part of the family when I walk in! Saturday April 13th Eric rushed to welcome us as we stepped in. He sat us down right away and asked what we would like to drink. He told us the specials for the day. Service was fast. We had our food in no time! I had the skirt steak spinach salad which was delicious! Too bad we were full, the dessert looked fabulous!
(5)
Dolores B.

My husband and I had dinner at the Monterey Cookhouse on Sunday evening. The ambiance in the restaurant is always lovely, however, we had bad experiences at this restaurant in the past. We heard a new chef was on board so we wanted to give it a second chance. Our server was wonderful. Attentive without being overly in your face. I ordered Ceasar salad which was delightful. Dressed just right and the baby romaine was cut into bite sized pieces, thank you!! For dinner I order the pasta Bolognese and that was a disappointment. The pasta was overcooked and the sauce was not only bland but lacking any decent amount of meat. My hubby ordered the wedge salad which he loved and the cowboy sausage pizza. Now we assumed the sausage was the actual Cowboy sausage but instead of slicing the sausage and placing it on the pizza it was removed from the casing and spread around the top of the pizza. It looked like not even a whole sausage was used and it tasted like regular Johnson's Italian sausage, not our authentic Cowboy Sausage. The BBQ sauce on the pizza itself was a little overpowering. So, overall, wonderful staff still mediocre food. I know it's a barbeque place but if your going to put pizza and pasta on the menu please do it right.
(2)
Shiho F.

Not impressed with our last lunch visit. The service is always good so no complaints there. We ordered a wedge, wings and the nachos. The wedge was fine, nice amount of bacon bits but a bit too much dressing - luckily their ranch is delicious. Smoked Wings were literally smoked away... there were 6 of the smallest/thinnest wings I have ever seen on a plate for $7.95. Macho Nachos ($9.95)were far from Macho... corn chips covered with their chili (the kind that is a bit sweet, kidney beans and ground beef), a little cheese, 3 slices of avocado, chopped green onions and a drizzle of sour cream that has been stretched with milk or worse water. I asked for the hot sauce to give it a little kick. The wedge is their best bet out of everything I have tried ($7.95) Their Bloody Mary's are decent but could use a dash of hot sauce and some more seasoning.
(2)
Allen Y.

Very good fish. I highly recommend this restaurant. And definitely stay next door at the Best Western de Anza Inn
(4)
Jesse P.

Went here the other day with the family. They serve breakfast late (3PM if I recall correctly), which was a + for me. The service was good/ fast. The food was ok - not great. I had the brisket w/ eggs. The eggs were under-cooked and the brisket, which had good flavor, had a little too much gristle for my liking. Not sure I'll go back. This place is in the fast food joint league so next time I'll hit Chipotle or KFC and save a few bucks.
(2)
Natalie H.

The only two good things about the cookhouse is the location and the beef brisket appetizer. Last time I was there they took the beef brisket off the menu which was disappointing! I continue to frequent this place because it is a middle meeting place for some friends. Each time we leave we promise we will find somewhere else. The owner (or maybe she is the manager) just stands there and is very unfriendly. This place has so much potential and I still have hope that things will change. Sometimes the food is good. Sometimes it's bad. Sometimes service is good and sometimes its bad. Just too inconsistent for my liking.
(2)
Tamika T.

The food was good. Not great, but good. Went with the family and ordered the following: appetizers - bruschetta and the spare ribs. both were tasty. Entrees - fettuccine with chicken, average. Chicken was a bit dry and the sauce a little watery, but flavor was okay. Sampler Platter - my husband enjoyed all but the brisket. Kids Cheese Pizza - really good! Overall the food was decent, nothing special, but not bad at all.
(3)
Tony B.

First time at the Monterey Cookhouse and left feeling excited about a return visit. I ordered the meatloaf special. While it was a little pricey for meatloaf, everything was unique and delicious. The meatloaf was perfectly seasoned and cooked in the wood oven so it had a lightly smoked flavor and a perfect gravy that I can not explain other than to say I wanted to lick my plate. Mashed potato's were perfect, and the veggie's on the side were perfectly al dente, and seasoned with fresh garlic and spices. Service was five star, food was 4.5 star, value was 3.5 star. Will return again soon.
(4)
Lolly C.

