I came here for lunch today. I got the seafood pasta and it was delicious! The flavors were balanced and tasty without being greasy or oily. My friend got the bolognese pasta and he loved it too! The interior could use an update. Besides that, the food quality and service were excellent! read more

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I enjoyed the ambiance at Mundial. The seats have cool tree-like backs and the layout provides an intimate feel. Great for date nights or just catching up with friends. The vibe at the bar is different from that of the dining area though, in a slightly discordant way. The dining area has a different intimacy, but it feels a bit more generic and we were glad to sit at the bar instead. We had a friendly bartender with cool hair who made sure we felt at home, chatting with us when we invited him over, and always being available when needed. Our Moscow Mules were perfectly chilled and refreshing on a hot Monrovia day. We dropped in on a whim in the early afternoon and the place was almost empty, but seating is limited - especially at the small crescent bar, so be aware of crowds. read more

Located in Old Town Monrovia, my friend introduced me to this nice, small restaurant that offers a variety of food to try. The service here was friendly as our server, Emma, recommended us with great food and drink options including her favorites. Although the food took slightly longer to arrive, it was understandable because all the food came out well presented and tasted amazing! I ended up opting for Seafood Neptune which had a variety of scallops, shrimp, calamari, clams and mussels wrapped with a light linguine sauce. My friends also ordered the Tequila Shrimp, Halibut special, and Seared Ahi which they stated were great too. We were offered their chocolate soufflé (came out piping hot and fresh!) and their apple tart with cinnamon ice cream. It was a fantastic way to finish off dinner. My personal favorite would be their apple tart as the warm baked thin apple slices and crispy crust paired well with the cold ice cream flavor. I would highly recommend to give this place a try if you're around Old Town Monrovia! Additional free parking is located on Colorado Blvd behind the restaurant. Definitely will be back to try their Jack Daniel's Burger with that filet mignon patty and bourbon mushroom sauce! read more

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PLEASE update the decor & styling of this once amazing gem. The menu needs a BIG overhaul too. I've been coming to Mundial since it opened, over 20 years ago. In its hey day this was THE place & you had to have reservations a week out or you didn't get in. I love Monrovia and celebrating small businesses but it makes me sad to see Mundial's mostly empty and I think a renovation could bring the crowds back! Prime real estate in downtown that could be our one upscale dining experience. There's many tasty, fun and pub-style restaurants in the area but none are equipped to be an upscale experience except Mundial's. We NEED you to get better so we can get dressed up, eat well and spend our money locally. read more

We had planned to have breakfast somewhere else on a Saturday morning, but after learning the wait would be at least 90 minutes, we decided to look around. Other breakfast restaurants were busy too, and then we wondered by Cafe Mundial and saw their brunch menu and mostly empty dining room. We were one of only three couples dining that morning, and later a big group walked in. It was clear this restaurant had been very fancy in the 90s. It has all this arty metal work throughout the restaurant and furniture. However the bathroom was filthy and in desperate need of renovations. The breakfast was horrible. I ordered a Monte Cristo in a whim, and it was filled with oil and not edible. The waiter replaced it with a turkey panini, which was child sized. The meat was low quality. My sweetie ordered eggs and andouille. His sausage was burnt, and also low quality, although his portion was huge. His scrambled eggs had an odd flavor. The coffee was flavorless. His home fries were the best thing we ordered. I'm giving a second star because the service was helpful and attentive. We gave her a nice tip, but won't return. read more

Very quiet cool spot on the main drag, good for groups. We had plenty of time to visit with family, and the menu worked well for a variety of tastes. I had the vegetarian pasta, which was delicious. Great service, we had waters and menus as soon as we were sitting down. A hidden gem, go check them out. read more

Cafe Mundial - Vegetarian pasta - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

Food was amazing Service was great. Nice and relaxing ambiance. Drinks were good. Waiter Austin was very helpful and patient read more

