More of a place to hang out than a place for a nice dinner IMO. Went with some friends with a set menu. Food was fine but not memorably good. For the price there was a good amount of food with the set menu. We had the chips and dip, ceviche, tuna tostada (my favourite thing we tried), AAA beef tacos, veggie enchiladas, chicken and rice, and churros. Everything was pretty good but nothing to write home about. I feel like flavours generally lacked depth, complexity, and balance. I had a couple cocktails which were also fine. Nothing stood out. Service was good, especially considering we were a big group and it was loud. The decor is very cool (jungle vibes) and they had some DJs spinning as dinner was coming to a close. I think if I were to come back I'd probably come for a drink and the club. Maybe a little snack but not necessarily going out of my way to have Mexican food here. read more

The restaurant is located in gastown, easy access by public transportation and not too far from the famous steam clock. We had a reservation for 8pm, and was sitted quickly, and served within minutes. We ordered a few appetizers and a few drinks. When they arrived, we were surprised by the portion size of the appetizers (similar to regular entree portions). The cocktails arrived shortly after. We also ordered each a main dish to share. Everything was delicious. read more

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Step into this tropical oasis and be blown away by the flavorful of the food. Ordered the Tacos de Camaron (grilled) with a mild spicy mole sauce and Enchildas with a spicy verde (it was more like stacked layers/lasagna). Both were excellent. Drinks were drinkable but nothing to write home about, unfortunately was not up to par with the quality of the food. read more

Made reservations weeks ago for dinner. Asked to wait at the door then rejected entry. Embarrassing and disappointing read more

I am always a fan of this place. Large space, good drinks & delicious food. Servers are attentive and knowledgeable about their menus. I enjoyed their chicken mole dish. Deep flavors and large portion sizes. My only regret was forgetting my leftovers on the table! I recommend this place for dinner & drinks with friends. Located in Gastown and walkable on nice days / evenings read more

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So my friends brought me to this place for my birthday, and we decided to try their happy hour menu! Tacos I tried: - Taco de ribeye ( must get as very yum ) - Asada de arrachera ( grilled beef it was a bit chewy but was on a tostade so the texture was good ) - Taco de Conchinita ( pork taco kinda weird as its seeped in this oily sauce ) - Taco vegetarian ( cauliflower one, average) Dessert: - this ice cream pastry, pistachios, that was so gigantic in size please share this with 4 people ( that's what we did) it was good, but tasted basic tbh because it was mainly Vanilla icecream so didn't feel wowed Drinks: - bergamot 0% liquor cocktail, bit sweet but not bad - Virgin pineapple mojito, Don't think I'd recommend this as it was meh Overall, it was an okay happy hour that led into dinner. The service was good to start with but once the restaurant got busier we were left to our own devices and forgotten about... at one point we weren't sure if a server was working our area. The vibe of the restaurant is soooo nice. It ceiling is beautiful and so are the bathrooms. I'd say that you feel really comfortable and a nice place to catch up with friends. Some of us found our food either super salty or really sweet. The food was very very flavourful, but perhaps a bit too much. I'd still recommend this place but that's why it's a 3 star as I'd only go back for the vibes, and unsure about the foods. read more

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OUTSTANDING service, especially from Mursal she has amazing recommendations, super attentive and beautiful . Great place read more

Here's the deal. Homegirl & I rolled into this joint after parking my chariot ride nearby. I'm no noob to this place, but my taste buds, and homegirl's, for the food here are virginal. I've had plenty a serving of Mexican food south of the 49th, but I've never had Mexican like this. High end. Swanky, almost kinky. First time for everything. It hurt. It hurt really bad. For both of us. It hurt so much my eyes watered. Hers, not so much. I ask Homegirl, "Was it as good for you as it was for me?" She nodded in full agreement. We were both content with round one. We ended up going for three rounds. I was feeling energetic that night. After cleaning up, I needed a martini, not a cigarette. I was tempted to roll over and sleep right then and there. Homegirl would have hit me if I did that. No Uber ride home afterwards too! Homegirl got the chariot. Pro tip.: The queso con chorizo will satisfy you on the first go. Try it with different positions of entry. Up, down, sideways, and diagonally. They're all satisfying. From the rear? Not so much. Recommended - but not from behind read more

