We love the Monte Carlo. It is a fixture in Albuquerque. It's everything you want in an old-timey steakhouse... Naugahyde booths, velvet Elvises, it always seems to be somebody's Grandma's birthday, and the steaks are great. (They flat top them in actual butter!) So, not healthy, but a fine indulgence. Even though they are a steakhouse, we often go for their burgers. The green chile is HOT! The staff is always friendly and there is also a package store attached, so the choices for cocktails are secretly more abundant than what is on the printed menu. I work in the sun all day, so it is nice to curl up in a booth in this dark room with my husband after work. It is not fancy, but everything you want in a dive. read more

Technically it's called Monte Carlo Steak House and LIQUOR STORE, thus making this the best Prime Rib from a Liquor store in the world. Yes it's divey, but in a way that taste buds don't care about. If you recall Hell or High Water, this feels like that cafe, but less sassy a wait staff. Decor is lots of old wood, leather booths, neon signs. It sort of feels like Old Vegas. Old, but not run down, classy in it's age. Drinks are dive bar classics Cape Cod on a menu, Sutter Home and Cavit. LIIT, lmeon drop, tequila sunrise, what are we 12 now. I actually like a bohemia, shiner, guiness (not on tap) with my dinner. Their early week special is a 14oz boneless strip which is beefy and juicy, don't over cook this as it will toughen up. Their late week prime rib is thick, tender and wall to wall pink. They do have horseradish if you ask. Their ribeyes are on the smaller side, but very good quality. They have their own butcher and not a chef who does the butchery. The baked potat is generous sized and well accompanied. Prices are decent, quality is good and portions are excellent. Feels more midwest than southwest in vibe, but the Greek immigrant influence is interesting as I'm curious how Bakalava and dolmas and a shish kabob might taste. The Ham & cheese and grilled cheese just seem out of place, but not more than seeing Milk on the menu.....with sizes offered. My ideal meal here is the late week speciall prime rib, with fried shimp and chopped green chilis. Fried mozzarella sticks and a shrimp cocktail to start. They let you order cold center which is how I like my porterhouse and ribeyes. The salads don't come with tomatoes, but their burgers do, weird. Lots of Locals, but not a locals only joint, plenty of travelers being pointed this way makes this feel a little like a classy TRH. read more

Stop by for dinner from Phoenix, was hungry so I googled for best steak and the first thing showed was Monte Carlo.Food was great, steak was the best. Highly recommended. Tailyn was very nice, as soon as we're seated she asked if we're celebrating any and my brother said it's my birthday. They gave me a cheesecake which was very good as well The owner was very nice and friendly. Thank you Mr. Loui for your warm hospitality. God Bless read more

See all

It was fun to go to one of the oldest steakhouses but overall was just ok. Steak was just ok. Waitress said fries are homemade and really good. They were undercooked with no flavor. Jumbo shrimp weren't good. Ambiance is dim and very cluttered. Service was good. Long line starting around 530p. Oh the homemade ranch dressing in the salad was really good. read more

See all

TBH having a bad experience at lunch here right now. The waitress brought a Guinness with no glass. I had to ask twice before I got it. Then 15 minutes after ordering, the waitress came back to us,she'd misplaced the paper she'd written the order on. Still waiting on our food. I get that they're busy... but pretty annoying. Once the food came it was good as always. But a more experienced waitress would have comped our beverages or something read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

See all

You walk in and out prepare for the dark. While I usually don't visit places that are too dark but my friends said let's try the place. I would have to say it is for the elder crowd. Reminds me of places my grandparents would visit. The side salad is small and not much to write home about. Not impressed with the wait staff. I think the place is made to look old, seats need repairs. I had a salad and it was good. It was presented very nicely. read more

See all

Went today for a birthday lunch. We arrived around 3:15 pm and were seated right away. Since we arrived between lunch & dinner so it was not crowded or loud. I ordered 12 oz. ribeye medium with baked potato butter only. My son ordered 14 oz. New York Strip medium also with potato butter only. Both steaks came out perfect as were the potatoes. The young man at the grill always does as excellent job with the meats he grills. Don't know his name, but he's been there for many years and wears his ball cap backwards. Waitress was on point and very friendly. By the time we left around 5:30ish it was packed and people were standing around waiting. After going there for many years I would suggest getting there between 2pm - 4pm to avoid waiting. They are closed Sunday and Monday. read more

See all

So I came to this spot after talking to some of the locals about a good hometown steakhouse. Coming here on a Friday night with a reservation wasn't too bad. After about 30 min, we got sat and the staff was welcoming and attentive. The ambiance is pretty cool. It has an old school, low light, nostalgic feel. The food was pretty amazing, taking into consideration that this place is to the rear of a liquor store lol. Only complaint was too much fries, it felt like I ordered fries with a side of ribeye read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Ribeye w/fries - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

