All of my friends and family know that "The Monica" is probably one of my all time favorite for a variety of reasons but mainly because I am treated like family! Plus the food is really good! The menu has changed since I was last there. But I had the roasted salmon and it was a super delicious dish. A must try.... read more

My first visit to The Monica was with all my coworkers for a celebratory lunch, and we all really enjoyed it! I got the Spicy Freebird Chicken Sandwich (fried chicken sandwich with slaw and honey), and it was GREAT. To be honest, I didn't really get any spice at all from it, but the chicken was perfectly crispy with a moist interior, and the honey made it very unique. I really liked the sweetness combined with the fresh crunch of the slaw. The fries were excellent too -- a friend kept giving me puppy-dog eyes for more. Fair warning: you will be very sticky while eating this. It's so worth it, but I had to go to the restroom and wash up immediately after finishing, because I didn't want to get honey all over everything! Other folks got the Brussels & Carne Seca (delicious -- highly recommend), Chicken Pesto sandwich, various versions of the City Bowl, the Short Rib Dip, and the Pasadena Street Salad. It was thumbs up all around on the food! I also really appreciated that, though we were a large group that showed up with no reservation, the staff gave us the big table in the back room (since it wasn't in use or reserved) and were very cordial! read more

See all

Well I think we maybe ordered wrong. We had the mini chimis, chicken pesto sandwich and the steak sandwich. The mini chimis were great but even a little more mini that I remembered. Both of our sandwiches were fine but lacked flavor in both the meats. The chicken was actually very dry. We love the ambiance but this was our best time there. ‍ read more

I have a hard time reviewing this restaurant because I have some conflicting feelings. First of all these three points: 1 - the staff has been very friendly and welcoming every time I've visited (3x in 3 days) 2 - the food has been tasty 3 - they have a really nice outdoor space in the shade with plenty of space to hang out HOWEVER, what bothers me are the little things that seem to pile up when looked at as a whole. 1 - very pricey for a place without table service as you order at the counter and take a number. You have to fill your own drinks in paper cups and refill them as well in the middle of your meal (leaving your food to the elements like flies and birds as you do so if you). 2 - pretty small portions given the price. I paid almost $35 for my breakfast of Tamales Benedict plus carnitas, a side of toast, and an iced tea. You can see the size of the Benedict in my photo, it presents as more of a small salad than a breakfast plate and you're paying extra for a protein. 3 - My side of toast down the street came with whipped butter and fresh jam. Here, it came with almost frozen butter balls that I had to ask for after the toast showed up and diner style discount jelly that comes in those little plastic cups with the foil lids that I had to go find by the drink counter. 4 - over the course of 3 days, 5 nearly empty hot sauce jars (Mexico Lindo) of various flavors were never refilled or replaced despite being nearly empty (photo attached). As stated, it's these little things and lack of attention to the details that makes me question the value of what I spent on the meal given $5 less spent at another restaurant a block north gave me an experience with table service, and a close attention to the qualities that make a dining experience memorable for good reasons. On a later visit: 20 minutes to get a latte in the afternoon when there were maybe 7 customers in the entire restaurant. Also saw a customer get a cold soup and send it back. Every 1 and 2 star review is accurate for what I've seen and experienced. I just don't get it. read more

See all

I've been here a few times for drinks and an appetizer. Great location. Good food. Good service. We also had a work party here. They did so well with the food. There were no mix ups and it all tased great! read more

I can't say enough good things about The Monica. I've been enjoying the chicken fideo and corn poblano soups this summer, but today I tried the harvest turkey, which was also very tasty, and my go-to lunch item, the school garden paninos. This time I added a protein and I highly recommend the sandwich with turkey (although I imagine the grinder-style is also delicious.) i closed out the meal with strawberry crunch tres leches cake, which was perfectly moist and sweet. read more

The Monica - School garden paninos with turkey and turkey harvest soup. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This is a tough review to write. I've not had good experiences at any of the El Charro restaurants or spin offs. I was downtown with friends and we decided to give The Monica a try for lunch. The place is open, bright, spacious. We sat and used the QR code at the table to order our food. The bartender brought over the drink that one of us had ordered. She was super friendly and spent some time talking to us. Within 10 minutes our food arrived, with no utensils. We got up and finally found the utensils towards the front of the restaurant. Why wouldn't the food preparer bring them? No clue. The food looked delicious and was, except it was super salty. A chicken pesto sandwich, salad, chicken tucsonyaki bowl and a cup of poblano corn soup. The soup was served with a teaspoon; no soup spoon; it took forever using that small spoon, to eat the soup. Then the bill. The smallest tip offered was 15%. We had to find our utensils, had no other interaction with staff (how is your food?). There were no servers (you have to figure that out for yourself); one has to order at the counter or use the QR code. This is not a 15% tip experience, with the slightly high price of the food. The food and bartenders deserve 5 stars, the rest of the experience a 1 or 2. read more

