Really wanted to love this place! Initially walking in I loved the vibe, the interior was beautiful and the staff was very kind. We went for my mom's birthday (party of 8) and made a reservation over the phone. Be aware they need a card on file and will charge for a missed reservation. I mentioned it was my mom's birthday over the phone and to the host when we arrived, but server did not acknowledge it until my brother brought it up towards the end of our meal. Their cocktails were great and we all got to try a variety of drinks. However, my main disappointment was the food. I was so excited to see the oaxacan cuisine representation on the menu and I think because of that my expectations grew. I ordered the carne asada which came with meat, tortillas, nopales and onions. Was not a huge fan of the flavor, the best thing on my plate was definitely the grilled onions. Considering the price of this plate I was expecting the flavor to wow me. I would love to give this place another chance because I do see the potential. Might come back with a small group and try other dishes, but for this visit I was not satisfied. read more

Alejandro's - carne asada - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

The food had great flavor, everything I tried at the very least met expectations. My biggest issue was with the cocktails, they're all batch drinks. What a shame, I would come here for the food, but I wouln't order drinks again. The service was a good, the servers were friendly. It's a little dark inside the retaurant, I don't remember if t was too loud. The bar looked like a place to party and do shots with the LED lights. I like the chill vibe. read more

The food was excellent, but the seating process was disappointing. I had an 8:15 reservation, arrived early, checked in with the host, and waited at the bar. When our reservation time passed, we were not seated despite multiple open tables: a four-top on the patio, two two-tops by the entrance, four open booths, and two more two-tops in the back. When I asked why we couldn't be seated, I was told we were waiting for a specific table to become available. Holding a reservation past its scheduled time while multiple tables remain open is inefficient and inconsiderate of guests' time. If all tables had been full, I would have understood a delay, but in this case, it seemed avoidable. Management should consider reconfiguring their reservation system to better accommodate guests. When we left, several tables were still unoccupied, reinforcing the issue. While I appreciate great food, service logistics matter just as much. read more

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Visiting Monterey for the weekend and finally came back to Alejandro's after many many years. They have an amazing bar and various indoor / outdoor seating areas including circular booths with brick that make you feel like you are inside of a cave. Such a cool vibe overall. We had a reservation for 9:15pm and no one came to our table to greet us or offer water, until we asked one of the severs if he could help us which was about 20 minutes after we got seated. Be prepared to wait. The guava margarita is amazingggg!!! A must try! Their chips (which were super yummy) came with four different salsas; we really enjoyed the darker green and dark red ones. They also have a super spicy, yellowish colored one that was delish. We ordered the Mole enchiladas and the barbacoa with bone marrow, which were both pretty tasty. This was my first time trying mole enchiladas so I was a bit nervous, but they were not bad. We also tried the churros which were to die for!!!! Definitely a solid restaurant in downtown Monterey, but be warned - it is quite pricey! read more

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This was our first time here. The food was awesome, the service was awesome. The menu is great and we will be back.

Pretty disappointed in my experience at Alejandros last night. Ive been here before, for apps and drinks because it is such a cute restaurant... but last night it fell short in so many ways I dont think ill be back. The only seating available was at the bar and we were sat promptly. But the bartender acted as if he was unhappy to see us, and even more disinterested in serving us. Throughout the duration of our meal we were never checked on (with the exception of asking us if we want dessert) when we asked about certain menu items he was very curt, we had to flag him down to order or apps, meal, first beverage... when the apps came he watched my friend and I struggle before handing us plates, after our dinner option was brought out (which was steak), he continued to ignore us and we had to flag him down to get a steak knife, our drinks remained empty for about 15-20 minutes before we flagged him down for water, then eventually when we asked for boxes he asked us if we wanted another cocktail ... which didn't even taste as good as the first. Overall this was pretty uncomfortable experience! Especially when watched other patrons being checked on and tended to. This service when the bill was 200.00 is pretty unacceptable. Positives -The apps were delicious and fresh -The FIRST guava margarita was tasty -We were seated promptly -The server who took took our payment was nice (we wish he was the one taking care of us) read more

