I'm going to give this place 4 starts, it could have 5 but the prices are a little high here so unfortunately for us this adds up to a considerable bottom line for a family outing. The breakfast options were all very delicious, actually all the options here are very delicious. The make pizza which is quite large for one person, I ordered the Birria pizza and it was delicious but had a little bit too much of the aioli "drizzle". The breakfast pizza is really good too. The space is great, lots of seating and very high ceiling, and there's an outdoor space too. It's an order at the counter place, or you can order on your phone and there's a bar area too. It's definitely a favorite in Tucson, if we're ever back here we'll visit again for sure! read more

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a real chipotle bowl - 4/5 the sunset salad - 4/5 spicy chicken sandwich - 4/5 Espresso Martini - 3/5 Mimosa Tower - 5/5 The service was good. Each table orders at the table via a QR code so not much interaction with the staff. Although when ordering a drink, the bartenders were friendly and efficient. The standout for me was the chipotle bowl, it tasted flavorful, wasn't heavy, and was satisfying. The mimosa tower was a nice twist from traditional tower which I enjoyed. And each flavor was pretty good. The atmosphere was really nice. They opened the patio for seating and combined with the sun and breeze, it felt amazing being outside. Plus being between the two buildings was a nice way to get shade. Highly recommend if you're visiting Tucson! read more

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Still love the food and atmosphere! Recently discovered they have gluten free bread! It's not on the menu but you can ask for it. :) read more

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We stopped at The Monica during our Tucson Walking Food Tour and absolutely loved this spot! There is plenty of seating inside as well as on the pretty patio. We enjoyed the homemade green chile and corn tamales along with the tres leche dessert. We also ordered the house margaritas with Tajin on the rim from the bar inside the spacious and inviting dining/bar area. The Monica is a popular restaurant to enjoy tasty food and good brews. Make sure to stop by The Monica in Tucson, AZ! read more

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Came here for Sunday bruch. Had no problem getting a table and the food was very good. Nice variety of breakfast items and lunch. We ordered the breakfast burrito, chicken and craffles (waffles from croissants) and a vegan burger. All very good. French fries that came with the burger had no grease at all, which was great. Coffee was very good as well. I liked that I could make my own based on their 4 coffee varieties. Service was very good and it's a very pretty place inside. I saw a number of people with mimosa flights that looked amazing. They also had a bloody mary bar, but I didn't see anyone going up to it. Would definitely go back again and would also try it for lunch or dinner. read more

It's kind of hard to eat a salad without silverwear. I tried to get the waitress to come over three times but she ignored me. good food, but bad service earned her a 25 cent tip. read more

Always a hit, we were happy to find two open seats at the bar at 11a on a Saturday. Service was friendly and accommodating and the food was phenomenal. The characters sitting at the bar always make for an entertaining experience as well read more

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Came here from a video i saw with over 100 comments trashing this place for their service and I just had to share my own experience. Anyways here's my comment from the video: LOLLL honestly i feel so validated watching this bc my friends and i eat at the Monica every year before Dusk Music Festival across the street and it was last year they started their whole "order from your phone" deal and we deadass just left. They used to have good customer service but now they keep the signs that tell you to wait to be seated even tho it's seat yourself, and then when you go up to the bar for a drink a sorority girl is going to roll her eyes at you because she's clearly busy popping her third bottle of champagne for the only party she has paid attention to all day. And here's some others I saw just to get the point across :D -- "@Tdollarsign123: It's a cool place to use the restroom while you're walking to the restaurant you're actually going to." "@badddiinaBenzzz: It's ok .. yeah the customer service is definitely not it. I feel like I was bothering the bartender." "@Priscilla: happened to me too, paid for parking just to not be served or acknowledged" Anyway, good luck in business with everyone shutting down around you!! xx read more

We had a good experience here on a recent Saturday night outing with friends! The vibe was great and the indoor/outdoor mix made for a really cool atmosphere. The food was all well received, the vegetarian pasta, chicken tenders and fries, pepperoni flatbread and burger were all a hit at our table. The food came out sporadically, we got 2 dishes, then 1 about 5 minutes later and the last probably another 10 minutes later, which made it a little awkward. Not a huge deal, just something to note about timing for a group. We'd love to come back and really enjoyed the atmosphere! read more

I should have known better! I dont eat much but was impressed by the online menu. We were greeted by a super irate hostess she gave us a 45 minute wait time, its mother's day so we waited and waited and waited and waited. Watched everyone who arrived after us be seated. We approached the hostess who by now was another lady who was less irate than the first one. She said she had texted us, turns out the first angry bird took down our number incorrectly. We were finally seated after a 90 minute wait and then informed brunch was ending in 30 minutes. Not impressed so far. Will do a 2nd review of the food. Right now Im not expecting much read more

