A 10! Wow, talk about a perfect hole in the wall. I was totally unfamiliar with the food, and it happened to be across the street from where my mom moved. My brother and I walked over, and did the right thing - we want everything on the menu, please. And so, the gentleman behind the counter told us twelve minutes, you will have your food. Little did I know, we were about to embark on a totally new adventure. Boo yah! Food arrives piping hot, and good portions. Sometimes you can tell by the smell the complexity of flavors and spices, this was a bouquet! Mota - the star. Little pastries with meat filing smothered in an incredible red sauce. Incredible. Truly delicious. Pastry filled with cheese - somehow managed to stay hot and flaky all through the meal. Light and cheesy, without being overwhelming. Grape leaves - I normally don't like them, but these were tasty without having that weird tree leaf taste. Salmon sando - may be the best salmon sandwich I have ever had. Salmon was cooked perfect, the beard wasn't heavy, and the spread was perfect. Sometimes you keep a little spot to yourself, feels good to have this special secret you can share when you want. This is the opposite. I want to scream from the top of pasadena city hall - you gotta try this place!!! read more

I learned of The Monta Factory from an episode of No Passport Required on the influence of Armenian food in LA. Seeing that it was close to my old place of work, I decided to drop by to order/pickup a tray of their frozen Sini Monta and slices of their Su Beoreg for a late night dinner. Ordering can be done over the phone and they have the option of paying through venmo or cash. This place and its dishes did not disappoint!!! The Sini Monta was a burst of flavor and I love the crispiness of the dough. I topped them with the tomato sauce, chili, the yogurt creme sauce and the herbs/spices which all worked together (did not expect them to). Even drenched in the sauces, the Sini Monta held up well and did not turn into a soggy mess. The baked Su Beoreg was amazing! I regret that I didn't buy a whole tray! I love that they have their dishes frozen/refrigerated for people to prepare at home. It makes for a great dinner option when you don't want to cook and/or don't have time to because you get home late. Since it's frozen, you can easily portion out what you want to eat, save the rest for another time, and control how much of the sauces you want to add. I will definitely come back to get more :). read more

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Monta = Adorable mini open face baked beef raviolis! The outside wrapper was thicker than a potsticker skin but thinner than puff pastry. It comes with a thin tomato sauce and a thick garlic cream sauce that you can pour over the baked little dumplings. I liked dipping mine! read more

The Monta Factory - Su-beoreg- baked cheese pastry. - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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The Monta factory is a wonderful hole in the wall with amazing food. I happened to wander in there, not really knowing what they had. The person there was very helpful and offered me suggestions. I ended up ordering a Monta and a small order su-beoreg. The food was fresh and delicious. I can't wait to go back. read more

The Monta Factory - su-beoreg - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I've been a long time customer of Champion Cleaners next door. I never paid attention to the little business next to them. Today I was picking up laundry and saw the sign "Best Salmon Sandwich in LA". I love salmon so was intrigued. Looked it up on Yelp and gave it a try. The sign was right. Absolutely awesome sandwich! I will be back! Also to try the other items on the limited menu. It's like In n Out. Keep it simple and do it right! read more

Wow! We were attracted by the sign outside declaring unabashedly, "Rated best salmon sandwich in Los Angeles". We had previously eaten salmon sandwiches at other locations but none were rated "best in LA!" We had to try this promised delicacy. In addition to the Salmon Sandwich we ordered the Vegetarian Monta, and the Hand Rolled Stuffed Grape Leaves. We started with the salmon sandwich which included a half pound of a perfectly grilled salmon fillet, house made tahini spread, and organic spring mix on a really tasty ciabatta. The truth now becomes clear. This is definitely the best salmon sandwich in Los Angeles! The vegetarian monta was constructed with lentils, garbanzo beans, and red kidney beans combined with a delicate herb mixture and wrapped in a crunchy pastry shells. These little packages of festive taste are served with house made tomato broth and garlic yogurt creme. The monta combined with the tomato broth and garlic yogurt sauce were delicious. The stuffed grape leaves were tremendous little culinary gifts wrapped in grape leaves with a memorable combination of rice, tomatoes, onion, and spices. Yum! We loved all of our wonderful choices and will need to return soon to have "the best salmon sandwich in LA" again! read more

