Jacks Monterey
2 Portola Plaza, Portola Hotel, Monterey, (831) 649-7830, portolahotel.com
A spanning bar clad in rich turquoise and rusted metal patina sets the tone for Jacks Monterey. None of that Tom Cruise flipping bottles and high-energy pouring here. This is a space for refined but relaxed California cuisine, bringing the outdoors indoors – tables sprawl out into the hotel’s glass-ceiling atrium for a decidedly airy feel beneath the trees. The organic setting naturally spotlights Executive Chef Danny Abbruzzese’s menu of local and sustainable fare.