The Monica is such a gem in downtown Tucson! I love how it blends modern vibes with deep local roots--it's clear they've put heart into every detail, from the sleek interior to the thoughtfully sourced ingredients. I stopped by for brunch and couldn't get enough of the breakfast burrito (seriously flavorful with just the right kick) and the avocado toast that was fresh and beautifully plated. The patio is a perfect spot for people-watching while sipping one of their refreshing craft cocktails; I highly recommend the Prickly Pear Lemonade for a true taste of Arizona. I've also been for dinner, and it never disappoints--the Baja Fish Tacos are fresh and zesty, and their charcuterie board pairs perfectly with a glass of local wine. The Monica strikes a great balance between casual and upscale, making it ideal for everything from a quick lunch to a special celebration. Plus, I really appreciate their focus on local ingredients and the friendly, attentive service. Definitely a must-visit if you're in Tucson! Read the full write up on Casa Saguaro's website! read more

The Monica - Fried chicken sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

We wanted to try this place to see what the hype was about. I love the atmosphere of the space you have options to sit inside or outside and even if you wanted a private area for birthday celebrations etc. Off to the food we had the B Keto skillet with Birria, sausage, spicy bacon , egg whites, fruit , Mimosa flights ( Peach, Prickly pear, and strawberry brunch board. The birria was a bit dry in our experience it was a tad bit different to our liking. The mimosa were mid of course nothing spectacular about them. There wasn't really anyone checking in on us being that this seems to be the type of establishment you pay for your food its delivered and thats that. Overall we had a nice experience but maybe we need to try something different on the menu vs what we had. We are willing to try it again but maybe during the week we went on a weekend. read more

The Monica - Brunch Board and B Keto Skillet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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Food is not that great and overpriced! Nearly $20 for a slice of turkey, a slice of bacon, diced lettuce and some tomato on a grocery store croissant- come on!! French fries were cold. Service was slow. This place used to be really good but I won't be going back! read more

Went to the Monica again for a fundraiser, and sadly it was still lackluster. The Margherita pizza was a minimally improved cheese pizza. The basil was almost non existent and there were a few cherry tomatoes on top of shredded mozzarella. The outside patio is nice but needs some misters and fans to help move the air around. Service is non-existent and they have counter style ordering. read more

The Monica - Margherita Pizza and house Chardonnay - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I cannot comment on the food as I only wanted a drink. It took 20 minutes to get served by one of the two bartenders. I do not blame them. Simply understaffed. Eventually ordered dinner. Food was average to above average but everything is self serve. My opinion is you can go to a full service restaurant, with quality of food being the same, and pay the same read more

I wanted to like the restaurant based on it being a Si Charro concept, but it was severely lacking in just about everything. First, the ordering - you get in a line passing by salads and soups - nice eye candy, but the menus are at the register. I did review the on-line menu, but the restaurant was out of the dish I wanted. Great.... Nothing like needing to pivot quickly when the queue is long. I went with the spicy chicken sandwich instead - told it was a good choice. Self serve on the drinks, too. The shocker was the price tag. Most everything is self serve, and our bill for a pizza, brussels and carne seca, my chicken sandwich, and a single glass of $10 wine was over $70. What?!!!? Ok. Maybe the food will be good. No. My husband's pizza was the only edible dish (well, except form the glass of Provisioner, which is not a high end wine). The brussels were past hammered. They were past dry. Maybe there was some carne seca, because the entire dish was dry and flavorless. This is listed as a shareable dish, but the bowl is dropped on the table with no side plates. The pizza was delivered at the same time as the brussels, but no word on my dish. Five minutes, then 10 minutes, and then a bartender overheard me questioning when I might get food. She comes back a few minutes with the sandwich and a complimentary piece of peanut butter chocolate tres leches cake, and she explained that they had been waiting for the French fries to be finished, so fries would be delivered later. Ok. The first bite was ok, but then the rest of the chicken breast was dry beyond belief. Forget complaining -- no one comes by to check on the quality of your food. The fries came - they looked like good frites - but, no. Those too were dry and without flavor. There is no salt or pepper on the tables. The complimentary cake was the only food part of my meal. Yippee. I would never recommend this restaurant nor would I ever return. It is this type of experience that gives local restaurants a bad rap and drives people to less expensive chains. The self service concept with sit-down pricing really needs a revision. read more

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Very happy with my visit to The Monica. The atmosphere is amazing. There's an outside area with picnic type tables between two buildings which was hard to describe but such a unique set up with outdoor televisions. The menu had a good variety of items, including the keto pasta (that we ordered) which was a spaghetti squash base instead of noodles. We really enjoyed this. We also got the prickly pear bbq wings, as we had been wanting to try something from that variety of cactus. They were sweet and savory - and very enjoyable. Overall it was a good place to hang out and watch basketball, talk and have some tasty food. Would highly recommend it. read more

