Growers Pub — Restaurant in Salinas

The sign outside got me. I could not walk past this place without giving it a try. I'll admit, it doesn't look like much from the outside. But inside, they have a bar and restaurant side with plenty of seating. The walls are covered with pics of agriculture workers which I would guess the town was built on. My guest and I were greated and seated promptly. We placed our orders, calamari, risotto with steak, and lobster ravioli. Let's start with the calamari. Presentation was great. The dish looked crispy and appealing. I wish I could say the same for the taste. In my humble opinion.... the calamari was very chewy. It also was lacking in flavor. Dipping the calamari in the Chipotle sauce that accompanied the dish did take the dish to another level. I was just hoping that the calamari could stand on its own. Moving on to the risotto and steak. The risotto was very well prepared. The steak, which I ordered medium, also prepared well. Hats off to the chef on that aspect. But again... they both lacked flavor. I had to use a heaping of salt and pepper to boost this dish. The steak also had a bit of a chew to it. Next was the lobster ravioli. This dish came with sautéed prawns. And I would have to say... this was the star of the night. The dish is served in a tomato based sauce. This sauce provides the flavor for the entire dish. The ravioli stuffed with lobster and cheese were very tasty. The sautéed prawns were a tad bit overcooked but still delicious just the same. Overall... my guest and I did enjoy our experience. Our service was quick and attentive. The pricing a little on the high end and I'm hoping this was just an off night for the food, but I will definitely give this place...

I love this restaurant! I did give it 5 stars, although I do believe there is some things they need to improve on. The service and the food are amazing, the hostess was very polite and welcoming. The server, manager and even the bussers were so attentive and friendly. They never made us feel rushed, they made us feel welcomed and relaxed. The bussers made sure we never had an empty glass; they were on it! We gave our respects to the Chef for such amazing food and to the manager for maintaining not only the staff for excellent service, but for the restaurant as well for an amazing atmosphere. The bar is where it got me thinking if I should put 3 or 4 stars. The people are extremely loud. Just basic conversations are being shouted or just yelling for the game that's playing on the TV. This is expected in bars, but I think it downplays the "fine dining" atmosphere that this restaurant should be under. I've dined in local restaurants like Shadowbrook and Gino's and their bar area is in the middle of their dining room and it is nice to experience the quietness while at a good dinner. The Pub is missing that. We had asked the bartender if we could move over to a table in hopes that it would be a bit quieter to enjoy some appetizers, and even in the dining room it was loud because of the bar. I asked the server if they could either move us to the backroom where we might enjoy our dinner better, but she mentioned there was a large group and she apologized for the noisiness of the bar. Overall, I think they have a great selection of beer, different liquors and wines. Prices are fair and reasonable; the food and service is to die for! This is the kind of dining experience you want to have when...

I was disappointed, having read the other reviews here and elsewhere which rated this establishment 5 to 4 star. I am a business traveler from out of town and I was looking for a good steak, that's why I chose the Growers Pub. I ordered a Prime NY steak medium rare. The meat was tough and there was no marbling. In my opinion this was definitely NOT Prime beef. The salad and side dishes were excellent, but I came here for a good steak. I feel like I did not get what I paid for. The server was very pleasant, but the service was less than satisfactory. For example, my soft drink was empty early in the meal, yet I was not asked if I wanted a refill (which I did). After the main dish was served no one checked on me to inquire if everything was OK. To be fair it seemed like the server may have been the only server on duty and he was a bit overwhelmed so it’s not his fault. But there were two bussers on duty, in my view these bussers should be trained to accommodate soft drink refills and checking if the guest needs anything a few times during the meal. No bread or rolls were served, not a big deal but for an upscale restaurant this shows another example of a below par experience. A gentleman at the table across from me ordered a beer. He was given just the bottle without a glass. This should never happen in an upscale restaurant. I will not return, and I do...