Cantina Monarca

Came here for a birthday dinner. We got the margaritas flight and one of the other cocktails.It was excellent! Love the pina margaritas.For the appetizer we got the guacamole which was really good. As for the entree we got a couple tacos, carne asada and fish tacos. The fish tacos was soo good! Def the highlightOverall this place is good however we do think that its a bit too overpriced even for bellevue standard also the place is quite small. We were seated in the corner table in the back and it feels very cramped. And not very comfortable.

The interior is stunning and the food is good. However, even with reservations the dining experience was strained. The size of the table was quite small and in a major highway of foot traffic. We ordered an appetizer, two entrees, and two margarita flights (we had a party of two) and could not fit everything on the table. The margaritas in the flights are premade and a bit sweet for my taste, but were a fun experience. This place has a lot of potential but is not fully polished. Little things like the plating and size of the tables were what took away from what could have been an incredible, Tulum type of experience.

There are a lot of wow factors when coming to Cantina Monarca. Immediately when you walk in, the interior is gorgeous. They have drinks like the Cadillac Fog margarita with dry ice and the Bebesota that is cinnamon flamed. They have a variety of specialty tacos which you can mix and match, recommend 2-3 per person. The chips and gauc is delicious with refillable chips. They also gave free ice cream for my friend's birthday which was nice. The service we had was great that night!

Food was 4/5 stars. Flavorful and delicious. We got the guacamole, the ceviche, and a salad for our apps. The salad was ok. Fresh and presented well, but I hardly remember it. It was the salad with chunks of watermelon and arugula.Pastor taco was delicious. I liked it more than the wagyu which was surprising.They provided free dessert (ice cream) for our birthday. Service was excellent. They have a time limit on your table. We sat downstairs and it was lively and very loud. Had to shout the whole night and ended up losing my voice. Coming back here next week and will be booking the upstairs.Parking is free after 8pm. So even if you arrive before and had to grab a ticket, the gate is open after 8pm. Parking was super easy and the restaurant was located right outside the elevators.I would come back to this place. Lots of people celebrating a special occasion.

My experience here was absolutely exquisite! I made a reservation and went on a Wednesday at 6:30pm. I'm really glad I had a reservation because the restaurant is very small and was completely packed. The bottom floor seems to be more vibrant and fun, and the upper floor is quiet and private. The vibes are amazing and so are the servers! Our server was so helpful and kind and everything came out in a timely manner with beautiful presentation. We started with the queso which was super fresh and amazing. I also loved the margarita flights! My crab enchiladas were super rich and flavorful too. I'm already planning my next visit! OH and the whole menu is gluten free!

Heard cocktails & tequilas are fun & good here but we were a group of 6 having a nonalcoholic lunch. Not cheap but the great decor, service & casual fare contributed for a fun friends outing. We spent $47 per person including tip for this lunch without alcohol. Server Chloe was wonderful. Appetizers--Guacamole, Salsa & Chipsnot cheap at all for chips but can have free refills of chips. Came with a delicious small bowl of guacamole $18. 4.5*--Ceviche de Hamachismall bowl worth but a very tasty way to have this fishy fish $32. 4*Gourmet Tacos (single portion but each are substantial)--Baja Sea Bass Tacos $11 ea. 5*--Wagyu Chingon Tacotender chunks with mild flavor $12 ea. 3.5*--Dos Tacos Asada Prime with arroz cantina $24--Black bean purée side $5. 5*--Chayote Saute side was similar to a stewed radish $5. 3.5*--Pico de gallo Salsa side tasty but was about a tablespoon size $3. 3*--Salsa verde sidevery tasty but also tiny tablespoon worth $3. 3*Specials--Tlayuda Chicken Tinga the butter basted corn tortilla base (tasted more like a fried rice paper) topped with a lot of toppings $26. 3*Dessert--Bosque Magico looks like an artist palette that is more fun to take photos of than to taste $26. 3.5*--Pastel Chocolateno Mexican influence but close to the idea of brownie with ice cream but with sorbet $16 4.5*Located--on the 1st floor of the Lincoln Square South Building by the escalator & across from Fogo de Chao--just south of Bellevue Arts Museum on Bellevue Way & NE 5th Pl

