We had an incredible booth with a gorgeous view. We tried many things from the menu, hoping to have an excellent seafood dinner, but found those items to be average. The one outstanding dish was the Brussel Sprouts! They are a must try! $5 is well worth it-- served with toasted almonds-- they are perfect in every way!
Review Source:Ugh, take me back here! This place is absolutely incredible and magical! Hubby and I went here a couple weeks ago when visiting Monterey for a mini getaway. The restaurant is right inside of the Monterey Plaza Hotel and Spa. We went here for dinner and asked for a seat outside, as their patio overlooks the ocean. Before the hostess took us there, she asked if we wanted any blankets, which I agreed I did since it was chilly outside. I was impressed by this gesture! She grabbed the blankets and ushered us outside to the deck and seated us at a table that was right on the edge, with a perfect ocean view. It was so peaceful waiting for dinner, just listening and washing the waves wash along the shore. There were large towers hovering above us, too, with fire blazing and dancing inside, which also helped keep us warm.
Before ordering, we asked our waiter a few questions about some menu items that caught our eye and he was very knowledgeable. He was also extremely nice! We ordered their roasted whole stuffed lobster -- spiced shrimp and scallop Peruvian mole, which was to die for! The meat was so succulent and sweet. We devoured it all. For the price, $47, you really don't get an awful lot but we expected that since seafood, especially lobster, is always expensive. We then ordered wood baked oysters which had baby spinach, lemon, garlic, and bacon butter inside. The price was much more reasonable, $8, and we got 4 oysters but I didn't like how there wasn't too much meat (I guess that's to be expected with regular sized oysters, though.)
The entire time, the waiter came back to the table to make sure we had everything we needed and kept refiling our cups. He definitely followed the "half empty" rule where he always made sure to refill our drinks before it reached the half empty mark. Â
We loved this place so much, that we went back for breakfast the next morning. By then, my husband's and mine's phrase for this place was, "You can't be mad!" because they just don't give you a reason to be mad. Their service is phenomenal. I've never experienced customer service better than theirs. Every employee has obviously been trained to treat customers with the utmost respect and courtesy. They just make you feel at home here! We loved it, especially since this was our first experience at Monterey! So, we came here for breakfast in the early morning and sat inside this time, since it was way too cold to be seated outside. I ordered their grilled shrimp scramble that came with green onions and Monterey Jack cheese; it came with cheese naan bread, too, which I passed on. I also ordered their mango and papaya with limes and berries fruit bowl. Hubby ordered their broiled New York steak that came with two eggs. Get ready:
OMG. My breakfast was was INCREDIBLE. I'm not a huge egg fan, especially at restaurants since they seem to use that fake egg stuff, but these eggs were out of this world! Totally creamy and gooey with that melted Monterey Jack cheese, not to mention they sure as heck didn't go skimpy with the shrimp -- it was to die for! I couldn't finish my plate! Also, they used REAL eggs! My husband also loved his breakfast! As for the fruit, that was delish, too. I loved how they weren't skimpy with the mango!
We left this place, on both occasions, as extremely happy customers. I give this place my highest recommendation! Believe me, you can't be mad when coming here. It's just not possible!
Did my research before going to Monterey and since I was only on an overnight trip, I wanted to make my one dinner there a good one!
My boyfriend and I came here for a 630 PM dinner and were able to get an elevated booth that had killer views. I ordered the "Patio Boss" cocktail (w/tequila), a burrata salad and Halibut while he had a martini, oysters, and the braised short ribs... heaven, I tell you. I don't know if we really got lucky but all of our food was excellent, our water kept getting re-filled automatically, and somebody was constantly checking up on us (which we didn't mind at all).
It was really an overall great experience because it wasn't just about the food, but also about the service and the ambiance of the restaurant -- so even though it's a little pricey, you really get what you paid for and I thought it was all worth it. I will definitely be returning whenever I come back to Monterey.
Our waiter Zyad was awesome! He was super friendly, personable and professional, great listener, attentive and never said no to us. His associate Jordan was also top notch in all of the above qualities. We spent $470 (not including tip) for four people with schooner loads of appetizers including two dozens of oysters, a couple of different entrées including the stuffed lobster with shrimp and Go Fish for two as an entree, two bottles of $45 speaking cuvée wine from Russian Valley, CA and tons of cocktails and a couple of premium tequila shots.
