Extremely over priced and small portions. $12 for a singular taco and no rice and beans. Messed up food and drink order and then proceeded to charge us for the wrong drink. When we told the waiter they gave us the wrong drink they looked skeptical, as if we would lie about ordering the wrong drink. Questioned a bunch saying "are you sure you didn't order this" instead of "I'm so sorry for the mix up" etc. Waste of money and you will leave hungry. read more

I'd really give this a 3.5 overall. It was very busy when I arrived and I dined solo, so I sat at the bar. I was fine with that. I do think this is a higher priced Mexican restaurant. The vibe is cool with music but it seemed like not one of the employees smiled. It was busy but even during interactions, they looked very somber. It took a little bit to get my water and drink. I had asked for some chips and salsa when I ordered my plate and next thing you know, my tacos were there. I didn't ask for the chips at that point, since I had my meal. The tacos were great and chicken was very juicy which was surprising for the tacos. The plantains were perfectly cooked! I was pleased with the food but giving my boat a 3.5 because the staff did not seem happy to be there at all. And they missed my chips & salsa... which in my opinion should be a given at any style Mexican restaurant, not added to the menu when the prices are already higher. read more

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Food (3/5) - Got the chicken mole enchilada. Mole sauce was a little too much sugar and covered up the cinnamon flavour, but the chicken quality was solid, melt in your mouth texture. Price (4/5) - A little more expensive for the Salt Lake area but pretty large portions. We shared a dish, it came with two enchiladas. Service (3/5) - Prompt and waitstaff were generally quite friendly, though once you finished your food, they prompted us to pay. Though the restaurant got quite busy by 6:30pm. read more

This menu is small but mighty! Our server was great, very helpful and gave great recommendations. Also the cocktails here are FIRE! We came at noon and needed a pick me up so our server recommended the Spanish version of an espresso martini -- so good, just forgot the name. It's in one of the pictures I uploaded. We had an empanada sampler for an appetizer and they were delicious and fresh. The breading reminded me like tamales. My husband has the salmon tacos and they were flavorful and not dry. Came with a black bean tortilla. I had the rib eye taco with the bone marrow -- probably the best taco I've ever had. So so so good! read more

Monarca Dining - Spanish style espresso martini (I can't remember the name) - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Malcolm Anderson was a stellar waiter. he made great recommendations, he was enlightening. He was respectful and knew the menu.He could suggest great options and he made our dining experience. Incredible. The food was incredible. The atmosphere was incredible, but Malcolm topped it all off. We will be back! read more

Birria tacos were excellent! Pickled onions made the difference. Server was very attentive, didn't hover. Checked on us after appetizer, and after meal. read more

Monarca Dining - Birria tacos, rice and beans - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

Monarca is our favorite elevated Mexican restaurant around. Their menu never misses. If you're looking for a fun date night look no further than Monarca. The staff will help you decide on what to order if you're unsure. They also have a delicious drink and dessert menu. Eat at Monarca and thank me later! read more

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We were sad to *finally* dine at Monarca and find it so delightful for our final meal as foodies of SLC. It's a lively, airy joint with friendly, competent service and soulful fare. I don't drink, but I love a fancy zero proof cocktail, and their hibiscus margarita was pow, tasty, right in the kisser. Service was prompt, warm, and expertly navigated a problem with our carne asada (which was ultimately divine). I don't know when we'll be in Salt Lake again, but I would make it a point to visit Monarca, and you should, too. read more

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Monarca never disappoints with upscale Mexican cuisine and beautiful plating. Fun wine list with unique Mexican wines. Highly recommend the halibut on an unctuous and silky squash blossom sauce. Service was excellent. read more

The food was delicious! I had the birria tacos, and my friend tried the fish tacos. While I might be a bit of a birria taco connoisseur (hence the 4 stars), they were still quite enjoyable. The salsas were fantastic, and the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. A great experience overall! read more

Monarca Dining - Barria tacos - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Food was great and beautifully presented. Staff was short, due to No shows, but life happens. The staff that was there hustled to care for all patrons. read more

