Passionfish — Restaurant in Pacific Grove

Summary: Service was bad, especially not family/kids-friendly. Don't pick a date when owner's friends are also coming for a dinner (although you don't know when it would be)

Came on a Sat night with 4 adults and a 1-year old. They don't have a high chair but a child seat without strap so the baby was just sitting between his parents. Then we kindly asked the waitress to microwave the baby food for us for 1 min. And the waitress gave us a really bad face.

Then she immediately started packing all of our wine glasses; probably thinking we will not order drinks anymore with a kid. My husband was just telling the baby's parents that this restaurant's wine price is reasonable and we should order some. It was really awkward. I reminded the waitress no need to pack our glasses now since we're still looking at the drink menu. She gave us a bad face and saying no rushing with a sarcastic voice. And she still took away all of our wine glasses.

Then the owners' friends big group arrived with 8 adults and 4 kids and 1 baby. Their kid shattered the glasses(made a big sound), and the female guest just "ordered" another waitress by her name to clean it up. They didn't get a bad face and a blame and bad attitude for brining so many kids and causing a trouble.

We arrived and completed our orders like 20-25 minutes before the owner's friend's big group, but they got their 8 entrees 15 mins before ours. Basically our foods came really slow after they prioritized serving the big 10 ppl group who ordered and arrived 20 mins after us. Of course, because they are owners' friends.

The foods were good. Despite we brought a small serving of baby foods, we ordered 2 glass of wines, 4 appetizers, 1 salad, and 4 entrees. If we didn't wait for our entrees for that long that the baby was tired, we would've ordered 2 desserts. We spent around $305.

The service was really bad, especially the waitress. My husband and my in-law are usually nice nice guy; but they brought it out and mentioned we should only give 15% tips. I still offered 18%, thinking at least she still microwaved the baby food for 1 min.

Overall, it's not a kid friendly restaurant, unless you are the acquaintance of the owner. Also, asking them at the reservation if owners friends are coming. Otherwise, you would experience a different services than your next table.

I really liked this place (been here 3-4 times and recommended it to many friends), but I was disappointed tonight. I will now tell all of my friends about my experiences...

During my recent visit to Passionfish in Pacific Grove, I experienced a dining adventure that perfectly captured the restaurant's commitment to sustainably sourced seafood and quality ingredients. From the moment I arrived, I was impressed by the ambiance and the warm, attentive service provided by Francisco, who ensured that every aspect of our meal was exceptional.

We began the evening with a glass of Domaine du Facteur Sparkling Gamay Rosé, a delightful choice that set the stage for what was to come. Francisco’s knowledge and enthusiasm for the menu were evident as he guided us through a selection of starters. We opted for the sea scallop appetizer, which was a true standout. The combination of caper-raisin-walnut relish with the artichoke risotto cake was both unique and utterly satisfying. Nancy's buttery buttermilk biscuit was next—a simple yet indulgent treat that paired wonderfully with the vibrant flavors of the dishes that followed.

The beet salad was another highlight, offering a beautifully balanced dish with whipped gorgonzola dolce, yellow curry, and golden chutney that danced on the palate. The pecans added a perfect crunch, making this salad both refreshing and satisfying.

For the main course, we couldn't resist the Alaskan halibut. It was cooked to perfection, with a flaky, tender texture that showcased the quality of the fish. The accompanying sweet white corn, tomato relish, and cotija cheese provided a delightful contrast, while the cilantro aioli added a fresh, herbaceous finish.

As the evening drew to a close, Francisco surprised us with an off-menu dessert: peach cobbler with vanilla ice cream. The peaches, sourced fresh from the local Farmers Market, were a perfect mix of sweet and tart. The cobbler was made with their famous biscuit dough, adding a comforting, buttery element to the dessert, while the vanilla ice cream was rich and creamy, rounding out the meal on a high note.

Passionfish not only delivers on its promise of sustainably sourced seafood and realistic wine prices but does so with creativity and care that makes every dish memorable. With Francisco’s impeccable service and the thoughtfully curated menu, it’s clear that Passionfish is a culinary gem in Pacific Grove. I’ll certainly be returning to explore more of what this remarkable restaurant...

The most completely satisfying meal I've had in a long time. Price point was reasonable for the quality.

The buttery buttermilk biscuits were amazing. Buttery, flaky, rich goodness. We ordered 2 and I wanted to get a 3rd for dessert but was vetoed by DH. It would have been great though.

The best fried oysters that I've had outside of Japan - fresh and mildly sweet, the tempura-like batter was lighter than it looked. DH even finished one, and he doesn't like oysters. The accompanying kimchi was very light, and rather had a refreshing effect. I didn't think it particularly matched the oysters but that's just me. I didn't really need anything for the oysters anyway. DH liked the bean sprouts in the kimchi.

The scallop appetizer on top of artichoke risotto was tasty. DH really enjoyed the risotto, and I enjoyed the resemblance to Japanese cream croquettes. I would have enjoyed a stronger artichoke flavor, but the chunks of artichoke added a nice texture.

The black bean and goat cheese fritters were delicately balanced with the accompanying salsa. I found it a very harmonious dish, where all the flavors could be identified without one overpowering the other, but DH wanted a stronger goat cheese flavor. I enjoyed it but it wasn't a standout for me. Hard to compete with fried oysters in my book though, so it's not exactly a fair contest. DH particularly liked the salsa.

The king salmon special was very nice - medium rare as desired. The corn and daikon sauce was amazing - the corn was so sweet! I prefer my daikon a bit softer, but that's a personal preference. As we were sharing, they kindly plated the entree in 2 servings without our asking - excellent service.

They ran out of the dessert special - grilled figs (so sad! I love figs) - so we tried the mudpie - very good. I also got the chamomile rose etc. tea, which came in a nice heavy metal pot so I could enjoy multiple cups of tea. I appreciated this generous serving choice.

All in all, a delightful meal with excellent service. I wish we...