Monarca is the best restaurant in The Woodlands! This was my third time coming here, but the best experience I've had, and the others were already extremely good, but I'll describe this trip. We entered to a friendly staff who sat us immediately. The vibe is very modern with some Mexican influence. We were with another couple and I think they were under the impression that this would be Tex-Mex, but it is not. For drinks I got a Mezcalina, my wife got a normal margarita normally I don't love Mezcal, but was feeling adventurous and this drink did not disappoint, it exploded with flavor and was my favorite drink I have had here. The bar program might be the best of any restaurant in the area, as it should be since they have a speakeasy as well. In my previous trip they brought us complimentary chips and salsa, but the time they brought Mexican hummus and pita. I was initially disappointed, but this was one of the more unique complimentary dishes I have had, and loved it. For starters, we got the TOSTADA CHUTORO, which was a tostada with raw fish and caviar. There were two, and although smaller bites to share, the flavor once again really shined through. I would say this is similar to a ceviche dish with really fresh fish and bright flavors. read more

Beautiful, chic venue, tucked away in a corner of the shopping strip. I joined a friend for a lunch date on a Thursday. It was rather empty, with perhaps 2 other tables being served. Food was good, but I'm not sure if I could consider anything spectacular enough to justify some of the prices. I decided on the Aguachile Wagyu, which was perfectly cooked and paired with charred herbs. Very enjoyable for a small high-protein meal. My friend ordered Tacos de Filete, which she said were, "okay." We also had a few drinks... They were heavy pours. My only complaint is that the tajin-salt rims were more for decoration (smeared across the side of the glass and not very hygienic) rather than for the palette. Worth mentioning: We were never offered any chips or salsa, although I've read reviews where other patrons enjoyed some before their meal. Our server was friendly, but a bit disconnected.... Maybe that was the biggest problem - - the experience was diminished due to lackluster service. read more

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Back in middle of May, the girlfriend and I did our anniversary dinner here. Judging by the reviews and photos of the place, we were stoked once we set foot in here. The atmosphere is inviting with an intimate feel due to the complimenting colors and soft music playing. However the noise level can get overwhelming if there's large parties/groups here. I remember there was a party of 8 that got seated next to us about 30 minutes after we were seated. Definitely made it difficult to hear one another. Now for drinks, this place has some exotic cocktails and mixed drinks that taste as delicious as they look. The Mezcalina cocktail is a favorite here and one that my girlfriend ordered. She guzzled it down and ordered a second one shortly after as the flavors from the hibiscus and orange had some flavor impact. Meanwhile, I went with the Caymus red blend wine; it's easy to sip and paired with the food well. As for food, we started with the guacamole which is garnished with tomatoes and red onion and comes with tostadas. While it seems to be a favorite here, I wasn't that impressed as there wasn't much seasoning although the creaminess texture of the avocado is solid. For entrees, I had the branzino while my girlfriend had the pollo asado. We also got some sides of broccolini and mashed potatoes to round it out. The branzino is garnished with arugula and some spiced oranges for a citrus finish. I liked the char on my fish as it gave some balance to the softness of the fish. The fish is a bit difficult to eat due to the texture. The pollo asado was the better of the two as the chicken is tender with a nice sauce to accompany the meat and the potatoes. We definitely didn't need the sides as the entrees were pretty big; the broccolini has a nice char and lemon finish. Not crazy about the mashed potatoes although it's a nice side if you're sharing with a large group. The best dish of the night is the dessert which is the Campechana, a crispy bunuelo (fried pastry dough) drizzled with dulce de leche and pistachios and topped with vanilla ice cream patties. This is one of the best desserts I've ever eaten as all the flavor profiles mix well and the crispiness of the bunuelo goes well with ice cream. No regrets ordering this dish! Not a bad experience for our anniversary. I heard there's a Speakeasy here so I want to explore that next time. The cocktails, dessert, and interior design of the place are the strong points. You will be paying a premium price for dining here as the food and drink prices are quite high. However, we'd be open to returning minus the noise of the large parties. read more

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An absolute masterpiece!! one of the best ribeye steaks we've ever eaten, extremely tender with seasonings laced perfectly, plus the Arrachera skirt steak is out of this world and even the Elote was perfect. Don't sleep on that Campechana dessert. The presentation is masterful, which speaks to how well the staff execute and serve every plate. Top-tier modern Mexican spot in The Woodlands. We will definitely be back. read more