Cafe Mundial - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

The good: This restaurant is so beautiful to look at! I truly hope that the unique and obviously custom wrought iron and carved wood decorations and furniture are never thrown over for a more boring "modern" look. It would honestly be a travesty as the ambience it creates is perfection. Service was absolutely fabulous from everyone we encountered during our meal. I adored our waiter, who was so fun and warm and kept us well looked after. But...... The food! It was pretty terrible. The potatoes were the instant powdered kind, the "roasted" vegetables were obviously steam warmed precut vegetables that you could get in the frozen aisle of a Vons. The meat was overcooked and pretty tasteless. Nothing was seasoned quite right or cooked the way it should have been/was stated to on the menu. It was such a shame because the menu and its descriptions make it seem like everything would be delicious, but it is obvious that the owner is cutting corners on ingredients to save money and the cook has perhaps given up on the situation. If the food was as good as the menu promised, this would honestly be a five star review. read more

This is my first time coming in to this restaurant although my parents go ALL the time! We had the bell pepper walnut ravioli-- I thought the sauce was really good, never have tried bell pepper in ravioli but I felt that the noodle in the ravioli was very thin not a dense ravioli like other Italian restaurants... which I prefer. I also had a Caesar salad which I especially loved because their romaine was crisp and so fresh! You can totally tell they take the time to wash their lettuce properly. The inside is super cool, exposed brick, cool bar, wine cabinets, really modern lights on the wall. I came during the day but feel like this would be a whole vibe at night. I'll be coming back to try some other things! read more

Cafe Mundial - Roasted Red Bell Pepper & Pecan Ravioli - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

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I have eaten breakfast and dinner at the Cafe Mundial. Food is delicious and consistent. The service is excellent and they do not rush you through your meal or even after. The decor is kinda European and Artsy. Very nice restaurant and I am planning to return soon read more

Oh, my ... does it get any better than this? Elegant setting, enticingly diverse menu options, well-chosen wines for our tasting, amazingly delicious appetizers, entrees and desserts, all beautifully prepared and presented. Our host John (the owner), was witty, charming and intuitive, and his staff provided our group with everything I remember excellent service to be. Thank you, Café Mundial. A long-awaited gathering of family was made all the more special for having been spent with you. read more

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This place has it all. New breakfast menu, great food. Excellent service and wonderful ambiance. It's been here forever in old town monrovia. read more

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This place is amazing!!!!!! Their service is great and the food is even better. Their ambiance is also amazing giving a little bit of a chill vibe. it's even better when it's raining outside. Huge thanks to cafe mundial for giving me a great experience. read more

I'm certain that this review will not change anything at the restaurant. So I'm writing this for weekday customers. Last night was the second time that I went there for dinner. Both times were weekdays. The first was ok. I did not think that i'd go back, but it was convenient and easy so we went in last night. Service: 5 stars Very accommodating to my high maintenance friend when she was trying to select a wine. 5 Stars Chef/Food/Management: -4 stars Appetizer Calamari- very good Main Sautéed Mushroom Appetizer - disgusting, room temperature, looked like pig slop Tempura Green Beans - Ooops, we don't have green beans tonight. Fired Brussel Sprouts - placed a fork into two sprouts. Each were rock hard Salmon Pasta - room temperature, salmon crumbles, and the pasta had the appearance of the pasta dishes at Ralphs that are dried out and ready for the rubbish bin at 9:00 PM. It looked awful Epilogue: They had three tables last night (12/10/24) Sever only put in one order of pasta. When I asked for a second, she came back and said that they had no more salmon. I looked at the first dish and it appeared that they served the bottom of the pan salmon crumbles. We paid for our two glasses of wine and appetizer and left. Never touching the mains. Afterword - we ate at In-N-Out, so much fun. read more

We came for late lunch on Saturday and got seated at the patio. The Hawaiian salad was refreshing and helps work up an appetite. The salad dressing tastes good. Everything else is average. It is located in old town Monrovia so street parking and lot close by. read more

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We love coming to Mundial for brunch. Excellent food and ambience. We have tried the Eggs Benedict, the Steak and Eggs, the Short Rib Omelette and the Mundial burger. They are all delicious. We highly recommend this place. read more

Shereen our waiter provided great service and made sure my party and I were ok! The ambiance is a bit classy and cozy. The food was amazing and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves Italian! read more

Cafe Mundial - Boneless Short Rib Pizza Genovese Pesto Pasta Crispy Calamari - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

Great ambiance. Good cocktails. Good people. Food is solid and processed are not bad. All in all, a great gem in Monrovia.

