we've been wanting to go here for so long! i made reservations for the 6 of us. unfortunately, 2 days before, larry was sick, so he & jan canceled. sorry you're going to miss this, but that's alright, we'll manage somehow! tom & i got there early. traffic is such a hassle! we valet parked, & went up the elevator. from that point on, every direction was a view. unfortunately, it was a gloomy day that turned to thunderstorms. the lightening was amazing up there! we couldn't get a table by a window, so we took a roomy booth. while we waited for don & deb, tom got a glass of champagne& i got a prosecco. love the bubblies! deb asked the waitress, nicolette, what flavors of vodka they had & was told only lemon. so deb asked for vodka with cranberry juice & a splash of pineapple. we ordered a 2015 vina real "reserva" from rioja, spain. the waitress came back saying sorry, they didn't have mango?! deb didn't ask for that! ordered again. this time the waitress came back with a drink that was yellow! deb didn't say anything & just drank it. when she asked for a 2nd drink, it came red! deb said she wasn't going to fight it, & the drinks tasted fine. ok! the wine was delicious! can't really mess them up! we ordered our apps. me, a caeser salad. tom & don, the calamari. deb's a bird so she passed! i was a little disappointed with my salad. not much flavor, & when i asked for anchovies as the menu says, i got 1 anchovy. the guys said their apps were great. they got quite a pile. deb had a couple of don's. we placed our orders for our mains. tom & don both got the crabcake with scallops. i got the monterey bay best of all. deb got a lobster tail & an order of fries. our food came in parts, from different people. it was hard to get our waitress. everyone's food looked excellent & tasted good. i tend to be pickier about how food is prepared, cooked, etc. than most people. i get it. i am. but at the price point, i'm looking for fantastic in front of me. the crabcakes were good, but they needed more than a schmear of sauce. tom said the cakes from giant eagle were better tasting! i got a crabcake, 2 shrimp, 2 scallops, & a lobster tail, & a ramekin of butter. no other sauces. the shrimp & tail were overcooked. tom even agreed with me that the scallops may have been underdone! but no sauces. we put in our dessert orders. the waitress was clearing away the table & saw that deb hadn't touched the fries. she asked if there was a problem. deb can't eat anything spicy. they were covered in pepper! she said she'd take them off. i forgot to see if she did. tom got a coffee. i got the dirty little secret &, i had been jonesing for it since i saw it online while checking out the menu!, the angel food grilled cheese sandwich. don got the chocolate cherry cheesecake. deb got the creme brulee. the dirty little secret i got, should stay a secret! it was so nasty tasting! but deb drank it! she's a bitty thing. that was drink 3 for her so she was feeling fine! the desserts, they were killer! that angel food grilled cheese sandwich was out of this world! i'm going to be making this at home! it's a beautiful place. i think nicer than altius. the food was good, a little overdone in spots. & it needed more than just drawn butter & a schmear. i guess we should have asked, but the waitress could barely keep up. they were busy, but it was saturday after all. tom said he would have given them 3 stars! we will probably not go back. mt. washington is for impressing someone with the view. for the price, like altius, i can go elsewhere & get better food. sorry, no pictures! totally forgot!

Going to Monterey makes me want to be on a seafood/see food diet! We had a lovely evening there with great food, great service, and FANTASTIC views! If you need a fancy spot, this is an excellent option. Try as I might, I can't help but get the crab cakes every time and I'm a big fan of the swordfish Parmesan. The angel food grilled cheese sandwich desert is divine and an absolute must have! It can get a little pricey but certainly worth it for a special occasion.

This restaurant was referred to us by many locals, both for the view and the food... and they were right. The service was excellent, with Erin our waitress and Anna, the manager who came by and chatted with us. They have a nice selection of wines and whiskeys. I had the Sweet Rust Bourbon, a special blend local for the restaurant. I had the Red Snapper and my wife had the Shrimp Florentine, both of which were excellent. The view is amazing and valet parking ($8) is very convenient.

My girl and I spent the weekend in Pittsburgh (her 1st time) and I wanted to take her somewhere with views of the city and spectacular food. Mission accomplished! They were fully booked Saturday so we decided to sit at the bar. First off, this may be one of the only places in the city where it only costs $8 to valet park your car! Secondly, the elevator ride up to the restaurant was itself a treat. Views of the city I didn't expect. When we arrived there were 2 seats at the bar so we didn't have to wait. This area/floor of the restaurant is first come first serve and I really like that. Again, spectacular views while you sip and dine. James the bartender was AMAZING. Very knowledgeable with accurate descriptions of any of the entrees we asked about. My girl picked the scallops with risotto and I went with the pork chop in a siracha bbq sauce. Both were perfection!! Very little talking during dinner lol. I mean how good can you really make a pork chop? Well apparently they have a well executed secret the rest of the culinary world doesn't know yet. From what pairs best recommendations to talk of traveling, James was one of the best bartenders I've met. He made the experience exceptional in addition to the food. I left my LV sunglasses there when we left and was happy that they were turned in and kept safe till I got them the next day. I will say, one of the best experiences we've had ever. We will definitely visit Monterey Bay again when we are in Pittsburgh. 5 Stars!!!