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Always great food, i recommend the salmon sandwich, the monta dish is also excellent. If you haven't been, it's a must try

We've been coming here for years. Trust the reviews, The Monta Factory is amazing. The monta are little explosions of tastiness. The menu is small, but everything is good. The owner is most pleasant. But aside from a couple of outdoor tables it's not really set up as a place to eat, just a counter inside. With all the great reviews and great food I'm honestly surprised there isn't a long line every day. read more

The man that helped us was so nice and we have been waiting 15 years to find some good manti! It lived up to my expectations. We had the red soup which was so good. It was a hot day and the only place for 4 of us was on the sidewalk high top table. There was a girl the left her car running right in front of us with her adorable dogs, but it made it even more hot and her stinky exhaust was annoying. I wish there was a larger table available in a better location, but I assume most people take it home. We will be back! It was so good. read more

Hi , finally tried the monta. But tho they were ok , i didn't really care for them ( and i didn't realize ) extra charge for the tomato sauce. Which i didn't like the taste ( so probably wdnt. of gotten that , had i known ). But added a little garlic powder , and then liked it. sorry :( BUT the owner , who works there is very nice ( the whole family is nice ) so that is what the 5 stars are for AND the cheese boereg are so yummie , love them !!! read more

Delicious! My mom is not only the queen but king of mante' but mante' at this place is a close runner up in taste (not look but in taste). I got mine pipping hot with spicy red sauce, with garlic yogurt sauce on the side. Did I say delicious! Hits the craving of grandmas/moms home cooking. Home cooking that comes in a pizza box the you can enjoy the car on the go if you choose to. If you're willpower is better than mine and you can wait to get home to enjoy, best of luck not sharing. Tiny place, you might miss it, it's across the street from the Armenian church. Extremely time I'll come back for the other hot menu item-borek. read more

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Delicious and freshly made food! The vegetarian Monta was perfectly crisp and had a flavorful spicy tomato sauce over it, and a tangy yogurt to cool you down. But the star of the show was the su-beoreg - it was so flaky and cheesy and melt in your mouth good. I would absolutely come here again and maybe even buy some of the frozen ones to take home. Ample street parking nearby, prices are very reasonable, and the owner is super nice. There is enough space for 6 people to dine (3 tables of 2) but it primarily seems like a take out spot anyway. read more

Fantastic Armenian spot! Love the salmon sandwich here! Definitely a hole in the wall local gem!

YEAR after YEAR after YEAR, The Monta Factory makes us perfect dinners and lunches and snacks. The food is great and the service even better. We are so lucky that they are so close! read more

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Great Food! Great Value. Awesome customer service. Food was delicious and service was Great. Thank You read more

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Yummmmm everything delicious sou boreg & mante & their salmon sandwich is very fresh & delicious too

If I could give this place more than 5 stars, I would! My hubby and I like to try new cultural foods so we found this little gem on yelp to try Armenian food for the first time! This place sells only a few items, but that's all the food you'd want and need. Large Frozen Monta for $15 (Easter special) +$2 for the yogurt garlic and tomato sauce + spicy sauce + herbs --OMG DELISH!! Initially we came on a Saturday around 12pm, and they were already sold out of the Monta so we had to come back another day. Make sure to call ahead of time right when they open to reserve yours before it sells out! They're so cute and small, we finished the large tray between 2 people.. because it was that good... Frozen Su Beoreg $22 --wow ultimate cheesy goodness. This was a lot for just 2 people so make sure you portion them out well! Would highly recommend and def come back! Parking isn't too bad if you park on the crossstreet. Just wow. I cant wait to eat more and tell all my friends! Still not convinced? Check out our youtube video of us eating the Monta and Su-Beoreg! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3NQd6NHlkU read more

