The food tastes like it came from a factory
You'd better go for the wine, because the food is mundane and tastes like it is cooked in the same deep fryer for a month at a time. The fried calamari is dipped in some mystery batter and then deep fried to the point of tasting like yesterday's donuts. It comes with something called "calamari puffs" that need to be avoided at all costs. The sand dabs were served in a pile and covered with a greasy garlic butter/oil that made the whole dish taste more like catfish. Between four dinners and many salads and appetizers, we could not find one dish to recommend. The entire experience was overrated and overpriced. The only interesting note was the huge portion of food on each plate that must draw the big eaters from Des Moines. However, the wine list is impressive and the wine steward is delightful. He will find a hidden gem in the cellar for you if you are interested and appreciative. As for the rest of the staff, they will treat you like a walking wallet while their Disneyland costumes waltz around the boring decor. Gone is the old interesting red leather, and in its place is nothing to notice.    [26 Feb 2000 23:47:07]

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     ­Jim   jim_wats at hotmail dot com

Assembly line food...
I must have been at the restaurant the same night as the first reviewer. On balance, nearly everything about the place is average. Average decor, average menu, average service, and even average valet parking. (We had to park ourselves; an omen of the evening...)
The only thing out of the ordinary were the portions served. The owner clearly thinks that "bigger is better", because there was enough food on every plate to serve world-class appetites -- which was too bad, since the quality of the food was nearly third-world.
Some large folks a couple of tables near us seemed to be having a grand old time, so the place must to cater to people who either can't spell "exercise" or belong to a church forbidding its practice.
Fortunately, we were dining with good friends who were possessed with even greater senses of humor, and the martinis were as oversized as the appetizer plates.    [15 Jun 2000 05:44:48]

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     ­hth   

High $$$ Olive Garden!
My wife and I were on a mission to try the best food Monterey had to offer during our short 5 day stay, and made reservations for dinner at the Sardine Factory prior to our visit.

We had already enjoyed very good meals at a couple of other Cannery Row area restaurants on the days preceding our evening at the Sardine Factory, and were looking forward to an outstanding dining experience. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

The Sardine Factory is apparently cruising on the reputation of some long past period of quality. Our experience was substandard at best, in terms of hospitality, service, and most importantly, the food.

My wife and I were pleased by the incredible wine list, and proceeded to order a sentimental favorite.

As an appetizer we ordered the calamari (a well-known specialty of Monterey Bay restaurants) and raw oysters. The wine and large, fresh oysters were the best part of the meal. The calamari appeared to be of the frozen food isle variety; the pieces were overly breaded and fried just short of being burned, resulting in tough and chewy squid.

The bad calamari was sent back, and we were subsequently served by the bus boy for the rest of the evening; our waiter remained in hiding for reasons unknown, as our calamari rejection was quite civil.

I should mention that the Sardine Factory looks a lot like it could be a restaurant set for a Soprano's episode, so maybe the waiter thought I was considering having him whacked for serving me substandard squid.

My wife ordered a $50 seafood entree called "Sardine Factory's Tasting Plate" which was the typical mediocre, drowned in butter, overly sauced fare one would expect to find at a local Red Lobster or Olive Garden for under $20.

I had the $38 "Cannery Row Cioppino" with Barilla Brand Linguine, which was fine, other than the fact that they plopped the linguine in the soup, rather than in a dish on the side, which resulted in mushy pasta.

We didn't bother with desert at the Canned Fish Factory.

Go for the wine list, but order something light, and make dinner reservations elsewhere!    [18 Oct 2006 23:19:17]

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Recommended Dishes: Fresh Oysters

     ­Jet Pilot   

Everyone Else's Review Is a Joke
I doubt they actually showed up to the Sardine Factory. They (other reviewers) probably set foot in a restaurant nearby that appeared to be, but was not, the Sardine Factory.

The food and wine are spectacular. The staff waits on you hand and foot with a cheerful and upbeat attitude. An overall splendid, high-class dinner.    [22 Jul 2007 17:55:15]

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     ­Food God   

Did Everything Right
Friendly staff. No pretensions, just honest restaurant with fine wine list, great food, served properly.    [08 Aug 2007 00:24:36]

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     ­Oregon visitor