Monarca - Ribeye Steak - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

I really enjoyed my visit to Monarca. My friend and I were there for happy hour. The happy hour drinks and apps were amazing! We really enjoyed their Royal Margaritas, Tostada de ceviche blanco and Aguachile negro appetizers. Our entrees were also delicious. My Pollo asado was so tender, juicy and full of wonderful flavors. The service is excellent, the restaurant is beautiful and the food is delicious! We will definitely be coming back. And bonus-they have a speakeasy! read more

I had a good experience at Monarca. The ambiance was great and the food was decent. I stopped in for dinner on a Thursday night. The area it's in is very nice, with a park and plenty of parking. Walking distance to an HEB as well for last minute grocery stops. The food was ok. We ordered the costillas adobadas + the filet mignon + the enchiladas. Note that the enchiladas are actually empanadas and the menu has a typo. The food was ok. The costillas adobadas (baby back ribs) were yummy and the meat was super flavorful. However - I thought the taste was a bit too deep (intense/ rich). The filet mignon was ok, seasoned well and a bit dry. The empanadas were good too & had good flavor. Nothing really blew me away, & it was a bit pricey. The chips and salsa were really great. The ambiance is amazing though. The interior of the restaurant is beautiful and really nice. They have a cool speakeasy as well (which has awesome vibes). Service was normal; standard. Our waiter was good & the food came out pretty quick. Food: 3.5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Service 4/5 read more

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Monarco is a very nice, slightly upscale Mexican restaurant in Creekside. The location is nice and you feel the added ambiance when you enter the restaurant. We visited on a Sunday afternoon, just in time for Happy Hour, 3-6 pm daily. I really wanted to try the Torta de Carne Asada but it was not available for some reason? Instead we went with Tacos de Filete and Tacos Baja. Both were delicious, high quality and recommended. We ordered a side of street corn which was equally tasty. The service was also very good, Roger was attentive, personable and added to the experience. However, we should have sat outside as there was a large, very talkative group right next to our table. Not complaining, just made it a little hard to carry on a conversation. Drinks were tasty, high quality and due to happy hour, half price. Why the 4 stars versus 5? We had to ask for chips and salsa (which were tasty) but not served automatically. I'm not even sure we were supposed to get them so kudos to Roger. The prices are a bit high to not include rice or beans of some kind or at least a side option. Too many other high quality Mexican restaurants to choose from that provide similar quality and ambiance. I do recommend Monarco. Just be prepared to pay a little more, get a little less. Enjoy! Also, a bonus is they have a speakeasy on the weekend... read more

Monarca - Filet mignon tacos, side of guacamole and added street corn - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

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I'll be honest, upon reading the menu I thought, if I'm going to pay $13 for guac with crispy beef and $17 for tacos they better be good...real good...luckily they were, but this is not the place for a street taco! This is the type of spot where coke is poured from the can into fancy glasswear, your salsa options arrive in shot glasses, and your food is whisked from your table and bagged for you if you choose to take items to-go. From the booths and atmosphere to the food, it's clear they put a lot of love and time into this concept! It's just a sexy spot! My Pollo Asado was delicious. Although mine did not come with the shishito pepper others noted on Yelp, even without, the chicken was perfectly seasoned and juicy, and I'd put that sauce on everyone, it's perfection! The guac offered a nice surprise. The portion is enough to feed 2-4, and it arrives table side bright with acid and seasoned to perfection. The crispy beef, (think beef bacon, not jerky like, but instead perfectly crisp) is a real treat! With "no need to lift a finger" service, and savory cravable eats, this is a spot that has my heart and my wallet. I can't wait to return to visit the Speakeasy on the weekend! read more

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We recently had a business dinner party of four at Monarca Modern Mexican Cocina and it was an excellent experience from start to finish. We started with the Ceviche Blanco and Aguachile Ribeye as appetizers both were fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. All of our margaritas were perfectly made and balanced. For the main course, we tried the Arrachera, which was cooked to perfection and packed with flavor. The service was outstanding our waiter was very attentive and made great recommendations since it was our first visit. Even the small details stood out, like the restrooms being spotless clean. Overall, Monarca delivered on food, drinks, and service. Highly recommend for anyone looking for an elevated Mexican dining experience in The Woodlands. read more

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Service was great from entering to exiting. Food was really delicious. Nice presentation too. Loved the vegan options and my meat eaters enjoyed their meal as well. read more