This place was AMAZING! We came here for a family celebration and everyone was so happy! Three of us ordered the tacos pictured and we all loved them! We had a couple other taco orders and one carne asada order. Everything was DELICIOUS!! The churros at the end of the night really stole the show. You MUST order them when coming here. They were so good i couldn't get a picture before they were all gone. The only thing against this place is I wish our server was more attentive. We had to flag them down when we needed things and it took a while to get our requested items. Also they would leave before we finished talking so if they would have checked in more that would have been the icing on the cake. read more

Monarca Dining - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

5 stars any day of the week. Come here often, located on 3rd and State-ish - walking distance from my office and never experienced a wait. However, the place is usually full! The Birria tacos are awesome. You can drown anything in their consome. s/p Service has never been less than great, and food always comes out quick. I've ordered the guacamole and queso fondido as appetizer during my visits and queso is the clear winner. The guacamole could have lime juice and other spices added to taste a bit better but still good. Already looking forward to my next visit. Oh - Tuesdays have specials on their tacos, and allows you get a taste of everything. read more

Monarca Dining - Taco Tuesday Sampler - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

Food was good but what really stood out was outstanding service, Tristin our server was fantastic, very prompt and friendly. 10/10

Good and drinks were amazing!!! Tristin was the best server and took great care of us. We will be back again.

I really want to leave a 5 star review but the experience here left much to be desired. We arrived early for our 8 pm reservation and sat by the door waiting for our table. The man that greeted us was wonderful. You can tell he hustles and cares a lot about his job. The music was great, I love Latino music. Lots of bad bunny. After that things went somewhat downhill. We got seated at a table that had track lighting from above pointed directly at our faces. No one wants to eat a nice meal with a Spotlight on your face. There was a salsa splattered card with a QR code on it at our table. The waiter came to get our drinks. We realized at this point that we wouldn't get a physical menu and scrambled to pull up the digital menu. The drinks were good, no complaints there. But a little communication about the menu would have been great. We ordered the ceviche appetizer and got chips and salsa. The waiter asked if we wanted side plates for our ceviche. We said yes. The ceviche was delicious but our side plates never came. Next we ordered dinner. The item my husband wanted was out since yesterday. Again, a little communication would have been nice since now we had to go back to the crappy digital menu. He got the birria tacos and I got the chicken mole enchiladas. Both were delicious. No complaints there. Also the bathrooms were gross, and there was no toilet paper in the stalls, people were using paper towels. I will try this place again on a less busy night, because the food was really good. And the waitstaff was doing their best, they just seemed overwhelmed. And I will call to request a table by the windows to avoid the lighting issue. Hopefully I can update this review with 5 stars next time! read more

The food is amazing and the ambiance is perfect. The best part of our experience was our server. Josh was so personable and professional. He had great recommendations and checked on us regularly. It was so nice to feel like a cared for customer. We can't wait to go back! read more

Kaya was our server and she was amazing. Super quick and very kind. We didn't wait long for drinks at all. I think there was a mishap in the kitchen because they gave us 50% off - but we were so busy talking over our delicious cocktails that we didn't notice! This is our first restaurant experience in Salt Lake City and it was fantastic. Thanks Kaya! read more

Fantastic belated Valentine's dinner tonight at Monarca!! All of the staff was super friendly and attentive! It was a very chill relaxing vibe, which I thoroughly enjoyed after a long day at work. The complimentary chips and salsa were great! Perfect portion for two people. I started with the margarita of the day and my husband had his traditional Diet Coke. I got the octopus tacos which were delicious!! I'd never had octopus before and was happy with my decision!! My husband got the fish taco of the day which was corvina (a fish neither of us had heard of) but he definitely enjoyed!! For dessert I got the Old Fashioned to drink which was really cool and unique from other Old Fashioneds I've had. Fun smoky flavor! The only slight disappointment was the chocflan dessert. It was the regular flan I think on top of a rather tasteless chocolate cake. We just peeled the flan off, which was really good and left the cake behind. I would definitely come back for other special occasions!! Lots of tasty menu items and nice vibe. Would just stick to the regular flan for dessert or maybe try the churros. read more

