Mediocrity with a Plush Price. Service: Average Food: Below average. Atmosphere: Cramped, Outdated, Dark, Dingy, and uncomfortable. Five people had steaks of all different cuts and agreed it was nothing out of the ordinary. (Monte's slogan: "a rare steakhouse well done" ) lol I had the homemade for 40 years spinach and cheese filled tortellini. I did the 1/2 Alfredo 1/2 marina sauce. It came in a big bowl that looked like tomato bisque with some dumplings in it. It was fine, I would actually have expected the same dish at Olive garden. The salads were chopped Romaine with house made cruotons. Served with dressing already on them which kinda of drowned then lettuce The bread sticks were stale. **ONE PRO: Everyone (except for myself) had ordered french onion soup and loved it.** I don't have a issue at all with paying a higher price for a noteworthy establishment. If your looking for a nice dinning experience in Ottawa check out Alure aquarium bar, Lone Buffalo, or BASH. read more

Monte's Riverside Inn - The door to the kitchen... That you walk past from the parking lot on your way to the main entrance - Steakhouses Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Absolutely Fantastic! My first time dining here so tried the special, lasagna. I travel a LOT for work and this was, hands down, the best meal I have enjoyed in ages! Service was wonderful and I hope to find myself back here again soon! read more

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A friend recently had a party catered by Monte's. Beef and chicken shesh Kebobs, bacon wrapped liver, Mac & cheese, and jalapeño apps. All of it was horrible except for the Mac-n-cheese. I'm sure it was expensive as well - would never eat there based on this. read more

Very disappointing. Not at all what it used to be. Food was extremely overpriced. 30-100 dollar entrees. 55.00 ribeye and 30.00 texas pork chops came with mushy rice but nicely prepared broccoli. The cream of mushroom soup looked and tasted like mushroom gravy. Deep fried mushrooms as appetizer were a highlight at 10.00. Service fee for credit card use that the very loud, T-shirt and short clad manager said was posted on the door. It was, but on the way out. Server was good but she took the plate away to wrap what was on my plate and threw away half a pork chop. Manager said to see him next time and he would "take care of us" No next time here. read more

Your first impression when you walk in, is OHHH, this place is OLD.. Well it may look that way, but when your eyes adjust to the darkness. It's quit the unique place. We had great service, and the food was?? well it tasted like it came out of a bag from Sams club. I had the raviloli special. It's something I make at home, it wasn't nothing special. My Girlfriend has the stuffed chicken.. it was so dry, she didn't finish. Not sure if we will return or not... read more

Monte's Riverside Inn - a chair and a painting - Steakhouses Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

My husband and I went here on an anniversary trip after being recommended by our hotel. We walked away with full stomachs and absolute happiness, far better than what we were expecting. Ambiance: very dim lighting that took our eyes a couple seconds to adjust to, but it was romantic and exactly what we wanted, especially since we were dressed up. We were seated in a small private booth outlined by elegant curtains and set with flowers and a candle. It felt like it was just us there. Service: our waiter was completely on his game the entire time. Our drinks came fast, appetizer came fast, and even our food did not take that long. He got everything we needed and made sure of it. Definitely deserving of a nice tip and we were very pleased. Food: Amazing. We started with their new fried mozzarella cheese, and I've never had such a delicious appetizer. Id go back just for those! The starter salads were a good size and tasted yummy. For meal I chose the chicken piccata with fettuccine alfredo, and even the half order was too much for me to eat. But boy was it tasty. My husband had the salmon and raved about it. For dessert (can't believe we even had room) we had a mixed fruit cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream. Deeelish. My hubs and I are used to the bigger cities and suburbs, so we were a little leery of finding a high quality restaurant for our anniversary all the way out in little Ottawa. Instead we were surprised and pleased, and hope to one day return. read more

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Good food large portions great service. Drove there from joliet after I saw their truck in naperville. Worth the trip. Had the mushrooms for appetizer. Pretty good. Cesar salad was huge and loaded with cheese, very good. Ordered ribeye steak med rare and though it was slightly over cooked it was still quite tasty. Staff was friendly and helpful. Waitress brought out a sample of sauce that the fish my girlfriend ordered was marinaded in to be sure she would like it before she put in the order as In her words she wanted to make sure she was satisfied with her order. I'll go back and try the pasta as all the orders I saw being served were huge and looked very good. read more

Monte's Riverside Inn - Steakhouses Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

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The food was good and the service was great but what I didn't like was being charged $6 for an extra plate because I shared my meal with my daughter . Also be prepared for a service charge if you pay by credit card. They pass the percentage charge onto the customer. read more

