I don't usually leave reviews-- but the staff here were so sweet and kind. I liked the vibes of this cafe for studying. My croissants were super good too!! read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

This review is based solely on their whole cakes, as I have yet to try any of their drinks or other pastries. I stopped in during my lunch break to purchase a cake for my boyfriend's birthday and was happy to see they had several ready-to-go options available. There were a few different flavor selections, all inspired by Mexican flavors like dulce de leche and horchata, and every cake looked beautiful. Based on the staff recommendation, I chose the dulce de leche cake. It turned out to be the perfect choice and was thoroughly enjoyed by the birthday boy. The cake was moist, flavorful, and not overly sweet, which I really appreciated since some cakes can be too heavy on sugar. I can't wait to bring my mom here - I know she will enjoy a good coffee and a concha. This will definitely be my go-to spot for cakes. The interior was also really super cute. Loved the way everything was merchandised. Thank you, La Monarca! read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Dulce de leche cake - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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This is the third time I've ordered food for pick up, the order processed, and when I arrived staff looked confused and then said, Oh we are out of that item (soyrizo the only vegetarian option). Maybe it's time to take menu items off the menu if you cannot stock the ingredients? Nowadays, vegetarian menu items shouldn't be optional and shouldn't be an afterthought for management. So don't order online if you don't have to. Conchas are delicious though but prob won't order food again. read more

Highly recommend this place if you are looking and trying something new to eat! First time in this place and my mouth was already watering when I was scrolling through their online website. Just looking at the food already made me hungry for some delicious baked goods. I tried their Horchata Lavender Concha, it had some sweet and tasty sugary glaze on top and it gave me tears of JOY just eating it. I also tried their Chocolate Croissant and that's usually my Go To at any bakery place. It was delicious and soft and smooth like butter when you take that first bite into it. The service was great! I came in the morning by like 10:00am and the girl behind the counter was very sweet and welcoming to all customers as they first enter through the Bakery and once they leave. Ambiance was cute on the inside and the bakery sits right by the train station which made the ambiance and environment quite welcoming and beautiful. This place is definitely worth the place to try. And I will definitely come back here when I get the chance. read more

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This is a cute Mexican bakery and coffee shop. We really enjoyed the conchas. The coffee drinks were a little hit and miss. We tried a selection of five of the smaller conchas, which aren't that small at all. You serve yourself like at a normal Mexican bakery and bring your selections to the counter. There are many different flavors to choose from, like churro, wedding cake, champurrado, etc. My favorite was the champurrado, by far. But they were all very fresh and delicious. We also tried a few of the coffee drinks. I went with the iced cafe de olla, something I have only had hot before. It was good but not as flavorful as I had hoped. The other drinks we tried were good but not amazing. The counter fellow was as friendly as could be. There is seating inside and out. They only have street parking which can get a little tight in this area but I have never had a problem. By the way, if you are a movie buff, the Michael Myers house from Halloween is almost literally across the street. Come here for excellent Mexican pan dulces. read more

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Love this place for cafe de olla...it's the best locally. I also enjoy their veggie options (got a soyrizo burrito). They have a wide selection of pan dulce (I tried some of the newer offerings). read more

Cute place with good coffee and friendly service. Didn't try the pastries. I will have to do a return visit for that. I will note that you need to COUNT YOUR CHANGE! The poor cashier couldn't do the math without the assistance of the register. She kept giving me $1.25 change from a $10 bill. My total was $5.75. She finally realized that she was entering something wrong and the register finally gave her the correct amount to give me back. read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Horchata coffee. - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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Stopped by for some pastries and a 3leches bday cake. The pastries were good the cake was just ok and a bit dry. Friendly and quick customer service and cute Dia de Muertos decorations. Street parking available, clean restrooms, and a small simple indoor seating area. read more

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Got a 12 pack of conchas and iced coffee to go. Ordering online was so easy. I wanted to get more items honestly. It was all soo good! Everything was very fresh. The iced coffee I got was a great addition for my breakfast concha. I can't wait to go back again and try other items! read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Conchas Monarca - 12pc Tray to go - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

I can't say enough about the warm, generous and friendly service at this bakery! My cousins and I came here to find a cake for my nieces graduation. The person at the counter, noticed that we had a hard time deciding and offered to give us free generous spoons of samples of whichever cakes we wanted to try. We tried 4 different ones and chose our favorite, Tres Leches (which was quite sublime, great flavor and perfect moistness and not fall apart wet as I have had at other bakeries). And what's more, they were featuring the brand new flavors of their small Monarcas conchas. Wonderful flavors and I couldn't believe that they gave us a box of free ones of each flavor so that we could try! They were so generous! I will definitely be back! Thank you so much La Monarca! read more