If you're ever in the area, you MUST try Alejandro's! I had the taquitos (beef and potatoes) that is bedded on top of a tomatillo salsa, with a drizzle of creama, and topped with cotija cheese. It comes with a cabbage slaw. I also ordered the tampiqueña which had a 5oz skirt steak, salsa verde chicken enchiladas, queso fresco chile relleno, and mexican style corn on the cob. Everything was spectacular! I'm not a huge fan of enchiladas (I'm sorry folk, it's a texture thing) but I'm a HUGE fan of Alejandro's enchiladas! The steak was also cooked beautifully - not too pink and still tender. I also ordered a second round of corn on the cob because it was that good. The service was even more amazing! I can't remember the gentleman's name but he noticed we didn't really eat one of our appetizers and said, "It seems like you weren't a fan of that, so I'll just take that off the bill." How thoughtful and sweet! The interior design/decor was wonderfully done too. I'll make sure to come back here the next time I visit Monterey! read more

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Booked a reservation here for Valentine's Day. Parking is the hardest part. Spent about 30-40 mins alone. So expect a walk or park in a structure. We were sat down immediately. Only waited a few mins for the server. After we ordered our drinks and food came out pretty quickly especially for VDAY. We were done in about an hour. Food was delicious and drinks were good! Ambiance is dim and romantic. Nice vibe. read more

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Rather gourmet higher end Mexican food . Each component of my dish was well made and kinda fancy. Even my corn dish was memorable. Steak cooked perfect medium rare. Paloma mixed drink was perfect. Ambience was excellent for a high end Mexican restaurant. Reminds me of high end places in Mexico minus the live music in the background. read more

Driest enchiladas of my life and costs almost $30. $52 for some Walmart steak and fries. Went here because we had Resy credit and that's it. Service was meh, only filled my water once. Would've been an ok food place but not in a fine dining with reservations only. Go somewhere authentic, not this. read more

The service was great and very friendly staff. The food was amazing, well flavored and the drinks were great as well! The only thing that brings this down a star is that the chile relleno and enchiladas were cold and the cheese was not melted. But honestly, everything else was amazing! We also got the ahi ceviche (I did not get a picture) but that was probably the best dish we had! We were seated in a round booth that was almost in a little cave-like feel, so great and private! Overall, would definitely recommend! read more

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This was my fourth time here and it never disappoints. If you're looking for authentic Mexican flavors combined with a fine dining experience, this is it. I read some of the reviews, and I'm not sure what they expect from a restaurant, but service has been consistently great every visit. Is it on the pricier said in comparison to other restaurants on this street? Yes, but it has always been worth it for me. Food has always met my expectations. Churro texture was the only thing I would say that I've had that is better elsewhere, I would still rate 8/10. Overall highly recommend. read more

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I've heard a lot of great things about this spot from friends who tried it and it did not disappoint. Located in downtown Monterey, this spot is a hidden gem with great food and immaculate vibe. They have an open kitchen concept where you can see the chef do their platings. There's street parking around the restaurant or the other option is to park at Trader Joe's parking lot. The food was so delicious with lots of different flavors. Our server was attentive and gave us all the food recommendations. Molcajete - this was a special steak and shrimp dish that was recommended by our server. Filled with strips of steak and shrimp and paired with tortilla. This was so yummy to try and best to share it with a lot of people. Pollo asado - chicken was okay as it's mainly the breast and drumstick. I would skip on this next time and try something else. read more

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We stopped in on a Saturday evening without a reservation and were offered a table as long as we promised to be out by 6:30pm. It was 5pm so we happily took the spot. As always, Alejandro's you are such a treat. The service, the food, the way you support community! We had chips and guacamole with the salsa flight, an arugula salad with the addition of skirt steak (HIT THE SPOT!), and I want to say merienda but I may need to come edit that. The chile relleno was especially spectacular. Lovely night! read more

