Location: Seaside
Top Restaurants in Seaside
Top 10 restaurants in Seaside, United States
Seaside (formerly East Monterey) is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, with a population of 33,025 as of the 2010 census. Seaside is located 2.25 miles (3.6 km) east-northeast of Monterey, at an elevation of 33 feet (10 m). Seaside is the home of California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) and the Monterey College of Law, which are located on the site of the former military base Fort Ord. There you will find the Bayonet and Black Horse golf courses, once also part of the Fort Ord military base, now open to the public, and host to PGA Tour events, including the 2012 PGA Professional National Championship. Seaside is also the gateway to the Fort Ord National Monument Park, created on April 20, 2012. It has a rich history, diverse habitat, bountiful recreation opportunities, and helps protect and manage 83 miles of trails and over 44 species of plants and animals.
Things to do in Seaside
1. Breakfast Club
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 215 reviews
Reviewed By ducklakedaniel - Olympia, Washington
On vacation and wanting that “treat” of going out for breakfast then seeing how highly rate this place was (as in lines out the door popular) we had to see what all the fuss was about.
Pros- Breakfast done right. Oh Nelly! Did these folks find a formula and stick to it. Everyone in the place (including the staff) appeared genuinely happy to be there. There is something for everyone on the menu. It comes to you in true diner style (fast, hot and with a side of sunshine). You can be traditional or dive into indulgence…just too much yum! The price point seemed just right considering portions and how you could do sides pretty much ala carte and put together your own combo. Like so many other places it seems today, we could have easily split one dish and been satisfied.
Cons-We had a hard time finding it. Our GPS kept taking us around the back for some reason. This is not a classy place (not a con in my book but something to be aware of) it is bring the fam kind of joint. We did not experience a wait time though we asked the waitress and she affirmed that there is often a line on weekends.
Bottom line- A good business model…do one thing and do it well. That sums up The Breakfast Club. Not fancy just good.
2. Paris Bakery Cafe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 480 reviews
Paris Bakery has two locations to better serve you. One is located in downtown Monterey, two blocks from Alvarado; and the other is in the center of Seaside on Broadway Ave. We are open seven days a week and offer indoor and outdoor seating for your convenience. We make a large variety of baked goods: fresh breads, breakfast pastries, cookies and French pastries. We use the best espresso and coffee beans for your coffee drinks to go with our exquisite pastries. We also have an amazing lunch menu with daily specials. We serve sandwiches, salads, soups, wraps, panini and a lot more. We also serve wine and beer. We make all products fresh daily from scratch, with all-naturals ingredients without preservatives or additives. We have been in business for more than 26 years. Family business. 271 Bonifacio Plaza, Monterey: open at 6am daily. 1232 Broadway Ave., Seaside: open at 7am daily.
Reviewed By Brenda B - Ogden, Utah
Napoleons, chocolate eclairs, fruit tarts, pumpkin cheesecake, ham & cheese croissant, bread and mince pie, I had to buy them all! Excellent holiday treats; everyone loved them. Will visit every time in Monterey.
3. Acme Coffee
Overall Ratings
5 based on 31 reviews
Reviewed By Genny H - Visalia, California
Really cool place. We ordered the House Mocha and Nitro Cold Brew. It was the best Mocha I've ever had and my Hubby really enjoyed the Cold Brew as well. Will make a point to come back here anytime we're in the area!!
4. Loulou's Griddle In The Middle
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Loulou's Griddle in the Middle is the tiny diner on Wharf #2. We always say we're "tiny but mighty." We cook with a lot of heart, soul, and deep care about every detail. We aim to make your experience comfortable, fun, delicious, and a little like being at a home-away-from-home. The kitchen is open so you can see our chefs preparing right in front of you. Our community of customers--both local and visitors from far away--also make Loulou's special. We bend over backwards to accomodate your requests, when we can, and we might crown you with a tiara if your requests are many....but all in fun. The diner opened in 1948, so it's rich with history. We're blessed with one customer, Henry, who has been coming EVERY morning since 1948 and he's earned a customized stool, a plaque, his own coffee mug, and a warm place in our hearts.
