Monstera Mezcaleria is a welcome addition to South Grand. On a single stretch of this street you can already eat Vietnamese, Ethiopian, and Afghan food, and now a Mexican-forward cocktail bar too. The space feels like a well-traveled friend, maybe an Anthony Bourdain wannabe, turned their living room into a bar. Walls lined with mezcal and natural wine bottles, alcohol crates doubling as shelving, framed personal photographs that read as personal, and a gallery of art (perhaps from Oaxacan women artists, but worth confirming on your own).
Be clear-eyed about what this place is: a cocktail-enthusiast, mezcal-forward bar. If you like mezcal, go. If you like watching a bartender think through a build, go. Come wanting to be curious.
Bear, our bartender, is the reason the room works. We ordered mezcal old fashioneds off-menu and he was energized by the request: stiff, balanced pour, though I'd have liked a more pronounced orange note. When someone in our group couldn't pick a drink, he walked them through a few options side by side and landed them on something they actually wanted. No eye-roll. My wife had the Negroni Sin Ti, built on guajillo-infused mezcal, tortilla-infused blanc vermouth, xila, chocolate liqueur, and Campari. The guajillo and the chocolate liqueur together pushed it straight into mole territory, in the best way.
The food menu is limited; they're a bar first. But the pork banh mi was a real surprise. Fresh, bright, and better than it needs to be. I wouldn't make a trip for the sandwich, but I'd happily order one again with a second cocktail.
One caveat: the music is loud. Our group of five spent the night raising our voices across the table. Go as a two-top leaning in close, not a group spread out. It's almost perfect for a date. For a group, you'll leave hoarse.
4 Stars out of 5
What would move it up a bit: turn the music down a few clicks so groups can hang (queue cranky old man inflection), and lean harder into the food. The banh mi proved they can cook; two or three more snacks at that level and Monstera stops being a bar that happens to have food and becomes a full evening. read more