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WARNING ! WARNING ! WARNING ! Don't go, just don't do it; Terrible service, Way way overpriced and the food is garbage. Save yourself the pain and your wallet. It might be okay for drinks, But go to Taco Bell for dinner first. The only reason this place survives is because of the location and the surrounding night life. read more

Food wasn't bad. We started off with chips and salsa. Followed by the enchillada and prawn tacos. Service is fantastic. The chips were not bad but salsa a touch too runny. Enchillada had a very tangy sauce while the tacos were quite filling. My only gripe with this place was that it was loud. Noise echoes off the walls. The music got louder and louder and we were shouting over our food. So much so, we left as soon as possible to get our hearing back. read more

Easy to be brief on this review - blah Too much hype from Tik Tok reviewers - seemingly gratis since the place is pretty but i have to be invited there to revisit. Taco sizes are too meagre, may as well go a block west to La Casita. Oh, similar to Europe, when 'offered' chips/whatever, this is not complimentary. Wanna stand out in Vancouver, one has to offer more/better food/drink options (even for happy hour) read more

From the moment I got there the the time I left it was the worst experience I have ever had n would never go back nor recommend this place to any of my friends! The waitresses were not polite, and unprofessional. We kept getting rushed to order and finish as the waitresses kept harassing us that there was another reservation. The waiters, bouncers and waitresses don't bother to say excuse me but rather just push by or through you . The food was mediocre and overpriced ! I mean i don't mind paying more but expect the food to be up to par then. But honestly continuously being told, by different people, that we would need to finish for the next group was such a put off that I would never return to this establishment. Im truly disappointed and appalled by my experience read more

Had a reservation booked two months in advance, but the rude hostess ruined the experience. My boyfriend stepped out briefly, and she refused to let him back in -- no explanation, just attitude. Completely unprofessional and disappointing. read more

Monarca - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

It was my first time sitting on the bar for food and i was hesitant because i am not comfortable sitting on high chairs with legs hanging . But the bar chairs turned out to be very comfortable that me and my friend sat there for the whole time for our drinks and dinner. The food was amazing. It was so delicious and fresh. We had only the vegetarian stuff but i am sure the non vegetarian would be equally good. Loved the ambiance and enjoyed every bite of my food. Even the location is in the middle of the most happening place- Gastown read more

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I'm a huge fan of ophelia, so when i heard they were opening a second restaurant, I had to make a reso! The decor and ambiance is absolutely stunning! From hanging stars, to beautiful rich colours - I was in love. The bathroom also had a really cool skull display. The menu has lots of yummy eats, it was so hard to choose. My friends and I shared the guac and chips ($12, pretty good for sharing and a good price nowadays). For dinner, the prices are a bit higher so i opted for an appy and got the quesi carni y frijolas (essentially cheese, a steak and beans - lots of em). Could've used a little less bean, but it was delicious and quite flavorful. My friends got the tostada and the steak & iceberg (i had a bite and LOVED it). For drinks, I got the strawberry kiwi marg $14.50 (quite sweet, but good), and a second drink was the Monarco marg $13, which had orange in it. I preferred the second for sure! I love that their drinks come in 2oz! Everyone who worked there was SO sweet, they were super attentive, However at the end, we were left waiting for our bill for a while, and my friends drink took around 15 mins to come. They're so new that they're probably working out some of the kinks. Defs recommend trying this place if you're in gastown and love mexican food and beautiful drinks! I'll be back for happy hour cuz I'm a girl on a budget). read more