I visited The Monica with two friends for happy hour recently. The restaurant itself is very cute and trendy - a great spot to bring friends or a date! We ordered via QR code at the table. Option to order at the bar or at the counter. Food and drinks came out relatively quickly. Staff was friendly. The drinks were okay. The sliders were good, maybe needed some sauce. Whipped feta was good as well! Got it without pepitas due to allergy. Wings were okay, very filling. The brownie was delicious and very cute with the holiday decoration. Would come back again! read more

See all

I keep trying and I just am not a huge fan. Last time I went for brunch you can see my review below, this time I went during dinner to try this place again. I had the pizza which looked great, we also had a tres leches cake and a few drinks. my fiancé ordered a corona ( which we saw in the outside fridge courtyard area) and I ordered a glass of wine. The waitress comes to bring me my wine and says the bartender doesn't have any corona and doesn't know when they will have time to go look in the back to see if they have it. We then told her that we saw it in the courtyard fridge and then she said she would get the keys and get it for us. She came back with it and said they had lost the key and took awhile to find it. The pizza didn't have much sauce and as my fiancé pointed out no peppers or cheese was available which we use on pizza religiously I mean I really like how local the Monica is, the set up of a nice indoor/ outdoor and a place for students and workers to have a space and they showcase local businesses stuff. But the food and service always almost leave a bad taste in my mouth. read more

The Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Excellent food , quick service, make a reservation for weekend nights. Excellent gluten free options.

The vibe and food is amazing every time. Would highly recommend the pancakes or burgers. Service is moderate, nice employees. read more

The Monica - Mimosa flight, vanilla pancake - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Great brunch spot! They have lots of seating inside and out. We went on a Sunday around 11 with no reservation and only had to wait about 15 minutes for our table. You get seated with menus but then you need to go to the counter to order (I would prefer table service ). But overall had a good experience and the food was excellent! Perk: kids eat free sunday- Wednesday read more

See all

The Monica is named after one of the first female restaurateurs in Tucson, Monica Flin. She opened a small one room restaurant on 4th Ave, in 1922 named El Charro cafe. It is still around today. Monica's great niece Carlotta Flores opened this fast casual breakfast and lunch spot in honor of her great aunt. The space is open and bright with indoor and outdoor seating. Books and games are provided in the lounge area. Small boutique sells local provisions and gifts such as salsas, salts and candles. A plethora of pastries and cakes are available to go as well! Early bird breakfast deal from 8-9a offers an English muffin toast with ham, cheese and egg fo Try the charro burrito bandera style and add the chickpea chorizo!! Vibrant and balanced cocktails on the menu such as the Tea Town (stillhouse peach whiskey, peach nectar, iced tea) and The Gemshow (cazadores silver, blue tea, triple sec, agave & lime). read more

See all

I came here with a group for drinks on Mother's Day and sat at the bar. I really liked the Temple Thyme with Hendricks substituted for Bombay. It wasn't very good with Bombay. The hex cooler tastes like a good margarita but it was a little sweet. I did not like the Fox Old Fashioned. I think Cazadores promoters were here because they were handing out a free shot of tequila. I have it at 2 stars because the food was so bad last time. I can only recommend coming here for the drinks. read more

See all

The Monica is the latest collaboration between Flores Concepts and Don Guerra, just like their previous collaborations this is a restaurant I'd be happy to visit again and again. We tried the Congress Goddess Salad, Freebird Chicken, and one of their Roma Style Pantry Pizzas. This was just barely scratching the surface! They have multiple menus including The Pantry for fast lunch including salads, soups, bowls, braises, pastas, casseroles, chili, and pantry pizza or The Plated Recipes with tons of other made-to-order options. Everything was fresh, tasty, and full of unique and exciting flavors featuring high quality ingredients. The Monica was inspired by the legendary Monica Flin and everything from the food, to the details in the decor, and the incredibly friendly team working there show just how much love was put into this space. read more

See all

I was a bit nervous because the reviews seem hit or miss, but this place was recommended by a friend as I was stuck in downtown Tucson with my baby and needed a nice place to go. Thank heavens it was a hit for me. I love the decor. Feels fresh and airy. Lots of light. Very nice vibe. I came in about 2:30pm so it wasn't busy at all. Everyone was really nice and I had good prompt service. Now honestly I don't care about all that really, for me with any place it comes down to the food. I had the Far East sandwich. You can choose Korean bulgogi or seared ahi tuna. I went with the ahi. Omg...this sandwich was SO delicious. Bursting with flavor. Bun perfectly buttered and toasted. I also got a strawberry watermelon lemonade. So fresh and good. Recommend and would return. read more

The Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I eat at the Monica every couple of months and always enjoy my food. Today, Sunday, was busy for brunch/lunch. I got my favorite salad, the barrio goddess salad with salmon. I order it with no cheese, corn or croutons. Today it was much smaller than usual and the piece of salmon was tiny. I asked the manager if the salmon is usually that size (I've had it before and it was much larger) and he said for a salad yes. I said for $10 extra it seemed very small. I went back to my table and he came over and said he was having another piece made for me. I was glad because I was still hungry. We also ordered the ceviche, which on the menu said was shrimp but the 3 cups were 2 shrimp and 1 scallop. I asked the other manager passing by why they don't mention scallops on the menu and she said they ran out of shrimp but were making more. She was nice enough to bring more shrimp ceviche since we didn't like the scallops and offered us a piece of cake too. Absolute 10/10 for service today. The food was delicious as always, just a few hiccups in being satisfied with our order. I always recommend this place for a meal downtown. read more

See all

The restaurant location and store layout are wonderful. Located right on Congress with a lot of different seating options for a casual drink or a meal with friends. Get your food at the counter first and then find a place to sit down and enjoy. Went for Brunch and got the Croque La Monica with the breakfast salad. The breakfast salad was drenched in dressing, making things a bit soggy and over flavored. The entree itself wasn't bad; fresh herbs and onions with a egg and croissant. The carnitas were missing a distinctive flavor and I would definitely pick something else next time. read more

The Monica - Croque la Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I went to The Monica today for their Saturday brunch around 10:30am, and I loved the whole experience. The food was good quality and served promptly. The employees were very friendly, over and above. You can tell they enjoyed working there. The atmosphere was upbeat and lively. They even had a guy playing acoustic guitar. I read a few reviews stating that The Monica is overpriced. Given my whole experience today, I thought the prices were more than fair, but I will let you decide. I ordered the avocado toast which comes with arugula, cherry tomatoes, pickled onions, and balsamic drizzled on top. The bread is home made. I added a fried egg at an extra cost. I also ordered a side of berries and a mimosa. The total came to about $27. A couple of the previous reviewers stated that the service was poor, and the servers were unfriendly. This is somewhat confusing because they don't have servers. Each table has a QR code on it with a table number. You order from your phone. The runners bring you the food, and the bussers taking away the dirty plates. You get your own water from the fountain drink dispenser. If you want a condiment, you mention it to the person who bring you the food. To say the service is bad just doesn't make sense. A few months ago, I came here to get lunch to go during the work week. I waited in line for a short period of time. It was the lunch hour. So, I expected a line. I ordered a salad and added grilled chicken. It was ready in about 15 min, and it was given to me a brown paper bag with plastic utensils. The total trip was less than 30 min. I agree that the portions are slightly smaller than expected, but it's fresh healthy food with lots of vegetarian and vegan options. It's not processed. If you're looking for large portions on the cheap, go to a taqueria. Don't go to The Monica. If you want healthy American fare in a casual environment, and an occasional mimosa, this is your place. Bonus: They offer free Wi-Fi, so you can bring your laptop. You won't be rushed to give up your table either. They have lots of space, indoor and outdoor. read more

Best downtown restaurant!!! We have been many times, and take out of town family when they visit.

We were very excited to try The Monica. We found parking across the street in the vacant lot, $6 parking. Entering it was a modern atmosphere with the bar by the front door. We ordered at the counter and our food was brought to our table. I ordered Tia's pasta because of the rave review from a fellow Yelper. It was ok, it could have used more seasoning. We also had the short rib rustico and my companion said it was good and the rib was very tender. We also ordered the laguna smoothie, and we were the first customers to order it, I guess that's why they forgot to bring our drink . When we finally got it, it was good with mango, banana, almond milk, turmeric, OJ and ginger. Refreshing. Service was good and polite and the tables were wiped quickly after each guest. There were plenty of tables and we didn't have to wait. The Monica is a nice addition to downtown. read more