Atmosphere of this place is a vibe. Had dinner here for my birthday with my boyfriend. I am Mexican so I do tend to be more picky when I go out and have Mexican food. This place did not disappoint on the most of the flavor and ambiance. We made a reservation as we went on a Saturday. We were sat right away in our own little private room which I loved. We started off with drinks. I got guava margarita... excellent not too sweeet and just the right amount alcohol... and my boyfriend got the Alvarado brewery Mai Tai IPA. The guacamole portion is insane great for a big group. The portion was very generous and good flavor with homemade chips. They also brought out salsas which I only cared for one. In my opinion I would like more flavor in the green as it was just very acidic and no other flavor came through. The rest seemed very watered down. I got the tampiquena I believe which had skirt steak, enchiladas, and a chile relleno. The skirt steak was cooked great tons of flavor wish there was more the portion of that is very small. The enchiladas were good the homemade corn tortillas really gave them a great texture. The chile relleno was just ok would leave it for more steak. It also came with a side of corn on the cob with a citrus aioli and what seemed like Tajín. My boyfriend got the birria tacos. Again, the homemade tortillas were great and meat was juicy and flavorful. The tacos were a great size. The bone marrow was ok not enough to add flavor or anything else but felt like it was more for looks. The consomé had good flavor though. They brought a churro dessert at the end of our meal which was more than enough for me and I can't complain hot crispy with the right amount of sweet. This place is on the higher end price wise but some of the items have great flavor and others were just ok. Us having the somewhat private room was nice as it did get busier as the evening went on. Overall I was hoping for more flavor I want to give it another chance but we will see. read more

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I picked up take out for a date night and really appreciated that even though packaged to go there was still a lot of care put into the preparation of each dish. Some highlights were the esquites, the mole enchiladas and the fish ceviche. And it was very nice that they included a side of each of their salsas. read more

First, nothing stood out to me... but I ordered, and everything we got was really stand out wonderful! We ordered : doña Teresa , camarones, mole trio and their mirror margarita!! We left so satisfied and happy! It's not often we find food /drinks inspiring like we did tonight! We'll be back The modern feel was clean comfortable and inviting! Our waiter made suggestions that encouraged me to try something new - I'm glad I did!! read more

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The food was awesome I had 3 chicken enchiladas mole enchiladas wife had shrimp in garlic and various other ingredients to numerous for me to remember. I wish I'd taken photos before we started eating. I told our fantastic waiter our plates looked like the pictures they always show on the menu but when your food arrives you wonder if you got the right order but in our case they looked and tasted absolutely delicious. The food was served piping hot, we also had two different appetizers the chips and guac and the miso tempura made with jalapeños and the batter used to make their corn tortillas they were both also delicious. We've voted them # UNO read more

Alejandro's fancies itself as an upscale or gourmet Mexican restaurant. This isn't a downhome Mexican restaurant, but a Mexican restaurant where you can eat with your pinky up if you so choose. Our reservation was 6:45, but it took us awhile to find parking. I called Alejandro's to notify them and they moved our reservation to 7pm. We had to wait at the bar while our table got setup. We started off with queso fundido, chips, salsa, and guac. We could have stopped there because we were full! The fundido was cheesy good. I liked it! I also liked the blue corn tortillas. The chips were perfect, and the salsas were okay. I'm actually glad I ordered the guac. The guac was okay--I love red onion in my guacamole and theirs didn't have any. What I wanted were cheese enchiladas with rice and beans. Alejandro's enchilada offering was chicken mole enchiladas. I opted for this. The chicken was incredibly tender and the mole had a nice lil' kick. I enjoyed my enchiladas. My husband got the birria tacos and bone marrow. His bone didn't have very much marrow, so he was disappointed about this. Overall, a good restaurant with a nice ambience and polite staff. read more

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The Ambience & Vibes! New place in downtown Monterey. Convenient because it's open late. Friends and I were looking for a good food place in downtown Monterey that was in walking distance from the Portola. A little pricey but food was really good! Would recommend if you're wanting a little bit more of an upscale twist on Mexican cuisine. read more

Alejandro's - Birria & Bone Marrow Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

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Mushroom tacos were insanely good!! Really cute restaurant with great ambiance and service. A little pricey but worth it for a nice date night! read more

One of the best on the peninsula. Great food, service and atmosphere. You sense a real team spirit. Love this place!!