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Another successful drop in on the way to a show at The Fox. Yes, it was busy, but everything was efficient. We had soup, salad, bread, and soft drinks..perfect before the show. Thanks to the team. read more

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This place has been on my list for a while now to go try out. I am so glad we did! Some girlfriends and I went there for brunch. It has indoor and outdoor seating. Every Saturday and Sunday there is live entertainment for two hours. This place is a whole vibe! The staff is super friendly, the restaurant itself is clean, inside and out. Its just a fun place. The cost is average--about $20 each. The food is amazing! I cannot wait to bring the hubby here for breakfast. Its cafeteria style ordering, which is odd. You can sit where you want. The food was good and came out quickly. I highly recommend this place for breakfast/brunch if you are looking for something new! read more

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Finally made it to The Monica! We had our out of town friend meet us there for lunch and had a great time! Coming in was a little confusing to us but we eventually figured it out. It was Saturday at noon and their outdoor area was just beautiful and even had a someone signing and plaguing the guitar! Lots of places to sit outside and inside. We chose the bar because that's where all the action is but overall, really lovely place. We ordered a cocktail and then lunch. I heard they had posole and couldn't resist. The cocktails were great, not overpriced either. When we eventually got our food, my posole was delicious, while not spicy enough for me, still really good. The only downfall was that it was lukewarm warm. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to have my husband and friend wait around for me. Friendly service, good prices and lovely ambiance! Will definitely go back! read more

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

We had two unbelievable meals while visiting Tucson. The first was a lunch where we had two amazing sandwiches. Fresh bread, quick service and very delicious sandwiches. Our second was a party of 12 for dinner where we sat outside and again had fabulous service. Our group loved the special cocktail selections on the drink menu and being able to sit outside in December (note - we were visiting from Oregon and Ohio, where it's not so warm this time of year). I highly recommend The Monica. What a great spot!! read more

Poor service. And a weird ordering system. It's far to complicated to eat there. Your food comes to your table COLD. A very posh environment. They were filming a commercial in there for a totally different restaurant. That just shows how inattentive the staff is. I ordered the brussel sprouts. They were good but came out cold. And the staff never checked on me. I won't be wasting my time here ever again. read more

My wife and I decided to grab a couple appetizers after a Yelp elite event. What a fantastic place. The food was very tasty and the service was awesome. We must come back and try a full meal. read more

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We loved this place! It's spacious with lots of inside and outside seating. We sat at the bar outside. My husband got the mimosa flight, which was fun, and the cubano torta. I got the tamale eggs benedict. The torta was great as my hubs loves ordering cubanos and he really liked this one. The tamale eggs bennie kind of broke my head, like why has this not been done before! It was great!! Service was a bit lacking, but not a deal breaker. read more

The Monica - Tamale eggs bennie!? Say less - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

I only had a few minutes before I had to be at the Fox Theatre to usher, so I popped in here and ordered a Cafe de la Olla Tiramisu ($6) from the dessert case. I paid, got my dessert, sat down and ate it, all in just five minutes. I wasn't late, and it was enough to suppress my hunger pangs for the next few hours. It wasn't the best tiramisu I've had, but it was good enough. read more

I went to the Monica for brunch with a large group of friends and associates on Saturday. I really loved their presentation, and the bananas foster pancakes were lovely, although a bit more syrup than a small ramekin would have been appreciated. The waitress was attentive, and wonderful. The problem was my husband and I became violently ill with food poisoning. No one else in our group became ill, and we narrowed it down to the squash soup as the only thing we both had that no one else did. It was the only thing we ate, and we ended up needing medical care. I reached out to management, but no one ever got back to me. I've only had food poisoning one other time, and I felt this was a serious issue that needed to be addressed. It was a pricey meal for two, and I'm disappointed no one reached back out. read more

The Monica - Our group for brunch at the Monica on January 18th, 2025 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Breakfast was good! I ordered the 40s and asked for the bacon extra crispy -- it was delicious. The potatoes were also really good. Portions were a great size, and I left feeling full. The pastries looked fabulous, even though I didn't have room to try them this time. Speedy service and cute decor made for an enjoyable visit. read more

Appreciate the vibe of this place, nice people watching. We drop in periodically for a quick bite and a pint. Last two visits the pizza pie was tasty and cooked perfectly. Both the pepperoni and the spicy chicken were tasty. I foot stomped my request for extra crispy crust - manager herself cooked the pie - 'Mission Accomplished'! Also, Staci at the bar is rockstar. We have been fortunate to have her taking care of us during our most recent visits - and I plan to nominate her for next years 'Reader's Choice' Bartender of the year. Thanks Staci and Monica for a nice couple of afternoons. See you soon. read more

