You can tell a lot of care in effort went into this place. A really cool dining room with multiple levels. Main dining room is street level, there is a mid level that looks quieter good and then the top level has some nice booths and tables adjacent to the open doorway to the outdoor patio. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Food was very good. We had tuna and salmon hand rolls, the addictive cabbage which seemed like a play on unfermemted Kimchi with a sweeter flavor profile which was excellent, the miyatake fried rice which was exceptional and the curry black cod which was similar to a Tim yum flavor. Cocktails were interesting and good. Would definitely recommend for a chill, different feeling spot for dinner. read more

Had an impromptu double date last night at Monarch. We enjoyed the last of our August summer nights in the outdoor terrace outside and enjoyed the brussels sprouts, chicken tsukune and sesame noodles to name a few. Bites were decent but I think I need to give them another try for brunch. It's a good vibe though if you're looking for a quieter dinner just to catch up with some friends. I'll be back for round 2 some time! read more

I really like how cute the interior is, I pass by it all the time so glad I was finally able to check it out. I came for brunch and was seated right away, the restaurant wasn't packed on the weekend. The food was hit or miss and it took awhile to come out too. I would not recommend the potatoes or eggs, the spice that was added was kinda weird. Even the ketchup didn't taste like regular ketchup. Service was friendly but compared to other nyc restaurants, its just average. Its not bad but if I'm spending $40+ on food, I want it to be above average. I do like that they have a vegan menu though, its hard to find a place that serves both vegans and non vegans. I would come back to try the vegan food read more

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My husband and I LOVE coming here! We had tickets to a midnight movie at Nitehawk, so we came here to eat dinner first. This was our third time coming here and definitely not our last. First of all, this place is consistently amazing. From the always pleasant employees to the delicious food. We have a fave spot in the corner that was open, but both servers recommended the balcony. We never sat there before and OMG it's such a cute and cozy spot! Almost felt like we were on vacay! And the FOOD!! The pics don't do the food enough justice. Chicken Karaage was possibly the best bite of chicken I've ever had! Crispy, flavorful, and comes with a fun aioli sauce. The chicken dumplings were cooked perfectly and the sauce was delicious - and I'm not even a big dumpling fan! The star of the show though was the pork belly steam buns. The pork had a light char that made the edges perfectly crispy. It was rich and fatty (in the best way) and the marinated cabbage gave it a nice fresh kick. The Yuzu lime pie was a great way to end the dinner. It was tart and creamy, while the graham cracker crust gave it a nice crunch. Can't wait to come back and continue to eat our way through the menu! read more

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TLDR: Come for the vibe cuz they have a cute little rooftop patio too, but the food was kinda mid. I'd be down to try again to get other dishes. I think they have live music sometimes too? Food: We ordered a bunch of tapas but nothing really stood out imo Service: our server was very nice read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Chicken Karaage Kimchi pork belly Fried Rice salmon saikyo - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

The BEST matcha mochi waffle and black sesame french toast I've had in NYC so far! Made with so much love by a husband-and-wife duo at this adorable Japanese brunch/izakaya spot in Williamsburg. Lawrence is a talented baker who makes amazing scones, and Aya creates the Japanese comfort food she grew up having with an American twist. You can feel the care in every detail, from the decor to the food itself. Even the bento boxes were designed by Aya and the stickers were cut by hand one by one. So much heart in this place! ＊Matcha Mochi Waffle ** We tried their new matcha mochi waffle and I swear this one's about to blow up. Crispy on the edges, chewy in the center, with a matcha flavor throughout. A little sweet with the red bean for me, but I still loved it and kept going back for another bite. ＊Black Sesame French Toast $20 *** The highlight of the brunch! It came with two thick, fluffy slices of black sesame milk bread, topped with black sesame whipped cream for that extra nutty flavor. The pumpkin butter on the side was sooo good with it. ＊Salmon Saikyo Bento $24 * They just launched bento boxes and this one honestly surprised me. The miso marinated salmon was tender and umami, and the takikomi gohan lowkey reminded me of Trader Joe's japanese fried rice but better. ＊Okonomiyaki $17 It came out sizzling on a cast iron! They added cheddar for an american twist. A little salty on its own, but it makes sense as an izakaya style dish to have with a beer. read more

