RG BURGERS (CARMEL & MONTEREY)
I have to hand it to the owners of this little gem of a place…the food is consistently very good and the prices are fair…It’s your typical American hamburger and fries place, but very fresh and an easy in-and-out experience if you don’t have all day to lounge about. Friendly service.Great salads and great milk shakes too. They have two locations: one in the Crossroads Shopping Center on Rio Rd. just south of downtown Carmel on Hwy 1. And the other one is in downtown Monterey right next to Pete’s Coffee and Trader Joe’s Grocery. Worth the trip from Carmel, Monterey, Carmel Valley, Pacific Grove and Seaside. I’d give it a solid 8 out of 10 in quality and value. Cheap, but GOOD. You won’t be disappointed as long as you know you’re going to a semi-fast food restaurant. $$ out of $$$$$
Address:
CROSSROADS SHOPPING CENTER & DOWNTOWN MONTEREY
CARMEL AND MONTEREY
TORO PLACE CAFE
‘Cheap Eat’s’ is the only way to describe this little roadside cafe. On your way to or from Salinas and it’s around lunch time??? Stop at this little ‘joint’ and have a great >SIMPLE< meal. You can sit OUTSIDE too..if it’s warm out do sit outside in their protected little patio area. Charming and a fun place to eat — kinda a throw back to the 50’s and 60’s…The cheeseburgers are thin as paper (okay cardboard) but quite YUMMY!! Have one along with a small salad and skip the fries and Hey! you didn’t sin too much now did you??The wait staff are really friendly and the food comes out quick…so you won’t spend an hour here — unless you want to — nobody rushes you here. It’s totally a ‘locals’ place worth the stop if you keep in mind — It’s CHEAP EATS!!! (But fun and good!)$$ out of $$$$$
Address:
665 Monterey/Salinas Hwy (1/2 way to Salinas from Monterey)
Salinas
Call 831.484.1333
LOULOU’S
All I can say about this little guy is that it sits on a pier (Warf #2 — not Cannery Row) right on the water…So the setting gets a 10 from me…You can sit outside in the sun and have breakfast or lunch (not open for dinner) while enjoying the smells of the ocean and the open expanse of Del Monte Beach straight ahead. The breakfast is noting to write home about, but again, it’s all about the setting on this one….But the lunch usually has some fresh fish special and great little burgers….This is cheap eats at its best. Very relaxing breakfast of lunch can be had for under $9 each. If you’re a coffee person — I mean if you like a GOOD cup of coffee — bring your own from Starbucks or Pete’s — this place, as I recall doesn’t have that great a cup a Joe….but don’t let that stop you! It’s a very cool little place. I’d give the setting a 9.5 out of 10 and the food a 7 out of 10…$ out of $$$$$
Address:
WARF #2 (off Del Monte)
Monterey
Call 831.372.0568