The service here is great. Fish said the seafood is flown in fresh every day. The seafood tower is a must order item. The the tuna on the seafood tower and as a main meal was very fresh. The sides like potatoes and asparagus were good but nothing too special. Had the carrot cake and chocolate cake for dessert, both were very rich and meant to be shared. Even though we sat in the middle, there was a great view of the city.

I wanted to really celebrate my partner's birthday in a memorable way, and MBFG made that happen. Absolutely stunning views AND the food was also wonderful--not always a guarantee with restaurants that are able to coast by virtue of their unique locations. I was wowed by the Jamaican curry-style red snapper. My partner loved the scallops and add-on crab cake. If anything, the risotto was the weakest dish, but even that was a minor thing, as it wasn't bad...just not AS good as everything else. It is an expensive meal, so we appreciated that portion sizes are decent--maybe a little too much for us, in fact--we had ordered a side of brussels sprouts and were barely able to make a dent in it with everything else. The sides (a la carte) are designed to be split between 3 people! Add in the complementary hot, homemade crusty bread and herb butter fresh out of the oven...you will leave feeling the opposite of hungry. It's also not as common to see a restaurant these days that has plenty of staff, and staff that is friendly and attentive. Congrats to this restaurant for making that a priority!

Monterey Bay has the absolute best dining views in the city!! They have the most romantic and beautiful vibes with their huge windows giving you all the Pittsburgh skyline you need :) I came for dinner and had amazing time! This was my first time here. To drink, I ordered the Pinot Noir. The wine was delicious, one of my better Pinots I've had in a while! We got the bread service and the bread was super good. The butter was very unique. For meals, we ordered the Wild Mushroom Fettuccini, Truffle Frites, and Filet mignon. The mushroom fettuccine was HUGE!! Literally ginormous omg it was so yummy too! The fries.... the fries you guys.... these are top 5 in the city for sure. I can't wait to come back. They are the best date night spot!

Monterey Bay Fish Grotto (MBFG) is, without a doubt, the pinnacle of dining experiences in Pittsburgh. Perched with a view that overlooks the city, every meal feels like a special occasion here. The ambiance, the exquisite seafood, and the staff's dedication to service combine to create an unparalleled experience. The seafood trio is my personal favorite, featuring crab cakes that are, quite frankly, the best I've ever had. The salmon and tuna skewers are another hit that I can't recommend enough - they're always cooked to perfection. But let's talk about the bread. It's a simple staple taken to new heights, served warm and so delicious that it's almost impossible not to ask for seconds - and the servers, bless them, are always gracious, never hesitating to bring more of that divine chive butter (which, yes, is so good we've asked to take some home). MBFG is our go-to for anniversaries, birthdays, or any day we want to feel extra special. They even go the extra mile to make anniversary celebrations memorable, complete with a decadent chocolate dessert that's as indulgent as it is unforgettable. The consistent quality across multiple visits cements MBFG not just as a restaurant, but as a cherished part of our celebratory traditions. It never disappoints.

Monterey Bay has what I think is the best view of the Pittsburgh skyline. Before, my Mt Washington pick for views was Altius, but Monterey Bay really blew me away. In my opinion, Altius has better interior design, but Monterey Bay has the better view as it sits atop a higher building with larger windows. Service was impeccable and fast. We came for restaurant week and the deal was amazing. $45 for a three course meal. Thus, the food might be different than their norm. The starters were all amazing. The goat cheese in the salad exceeded my expectations. I am not a big goat cheese fan, but this one was smooth, buttery, with no smell. The she crab bisque was also well done. I've had it at different places around Pittsburgh and so far, Monterey Bay was the best. There are small chunks of crab, and the bisque is not too salty or thick. The entrees, however, were not great. Again, this might be due to the fact it's a restaurant week menu. The entrees didn't hit the fine dining expectation that much. The filet mignon was over cooked and a bit hard. The chicken piccata was too sour. The shrimp Florentine wasn't bad, and the flavor profile was complex. Buttery with hints of lemon. However, nothing that really blew me away as the presentation of the dish looks like any normal pasta. But the portions were generous, and was the size of two meals for me. Dessert and drinks were exceptional. I like trying interesting menu items, and the angel cake grilled cheese definitely left an impression. It tasted like cheesecake with fruit jam on the side to balance the sweetness. I wouldn't recommend the crème brûlée though as it was way too sweet. Drink menu was also intriguing. I got the why yuzu serious and my friend got the peru we love you. I enjoyed the yuzu one as it was refreshing and original. One thing is that I couldn't really taste the vodka, whereas my friend had the opposite problem. For her, the rum in her drink was too strong and overpowered the other flavors. Overall, Monterey Bay is a restaurant I'd go back again to try their regular menu. The ambiance left a great impression on me, as did some of the dishes.