Great experience for our second of seven day California coast trip from SF to SD but maybe a bit overpriced for casual dining.
Wife and I went this past Friday. View of the ocean was excellent and we could see some seals in the water even though the weather was pretty lousy. We ordered the clam chowder and artichoke chowder. Their chowder isn't thick and so a bit surprising at first, but both were amazing. For dinner, I had the swordfish and it was grilled perfectly. My wife had the filet, she is prego and thus needs her meat well done. We had to send it back not once but twice because it was still rare in the middle. This is what knocked down from five stars, but staff was very apologetic and understanding in getting it right.
Review Source:Came here on a Friday evening with my boyfriend for dinner and it was super nice! Â We were seated immediately since we had a reservation and if it wasn't so dark we would have had a great view of the ocean. Â Moving on, there was a waiter nearby at all times to refill our drinks and our bread plate. Â Our waiter was also very nice and helpful and was able to get me a glass of moscato since it wasn't on the drink menu. Â Our dinner was delicious and very filling, we both had steaks. Â Since we love dessert, we had to order the brownie which was really good! Â This place is a bit pricey but you definitely get what you pay for. Â I will definitely be back! :)
Review Source:Year after year my wife and I travel to Monterey, and follow a very pleasurable routine involving staying at the Monterey Plaza and dining, at least a few times during our stay, at Schooner's Coastal Kitchen & Bar. And "Coastal" it is. There's no denying it: the view from the restaurant is of such beauty, that the food could be mediocre (it isn't) and the place would still do well.
The dinner menu is generally well though out. Chefs James Waller and Gonzalo Sanchez make good use of the wealth of local farms at their disposal, and the menu seems to reflect what's fresh and in season.
Our server Nickolas was professional, courteous and knowledgable, which is always a good start. The wine selection is reasonably good, and I regret not having taken advantage of it, as my Mojito was not particularly well made, although it was satisfactory. I ordered oysters on the half shell as an appetizer, and was a little disappointed to find that they were not shucked with proper care - the liquor was all but gone. Mind you, the oysters were of good quality, which makes the lack of expert shucking all the more unfortunate.
Nevertheless, hope springs eternal, and the Roasted Stuffed Whole Lobster with Spiced Shrimp and Scallop Peruvian Mole just called out to me. Fortunately, this time I made the right call. While the lobster was cooked perfectly, the stuffing was the star of the dish! Eating lobster prepared in this way is never a trivial affair, and the experience, coupled with the panoramic view of Monterey Bay, was hard to beat.
In the spirit of fairness, in case that what I have thus far written does not make it obvious, I have to offer the following disclaimer: If this restaurant were to be judged by the food alone, it would merit something closer to 3 stars. While the Chefs are talented and professional, there is an inconsistency from day to day (we have eaten at Schooner's many times) that would make the highest ratings *based solely on food quality* all but impossible for me to offer. On a good night, with Chef Gonzalo at the helm, the place will operate at a 4-star level. On other occasions, well, not so much. But I still give Schooner's an *overall* rating of 4 stars. Consider it a composite rating if you will. The charm of the place, its incredible views, quality of service and generally well prepared offerings, lift it to that rating.
My wife is vegan, and her experience at Schooner's from a vegan's perspective can be found at:
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fthevalleyvegan.com%2F2013%2F07%2F01%2Fpacific-coast-highway-adventure%2F&s=c382e56d0f1196ac0725b44b5aee066add678e98b0cb92579e9be990da8b1fe1" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://thevalleyvegan.co…</a>
While in Monterey, make a little time and visit Schooner's. Order a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy what has to be one of the finest views of any restaurant anywhere.
The only reason I'm giving this place a 3 and not a 4 or 5 (like it could have been) is because of the lack of attention our server gave us, and the restaurant was not even busy... Bright side, Anna is the BEST bartender in the county!
Had lunch here with a dear friend. We were seated promptly by the nice hostess by the patio, it was such a beautiful day and the view is FANTASTIC! Our server came over and introduced himself and took our drink order. As I mentioned earlier, the restaurant was not very busy and there were plenty of servers and bussers moving around, so I don't understand how a water and cranberry juice took almost 10 minutes to be delivered to our table. Upon returning to our table, we placed our order. I ordered the mediterranean salad and my friend ordered the caesar with grilled shrimp.
