Spotted Duck Restaurant sits on Lighthouse Avenue in Pacific Grove. The space feels modern but unpretentious – tables spaced just close enough for a bit of buzz, with playful art lining the walls. There’s no bar, no counter, and no outdoor seating; everything happens in the main room. Most nights, the chef-owner works in the kitchen, moving between the pass and the dining area.
Dinner is the only service here, and the menu stays focused. Starters usually include oysters, mussels, and corn bisque when it’s in season. Grilled octopus appears often, and there’s always at least one dish built around duck – usually a breast, sometimes confit. Other mains rotate: cod, scallops, a burger stacked with pork belly, or housemade gnocchi with braised lamb. Sides are more than an afterthought – Brussels sprouts, white corn polenta, and duck fat fries, plus a version of poutine that leans French. Bread comes if you ask, mostly for mopping up sauces.
Desserts stick to the classics but shift with the kitchen’s mood: pot de crème, polenta pudding cake with caramelized pears, the occasional basil and peach sorbet, and affogato for anyone who wants a bit of coffee to close out. There’s no full bar – just wine and beer, with the list changing now and then.
Hours are straightforward: dinner only, doors open until 9pm, but the kitchen stops seating new tables by 8. Reservations make sense, especially since the space fills up quickly and there’s no waiting area. The restaurant sits at street level, with restrooms for guests, but there’s not much in the way of extra amenities or private rooms. Special events come up occasionally, but most nights it’s just dinner – one menu, one room, and the kitchen working through what’s fresh that week.
Spotted Duck Restaurant