Stubborn, unaccommodating policy lost them a future good customer. My father has a law firm two blocks from here. He and 7 other people from his office went there for a business breakfast. If he had had a good breakfast experience, he would have brought one of his partners there for dinner the next night, and this might have become one of the firm's regular eating spots. Instead, he won't go back and here's why... My dad asked for a simple adjustment to a menu item and they refused to accommodate him. He wanted a Western Omelette and they said "no," so he asked for a simple Bacon Omelette and they said that the chef only makes items as listed on the menu. They make omelettes to order there and have both bacon and eggs, but refused to make a simple bacon omelette. In the end, they gave him plain eggs with bacon on the side. Why did they have to give him a hard time? My father does not have food allergies (he's just a 75 year old guy who likes things the way he likes them), but I do have several dietary restrictions, and one of the factors that we use to rate our restaurant experiences is how kind and accommodating the establishment is. I very rarely can just order menu items as is. I never expect a restaurant to magically have ingredients they don't already have, but to the extent that items are made-to-order, it's really important that they try to be nice about making adjustments. If the management for Monterey reads this, I hope you take a look at your policies and consider that it wouldn't cost the restaurant anything to show a bit more kindness and accommodation to your customers, and you might not lose out on another opportunity to gain some regulars. read more

Tried to have breakfast at Villard next door but couldn't get seated because of rude front desk person. Left after being ignored and ran into Monterey next door. Excellent service, food was great! Be back tomorrow! read more

The ambience here is great. Beautiful restaurant. The servers are polite but the service is super slow. All orders from appetizers to drinks just took forever to be served. The food itself is good but nothing that I will remember next time I'm back to NY. read more

Amazing ambiance, delicious food and friendly service. Their table-side experience is a must. They have a martini cart that will come to your table, a prime rib cart... and best of all Bananas Foster, quite a show to watch and delicious to eat. read more

Monterey - Balloon Sesame Lavash - New American Near Me - New York, New York

I was pleasantly surprised to discover such an exquisite combination of French American cuisine in midtown Manhattan. We ordered several dishes. Comte & onion bread with chive crème fraîche. Tuna tartare, half shell Oysters, Bluefin tuna au poivre and the Tenderloin. Boy oh boy ... they did not disappoint. The staff was very relaxed. Meals were carefully timed in between dishes. The Atmosphere and ambience were buoyant and enjoyable. Every single dish was carefully and beautifully plated with the perfect temperature. decadent and delicious!!!! The staff was friendly, stress-free, approachable and available. Honestly, the bar service and cocktails were flawless. No complaints !! . Looking forward to taking my friends and family from Europe in the next week to experience what we've experienced at Monterey. I would highly recommend this restaurant. 5 stars all the way. ! read more

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Did not enjoy my time here at all ... It was my first time at this restaurant .. Manager that goes by the name of Florin was very nonchalant and rude about a concern I had about an Allergic reaction my sister caught while eating a dish there ! He told me "well Mam hopefully your next visit is better and walked away ".. Please be more selective on who you make managers or supervisors these people have no empathy for customers . read more

Don't get the chicken. First impression off the bat was an out of line, rude, and hostile hostess. I attempted to change the time of my reservation, which hadn't gone through on OT, due to no fault of my own, and instead of being understanding that maybe it was a platform issue, the hostess argued me on the point and then went on to say how accommodating she was to seat us. She said multiples times "no you're listed as a no show so you didn't change it", as if it was a personal offense to her. Shes like 12? Meanwhile, if they bothered to contact people who were late to a reservation, which is pretty standard practice, I would've been able to tell her over the phone we attempted to push our reservation back. No offer to check our coats when we had a small table with big winter coats, had to ask if we could use the coat check. The drinks were decent & the server was nice& attentive. The onion bread was great. The truffle lasagne had an extremely unpleasant smell that radiated through the entire table. The chicken looked like rubber, the skin was molded to the plate, inedible. At the wrap of dinner we attempted to tell the manager that the one hostess was pretty rude and he had an even bigger attitude than the hostess. Not one apology about how we were treated. Honestly not worth the price ? Like it's not even that cute inside. read more

Loved the sea bass Loved the spaghettini Drinks are so so Service was great Ambiance was amazing I recommend read more

This was one of those dinner experiences that just does not hit the mark. The food was not the issue, but rather service, ambience and just plain service knowledge. We dined on a Friday evening, the restaurant was quite busy, and for some unknown reason there was a photo shoot on the balcony level so flash photography kept blinding us. WHY would this be going on during dinner service??? It continued for about 30 minutes. Truly every few seconds a different person would stop by the table to ask if everything was o'k or did we need something? It became a bit of a joke as it happened close to 20 times. Just untrained staff thinking they are giving good service. read more

The decor and ambiance was great. Felt like a modern version of the 50s. The service was great too. But the kicker is that the food was just okay....definitely not worth the price. read more