My boyfriend and I were looking for a place we haven't tried yet in Monterey and found this on Yelp. Based on the majority of good reviews, we decided to try it. We went for lunch and it was pretty quiet with only a handful of other guests. As we walked in the server said he'd be right with us, but left and never came back. So after waiting for a few minutes, another nice man helped us instead. I have to say the food was not amazing, not bad, but not the best I've ever had. The bread was somewhat tough and so cold it was difficult to spread butter on it. The portions were a good size, but could've stood to be cooked just a tiny bit longer. My boyfriend enjoyed his plate, but after I ate mine I didn't feel well for the rest of the day (not sure if it was due to the food or something else). The prices were decent though and we both ate for actually a lot cheaper than I thought we would. All in all, the restaurant is very clean and our server was very nice. I'm not sure I'd rush here to eat again, but it wasn't too bad.
(3)
Joshua Z.

The night I proposed... This was the place my girlfriend... fiancÃ©, and I chose to eat at, the day I proposed to her. We are from LA but drove up to this beautiful area so I could surprise her with life changing news... and a horrible dinner. Our waiter was friendly, at first. Then he never came back to check on us. But, from the service we watched him provide his other tables, he seems like a really nice guy! The food bill totaled $40 for a meal that was worth $15. We both ordered pasta dishes and the plate was lousy with sauce, with very little noodles. While that might sound disappointing at first, rest assured that all that sauce goes WONDERFULLY with the baskets of complimentary stale bread! We're the types that can laugh about stuff, and just chalk this up to a funny part of our engagement day story... but there's still a part of me that is really bugged. Oh well...
(1)
Peanuts Y.

This was my 3rd time there and every time I have really enjoyed my breakfast. We go there every year when we come to Monterey for the jazz festival. I had a 3 egg omelette of spinach onions and cheese. Mmmm good! They come with potatoes and a choice of bread and I usually get an english muffin. You won't be disappointed.
(5)
Scott H.

Food was FANTASTIC!! Our server (Alicia) was OUTSTANDING!!! Thank you Alicia for treating our family soooo well. We were the family with the two girls and baby boy for whom you had kids cheeseburgers made. Your service was AWESOME and my wife and I just wanted to let the Yelp world know :)
(5)
J J.

We had an AMAZING server named Melissa. I ordered the short rib, great portion size and melted in my mouth. My Mom ordered a seafood platter and it wasnt what she expected so our server was more than willing to send it back and make sure my Mom left happy. She ended up getting the New York steak in a brandy peppercorn sauce, which came out perfectly cooked. My three year old niece ordered the kids mac and cheese which was more like gourmet mac and cheese! We all loved it! Thank you again Melissa for making our dining experience so enjoyable. Great food and Amazing service!
(5)
Andrea F.

I wanted to like this place...could have been a great happy hour spot close to where I live. But I gave it 3 tries and it got worse and worse each time. First time not bad, steak Greek salad but prices were high for what you get. Second time same thing, but about half the amount of steak and tasted like jerky, almost tasted like a totally different steak. Third time, large group of 11 and the next day 6 of us got the worst food poisoning. The food needs to be stepped up a few notches if they are going to compete around here.
(1)
JJ F.

First, the positive: My daughter and I shared a Margherita pizza and a house salad. Very delicious and enough for two, but way too expensive at $15.95, plus another $5.95 for the salad. The negative: My husband ordered fish and chips. Now, for $15.95, you'd expect probably two large, six inch by two inch pieces, right? No! He got four pieces the size of a thumb. Ridiculous! We told the waitress we were very disappointed in the amount of fish. She immediately said she would take it off the bill or get more. We asked for more and he got another couple of small pieces. The staff was very kind and accommodating. However, I think this place is extremely overpriced and I doubt that we will return on our next visit to the area.
(3)
Michele F.

Tried the Cookhouse for the 1st time today and was not impressed. The ambiance was nice and the service was good but the food was in my opinion below a Denny's type food. We had the fish and chips and it was so saturated in oil/grease, we had to pick off the breading. I had the chicken fried steak and it was full of grisle, not good, the potatoes were bland, the eggs were overcooked and the toast was like a rock. Needless to say, were not going back.
(2)
Cheryl C.