There's limited parking and the street parking down narrow roads. The interior is nice looking and cleans. You enter to immediately seeing the bread and pastries. The staff are really nice and friendly. They have loads of prepackaged concha selections. I'm quite tempted to buy the large selection! I got a few concha a la carte. The Oaxaca concha and lavender. They were tasty and sweet. Not too sweet considering the extra toppings. They were enough for a quick breakfast snack. I also got the Oaxaca cafe. It was very hot so let it sit for a bit. It was quite tasty though. It was rich with chocolate and has the right amount of sweetness. I really want to return to try out more! read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Lavender concha, Oaxaca concha - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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Came to this Monarca thanks to my new elite friend Nikki B who wrote an awesome review. This place was all Niki raved about and then some. Their coffee options are many, varied and delicious. I had the tres leches latte- iced - as recommended by Erika. The service was amazing!!! Erika greeted us with a great smile & a cookie, inviting us to try their new flavor- the polvorón cookie which had a taste of cinnamon- It was delicious!!! read more

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i love to stroll in here when i'm biking around south pasadena. it's right next to the station which makes it super convenient. carbs for the ride, just what i needed. the burritos are good for when you're hungrier, they have a few flavors. i wasn't super hungry but wanted a snack, so i got the bread with the beans and cheese on top. and a lil salsa came with it too. and i got a mini concha too. really hit the spot, split it with my friend. the service is very friendly and prompt here. ambiance is giving neighborhood cafe on a literal street corner. so cute. love it! read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - bread with beans cheese and salsa and mini concha - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

We love La Monarca! This was my first time at the South Pasadena location and the staff and service were incredible. We came back in October and had some seasonal items that were delicious. The churro concha was so flavorful and light and it paired well with blended Mexican chocolate. They have several locations, so check them out! read more

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Such an underrated spot to study/do work! Great wifi, kind staff. Soy chorizo burrito is fire, and very inexpensive

Came by this spot for a quick bite and matcha before a date night. The bakery is located at the corner of Mission Rd. Just across from the gold line station. There is street parking available where you can find it. The staff were nice and the place was empty on a Tuesday night. All of their menu items are Latin influenced flavors like conchas, tres leches, and horchata combined with espressos or made into pastries and cakes. The front area is self serve for the small baked breads with trays and tongs. We did see a couple of flies inside the displays but it's not unusual for bakeries. I got the new menu item the matcha horchata. It was sweet but very powdery tasting and mostly cinnamon flavor not really any matcha came through. The decor is cute and on brand and everything seemed pretty clean. I really would give it 3.5 but I rounded up. read more

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Many folks think La Monarca as simply a pan dulce bakery; however, there are far more than just some sweet breads that adorn their extensive menu for pastries, savory items, and crafted drinks. This Mexican bakery certainly has a complete list of items that will take many visits. There are even seasonal pastry items and an alignment with the pumpkin spice craze. The incorporation of coffee and Mexican-style chocolates is also pleasantly available. The portion size of tamales and burritos can be of some concern if you're expecting better value and/or are hungry. Paired with a pastry or dessert, you just maybe okay. There is a Soy Chorizo option, which I found to be quite unappetizing. La Monarca here is a good place for a quick stop for a light snack, and a great option if other choices across the street didn't suit your fancy. Parking is street only, so watch the street meters or time limits on the side streets. read more

La Monarca is perfect on any given day BUT it's perfection on a chilly/rainy day. Walked in looking for something warm and opted for the Champurrado instead of coffee. The thick, creamy, sweetness paired with any of their butter cookies or pan dulce.. perfection! read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

This space is very cute! The sweet breads were good, but small. The staff were great, very friendly and helpful! They were able to make recommendations on the pastries based on my taste preferences. There is a good amount of parking nearby, as well as plenty of seating! This shop is very close to the train tracks. read more

