I had high hopes for a decent Asian restaurant. Sadly, very disappointed! Service was ok, waited too long for food. Would rather eat at panda express. read more

I really enjoyed the angel hair pasta with the meat substitute. The Cosmo was also very tasty. Greg was a great waiter, too.

My friend wanted to try this place so after hunting and hunting we finally found it next to Ralph's. Don't rely on the Yelp map to find the entrance to this place! The waiter who seated us dropped the menus on a table and walked away without saying a word, so we assumed that is where we were to sit! Our waitress came by and was very friendly from the start. She tried her best to make up for the failures of the kitchen and did ok on refilling drinks considering she had 4 of the 6 tables that were occupied. The first issue was the bowl of Wonton soup without any wontons! Not sure how you could miss the main ingredient of wonton soup, but the waitress was very apologetic she didn't catch that when she served the first cups to us. She got us a new bowl and prepared it to go since our food had already arrived. The second issue was the Sweet & Sour chicken. The sauce was bland and some of the chicken was tough to eat. The quality of the food here is not as good as other Chinese restaurants in the area and the portion sizes are considerably smaller as well, while the prices are higher! It is apparent the owners believe a little remodeling justifies paying more for the "ambiance"! I suggest you skip eating here and with the money you save buy a drink at a less expensive restaurant with better food and create your own ambiance! I would like to mention that no one talked to us besides the waitress and no manager was anywhere to be seen so it is obvious the owners don't care for feedback! read more

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Always eat here when visiting Riverside. Very flavorful and light dishes. Thai/Chinese fusion. Karen, the owner, is a gracious host.

Tried previously disappointing "Monark" again today. Still disappointing and pricy. Lunch special is $10 w/o soup or drink. My granddaughter's fountain lemonade was $3.75. She did like her sweet & sour chicken, but my beef broccoli was missing that extra something ... What is it? Oh yes, flavor. read more

Great food and service. I've enjoyed a few items on their menu but my favorite is the Shrimp Tom Yum soup. Consistent flavor, nice clean atmosphere and friendly service. read more

Walnut shrimp is amazing, as well as the divine garlic pepper chicken. Vegetable fried rice is also great. Overall a very nice and delicious restaurant. Great service too! read more

SO UNLOYAL TO THEIR CUSTOMERS AND UNPROFESSIONAL. Make sure you plan on eating and paying for what you Order whether you like it or not. We have been going to Monark since it was The Little Emperor (for 15+ years). We've had parties, catering, and dinners here, giving our business to small family owned restaurants like this in our community. We are so completely disappointed in the inappropriate, unprofessional behavior of the OWNER. My mom and I came in for an early dinner, like we do often, my mom ordered something on the menu she had never had before, when it was brought to the table she realized it wasn't what she was expecting, so we politely called the waiter over for a to go box to just take it with us home. He waved us off without stopping and listening to us and told us he would get the Owner (who we did not ask for). The owner comes over and before she even got to the table she started raising her voice at us from across the restaurant about what the ingredients are in the dish and "that's what we ordered". Before we could even speak or get a word in she told us it was "exchange only" multiple times, raising her voice at us, talking over us and not even letting us speak. (Again, we just wanted a box) she THEN points out that I'm wearing scrubs??(I am a nurse who just got off a shift) and the owner starts insulting me about what I do for a living, what does that have to do with anything?? So completely insulted. Needless to say the unprofessional behavior that this owner showed is disappointing and disgusting and the fact that she did all of this instead of just taking off the $6 dollar appetizer from our bill to begin with as a kind gesture and what a professional manager/owner would do. she absolutely refused. We told her we have been coming for years (since I was 3) and she said she didn't care. This isn't a post about terrible food or that it was dirty. this is a post to tell you not to support a business who doesn't respect their customers. She refused to take the meal off the bill because she just wanted the money. Plain and simple. She could care less about the loyalty we've had to her. And then she insulted me and my profession for absolutely no reason. Please don't support a business like this that have greedy owners, who are insulting, unprofessional and could care less about their loyal customers. She clearly is only in it for the money and you wonder where else they try to save their money and cut costs. Needless to say we will never be returning after coming here for 15 years. we will tell all our friends in the community about our disappointing experience and we will never refer anyone to a place of business like this again. I much rather take our money elsewhere to a kind, respectful and loyal family owned business instead. (Also would like to add in ALL the years we have been coming here we have NEVER sent anything back before) So sad and disappointing. read more