Gluten-free paradise. Not only is it gluten-free, but it is amazingly delicious food.We never say that we absolutely love every single thing that we order and that was the case here... We loved it allAnd as someone that is gluten-free, it is such a treat to be able to order anything I want from the menu.Everything was so full of flavor. It's probably some of the best restaurant food I've ever had.And the portions were very generous, especially the tacos.We ordered the basic guacamole as well as the chicken Tinga appetizer. Those probably would have been enough just for my meal since they were so filling.The chicken Tinga taco was also super delicious and a very generous proportion for a tacoMy husband ordered the pork belly and steak tacos, and they were also amazing. And he never says that about food at restaurants. He ordered a total of four and was overly full and he is a person that is really hard to fill up.The service was really good with the person always being there when we needed them. They were also very knowledgeable about all the details of the food, which was really nice.I took the advice of the other reviewers and asked for a downstairs table, which was a good choice Downstairs is actually the same as street level, which is the same level as you check in so that's where you want to be. Upstairs is more so an area for private events, etc., although I did not go up there.You will definitely want a reservation for dinner because it gets very fullThis is my new favorite restaurant. I regret not coming here sooner.You will love it.

This restaurant is amazing. I came here for drinks a week ago & let me tell you. The ambiance and vibes when you enter are immaculate. You are instantly transported to Tulum, Mexico. It's very romantic & intimate. The barstools are a little high and was a little challenging to sit on, I'll admit, but once you're seated, you're good. My date & I ordered a margarita flight. They were all pretty good. Afterwards, I ordered a Cabo Azul which was strong but tasty. The dried lavender garnish was a nice touch. Whenever I return to WA, I will come here, & I'll make sure to try the food.

21 and over only. Upscale Mexican restaurant that boasts over 100 world-renowned tequilas.Food was good, pricey, and small portions. Place was loud and tables are very close together.We had the margarita flight - three 6 oz. margaritas. Select from the following flavors: La Pasion, Mamacita, Piña Niña, Smoke & Spicy, Spicy Pepino $25I had the La Pasion, Mamacita, Smoke & Spicy - I LIKE THEM ALL!My friend had the Spicy Pepino, Piña Niña, Mamacita - her favorite was the Spicy Pepino (she likes spicy margaritas).For appetizers we shared:- Taquitos Cangrejo - Blue swimming crab, crema, guajillo aioli, salsa molcajete $23 -- this was soooo good! They didn't skimp on the crab. I would come back for this (and the margarita flight).- Sandia - Compressed watermelon & honeydew, candied pumpkin seed, pepper arugula, chevre, pomegranate vinaigrette $24 -- delicious! I've never had watermelon and honeydew in a salad and this was refreshingly good!For our main dish we had the Gourmet Tacos - SINGLE TACO SERVING made with fresh handmade corn tortillas. Ranging from $9 - $12. I honestly can't remember what we had (this is a late post...we went in October).I would go back and try their tequila selection. If it weren't for the price and food portion, I would go back and try their other dishes.Our server was great!

I can't speak highly enough of this place! The ambience is simply amazing--a high-end restaurant with vibrant Mexico shack vibes. Every dish we tried was fantastic. Their margarita flight is a must-try, and the presentation is just adorable.We absolutely adored the fresh tulum guacamole served with crispy chips, and the spicy tangy salsa was a personal favorite of mine. However, the mushroom tinga cazuela plate stole the show for me. It was an explosion of flavors that left me craving more.The staff was incredibly friendly, offering helpful recommendations, and the service was prompt. If I were to make a suggestion, I'd recommend opting for seating downstairs rather than upstairs for a more immersive experience.I can't wait to return for more of their amazing food and fresh flavors. Although we were too full to indulge in dessert this time, I'm definitely eyeing their pastel chocolate for my next visit!