The ambience here is super cute, and I love all the little homemade concha's and various breads. I ordered a hot tres leches latte and a breakfast burrito. My latte was alright, and felt like it was missing some flavor. I was however let down but the size and quality of my breakfast burrito. I was recommended the soy chorizo which made the burrito pretty dry. The portion on the other hand was very small for the price! About the size of a tamale. At $8 a pop, I was expecting it to be bigger. Not a bad place, but not as memorable as I had hoped. read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - The breakfast burrito was the same size of a tamale. Super small for the price! - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Had a bad experience here the other day. Was looking for a quick bite and they offered a mole burrito which sounded tasty. Unfortunately, it was not. The wrap they used for the burrito was undercooked when I received it. Basically raw pasty dough. To cook it, all they did was put it in the microwave and nuke it. I know this because I watched them do it. It came out smoking hot to the touch... yet wrapped in uncooked dough. I tried a few bites of it and all I could taste was overmicrowaved heat. The microwave killed the flavor. The soggy dough was not appetizing. I tried to power through bc I was hungry, but threw it out after a few bites. Additionally, they have a "surprise" credit card fee. It's illegal in California to charge a fee to use a credit card (Civil Code section 1748.1) but they did not seem to care. read more

I've always had a good eating experience anytime I come here. This time around I tried the hot champurrado: I was told this is the least sweet of the drinks, and it's true as I didn't want anything too sweet. comes out piping hot so take your time sipping it. I also tried the chicken mole burrito. It was on the smaller side but it worked out for me as I was not starving for dinner but wanted a little dinner. Comes with some salsa and it was pretty good. Overall, I thought these two items were filling enough and still delicious. read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Champurrado and mole burrito - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Cool little place by the train station in South Pasadena. Loved the Latin vibe and decor, not cheesy or over done. The only thing I did not like was the bread/concha's were a little hard and there was a fly in the display case of the breads chillin'. The servers were super friendly and bilingual, only thing was that they did not give great recommendations. read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Horchata Cake - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

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Figured I'd stop by and see if they had anything left because they close at 8 pm and it was 7:27. Sorry for the already eaten most of the flan but I didn't think I was going to do a review. I wouldn't give someone a bad review this close to closing time but...this place is WORTH IT...STOP BY HERE!!! The flan is 4.5 out of 5 stars and the pastries were still "fresh." There's plenty here and they aren't stale. Come get'cha some. The lady working the counter doesn't speak much English but she's the sweetest person ever!! I tried to use my limited Spanish and she used her English. Come and support this place. read more

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Delicious Horchata Latte! Staff was very welcoming and greeted us with a smile and warmth! Great music and warm environment! read more

Nice people with tasty treats. Love the festive colors and positive vibes. Go for the fresh baked goods stay for the positive energy.

I love the ambiance, friendly service, & coffee. My partner got the Mexican coffee, said it was balanced, not too bitter, & overall is a good roast. I got a slice of flan & it's definitely one of the best I've had. I don't like the "eggy" taste of most flan, but this has none of that. And it has the right amount of sweetness & caramelization. I need to get a whole flan next time. Honestly I only thought of writing this review just for the flan I'm coming back just for it read more

Stopped by today for coffee and pan. Teresa made my tres leches latte and a caramel coffee for my mom. Both 10/10. We also had a pan de muertos which was delicious. I would love to be able to purchase frozen conchas to bake at home for the upcoming holiday season. Please please consider it. read more

Amazing cafe! Their cafe de olla is the best if anyone is looking for a regular go-to hot drink Service is also amazing! Kind workers and an overall relaxing ambiance located in South Pasadena. read more

Always greeted with a smile and the sweet scent of coffee ! Love their fresh pan and the breakfast burrito and molletes are to die for. Great space relaxing vibe. read more

Nice little neighborhood cafe conveniently located next to the Meridian train station. I love the coffee drinks here and the mood is perfect, chill. Not too crazy about the pastries, though. No matter what I try, they all taste the same to me. Sorry, but I like the baked goods at the place across the street better, read more

Excellent place - go here often and a fixture in south Pasadena. Today - Cynthia and Sonia were really excellent with the friendly service. And the pastries - especially the heart shaped orejas are unmatched in good quality. Thanks so much. read more

The food and service at this location are always great. I've been coming here for 6 years. They have become part of my morning commute.