Our son decided to stay at school for an extra day, so DATE NIGHT! We wanted to go someplace new to us, so we tried Monte's. This is your father's steak place - I suspect little has changed from when this place opened except for perhaps the carpet and some light bulbs. While it's interior is vintage, the food was great. I ordered their 12 ounce filet - I've had some recently that I would prefer to forget - this wasn't one of them. This one, I'd like to remember. It was cooked as I requested (think this is the status-quo - you haven't been to Chilis) and was a nice piece of meat - not some 1/2" thick - a solid 1 1/2" thick. It could have used a little salt, but they had it at the table, and it was easy to fix. My wife went with their Queen's Cut of Prime Rib (available Friday, Saturday and Sunday only, with everything on the menu half-price on Wednesday, FYI!), which would have been big enough for me to eat. She ended up taking a good sized piece home for their smallest cut! The place makes all their own salad dressings except for the French, and our salads were nice and fresh. The creamy garlic was the best of the two dressings we tried. The breadsticks were around 15 inches long - but they weren't warm. They were still fresh. This was a good date night place. The drinks ($5 drafts!) included a menu full of interesting martinis, a cab for $20, and our waitress was great - she was able to keep the water glasses full, and knew all their specials. We'll be back! read more

Expensive prices. Cheap and ugly decor. Owner is bad tempered. Avoid the place just to 2 miles North to Hanks. MUCH better and cheaper.

Good restaurant, service was good when we got At 5pm opening but fell off after people started to arrive. I had Max's pasta special, too much Alfredo sauce, (it looked like soup, when they put it in a to go box it got all over the place) not enough angel hair pasta, otherwise very good. It's a classy old school steakhouse restaurant. We would go back. The fettuccine Alfredo was Perfect. read more

Monte's Riverside Inn - Steakhouses Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Great food. But need to answer the phone for carry outs. I can never get through on the phone.

Food was good and waitress was attentive to our table. Biggest problem came when the check had "up charges" we weren't aware of and the one we were told about wasn't an up charge it was a full price addition. I know I'll pay more for Monte's but we walked away feeling cheated. If you are going to charge full price for french onion soup then I should still get the salad. read more

This is one great place. We were looking for an old-fashioned supper club and this one fit the bill perfectly. Decor is dark and old fashioned, but done correctly. So while the place looks like it was last decorated in the 1970s, it works. It is not seedy at all. You sit down and you get these flatbread crackers and a ball of what appeared to be Merkt's cheddar. So right away things were looking good. For appetizers we got fried mushrooms -- a HUGE plate of perfectly fried whole mushrooms. Great batter. Not greasy at all. And we got a shrimp cocktail, which was just fine. For the main course, the BF and I both couldn't resist the prime rib, which is a weekend special. We are both good eaters, but we got only two regular sized orders, not the larger trenchermen-size. Mind you, the regular sized portion was 18-20 oz, so we didn't exactly starve. The beef, which we both ordered medium-rare, was so soft and tender you almost didn't need a knife. And the jus it came with was pure tasty salty goodness. The horseradish sauce served on the side was almost an afterthought. While good, there was no need to distract ourselves from the delicious beef. Too full for dessert. Service was efficient and pleasant. The best part: 3 cocktails, 2 glasses of wine, fried mushrooms, shrimp cocktail, 2 salads with blue cheese dressing and real blue cheese crumbled on the top, 2 huge prime ribs, rice or potatoes on the side -- $115 before tip. In Chicago, where we live, the exact dinner we had would be $100 more at least. Thumbs WAY up on this one. read more

We loved this place! I had the 3 piece chicken dinner, which was on special on Sunday night for $10. It was huge! The breading was pure perfection. The mashed potatoes were real and the gravy was excellent. My friend had the pasta and she said it was homemade. We also loved the flat, seed crackers and the scoop of cheese spread. The decor was dark, but classy. It reminded me of a "fancy" place my parents used to take us for special occasions in the late '70s and early '80s. We will definitely be back. It was well worth the drive from the Chicago suburbs. read more

Read some of the reviews and wanted to see for myself. I usually take the drive to dine here about once a year.The Texas Pork chops were 5 star. The prime rib the person in my party said it was the best they ever had. Old School charm great place read more

My boyfriend and I loved this little place! We had a great meal with a super sweet server. The decor is very dark but it was fun because we wanted a little romantic dinner. It's by the water and they have a little wood deck and gazebo by it but it's across the parking lot. It's a good spot for drinks but I wouldn't have dinner out there. I recommend it if you want a nice romantic steak dinner read more