omg came here last weekend for my birthday with my boyfriend and I did so much digging on what place to come to eat to and I found this one and it was absolutely amazing, our server she was an angel and the food was sooo good (i'm picky with mexican food but this WAS BOMBBBB) anywho 10/10 I would 100000% come back read more

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Every part of the experience was excellent, from the service to the ambiance to the food and drinks. We were lucky to chose this place for dinner - sizable portions and absolutely delicious flavors. read more

Really yummy cocktails, mood was so perfect for date night. Anniversary churros were such a sweet surprise! Wish there were more vegetarian safe options we really wanted to try more food! read more

Came in from out of town - really cool vibe here. Relaxing, welcoming and smells amazing when you walk in! Juan was the bartender and my server and did a great job making sure I was taken care of, even tho I was by myself. The taquitos (appetizer with beef and potato) were amazing and I probably could have eaten two orders - paired with the Tommy's margarita it was fantastic. Then ordered the Califor Al pastor tacos (vegetarian) paired with the recommended wine (sav blanc) were tasty as well! read more

We were only here for drinks and an appetizer but even as we stood looking at the menu, patrons leaving the establishment were telling us how good the food was. We unfortunately only wanted drinks and small bites, but will have to come back for a proper meal. We sat outside in their little courtyard patio with our dog and the burners above kept us warm. We got a mezcal cocktail and a horchata cocktail that they allowed us to substitute the liquor (vodka instead of mezcal). Drinks were strong and tasty. We also got taquitos that were delicious. The interior of the restaurant is simply gorgeous with a row of tables in their own little alcove and high ceilings. read more

Alejandro's - Horchata cocktail with vodka instead of mezcal - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Had a small group dinner at Alejandro's with friends. It was a busy night but we managed to grab a table. Overall, we enjoyed the appetizers. The birria and bone marrow tacos were delicious and filling. The waiter was very helpful, was very patient with us, and gave great descriptions of each dish. His recommendations were appreciated too! One thing I would like to recommend on behalf of my friend who brought his kid is to add a child's diaper station in the men's bathroom too. read more

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I had no idea we were coming here but I got super excited when we parked and I saw the name Alejandro's. I was like, "babe look!". He then proceeded to tell me that's where he made a reservation for my birthday :) We came in for a pre-dinner cocktail and an appetizer, as we had dinner reservations for later in the evening. We checked-in and the hostess wished me a happy birthday (per the note my husband made in the reservation). One thing to note, the server was hanging out at the host stand when we checked-in so I thought at some point during our visit, he would've acknowledged my birthday but he did not. Makes me wonder if it's b/c we only came in for drinks vs staying for dinner. We were promptly seated in the room w/the bar. I mentioned to him that I recently discovered mezcalitas and was really hoping to see that on their menu. But he said they could swap a drink's tequila for mezcal. Since it was my first time here, I wanted to try one of their pre-fixed menu cocktails. I'm sure a lot of work went into crafting their cocktail menu. I asked which cocktails were sweet and he said my best bet was the paloma. I love me a paloma but wanted to try something different. I forget what I ordered. He did tell me beforehand that it wasn't sweet. I was like that's fine. *face palm* why do i gotta be all adventurous, I should've just ordered a paloma from the start and stuck to what I know I like. lol. I loved that it was strong, but I did miss the sweetness. My husband liked his Oaxacan old fashioned. Food: we ordered their queso fundido for an appetizer (4/5). I was surprised to see it had green chorizo on the bottom. I thought it would come with chips but it came with blue corn tortillas. WOW. Let me tell you, that's something I've only had and seen in Mexico. I think it's the first time I've seen it in a U.S. restaurant. We were brought a variety of salsas. They weren't very spicy and I didn't care for these too much - idk they tasted a little watered down and an odd flavor I could not identify. If they'd came with a side of chips, perhaps I would've had more of the salsas. The interior is a vibe. I really liked it. It was a Friday night and I noticed the host would start off by asking folks if they had a reservation. Most said no, but were promptly seated. Perhaps it's b/c they had just opened for the night. If you're in doubt, make a reservation just to be safe. I would return to try their other food items. read more