Literally just left the parking lot from our first experience here at the Monterey Cookhouse. My boyfriend and I are visiting the city from Lodi,Ca. We yelped some places and between distance from our hotel and reviews we chose this spot....and we are beyond happy we did! First off, very nice hostess, sorry did not catch your name! Second... AMAZING SERVER!!!!! Richard made our night that much more enjoyable... super friendly and helpful. The food was great! We shared a few dishes. .. oysters, lobster bisque, brisket dip, sweet potato fries and the pulled pork pizza.. ok quite a few dishes! Haha... we found each one to be delicuous and full of flavor... if you are in the area... STOP BY! the service and food was well worth our 57$ tab... dont forget the bloody mary and beer also!! Hands down... GREAT JOB YOU ALL!! we will be back!
(5)
Stephanie T.

I have been to the cookhouse a couple times for breakfast. Since I'm not big on breakfast foods, (eggs) I just ordered a side of potatoes, bacon, and a fruit salad. The potatoes came with onions and bell peppers, the bacon was cooked to my liking, and the fruit salad was a good mix of melons, grapes, and citrus. I have also had their corned beef, which is pretty incredible. I have not yet been to the cookhouse for dinner, but I have heard good things. Next time I am in town I just might have to check it out.
(3)
El Jefe K.

I got the Vegetable Pizza. It was terrible. For $15, I got stir-fried veggies on a thin piece of bread. I kid you not. It was obvious they just dumped veggies on top of the bread because you could just scrape it off and the bread looked just like the crust everywhere. Oh yeah, THERE WAS NO CHEESE NOR SAUCE ON THE PIZZA. The owner promised everything would be great because it was all homemade, but I'm truly disappointed. The service was average, what I'd expect, so I was almost tempted to give them a 1 star, but I could tell the put in an honest effort, so I'll show pity. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE.
(2)
C D.

My family hadn't been to this restaurant since it was called Monterey Joe's and needless to say we were not impressed, but we had the pleasure of meeting their new Executive Chef Tracy and we were intrigued....having just met her we walked in and she waved and said hello like we were old friends, immediately sent over a couple of apps for us to try, lollipop chicken with an orange soy glaze and the most amazing deep fried calamari we've ever had. For dinner, we tried stuffed mushrooms, truffle oil french fries, swordfish, the risotto of the day which had short ribs in it, and pulled pork sliders. Everything was amazing, including our dirty martini's and the service was great as well, all in all it was a really great experience all the way around. And when we left Tracy came over and thanked us and gave us a hug. Such a great time. We'll definitely be back.!
(5)
Kevin G.

One of my favorite bbqs in the area. Loses a star because they are waaaay too slow for lunch, even when not busy.
(3)
David W.

Staying across the street in hotel for sea otter bike race, I ordered a simple $12. Hamburger they messed it up raw the manager gave me free desert very professional of her but the desert was bad too, waiter was nice he was a no frills guy though, I wouldn't go back
(2)
Paul W.

It is unfortunate that the management caters to the needs of the owners guest at the expense of patrons of this otherwise good eatery. Recent visit a group of 5 in the lounge had been on a drinking binge and were very loud and obnoxious. You could over hear vulgar, sexist, totally unappropriate and offensive talk through out the restaurant. I asked to speak to the manager and expressed my opinion on this matter. HE INFORMED ME HE COULD DO NOTHING SINCE THIS GROUP WERE FRIENDS OF THE OWNERS. Guess the owner and management have no concern for other paying guest. I am a local and will not be going back and will inform others I know not to visit this establishment as well.
(1)
Tomomi S.

I read Yelp reviews and marked to try here when I was near. Last weekend we were staying nearby so we stopped here for dinner on Saturday evening, around 5:30pm. This place was packed by the time we got our appetizer. All in all, their bbq was okay. My absolute favorite was Grilled Pacific Oysters. It was so fresh, grilled just enough for the oysters to be warm and just a hint cooked. But be careful as the shells are super hot. I totally grabbed one and took me couple seconds to realize that it was burning hot like a coal. My baby back ribs were good, but I could have done without their house BBQ sauce. My husband's pork chop was a bit dry. We both had twice baked potatoes and it tasted good but very soft and runny. Service was great and unlike other BBQ places, tables and chairs were not sticky... if you know what I mean.
(3)
Alaina M.

