A recent business trip found me in Monterey, CA with a need for a great Steak House. I found the Whaling Station online and though I'm not a fan of dining solo, I did enjoy sitting at the bar where Alex took great care of me. The French Onion Soup was so good I forgot to take a picture until it was gone and I always appreciate a great Rack of Lamb. This one did not disappoint. I also delighted to discover they offer free parking in a town with limited free parking options. This place was buzzing on a Tuesday night and everyone I came in contact with was over-the-top friendly and accommodating. 5 Stars in my book.
SeeTheW0rld62
We went here for an early dinner and it was great. We sat at the bar, service was excellent. One of my friends and I had French onion soup. Another friend had the salmon. The onion soup had great flavor and lots of wonderful melted cheese. My friend said the salmon was the best she's had. For dessert, we shared a pavlova. It was delicious. Very fluffy and light, with a lot of fruit and a mango puree.
Tim
After 20 years dining at this restaurant, this time my experience was abysmal. The chef seems to have lost the top of the salt shaker. The barbecued oysters were so salty they were inedible. True also of the abalone (which I was really looking forward to because there are few restaurants that serve wild abalone). The manager was gracious enough to remove these items from the bill.
Phillip
I thought the quality of the food went down when they lost their chef, but on this return, I was very impressed with the food and the service all in all we had a wonderful meal and will return
Best steak I ever had. Excellent service personalized to your taste and the individual
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ginger
The service, food, ambiance was top notch. We were there to celebrate our anniversary and were surprised with a fun sparkler dessert at the end!
Jacqueline Baugh
Paul's service was impeccable!! We took his recommendations and had a wonderful filet mignon, pancetta wrapped scallops over fettuccine, some fantastic tasting clam chowder and starters of crab cakes. It was all good! My birthday marscapone taste wonderful đ
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Rhonda Hubkey
The minute we arrived we were greeted by the GM, Matthew Fisher and seated to a perfect table, then , Daniel, our server was so engaging & an expert on the menu & suggestions on what our likings/ preferences were. The prime rib & filet were outstanding along with the sides. The service was 5+stars as well as the delicious meal. After dinner we had a night cap & Justin and Amy were wonderful at the bar. Highly recommend this gem!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fernando
This was our first time here and it did not disappoint the service was great and the steaks were amazing. The only issue was they do not have too many small tables so we were sat in a corner of the restaurant. Overall amazing
We had the most amazing meal at the Whaling Station Stakehouse. We went the night before for some cocktails which were delicious so thought we would head back and try the steak.. and it did not disappoint. I had the Rib Eye which was by far the best stake I have ever had and my mum had the Prime Rib (the last bit which was the end cut⊠it ended up being a 16 oz and they only charged us for the 12 oz) which was very kind and again it was delicious. Both Alex (the barman that served us the first night) and Abel (who served us this evening) were very kind and personable. I would highly recommend coming here if in Monterey. One last thing to add was the delicious ceaser salad so fresh.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Colin Thornbrough
Took my wife and mother in law there after my wife gave birth to our first child because she wanted a fantastic steak and we had enjoyed steaks there in the past. I admit we werenât dressed the most fancy but were still wearing modest attire and had a baby in a car seat with us so I told the hostess that we would be happy with being somewhere in the back out of the way to not distract from the ambiance of the restaraunt. We tipped valet 20 dollars on the way in and another on the way out, ordered alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, appetizers, their highest quality steaks, sides, dessert, and post meal caffeinated beverages. When my wife ordered her first medium rare steak in 9 months she wanted to go big! She got the American wagyu ribeye. The waiter made a comment about a smaller steak which I corrected him and said she wanted that steak. He said âwow, thatâs a big steakâ. She then requested it medium rare and he said âmedium?â To which my wife replied medium rare. He made another side comment which I couldnât quite catch before I said something. He then tried to save face and say âO yeah, doing it rightâ. He then hardly ever came by our table for the rest of the night. The other server who I assume was a server in training however was kind and attentive after that. Our waiter visited a table of two splitting a steak and salad 6 times in one span before coming back to us once. We tipped 20 percent at the table even though it was hardly deserved and gave the server in training an extra tip which he worked hard to deserve. We then tipped the valet another 20 and left. All in we were respectful of the property although slightly underdressed and spent around 500+ for three people. The steaks and other foods were fantastic as they had been the times we have gone before, but I cannot get over the service provided.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