The Monte Carlo is like stepping back in time, beautifully preserved atmosphere. The food was delicious, the service just right. Seems like a local hang out. Love that it's family owned. Coming back for daily specials. read more

The Monte Carlo has been an Albuquerque institution for decades. Lunch time you can see the who's who of Albuquerque politics. Tucked away behind a walk in liquor store (no kidding ) is a throw back to the days of low lit, nip and tuck booths and a small bar serving up delicious steaks and all the fixins. Toss in some Greek touches and you have the Monte Carlo Steakhouse. We started with a Gin Martini straight up with three olives (not 2) and a rum and coke. Salads with Italian dressing started us off on the meal. My wife had the ribeye with a loaded baked potato and I had the NY Strip also with a loaded baked potato . Bam they were cooked as ordered and delicious. If you've never tried this neighborhood gem then you need to beat feet down to Central Avenue just west of the Central Avenue Bridge. read more

See all

Great old school steakhouses Everything on the menu is fantastic.Had the ribeye med.rare..yumm read more

Best green chile cheeseburger in the State. Old school lounge. Great place to escape the glare. You will get the occasional political poser but this is a BAR. Great food. Friendly staff. They know when you need something and know when to leave you alone. In this wretched economy spend wisely. This is a prudent investment. read more

Steak and local vibes. This is a local hang out for sure. Liquor store in front and you can feel the nicotine from years of smoking hanging on the walls. This place is old and worn and the steak is delicious and not fancy. Expect solid fare, served fast, for a good price, by nice staff. Beer in bottles only. I recommend a steak or something off the specials menu. read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Vibes - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Yum! The vibe was great. Service stellar. We went here on the balloon fiesta guide's recommendation. The food was great. Pork chop perfectly cooked. The Greek salad was perfect. (Side note, if you not into meat then have them leave out salami and ham. There was a lot!) We sat at the bar, chatted w various folks while they waited for their table. I would definitely go back! read more

Everything - service excellent, boneless ribeye also excellent. Friday and Saturday nights are busy and they don't take reservations. So get there fairly early. It's worth the wait. Drinks are also excellent. Ambiance is just what it sounds like: a bar with TV (not loud), tables and booths. Margaritas are great. read more

Holy moly guacamole! I'm not going to beat around the bush. Go get a steak! Like, right now. I don't think over ever had a steak as heavenly as this one before. Normally, I like steak sauce and dip my beef in it. No sauce needed. The flavor explosion was phenomenal. And the French fries! So fresh upon delivery (the picture only has half the fries- I attacked first, then remembered the picture). Oh and our waitress was very awesome! read more

See all

Everything I have there was very tasty. It's a little bit dark in there for me. There are a lot of cool things to look at on the walls. The servers were on point and very helpful. It's always pretty crowded. Get there early! read more

Old time neighborhood eatery that serves basic menu items. Nothing fancy, but great service and a lively atmosphere. It can get a bit noisy. The staff was great and seemed to handle the crowds efficiently. read more

There were 5 of us and we all ordered something different. All thought their meals were great. Meals included, salmon dinner, cheese burger, shrimp dinner and 2 fish and fries. Waitress was a bit gruff, wouldn't let us pay separately. Will go back because food was great. read more

This was my first time here. My husband has visited here once before me. He wanted me to try it out. A classy restaurant with a chill vibes atmosphere. Loved it! A place that is attached to a liquor store, who knew that this place existed. Parking wasn't too bad, although we visited during the day time. Not sure what the parking situation would be in the evening. The restaurant has a dark ambiance inside, so beware because your eyes will need to get used to it. Greeted by friendly staff members and seated right away. We got there right after lunch time so there wasn't a wait at all. Our waitress was so nice and patient with us. Trying to make decisions on what to order. The menu isn't as elaborate as most places but I knew this place was known for their steaks. Looking over the menu, we decided on sharing a Rib Eye steak and a loaded baked potato with bacon and cheddar. Started with fried zucchini. Had a side salad with ranch. The food was good. I love how rich the flavor of the steak was. Cooked to your liking as well. It was definitely a big meal for us. I couldn't eat a steak by myself. But the portion is pretty big. We'll be back again for sure. This place was good. Thank you. read more