The quality and lower price of The Monta Factory have received a lot of praise, as well. Why don't reviews on Yelp have six stars? That is what this place merits! Once more, everyone in our group raved about this place. Quality, quantity, and cost-basis are excellent, and service was excellent! Sini Monta became quite popular. Can't wait to eat it once more. read more

The tomato sauce was SO tasty on the montas. We got the cream sauce on the side to use as a dip. Delicious! Also, the proprietor was very friendly. Well worth it. read more

Sini Monta is very delicious & satisfying. When you mix the tomato and garlic sauce to the monta the taste and texture go to the next level of awesomeness with every bite. It is so good you don't want to stop until the last one is done. Pure jem of a restaurant and the gentleman behind counter was very nice and respectful. read more

This hole-in-the wall spot is a gem. Salmon sandwich to die for! If you're in the Pasadena area, I highly recommend checking it out.

I think this just might have been our favorite meal on our last visit to the Pasadena area. We enjoyed everything so much and the owners were so friendly. Very intimate family shop with one or two small tables outside. Glad for fellow Yelpers who led us here! read more

A++++++ This place is amazing. Great quality, great taste, fair prices, and wonderful service. We love the "Baby Yoda's" as my kids have named them. The food here is incredibly delicious. My only word of caution is order double what you think you will need because they are soo good you will eat twice as much. The owner is so friendly and so kind to the kids. Everyone I have recommended them to is now a frequent customer. read more

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As with other recent reviewers, we learned about the Monta Factory from the television show No Passport Required. Being residents of Glendale, which was highly featured in the episode, we have experienced much of the wonderful array of Armenian food available to us. So we were pleased to learn about monta and were excited to visit this space in nearby Pasadena. The guy at the counter was not the owner, but he was super helpful. We opted to get two trays of frozen monta along with a couple of sauces to take home for later. He encouraged us to take a picture of the cooking instructions which were quite helpful. Later that day, we followed those directions and cooked one of the trays. Each tray had 40 individual monta. As they are cooking in the oven, the edges get crispy and brown. Once you have achieved that stage you can take them out or leave them in the oven to get crispier....your choice. We took them out and each grabbed one to sample. They were delicious!!! Then we continued to follow the directions by sprinkling the spices they provided on top and poured over one of the sources. Those items certainly enhanced the flavor, but sadly the sauce made them soggy and they lost that delicious crispiness. Lesson learned. A few days later we decided to have the second tray only this time I decided to prepare them differently. I took them out of their aluminum tray and placed the on a sheet pan with an inch or two of separation between them. I baked them as directed but let them stay in a few more minutes to get them nice and crispy. I removed them from the oven and sprinkled them with the spices but kept the sauces on the side this time. WOW!!! What a difference!! Each one remained crispy and we could dip them in the sauces just before popping them in our mouth. OMG!! These things are so addictive. I feel like we inhaled the entire thing in under a minute. We can't wait to go back and get more for ourselves and to share with our friends. We are so happy we have discovered something new. They are a hidden gem and I hope they remain successful for years to come. They deserve it! read more

The marvelous family here is so warm and welcoming, that whether it is your first visit or thousandth, they will treat you with a gentle disposition and broad smile :) Monta Factory is a SIX seat place in East Pasadena that will serve you their creations hot or frozen to go so you can make it at home. Think of it like ordering a pizza hot to eat soon or there, but also having the option of taking a frozen one to make yourself at home later. Monta are tiny dumplings made by hand that is a very labor intensive food. Unless you have a grandmother or great grandmother who is dexterous enough and who loves you enough to make a batch for you, your best hope for a taste of this wonderful food is to go to Monta Factory. They are the only place anywhere outside of someone's home where you can eat these. They tell me people travel from out of state to buy several trays, pack them in ice, then drive or fly home. The family here makes everything from scratch daily, so they may be the hardest workers in the city. I can't even imagine the repetitive, laborious, and exacting labor of love this requires every morning as they hand make each tiny piece for the day. I love their spicy version as well as their regular version. As long as you have an oven or toaster oven, any leftovers can easily be reheated in 10 minutes. I took a large frozen tray for a picnic to go and took a picture of the directions to make sure I followed them correctly:) An Armenian friend said he was going to get a tray to take home to his elderly parents because it was something he had not eaten in decades. They only sell a few things on their menu, the Monti (or Monte), that everyone knows about, but also the best Wild Salmon Sandwich I've ever eaten. It is made with a special tahini sauce, that was so good I went back twice in one week for it, and the serving was such a generous portion that I ended up with two meals! I heard a customer order the salmon over salad, so that is what I tried on another day. Depending on how hungry or carb conscious you are, their salmon over a salad is an equally delicious alternative. Be sure you get a slice of their freshly made (daily) su beoreg. This is a cheesy crispy slice of indulgence that will make you crave another one of the soft interior with a crackling top as soon as you finish your last piece. Now that I live 37 miles away, I will be making the trip with an ice pack and an insulated sac for a tray or two of their frozen Monte, a few salmon sandwiches, and some slices of the su beoreg so that I will never be more than a few minutes from great Armenian food #addicted :) read more