My Husband and I went to Montes for our 33rd anniversary..they open at 5:00pm and not the 4:00pm listed on site..First time dining at this restaurant. The interior was clean and dark with candles on all the tables, nice ambiance. Our waitress was very friendly, offering us the nights specials. I had read on yelp about their french onion soup, so I ordered that for my appetizer..the soup was awesome, but a large serving. We both ordered the 16oz cowboy Ribeye medium..cooked perfectly. My Husband ordered fries, and I ordered a loaded baked potato. I would not order my potato the same way again..the inside was FULL of chopped bacon with a slice of orange cheese in top. But after the soup I did not feel bad about not eating it. read more

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I had a great meal and atmosphere is excellent. Owner / manager made a comment about having a beer and meal and leaving. I am in town for business and don't appreciate comments like that when I visit your location. I will not return! I can get a good meal just about anywhere! read more

Went last night for a celebration dinner and was extremely dissatisfied. The appetizer of mushrooms were excellent and our service was really good. The downfall was the $55 filet mignon. I ordered it medium after asking the server what light pink in the middle would be. She said medium. My steak came out and it was purple inside. I sent it back and it came out purple again. I said forget it as it would be burnt if I sent it back again. Brought it home for the dog. I saw the server tell the manager and he didn't even have the decency to come to the table and ask how are meal was. We saw him going to other tables....Also, for a $225 bill, there was an $11 service fee on our bill for using a credit card. I went to speak to the manager before leaving and told him my steak was raw and he replied, Ok. Then I mentioned about the service fee for using a credit card. His reply, "honey", that's your credit card company. First of all Sir, don't call me honey. Second of all, my credit card company does NOT charge a service fee. YOURS does and you are charging your customers for YOUR fee. We will NEVER go to Montes again and will tell our friends to stay away. You Sir, SUCK. read more

Ate here years ago and thought it was decent. Very disappointed with tonight's meal. First off, I am not picky, however, dropping 75.00 for two steak dinners that were no better then eating at Culver's is sad. I treated my mom as she wanted steak. The breadsticks were cold (if you have bread, please warm it some). The Caesar salad was so covered in dressing my mom said "whats in this soup?". Lastly we got 8oz rib eyes and they tasted like "No Name" brand , cheap steaks. We typically go to Hank's in Ottawa. Will not go back here. read more

We brought a party of 15 for dinner and brad and his staff gave us and excellent evening the food was amazing and the staff were second to non Monty's is a diamond among our local restaurants and a fantastic spot for dinner or lunch read more

oudated decor. needs to be updated and remodled. dusty. and dark. hated to read the menu the first time gifted ameal there. ck had crust. the next time no crus twas onthe ck. complained. no refund for the date who pd. worst customer service with the hostess. What a place. bad cook. not consistant. bad refund no refund policy. Who owns this dump!!! read more

Awesome experience! Food was delicious and nutritious. Service was courteous and professional. The pricing was a little bit off but that's the price you pay for good food. Atmosphere was very classy and elegant. read more

Recommended by a friend since we are new to the area. This place is out of the 60s. It's dark and dreary. Food is overpriced. Only thing that saved the experience was going to the small bar area and the bartender was very friendly. read more

I'll give the benefit of the doubt, service is good and the waiter we got is very nice, reasonable and understanding. The lemonade I got was okay. But what really started to bring down the rating for me Is the water. It tasted more like bleach than water itself. It shocked me that the water tasted that foul, but not as shocking as the onion soup that they gave us. Granted it was a large cup of soup; what was shocking about it is that there was whole cloves of garlic in the soup. Perhaps that is how the soup is traditionally made, but from experiences of other restaurants that provided onion soup, there was not one that had served us o with whole cloves of garlic. Tasted bland and more salty than anything; for $10.00 I'd say it's over priced for the quality. Other dishes were seemed over priced. For example one dish, 12oz Filet Mignon is $60.00, which seems absurd. If the onion soup's quality is that low for the price, I wouldn't be excited for the steak. The pricing is mainly the issue with me as a first time customer. read more

I gave it one star and that was too much. This place sucks! Expensive, horrible food, and it was so dark in there I had to read the menu with phone. My broiled fish tasted burnt and so did my fries! How in the hell do you mess up fish and fries? And it was still $25 for food I couldn't eat! read more

Longtime Monte's customer. First date place for my wife and I. A perfect date restaurant. The French onion soup is still great. The prime rib is still great. The chicken parm still lies within a raft of mozzarella cheese as the menu has promised for nearly 30 years. I think their famous double baked potato has slipped a bit over the years, but overall quality has been maintained. It is expensive for Ottawa but for nice occasions it is very appropriate. read more

Hands down the best prime rib in Ottawa! The pasta bowls are as big as your head! Absolutely delicious. I recommend the spinach and cheese tortellini with the combo sauce marinara alfredo sauce! read more