See all

The family and I were on our way back east from our road trip and we stopped by Tuscon for a night. I had made plans to meet up for breakfast with my cousin who is currently living there and she picked this place. Admittedly, this was not our first choice, but it was the first choice that allowed dogs. Once we got there, we got lucky and found a curbside parking spot right in front of The Monica. The spot is right next to the trolley track, so you better not be too far from the curb. Once inside, we were directed to the self-checkout tablets. None of us have been there or knew what we wanted, so we grabbed a table outside with the dogs and looked at the menu online. We all saw the $5 morning meal which included a "McMonica" breakfast sandwich and coffee. Don't quote me on this, but I believe it was only offered from 0800-0900. The sandwich was freshly made and extremely delicious. As for the kids, we got them the kids' pancake breakfast, which they were happy with. After the McMonica, I wanted a snack. I don't remember what I ordered, but it was available on the tablet. The employee told me it wasn't available until after I paid and offered substitutes. She ended up bringing two of the item for the inconvenience. Not sure when I'll be in Tuscon again, but I'd be sure to stop here again. read more

Great brunch spot down town. Very centrally located so the patio is shaded, 90 and sunny is nice and cool but you can be outside. The Bloody Mary was super fresh and muddled with cucumber. I recommend sitting at the bar which is full service otherwise it's a walk up and order. I did an outdoor yoga class here earlier February which was also a super fun event. If you go early it's not too full around 10 am and no wait time. I want to try their brunch boards at some point too which serve like 6 people. Will be back! read more

The Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Great spot where the service is suffering. Ten minutes waiting on a menu and now 15 minutes waiting on a second pass to take an order. No water yet. Love this spot to open up laptop and get some work done. It faces challenges but stays busy so I guess they don't care. Seems the younger generation of severs don't understand service. Just had the shocked skewers which were terrific. Had the NY steak which the waitress said is a strip. As I've experienced before at this restaurant, the beef was a small, flavorless piece of beef, filled with unchewable fat and gristle that has no choice but to lodge between your teeth. The portion of beef is embarrassing, as before, as it's dwarfed by a "salad" and wild rice suggestive of roasted cardboard. Great vibe. Great place to work and eat. Skewers we're great. Service is lacking and the NY "steak" hasn't improved in 12 months. read more

The Monica - Tiny and thin, and also very tough, New York strip with pile of rice and pile of mashed potatoes. The spinach was good. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I usually get good service and it might be that they are busy during lunch but I was not happy with my order today. I paid $22.71 for the City Bowl, no rice and added Salmon. What I got was brussels and salmon. No avocado, pink onion, mango & fresno glaze. Usually they are good about the orders but today I was disappointed. I paid too much for brussels and Salmon. read more

The Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

1st time and last time. $80 for cafetería food. Cold fried rice with mystery meat that was supposedly beef. Eggs Benedict with 2 hard boiled cold eggs, good tamale, and beans, vit that it. Not appetizing. We barely ate half our food. Food - 0 stars, soupy fried rice, overcooked hard Eggs, cold whemln it arrives , and no one to ever follow up to see if you're happy with your food. Don't waste your time ! read more

The Monica - The stuff on the left, ubeditable - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Very disappointing experience. Came here for dinner with a friend and ordered the salmon dish. It was extremely salty and the flavors were not impressive, it was also super overpriced for the quality ($30 for a tiny piece of salmon). Also, I thought the combination of rice and mashed potatoes was odd. There is no table service so you have to order at the front, they bring you the food but they didn't even bring silverware and we had to order our drinks at the bar. The ambiance is nice but they need to work on their pricing, quality of the meals, and service. read more

The Monica - Salmon, mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach, rice - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

A different concept for downtown Tucson but it works! The place was spotless, with an open concept so you can see all the prep work. There is plenty of seating both inside and out. We sat outside. You stand in line to order and this seemed to take quite some time. They give you a number to take to your table and bring everything to you. My husband had the Cubano sliders, I had the brussel sprouts and the Panecito (we shated). Everything was delicious. We'll be back and it's worth a visit. read more

Soooo I had high hopes for this place. I got the Sonoran lasagna and was pretty disappointed. It was very dry. It needed more cheese, salsa, or sour cream or something. The drink I ordered was good though. Atmosphere is cool, I'd like to try breakfast here and their dessert. read more

See all

The Monica is elevated fast casual. There are plenty of healthy/fresh options available both on the menu and on the line created each day. You order at the register unless you're seated at the bar and receive your number, so no waiting for service. We got the Ahi Tuna Tostada and Chicken Skewers from the lunch menu and then also got a bowl of fresh fruit and a rice crispy from the items available that day. Everything was delicious and perfect portions. The Monica has some fun lemonade and tea options-- I mixed the mango lemonade with hibiscus tea! The restaurant is large and has many seating options. Including tables and couches indoors and outdoors. They also have some board games available to play while you wait for food, but in my experience you won't wait long. read more