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Great service, great food, great cocktails and excellent service. 100% recommend. The ambiance was wonderful, loved the decor, the beautiful caved booths, and the neon sign by the bar. Our server was friendly professional and accommodating. The food was absolutely delicious and beautiful presentation as well. read more

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Came on a Saturday night with my bf and one of his buddies and we were seated immediately upon arrival, no reservation needed. I ordered a spicy margarita and the poc chuc ($29) which is their version of the Mayan classic. The meal was expensive for what it is, a bone-in pork chop, and was the third cheapest item on the menu. My go-to cocktail is a spicy margarita and I judge a restaurant by how well they make it and this place gets a 1-star for the drink alone. The spicy margarita is basically a regular margarita with muddled jalapeño in order to give the drink its kick (i.e. pretty hard to mess up). The drink I received was nothing close to this - I got a margarita on the sweeter side with a dried red chili, no kick at all, and no rim of any sort on the glass. I will not return by choice, but will tag along if friends wanted to come. The vibe of this restaurant is upscale Mexican and seems like a good place to enjoy a night out with friends. Located right in downtown. Plenty of street parking. read more

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My bf and I are here for the weekend and wanted some drinks. I had the guava margarita and he had a oaxacan old fashioned and a spiked horchata-- all DELICIOUS. I was litty after 2 drinks haha The restaurant is beautiful, vibes are very chill and fun, the bartenders were sweet. Definitely will be back if we're ever in town again. (My bf woke up talking about his spiked horchata so save to say he loved it too) read more

I couldn't find anything on the menu I didn't know if I was going to eat dinner but they were nice enough when I heard about the children's meals they let me have my cheese quesadilla. The food was excellent. The service was wonderful the ambience was absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for letting me get something off the children's menu read more

Alejandro's - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

I hate to say it but my husband and I are kind of picky, so eating out sometimes can be disappointing. But not at Alejandro's! We tried three different kinds of margaritas and they all were amazing. We ordered the guacamole and chips. We could not stop eating it; it was the best we have ever had. My husband had the molcajete. It was fantastic - great flavor and they did not skimp on the steak, shrimp and cheese. The corn tortillas were amazing! We actually shared this and got a salad on the side. Beautiful place, friendly staff and great service. 10/10 read more

Alejandro's - Margaritas! - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Very fun dinner with delicious cocktails! I love the mole enchilada and huarache are a fan favorite The vibe in the restaurant is super cool except that it is a little dark when it comes to menu reading. read more

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We arrived for our 6 PM reservation and were quickly seated at our pre-requested table. The atmosphere was warm and inviting. Our server was pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu and beverage options. The menu had a variety of choices, including steak, seafood, chicken, and vegetarian dishes. Since we weren't very hungry, we started with a basket of chips and a delicious selection of house salsas. For our entrees, we chose the Camarones, the evening special of molcajete, and a New York strip. Everything was perfectly prepared and incredibly flavorful. We highly recommend this place and will definitely return. read more

Alejandro's - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

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We sat at the bar to enjoy drinks, apps, and our main course. High quality fresh food! read more

Alejandro's - The pork chop "pic chic" thick cut was very good. - Mexican Near Me - Monterey, California

Our reservation was for 5pm, when they open. Of all days (my twin daughter's 17th birthday), we were sad to see how unprepared they were for dinner service (cinco de mayo). It took quite some time to get our drinks having to ask twice almost to remind them. It took quite some time for our server to take our order. We heard the table in front of us also complaining. We were barely checked on throughout our time there, but the kicker was the food. IN NO WAY is this food WORTH THE PRICE. You are paying for Alvarado Street. Go to Mission 19 on Lighthouse - the birria outweighs it hugely and is 1/3 of the price. Do better for your guests. It was my twin daughter's 17th birthday, and it was not a good experience at all. read more

Food was good, but when it came to divide the check, it wasn't done correctly. It caused some confusion and made the end of the meal more stressful than it needed to be. This kind of detail really matters when dining out with a group. I'm sharing this in hopes that the team takes note, because otherwise, it was a solid experience. read more

Good food and lovely ambience and the cocktails are very creative and delicious. While some dishes were not as good as others overall it was a very good experience. read more