**Rating with a small child** Another bakery outing with my 5 year old, this time we stopped by La Monarca after spending a good chunk of the day watching trains roll by at the South Pasadena station. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was "oh there's not much seating". This was a bit of a struggle, but luckily a family had just left the area by the window sill so we snagged that area quickly. We rate various bakeries by their chocolate croissants. I found this one to be a bit on the dry side, perhaps because it was already past noon and I know the fresh ones are all in the morning. There was also a bee flying inside the display window, which turned both of us off a bit (my son wanted to leave) but I had to convince him that it must be super good if the bees also wanted a piece. My kid still gave it a thumbs up, but we've definitely had better croissants at other bakeries, which had more seating ;) read more

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Café de Olla where have you been all my life? When I heard the La Monarca specializes in Café de Olla, I was curious to try it. Café de Olla is brewed in a clay pot with natural spices such as cinnamon, cloves, & star anise and sweetened with Piloncillo (raw dark sugar). I stopped by early in the morning for my pre-workout coffee fix. I received a friendly welcome from Pao as I entered. The smell of delicious baked goods permeated the air. The display cases were filled with an abundance of tasty treats. The shop is neat & tidy with seating inside and a few tables outside. I enthusiastically ordered my Café de Olla and selected an Empanada Dulce de Leche to go with it. As I was leaving Pao noticed a sketchy individual outside the door and he said he would walk me out. As we approached the man collapsed on the sidewalk, so he called 911 to assist. Pao is not only a good-hearted person - he is also a stellar employee! The Café de Olla exceeded my expectations! I'm hooked. The pastry of the Empanada was light & flaky. It was even better heated up because the filling became warm & creamy and you could taste the delightful caramel flavor. (Unfortunately, due to all the excitement I forgot to take pictures of my purchases.) They also have breakfast items, burritos, tacos, & tortas. You can purchase their Café de Olla in single serving brew bags (10 for $16) in addition to packaged cookies and Mexican chocolate. I appreciate that La Monarca donates 1% of their proceeds to ECOLIFE Conservation to support their programs to protect and preserve the Monarch butterfly. *Conveniently located next to the Mission Gold Line stop. Residential and street parking available. read more

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False Advertising!! LA Manarca is not Honoring the Price they're Advertised In-store!! This falls under False Advertising!There was another customer a Black man also trying to ask why they were ringing up for more and the cashier refused to help him because of the price and the cashier was racist! This will be reported to the better Business Bureau this is wrong and unacceptable for them to be sold for the wrong price. read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Charging $8 at the cashier False Advertising In-Store!! Unacceptable - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

Always super nice and friendly. Looooove their cold brew. Their chocolate cake and Dulce de leche cakes are really good too for birthdays.

Went here on recommendation from not one, but two friends so I had to see what the hype was all about. Parking: being that this is in downtown South Pasadena, your best bet for parking is usually going to be street parking (which is plentiful, but just generally more of a hassle, dealing with parallel parking and parking restrictions). PRO TIP: if you can take the A-line/Goldline, you can literally walk to the bakery across the street from the South Pasadena stop! Food: Even though I'm not a huge fan of Mexican baked goods, I'm still a fan of bakeries nonetheless. As soon as I open the door, I was greeted with the sweet smell of cinnamon mixed with the warm aroma of freshly baked bread. I got their taquitos (flaky, pastries with deliciously, vibrant fruit fillings) as recommended. They were just as tasty as I expected, but after spending a hot minute in line staring at the breakfast menu, waiting to check out I've deduced that I need to come back before I can give a complete review of the diverse selection of food here. I also grabbed an iced Horchata de Ollo latte and some Mexican Wedding Cookies (which are my actual favs!!!), which had great, but not too overpowering flavors as well. Ambience: This is the quintessential neighborhood coffee shop/bakery complete with an assortment of small and large tables, light mood music in the background, Wi-Fi, and great coffee. Perfect for fans of the wooden interior aesthetic read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California

What a lovely location and amazing customer service. The gentleman that helped me out was extremely nice and attentive. The machaca burrito, the cookie assortment, and latte were delicious. read more

Tasty mollete and cafe de olla! Mollete is essentially a fresh baked bread with beans and melted cheese. As simple as it sounds, it is simply delicious. They made it fresh after we ordered, and it was bomb! Cafe de olla is a traditional Mexican coffee that is brewed in a clay pot with natural spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. I ordered it black and it was SO GOOD! No creamer or milk needed! However, it can make it tasty with creamer and milk. Next time I want to try the horchata latte. That looked tasty! When I went in, they had traditional Mexican baked goods such as muffins, cupcakes, bread, pan de muerto (day of the dead bread). It was all so good and fresh! Everything was soft. The inside of this specific Mexican cafe was super cute. I really enjoyed my time here. I totally recommend this and would return. read more

La Monarca Bakery & Cafe - Bean and cheese mollete - Bakeries Near Me - South Pasadena, California