Reviewed By Julie S - Sacramento, California
My friend from the UK adores American diners. So I was pretty sure she’d love LouLou’s. She did. There’s no group-from coffee, just huge portions of delicious food. Best pancake I ever had! Split an order if you can—we felt badly about all the food we couldn’t eat. It did set us up for the day. We sat at the counter and had a nice chat with people from Boston and Salt Lake City. We watched the cooks and peeked out at the harbor. You do have to pay for parking but it’s just $1.50 an hour. Our wait time at 10 am was about 5 minutes.
5. Gusto Handcrafted Pasta & Pizza
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 178 reviews
Reviewed By Ahtrio
Don’t let the drive into Seaside deter you from trying GUSTO. It’s absolutely worth it! Plus, you get to get away from the often crowded Monterey/Carmel popular eating spots and you don’t have to fight for decent street parking. See- time saved already!
The food was fabulous. They have an extensive list of pasta dishes and pizza choices. I had the beet salad- the best I’ve ever had. The dressing was delicious, the beets were cooked perfectly, and the greens were fresh. My husband had the soup-of-the-day and was very pleased with the flavors. We shared a pizza- Wow!!! The crust was thin, but stable, and cooked to perfection (you know, perfectly crispy without being obnoxiously hard). The flavors in the sausage were out of this world. The cheese was fresh and perfectly melted. The sauce had this balance between marinara and pizza sauce. No flavor was overpowering, they each complimented and enhanced the others. The aroma alone was enough for us to come back!
The service staff was top notch. Each staff member was terrific at their job. It was like watching a well practiced orchestra do their thing. Everyone was incredibly friendly and attentive.
Info/Suggestions:
- larger groups (6+) should probably make a reservation. The dining area can be a bit limited on seating.
- if the parking lot is full, snag a spot on La Salle Ave.
- they have a full bar!!!
6. Old Monterey Cafe
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 479 reviews
Reviewed By roadwarriorstwo - Salinas, California
We are so disappointed in what was one of our favorite breakfast restaurants.
The coffee was awful; in an area where such good quality coffee is available, why are they using such poor, weak coffee? My Denver omelet was so poorly prepared with overcooked, browned edges. Now, my husband 's country potato special was very good , he says; something he has eaten there in the past. And the service was excellent. But I doubt if we will return again.
7. Sushi Time
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 61 reviews
Reviewed By MorfoulaP
We went there for lunch, we didn't have to wait to be seated. The staff was very friendly and the food very good! We will certainly visit this place again for sushi and I highly recommend it!
8. Montrio Bistro
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By droppinout - Atlantic City, New Jersey
We had a reservation at Schooner's at the Monterey Plaza Hotel, but they cancelled due to a power outage. We were lucky to get into this very popular restaurant. We tried several small/medium plates, and all of them were excellent. We really like that style of eating so it worked out well for us. We would definitely go back.
9. Stammtisch German Restaurant
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 104 reviews
We have closed from the 8th of April until the 12th of April and open up again on the 14th of April at 5pm!
Reviewed By allecher - Arkansas
I was pleasantly surprised at the selection available on the menu. There were a number of dishes that I was interested in but I decided to get the baked Camembert appetizer and the Haus Plate so that I could try a number of things. Everything was great and the service sizes were generous.I didn't care as much for their take on the Black Forest cake - it was good but very different than I've gotten at other German restaurants.
10. Hula's Island Grill
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By Tami D - Merced, California
Ohhhh, my favorite little getaway. I love the Blood red Orange Martinis are to die for. Paired with the Hawaiian cheveche is what memories are made out of. Chrispy wontons come with the cheveche it is just a beautiful appetizer. I see others ordering dinner, its looking real good .The place is decorates so cool and there is an awesome backyard with heaters.