Very disappointed. For the price point I would expect more. I ordered the larger portion filet mignon. I chose a salad as a side. Basically some cut up lettuce from a bag and a few croutons thrown on a plate. . No tomatoes......nothing else on the salad. Wow! Two cold breadsticks.......Double baked potato was cold, steak was done ok. Small portion of steamed broccoli on the side. Waitress was at times rude. I remember they used to have cheese and crackers. Now that's 5.00 as an appetizer. I will NEVER go back there! Way to expensive for what you get! GO SOMEWHERE else! You will be disappointed! read more

If you want a high priced piece of prime rib that is full of fat and bad flavor this is the place for you. I came here for 13 years. The grade of steak has changed for the worst!! Don't waste your time or money read more

Our family has been coming to this restaurant for several years (including when it was originally located in Naplate!) We moved away approximately 10 years ago. We returned to Ottawa for Christmas and to visit family and friends and decided to eat here. The restaurant is still very nice and classy. The waitress was very good and friendly. The one problem: They used to have superb Italian food; however, the Italian entrees that a few of us ordered were not very good. The sauce is no longer "authentic" Italian and had a poor taste. When discussing it with our waitress, she said that they decided to "update" their sauces and make them more sophisticated - they should have left them alone! Others in our party ordered steaks and seafood and were satisfied. If you are looking for good Italian food, I would suggest Hank's. read more

I really hate how dark they keep it in the restaurant. At times its hard to even see what your eating, which makes me worry. I've been to some Nice and expensive restaurants, and I've never been to one that is this dark, It makes you worry. Enough that I haven't been back. I've been here a couple times, I can't say the food is Bad, but Its not the best I've ever had, for the area its on par with my expectations, its no Maggianos.. But its definitely not slummy.. Just Brighten up the joint. read more

It's like Goin back to the 60s dining because of decor. but that's part of the charm, it's dark but cozy and the food is great

This place gets 4 stars because of it's location. I would give it 3 stars if it were closer to Chicago or the Suburbs. Food is great. I had the Prime Rib, cooked to perfection. My wife had the special of Chicken and BBQ pork chops. Holy cow that plate was HUGE!...and a great price. She only ate the chops and they were delicious. Chicken was great the next day. Prime Rib was delicate and cooked just like I wanted. Yes, it is a dark restaurant, but I think it fits the typical 'Italian' style. Server was attentive and helpful with selections. Not a fan of the breadsticks, crackers nor cheese. But everything else was great! read more

Last night I had one of the best prime ribs ever. The poppy seed bread sticks are wonderful. I am a meat and potatoes guy, in this place fits the bill perfectly. When I want prime rib, I go to Monte's. read more

Too longer to be seated then it should have. We waited by the door for a while and finally someone appeared from the back. Service was great once we were seated. The house Merlot was great but you have to buy a bottle. The pasta I had was pretty bland for a $20 entree. It's a nice place in town for a fancier meal. read more

As others have said, very dark old place with just OK food. Service wasn't bad but found it odd that they would leave serving carts in the middle of the aisle, risking people would fall over them in the very dark setting. Guess they are not concerned. We liked the flavor of the grated cheese but when we asked for more you would have thought we were asking for fort Knox! Given the prices for mediocre menu items, one wouldn't think a couple spoons of grated cheese would break them. While we both thought our pasta entrees were OK - an extra $5.00 for a salad with a $20.00 + meal seems excessive in a nondescript venue with just "so so" food. Several newer exciting restaurants in this area we will visit before considering a return here - if ever. read more

We have been dining at Monte's for over 15 years and have never been disappointed. This is classic steak house atmosphere. Warm and quiet. Top notch food cooked perfectly. If you are looking for fast and cheap you should skip Monte's. If you are looking for first class dining I highly recommend it. As previously mentioned it's not cheap. We usually spend $15 - $20 per person not including beverage and gratuity. read more

Went for dinner. Have always liked Monte's but it's been about a year since we ate their last. The food and service were both good. Then it came time to pay the bill. Our meal was over a hundred dollars which came as no surprise and we expected. The waitress said if we were paying cash she could take the money up for the meal, but if we were paying credit we had to go to the register because we had to "sign our name with our finger". Weird in in upscale restaurant but still OK. When we got home, my husband asked me what a charge was for. It was a service charge for having used a credit card. We had no idea we were getting dinged for using credit. So about a 5 dollar charge was added on a 100 dollar meal. It's the fact that it was stealth. That it is silently added on to your bill. If there were signs, we didn't see them. And since when do upscale restaurants add that charge. Maybe its an Illinois Valley thing. But...we won't ever go to Monte's again. It made us feel cheated. read more