Perfect eatery, tasty, good cocktails, nice personnel, cozy, all around good experience

Amazing I love this place. Emma and Austin are the best. Food is great service is amazing. Try the pasta you won't be disappointed. Remember to tip big and in cash. read more

We are new in Monrovia and tentatively went to Cafe Mundial. It was fantastic. I had the best paella in a long time. My wife had the pan-seared ahi...delicious. Great service and affordable prices. read more

Came here for brunch and we sat in the patio. I was so intrigued by their kings Hawaiian French toast and let me tell you, it was one of a kind! I was so surprised by the texture - almost like mochi but not that chewy. Very interesting and tasty Will definitely come back next time for the pastas! read more

We had our Holiday luncheon here for 17 people on a Friday afternoon and food and service was awesome. They were so flexible with the menu and hours I really don't anything to complain about. We even had some last minute budget issues and John (the owner) was very helpful. He helped me adjust the menu and comped us the soft drinks to make it all work. The servers and service was on point too. Props to Mike! Thanks buddy. Food: 4 1/2 stars 1st course: tempura fried string beans, Brussel sprouts and calamari. Everything was really good, but the string beans seemed to be the favorite. 2nd course: lamb chop (wasn't on the menu any longer but They made it happen and it was the bomb!), shrimp cocktail (in the small side), and shared salad. Lunch: we were able to limit the menu to manage costs and it worked out great. Choice of Jack Daniels burger, Seafood Symphony pasta, Sonoma chicken pasta, Filet Mignon tacos, and grilled salmon (which John added for us at our budget!). We ordered at least one of every options, which is a relief that the menu had enough options for the group and not a single complaint. They even made the Seafood Symphony with white wine sauce for one of us and spicy for me!!! Dessert: we ordered 2 of each, crepe brûlée, Milton chocolate cake and cheese cake. It was all great and I'm pretty sure John gave us extra cheesecake slices! Too bad we were too full to finish but it was all really good. Service: 5 stars all the way! Value: John was very flexible and it worked out perfectly so another 5 stars I also sent another small group for their holiday Celebration a week or two before and they were very happy too. I plan to be back again just for lunch or dinner soon! read more

Cafe Mundial - Mac 12! - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

First visit was a charm, 2nd visit charmed with a great time from dining partners and from staff. I can definitely say going to Mundial is definitely an episode out cheers. Great comrarderie whether it's a full night or not. I had the seafood Neptune and it was absolutely divine. Some I can be such a creature of habit in king days if work I might not venture out, but I am excited to try everything on the menu. Just say when the ribeye is in the special of the day please treat yourself. And on another day travel the seafood Neptune side for another treat. I do look forward to my next visit as well as seeing such a good time with fabulous from other patrons enjoy whatever they are in a treat for. Cheers and blessings to those who enjoy and have yet to have such a treat. read more

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Been wanting to try this place forever ! Such a cute hidden gem . Had calamari first off it was so delicious ! Fresh . The half Caesar salad is shareable and cheese pizza can I say yummy ! Also shared the burger it was very flavorful . Great food and amazing service ! Will be returning soon ! Thanks cafe Mundial read more

Cafe Mundial - Pizza - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

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Dinner was lovely tonight! We ordered the filet mignon pizza and the penne pasta with goat cheese! Our server Michael was very pleasant, kind and professional! My son ordered the 805 draft beer and I had the Stella Artois beer. The beer and wine selection is quite good! We also enjoyed the fact that we can walk there from our apartment. Old town Monrovia is a great town and worth checking it out!! read more

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The food was so good, went for brunch our first time to dine here, we were not disappointed. It had been recommended by many, the filet mignon ground hamburger was Devine! French fries cooked perfect, my guest had the French toast!! Scrambled eggs, potatoes, bacon. Great ambiance, Erica was a great waitress, especially considering staff help is limited, we will definitely be back! read more

