My favorite kind of restaurant—tastefully casual with helpful, knowledgeable staff and really really good food. I don't recall ever having had a duck breast that was as perfectly cooked or as perfectly tender. My duck liver pate appetizer (yes, I like duck) was so good I finished it for dessert. I'd be amazed if this isn't one of the best restaurants in Monterey.
Hayden Linder
Maybe the best meal of my life. I got the scallops and wanted to lick my plate.
Spendingtoofast
We came here for dinner while at a conference at Asilomar. Waiter (Anson) gave us good wine recommendations and the food was delicious. I had the rock cod which was quite tasty. I would be happy to come back.
Food was good. The time between courses was too long. I guess it's because the chef was too interested in watching the Oscars. They have a tv at the bar that was turned towards the kitchen. We ordered the chicken meatballs, they were dry and ok at best. The duck confit fries with Mornay were good. Our entrees took a while, might have been the tv again or because they had 12 tables in the restaurant with one server. I guess because the chef was watching tv still. I got the NY which was cooked perfect and it was tasty. My girlfriend got the scallops which she enjoyed. I ordered a glass of wine with my entree and did not receive it till I was 3/4 done with my meal. Ordered dessert which was okay. Service makes or breaks a restaurant. They definitely need to brush up on that
AndreaL
Food was great. Anson was our server and he was friendly and knowledgeable. They served Brewdog NA Elvis beer which was so nice. They had a very large wine list as well. I highly recommend!
Marilyn Riehl
Had a wonderful dinner at the Spotted Duck. The chicken meatballs were wonderful and very generous in size. Duck was absolutely delicious as was the pudding cake. Kudos to the chef.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Duck Breast, Pudding Cake
CarletonM
We had a lovely dinner. It was quite chilly in the restaurant, near the door. And the noise level was a little uncomfortable. Energetic - yes. Hard to talk - yes. Looking forward to coming again and might ask to sit upstairs.
StevenC
We are Pacific Grove residents, and this was our first visit to Spotted Duck. We were pleased with the experience! I had the duck. My wife had the rock cod. Both dishes were outstanding. Pot de crème dessert was a highlight. The waiter was friendly and very helpful. A very nice experience overall. We will be back.
Mac R.
I have been to several Michelin star restaurants and The Spotted Duck blows half of them out of the water. Quiet ambiance, incredible service, and the food... next level. Don't overthink the chicken meatballs, one of the best dishes I've ever had and you can't go wrong with anything on this menu.
Marie-Christine Jude
The food was excellent without being extraordinary, but serving TWO scallops for $42 is rather insulting.
We came here to celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary with our two kids (4 year old and 7 month old) while we were in Carmel for the long weekend. We ordered the duck liver appetizer, the mussels, and meatballs. And for main ordered the burger and mushroom risotto. Everything was very tasty even with our two kids making it difficult to fully enjoy in peace! My husband and I managed to even eat a dessert (polenta cake) despite the chaos. Our waiter came by often to clear the table of any unnecessary plates quickly and we really appreciated their understanding despite bringing two kids with us who were a bit noisy. The lady at the check in wasn't super friendly but our server more then made up for that.
Austin W.
Walked in 8:05 after driving over 6 hours from LA. They clearly state the kitchen closes at 8, but the kind woman who greeted us checked with the kitchen if we could still dine, and they graciously let us in. So glad they did! We started off strong with delicious chicken meatballs. Moist, creamy, nutty, smokey, and loaded with flavor. The puree was packed with umami goodness that paired together so well with the arugula salad that had the perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness to pair with the richness of the chicken meatball sauce. Then came the star of the show, the duck breast. Perfectly crisp skin, thick juicy pieces, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The balance of all the flavors created one of those first bites that make you shake your head side to side, and even made both my fiance and I do a little happy wiggle. The balance of all the elements is what was most impressive. The textures of all the elements, how they work harmoniously from the right amount of acidity, sweetness of the green tomato ginger jam, crispy skin, crunchiness from the chard, savory high quality duck, and creaminess from the polenta to tie it all together was [chefs kiss] I'm not usually a sweets or dessert person, but since they seemingly couldn't miss, we decided to try the zeppole (Sicilian donuts). They stayed perfect. Super soft, airy and doughy inside with a crispy exterior coated with rosemary sugar and salted honey. It came with a delicious delicate sauce that elevated the donuts. Loved that it wasn't overpoweringly sweet. So glad we came across this spot. Thinking about going back tomorrow night to be honest, and it'll be a stop we always make space for during our annual visit!