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Not open during correct hours. I know their good but not good enough to come to Pasadena to see it's closed when it shouldn't be according to yelp hours. Ps. Use your brains to read the words I wrote. Your yelp hours- your responsibility not mine. Customer is always right - Also I love how you just corrected your hours! Good job read more

Grandma always made monta for us growing up. She's been gone for a few years now, but we found monta factory and it comes really close (you can never beat grandma) Wonderful little place. Tastes great. Must have every time I'm in the area. read more

The Monta Factory - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I had been dying to try this place ever since I came across it on yelp. We came right before the holidays so they only had monta but it was still made fresh! There are only 2 seats outside of the shop but we realized that most people were buying trays of monta to bake at home. The wait for our food was maybe 10 to 15 minutes which was longer than we expected. We opted for the yogurt sauce on top and it was a bit too much for me, it was a lot tangier than I anticipated, so I will get it in the side in the future. Overall, I enjoyed the monta but it didn't blow me away. It is a little meatball tucked away into a crispy pastry shell and then doused with tomato sauce. All good things, but for the price I don't know if it's something I'd get regularly. read more

The Monta Factory - One non spicy and one with all the works. Yogurt/garlic sauce on top. - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Food was amazing, owner was super helpful and I would come here again tomorrow. Do it, eat here.

Amazing secret place. I love their food. Trays to bake at home are genius . I love their philo, it's thicker and holds the filling perfectly. Monta is so delicious. read more

The Monta Factory - So boreg, baked at home - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Definitely wanted to try this place after I saw the PBS special "No Passport Required" that featured it and it did not disappoint. A group of my friends and I happened to stop by when they had happy hour prices for their monta plates so the price was well worth it. We tried the spicy and regular version and they were both extremely delicious. The sauces that are combined with the monta compliment it very nicely and we literally ordered again once we realized how fast we finished the first two plates. Small location on a prime street but have certainly made an impact in the food industry in Pasadena. The only thing maybe I would add even more is a little more garlic in the sauce but that may be a personal preference. Overall, a very positive and tasty experience that will leave you coming back for more. Will definitely back to try to the Su-Beoreg. read more

The Monta Factory - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

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I came here to grab some food after a long day of building ikea furniture and running errands. the two people running the store were really quick and efficient, they told me what I should get and recommended that if i didnt eat the monta in 10 mins post baking, they would recommend that I get the frozen and make it at home. It was cheaper even! I got the large tray. Having never had monta before, they told me how to make it and their recommendations. On to the monta- it comes with garlic and tomato sauce and its these cute little candies of dough with meat in the center. we cooked it and added the sauces on top- it was really delicious. we ate the whole platter. I've had the sue boreng before, but I wouldnt recommend getting both things together unless you are starving, it just becomes too much food. They also serve dolmas and are waiting to start serving the other traditional middle eastern spreads (hummus etc). I'll be back monta factory! read more

Montas are super tasty and super fresh. The restaurant provides all the sauces you need. Owner is friendly and polite. My go to spot for monta. read more

Love this place, good food, good service and a great local spot. I'll go back and you should too.