I did not enjoy the food at Monarca. The service and atmosphere were great, as were the chips and salsa. Unfortunately, the rest of the food was very bland. My group ordered a few menu items and I wouldn't order any of them again. Based on the rest of the reviews, maybe it was just an off day, but it was a disappointing meal. read more

We had the best time there for my husband 50th birthday and Valentine Day. Everyone was super nice. Food is excellent. Top notch restaurant. read more

Monarca - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

Why 4 stars? Because there is obviously an emphasis on quality here. --- --- --- We had plans to visit another restaurant for lunch, but after those plans were somewhat set, my wife discovered Monarca, and we quickly pivoted to coming here instead. We were sad to see that when we arrived, there were literally no other customers dining. There were a few that arrived while we were eating, but we definitely hope that people support this place! The service was super friendly and there were so many high quality touches throughout the experience. The salsa coming in a large, fancy shot glass. The tortillas coming in a mini nap-sack. The interior design being incredibly sleek. Everything was just so nice. As for the food, we started off with the fundido and really loved it. The chips and salsa were also excellent - among the best we've ever had. The chips were thick and salty and the salsa had a great flavor to it. The fundido was a large plate of melted cheese, so guess what's not remotely surprising? It was amazing. I was torn between the burger and the torta for my entree and the server recommended the burger. I enjoyed it overall, but not as much as I loved everything else. There was something kind of citrus-y on it that I wasn't a big fan of. But it was still a solid meal. My wife ordered the filet mignon and we both felt similarly about it: good, but probably not worth about $40. We did enjoy the brussels sprouts though, and were happy that they made these for us even though they were not on the lunch menu. I'd happily go back and try some of the tacos or something else on the dinner menu. I hope others do too because we need to make sure businesses like this can last for the long haul! There are 48 million Tex-Mex restaurants in the Houston area, so give this place a shot that does things a little differently. read more

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Good food, good service, ok price but the noise level is very, very high. Sitting at a table for four we could not carry on a conversation.

Food was exceptional! Funded, tuna tostadas and steak tacos yummy!! Service was superb and the restaurant itself is very stylish. Loved everything about this place read more

Monarca - Tacos Filete. - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

Bad drinks, good food. I've tried 3 different cocktails here, all were absolutely undrinkable. The Paloma is disgusting (Sad, because the food is good and we like the place, but sometimes we just want to have a drink that's close to the house. read more

it is nice to have another higher end restaurant option in Creekside village. I can't attest to the food since we just went in to grab a drink. The biggest surprise to me was the speakeasy hidden in the back. It is decorated well and has some comfy seating options for a date night. The drink menu all sounded very delicious and unique, offering items that you wouldn't be able to find other places. The only complaint I have is both of our drink were a little sweet for our taste. The entrees were pretty pricey and there was a limited amount to choose from. We will definitely be back to try some apps that sounded enticing. read more

Monarca - Speakeasy - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

Excellent service!! Octopus definitely hit the spot ! Overall experience was excellent! 100 bucks for 3 plates of food mmmmm so so read more

Monarca - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

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Great service great ambiance delish food definitely recommend this place service by Roger was great. read more

Monarca - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

Don't waste your time or money here--everything about this place was awful. From the moment we walked in, the host gave us judgmental looks, making us feel unwelcome. She didn't introduce herself, barely acknowledged us, and seemed annoyed the entire time. When she brought water, she only gave it to half the table, left some glasses half-filled, and completely skipped one person--as if getting more water was too much effort. When one of us ordered an appetizer instead of an entrée, she rudely questioned them, saying, "Are you sure? That's a small plate," in a condescending tone. When we asked for more water, she rolled her eyes and ignored us, only to later drop off a pitcher without a word. One of our entrées was completely forgotten, and she never bothered to check on us after the food was served. Meanwhile, she, another waiter, and the bartender just stood around at the bar chatting instead of doing their jobs. The food itself was terrible--flavorless, overly greasy or salty, tiny portions, and way overpriced. And with such bad service, you'd hope they'd at least try to make up for it, but nope. No apology, no effort, nothing. We weren't even difficult customers at all, yet she treated us like an inconvenience the entire time. This place is an absolute joke, and I will never be coming back. read more