Our order took 25 minutes to be brought to our table, and my friend's caesar had to be sent back because they didn't follow through on a simple request she made for the shrimp (no flour because she is gluten sensitive).
On the bright side, my salad was DELICIOUS and bigger than I thought! It hada little bit of spring mix in the middle topped with tabbouleh, with sides of kalamata olives, hummus, half of a grilled artichoke, feta cheese, and fresh pita bread. It was absolutely divine and filling!
I would have understood if the restaurant was crazy busy and the servers and bussers were hustling to keep up. But from what I observed, they all stood around and talked to each other or chilled by the bar talking. I saw that there were other tables around us who were getting impatient as well, so I knew I wasn't the only one who felt and saw the lack of service.
I want to come back badly, and hopefully when I do, the service is better and more attentive.
Stayed at the hotel during an out of town trip for the 4th. Â The place is amazing, you feel like you are in this tropical place, but you are actually in Monterey! Â Whether you get a seat with a view inside or sit on the deck outside you can't beat this place on that level. Â
Drinks/Bar: Â My husband and I just had drinks at the bar on the 4th, and they were amazing! Â Nice cocktail menu and options to choose from. Â I had a pineapple, rum pomegranate drink and the husband had a old fashioned. Â Bartenders were nice, and easy to chat it up with. Â We were there around 10pm so it was winding down a bit and not too busy. Â This the only bar though so I could see it being a bit challenging on a crazy busy night. Â Thumbs up for sure! Â Prices for the cocktails were reasonable as well. Â
Food: Â We had breakfast there the following morning with my parents. Â Sat quickly, had a view which was great (even when cloudy out). Â It took a bit of time for the server to come over maybe 5 minutes or so...ordered coffee's and juice. Â Breakfast was yummy! Â Eggs, nice golden crispy hashbrowns, homemade sausage and really good wheat toast. My husband got an omelet and said it was one of the best he had ever had! Â Breakfast did take a while so if you are super hungry and want to eat quickly you may want to consider something else. Â
Service: Â Bartenders are great!. Â Breakfast was alright, a little slow to approach the table but it was breakfast and pretty simple. Â
Price: Â Average check price for an individual for breakfast will run you around $15-$20 including coffee.
I would recommend this place even if you are not staying at the hotel. Â Whether you are sitting on the deck and sipping on a tasty libation or enjoying a 3 course meal inside while viewing the sunset makes this the place to be!
Where am I? The Caribbean? Mexico? San Diego? Del Ray Beach? Oh yeah... Monterey! I LOVE it when an establishment has this affect on me! Dining on the outdoor patio of Schooners on a warm sunny day, overlooking the rocky ocean waves, and beautiful architecture of the attached hotel, may very well give you the same feeling. Displacement away from the busy-ness of life and on to a mellow, relaxed state of mind elsewhere!
Schooner's is just about a quarter mile down the road from all the shops at Cannery Row. If you've never been, you have to go through the lobby of the Monterey Plaza Hotel and down the stairs to the left.
I absolutely love the atmosphere, the service and the incredible views here! The food was descent as well... We wanted to keep it light, because we had lots of wine tasting ahead of us... Â
We ordered
A glass of the August West, Pinot Noir, Santa Lucia Highlands 2011-- Â and
~the Roasted Artichoke with garlic parmesan crust, basil aioli along with
~the Mediterranean Vegetable Medley with hummus, artichoke, asparagus, portobello mushroom, olives, feta cheese, grilled gluten free bread (usually comes with regular naan).
All were tasty. The hummus was very heavy in garlic, but you could tell it was freshly made and enjoyed every bite of it! Luckily, the two of us indulged in the hummus, so the bad breath situation was entirelly cancelled out.
If I were a local, Schooner's would quickly become one of my favorite spots. Classy joint, yet beachy, laid back ambiance. Love it!
Amazing experience. We ate 3 times at Schooners (once at lunch) and found the food and service excellent. The views are pretty spectacular as well. Try the "Angry Prawns". Special thanks to our server Roland, who made the entire experience that much better. Great food. Wonderful service and better prices than some of the other upscale restaurants in the area.
Review Source:We came here for breakfast on Monday and left satisfied. The views are incredible. I couldn't stop looking out toward the ocean! There was a ton of sea life activity that was distracting from the food.