See all

Walking into Monte Carlo's felt like stepping into my great-grandparents' house -- wood paneling, dated decor, and a nostalgic atmosphere that brought back some fond memories. Unfortunately, the food didn't hold up. We started with mozzarella sticks -- clearly the frozen kind. Not surprising for a steakhouse, so no big deal there. I ordered a steak that tasted like it had been thawed and tossed on the griddle with zero seasoning. Bland and disappointing. The salad was basic with bleu cheese dressing that tasted straight out of a bulk plastic tub. My husband got a burger -- said it was "okay," but nothing memorable. The standout item? The homemade fries -- crispy and genuinely delicious. Oh, and I'll give credit where it's due: my baked potato was solid. Can't really mess that up. Our server was friendly and welcoming, which I appreciated. But we had trouble flagging her down when it was time to pay -- it took longer than it should have to get the bill, which ended the meal on a bit of a frustrating note. Overall, the throwback ambiance was the best part of the visit. If you're going purely for the vibes, you might enjoy it. But if you're going for the food... I'd pass. read more

Passing through Albuquerque and I wanted a good steak from a non chain restaurant. The restaurant is near "Old Town", so don't let the area outside the restaurant discourage you. Very old school ambience, basic table settings, but was very clean. Service was great and several waitresses checked on us throughout our meal. I had a bacon rapped filet, baked potato, green salad, and Texas toast. It was cooked as I ordered and everything was very good! The price was great, I will definitely be back next time I pass through. read more

I swear this steakhouse has been here since the dawn of time . . . yet I've never heard of it. My kids knew about it. A family birthday was planned here. My first introduction. Monte Carlos is right on Central Avenue on the west side of the Rio Grande Bridge. South side of the road. It sits back a little from the road and there is a package store in front of it . . . so no wonder I totally missed it. Never again. The Monte Carlo Steakhouse is one of those places you go when you want excitement and friendly service. It's crowded, noisy and very busy. (I guess it wasn't a secret to a lot of folks!) Our family "birthday boy" requested dinner here. It was rousing and exciting. We had to wait 45 minutes for a table of 5. This is definitely not the kind of place to go if you want a quiet, romantic dinner; but if you want to share your birthday with half of ABQ this definitely is near the top of the list. I especially was impressed with the customer service. They didn't miss a beat and did it with a smile. As of today there are 387 reviews . . . oh, my. 4.5 stars. I guess the .5 star folks were looking for "quiet and romantic". I swear, it is not that. read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Monte Carlo Dinner 1 - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

See all

Monte Carlo is an old school Albuquerque Restaurant that still serves up some of the best steaks. I mixed it up on this visit and tried their steak fingers. They were some of the best I've had. The meat was tender and the batter was light and crispy. Always get their homecut fries as an option :) read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Steak fingers - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Talk about a hidden gem; this steak house is located in the same building as a liquor store and does not look like your average steak house! I enjoyed the food and the vibes here. This is the perfect place to take your family! It was packed, and we waited about an hour when we arrived. We killed time at a brewery nearby, so the wait wasn't an issue. I got the 1/2 Tender Ribeye ($25) which was juicy and delicious overall. I was super hungry, and it was cooked to perfection. For my side option, I ordered the fries, which were pretty mid, I wish I ordered the baked potato instead. Service here lacked a lot; we waited more than 30 minutes for our food and felt we needed to get the waitress's attention for the check or more water. read more

See all

We had the green chile cheeseburgers and two of us had the green chile stew. That soup was the soup of the day and it was creamy in full of chicken and green chile. We were celebrating a birthday and friends brought in a cake from outside and not only did they allow us to have it. They brought us plates and a knife to cut it with. Prince had margaritas and some other drinks from the bar and all were good. No complaints. Just a good meal all around. read more

Arrived with coworker for early dinner (5 pm). No wait for a comfy booth. This place is a trip in the Time Machine back to the late 1960's/early 1970's. Don't come expecting five-star dining. Waxed cloth table cover and paper placemats on the tables. Walls covered in faded photos of Greek landmarks, local youth team sport sponsorships, Marilyn Monroe, taxidermy animal heads, promotional liquor/bar decor, bric-a-brac, and more. Feels like home. This is a comfortable place to get a reliable meal. My steak was flavorful and cooked to med-rare temperature. My coworker, who likes his steaks well-done, was pleased with the flavor and temperature (waitress suggested butterfly cut, and it was perfectly not dry). I added fried zucchini and cheesecake for dessert. The zucchini was hot and crispy. The cheesecake was chilled, creamy, mousse-like (not dense) and not overwhelmingly rich. Probably a no-bake recipe, but sometimes that is perfect after a steak. I've been here on work trips a couple years apart. Both meals were memorably comfortable. Next time I will skip the Greek Appetizer plate and start with zucchini and shrimp cocktail. I will also try the pork chop, because if they can get medium-rare and well-done right for the table, odds are that will be a proper pork chop. Hoping the next work trip isn't too far in the future. This place feels like and enduring reminder of local restauranteur who has committed to the community. And I LOVE that for Albuquerque!! read more