If only we had been seated at a better table, it would've been five stars! We were sat right on the way to the speakeasy despite getting a reservation ahead of time, so a lot of foot traffic around us the whole time, which i don't think a lot of us enjoy. But moving on from that, drinks were delicious, food was delicious. Simply chef's kiss! I got pollo asado and I ate it for three meals haha. I had read a review that said chicken was a little dry which I agree with but it was so flavorful that I didn't even mind. Don't forget to get poblano rice! Tortillas are great but poblano rice goes so well with that chicken and those potatoes. Their salsa is pretty great too! Our server Alberto was hilarious and very kind. He was very sweet and attentive and very accommodating. Chris made our drinks and we had nice conversations with him as well! All in all please go try the place out! read more

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Everything was delicious. Service was a little slow but they were kind of busy. Sat outside as it was a nice evening. Will come again and try other things on the menu. Didn't take pics of our other entrées but they were equally pretty and tasty. read more

Monarca - Shrimp Churros - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

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I went to Monarca at noon on a Friday. I frequently travel to obscure, non-touristy parts of Mexico for work. The tacos are the most authentic tacos I've had outside Torreón or Monterrey. Absolutely delicious and served just like the real thing. The service was great too. Didn't wait for my food and the cerveza was ice cold! read more

The service and dining room management is so bad, it's comical. Food is tasty Please hire a manager rather than the useless guy wandering around and helping with nothing read more

We were so excited to try this new addition to the Creekside Village center! For starters, the restaurant has a beautiful ambiance. We came for dinner, and the lighting was tastefully dim. The decor is contemporary yet inviting with a cozy vibe. Service was gracious and personable from greeting to goodbye, and the servers were attentive. Our main server was incredibly polished and expertly anticipated our every need. He was outstanding! So, why the 3 stars? Well, it's the food. See, I'm the type of reviewer who puts food above all else when reviewing restaurants. I go to restaurants to enjoy good food, not to make friends. Hence, I'm irked when I see 1-star reviews from people who have the gall to say, "the food was excellent, but the server didn't even smile." 1- star? Seriously? No soup for you! Alas, despite the aesthetic home run and outstanding service, I'm rating Monarca 3-stars, because, overall, the food was not the delectable culinary journey for which we'd hoped. We started with the Fundido with chorizo and the Guacamole. We found the Fundido was delicious and decadently satisfying, but the Guacamole was underwhelming. As for our Mains, just one of our three entrees was excellent. My sister, who is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in New York, was very disappointed in her Pollo Asado. She said it was very dry and bland. Our friend ordered the Pargo Frito, and she said it was, "quite simply, fried fish." We all agreed that my Chamorro Adobado was the best of the three. The mash was gloriously flavorful, and the pork meltingly tender. Still, the meat was under-seasoned. The clear stand-out? DESSERT. The Campechana was simply divine! An artful execution of beautifully contrasting textures - impossibly crisp pastry vs creamy, dreamy ice cream - rich, comforting deliciousness with a luscious caramel sauce that added just the right amount of sweetness. Perfection! Will I be back? I want this place to succeed! It's in my neighborhood, so I'll be back to try other dishes. And to order that Campechana again ;) read more

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Some dishes were good and others were crazy spicy, including the salmon which was ordered by 3 of us. I gave up after only a few bites. They need to note the spicy dishes on their menu. Drinks were just ok. read more

This place is perfection! The decor has gives a chic vibe. Christina and Ana are gold! I try to order something different every time I dine here and everything has been delicious. I highly recommend the Royal Margarita and the tacos de tuétano! read more

Good food, great drinks! Love the speakeasy in the back. Service was spot on and there was no wait to get in. We will return read more

Food was great, atmosphere was great, drinks were good/mid, our server Christina was amazing 10/10. But, if I'm paying $40 for 2 drinks they better make me feel some type of way. I think the bartender forgot to add alcohol to my drinks, I didn't even get a light buzz and I'm a light weight. Great place for a date, but I'm checking it off my list. read more

Um. Delicious. So much so that I had to get on Yelp and write a review. We had Monarca delivered, so I can't speak of the restaurant/ambiance, but after this delicious meal, I can't wait to visit. We ordered: - Poblano Rice = it's giving polenta vibes. - Esquites = love the added texture of the fried corn... "Corn Nuts" in the best way. - Pollo Asado = the veggies were fab. Chicken was delish wrapped in a tortilla and dipped in the sauce. Also loved the smoky bonus of this meal being fire-grilled. - Pargo Frito = wrapped up in a tortilla with the pickled veggies and arugula -- *chef's kiss* -- preferred to top with spicy white sauce that was served with the shrimp churros. - Shrimp Churros -- another reason to eat churros? Say less. Reminds me of a hush puppy. - Tres Leches = I'm so stuffed, I can't demolish this now; however, I had to take a bite and get a quick taste. Oh. Am. Gee. Whatever this powder sugar crisps are? Yes. Please. Thanks for the great meal. Best wishes on this restaurant.. hoping for lots of success! read more