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The food here was a nice modern take on Japanese food and was executed quite well. I felt like the chicken dumplings and pork belly buns had good flavor, and the protein and bread part complemented each other very well. I did feel like the Wagyu burger fell a little flat and that the black bun was kind of gimmicky. Service was great, and on a nice day, sitting on their outdoor patio is amazing! read more

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Such a cute and chic restaurant with a rooftop terrace in Williamsburg. It's not much of a view, but it's a vibe. I came for brunch with a friend and there was no wait on a Saturday. They offer some unique and fun Asian inspired food and drinks. We started off with the Japanese Breakfast Julep ($16) and Liquid Pearl ($16). The julep was refreshing while the liquid pearl was fun with a cinnamon stick lit like a cigarette. If you don't like smoke, this ain't for you though. And be careful to remove the cinnamon stick before drinking to avoid getting ashes in your cocktail (silly mistake). As for food, we shared the Black Sesame French Toast ($20), Gochujang Fig Jam Egg Sandwich ($16), and Japanese Style Omelette ($17). All of the dishes were a hit and loved the Asian twist on all of them, which I'd choose over the classic version any day. The omelette is simple, but the flavor on that egg was so savory and delicious to balance out with the rice. The sandwich is a perfect blend of sweet, savory, spicy --it's an explosion of flavors all in one. The sesame flavor really shined in the French toast and was a nice sweet but not too sweet dish. I really enjoyed everything at this spot, especially for brunch. At the end of our meal, they even gave us a complimentary Blueberry Scone to-go. read more

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Food 4, Service 2. I felt like i was in a movie and not a good one. Servers were socially awkward and was banished to a naughty corner, and i didn't even know why. the corner was ascetically pleasing to the eye but left me thinking i was in the twilight zone and unsure if i would ever make it out. meatballs seemed like a suggestion when i ordered. #lowkeylove try to make it better with spicy tuna rolls, but the tuna came out of a chicken of the sea can. read more

Incredibly unique menu with so many delicious options! Perfect date night spot in Williamsburg, The facade is really simple but the inside has a neat layout, really cool retro artwork and neat lighting! Our server was really great with recommendations and ensure the amount of food we ordered was enough for two people to share - and it sure was. My wife and I love a place with lots of appetizers and went with seared tuna, karage and bao buns. The buns were fantastic! Soft pillowy buns with delicious and salty pork on the inside. The karage was a treat and I love the citrus sauce with out perfectly cooked tuna. We shared out mains and the kimchi friend rice is my favorite thing! I would order two next time just so I could take some more for later. Now the real treat here was the yuzu key lime pie. That was hands down the best key lime pie I've had in the city. The crust was salty, graham forward and perfectly crumbled. The custard was silky, citrusy, tart and sweet and the cream on top was the perfect compliment to the dish. I would say if you have any room for dessert, and a big key lime person, like myself, this is a must have. Would come back for a date night, drinks or even just dessert! read more

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Amazing experience! Came for brunch on Mother's Day and were welcomed in right away. We opted to sit at a table in the back and although the lighting was quite dim at first, it added to the intimate setting. The place was decorated nicely with Japanese art and paper lanterns. The staff were friendly and patient with us and gave us our time waiting for our full party to arrive and look at the menu. The food was delicious. My favorites would have to be the chilled sesame noodles and the Wagyu burger! The black sesame latte was also rich in flavor. The lavender in the matcha latte was also strong as well - perfect for those who enjoy drinking lavender flavored beverages. read more