The Monica - Ahí Tostada salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

The decor is nice and the ac is great however, the service is BAD. My friends and I decided to give this place another chance after a disappointing experience last year. Well, it wasn't any better this time. They still haven't figured out how to take your order and bring you your food in a timely fashion. We waited an hour for an order of 6 mini chimis after going to the counter twice to ask about them. We didn't get our hummus and flatbread for an additional 20 minutes. The place was not crowded and I saw other people waiting forever for their food as well. This place had potential due to the location and design but their lack of service is ridiculous. We won't be going back. read more

The Monica - Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The location and restaurant are beautiful. I especially loved the decor and the open floor concept and how the inside is open to the outdoor patio. However, I do think this will become an issue once the temperature increases. I'm guessing they will be able to close the inside off from the outside in the summer. The way you order seems counterintuitive to the vibe of the restaurant. It looks like a Fox concept restaurant, but you do not order from a server. Instead, you order at the register and take a number. This works fine for when it's not busy (I cam early on a Sunday morning), but I can imagine this can get confusing during busier times. I did like that once I was done eating I could just get up and leave without waiting for the check, but something I noticed is that one table remained dirty for almost the entire time I was there (about 30 min). I ordered a salmon omelet with a side salad and a prickly pear mimosa. The food was good, not great but I will definitely give this another try! The menu is robust with vegetarian options and the drinks look delicious. read more

See all

Service is absolutely horrendous. Of course they ask for a tip when you pay up front. I'd review the food but we've been here for 30 minutes and no sign of our meal or drinks. Food got here at the 40 minute mark and my wife never got her drink from the bar until I asked for it from the bartender. Chicken sandwich was dry and she ordered sweet potato fries which were regular fries. Very disappointed in everything given their legacy in the Tucson restaurant business. Not eating here again. read more

We came for lunch on a Sunday. We were seated immediately which is not common for popular brunch places in Tucson. You go to the counter to order, while standing in line, you can admire all of their baked goods. They have amazing pastries and baked goods. Our party ordered a vanilla bean pancake, avocado toast, spicy chicken sandwich, and a barrio goddess salad. I would say everything overall tasted good. We each had something on our plate that could have been executed better. The spicy chicken sandwich lacked good spice, full disclosure, I like spice! The honey was a different idea. It was drizzled on the plate under the burger so it made for a sticky sandwich. The Pozole was amazing! The salad had a lot of good ingredients but lacked an overall depth you'd expect with all those ingredients. Vanilla bean pancake and avocado toast did not disappoint. We definitely want to go back and try more of the menu. The space was phenomenal, it would make me go back just to sit in their courtyard and enjoy the lovely design and really well put together seating outside. read more

See all

This is such a great spot in downtown Tucson. Its casual, yet has a great atmosphere. I honestly love coming here just for the cool design. There's indoor and out door seating, lots of tables, and a good bar top to sit at. The food is delicious as comes out pretty quick. The bartenders are always friendly and make delicious drinks- cocktails and lattes alike. You order at the counter and the food gets delivered. Lots of vegan and gluten free options too. I've come for a good place to study solo as well as a place to bring friends on a Friday night. Love it here. read more

See all

If they had table waiters they'd get six. Tamale and eggs Benedict - I know what it sounds like. But wow. Really nice. Like a corn polenta kinda. Excellent. And the. Flavor flavor flave. You could sell that in Mexico City and make a living with it. Excellent. I'll be back. Get some waiters and I'll be your best brozzz read more

This place has been on my list for a while now, we finally went and it was just ok. My order was good 8 out of 10 but my husband steak was tough it was hard to eat, he barely ate it, told him after we left that he should had told them to get another one but he doesn't like to make a fuss about it. I read more

The Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all

Everything was perfect. Sitting outside was great for people watching. Super accommodating for my fur baby Dog! Food was delicious. Good music. .. bartenders were friendly & beautiful. Thank you for having us ! (Bathrooms are unisex ) read more

See all

I went to The Monica for lunch and when I walked in I thought the place was pretty cool. The menu and ambiance was very eclectic and unique. I was packed with people so that should tell the whole story. I tried the goddess salad and OMG!! I loved it it was fresh and jus tasty. I also had a side of fries and they were cooked to perfection. I can appreciate the good and friendly service we got even with a downtown lunch crowd. I'll will definitely be back! read more

See all

Small portions for price but the salads were both delicious. Was served quickly, cashier was helpful on knowledgeable about the menu. This place is so cute and great for brunch, would recommend for more of a breakfast brunch rather than a lunch brunch. read more

The Monica - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

See all