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Monarca is a beautiful restaurant! Located on fabulous Water St @ Carrall St in Gastown, it is visually stunning in here when you walk in! The lighting, greenary, artwork & music are amazing. Perfect for date night so dress up & get down here. This is the sister restaurant to Ophelia located on West 2nd at Olympic Village. I have not been there yet but after my experience here, it will be happening sometime this Spring for sure. The cocktails - Smugglers Sour & Margarita De Sol were excellent. Dinner was absolutely fantastic! The Steelhead Relleno De Mariscos & Los De Camarón (prawn taco) are a must try! The flavours in both these items had my palate popping & dancing with delight! No one could hear me oohing & aahing thank gawd, as the music was turned up. The music was so good I started thinking this spot could become a Supper Club with - dinner & dance. Our waitress Suzy, was amazing. Got to meet Stuart the head Mixologist - the cocktails are bang-on point here! Bravo! *Heads up ALERT - this is fine dinning, so portions are smaller but 100% filling & most of all - superior tasting! *Heads up ALERT #2 - highly recommend you Uber here as parking is limited & Water St is one-way aka you'll be driving in circles trying to find a place to park. Either that or park uptown then take the nice walk down Water St to get here. By uptown I mean exactly that aka don't park your fancy car in this area! Add Monarca to your 'must try' list ASAP! read more

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Stunning restaurant, great airy space, great cocktails, but very sadly mediocre food. Finally got to try out Monarca in Gastown, which took over Coquille. The restaurant has a great vibe, but the music was slightly too loud. I went to Ophelia last week so I was comparing the food I had at Monarca since the menu is a little similar - even the hot sauces are the same. Verdict: Ophelia tastes better. We got the steak tacos, guacamole, bone marrow and enchiladas to share. The guac was pretty standard fare and tasted good with the hot sauce. The steak tacos were delicious and flavourful. Enchiladas were tasty but gets too soggy over time. The biggest disappointment was the bone marrow. I wish they offered the bone marrow steak taco at this location. What they offer here is just the bone marrow with corn tortillas. Really not a lot of flavor when the bone marrow isn't paired with something. read more

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we arrived on time for our reservation and were reminded several times how we had to leave in 2 hours. So great to be greeted by a reminder they don't really want you there. Especially when the restaurant is empty. How about Thankyou for coming to our restaurant and spending your hard earned dollars here! it was FREEZinG in the restaurant so asked for hot water instead cold tap water as well as our cocktails. nothing for 20 minutes! hello! we are only the 2nd persons to arrive . no one else in the restaurant and no service. had to remind the waitress we did order cocktails. dinner was marginal. The waitresses all more worried about keeping their breasts In their minimal outfits . Like having hot scantily clad waitresses justifies the poor service. We proceeded to order several rounds of drinks and dinner and our bill was over 600$ they still demanded we leave at the 2 hour mark sighting more important guests were arriving. The best part they charged us each 2$ for the freakin hot water. UNBELEIVABLE. I will not be spending my money at Monarca again. very poor service. read more

We came to La monarca on a whim. When we sat down we were greeted by our waiter Will from Calgary. He was fabulous. He explained the menu. Everything we ordered was very good, except for the lemonade. It is mineral water with a lemonade spritz. I added notes to the pics. I do not have a picture of the mole and short rib. That is an excellent. read more

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We celebrated a birthday at Monarca on the weekend and unfortunately it fell short of all the hype. Space 5/5 - I love this space. Layout is similar to the previous business that occupied this location - which I also adored. But the decor really levels it up. Food 3/5 - mediocre, it isn't any better than casual Mexican fare 1/3 of the cost, and lacks the heart in the dishes. We shared several plates between our party including the Aguachile de Ribeye y Atun, Pulpo a la Brasas, Arrachera, Los Vegetarianos and Los de Ribeye. We doubled up on a few things and found it lacked a little quality control. Portions were measly such that the dishes looked really sad coming out on huge plates. Nothing stood out except it was all around salty.  Service 2.5/5 - it wasn't bad, it just wasn't really anything. Half the guests ordered drinks the other half did not. When our server realized this, she resolved to attend to other tables instead. Though we considered ordering more food and drinks, we couldn't even get our waters refilled once during service. Our server made herself scarce only returning to to give us the cheques. Monarca was underwhelming -save for the amazing space- our expectations were high given how her sister restaurant has delivered every time we've visited. read more

Came back here after a year. The food was incredible. The restaurant was very lively. Would definitely recommend