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SERVICE - located in Williamsburg a few streets away from the waterfront - amazing service. from the moment we stepped in i felt like all the workers were very attuned to taking care of the customer. we were immediately asked if we had dietary preferences and handed separate vegan menus. when we sat down, the lady taking our orders thoughtfully walked us through the menu options and gave us her recommendations. we later got to speak with one of the co owners and he was very receptive to feedback. - two floors of seating gives it ample space to accommodate diners - outdoor patio available though not on the chilly day we went - ambiance good for a semi casual meal - food served relatively quickly MENU - Japanese fusion brunch and dinner menus - vegan/vegetarian options available - average price FOOD - the hangry panda (9/10): roasted potatoes, tofu scramble, mushroom sausage balls, with a side of housemade fennel raisin sourdough. This sounded like a perfect savory brunch for someone who likes to try multiple things. Every item had been carefully thought through and very well executed. The potatoes were crispy on the edges and fluffy in the middle. The tofu scramble was soft and almost silky. The mushroom balls were delicious. They had a crispy exterior and a slightly chewy but not tough interior. I would order those on their own as an appetizer. The star of the plate for me was the bread. The owner who spoke to us told us he makes it himself and it shows how much care he put into baking it. The structure of the crumb was airy with a crunchy crust. I loved the addition of fennel and raisins for sweetness and a touch of warmth. The only small tweak that I would make to this is to add something fresh like a side salad or sautéed greens, as i think the bitterness would round out the flavors. WOULD I GO BACK? Yes! I am hoping to see their plant based selection expand read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Vegan brunch menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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Craving ramen on a freezing evening in the neighborhood, we found ourselves stepping into Monarch Izakaya. This restaurant has more than one floor and outside seating apparently, but we were placed in the warm and cozy main level with the bar. The decor had flair to it; I remember the unique windows and the neato bird bathroom wallpaper. The women waiting on us were kind and welcoming. To start, we ordered the maitake steam buns ($13 for 2 pieces). These were quite flavorful and featured peanuts, hoisin sauce, shiso, marinated napa cabbage, and yuzu aioli. Thumbs up. The tonkotsu ramen ($21) had a lot going on. We were helpfully informed that there was a strong smoky aspect to the ramen. The rest of the components included pork belly, egg, seaweed, scallions, sesame seeds, and nori. I thought the ramen was a tad too smoky and salty for me but not bad overall. Nice chewy noodles. Glad we gave Monarch Izakaya a try! read more

This restaurant is a beauty! I stopped here for happy hour and I ordered from their happy hour menu. I ordered a beer $5 (Kirin Ichiban Japanese beer) and Korean chicken Fingers, and charred broccoli with vinaigrette. My beer was great; I now need to find this beer somewhere to have at home The Korean chicken fingers was something I did not expect at all but I was so happy with the outcome. They were a tab bit spicy for me but I like spicy and it wasn't that spicy for me to stop eating it. I felt the spicy after more than a couple of bites. I liked the crispy texture and the KFC sauce. The restaurant is cozy and beautiful inside. Great restaurant to dress cute and take pictures and the food is picturesque. It has a modern chic aspect and the staffing is very inviting. When I walked in they greeted me with a warm genuine smile. Since it was still happy hour time they provided me with a happy hour menu which I appreciated that they didn't try to push a pricer dinner menu on to me. When I was dining there weren't too many people dining at the same time as I was. It was great in my opinion to have a cozy dinner without a noisy background. I really enjoyed my experience dining at this restaurant. I would definitely recommend this restaurant and would love to come back for more Korean food. 10/10 restaurant recommendation. read more

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Love this spot for brunch -/ lunch! Space for indoor seating or small upstairs patio, dog friendly and had tons of amazing pastries! Handful of options for vegan and meat menus, and love how personable the staff was. Would recommend few plates to share or try for yourself! read more