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Looking for another date night option in Salt Lake City? I've found the PERFECT one! Meet Monarca in downtown SLC. You may have seen them before due to their viral nitrogen infused margaritas - but let me tell you they have SO many amazing dishes. We started with one of the more unique elote dishes I've ever had - it is a classic base but was topped with sweet popcorn! It was absolutely delicious and is now the only way I want to eat elote! It gives it that perfect crunch! We obviously also got the table side margaritas - this one was a pineapple base and we liked to refer to it as our "adule dole-whip"! Definitely is a splurge but was soooo worth it! As for our entrees, we went with the chicken tortilla soup, pollo en mole & Huitlacoche Quesadilla. Every single one was absolutely delicious and soooo flavorful! But the Chicken tortilla soup was the real shock of the night. It was packed with ingredients and every spoonful was even better than the last. I would go back just for that alone on any given night! Plus is was absolutely MASSIVE and only $10! The restaurant itself is pretty new, they have only been open a few years but I really feel like the have created such a unique and fun spot! It's perfect for date night, drinks out with friends or a great spot for lunch! I definitely recommend checking it out! read more

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Food, service and ambiance all 10's!!! Never had a bad experience ever. The off menu fried plantains with cheese and cream are my favorite. All the tacos are yummy. Great drinks. Love the street corn with popcorn. read more

First time in Utah and had an amazing meal before leaving to the airport. Jojo the bartender and waiter, Made this experience Great, he had great recommendation was very welcoming, and you can tell he pays attention to detail to make sure everyone has a good experience. I would recommended and come back. read more

Monarca Dining - RIB EYE TACOS AND BONE MARROW - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

Server's were extremely slow and unprofessional, and the quality of their desserts is not up to par to other fine dining establishments downtown, they tasted like they were from Costco and not made in house. Tried speaking in good faith with the owner Claudia and she was extremely rude and unwilling to have a conversation. The quality of the food is not worth the bad service, it was subpar Mexican food that wasn't very authentic or elevated. Won't be back and would not recommend read more

You know when you want something and it just appears in front of you... I was in downtown for the Utah Blues Festival ( AMAZING!!) .... I'm not from there, so I didn't know where to go... im craving Mexican food ..walk across the street & ...... Jasiel behind the bar was FABULOUS!! He's friendly, the bar is comfortable & let me just tell you. . . . . One of the top 5 Margaritas I've ever had!!!! ( let's just say, I'm not young so I've had my share!) It truly was amazing & THEN.... they had octopus tacos!!!! I will say this.. the octopus was cooked perfect... very tender, just could have used more flavor. However, those tortillas.... AMAZING!! Homemade, so soft, almost melt in your mouth!! So, GO is what I'm saying!!! GO!!! I saw some of the food being served around me.... looked sooo good!! Thank you, Jasiel.. Next year I'll be back!! read more

Monarca Dining - The most amazing Cadillac Margarita made by Jasiel! - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Beautiful upscale casual dining experience. BEAUTIFUL drinks. I love the garnish and thought put into the drinks. My personal favorite was the Paloma, highly recommend! We did have tacos dorados as an appetizer to go with our drinks. It was good, but nothing special about it. Service was great. Our waiter was super sweet, knowledgeable, and attentive. Overall, I would recommend this place. read more

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Good but 34$ for a 6 oz piece of halibut, some corn and sauce is bonkers then they serve it on the wrong side of a bowl? Im only eating here if someone else is paying and im still pushing them to other restaurants instead. read more

Loved it we went twice during our visit. The ceviche was great and the cocktails were good.