I really love Thai food and I do like Chinese food so I though I'd try this place out for the blend. I went on lunch. I had to wait a bit to be seated. It's a nice looking restaurant and setup seemed good except please note that there is a big gap between the table and seats. So if you are a large person this is very comfortable for you. The weather was cold outside but they had the AC running. They were serving lunch specials. Please note that the specials were marked as item of the day. If it is not an item you prefer you would pay full price for it. I found that out when the bill arrived! I ordered the Chicken and Vegetables with green tea. The food was very bland and I had to use a lot of soy sauce. The portions were small and after I was done eating it felt like I had had an appetizer. The table I sat at blew out cold air and my food get cold in a minute. If you are used to eating a lot for little this is definitely not the place for you. It's a bit over the top for me on price and low on flavor. The Service was average. No one approached me to check and ask if I was enjoying my meal or if I needed anything. The bill was dropped off before I even finished eating and it seemed like they wanted me out quickly. The place didn't seem very busy. They may have better service or menu for dinner but I'm not going to find that out as I won't be having any meals at this restaurant in the near future. Their website is still a work in progress and does not correctly reflect the actual menu. read more

Good slightly upscale Asian place in riverside. I got their Thai food and it was quite delicious. Slightly overpriced though.

Best yellow curry chicken in the area. Always terrific service, easy to get in and out, and prices are very reasonable. We have taken friends there, and they love it, too. One year on my birthday they brought a piece of German Chocolate Cake for dessert, and it was awesome! We also like the steamed vegetables. We will always be a fan. read more

Not impressed. Service was terrible, the waiter barely paid attention to us even though the place was empty. Also, my husband's food was brought out a good ten minutes before mine, what is that? The vegetarian option is pathetic. Weird spongy fake meat for an extra $2.50, not worth it! Husband got the chicken basil, it had way way too much basil. I really wanted chilli sauce for my food, but they never put us attention so I couldn't get it. Also, silverware was just chillin on the table, not on a napkin or anything, gross. read more

Nice location. Kung pao chix was tasty. Eggs rolls were good. Fast, friendly service. Will definitely be back.

On a sister lunch date. First time here! Ordered almost all the appetizers, they were tasty.

I am seriously addicted to the walnut shrimp and the green beans with shiitake mushrooms. I eat here often when I am in town. The service and atmosphere are great. read more

Karen is simply the best and her green beans re out of this world! The hot and sour soup is delicious as is everything else on the menu. This is such a great local business and so worthy of support. I waitressed here when I was younger and can vouch for the freshness and the quality of the product she brings to the table. Also very veggie friendly :) read more

The food was cooked to perfection and the flavors were complex and delicious. However, I saw something horrible and I won't return to this restaurant. When my date and I arrived there was a small band playing and lots of drunk patrons. One table appeared to have gone through several bottles of wine as they were gathered in the middle of the table. Upon this group leaving I saw one of the employees take the bottles back to the bar and pour the remaining wine from all the bottles into a single bottle, pump the air out of the bottle and put it back with the other alcohol at the bar. This is disgusting, if a customer orders a bottle of wine and don't finish it you can't just keep the remaining wine to pour for other customers. Did they take the shrimp I didn't finish and put them back in the fridge for the next customer too? read more

Lots of great options to choose from. One of my personal favs, Thai Gourmet Delight with beef or chicken. Both equally delicious. Highly recommend this place. read more

Monark has really taken a turn for the worse. We have been ordering food from this restaurant since it was called Little Emperor and up until recently had been satisfied. The last few times we have eaten in the restaurant the service has been terrible. Last night was the final straw. It took 60 minutes to get our food from the time we ordered. At one point the waiter admitted that there was an error with our ticket in the kitchen and that our food would be out in "a few minutes." After several minutes, we stopped the owner as she was walking by our table and asked about our meal. She proceeded to say that our food was taking so long because my wife ordered a steamed fish dish. Can you believe the poor customer service skills of someone (the owner) blaming the customer for the time delay? No apologies or attempts to recover customer service were made. They've finally lost a long term customer and based on recent Yelp reviews, Monark isn't long for this world. read more

Something has changed here for the worse in the last few months. Today, lunch service was atrocious, the servings skimpy, the food tasteless and the bill high. We won't be back. Very sorry to lose what had been a favorite. read more