The closest you can get to Grandma's monta! Being Lebanese Armenian, my grandmother made the best monta with garlic yogurt on the side, and Monta Factory comes to as close to that as you can get! Very reasonably priced for something that takes a very long time to prepare! A whole tray set us back only $13, and they threw in the tomato and garlic sauce! So yummy! If you plan on dining in, then change your plans. The place is not equipped for dining-in. There is a cute table for two outside which me and my friend did end up utilizing, but usually patrons take their orders to-go. I have since become vegan after visiting Monta Factory, so there have been no return visits sadly! But the food was so good, and the staff was so friendly, that I urge all of my carnivore friends to give this place a try! read more

The Monta Factory - Best mante hands down!!! And only $14 for all this?!!! - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Was in the mood for something different and was scouring Yelp for ideas. Came across Monta Factory and had it on my mind to swing by after I picked up the kids from school today. The owner was super friendly and gave his recs on what to get. We walked out with a frozen tray of all beef montas, and brought them home to cook and eat fresh out of the oven. The tray has been out of the oven for less than 10 mins now, and most of the tray has been devoured. Sorry husband, I'll pick you up some another time! We aren't new to Middle Eastern food, but we have never had montas before. Such a delicious treat and a great find!! Please come support this business!! Will be back soon!! read more

My kids say this is the best food ever. I would agree. The monta is amazing. Yogurt soup, amazing, salmon sandwich amazing , I don't know if we have ever had anything bad here. read more

I called in an order and although I botched the names of everything, my order came exactly as specified. For less than $30, I got the monta tray with the sauces on the side (though I recommend getting the sauce already in if you are eating it soon), two pieces of su beoreg (a better cousin of spanakopita), and a salmon sandwich that had a big hearty piece of salmon, fresh greens, and a delicious sauce. This place is very small, so carrying out is a good option. read more

The Monta Factory - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

I once stopped on a street in Turkey, invited by and grandmother to pinch monta dumplings and learn how to craft these delicious bites. I was lucky she would let me--the man who makes these monta has promised to teach his son Jack the trade, but only after a 2-year apprenticeship--one Jack is too busy running the place to take him up on. Su Beoreg & Monta Factory has absolutely everything any food and culture lover wants in a place to eat. Only a few items on the menu, all of them hand made with love and care in the same way it's been done forever. The restaurant, or maybe storefront is a better term, is a family affair. Two generations work night and day to make the operation happen. There's a counter, a couple of tables on the street outside, and a fridge for drink. Mom and dad make the monta, and dad begins the process at 2 a.m. every night. His son Jack runs everything else and is the face of the shop during the days. He's at the register, runs the Yelp profile, handles all business aspects, and his smile is enough to bring a smile to this customer's face before I've even tasted the food. Jack's mom, Evelina, was in the shop when I was there, and invited me to watch her roll out the monta dough. They have four things to eat here, the monta, which come with either a regular or spicy tomato sauce, and a garlic cream on top of that. You can order them soft or crispy. Crispy stays in the oven longer. I recommend exactly in the middle, where they're steamy bites with the tops just crusted. Then there's the beoreg. Rich and delicious, creamy and soft and cheesy in the middle, crispy on top. I've yet to try and salmon sandwich and the garlic cream soup, but can't wait to on a further occasion. Upon entering you'll see a friendly sign. The sign is a reminder to get us out of our tech for a moment and reminds us that they prefer cash because they pay a huge amount of money to credit card companies each month--equal to the amount they pay in rent, Jack explains. It's a great reminder to me to be mindful that this small establishment is the lifeblood of a family that works hard to make everything by hand. And they have a relative lockdown on the business--it's the only monta game in town outside of a spot near Encino. So most every Armenian family this side of Studio City seems to stock up here, many buying their monta frozen to cook at home. Either way, they're delicious, and taste as loving as the family who makes them. read more

The Monta Factory - Yum!!!! - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California

Amazing! This hidden gem is well worth it! Unique and delicious! The owner was so friendly and helpful! read more

The Monta Factory - Armenian Near Me - Pasadena, California