Crystal Castro
Great steakhouse. The service was top notch. They made sure to keep everyone with a drink. I drink a lot of water so I love not having to wait for a refill. They make sure to show you the cuts of steak they offer and go over the differences. They were very helpful when anyone in the group had questions. I had the ribeye with mashed potatoes and spinach. I thought both the sides could use a bit more flavor, but still great and a little salt and pepper definitely helped. They offered 3 salts, regular coarse, spicy sriracha and smoked, along with freshly ground pepper. I had the margarita cocktail. Very delicious and strong, but not too strong. For dessert, our side of the table shared creme brulee and Pavlova. Both firsts for me, and both wonderful. The staff worked well together to serve our large group in a timely manner. I did not try it, but another in the group said the lobster was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Maram Mokhtar
Great Food, But a Serious Oversight
The food was excellent, and the overall experience started off great. However, we were served pork despite clearly requesting multiple times that our meals not contain any for religious reasons. This was disappointing and showed that our request wasnât taken seriously. We hope the staff will be more attentive in the future, as the food itself was otherwise outstanding.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
Steve's Stray Stuff
The 32oz. porterhouse steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and the chef carved it up nicely for two to share. The mashed potatoes, asparagus and fried onions were delicious and the cannoli was very fresh and crunchy. The service was fantastic. Our service staff was very friendly and professional.
A recent business trip found me in Monterey, CA with a need for a great Steak House. I found the Whaling Station online and though I'm not a fan of dining solo, I did enjoy sitting at the bar where Alex took great care of me. The French Onion Soup was so good I forgot to take a picture until it was gone and I always appreciate a great Rack of Lamb. This one did not disappoint. I also delighted to discover they offer free parking in a town with limited free parking options. This place was buzzing on a Tuesday night and everyone I came in contact with was over-the-top friendly and accommodating. 5 Stars in my book.
We went here for an early dinner and it was great. We sat at the bar, service was excellent. One of my friends and I had French onion soup. Another friend had the salmon. The onion soup had great flavor and lots of wonderful melted cheese. My friend said the salmon was the best she's had. For dessert, we shared a pavlova. It was delicious. Very fluffy and light, with a lot of fruit and a mango puree.
After 20 years dining at this restaurant, this time my experience was abysmal. The chef seems to have lost the top of the salt shaker. The barbecued oysters were so salty they were inedible. True also of the abalone (which I was really looking forward to because there are few restaurants that serve wild abalone). The manager was gracious enough to remove these items from the bill.
I thought the quality of the food went down when they lost their chef, but on this return, I was very impressed with the food and the service all in all we had a wonderful meal and will return
We went to Whaling to celebrate a birthday and wedding engagement đ (a combination celebration). Although I felt that the waiter was excellent, the food was delicious, and the ambiance was wonderful, there is one HUGE drawback to this restaurant. I ordered the braised short ribs, which come with mashed potatoes and spinach, and extra shrimp scampi. My fiancĂ© ordered the lobster fettuccine. I saw a creamed roasted corn on the menu, and I wanted to try it, since I already know how mashed potatoes taste. I also don't really like spinach, so I asked for broccoli. I didn't ask for corn and broccoli in addition to the potatoes and spinach. I asked for a switch. I was charged an extra $10.00 for not taking those items. I think that is ridiculous, since it is the same AMOUNT of food. I didn't like that I had to pay extra just to get sides that I like. If I ever go there again, I will just take those sides and add the others, if I have to pay $10.00 for not taking the sides offered anyway. If it hadn't been for that, it would have been a perfect dining experience.
Best steak I ever had. Excellent service personalized to your taste and the individual
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The service, food, ambiance was top notch. We were there to celebrate our anniversary and were surprised with a fun sparkler dessert at the end!