Probably the best restaurant on Fremont street, moderately priced. Service was really great; from the hostess to the busboy, everyone was very polite and attentive, but not intrusive. We were well taken care of. Atmosphere was open, nice. Building seemed like it was a bit dated, but they had arranged new fixtures to modernize the appearance. The happy hour was well with it! Drinks were not watered down or substituted in any way. We came with a very large group and the hostess (?) greeted us very warmly and gave us a free appetizer for our celebration. Very gracious. We all enjoyed our food, though it wasn't terribly unique. Basic seafood-steakhouse grill menu, though all the items we ordered were delicious! I would definitely recommend this place for a nice, casual night out.
(4)
Edward M.

One of my favorite Resturants in town. Linada the owner & the staff really make you feel welcome. The food is simply dellis! Try the Beef Brisket Burger or the Short Ribs. So Good! Great for family's also try Sunday's Brunch
(5)
Boris P.

Very disappointed. Forgot appetizers, skewers burned. Steak not as ordered. Certainly not going there again.
(1)
Sean H.

My buddy and I came in expecting decent woodfire food. We waited for more than 50 minutes for food. In fact, I'm sitting here drafting this review while I wait for our order. In fact we left the restaurant. Too many parties not enough cooks. Won't be coming back to this place. Two thumbs down! This was 3/26/2011
(2)
Maylee H.

First time. They were very busy so I can't fully judge this place yet. the food was okay, but the service was great. My friend's salmon was over cooked and so were my ribs, but I'm guessing it's because they were so busy the burners were on full blast. The bruschetta was delicious and their house salad was also very good. Sliders were dried and so was the tri-tip. Since this place received great reviews, I'm guessing it was because they were super busy that the food was not up to par
(3)
John F.

Not that good. I had a steak which was butterflied (never a good thing to do to a steak) my wife had some extraordinarily bland spaghetti and meatballs and my daughter had a grilled cheese sandwich that she thought to be quite good (she's 5). Service was not very good. The waiter seamed to be too busy for us even though there was only two other occupied tables in the place. All in all I'd skip this place if I were visiting the area.
(2)
Paul G.

I was in town for a week and ate here 3 times. Everything was great! You know when you get food on your plate that is delicious and prepared to a tee. I had the Salmon nite 1, a steak nite 2, and a burger nite 3. The owner Linda stopped by to visit on one occasion and let us sample the brisket.. To die for, I did not get back to have that for my meal this time but will be back. Great staff and good drinks too..
(5)
Joy R.

I didn't find myself enjoying the event of a good meal. Odd area where it is located to start with. Felt like a big coffee shop inside, coupled with uneventful, disinterested service. There was virtually no effort from the host seater to the wait staff to attempt to make your meal pleasant- just brisk, non personal, slap it on your table service. My halibut was cooked just fine, served with some pretty raw veggies, with some strangely, irregularly cut up carrots and some bland rice. The prep staff obviously lack some skill In presentation. Nothing special for $19. Hubby's cob salad was the most anemic,unattractive looking salad I've seen in along time. He said the iceberg lettuce was crisp, however but it had again oddly cut up avocados and tomatoes. There are no food artists in this kitchen and no one was loving what they do for a living in this place. We shared the special desert, peach and berry cobbler with homemade crisp topping. Think they forgot the topping. Small, not unpleasant but nothing to come back for, as the peaches were crispy and the berries were few. All in all, under whelming except, fast service. Eat, get them out the door and fill the seat again. Very odd.
(2)
Rob W.

So, the owner, Linda, contacted me via Yelp, to clarify that although they don't light the wood-fired oven for lunch, they do have a wood-fired grill and a smoker in the back. The owner noted the lunch items that are either smoked or on the wood grill. "Grilled artichoke..smoked chicken wings...Grilled Oysters..Cobb Salad with Smoked Turkey..Grilled Salmon Salad..Pulled Pork Sandwich...Smoked Brisket....Smoked Turkey Sandwich...Grilled Chicken Sandwich...Burger....Vegetarian Sandwich...Tri Tip Sandwich...Chicken Skewers... Baby Back Ribs... Skirt Steak and finally the Sirloin Steak." Lots of items that a server, well-trained, should have pointed out. Kudos to the owner for contacting me and clarifying. Just for doing so, I'll probably give them another try.
(3)
Bear S.