The menu was simple yet had quite a lineup of delicious looking options that were hard to narrow down and choose just one meal from. I ended up getting the ham, cheese and green onion omelette and asked for a side of berries to start with and my boyfriend got the huevos rancheros. The berries were fresh and the omelette was so delicious I finished the entire thing. The huevos were apparently really good because my boyfriend practically licked his plate clean.
Service was friendly and on point and although the hostess seemed like she hated her job, I'll give her a pass since it was early on a Monday morning and I know how it feels to have a case of the Mondays.
Stayed at the hotel here and found Schooners to be a nice place for a nightcap and breakfast. I enjoyed some nice local Pinot Noirs in the bar one evening. The bartender recommended his favorite. Breakfast was impressive and enjoyed. The healthy omelet option was very good, service top notch and prices lower than expected.
Review Source:Love the creative menu. Their own version of Clam Chowder, which is made fresh, broth based and fresh clams, is surprisingly tasty. We loved the "Angry Prawns" and we also had their local fish special for the night. Everything was excellent. To top our experience, our waitress, Sadra, provided excellent service with a very cheerful manner. Overall, we loved this place and will eat there again next time we are in town.
This place actually has 2 sides, one side is more casual and the other side is more tradition dining. Menu are slightly different but both are very good.
I expected far more given the top rated hotel and the menu prices. Â The 6 oysters on the half shell for $14 could be the opening lines to a joke. Â They were tiny snippets of flavorless flesh. Â (By contrast, 6 grilled oysters at the Monterrey Fish House are humongous and tasty. Â So filling i had to take my entree home because I was already satisfied...and I'm a 250 # guy who loves to eat!)
Schooner's entrees--the ones we ordered anyway--would have been more than acceptable if you are at an upscale coffee shop. Â Is Schooner's a Four Star Restaurant? Â I'm not persuaded.
I guess I expected too much, with the "four star reviews" trumpeted by the check-in staff at the hotel. Â Quality wise, it's a coffee shop at a Marriott. Â Not bad, perfectly adequate food, but calling this fine dining is, uhm, entirely optimistic. Â The taco shop stuck in the corner of the parking structure across the street has better food.
Review Source:This restaurant was in our hotel. Â We really enjoyed the food here. Â The meal started with warm bread and butter. Â I had the baby beet salad; it was fresh with tomatoes and beats served with the house vinaigrette. Â My husband had the chowder and was happy with it. Â We ordered the special seafood platter with king crab legs, swordfish, scallops and prawns. Â This was marvelous and just the right amount for both of us. Â For dessert I tried the apple fritter bread pudding and my husband had the chocolate cake. Â Also the service was great and our waiter was knowledgeable. Â It was great. Â We will be back.
Review Source:I just went here for my first time this past weekend for father's day. We were a party of about 8 and they were able to seat us almost immediately for dinner. The location is just about as good as it gets, the restaurant is outside and is seriously right on the water so the view is perfect. It was a little chilly, so our server Nick immediately brought a heat lamp next to us AND brought each of us blankets! Talk about going over and beyond, I can definitely say that I was impressed. The food was great and the bloody mary that I ordered was even better. I must say that the service here was one of the best that I have ever had, the staff was very attentive and one of our servers even brought was for our dog! 5-stars for sureeee
Review Source:06/08/13. With all of the 4-5 star reviews and all of the comments about how amazing this restaurant is, I was definitely disappointed. For the prices on this menu, it was not worth it. We made reservations and showed up an hour early which didn't seem to be a problem. The Asian lady in the front (hostess I'm assuming) was not too friendly for an upscale restaurant. We sat by the window for the view but we were not able to see the sunset because of the location which was not to big of an issue.
They took a while to take our order. My bf ordered the New York Steak which was very bland. Not what we expected a 4 star restaurant to taste like. I ordered the Scallops, shrimp and clams with lobster sauce pasta. I was expecting it to be good because I'm a pasta and shrimp fan but it was just okay. I actually didn't finish it which is rare for me to not finish my food. I had to shove a bunch of bread down my throat to get rid of the weird lobster sauce.