Party of 15... Business dinner meeting/ fellowship and this place is the real deal.. Great service, super fast, great atmosphere.. Nice menu, good portions on the food, love the fact they kept plenty of chips and salsa available on the table... I had the lobster enchilada and churros for dessert.. Everything was really good.. First time here and I was impressed.. Full bar available, but I didn't drink but ordered a pineapple and guava juice.. So good!! read more

Monarca Dining - Lobster enchiladas - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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We have been here many times and always love it. The latest time we were here, menu prices were higher than last time. Totally understandable since that's the way the world is moving and everything is getting more expensive... we were just a little annoyed that after ordering a $16 appetizer, they would charge us two dollars every time we wanted a tortilla refill when the appetizer only came with two tiny tortillas to begin with. I totally get that it cost extra for ingredients but when you're at a high-end restaurant, I wish they would just charge you $20 and give you a lot more tortillas than having to nickel and dime you for extra stuff. Delta vs Frontier lol. The manager was nice enough to offer to take away the extra charge, but we were not concerned about the money and we just wanted the owners to be aware that we don't love this practice. read more

My word against the bar tender. I've been to a lot of eating establishments and never once have I had to pay $14 for a Margarita with zero tequila. I ordered the Margarita of the day (spicy mango) and when it came to the table it looked delicious but as I took my first sip I thought something was off. No tequila, not even the slightest hint of tequila, just straight sugary mango juice. I told the server who took my drink back to the bar and came back with a new drink which even tasted AND smelled of tequila. When the bill came I was charged for TWO margaritas because the bar tender said there was alcohol in the first drink. I didn't even finish the first one! Food is great but if I'm charged for sampling a virgin margarita at the price of an alcoholic beverage then cross this place off my list. read more

I just came back from a week long vacation in Mexico and then had to take a business trip to Salt Lake. When my client suggested Mexican food, I was like, okay, but it won't be as nearly as good as what I just had in Playa del Carmen. Boy, was I wrong! Monarca could be... no IS... the best Mexican restaurant I've ever eaten in. From the cocktails (thank you, for the smoked mezcal old-fashioned, Bambi!) to all of the food. Just outrageous: from shrimp ceviche to the scallop aguachile (special request - but the scallops just melted in my mouth!).... the Birria Tacos - dip them in the spicy "au jus" and go to heaven... and the tacos Mar y Tierra... mole enchiladas... lobster enchiladas.... and the most amazing halibut covered in a heavenly sauce.... This restaurant is a family affair - I hear (believe) they own a few in town, so I'll have to try them out next time I'm back. To the owners Alfonso and Claudia Brito, your daughters and staff are all terrific. Thank you for your hospitality, your patience and just for an incredible Saturday night! read more

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You HAVE to order their ceviche. It was by far the best thing we ordered. Great location and service as well.

Seriously what an amazing find...I'd probably walked by this place a million times but never popped in, until last night. And wow. Crazy good drinks (like the best Paloma I've ever had), the food was phenomenal, and top-tier service (our server, T-named female, Trinity I think) took really good care of us. I can't say it with enough emphasis, this place beat every one of my expectations. Will 1000% be back. read more

Was pleasantly surprised with Monarca after I realized this used to be Alamexo - same decor and layout, different owner. The previous restaurant was known for its higher end Mexican food and I was happy to see that the new owner is continuing this lineage. We went on a Monday night with the main intention of checking the place out in anticipation of a work dinner that I was hosting later in the week. Service was prompt, fast and friendly. Menu choices were somewhat limited but this is higher end Mexican food, so you shouldn't expect a menu with 1000 things on it. We shared a bowl of tortilla soup which was very flavorful and well balanced. Main dishes were chicken mole and carne asada, both generous portions and prepared quite well. They came fast, too. We had enough to take home for lunch the next day - and all at a reasonable price tag. This is a competitive area of the city for restaurants so I do hope Monarca makes it and if they continue this level of service and food quality, I think they'll be well on their way. Well done guys! read more

Monarca Dining - Tortilla soup - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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This is a great new spot in Salt Lake. The wait staff was incredibly nice. They have fun atmosphere with good music. Drinks are equally fun! I tried the birria tacos and fish tacos. Both were so good, but the birria takes the cake. Warm, cheesy, and the dipping sauce was spectacular. Fish tacos were refreshing and light! Can't wait to go back for more. read more

