Paluca Trattoria

There are a lot of bustling and vibrant restaurants in the Old Fisherman's Wharf, but Paluca Trattoria is an exceptional one there. Relaxing and comfortable.It's located at the beginning of the Wharf, and it might be a little difficult for you to find its entrance. It has nice terrace seats with a good view.The price might be a bit higher than that of fast food style restaurants in this area, but it would be a good choice if you would like to refresh yourself after you take a walk along Monterey Bay Costal Trail.

Gorgeous little restaurant, very beach chich. Gorgeous food, prawn salad so good! Lemonade lovely also, great fast service. Stopped on the way from San Fran to Santa Clarita! Great place!

The food was very good, exceptional, price is $$... But the service was mixed. Our waiter who is to our table didn't take our drink order and we had to wave him down 15 minutes later to take our drink AND food order. The food took awhile to come out but the waitress seas very pleasant and attentive. Then the same main waiter seemed as if he were avoiding us for another 30 minutes. We sat finished with our food and empty glasses for another 15 before waving down a different waiter who got our bill for us (who was also a nice younger man). Ridiculous. But the food is give a 5 star, the service a 2 with that particular waiter in mind. Side note: the Italian sodas were delicious.

On a clear sunny day the patio was the place to soak up some California sunshine. The braised shortrib ravioli was superb. The clam chowder was creamy and delicious. I tried a few drops of Tabasco on a few spoonfuls and discovered a creamy new way to spice the chowder versus adding more textural cracked pepper.

Food was great. Linguine with garlic and olive oil was super. The hour wait for our food on a slow Wednesday afternoon...not so much. Service was meh. No offer of bread till we asked. Once asked a out refills. Again food was great but wouldn't come back if I lived here.

Stopped in here without knowing much about the food but from the pics and story. The wait staff was friendly and the downstaies was full so we were sat at a window table upstairs by ourselves which was perfect for romantic Friday night dinner. We shared a bottle of wine, fig and greens salad and lobster ravioli and it was perfect portion for the two of us. The salad was tasty, if i had made it i would have warmed the figs a bit as they were a little hard but very tasty. The lobster ravioli was creamy and the capers added the right counter balance, probably could have used a couple of more. Overall the food and experince was top notch for a reasonable price.

Really enjoyed having drinks here. Will be heading back for food.

Food very nice but extremely poor value for money. A main menu course of gnocchi was at best a starter portion and at $20 plus tax was a total rip off. Waitress service was surly, slow and items brought out of sequence! Pleasant location but be prepared to empty your wallet if you are hungry. Prices should be half what they charge for what you get on the plate - and that is not a flippant or exaggerated remark. Pity as it could have been a nice experience and we might have stayed for longer.

Very nice view and great pasta options.

What a great place. This is a family owned and operated restaurant on the wharf with a small town feel. You will definitely feel at home here and forget that you are on the wharf. Try the bruschetta that screams freshness and follow that up with the puttanesca sauce over linguini with the fresh catch of the day. For dessert have the cannelloni. The wine selection is mostly local but delightful and the prices are great! We love this place not only for the food, but to spend some time with the owners. This is one of the most relaxing and fun places in Monterey. The chef co/owner is Sicilian and the flavors totally reflect that. Whether visiting or a local, this will become one of your favorite stops in Monterey. Thank you Sal and Ashley for sharing your little piece of heaven!

Pomodoro pasta, clam chowder, and bread were all delicious, and our server was very warm and friendly. Sat on the patio and the umbrellas really came in handy. Will be back

Food was excellent. We went on a week night and went early at 6 pm. We had a great table where we could watch the water and some wildlife on the quieter side of the pier. I want to do again and try some of the other menu items.

Great service. We had lunch on the deck. I had gnocchi and my spouse had short rib ravioli. We shared a cup of clam chowder. All was quite good.

Delicious meatballs -- I had the appetizer for my lunch, which was three large Italian meatballs in a chunky marinara sauce with baguette slices. My husband enjoyed the smoked salmon sandwich, which came with a small salad. Great view of the harbor, dining on the patio.

Really good food. the day we were there they were short staffed so service took a bit longer than we'd like but was still polite and friendly. Dog accommodations on the patio with a great view. Food was very good.