Loved the vibes! The patio was amazing, spacious great seating options and good decor, same goes for the indoor dining, everything was clean and aesthetically pleasing. I didn't realize it was a self ordering joint but that was fine, our orders came out quickly and had great presentation, the drinks were delicious as well. Although my burrito was very basic it tasted great and I was happy with my order. Great spot! read more

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

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I have been here once before for breakfast, when it first opened. And I remembered the breakfast was delicious. This time I was able to make it for drinks and dinner. And no disappointment at all. The atmosphere is great. Very relaxing. Not too crowded or loud. Beautiful decor. The one thing I will have to complain about is that I notice. Not one employee greets you as you enter the restaurant or if they pass you. I noticed multiple customers who walked in (seemed to be their first time) they looked confused on what to do or where to go to order. I was like that as well. I had to figure it out on my own. No one informs you that you can seat anywhere or order from your table. (Which that is not easy to do) They had many workers on the floor that could have been helpful. Maybe something to think about. Other than that the drinks and food were hot, delicious and tasty. We definitely will be back. read more

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Took all my friends here when I went to school at U of A and had to come back when visiting. This time my bf and I shared the spicy chicken sandwich, our fave, and the burrata arugula balsamic flatbread. The spicy chicken sandwich is always yummy and love the fries. Our friends also love that they can upgrade the side to the Mac and cheese here. The flatbread was good and huge, but so messy. The olive oil and tomatoes were falling all over! The only thing I don't like is the fact you have to stand in line to order and then find a table which during busy hours is hectic. And since they bring the food to you it's weird to me they don't just have waiters and serve you the whole time. You have to do self serve and get up a lot for water and drinks and napkins which isn't our fave because it becomes annoying to have to wait on yourself but food related stuff is handled by the servers. But the food is great and the location and spot are cute. It's fun to take people to because there's options for all tastes and dietary options! read more

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Mucho fun at Day of the Bread!! I just love the Monica. The people, the food, the ambiance...tonight I went for the yelp Elite event... so fun!! read more

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Came here for brunch maybe two years ago, it wasn't good enough to come back. I got some kind of pancakes, I believe they were banana. The menu's description was really exciting, but the actual results were disappointing. They were really dry, dense, and lacked flavor. I don't remember the couple of friends I came with being particularly excited about their orders either. It's a really cute place though, we sat outside and it was great in that aspect. Good for groups. I don't remember anything about the service, but it must've been fine if nothing notably negative comes to mind. Maybe I just got the wrong thing, or maybe their dinner menu is better, but I just wasn't impressed and there are definitely more exciting brunch places out there! read more

It's a cute place to have drinks n stuff . But nothing spectacular. We ate there before we went to see a show down the street at the FOX theater. N yes we probably make it there again read more

We stopped for drinks and light meal. Food was delicious French onion soup with a piece of focaccia and banana pudding for dessert. Waitress was young and talented, I asked for lemon drop with Chopen Polish vodka and my hubby had mimosa. Both very tasty and well prepared. read more

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

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Food is excellent. Different lunch and dinner menu. Have a make your own bloody mary station. Walk up to counter to order. Exceptional menu. A+++++ Always a favorite! read more

Ok. I do like their cocktails for the most part. If you can't get to the bar you can stand in line order food and they bring it out. I hate that. Anyway. Today I had to send the food back twice. Potatoes were cold..ice cold and the steak was well done. The rice was ice cold. I ordered a rare to medium rare steak. Ok it was a disaster. Except the spinach was tasty. The place is crowded and clearly will survive. I may be back for a cocktail but the food is not good. All the times I have been here it has been questionable. I only had one good experience...food wise. read more

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Very nice place. Ordered up front and they'll bring it to you. We hit them up for breakfast. I had the breakfast tamale and it was excellent. A little on the small side. My colleagues had the breakfast burrito and they said it was exceptional. It's very nice inside but also has a nice outdoor patio area to enjoy as well. Will be back to try dinner next time. read more

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Such a great breakfast place! In the Congress area definitely sign up on the waitlist through the Yelp app. Ahead of time as there will be people waiting. There were so many unique things on the menu. I definitely will come back again and again. On this trip, I tried the tamale huevos rancheros with a side of bacon, my daughter got the breakfast burrito and we shared the vanilla pancakes which were amazing. We both loved our mains. So much to try here. Definitely worth coming as a family or for parents weekend or bringing friends from out of town, I would be so happy if someone took me here, if you haven't tried it, don't miss out! *the music was very loud outside, but i think stopped sometime while i was there. Maybe just Sunday brunch time? I ate inside. ** also-once you are at your table you go up and order at the counter. read more

The Monica - Menu- too many unique choices!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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What a pleasure it was eating here tonight. you have got to try the grilled cheese with bacon and grilled onions. it's not on the menu you have to ask for it but oh my goodness it's so good. And the tiramisu is to die for. read more