Fishwife At Asilomar Beach

11/21/08

Great food, great prices, great service, nice location

by ghighcove

We were on vacation and came here after reading some good reviews on Citysearch. We weren't disappointed -- the food was great, and spanned the spectrum, from great fried Calamari appetizers, exquisite clam chowder (the best we had on the trip), and higher-end gourmet fish dishes. Prices were great, service was excellent, and the foresty Pacific Grove location was a nice bookend to the 17-mile drive (just exit out the Pacific Grove gate to get there quickly, it's right outside the Pebble Beach community)

• Pros: Great food, cozy atmosphere, nice location
• Cons: nothing

04/29/08

Great food at a fair price!

by lovetotravel0510

We loved this restaurant! The fish was fresh, the dishes were creative. The service was EXCELLENT and the prices fair. We really enjoyed this restaurant a lot.

• Pros: Excellent service, prices and great fish dishes. We loved it!
• Cons: none

03/27/08

Excellent fish, healthy choice

by kingfisher74

I have been there 3-4 times over the last 7 years, and the quality has never disappointed me yet. Clam chowder tasted homemade. Their catfish and the tilapia were very fresh. I tried the Tilapia Cancun, and the spices on the fish were just nice, not overpowering. My friend had the catfish with mayan spices which was delicious too. I agree that the sides that come with all the dishes are all the same (black bean, steamed brocolli and rice), however, it is a refreshing change to greasy fries for anyone who is health conscious. We tried the Key Lime pie the last time we were there and it was very excellent. We tried the mango cheesecake (on the specials menu) this time, but it was disappointing as it had hardly any mango flavour, so give that a miss! Service is very attentive, they managed to change our table from one near the drafty kitchen door to a better one even though the restaurant was packed. The last time we were there, the owner of the restaurant, a nice little old lady, even came to greet all the diners personally.

All in all, it is a restaurant I would recommend for the fresh fish, great prices and ambience.

• Pros: Fresh fish, healthy choices, nice Key Lime pie
• Cons: Limited side dishes

11/03/06

The locals were right!

by mpascuzzi

Ask any locals on the streets of Carmel about their favorite seafood place and The Fishwife will consistently be mentionned. Even the drive along Ocean Boulevard to get there is a treat (its as beautiful as the "famous" 17-mile drive, except it's free). The seafood salads and fisherman's bowls are ample in portions and delicious with a tropical flare. Prices are very reasonable by Monterey standards.

• Pros: Price, value, variety
• Cons: parking, noise

08/11/06

Overrated

by tjffarms

Sorry, can not recommend this one. They serve all dishes with the same sides - black beans and rice and broccoli - regardless of whether or not the sides match the entree. This just shows a lack of effort from a lazy kitchen. The food quality was just average. The top dish was the wild salmon - which was quite good but came with black beans. I just don't get it?

Family ambience and affordable seafood dishes with Caribbean flair along Pacific Grove's scenic coast.

by Contributor

The Scene
This casual seafood restaurant has friendly local flavor and mix-and-match decor that includes aqua-painted ceiling beams, fieldstone walls, vinyl coffee-shop tablecloths and fish-themed stained-glass windows. Near Asilomar Beach and the family-oriented motels along Lighthouse Drive, Fishwife makes a good kid-friendly pick for lunch or dinner.

The Food
Simple seafood preparations make up the bulk of the menu. Most customers go for the sea garden salads, which offer mildly spicy grilled snapper, grilled sole, fried calamari, grilled prawns or crab served over fresh greens and veggies with tangy "Caribbean" cabbage slaw and salsa. At dinnertime, the popular fisherman's bowls replace the salads with rice and black beans topped with Caribbean-spiced seafood. Non-fish eaters can try the creamy pesto pasta or a vegetables-only sea salad.

08/05/05

A great "local" spot

by hctech

The food, service and prices can't be beat for this area. Be sure to make a reservation if you don't want to wait an hour because it's busy every night. The food is creative, well prepared and the choices - if you like seafood - are many. Other than seafood, the menu is limited, but then the name indicates that one would not expect a steak house. I've never had even a mediocre meal here. Since it is always crowded, it tends to be a bit noisy and parking is a minor problem, but the food, price and service is well worth it.

• Pros: Great food, Very affordable, great service
• Cons: noisy, parking

04/14/05

A Local Gem

by barollo

When friends come from out of town I take them to my favorite place the Fishwife-it's a locals place, a bit out of the way and often crowded, but it's worth it. The food is fresh and flavorful. The wait staff is friendly and they also have a full bar so you can have a glass of wine (they feature local Monterey wines) or a margarita while you wait. My favorite dishes are the Tilapia Cancun with spicy green cashew pesto; the Calamari Abalone style, and the Crab Cakes with habanero cream sauce. For dessert they make an amazing key lime pie. It's casual and reasonably priced. If you don't like seafood there's almost no meat dishes on the menu-but they do have vegetarian dishes and a variety of pastas and salads.

Suggestion: make reservations or call ahead if you haven't and ask to get on their wait list

• Pros: reasonably priced, friendly, fresh & flavorful
• Cons: sometimes crowded

03/16/05

It's true, it is the best.

by stevelaughton

Our family hasn't eaten at The Fishwife in a few years, but we have consistently enjoyed many meals there in the past. I usually order their Filet of Sole. Haven't been disappointed in the past and am sure wouldn't be now. Have never heard a complaint from anyone else either. We are residents of Monterey County, so usually hear the good an bad of it concerning the many restaurants we are blessed with here. I know the restaurant has been renovated a few years ago and I believe it may be under relatively new ownership. I highly recommend it.

• Pros: excellent cuisine, exceptional service, nice ambience
• Cons: parking

03/05/05

Great hole in the wall find!

by jayc129

This place was great overall. We were greeted at the door, and felt comfortable right away. After a bit we were seated at a table with a wonderful view of the ocean. No wine this night, but a very tasty appetizer of mussels. I had the tilapia and Betty had the halibut. They were both exquisite! It was the waitress falt we fell off our diets and each had a desert. Cream brulee and mocha cheesecake. We tiped her well. We are already looking forward to our next trip to Monterey so we can visit the Fishwife again.

Jay & Betty

Fresno ca

• Pros: reasonable, great food, good service
• Cons: bit of a wait, ate to much