Took a drive up from Seattle to check out Vancouver. We popped by Gastown to see what was crackin. Shops close early so take note but after a bit of walking we were interested in scoping out the scene here. Nice inside decor. Monday, today, they were offering both food and drink specials. Service was a tad on the slow side but the food was deli, as in delicious. I ordered the sopa de rajas, poblano pepper soup, to start. Smooth and creamy soup with a nice kick along with some nice texture from roasted corn and queso fresco. For our mains, I ordered Veg tacos, and the man ordered the special which was four tacos that all came with asada, chorizo, and chicharron on them. He's not a chicharron fan but he thought they were banging. read more

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Had dinner here for my friend's bachelorette- we absolutely loved it! I was very surprised by the size of the portions, in a good way. I was definitely not complaining haha. I shared a few appies, an entree and desserr with a friend and enjoyed them very much. I unfortunately was a bit tipsy to take a photo of the dishes but they were really good! The ambience is also very lovely. I loveeee the decor, it definitely makes you feel like you are not in Vancouver. Servers were awesome, though when it got busy, they were hard to get a hold of, which is understandable. Would definitely come back here again read more

Monarca - The only photo I took lol - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

My boyfriend and I stopped by for happy hour due to the nice outdoor seating. We ordered the Monarca margaritas and the guacamole and we were super impressed by the value, especially during happy hour. Would love to come back to try more of the menu! read more

Monarca - Guacamole and margaritas - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

A classy pub atmosphere with chill service. Ambiance is less elegant than Ophelia but both of us felt food is better here. Everything was really flavorful. Cochinitas were so tasty with the sauce. The ribeye taco was excellent, too. read more

Monarca - Prawn tacos - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

If you're looking to experience a culinary journey that feels like a tumble in a kitchen with the lights off, then The Monarca and its poorly managed staff is your dream destination! From the moment I walked in, the ambiance screamed 'abandoned ship' rather than 'cozy eatery'. A cheap knockoff of a fine experience. The menu, a perplexing odyssey in itself, seemed to be a mix between confusion cuisine and whatever-was-left-in-the-fridge. For drinks, the water was undoubtedly the highlight of the evening. I ordered their 'signature' spicy margaritas, the mystery cocktail looking acid with a hint of room temperature tap water, and to this day, the mystery remains unsolved. Staff, nice but poorly managed running aimlessly to figure out our reservation they screwed up. The service was as swift as a snail on a leisurely stroll, and the waiter seemed to have mastered the art of invisibility, appearing only to bring the wrong order and then vanishing into thin air. But nothing topped this experience like the 'owner/manager' running to our table, SCREAMING to separate our tables, not knowing the staff put them together after screwing our reservation! Oh and 20% tip included even though they made us sit at separate tables! I guess they knew what's coming. In conclusion, if you enjoy the company of a mob-wannabe stuck with a high rent for 5 years, Bon appétit..., if you dare! read more

A group of us met for dinner before a show and was my first visit. Three of us arrived first and were left sitting at the table waiting for the rest of group without water or an offer of drinks. The rest of group arrived and even then we had to flag down a server to get anything ordered. That was the theme for the rest of night. Really terrible service, the server seemed like he thought he was doing us a favour every time we asked for food or drinks. The first food took 40 minutes from order to table which seemed excessively long. The dirty dishes build up to the point when the food came out there was nowhere to put anything. Plus a mandatory 20% tip for a group of 6 or more. Even from the restaurant point of view it was a fail as our drinks bill would have been double if we could have got service to order more. The only reason I gave 2 starts was the food itself was good. Staff training or replacement highly recommend. read more

We wandered in on a whim. It was happy hour time. The margarita was delicious, and the rib eye taco and frijole sops also. Just come. Definitely Mexican cuisine you don't want to miss. We'll be back! read more

Monarca - Monarca Margarita - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

Great food! We sat outside and enjoyed a mezcal flight, and I had the habanero chicken. The chicken was well cooked and served at the perfect temperature. I'd happily return. Fernando, Paulo, and Maria were all very nice and helpful! read more

Monarca - Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Their cocktails are the best ever. Their margarita de sol is embodied with so much it's perfect! read more

Monarca - Margarita del sol - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