Paul's service was impeccable!! We took his recommendations and had a wonderful filet mignon, pancetta wrapped scallops over fettuccine, some fantastic tasting clam chowder and starters of crab cakes. It was all good! My birthday marscapone taste wonderful đ
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The minute we arrived we were greeted by the GM, Matthew Fisher and seated to a perfect table, then , Daniel, our server was so engaging & an expert on the menu & suggestions on what our likings/ preferences were. The prime rib & filet were outstanding along with the sides. The service was 5+stars as well as the delicious meal. After dinner we had a night cap & Justin and Amy were wonderful at the bar. Highly recommend this gem!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This was our first time here and it did not disappoint the service was great and the steaks were amazing. The only issue was they do not have too many small tables so we were sat in a corner of the restaurant. Overall amazing
Restaurantji Recommends
We had the most amazing meal at the Whaling Station Stakehouse. We went the night before for some cocktails which were delicious so thought we would head back and try the steak.. and it did not disappoint. I had the Rib Eye which was by far the best stake I have ever had and my mum had the Prime Rib (the last bit which was the end cut⊠it ended up being a 16 oz and they only charged us for the 12 oz) which was very kind and again it was delicious. Both Alex (the barman that served us the first night) and Abel (who served us this evening) were very kind and personable. I would highly recommend coming here if in Monterey. One last thing to add was the delicious ceaser salad so fresh.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Took my wife and mother in law there after my wife gave birth to our first child because she wanted a fantastic steak and we had enjoyed steaks there in the past. I admit we werenât dressed the most fancy but were still wearing modest attire and had a baby in a car seat with us so I told the hostess that we would be happy with being somewhere in the back out of the way to not distract from the ambiance of the restaraunt. We tipped valet 20 dollars on the way in and another on the way out, ordered alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks, appetizers, their highest quality steaks, sides, dessert, and post meal caffeinated beverages. When my wife ordered her first medium rare steak in 9 months she wanted to go big! She got the American wagyu ribeye. The waiter made a comment about a smaller steak which I corrected him and said she wanted that steak. He said âwow, thatâs a big steakâ. She then requested it medium rare and he said âmedium?â To which my wife replied medium rare. He made another side comment which I couldnât quite catch before I said something. He then tried to save face and say âO yeah, doing it rightâ. He then hardly ever came by our table for the rest of the night. The other server who I assume was a server in training however was kind and attentive after that. Our waiter visited a table of two splitting a steak and salad 6 times in one span before coming back to us once. We tipped 20 percent at the table even though it was hardly deserved and gave the server in training an extra tip which he worked hard to deserve. We then tipped the valet another 20 and left. All in we were respectful of the property although slightly underdressed and spent around 500+ for three people. The steaks and other foods were fantastic as they had been the times we have gone before, but I cannot get over the service provided.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 1
Great steakhouse. The service was top notch. They made sure to keep everyone with a drink. I drink a lot of water so I love not having to wait for a refill. They make sure to show you the cuts of steak they offer and go over the differences. They were very helpful when anyone in the group had questions. I had the ribeye with mashed potatoes and spinach. I thought both the sides could use a bit more flavor, but still great and a little salt and pepper definitely helped. They offered 3 salts, regular coarse, spicy sriracha and smoked, along with freshly ground pepper. I had the margarita cocktail. Very delicious and strong, but not too strong. For dessert, our side of the table shared creme brulee and Pavlova. Both firsts for me, and both wonderful. The staff worked well together to serve our large group in a timely manner. I did not try it, but another in the group said the lobster was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Great Food, But a Serious Oversight
The food was excellent, and the overall experience started off great. However, we were served pork despite clearly requesting multiple times that our meals not contain any for religious reasons. This was disappointing and showed that our request wasnât taken seriously. We hope the staff will be more attentive in the future, as the food itself was otherwise outstanding.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 3
The 32oz. porterhouse steak was cooked to a perfect medium-rare and the chef carved it up nicely for two to share. The mashed potatoes, asparagus and fried onions were delicious and the cannoli was very fresh and crunchy. The service was fantastic. Our service staff was very friendly and professional.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
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