Our server was Nicolas and he wasn't the best server. He hardly checked up on us because I needed a refill on water 2-3 times and I constantly had to look over my shoulders to see where he was at so another server came by to refill my water. He also didn't provide us with the complimentary bread so another server did because there were other guests that sat after us and already received their bread.
Overall, we were very disappointed because we were celebrating our 2 year anniversary. Â We will not be returning to this place when we're in Monterey, Â neither do we recommend this place. I don't think it deserves all of the stars that it currently has.
It's a little confusing to find the entrance to Schooner's, but eventually you'll get there. They have a great patio right next to the water. It gets a little chilly at night, but the outdoor heaters fix that problem nicely. It was a perfect sunset view, and it was fun to watch the otters playing in the surf.
We started with the baked crab fondido as an appetizer, which was kind of like crab fondue. It took an exceptionally long time to come out. The fondido was a little runny, but very tasty. They don't give you near enough crackers for it though. The best part was the shrimp soaking in the middle of the bowl.
For my entree, I got the grilled swordfish. The description included the phrase "Monterey Provence," but the waiter couldn't give me any definitive answer as to what it meant. The plating was beautiful, with a broken olive tapenade scattered around the edges. Every bit of it was delicious and very fresh. The swordfish steak was grilled perfectly, and the char gave it a nice flavor. It was also served with roasted potatoes, which weren't listed on the menu, but I happily scarfed them down. The olive tapenade was great with the char of the fish.
Our waiter seemed fairly useless. Another server brought both our appetizer and our entrees. A second cleared our plates. A third brought our check. I really wanted to leave a decent tip based on the attentiveness of the other servers, but I knew it would all go to our terrible waiter, so 11% was all I could force myself to give.
Within walking distance of the Aquarium, Schooners Coastal Kitchen offers an unbeatable combination; great water view, interesting menu, tasty food, good drinks, personable service, & casual (yet upscale) environment.
Reservations recommended, especially for an outside table. Even if last minute, call to make a reservation because then you'll know how much time you can spend popping in and out of the little shops along the way.
Not hungry? Go for a cocktail (excellent bloody mary's!) and a bowl of their home-made potato chips. Relax, and enjoy the waterfront view!
I have ALWAYS been impressed with Schooners Coastal Kitchen.
This is right from the very first time I went which was during their experimental opening days.
Back in my Monterey for the weekend, my love and I having remembered a wonderful meal that we enjoyed
in early dating days decided to dine there.
Right from greeting to seating to eating, everything is impeccable. Â I wish that I remembered the names of the host and
our server (this was Sunday evening 5.19) were very kind without being over the top.
Schooners has a decent half bottle selection - I picked something my boyfriend seemed to enjoy.
I ordered the filet and he the halibut. Â He adored his and although mine was tasty it was so salty that
I really didn't eat anymore than a bite. Â No worries though - he finished it off for me. Â They were super nice
in accommodating my dietary restrictions - and I use this term very loosely as they are so much dietary restrictions
as just that I am extremely picky. Â Hats off also to the sweet food runner Terrance who was extremely helpful.
My husband and I wanted a weekend away from the city (San Francisco) and decided to head to Monterey for the weekend. We found positive reviews on both Trip Advisor and Yelp and decided to give Schooners a try... despite some of the locals trying to persuade us to other restaurants (with their coupons for a free appetizer referral card, of course).
Our waiter Nikolas was amazing - super personable, gave great recommendations, shared plenty of home cooking tips and overall took great care of us.
The food was fantastic as well. My husband started with the Angry Prawns, which by the end he licked the plate clean and simply wanted a bottle of the Angry Sauce to pour on everything. I had the artichoke chowder... when it came out it was thinner than I expected (more soup than chowder), but WOW! The flavor was such an intense artichoke taste, and was hands down one of the best soups I've ever had. Our entrees were great as well - halibut with bacon vinaigrette and chicken with fennel and lemon.
The reason for 4/5 stars is due to the bar. We orders a round of cocktails which were pretty bad. We ordered from the bar initially and took our drinks to the table. Nikolas was great and replaced my husband's, however the replacement drink wasn't much better. Thankfully the wine list was good, and the overall experience made up for them.
Definitely check it out for an intimate dinner with wonderful views, service & food!
The ambiance almost makes up for the bad cocktails and food. It's cool to sit outside on the water and listen to the waves crash. Though there's not much of a view and the heat lamps aren't that strong.