Cafe Mundial - Bloody Mary, - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

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The staff are wonderful. Mike the bartender is always happy to see us. Feels a little like home whether in a group or dinning solo. The egg roll appetizers are delicious! Jeff read more

This restaurant has been bookmarked for a while now on places to try in Old Town Monrovia. When walking down Myrtle Ave, I've always seen this restaurant, which kind of looks as if it's closed (but really, one of the first things you see is their banquet hall and the lights are off unless otherwise occupied). I went here for dinner with my fiancé and ordered the ahi tuna tartare, lamb, and ribeye, steak. Our table came with complimentary bread and hummus as well. Let's start with the bread. It looks like a focaccia bread and looked delicious, but upon first bite, I noticed it was too hard and had maybe been out for too long. I didn't bother asking for a new batch, because the hummus that it was paired with made up for it. Our main entrees consisted of the lamb and ribeye. My fiancé and I choose to favor the ribeye when it comes to steak, and though it was good, I can't say it was my favorite. The lamb though, was superb! I loved how it was cooked (I would recommend medium rare for this one). Both entrees came with some vegetables and potatoes. I have to say the most memorable part of this experience was the service. Unfortunately, I can't recall his name, but our server always made sure that we were well taken care of; constantly checking in on us and making sure we were content. read more

Cafe Mundial is a gem in Monrovia. The food and service is top notch. My go to for breakfast is tri tip and eggs. For dinner I go with the New York steak and eggs but the pastas are very tasty too. The owner and staff is friendly and accommodating. One particular server Erika stands out with her wit and personality. Give yourself a chance at this nice establishment. read more

Cafe Mundial - New York steak. - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

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We tried three different restaurants on Myrtle Ave for brunch, but all three had crazy long wait times. Choosing to walk around some and see what other optima were available we came across Cafe Mundial and decided to give them a try. They weren't busy at all, which gave us pause given how busy everywhere else was but decided to give it a go. It's a good thing they there were very few customers because one young lady was doing everything on her own - host, bartender, server, busser, and food runner. She did it all with a smile, but it was obviously a lot for one person. It was a nice Sunday afternoon, so we chose to sit outside. There are only a few tables on their small patio and about half of them, plus a couple of tables inside were occupied. The burger was a generous size and built well. The salad was nice too. The eggs, bacon and potatoes were horribly oily/greasy! This was definitely the low point of the meal. This is a descent location for brunch and hopefully they'll bring in at least one more person. read more

I had a chance to come here for a group dinner the other night. We had a set menu and I was not disappointed. The orchard salad was absolutely delicious! It had blue cheese, pecan, apples and honey sherry vinaigrette... cleaned off my plate! The steak was perfect. I was not the biggest fan of the sea bass but all the other food made up for it. Really nice presentations for food. The potato on the plate carved to look like a mushroom.. cool! Dessert was yummy too. I had chocolate mousse cake with raspberry drizzle. Very rich so can't eat too much.. which is a good thing! Service was great. Overall had a great experience and would recommend. read more

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Finally got to eat at Cafe Mundial and I was not disappointed. The combination of flavors were delicious. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. I will be coing back. read more

The food too salty the service was Okay needs more staff. The decor is odd. smelled like musty farts. Was not very clean.