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I discovered Monarch while searching for Ube desserts nearby, which is one of my favorite treats since childhood. When I saw their brunch menu featured Ube Ricotta Pancakes, I was instantly sold. Upon entering, you'll notice a striking staircase leading up to the second floor, along with Japanese memorabilia on the walls and shelves. History lovers will appreciate that Monarch is located in a building that once housed a theater called The Collapsable Hole. First up was the Ube Ricotta Pancakes. It's served with hibiscus-poached pear, sesame crumble, and maple butter. The combination of flavors and textures worked beautifully. My only wish is that the ube flavor had been a bit more pronounced. Still a delicious dish. Next, the Szechuan Sweet Spiced Bacon. I requested it crispy and it delivered. It reminded me of thin slices of Chinese beef jerky, which happens to be another favorite treat of mine. Last was the Breakfast Banh Mi filled with a cilantro and pickled vegetable omelette, house-made pâté, pickles, lots of cilantro, jalapeño, and Maggi sauce, all tucked inside a house-made baguette. Bold, fresh, and very satisfying. A highlight of our visit was meeting Lawrence, one of the owners, who stepped out of the kitchen with trays of freshly baked blueberry and raspberry scones. We were offered a few samples and they were nothing like the typical dry, dense scones I've had before. Lawrence's version was lightly crisp on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside - truly unique and memorable. Sharing a few helpful tips: -Asian-inspired dishes available for both carnivores and herbivores -No brunch reservations -Closed on Mondays -Indoor and outdoor seating available on the second floor Overall, we really enjoyed the food, atmosphere, and service. We're already looking forward to returning for dinner and drinks! read more

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We went here on a Saturday night. It wasn't crazy busy but it was pretty chill. We ordered the tuna handroll and chicken kaarage as appetizers. The tuna handroll was pretty good. The chicken kaarage was alright. I ordered the ramen as my entree and it was pretty decent. Overall, it's a nice cozy spot. I don't think their dinner menu is as good as the brunch menu. Also, it's a little overpriced. read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Chicken karaage - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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A lovely environment to have a date night. The decor inside kind of reminds me of Singapore or Malaysia lol. Don't love the small tables, but it is what it is when real estate is highly coveted. To start, we got the salt and pepper calamari. We were so obsessed with the nam jim sauce. The whole time we were sitting there, we were thinking how we can recreate it at home! We also got the steam buns, shiitake fried rice, and spicy minced pork noodles. We were pretty full by the time the entrees came, which was surprising because the portions looked pretty small. read more

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I tried this restaurant for brunch, and it was definitely one of the most unique meals I had. Kimchi waffle - probably my favorite dish. Savory, mildly spicy, and slightly tangy, with a perfectly poached egg. Black sesame French toast - the black sesame flavor isn't very strong, so this was the closest to a standard brunch dish. But the bruleed bananas were a nice touch that takes it a step up. Korean fried cauliflower - my other favorite. The fried cauliflower is super crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a tangy and spicy sauce. Reminded me of a Korean gobi Manchurian. Ube ricotta pancakes - ube is also a pretty mild flavor, but the pancakes were super fluffy. The plums were a unique topping, adding some tartness. Eggplant banh mi - kind of mixed feelings about this one. The eggplant had good sweet and sour flavor, but is cut into large slices that can be a little hard to bite into. But the bread and the other fillings of the sandwich were delicious, and the potatoes were a nice accompaniment. I split everything except the banh mi with five others. Everyone else at the table got their own entrees (wagyu burger, breakfast banh mis, Benedict, and okonomiyaki). My portion of the bill came out to about $42 out of a total $260, which really isn't that expensive. The restaurant has a balcony which is really nice to sit at when the weather is good, but the entire space is beautiful. Be patient - service takes time, but it's totally worth it. read more