Great food. Love the the brisque, it falls apart like it should. The host was great, funny and entertaning. She recomended a chocolate dessert. She described as fornication with your food. Great atmosphere.
(5)
SJ C.

Three adults for dinner and one child. SLOW service with a hassled sweaty waiter. Two of us ordered pasta that was too al dente (crunchy pasta is not good!) for our taste and the sauce obviously from a can, no flavor, nothing was fresh. Pretty pricey for the portions. We also tried their macaroni and cheese which is supposed to be a specialty and it tasted like flour with heavy cream, absolutely no flavor at all and raw bread crumbs on top. The wedge salad was good (given the 2 star rating) as the BC dressing was flavorful but again, very small portions for the price. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.
(2)
Raul N.

After I read a glowing writeup in the Herald, I decided to stop by Monterey Cookhouse for dinner on Thursday night. While I'm not generally a fan of smokehouse and BBQ foods, the menu intrigued me, especially the wood-fired pizzas. What sealed the deal for me was three little p-words: pulled pork pizza. Yes, apparently they have pulled pork pizza! I couldn't pass up the opportunity to combine two of my favorite foods. The menu is pretty extensive, with a lot of classic BBQ and smokehouse foods, but I already knew what I wanted--that pulled pork pizza. (Which, by the way, isn't officially on the menu--you have to ask for it.) I also spotted macaroni and cheese on the menu, as a full entrÃ©e or a side dish. Again, I couldn't pass up a chance to dine on one my favorite foods, so I ordered a side portion of the mac and cheese. The pizza was quite tasty, with a nice thin crust. The pulled pork on top had great texture, but was a little heavy on the BBQ sauce--so much so that about halfway through the pizza, I really couldn't tell much of a difference eating a pulled pork pizza or a standard BBQ chicken pizza from any old pizza chain. In all honesty, the mac and cheese might have just been the better of the two dishes. While they used penne (not my favorite pasta for mac and cheese), the cheese sauce was so rich and cheesy, and it didn't reek of salt or grease like some other restaurants' mac and cheese preparations sometimes do. I'd definitely come back again for the mac and cheese--and next time make it a full entrÃ©e portion. I noticed other tables weren't having smooth sailing with their servers, but our server was friendly and attentive. I wasn't such a fan of the interior--it looked a little dated inside and a bit too diner-ish for my tastes. (I also noticed greasy fingerprints on the paper table cloth on the table next to us--a worrisome sign they may not have properly changed the table from the last diners.) Monterey Cookhouse served up a pretty tasty dinner--and I'll definitely be back to try more of those thin-crust, wood-fried pizzas and, of course, that mac and cheese.
(4)
Paul L.

Been back several times now, and everything I've had has been very good. This place is becoming one of my favorite restaurants in the area. Just updating my review to give them the fifth star that I think they deserve. If you look at my profile, you can see that I don't give a lot of five star ratings. Food and service are consistently very much above average. I'm kind of surprised by some of the bad reviews I read, but I don't go to a place like this and order nachos or pasta. There really aren't any good barbeque joints around here, and this might not exactly be a BBQ joint, but all of their BBQ creations that I've tried are much better than any other local BBQ.
(5)
J. L.

Good service and BBQ. The steak is pretty good.
(4)
Erin M.

Monterey Cookhouse has a relaxed environment and the service was great. The waitstaff was attentive and helpful. It gets 4 stars, because while the service and environment were great, the food was just okay. I ordered the fish and chips and there was more batter than fish. Overall, we had a nice experience and if you're in the area, it's worth checking out.
(4)
Doug G.

Brisket was fantastic!! We've been here a couple of times, and between that and the pulled pork sandwiches, you're in for a treat.
(5)
C.L. A.

Staying at the motel 6 across the street this was an easy choice for dinner. I have to say the staff was very friendly. After a long days drive I was not the the most pleasant person to deal with. We changed tables at least twice and they were very accommodating. I like that they have local wines and beers, and use local fresh ingredients. We ordered wine and the pizza margarita. the pizza was perfect, just like how I would make it at home but much better. I wish I was closer, I would love to come back and work my way through their menu.
(5)
Allison M.