Don't really go to these fancy places for dinner, but I made an exception this time. We were celebrating the eve of New Years Eve. Location: Located in Downtown Monrovia. In between Lemon Ave. and Colorado Blvd. Entertainment: They have a live band! Unfortunately, there wasn't any performances that night. Ambiance/Decor: Romantic/peaceful. A little too dim for me. Plenty of tables and chairs to go around and they also have a outdoor patio. Service: Felt the restaurant was understaffed, but there wasn't many people when we went. Later, I noticed that the waiter that tended us wore many hats (greeter, bartender, and server) that night. The hot water that we requested was lukewarm. Asked for a refill on hot water just to see if it was a anomaly, but sure enough... it was still lukewarm. Food came out very slow. I think we waited about 35-40 minutes. I guess the saving grace was the complimentary focaccia bread with hummus to keep us satisfied for a little while. Food: We had three items: 1) Sliced Filet Mignon with bordelaise sauce: I thought the filet mignon was tough to eat, dry, and lacked any flavor. Had to drench the slices in the sauce. 2) Black Linguine Seafood which came with clams, shrimp, mussels, scallops and calamari in a spicy marinara sauce. We substituted the black linguine with the regular. I actually liked it. There was a decent amount of seafood and there was a lot of flavor to the dish. 3) Lamb Rack with a rosemary, red wine reduction sauce. Came with two big pieces and thought it was delightful to eat. The sauce was great also. By the end of the night, we were struggling to finish everything. Would come back. Probably that night we visited was an anomaly. read more

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3.5 STARS We had our company party here and we had so much food. Everyone was like ohmergawd stuffed. Their live band was really good. We got to put requests in and they did the Mozart pieces so beautifully. It gets a bit loud but it was nice that they offer it here. Pizza and bruschettas were okay-- nothing special. Sauteed Mushrooms were delicious but I couldn't keep my hands off the calamari. I swear I ate half a plate while no one was watching... They were crispy and a tad bit salty, but the calamari pieces were perfectly bite size. House Salad was pretty good if you ask for dressing on the side. Sauteed Jumbo Shrimp in Saffron Sauce was overcooked. Not juicy and a bit harder. Why is it so hard to have juicy shrimp that pops in your mouth these days?! Tiramisu was delightfully flavored and light, but definitely not the best I've had. Taste-wise, everything was ok and nothing really stood out (Ok, maybe the calamari since I ate half the plate and it was really a lot...). At least nothing else was overly salty, which was good. Ambiance was lovely since it is a cute and small place with an outdoor patio near the alleyway. Best part about this place? Service. They called out orders for 20-some people and remembered who was who and what was specially requested and who needed boxes. Yipee! read more

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Stopped by for lunch with a friend last week. It was fairly empty when we walked in and the hostess told us we could sit anywhere. The ambiance looked very nice and could pass for a fancy, romantic restaurant. It was a bit stuffy when we were there though...either the AC wasn't on very high or there was a lack of circulation. I loved the complimentary bread, which was garlicky and came with hummus to dip! Yum :) My friend and I both decided to order pasta. She got the chicken fettucine and I ordered the chicken sausage penne, both which were $13. The portions were not very big...and the taste was also very average. We both agreed that we could have easily made these dishes at home and probably would have done a better job. Overall, nice little restaurant but overpriced for so-so food. read more

Cafe Mundial - Lounges Near Me - Monrovia, California

What happened to the food? Cafe Mundial use to be one of those local charming "special occasion" spots that served tasty and fresh food (like squid ink pasta, fragrant rosemary focaccia). Yesterday, we came here on a whim for a nice lunch but only found overcooked chicken, chewy bread, and seafood pasta made with frozen flavorless seafood. The sauce for the Chicken Madeira was delightful but the chicken was completely over cooked to the point of hard and chewy. We had to ask for bread (their delicious rosemary focaccia is no longer offered) and got a few pieces lukewarm chewy bread. Lastly, our seafood pasta looked great with pieces of squid, mussels, clams, and two gigantic shrimp on top. Alas, the flavor was average and the seafood was frozen and seemed undercooked. The shrimp, though large and plump, had no flavor and that slightly squishy texture that only comes with undercooked shrimp. Overall, this lunch left me saddened for what this restaurant once was... read more

Amazing service loco moco was a little underwhelming everything else was amazing including the coffee

With not many restaurants open this restaurant is open now. First restaurant we actually dined in since the close down. It was a real treat to enjoy dinner and just relax. We sat in the outdoor patio. Amazing staff. The menu has been modified but the selection is still enough including appetizers and dessert. We had several appetizers all them delicious. The dinner dishes we selected were uniquely delicious and plentiful. All the food was amazing. This restaurant is definitely a must place to return.. read more