I had the lavender skies martini (pearl plum vodka, lavender elixir liquor, plum bitters). It sounds nice but in reality tastes like my childhood cough syrup. Ick.
Since I already had average clam chowder at the pier I just shared a lobster mac n cheese and side of roasted brussel sprouts. The lobster mac n cheese was gritty and extremely fishy tasting. It's like they used bad lobster juice to flavor the pasta (I assume there's such a thing, you know, like clam juice). The roasted brussel sprouts were roasted in name only. They were only steamed/boiled and not browned at all. They had that kind of bad brussel sprouts flavor that you get when they're overcooked - smelly cabbagey.
I find it hard to believe this is one of the best restaurants on Cannery Row according to Yelp. Â I won't go so far as to say the food we ate here was mediocre, but it most certainly wasn't the Monterey seafood experience I was hoping for. Â Â First of all, service was very nice but they committed the cardinal sin of forgetting my son's order even though we ordered it immediately when we sat down.
Their oyster platter was nice, but nothing spectacular by any means. Â Their lobster Mac & Cheese was so sad and pathetic... I don't see how that even qualifies as Mac & Cheese. Â Â My wife's scallops were ok, but certainly not great. Â All in all we didn't really feel like our dining experience here came close to the rave reviews Yelp is lavishing upon Schooners. Â Perhaps we just came at a bad time? Â Who knows...
Just wrapped up a long Easter weekend in Monterey full of fun and one horrible experience at Schooner's.
We chose Schooner's because we were staying at the Intercontinental and wanted to try something within walking distance.
From the moment we sat down we should have known how this was going to go. We had a large party (11 of us which included 3 kids) so we were seated for dinner on the patio outside. Absolutely gorgeous view of the water!! Â It was a little breezy - definitely not full-on windy so we felt and saw little pieces of "stuff" falling down on us from above. It was dropping in our hair, on our menus, in our water, on our bread......we ended up asking the waiter what it was and he casually said it was dirt falling down on us from the walkway above our table. Hmmmmm....okaaaaay. Yum!
Clam chowder was the worst I've ever had-it was water thin ....almost like a cream water with chunks of potatoes dumped in.
The shishito pepper appetizer was the best thing placed on the table that night by far.
I ordered the half order of pasta with shrimp and scallops. When it arrived it was gigantic so I clarified with the waiter that I had ordered the half size. He said I ordered the full. My tablemates chimed in that they had heard me order the half but it didn't dissuade him. I know I could easily have made an error in ordering but if I ordered the peppers AND the chowder there was no way I could have said that I also wanted a full order of pasta but oh well.
This pasta was literally inedible. It smelled sooooo fishy the second it was placed in front of me. The scallops were fine but the shrimp were literally disgusting. And the fishy taste permeated the entire sauce/meal so I couldn't eat it at all. I had two other people taste it to make sure I wasn't crazy.
Two others ordered the sole which they said was "weird" and plain over-cooked. Â Again, inedible.
I'm not going to go on and on but nobody liked their meal and for the price, it was an absolutely horrible dining experience from top to bottom.
I ate here twice during my recent stay at the Plaza and was very impressed. We stopped in for a quick late lunch and spit the seafood platter. The oysters were mild and fresh. The crab, shrimp, scallops, and clams were cooked to perfection, tender and juicy.
We were so impressed we came back for dinner later that night. I got the trio of angry shrimp, artichoke crab, and seared ahi. The angry shrimp had the perfect kick and the seared ahi cut like a perfectly buttery filet mignon. I added a side of the potatoes in duck fat(genius!) and artichoke hearts.
It's a pricey restaurant but I definitely felt it was worth the splurge. The location allows you full ocean views from almost every seat. Â It was chilly that day, but the patio eating looked wonderful, too. The interior is warm and rich.
Schooners will be a definite stop on my next Monterey trip.
I'd been here before and remembered a great experience. Â Yesterday was not the case. Â It started when we checked to see if we could bring a dog with us. Â We wanted to sit outside and noticed other dogs in the hotel. Â The hostess told us no - so Bandit went back to the car. Â While we were sitting there 2 other tables brought their dogs in, walking right in front of the same hostess who had denied us earlier. Â
The service was horrible. Â The staff seemed more intent gossiping with each other than doing their jobs. Â We had to request water and our drinks multiple times but watched the bartenders chat with each other. Â
Our appetizer was taken off the table before we were done eating it, my plate was cleared as I was still taking food from it and they offered the bill before we were done eating. Â On top of the horrible service, the food was poorly cooked. Â My medium burger was a hockey puck. Â
I will NEVER go there again and wish we could get our Easter dinner again.