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Superb! Every menu item is fabulous. Great service and prices. Highly recommended. read more

Food was good, but we were with our adult, well behaved, disabled son. Although there were other seats open, we were seated in the very back next to the train tracks. The table had a fire pit in the center and we asked to be moved. They refused to move us and took the fire pit out. This was obviously done to keep us from being moved to a more visible seat. I wanted to just leave but my family was hungry. No one there was attractive or sophisticated so I'm not sure why we had to be hidden in the back - very discouraging to see that Canada is still treating disabled people as second class citizens. We also had about five different people waiting on us which completely messed our order up. As mentioned above the food is good, but the portions are tiny. An order of chips consist of about eight chips. Much more important than food is the treatment of a disabled person who has just as much right to sit at a good table as anyone else. I wish we had just left but we were tired and people were hungry. Do not go here if you are disabled in any manner, you will be treated like a second class citizen. I think they are hoping for some beautiful young people to come along to draw a crowd. This isn't the type of place to do that. It's a tourist spot. What do they expect? After we got home I felt very bad about staying because it was not respectful to my son to stay, and now I feel terrible. There are dozens of other restaurants in the area. Give them a try. Also, a double vodka tonic had about 2 tablespoons of vodka in it. read more

Quality food, fresh drinks and overall world class hospitality! Place has a great vibe to it, lots of tasty options on the menu. read more

Monarca - El Pulpo - Mexican Near Me - Vancouver, British Columbia

I don't give 5 stars often (Cactus Club. 2 or 3 stars at best - overpriced tourist trap), but this Mexican restaurant is the real deal. Just look who's cooking in the open kitchen: Mostly Mexicans. Taco appetizers were beyond delicious. The steelhead entree and enchilada exceptional. Chips and a range of salsas just right. Margaritas? Excellent. And this quality comes with friendly service and reasonable prices in the touristy section of Gastown where a Taco Bell would draw a crowd. read more

Where do I begin?! Monarca is off the charts! When trying to find the perfect location for a semi-large family & friends milestone birthday party, I first met with the manager at Monarca and he walked me through all the options for the most intimate location in the restaurant, food and drink options, and I knew immediately this was our venue! - Firstly, he was so flexible and understanding of our needs. The restaurant and ambiance are STUNNING with low candle lights, great Latina music and a spectacular looking bar as a backdrop. - The quality of the food and specialty cocktails are AMAZING! They were both delicious and beautifully presented. - Our server was sooo professional and attentive; I don't know how he balanced such a big group with welcome drinks, appetizers, main dishes, cocktails, etc. His timing was impeccable and such and fabulous guy, to boot! The GM and I stayed in contact for the month leading up and they were very responsive to all my texts and the staff had everything all set-up and ready for us before we arrived. I recommend Monarca for your friends, family or a romantic evening and can't wait to go back again! Side note: I have been planning large dinner parties for different groups for 15 years and I can honestly say this was one of the best dinner experiences ever! read more

Everything, start to finish, was fabulous- the service was charming and attentive, the food was scrumptious, they paid attention to food intolerances, and the atmosphere, both inside and outside on their patio, has a cool and fresh vibe but not pretentious. read more

I'm from Mexico and this is one of the best Mexican food I've had outside my country! Not your typical place with everything covered in cheese but a fancy gourmet menu with amazing flavors and presentation. Definitely recommend it read more

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Tasty food/drinks and nice atmosphere. Only downside is the time they take to bring the food. Other than that this place is great!

Absolutely, hands down, this is the best restaurant in Vancouver! The ambiance and food and cocktails are simply exquisite! It's a candlelight contemporary restaurant with awesome music. The waitress we had was MARIA. She was one of the best waitresses we've experienced for sure. Maria knew the menu inside and out and made suggestions based on our tastes. Our experience with Maria has been so exceptional that I'm leaving this review right after eating! Congratulations to management for finding such a beautiful young lady like her. read more

Excellent food and drink! We enjoyed the Mezcal flight, tasting three different varieties, the roasted cauliflower which was amazing!, and shared tacos and an enchilada. The food was fresh, tasty, and authentic. read more