Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Salinas area by diners

Fine dining in the United States isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; these days, it's all about cutting-edge culinary experiences.

Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller and his three-Michelin-starred restaurant, French Laundry, unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.

Between the rise of chefs' tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.

With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in the Salinas area using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.

Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of June 25, 2025.

Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!

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1 / 23

#23. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

- Rating: 2.6/5 (799 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1730 North Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Pizza, Breweries, New American
- Read more on Yelp

2 / 23

#22. Sakura Seafood Buffet - Salinas

- Rating: 2.7/5 (263 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1433 North Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Buffets, Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

3 / 23

#21. Smalley's Roundup Restaurant

- Rating: 3.2/5 (306 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1190 South Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Barbecue, Steakhouses, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

4 / 23

#20. Elli's Great American Restaurant

- Rating: 3.2/5 (643 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1250 South Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

5 / 23

#19. Giant Artichoke Restaurant

- Rating: 3.2/5 (391 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11261 Merritt St. Castroville, California
- Categories: American
- Read more on Yelp

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6 / 23

#18. Arigato Sushi

- Rating: 3.3/5 (553 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1740 North Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Sushi Bars, Japanese
- Read more on Yelp

7 / 23

#17. Stonies Taphouse & Bistro

- Rating: 3.4/5 (295 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1366 South Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Barbecue, New American
- Read more on Yelp

8 / 23

#16. Ichiban Sushi

- Rating: 3.7/5 (371 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 17567 Vierra Canyon Road Ste A13 Prunedale, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars
- Read more on Yelp

9 / 23

#15. Gino's

- Rating: 3.7/5 (684 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1410 South Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Breakfast & Brunch
- Read more on Yelp

10 / 23

#14. Pizza Factory

- Rating: 3.7/5 (141 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 926 South Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Chicken Wings
- Read more on Yelp

11 / 23

#13. Pizza Factory

- Rating: 3.7/5 (71 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1945 Natividad Road Salinas, California
- Categories: Pizza, Italian, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

12 / 23

#12. Phil's Fish Market & Eatery

- Rating: 3.8/5 (3658 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 10700 Merritt St. Castroville, California
- Categories: Seafood, Sandwiches, Salad
- Read more on Yelp

13 / 23

#11. Jim's Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (126 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 8069 San Miguel Canyon Road Prunedale, California
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp

14 / 23

#10. The Village Restaurant

- Rating: 4.0/5 (255 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1490 Constitution Blvd. Ste A Salinas, California
- Categories: Breakfast & Brunch, French, American
- Read more on Yelp

15 / 23

#9. Dim Sum Inn

- Rating: 4.0/5 (368 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1938 North Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Dim Sum, Soup, Barbecue
- Read more on Yelp

16 / 23

#8. Villa Azteca

- Rating: 4.1/5 (680 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 157 Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Mexican
- Read more on Yelp

17 / 23

#7. The Growers Pub

- Rating: 4.3/5 (457 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 227 Monterey St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Steakhouses, American, Bars
- Read more on Yelp

18 / 23

#6. Moss Landing Cafe

- Rating: 4.3/5 (524 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 421 Moss Landing Road Moss Landing, California
- Categories: American, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

19 / 23

#5. Lemongrass

- Rating: 4.3/5 (516 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 413 Moss Landing Road Moss Landing, California
- Categories: Thai, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

20 / 23

#4. Patria

- Rating: 4.3/5 (598 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 228 Main St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Italian, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

21 / 23

#3. Salinas City BBQ

- Rating: 4.3/5 (1967 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 700 West Market St. Salinas, California
- Categories: Barbecue, Breakfast & Brunch, Sandwiches
- Read more on Yelp

22 / 23

#2. Avatar Indian Grill

- Rating: 4.3/5 (614 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1568 Constitution Blvd. Salinas, California
- Categories: Indian
- Read more on Yelp

23 / 23

#1. Alfonso's Authentic Mexican Food

- Rating: 4.4/5 (341 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 11252 Merritt St. Castroville, California
- Categories: Mexican, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 319 metros.