I am a huge fan of Monterey Cookhouse. I have been for both lunch and dinner. The service, although a little slow, is genuine. I have yet to have a bad meal and the portions are huge. I am obsessed with the pulled pork pizza (dinner only). They also have a great happy hour ($10 for a burger and beer? Yes please!) A substantial cocktail list and a nice ambiance guarentees I will return!
(5)
Rana A.

This was a surprisingly great find, relative to the area (near 2-star hotels and sporting goods stores). The BBQ dishes (Pulled pork sliders and Brisket) were well seasoned & smoked. The entrees like the pot roast and chicken kabobs were moist & flavorful. The ambiance was pleasant and the staff was very friendly. I would recommend this place if you're down in Monterey, away from the wharf, looking for a yummy place to eat, but you don't want to spend a ton of cash.
(4)
Pearl S.

We live in Monterey part-time so we thought we would give this place a try. Right from the start it got off bad....we were seated at a very dinky little table against the wall. We didn't understand why we weren't seated at a better table since they weren't busy. We wanted a drink with dinner but found out to get the happy hour prices you had to sit in the lounge Now what's fair about that? The bus boy appeared at once with bread and butter but the bread was so stale we couldn't eat it. We ordered 2 of the lettuce wedges, it was ok except the lettuce had brown spots. Next we chose to share the sampler plate. It came with a shredded pork slider, and again the bread was very stale. The rest of the meat was just ok. I will not go here again, I gave it 2 stars because our waiter was very nice and efficient and the roasted veggies they served with the meal were wonderful
(2)
Sal B.

Chateaubriand ~ $25 ~ It was a Special, I had it Last Night 1/14/2012,,It Was the Best Ever. Never Had it before Because Some Restaurants Want $40 For it It was Very Tender The Flavor was Great Outstanding I Took My Time With Every Bite Served with Vegetables & Roasted Potatoes
(5)
Doug D.

4 of us ate dinner here. The pizza was pretty good. The chicken fried steak and it was really good. The smoked chicken had no seasoning. The meatloaf was a real disappointment. The worst part was the service which was non existent. We will be staying at the hotel next door for work regularly for a while and everyone said we would not go back. Sorry but not worth the price.
(2)
Veronica P.

There famous pizza was good but the ribs no!. I asked for "well done" babyback ribs and when I got it back is was medium rare :/. they did give me new ones but it was half of what they served me the first time!!!! and not to mention they served me a Bud Light in a broken glass and got a cut on my finger. I give it 3 stars because the waiter was very nice and it was out of his hands on the cooking... would I come again umm prob not. I did mention Yelp and never got an appetizer
(3)
Derek P.

Really friendly staff, great food with a unique taste. portions maybe a bit small, you can see in my picture that the baked potato was extremely small.
(3)
Hymn A.

I have been here three times, twice for lunch and once for dinner. The very first time was a Sunday lunch and I got the brisket. It was quite flavorful and portions were ample. Because of the good first visit, my husband and I went back for dinner within a couple of months and the prices were seemingly much higher, the food was less than flavorful and portions were noticeably less than the groups lunches of the first visit. That was probably 2-years ago, we decided to give it another try for lunch and oh my what a disappointment. I could go into great detail about each of the four different meals, I will not other than to say that, to include the service, the experience was less than hoped. Food-presentation and flavor were all reminiscent of cheap diner food. ..no offense to cheap diners, I enjoy diner food when at one. I am shocked this place is still in business really.
(2)
mark p.

I was traveling solo through Monterey right after New Years. When I checked Yelp, I found out the Cookhouse was near my motel. I sat at the bar and ordered the skirt steak with mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables with a glass of the Villa San-Juliette Cabernet. The cabernet was listed on the menu as the suggested wine for this entree (nice touch). The all natural corn-feed beef steak was very tasty and cooked perfectly. The potatoes were as well. The vegetables were a little on the oily side, but tasty nonetheless. I topped off the dinner with a chocolate mousse topped with blueberries and raspberries, which was delicious. I'm embarrassed to admit I was scraping the side of the dish to get every last bit. The ambiance is warm and inviting and owner Linda Cantrell was friendly and attentive to everyone's needs. When she found out I was a Pinot fan, she poured a sampling of the Downhill Pinot Noir from the Santa Cruz Mountains (good) and the Robert Stemmler Pinot Noir from Carneros (excellent). The wine list focuses on local wineries from Santa Barbara to the Russian River. Linda tells me the wine list will be growing soon, so that will be interesting to follow. I'm looking forward to the next time I'm in town, because the Monterey Cookhouse will be a definite stop for me.
(5)
Bill S.