Monarca Dining - Birria Tacos! - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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We love the food here, nothing disappoints. My husband had a dish that reminded him so much of his grandmothers cooking, he almost cried. Very authentic and our server Bryan was top tier. read more

Super quick service. Feels very fancy. My friend and I shared the elote dip and it was pretty good. He really liked it! It was sweet and creamy. The popcorn on top looked cool but I feel like it was weird feeling? I got the mar y Tierra tacos and I really loved them. The beef and shrimp were both tasty. I loved the cheese inside and the guac was awesome. And I was surprised by how much I liked the radish(?) and microgreens on top! Really rounded out the flavor. read more

Monarca Dining - Elote - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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Great food and service! Our food came out within 10 min of ordering and was all so good! We loved the queso, carnitas, and tacos mar y Tierra. All so good and huge portion sizes. Will be back! read more

Monarca Dining - Mexican Near Me - Salt Lake City, Utah

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A bit pricey but definitely worth it if someone else is paying. The service was very good. The ambiance is typical of a popular downtown eatery. Loud and fun. The food is exciting eclectic take on Mexican food. Lobster tacos. Hibiscus tortillas. They have a full bar. read more

Quick rating (out of 5) Cleanliness: 5/5 Environment: 5/5 Value for money: 5/5 Food Quality: 5/5 Staff and Friendliness: 5/5 Stellar. That is how I will begin. On with the details! We arrived right when they opened for an early lunch. We were seated immediately and the server came over right away. The ambiance is very contemporary and slick. There are large, tall windows that let in a lot of natural light and an outdoor dining area set right against the downtown area. It feels expansive and clean. We received a bowl of complementary chips and salsa (the first is free) which are -to say the least- a cut above. They are thick, super-crispy, flavorful, and the salsa is just fantastic. It looks a bit different than you may expect, being closer to a puree than a chunky salsa, but it is wonderful. The flavor is powerful and fresh. These are some of the best chips and salsa I have had -ever-. Please try these. Your outlook on life will improve. We ordered the empanadas as an appetizer. They come in three flavors: Cheese, Picadillo Beef, and Chicken Tinga, which is served with salsa verde and crema. We opted to get each flavor, rather than one, and I sincerely recommend this as well. The beef and the chicken varieties were smashing- the beef was full of flavor and delicious, and the chicken was equally wonderful. The cheese empanadas were less flavorful but still very good. Having all three flavors was a treat, since they were each so distinctive. I ordered the Shrimp Tacos and my husband, the Taco Chingon. The Chignon was absolutely stuffed with carne asada, bacon, veggies, al pastor, and jack cheese baked onto the in-house flour tortillas. It was so good and complex with so many ingredients- it was a real experience with different flavors over the course of a single bite. For the Shrimp Tacos, I disliked them, but it was because of the slaw. I don't like slaw typically, but I've gotten lucky a few times. Not this time however, and I kindly requested to get the Birria Tacos instead. They were very fast, attentive, and kind about the switch and didn't charge for it. Again, this was NOT the quality, it was a personal preference. Everything about the taco was great and slaw-eaters will likely love it. The Birria Tacos came with consomme and were utterly amazing. The tacos themselves are incredibly flavorful with baked-in cheese all over the inside of the corn tortilla but the consomme was so fantastic that I felt spoiled- it looked like nothing special at all. Honestly, I didn't know how good tacos could be. I'm a different person. Finally, we ordered the churros for dessert, and these were equally fantastic. Super-crunchy with a wonderfully tender interior and generously covered in cinnamon sugar, these didn't even need the dipping sauce, which -somehow- made it even better. Monarca is delicious and has a lovely ambiance which made the entire visit a pleasure. The staff were wonderful and even with my meal switch, were gracious. I HIGHLY recommend Monarca, especially for a nice date night. You won't regret going here. read more

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