See all

Went by Monte Carlo before PBR and it was so great to be back! I have fond of memories of my single visit there 20 years ago and was delighted to see the quality and service was still there. They don't take reservations and we unfortunately got there after a large party So it was kind of crowded at the entrance and my friend said he wished there had been more places to sit. I don't really understand why there were four empty booths and people waiting that were full parties but I'm sure they have a process. Besides that I was so happy that we went. He was delighted with his steak and the pork chops were lovely too. He enjoyed a drink while we waited for a table. I hope we make it an annual tradition. read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

I've been coming for years to this spot. Usually delicious. Perhaps a bad night. Fries were soggy after asking for extra crispy. Meat on sandwich was bland and just a bit overcooked. Bread was toasted but tough. Waitress was friendly read more

Monte Carlo Steak House - Louie special. Sandwich with fries - Steakhouses Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Went there for my birthday this past April was a great experience. You know the diners drive ins and dives guy has eaten there a couple of times read more

You will leave here full and smelling like cigarette smoke and food grease lol Private parking lot outside. It's actually close to the Bosque trail if you want to walk off the food after haha They have daily specials of different steaks! My ribeye was pretttttty fatty, but oh so flavorful and cooked how I like it. Definitely recommend checking this place out! read more

This is an old school "Dive Bar" that serves amazing food. The customer service was exactly as it should be; peppy, polite and prompt. The food was delicious! According to my husband the green chile burger is the best in town. I enjoyed every bite of the prime rib. I recommend this restaurant as it is more than just a meal, it is an experience. read more

Food was great. Atmosphere was a little different than what I was expecting. It was so packed with people which is a great thing! I will definitely go back read more

Old school working man's steakhouse. Prices were reasonable, portions generous and the meat was cooked to our requested medium rare.

Stopped for lunch and the place was packed. Great dark old school vibe. Service was great. Had a green chile burger which was good with homemade fries which were good. I will go back for the food and the old school vibe. read more

The best green chili cheeseburger in Albuquerque! The fries were crisp and delicious. Service was fast and friendly. My favorite place in Albuquerque. read more

See all

Finally got to the place Guy went on Triple D! I have wanted to go to this steakhouse for several years. Now Guy tried other dishes but he also featured the steaks and really wanted to eat a steak in the back of a liquor store! And this place is so nostalgic! Old half moon leather booths. NASCAR tin punch ads for long ago cars from the Winston cup series on the walls. Very dark inside. A small bar inside, guys waking thru with literal trays of fresh cut meat thru the dining room from the butcher shop to the grill area! It's amazing in here. And the steak did not disappoint. My Dr had me on a lower Protein diet right now so I got the 12oz ribeye instead of the 16 oz. I worried it would be thin and over cooked but it was a nice slightly thick med rare steak. The salad was nice and crisp, salad dressing was on point. Service was ok, they were running around busy but for some reason we kept having to snag our waitress to get drink refills. A dining companion had a burger and fries. And the burger was huge, cooked perfect and the hand cut home made fries were amazing! Make sure to include a stop at the Monte Carlo on a trip to Albuquerque. You won't be disappointed! read more

See all

Awful food just gross. I ordered a steak and baked potato and the steak was so gross and dry and didn't even come with a salad. No gravy for the potatoes. I wanted the waitress to take it off the check. Hubby's hamburger was so dry and also gross. Never ever again going back. read more

Steak was delicious, salad was basic, service was great. Ambiance was a little crowded. Also, they don't have a dedicated kids menu. We had a good time overall though. Would go back - for the tasty steaks. read more

Glad I had the opportunity to try out Monte Carlo the old-school steakhouse in ABQ. Looking from the outside, you wouldn't really expect the place to be quite a good steakhouse. But...don't fret....the steak is good...so..ignore the outside of the restaurant and just go in and enjoy the food! I got a medium rare 14oz NY Boneless Strip steak (came with salad with your choice of dressing and potato/fries + toast). For a total of $20-$30 (depending on the meat you pick...you get a meal out of there! I got my salad with blue cheese dressing that was made in house along with baked potato. The food came out fast and the steak was good. I'm usually not a steak/meat person...but once in a long while, especially if I knew the restaurant was good/I'm in a mood for steak...I enjoy checking a neighborhood gem like Monte Carlo out). Overall, I liked it. I felt the meat was fresh, flavorful and I enjoyed treating myself something good once in a while...and the whole meal was a bit over $30 all including taxes + tips....so it was a decent meal for sure. The portion was a bit big for me..but hey..I had time to kill before my super delayed red eye flight's check in time, so Monte Carlo was a good place. I got a nice, full meal that will fill me up possibly for a day given my long travel flying time that was coming up. The only thing I didn't really like was more that the place tolerated foul words that customers at a bar was using. It made me cringe when I heard an f word out loud (I do swear too..but probably not publicly or so outloud like what I experienced)...while eating and people seemed fine with it. I just wished the dining experience was a bit more pleasant for me. read more

See all