Zack U.
The food is amazing and delicious. My wife got the chicken torchon, that plates is delicious. Myself got the valentine day special it was lobster and scallops bolognese pasta, that plate was delicious nice seafood. The service was excellent. The server was knowledgeable of food options available and wine to pair with the chicken torchon plate. The ambiance of restaurant is very nice. Not to loud and lighting is good. Will definitely return again.
The food is amazing and delicious. My wife got the chicken torchon, that plates is delicious. Myself got the valentine day special it was lobster and scallops bolognese pasta, that plate was delicious nice seafood. The service was excellent. The server was knowledgeable of food options available and wine to pair with the chicken torchon plate. The ambiance of restaurant is very nice. Not to loud and lighting is good. Will definitely return again.
Eddie S.
Really fantastic meal. We were two adults and a 1 year old and we really enjoyed our evening at the Spotted Duck. The bread and the sweet potato salad were perfect to start. They made a cheese and olive oil gnocchi for the little one and she loved it. I had the deboned chicken which was incredible with crispy chicken skin wrapped around it and the most delicious sauces and flavors. 10 out of 10. My wife had the scallops which were quite possibly the best scallops either of us had ever had. 10 out of 10. For dessert we had the zeppole and the pot de crème. Both were fantastic and a perfect end to our meal. I highly recommend the Spotted Duck. We can't wait to go back and try more things on the menu although it will be very hard not to order the chicken and scallops every time.
My favorite kind of restaurant—tastefully casual with helpful, knowledgeable staff and really really good food. I don't recall ever having had a duck breast that was as perfectly cooked or as perfectly tender. My duck liver pate appetizer (yes, I like duck) was so good I finished it for dessert. I'd be amazed if this isn't one of the best restaurants in Monterey.
Maybe the best meal of my life. I got the scallops and wanted to lick my plate.
We came here for dinner while at a conference at Asilomar. Waiter (Anson) gave us good wine recommendations and the food was delicious. I had the rock cod which was quite tasty. I would be happy to come back.
Food was good. The time between courses was too long. I guess it's because the chef was too interested in watching the Oscars. They have a tv at the bar that was turned towards the kitchen. We ordered the chicken meatballs, they were dry and ok at best. The duck confit fries with Mornay were good. Our entrees took a while, might have been the tv again or because they had 12 tables in the restaurant with one server. I guess because the chef was watching tv still. I got the NY which was cooked perfect and it was tasty. My girlfriend got the scallops which she enjoyed. I ordered a glass of wine with my entree and did not receive it till I was 3/4 done with my meal. Ordered dessert which was okay. Service makes or breaks a restaurant. They definitely need to brush up on that
Food was great. Anson was our server and he was friendly and knowledgeable. They served Brewdog NA Elvis beer which was so nice. They had a very large wine list as well. I highly recommend!
Had a wonderful dinner at the Spotted Duck. The chicken meatballs were wonderful and very generous in size. Duck was absolutely delicious as was the pudding cake. Kudos to the chef.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Duck Breast, Pudding Cake
We had a lovely dinner. It was quite chilly in the restaurant, near the door. And the noise level was a little uncomfortable. Energetic - yes. Hard to talk - yes. Looking forward to coming again and might ask to sit upstairs.