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What's good: Nice setup, decent food, friendly staff, and well priced. What's not good: They looked understaffed, slightly longer wait just to see the host, and smaller portions. Walked in on a warm March Sunday for brunch and were seated on a table of three after waiting for close to 10 minutes to just see the host. Went straight to ordering which included a $5 coffee (which unfortunately wasn't too warm), and ordered from their Vegan brunch menu which looked pretty promising! Ordered the Hungry Panda ($19), where the Mushroom Thai "Sausage" caught my attention. The sausage was just ok, but the Tofu Scramble was extremely delicious (a little heavy on salt). The plate also fills up with potatoes which were fairly dry. Also included in our order were Shitake Fried Rice ($19) which was heavy on oil, and KFC Fried Cauliflower ($14) which was pretty decent. Service was slightly slower, and food took around 20-minutes to arrive after ordering. Overall though, was a good experience and we will visit again whenever we are in the area! read more

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It was too expensive for the portions, i really wanted to like it bc the staff was so nice but the bento rice felt stale and the sides were too small. The dumplings are only 4 per order and $13-14, this was insane to me I am not sure if they are made in house but I doubt it. read more

I came here on a Sunday night. We sat upstairs where the seating was split into two sections. We sat in the smaller section with just three tables. The tables were quite close to each other so it wouldn't be the best option for a private conversation. The restaurant seemed to have nice decor and an open upstairs patio for warmer months, but this section kind of felt like an after thought to squeeze in more people. The sill above the window was lined with leafy green plants which did help with the ambiance a bit. To drink, I had the Wind Up Bird. It was fruity and pleasantly sweet. For an appetizer, we shared the korean fried cauliflower. It was delicious with crispy, doughy cauliflower topped with a sweet and spicy sauce. My partner also enjoyed the crab ragoon. This is a great spot for vegans and vegetarians as they have an entire vegan menu with lots of options. For my main, I got the vegan bibimbap. It was a generous portion size and served in a hot stone bowl. The rice was crispy on the bottom and topped with tender zucchini, mushrooms, kale, kimchi, and other veggies. On its own, the dish was a bit bland, but the accompanying chili sauce provided good flavor. I also asked for chili oil which added a nice, subtly spicy kick. I'd love to come back to try the rest of the menu! read more

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This place is simply amazing! Everything about it from the staff to the decor and atmosphere was 10/10. I first stepped in and was greeted by the staff so kindly - they were very attentive and friendly. You can tell that there was intention behind the food! We got the eggs Benedict and the Ube pancakes which had a unique subtle twist to it but complimenting to the taste. Also got to try their cranberry chocolate scones and was a huge highlight too. Highly recommend! Ambiance was top tier also! Great for photos if you're looking to take some cute photos. read more

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Solid 5 stars for Monarch. It's a very quaint and cute cafe that serves interesting Asian flavors. Their black sesame French toast sign outside was very alluring, so my partner and I came in to try out the dish. It was very flavorful and we enjoyed the concept a whole lot. We also ordered some hot tea and the yuzu tart for dessert. Both dishes were excellent and I highly recommend. Great place for a date or girl lunch/dinner! read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Black sesame French toast and yuzu tart - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

This restaurant is so cute! The interior is decorated so nicely and is super welcoming. The front seating area is really well lit and gets lots of natural light, whereas the back has a great vibe with the ambient lighting. I loved the food as well. The pan seared dumplings had amazing flavor. The wrappers had a nice bite to them, the filling was perfect, and the sauce on top was delicious. I had the Eggs Benedict, which was so filling! The Canadian bacon was Szechuan flavored, and I loved the fusion twist. The staff was wonderful and very kind as well. Minus one star because we were seated right under the AC, and it was constantly dripping dangerously close to the food. The experience was overall good though, would definitely come back (and request seating elsewhere). read more

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The waitstaff were very nice and attentive but wasn't blown away by the food. Ordered the okinomiyaki, ube pancakes, and crab Rangoon. Seemed like it could be a cute date spot and was pretty empty on a Sunday afternoon. read more

