Review of Chart House

Four stars for having a gluten-free menu and not getting me sick (they would have made me sick once if I had not ben vigilant), but only two or three stars for the quality of the food. This is a chain restaurant and quality of ingredients reflects that. The prices are VERY high for food not nearly as good as what I prepare at home every night: $20 bucks for a mediocre salad bar, $30 for fish.

The first time I ate here they brought my green beans with a soy sauce-based glaze and I had to send my plate back. I spent a lot of time that day watching while everyone else ate bread and then their entrees while I waited for something I could eat.

They only charged about $7 for my 7-year-old daughter to eat from the salad bar. That or potatoes were her only options (she doesn't like meat). Definitely no GF pasta, pizza or bread here. Croutons and pasta are reasonably well segregated from GF foods in the salad bar. The salad bar had both raw and canned veggies and fruit, beans, cheeses, spring mix, romaine, spinach, hard-boiled egg, sardines, caviar, pasta salad, etc., etc. None of it was particularly flavorful or fresh-not that it was rancid, but this was basically low-grade grocery store quality. Clearly nothing very local, and probably not organic, either. The menu doesn't change seasonally (e.g. artichokes and asparagus), which means food is being shipped here from all over the world.

The Chart House is popular with out of town family for its beautiful nautical architecture, decor, and oceanside location with a view across the bay.

The ono (from Hawaii) was fresh and tasty, but local seafood options are limited or nonexistent. They are clueless with regard to the sustainability of the seafood offered on their menu. I recommend you bring your smartphone app for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program and ask your server where the fish is from so you can look it up yourself.