Growers Pub - Salinas (CA)

5 /5 Kevin Twidle: I was a bit dubious going in, it just looked a little old from the outside. Well, it is old but its wonderful, wood paneling everywhere. There is a great looking bar partitioned from the seating area by a wood and glass partition. All the tables are small booths. It felt nice and cozy. The service was good and I had one of the best pork chops I have ever had. It was super thick and juicy, delicious. I have been back since, still great!

5 /5 Theresa WEICHE: What can I say about this exceptional restaurant? Food is excellent, delicious and cooked to perfection. The service is kind, courteous and professional. The atmosphere is friendly and upbeat with people truly enjoying themselves. We celebrate every important date in the year with our friends at Growers Pub.

4 /5 Donte Lewis: The sign outside got me. I could not walk past this place without giving it a try. Ill admit, it doesnt 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. Lets 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 Im hoping this was just an off night for the food, but I will definitely give this place another shot.

5 /5 lontongstroong: Visited in October 2024 My bosses insisted us to dine in here, so we drove all the way to downtown Salinas from our training site. Seemingly the rest of the team were in a mood of more high-end meals after mostly cooked the dinner by ourselves or bought takeaway from supermarket for days and the deal was settled. We were greeted by the charming old school interior of the restaurant, which has a long history dated back to the early 20th century. No idea how well ventilated these spaces are since I didnt bring my CO2 meter with me (old restaurants tend to have poor air circulation). The meals themselves are very nice, cooked or processed to perfection. I ordered crusted tuna tartare which was fresh (long time having good raw fish like this!), served with seasonal stir fry veggies. My colleagues enjoyed their risotto and medium rare steaks. Price was of course pricy but its every cent well spent, especially for a treat like this after hard work.