Way, way over priced. A Hendricks martini is $26. If you want bread for the table, it's $18 (not a typo). Service staff not educated on the menu. Food was OK, but not at all representative of the pricing, and to add insult to injury, they add a 25% gratuity (not a typo) automatically to the check. Isabelles is so good, something went wrong here. This place won't be around a year from now. read more

We ate in Monterey last night .The food was incredible the sommelier recommended beautiful wine to go with our food ,the service was very friendly and attentive and the decor was lovely . All in all a perfect evening . If you go ,don't miss the pasta with uni and crab one of the best pastas I ever ate. The sweetbread appetizer the salad and the steak were excellent . For desert we had the white cloud cake that was so so good. I can wholeheartedly recommend this new beautiful restaurant. read more

The experience was very disappointing. The only way to describe the waiter was rude - it felt like he didn't want to be there and was annoyed about everything. The Cesar salad, was very good; the Salmon was dry and tasteless; cake for dessert was ice cold. And coffee was cold. BTW - We had to beg for the dessert menu. We won't be going back! read more

Food was excellent! Service was superior! The Crispy artichokes are to die for!! Sitting at the bar or at a table doesn't matter - ALL top-notch! read more

I visited this place a couple weeks ago looking for the previous Italian restaurant it replaced. I sat at the bar and had the mushroom soup (soup du jour), the mushroom lasagna and a few drinks. The atmosphere is very elegant and the service was great. The food was tasty but a smaller portion. The food and drinks were very expensive, even by NYC standards. Not a bad place to go on an expense account but the value for the money is below average. I'll be back, but I will expense it! read more

Excellent experience. The food was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked and nicely presented. The space itself is gorgeous. I will definitely consider arranging an event in the space upstairs. Service was fantastic as well. Yes, it is pricey. But you're paying for all of the above and it is worth it. This is Park Ave, New York. ;) read more

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What an amazing, glamorous space, just what midtown needs as a whiff of joy compared to the drab boring old masculine energy establishments! We had an amazing time grabbing nibbles and tinis from their cart that they roll out to the table! The one point they can improve is tinis at the cart and rest of the drinks from the bar took forever so by the time some of us sipped our well made martinis it was 20+ minutes they had been sitting around waiting for everyone to get a drink and they weren't super chilled. Cart service needs to be quicker. More vegetarian sharing nibbles will be a plus too - what they have is good but feels a bit short. Don't go for the food, go for the vibe and be prepared to pay stiff prices for it or you'd be disappointed! read more

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We just had an absolutely absurd experience that does not make economic sense! My husband ordered the $75 prime rib which comes with potatoes. I don't eat potatoes, so I asked if they could substitute with anything else. They proposed french fries! When I pointed out that those were potatoes, they mentioned that I could order a side. I told him I didn't want to waste food and didn't want large side and was hoping they could just give me whatever amount they thought was appropriate of any vegetable other than the potatoes. The chef said no. So I talked with the manager and pointed out that I would be downgrading from the $75 prime rib to the $35 fish which didn't come with potatoes since they could not accommodate a simple request to provide a vegetable that I can actually eat. And the manager didn't care. So we ordered the fish, the restaurant got 40 less dollars and this review, and we are not returning. read more

Simply divine. I understand some complained shortly after they opened but this night everything was outstanding. The onion and cheese bread could be put in an IV and I would walk around with it. Great fried lobster and meats are outstanding. Desserts are also out of this world. Drinks are pricy but loved the martini cart. The most beautiful bar I have ever seen and I eat out often. Chef James Tracey should have his own show on the Food network. He is a master of the art. My companions Nancy, Sandy and Jack from out of town want to come back tomorrow. read more

Over priced & under performed If you really want to go here, make sure you are seated down stairs - the mezzanine heating system is horrible it goes from over hot & then over cool. Roast beef has no bone, bread is an extra charge- & $20.00 is their special bread. Disappointing to say the least read more

We were very excited to try this place premised on the their promotion of the Martini Cart that would be brought to your table for mixing by a bartender pro. We made a reservation a month ago. We were seated upstairs. One Martini Cart parked on the first floor. So.... Strike One: no Martini Cart on the second floor (waitress takes drink order then returns) Strike Two: no Tanqueray Ten (New solar systems were birthed while we waited ) Strike Three: waitress next informs us that there was no Beefeaters (seriously). Single cell organism develops in distant galaxy on a recently discovered planet. What can one say about the deafening and dreadful soundtrack playing? Horrible deafening ersatz elevator music from Hell with an annoying, constant, bass beat that knocked the plaque off our teeth. Sounded like a bad disco whose aim is to kill all conversation. Isn't conversation an important and cheerful part of dining out? Prepare to repeat and shout at the table. The food was tasty when. It emerged, which was about the same time as dinosaurs developed on mystery planet above from single cell organisms. Lovely presentations of the food. For the exorbitant prices charged one would expect much better service. Especially with the repetitive gaffes Most fine establishments would atone with a complimentary appetizer or an after dinner drink. Overall? I wish them well but I won't be returning nor will I be encouraging others. Service was terribly slow. read more