We are Pacific Grove residents, and this was our first visit to Spotted Duck. We were pleased with the experience! I had the duck. My wife had the rock cod. Both dishes were outstanding. Pot de crème dessert was a highlight. The waiter was friendly and very helpful. A very nice experience overall. We will be back.
I have been to several Michelin star restaurants and The Spotted Duck blows half of them out of the water. Quiet ambiance, incredible service, and the food... next level. Don't overthink the chicken meatballs, one of the best dishes I've ever had and you can't go wrong with anything on this menu.
The food was excellent without being extraordinary, but serving TWO scallops for $42 is rather insulting.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Restaurantji Recommends
We came here to celebrate our 7 year wedding anniversary with our two kids (4 year old and 7 month old) while we were in Carmel for the long weekend. We ordered the duck liver appetizer, the mussels, and meatballs. And for main ordered the burger and mushroom risotto. Everything was very tasty even with our two kids making it difficult to fully enjoy in peace! My husband and I managed to even eat a dessert (polenta cake) despite the chaos. Our waiter came by often to clear the table of any unnecessary plates quickly and we really appreciated their understanding despite bringing two kids with us who were a bit noisy. The lady at the check in wasn't super friendly but our server more then made up for that.
Walked in 8:05 after driving over 6 hours from LA. They clearly state the kitchen closes at 8, but the kind woman who greeted us checked with the kitchen if we could still dine, and they graciously let us in. So glad they did! We started off strong with delicious chicken meatballs. Moist, creamy, nutty, smokey, and loaded with flavor. The puree was packed with umami goodness that paired together so well with the arugula salad that had the perfect balance of acidity, sweetness, and bitterness to pair with the richness of the chicken meatball sauce. Then came the star of the show, the duck breast. Perfectly crisp skin, thick juicy pieces, perfectly cooked and seasoned. The balance of all the flavors created one of those first bites that make you shake your head side to side, and even made both my fiance and I do a little happy wiggle. The balance of all the elements is what was most impressive. The textures of all the elements, how they work harmoniously from the right amount of acidity, sweetness of the green tomato ginger jam, crispy skin, crunchiness from the chard, savory high quality duck, and creaminess from the polenta to tie it all together was [chefs kiss] I'm not usually a sweets or dessert person, but since they seemingly couldn't miss, we decided to try the zeppole (Sicilian donuts). They stayed perfect. Super soft, airy and doughy inside with a crispy exterior coated with rosemary sugar and salted honey. It came with a delicious delicate sauce that elevated the donuts. Loved that it wasn't overpoweringly sweet. So glad we came across this spot. Thinking about going back tomorrow night to be honest, and it'll be a stop we always make space for during our annual visit!
The food is amazing and delicious. My wife got the chicken torchon, that plates is delicious. Myself got the valentine day special it was lobster and scallops bolognese pasta, that plate was delicious nice seafood. The service was excellent. The server was knowledgeable of food options available and wine to pair with the chicken torchon plate. The ambiance of restaurant is very nice. Not to loud and lighting is good. Will definitely return again.
The food is amazing and delicious. My wife got the chicken torchon, that plates is delicious. Myself got the valentine day special it was lobster and scallops bolognese pasta, that plate was delicious nice seafood. The service was excellent. The server was knowledgeable of food options available and wine to pair with the chicken torchon plate. The ambiance of restaurant is very nice. Not to loud and lighting is good. Will definitely return again.
Really fantastic meal. We were two adults and a 1 year old and we really enjoyed our evening at the Spotted Duck. The bread and the sweet potato salad were perfect to start. They made a cheese and olive oil gnocchi for the little one and she loved it. I had the deboned chicken which was incredible with crispy chicken skin wrapped around it and the most delicious sauces and flavors. 10 out of 10. My wife had the scallops which were quite possibly the best scallops either of us had ever had. 10 out of 10. For dessert we had the zeppole and the pot de crème. Both were fantastic and a perfect end to our meal. I highly recommend the Spotted Duck. We can't wait to go back and try more things on the menu although it will be very hard not to order the chicken and scallops every time.