Bait and Switch - Watchout! Okay, so the wifey has been here a couple of times before, with her girlfriend, and had nothing but good things to say about the place. So, on her birthday, we decided to eat dinner out and then take in a good movie close by. We decided that Monarck would fit our schedule, and since she had told me so much about it, we decided to do dinner there. The food was adequate, and the pricing, as many others have also said, was a little on the high-side, but that's all subjective. I get that. Overall, the experience was just fine. All except the beginning and the end of our visit there. So, here's what happened - The Beginning: we arrived at a little after 5 pm, and were greeted by an older Asian woman who walked with a cane. She seated us and began immediately apologizing because her waiting-staff hadn't arrived yet, so she stepped-in to substitute. She gave us a few minutes to decide on drinks, and when she returned to take our order, we told her we would have two glasses of wine since their Happy Hour period was still going on (4 pm - 6 pm) as posted on a placard at each table. We asked for a glass of white zinfindel and a glass of merlot. And we asked for the Happy Hour pot-sticker appetizer that was also listed on the table-placard. Now, keep in mind, we didn't ask for any specific zin or merlot, but just said we'll take a glass of each. A few minutes after she brought us our wine, the real waitress showed up with our pot-stickers, introduced herself and took our order. All is good so far. And the meal wasn't bad either. But then............. The Ending: we've got a movie to go to, so it's time to settle the bill. For whatever reason, it took almost 10 minutes for it to come, and there were only four tables of diners there at the time. Long time to tally the bill, but hey, what do I know? The bill comes and I look at it and notice that we were charged FULL-PRICE for our glasses of wine! BTW, since it was still Happy Hour, we had ordered two glasses each. I brought the error to the attention of our waitress, telling her that we had ordered the Happy Hour wine, but that wasn't what we were charged. She went back to see what could be done about it. Then the older Asian woman (first seated us) came over and told us that our zin and merlot were NOT part of the Happy Hour pricing. We then asked her why she didn't clarify that when we first ordered. She didn't have an explanation other than it wasn't part of Happy Hour pricing. I then asked her why we weren't then given a choice of what zin and merlot we wanted, since they had a wine list as well. She kept saying they weren't part of...well, you get the picture. I asked if she was the owner, and she said she wasn't. She then walked away, leaving our waitress to fend for herself. I told her then that I wasn't going to squabble over a few bucks, but it was just the principal of the thing. She then went back to the older woman again, and whatever she said, she came back with an adjusted bill that reflected the Happy Hour pricing. I asked her if that was the owner and she said "yes". Then the older woman came back to us one more time to tell us that she wasn't going to make a "big deal" out of a few bucks, and then she just walked away. Bottom-line, all she had to do at the beginning was tell us about the wine when we first ordered. Instead, at the end, she chose to stand there, with other patrons obviously listening to the interaction between us, and argue us down over what her placards implied, and what apparently the "real deal" with wine there was. Too bad she lost two customers who would have gladly come back, had it not been for the owner's stubbornness. If you go there, make sure of what you're ordering (especially during Happy Hour), if she's the one taking your order, and what it's going to really cost..... read more

Excellent food, consistent quality and attentive service. Owner and staff are very accommodating to special requests. The decor is terrific... elegant as well as comfortable. Along with Dragon House in Moreno Valley, this is a long-time favorite. read more

We have eaten at this restaurant many times in the past. My wife and I enjoy occasional take from their and have sat in for dinner a number of times. This last Saturday the food was very bland, no taste, which is unusual for this restaurant. My wife's vehicle was soaked with wonton, the lid which is normally meticulously sealed was broken as if someone stuck they're finger through it. This was our last visit. read more

We ordered from here in the past and loved the food. However the last couple times we've gone here it's been mediocre. For how much this food costs it should be delicious. The vegetable egg rolls were mushy and not very tasty. The texture inside reminded me of mashed potatoes. The sweet and sour chicken was really good!! To me, overall, it's not worth the cost. I'd rather drive to Peking Restaurant on La Sierra/Magnolia for delicious Chinese food. read more

very good Asian food.. chinese/Thai. a bit of each.. I especially liked the walnut shrimp and the fish.