Stumbled on this super cute gem while walking around Brooklyn and wow--what a find! From start to finish, everything was incredible. We kicked things off with the yuzu lemonade, which was super refreshing. Then we shared the chicken dumplings (perfectly crisp and flavorful), a fresh, vibrant cabbage and grilled chicken salad, and a seriously next-level bacon, egg, and cheese--elevated with fig and gochujang for that sweet-spicy combo I didn't know I needed in my life. To top it all off, we finished with a blueberry scone, fresh out of the oven that morning. Total comfort. The best part? The owner took the time to walk us through the menu and share the story behind some of the dishes. It made the experience feel personal and really special. Already planning to come back ! read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

Friendly staff and cute environment. The addictive spicy cabbage was delicious. The sesame noodles were also good. We got the charred broccoli as a starter which was good because broccoli is good but plain and small. The bibimbap didn't have much flavor unfortunately. The garlic chili chicken was fine , a bit too floral read more

Really enjoyed the brunch I had at Monarch! They don't do reservations for brunch but we came really early that it wasn't a problem so they were able to seat us right away. The interior of restaurant is really beautiful with two floors of seating. The dishes are pretty unique, small plate, Asian fusion. Super vegetarian and vegan friendly as they had a whole separate vegan menu. Altogether my friend and I shared the onion roti with the yellow curry sauce and I got the breakfast bahn mi and she got the hangry panda. The roti was pretty good and we really enjoyed the sauce. The house made baguette was delicious. I'd definitely come back to try more brunch items and their dinner menu. read more

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We tried from the vegan menu. Food is decent but small portions and somewhat overpriced for the taste. Service is slow - roti and baos took a lot of time when the place crowded. Ambiance is good but nothing extraordinary. read more

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Had a casual date night here on a Saturday night-- we made a 7:30 pm reservation the same afternoon, so my instinct is to say that it is not too terribly difficult to get a reservation, even for a prime spot. We were seated in the corner table by the window which I thought was very cute-- minor complaint was that the table was very close to the table next to it but honestly this is pretty standard for NYC. We got the onion roti and calamari to start. Fully forgot to take photos of these items, but the roti was fine, nothing exceptional. The curry sauce it was dipped in was cold which was a bit off putting to me. THe calamari was great! Very salty, but I was a fan of the dipping sauce, a variation of a fish sauce. For entrees we opted for the garlic chicken and the malaysian noodles. Garlic chicken was again, nothing too special, but tasty. THe malaysian noodles were delicious! Noodles were chewy and not too soft and I was a huge fan of the coconut milk based broth. Overall, it was good, but don't know if I'd come again. read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Malaysian Noodles with Chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The food was absolutely delicious. We went for dinner. I got the bibimbop and my husband got Malaysian noodles. The staff and owner are super great and cordial. The service was fast and efficient. The overall ambiance was very pretty as well. We would definitely come back and try their brunch menu which apparently boasts items from the owner who is a baker as well read more

Modern East Asian restaurant with a full cocktail bar. We dined in on a Monday night and were seated immediately. Menu is well organized and vegetarian friendly. We decided to lean veggie with this meal. We started with the addictive cabbage. It's perfectly cut cabbage with the quintessential East Asian soy sauce, garlic, and crispy onion blend. Topped with sesame seeds. It's simple, classic, and as the name suggests - addictively delicious. It hits all the taste buds. I had been drinking mezcal earlier in the evening, so I continued the trend with a mezcal based cocktail. I wasn't able to quite identify it, but the drink had this umami or earthiness characteristic of Asian cuisine. We also had the onion roti which was a confusing way of labeling a scallion pancake. Thin and crispy pancake. Slightly greasy (as I prefer). It was served which a curry sauce. I didn't taste much curry flavor to it. Initially, I thought it was a light brown version of hoisin. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the "onion roti". Next came out the agadashi mushrooms. Crispy and juicy maitake mushrooms served over a dashi broth. I'm surprised how well the breading stayed together despite being soaked in the broth. As expected, this was a super umami forward dish. Ultra savory with woody, nutty, and earthy flavors to it. After that was the Korean fried cauliflower. Not sure, I'd characterize it as Korean style. The breading was a thicker beer batter style. Definitely crunchy and crispy. Not in a Korean way but more of a British fish and chips style. Another savory forward dish. Topped with a sweet and spicy sauce that was nostalgic of sesame / general Tso Chinese take out, but with a distinctive spice element. Last, we had the eggplant in a bean sauce. The eggplants were scalloped which was a prep style that I haven't had before. I liked the execution and texture of the eggplant. Dish had dill and celery which took over. It was another dish that had this peculiar savory / umami quality to it that I couldn't quite pin point. Service was attentive and the pacing of the dishes was perfect. I appreciated the overall creativity of the dishes here. There was one gender neutral restroom which was very spacious and handicap accessible. read more