Ok, it's really at about 4.5, but I rounded up. Appetizer was great (brisket and cheese). Entrees were delivered quickly and perfectly- my wife had chicken skewers, which she liked, and I had the salmon, which was very good. Basically, we loved all the food, although there was a LOT of butter and oil in play- I don't even want to think about the calories. The drinks were reasonably priced. And the service was awesome. Entrees were between 15-20 for dinner. Although they did have some cheaper sandwiches. Highly recommend!
(5)
Evets L.

This place is awsome! We were in Monterey for 10 days,had dinner here 4 of those days.Mmmm The ribeye was the best,the half chicken was yummy! Fantastic desserts. This is our second year staying in seaside,and it was just as good last year, as it was this year. I highly recommend Monterey cookhouse. Although I'm no professional food critic, I eat out alot, because I travel for work.so its really nice to come across a place that has the whole package,nice decor,great food, friendly staff,very fair prices. Keep up the good work Linda!
(5)
julie c.

Excellent service they were very friendly and attentive to our needs. My friend and I were staying at the Lone Oak lodge and this place was really close by. I had the BBQ beef brisket with mash potatoes and veg (5 stars huge portion & yummy the brisket was so tasty and tender with homemade BBQ sauce). My friend had the beef ribs ( 3 stars for a small portion and a little bland) the table next to us had the chicken fried steak and the prime rib special we will come back so want to try those 2 dishes as they looked yummy
(4)
Liz M.

We really enjoyed our dinner here. We were staying just next door at the hotel so it was conveniently located. We went in for a late dinner around 8:30 and seated right away. We mentioned the yelp offer of a free appetizer and chose the calamari. The other free option was the onion rings. Our waiter was so friendly and attentive. I ordered the caesar salad with the wood fired chicken, which was excellent. My husband and sister ordered the brisket, which they said was delicious and cooked perfectly. The prices were very reasonable compared to other restaurants in Monterey. (We had just paid an exorbitant amount of $ for lunch earlier on the wharf.) I would totally recommend this restaurant and definitely will return.
(5)
Paul D.

During our annual bridge tournament trip to Monterey we had several more excellent meals here. The brisket, Ruben, short ribs, sand dabs stood out. I had an excellent calamari appetizer, and my partner did all but lick his plate clean. We had some champagne to celebrate a bridge milestone and were encouraged to take our time and were not rushed out even though we were the last to leave. Service was excellent.
(4)
Kaz A.

Go to the Cook House at least weekly and couple times a month for Breakfast on the weekend.I think the best value on the peninsula for the money. Food is high quality for a low price and customer service is great. Some of my favorites are the skirt stake, beef brisket, pork sliders and corned beef hash for breakfast. They also have a full service bar with happy hour specials and a very reasonable bar menu.
(5)
Brittni G.

Monterey Cookhouse was fabulous! I will defiantly be back! I got the salmon..and I strongly recommend it! The grilled artichoke appetizer was also delicious! They hash have a great bar to watch the game at. Can't wait to go again!
(5)
James S.

Can't cook a burger to save their lives. Also, entrees were finished prior to the appetizer being ready. Waiter chose to let our entrees sit under the hot plate for close to ten minutes before I asked him if that was our food. He told me it "had just come out." Yeah, whatever. The manager/owner promised to pay for our meal but then just paid for the app. Better than nothing, I suppose, but I foresee this place succumbing to its faults. Too bad.
(2)
Collin F.