I have been going to this restaurant for quite some time. The Thai is hit and miss. The chef keeps on changing. I wonder why? The owner Karen is very very rude person.She makes you feel that she is doing you a favour by letting you eat in her restaurant. Dare not have any complains about any issues about the food. She will come running out yelling and give you 100 reasons that it is not the food, it is you who has the problem. Karen is always on ego trip.I would not recommend this restaurant. read more

I've read some of the other reviews and am a bit surprised. We go there A LOT and the food has always been wonderful and the service delightful. For the guy who questioned the parking lot - well, it shares a parking lot with Ralph's for heavens sake, so uh, duh. The Miso Salmon is incredible, almost more than you can eat, and the plum wine exceptional. Would highly recommend the Royal shrimp, or the walnut shrimp, you won't be disappointed. As an appetizer, try the crab Rangoon. Restaurant is clean, personable, and a nice credit to the area. read more

The food was amazing it's exactly what I expected from a asian bistro, the waitresses were so friendly and I recommend it to everyone who wants amazing and Asian food because there isn't much good restaurants around the area!!! Recommend to all friends and family read more

The food was really good but a bit pricey. Only complaint was we ordered take out and we were given white instead of brown rice. Easy fix next time ...we'll check. I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Great service and pretty good food. I come here a lot and I've never had a bad experience. I wish they had more light in the front so people would go, it always looks closed. read more

Good coconut shrimp app. Nice atmosphere and good service.

Disappointed. First two visits were good, which is why I tried a third visit. Unfortunately the service was slow so I ended up getting the food to go. Once I got home and tried the food I realized it was too spicy to eat. I ordered a non spicy dish, yet I couldn't taste anything but pepper. I live too far to return the food, so I spent money on food I can't even eat. As a result, I will not be returning. read more

Most of the entrees I've tried are pretty good, made to order and taste fresh. Those of us who tried the jungle curry thought it was a little strange, but it's an interesting twist on curry. It's definitely pricey if you're just getting takeout, but it seems to be priced for eating in based on the ambience. read more

This restaurant never, ever disappoints. It'a a favorite meeting place for my best friends and me and we have always enjoyed the experience. The service is very professional, yet super warm and friendly at the same time. The menu has a lot to offer and manages to offer something for each of our very diverse preferences. Everything about the restaurant is always sparkling clean and inviting, and the decor is beautiful. read more

This is the second time I have had food from this restaurant. The first was dine in and the second was take out. Of the 3 dishes that I tried I only liked one, the pineapple fried rice. The pad thai was bland and the lo mein was just a pile of pale noodles and had absolutely no flavor. For this, I give them 2 stars.. read more

I went here for lunch on a Friday and they weren't busy, which worked to my advantage as I didn't have much time. We were seated right away and ordered soon after. We both got lunch specials and a cup of egg drop soup. The soup was outstanding, not just broth. Chicken with veggies was fresh and hot, though next time I'd get what my friend ordered, chicken with cashews. Service was attentive and friendly. read more

Excited to take my mother out to celebrate Mother's Day @ the Monark. Had been here years ago. Ambiance was pleasant (that's what the two stars are for), wait staff was ok (more on that later), but the food was absolutely TASTELESS! We ordered a couple of vegetable and chicken dishes that were identical except for broccoli was added to one dish and not the other. They looked the same (very pale colored chicken) and tasted the same (blah! Had to add lots of soy sauce to even get it to taste half way decent and I don't usually salt my food much). When questioning the waiter he agreed the dishes were almost the same except for the broccoli. I said if you knew they were the same then why didn't you say anything when we ordered it. He just shrugged his shoulders. Also ordered the miso salmon which had a bit more flavor (not enough to satisfy) and was tough, dry and over cooked. My brown rice was dry too (do you know how to cook brown rice or are there not enough people ordering brown rice and it was sitting for too long?). At the last minute we threw in an order of the Thai flat noodles. That had some flavor, but not much. I was sadly disappointed, but it was mom's day and glad to celebrate her. We will NOT be going back here again. read more

probably one of the worst experiences... the salmon was over cooked and incredibly dry. When I shared my concern and asked to take it back - the waiter came back and said the "chef" (which is an overstatement) took a bite of it and said it was fine and if I ordered the same thing it would be cooked the same... I was seriously shocked at how rude of a response. I told him I wouldn't be ordering anything then, and asked for the manager. When the manager came out he was unapologetic and rude. Minutes later they came a place a piece of cake in front of me.... not cool , insulting... we are laughing about how bad the service was now....I give this restaurant about another 3 months before they shut down to bad food that is anything but fresh and probably the worst service.... rest in peace Monark Bistro read more

Just had a wonderful lunch here! The orange peel chicken lunch special was delicious; highly recommend this place for a quiet, peaceful and delicious meal! read more

Worse food i ever had the chicken was cook the day before it was dry out and the prices are off the wall .Had lunch for 2. 28 bucks and it was Bad Dont go here read more