This was a really special dining experience. Our server Hugo was so friendly and accommodating. When I preferred a different seat the manager Carlos came by immediately to move us and chat with us... interested in where we were from etc. Hugo continued being helpful with our order. Our dinner was delicious topped off with yummy doughnuts and a complimentary extra dessert. The atmosphere was also delightful. Highly recommend Monterey! Ask for Hugo! read more

Excellent place with outstanding food. Love you ambience of this art deco style place. Great service nothing to complain about in any way shape or form. You will love it. read more

Arrived early for our reservation last night, so we went to the bar and met super bartender Ryan. He served a wicked dirty martini and later introduced me to a frozen rose wine ball treat! Prime rib prix fixe dinner top notch. Included Caesar salad, a thick slab of perfectly cooked prime rib carved tableside so was able to get 1 dinner medium rare and another rare, smooth mashed potatoes drowning in butter so really delicious, and seared broccolini with red pepper flakes so it had a kick, and the grand finale was a slice of chocolate tart. I had an excellent steamed bass dish. It was light and delicate. Our guest had tuna and said it was perfect, and another guest had a slice of truffle lasagna, which he said was great. We had some oysters for appetizers and beignets with lemon sauce for dessert. All excellent, as well as the service. We highly recommend this restaurant! And an afterthought, the space is beautifully appointed and has soft lighting. Soothing environment. read more

Had the prime rib 3 course dinner and it was fantastic. Service was excellent and the space was great. Overall a wonderful experience. Would definitely return and recommend to others. read more

The staff and service is outstanding couldn't be more pleased. The wait staff and management is fantastic

I really don't understand the negative reviews about price. The prices are listed on the website and on the menus clearly - you kind of know that before eating here. Is Monterey expensive....sure, but so is most of Midtown East. Having said that, everything I've had here is quite good to absolutely great. The omelet is a French style omelet - perfectly soft, fluffy, pale gold goodness with a creamy center. The branzino is also on point - unusual combination with avocado, but interesting in a good way. Is this my everyday haunt, no but its a great midtown addition read more

Beautiful art deco space. But the food unfortunately for the exorbitant prices is not up to par. The onion bread to start is almost $20. This is absurd. While tasty, it certainly is not worth that much. Also it's on the heavier side so it's best to skip if you intend on having a full meal. My friend ate half of it and then felt too full to finish her chicken entree. I had the hamachi from the raw bar which was pretty good but a super tiny portion. I also ordered a side of fries, which were terrible. Thick cut not crispy at all. I'll take McDonald's fries any day over these. My friend complained that her chicken was subpar. Service was mediocre. Our waiter didn't bother telling us anything about the martini cart which was the main reason we chose to dine here after reading the Times article. Supposedly there's a personalized martini service where they bring round the cart and make martinis to order by the table. Not one person there seemed to be doing this. We had ordered two french martinis thinking they'd come round with that cart but no such luck. Our waiter seemed oblivious to this even when we brought it to his attention. No suggestions were made as to any particular dishes on the menu. And we had to literally flag down a hostess to get us the check that we asked twice for. Needless to say we skipped dessert. For a tiny portion of hamachi, a side of horrible fries and a french martini that hardly had any alcohol in it (also sans the martini cart) with tip -- for this, I paid $90. My friend paid even more since the chicken (the one she couldn't finish) came out to $50 alone. I gave it 2 stars instead of 1 because I really enjoyed being in an art deco inspired space. Just wish the food and service were on same level as the decor. I'd recommend coming here for a drink at the bar but skipping food. read more

Hear of the new place Monterey, also heard that partners were affiliated with Barbunia in Central Park South, so I said to my girlfriends let's give it a try for a girl's lunch. I happen to work a cross the street and learned that it replaced the good old Maloney and Porcelli! Décor is very nice, and STAFF was amazing, we literally had four waiters around us, one taking the order, one pouring the wine, one brought the food and one set the table and took care of the dishes, so all this is setting our expectations for the food to be quite high! Unfortunately, the food left a great deal to be desired of! We got the steak (probably the best dish) , Branzini (was ok), Sichuan crispy chicken ( a disaster dish), few tartar dishes (not much flavor) a salad and another appetizer that I can't remember, we also got two bottles of wine mediocre wine at $90 a bottle. Tartar dishes came without anything to eat it, so we asked for crisps or bread, and they said you can order Onion bread for $18, Ok we go an order! It took forever, the bread came overbaked in a dish and not fully cooked inside! Not a nice move to charge for bread, even Del Friscos's bakes delicious bread on premises and serves it with delicious, whipped butter and does not charge for it!!! Monterey is one of those places, One and Done, $450 lunch for 4 ppl, after tax and a generous tip as we couldn't blame the staff for the food. read more