Short review. Went here while on vacation in Monterey due to it's location and the good reviews on Yelp. We got a free bruschetta appetizer just by mentioning Yelp. I opted for the chicken-fried steak, while the rest of my family got various other items, like the Sand Dabs. Basic low-down is, this place has very good food and excellent service. Even the side items were great (I had mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables). And did I mention the service? Excellent! Our waiter was very friendly and right on top of things. I would definitely want to go back and try some of their other wonderful food fare again, like make the wood-fired pizza. It is a little hard to see, although the location is right on Fremont Street. The parking is a little narrow and cramped, as is the restaurant to some extent, but we got their early enough it was not as big of a deal as if we had arrived after 6 PM.
(4)
Stephen H.

The staff was friendly and fast. The drinks were strong. We received a free calamari appetizer when we checked in on yelp. We also ordered the artichoke appetizer which I strongly recommend. I had the skirt steak which was tender and juicy. The mashed potatoes were flavorful and the seasonal vegetables were firm yet tender. I will definitely be back when I'm in the area again. Cheers!
(4)
Jeremiah B.

And so in goes another attempt to make this place a success. Monterey Joe's then Point Joe's and now Monterey Smokehouse. Welp, as one would expect it's BBQ, but they're also employing the pizza oven and since they have pizza, other Italian fare as well. Went in for lunch and had smoked turkey sandwich w/slaw. The meat was piled high, however it didn't much taste like it came out of a smoker. Also, the sliced wholewheat was hardly sandwich bread. The slaw was awesome and lots of Beaver brand mustard to go around. The mustard did tip the hat to quality. As a postscript on the menu, they profess local and sustainable purchasing practices. A plus, however that seems to the soup de jour nowadays. Let's see if the local and touristo community can sustain them.
(3)
Matt M.

So went to the cookhouse because its closer to home than Crown and Anchor and we where tired. You step inside and the decor says slightly upscale, but all the waiters are wearing denim. The guy who helped us recommended I stay away from the special pork chop by telling me it was dry in the most diplomatic way he could. So I went for the chicken, and the girl had the pulled pork sliders. The chicken turned out to be greasy and flavorless. Not sure what the hell they marinated it in, but water dosnt count. So I didnt finish it. The sliders where a little better, and we finished off those between the two of us. Pretty underwhelming overall. It seems that the Cookhouse caters to folks staying in one of the Hotels on Fremont who are just to tired to go out in town and find something better. For the price of the meal, skip the Cookhouse and go to Crown and Anchor.
(2)
BJ T.

I started going to the Monterey Cookhouse at Happy Hour (4 - 6 pm) to take advantage of the good deals for food and bar drinks but now go as often for their wonderful full meals and a great dessert made of poached pears (awesome). They recently got a new chef who added new dishes but eliminated one of my favorite happy hour dishes; however, not to worry - she now makes them a different way and keeps a few on hand for me whenever I come in. The service is fabulous and the wait and bar staff all remember me and work hard to please. Atmosphere and service are as good as the food and it is now one of my favorite places....for someone who eats out for most meals, that's as good as it gets!
(5)
J R.

For a place that specializes in smoked meats, they do a pretty darn good job with the vegetarian options. Gf & I dropped in for lunch on Saturday & were happy to see that they also had a number of breakfast options available. I was sorry to learn that pizza was only served at dinner, but we made do. She ordered the veggie omelette, I the Veggie Sandwich ($7.95), made up of Grilled Portabella, Sweet Bell Peppers & Onions on Franchesse Bread. It also had a bit of pesto sauce, and came with a side of fries. Some cheese (for protein) would have been nice. Service was excellent. I'm anxious to go back for dinner & try their wood-fired pizza!
(4)
Melissa G.

This place was pretty good. We got the brisket appetizer and it was so good. My husband got the beef ribs and they were tender and the sauce was delicious. I ordered the pulled pork sliders, not so great. I was disappointed. But luckily I wasn't that hungry by then.
(4)
Dan C.

One of the finest restaurants I have been to. The cuisine is outstanding and so well-prepared. Great people working there as well.
(5)

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Address : 2149 Fremont St
Monterey, CA, 93940
Phone (831) 642-9900
Website https://www.montereycookhouse.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :4:00 pm - 9:3
Mon : 4:00 pm - 9:3

Specialities

Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes

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Pizza

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Monterey Cookhouse

2149 Fremont St, Monterey, CA, 93940

Monterey Cookhouse Menu

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