I had a wonderful brunch experience at Monarch and can't wait to go back! My best friend is vegan, and Monarch has an entirely vegan brunch menu that she was able to order from (she got the Hungry Panda, which she loved). I ordered the Breakfast Banh Mi, which I was so happy with -- it was SO filling, and the homemade bread wasn't too hard (which can be an issue with a banh mi). I swapped the side salad for the breakfast potatoes, which were seasoned to perfection. For a drink, I got the hot matcha latte, which came with the cutest little foam art! Next time I go, I'm hoping to try the kimchi waffle. read more

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The menu is so creative and I love all the vegan and vegetarian options. The baked goods are made in house and fresh. Try the cabbage - I don't know what makes it so delicious but my party all agreed it was the best. read more

Walked in at 1pm on a Saturday with no wait. There was a decent number of filled tables on the first floor but ample empty seating as the outdoor seating was empty and we were the only ones upstairs so we got to make use of the lovely terrace! Everyone who works here is extremely pleasant and impressively kind, and we met one of the owners who was very passionate and explained that all the bread and pastries were made in-house. We ordered: - Black Sesame French toast: This was tasty but didn't meet my expectations. I really liked the flavors of the pumpkin butter and syrup (very brown-buttery) and the texture of the banana was creamy but still had a good snap to it. However, I didn't like the sesame cream, and I usually am a huge black sesame fan. The sesame cream had a pretty sharp cheesy tang at first taste (which was off-putting), and then a tiny hint of black sesame aftertaste (which I liked). The bread (which I think was their black sesame brioche) became a little too drowned under the toppings and the texture deteriorated and was nearing mushy. I don't mind a soggier texture (big tres leches fan), but I would've enjoyed the toast even more if it was crunchier on the outside to provide a more diverse array of textures. - Addictive Spicy Cabbage: Our favorite dish of the meal. The crunchy textures are satisfying and there were plenty of aromatics to boost the flavor. This was a little salty to eat straight-on but I think it would've made for a great sandwich topping. - Breakfast Banh Mi: The sandwich was beautiful but was unfortunately underwhelming in taste and texture. The house-made bread was excellent with a great chew, but the inside of the sandwich was one soft/mushy texture. It seemed like the egg (nicely fluffy, but not much flavor) was releasing a lot of liquid to where the sandwich was dripping and puddling into the plate, and making the bread soggy, as well. The pickles did not have much of an acidic taste or crunchy texture to contrast from the inside, so each bite was rather flavorless and mushy. I ended up putting some cabbage/fried garlic/peanuts from the side dish on the sandwich to enjoy it more. We swapped the banh mi side-salad for potatoes and the potatoes were nicely done! - Mockingbird mocktail: After we stirred the drink, it was an enjoyable drink with a pleasant bitter edge. Overall, I thought the place was nicely decorated, the food was beautiful, and the people were great. However, I probably wouldn't order any of these dishes again. I do want to return to try some of the menu items that are interesting to me, but think that their strong suits probably lie more in their pastries/bread rather than prepared dishes. It seems like the owner is vigilant about receiving feedback from these reviews so I'm still looking forward to trying new things and seeing if my feedback is incorporated! read more