I'm staying at the hotel right above this restaurant and the things I've tried are little neck clams, lobster special, and the filet mignon with angry prawns.
The atmosphere is very nice and somewhat romantic in a way and the view was wonderful even though it was getting dark outside. The service should be better and more professional since we are paying a lot for an expensive dinner. The server that took our order didn't really seem like he knew much about the food and sort of stuttered and blanked out when telling us about the food so it was a little awkward. Wasn't really a big deal but I was kind of shocked since he should know about the food.
Any ways, we ordered our food and our appetizer did not come out until 30-45 minutes later.. it took FOREVER to come out! The little neck clams were delicious and very fresh; the garlic, lemon and white wine sauce paired perfectly with the clams! After we were done with the appetizer, we were playing the waiting game again for another 30 minutes until our entrees finally came out. I don't understand why it would take so long when it wasn't that busy that night. The filet mignon was absolutely tender and delicious. I loved how the angry prawns were tangy with a garlic kick, something I would recommend getting if anybody were to eat here. The lobster special really wasn't all that special, mediocre lobster that was a little rubbery than I'm used to..
Overall our experience here was mediocre, wish I could give more stars for service.
The first two times that I went here, I was ready to give a five star review. Â The first two times that I was there with my family, we had Beef Wellington (a special for the holidays) and a ribeye. Â On the fist visit, the beef was so phenomenal, that I wanted to find out who the supplier was so that I could experience such great meat without having to travel to Monterey. Â My husband said that his ribeye was one of the best steaks he'd had at a restaurant (this is huge, because he's quite a meat-eater). Â
I was excited to go back to celebrate my son's birthday and show off this great restaurant to my parents who were visiting from Michigan. Â My son requested that we go here because he loved eating some of the adult food (namely the beef) when we were there last in December. Â If I was only reviewing the two ribeye steaks that we ordered, this would be a one star review. Â Because we really enjoyed the clams and poke appetizers, I am going to give this a two star review. Â Our waiter (Zyad) was also quite attentive as were the other staff members. Â
The steaks on this trip were almost inedible. Â There was no possible way to separate the meat from the ridiculous amount of fat and gristle that was everywhere in this meat. Â The texture was horrible and it was even difficult to cut through with a steak knife with everything running throughout the steak .Even my son, who eats anything that you put on his fork, said that it tasted good, but he had to keep taking gristle and fat out of his mouth because he couldn't swallow it and hid it behind his vegetables. Â It was unpleasant.
The garlic mashed potatoes were wonderful as were the veggies. Â Given that we came specifically for the beef, it was still quite a letdown, and a bit embarrassing since we built this place up so much for my parent's visit. Â We also drove all the way from San Jose JUST for this dinner. Â We spent a lot of money to have a great steak experience and it was horrible. Â They need to go back to their old meat supplier that they were using back in December, because this was probably the worst steak I have ever gotten at a restaurant. Â For $34, I expected much better. Â This restaurant has an amazing view and very attentive wait staff, but there is no excuse for steaks like this at a restaurant of this caliber.
My husband is currently deployed and in Afghanistan. Â Whenever I hear from him, he talks about how he cannot wait to come back here and have another great steak as one of his first meals. Â He will not be happy at all when I have to break it to him that his dream steak was something of an enigma. Â So disappointed.
Update:
What a difference a server can make...
My wife and I couldn't wait to return to Schooners for the delicious clam chowder. Last time we were blown away by the terrific food and service.
This time our waitress was Melissa... At least I think it was. After taking our order, we hardly ever saw her again. Well, that's not true, we saw her, chatting at the bar with the female bartender almost the entire time we were there.
We tried to get her attention a couple of times, to no avail. When we wanted bread and butter, drink refills or a plate like everyone else, we had to finally flag down the poor overworked busboy. I really felt bad for the guy.... he was running his butt off going table to table while Melissa laughed and told stories at the bar.
Lousy service (except for the busboy.) Chowder is still awesome, though.
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