This was place is delicious! We came for Houston Restaurant week and had 3 courses for $39. Great way to check out the menu! Every course - fresh and delicious. The margaritas are on point too! Check out this gem in Creekside! read more

Monarca - Tacos de Pollo - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

Walked into this place not knowing what to expect. Ordered the guac and polo tacos and wow! Both delicious! Love the decor and vibe. Only negative is air freshener was a bit strong, like a window needs to be opened it's too much! Otherwise fantastic service and good. read more

Monarca - Delicious Pollo tacos appetizer - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

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Please Note: Great place for true authentic Mexican food, not Tex-Mex. The overall service, ambiance and food were outstanding. The tacos appetizer, Brussels sprouts, Josper cauliflower and guacamole (with shredded beef) were delicious. For our main dish we shared the Josper Rib-eye which was excellent. We did not try any of the drinks being prepared by the mixologist this time around, we'll make a point to come back and try them. read more

An authentic taste of Mexico with live music and outdoor seating. This place has excellent food, great service and a nice classy bar. And their margaritas are phenomenal. read more

Great food great service! The ambiance of the whole restaurant is great, plus they have a speakeasy in the back!

Sat outside on a Friday afternoon. Server never came so bartender finally waited on us. Table beside us was never cleared, tiniest plastic cups of salsa and personal salad bowl of chips were finally delivered. When the bill arrives we learned the tea was not free refills, but $2 each...RIDICULOUS!!!! read more

We had our book club meeting here, and the host did an amazing job at keeping track of all the guests and their orders. The food and drinks are delicious and the service is great! read more

Love the ambiance the food was really good; also the employees were really nice. I will come back read more

Monarca - Lovely decoration - Wine Bars Near Me - The Woodlands, Texas

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I've eaten here before and had great experience. However. Our friend organized a neighbors night out for those who hadn't been for Houston Restaurant Weeks and we wanted to check out the 'shhhh' speakeasy in the back. Well. Turns out they were not honoring HRW on Friday and Saturday. In addition- the speakeasy was 'closed for a private party'. All of this is fine however maybe make note of this on HRW site (and their advertisement on the front door' as well as announce that the back room is closed for a party on FB and/or IG. There as a group of moms from Alden bridge who were super excited but essentially got kicked out. On top of that I ordered the guava margarita which was supposed to have salt (a special kind but I didn't care).... I specifically said - I want the salt - but neither my drink or my husband's had salt. I saw the server take the drink up to the bar and the bartender roller her eyes at him and then put salt on a new glass and poured my drink into that (which is fine but the eye roll was not necessary since the drink literally says 'Paloma salt' ) . On top of that - husband's steak was ordered medium but came out well well done. And the organizer of the night didn't even get her meal until 15 -20 minutes after we were all served and had bones in the salmon as well. Very disappointed in the service and experience. If you are choosing to not participate in HRW on certain days- it needs to be notated on the website. This is how we try new places!! Secondly - the speakeasy. If it's closed for a private party you should probably advertise that. We love having great places to eat so close but service is way more important - especially when we are spending $$$$ with cocktails and dinner. read more

We had a wonderful experience at Monarca! As per usual, we sat at the bar, which just tends to be more of our vibe. The ambience and decor of this restaurant is absolutely spectacular for dinner, and the service was amazing! We enjoyed a variety of dishes to include their signature fried fish. Everything was good with the best presentation but I do feel some additional seasonings would do a lot of these plates justice. The shrimp churro was lackluster - if you're going to blend up shrimp and make them into a paste to Fry, you gotta add all the seasonings. I could taste that they were cooked out if that makes sense...we did enjoy the red snapper and absolutely devoured the pickled vegetables on top. special requested string fries were a little bit too stringy, virtually impossible to eat, but that's what we get for asking for french fries at a Mexican cuisine restaurant. Will definitely be back because the speakeasy wasn't available while we were there due to a private party which was a little bit disappointing for a new venue but a reason to return! read more

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