Monarch Izakaya Restaurant - Breakfast Banh Mi with SIde Salad , Black Sesame French Toast , Addictive Spicy Cabbage - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Brooklyn, New York

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The food here is amazing, we tried 6 dishes and they were all incredible, recommend the cauliflower, sesame noodles, and cabbage for sure. Service is great too! Will be back! read more

Overall, I enjoyed this place and will likely be back because I live around the area. My only negative is an odd experience when I initially got there with the host / bartender / not exactly sure what he was. Made a reservation ahead of time for two in the "pink room", which was downstairs in the back (very intimate and cute). When I arrived, there were a few open tables but the host instead walked me upstairs and sat me there - half the lights were turned off upstairs, there wasn't any music, and there wasn't a single person up there... IT WAS SO BIZARRE. After 5+ minutes of no one coming back to even pour water, I went back down and asked him to seat me in the pink room since that's where the reservation was. He seemed really flustered and annoyed, but eventually agreed. It was such a bizarre experience. Aside from this, our actual server was really friendly and kind. Food wise, I would recommend family style. I'm not vegan, but they have an extensive vegan friendly menu. Between two people we ordered: -Salt & Pepper Calamari: pretty standard, but crunchy and flavorful and just what I wanted. Good to share for two, but fairly small portion for more than that. -Mushroom & Edamame Dumplings: decent, but probably the least exciting thing we got. Not sure I would order again. -Spicy Minced Pork Noodles: the best thing we ordered. Sooo good! I've even ordered this a few times from delivery. Sadly, no photo. I ate it too quickly. -Cod in Coconut Broth: very flavorful. It had a slight kick to it. Very good and perfect for cold weather. read more

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The service: absolutely welcoming, lovely, kind, attentive. The space: well planned, cute, comfortable, great options depending on time of year (ext balcony and int booth option which are my favorites). The food: yes, yes! Yes!!!! So goood!! I first came here in pre-Covid times aka forever ago lol... on a whim, had lunch on the balcony in spring/summer. Loved it. Vowed to come back. More recently, my partner and I went. Had brunch. And boy.. was it good! Lawrence is a gem and although I never met the other owner officially, I guarantee she is too! Great spot. Great food. And we will be going again! Esp since my bf doesn't really care about food as much as me, and he still raves about this place! Love that!! Molding him into my lil foodie lol! Must try items: eggs Benny, the omelette, the scones!! I usually don't do scones but there's are soooo good!! They're moist and tasty! Im like why are all scones not like this? WTH! I thought I wasn't into scones till I tried these! Now I'm hooked! I was super impressed by the omelette tho. Don't sleep on it! I promise! She's unassuming but the flavors are incredible!! And I tried the umami bomb cocktail. Not as strong as I thought but powerful drink. If you like umami and cocktails, I'd say give her a go :) Go to monarch. And then go again and try something new! You won't regret it!!! read more

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An option for brunch, but not dinner. Service was exceptional (left my sunnies here 2 months ago & they flipped through the whole restaurant while on call with me looking for it), staff definitely makes an effort to get to know the customers feel like home. Food tends to take long so won't recommend if you're absolutely starving but definitely a spot for long, slow chats. Date vibes. : [Brunch]: flavors of each dish felt balanced. Does not feel too heavy. Good for sharing to try out other items on the menu. drinks are good for someone not too big on the taste of alcohol but still enjoys casual drinking [Dinner]: not recommending the pork belly fried rice. added too much oil cooking the kimchi and rice even though pork belly exerts a hefty amount of oil itself. overwhelmingly greasy to the taste, couldn't really taste any of the ingredients after first bite. they tried to serve both dishes at the same time so the dishes ended up being served lukewarm. Cod was decent, would've been lot better served hot. read more

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