Lamb chops weren't as good as I remember them. I felt they were lacking the seasoning. We ordered them medium but next time need to order them medium well as I didn't like the chewiness of the meat. The crab cakes were delicious. More crab than bread crumbs. Perfectly cooked perfectly seasoned The key lime pie was a special treat. Perfect in taste, consistency and flavor!! Beautiful atmosphere always Def a revisit soon read more

Monarch - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Okay what. This place sells $22 lobster rolls. But here's the kicker. YOU GET TWO. Amazing service. Great food. Hope to come here after my wedding. It's popping on Saturday nights read more

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Overall this place was amazing! The jalapeño calamari was delicious and the lamb lollipops I had were a 50/10 hands down the best flavors !!!! Service was good always checking on us and if you enjoy the ambience of a restaurant then make sure you stop by. read more

We had a lovely late afternoon lunch here. Definitely no happy hour pricing though. Our cocktails alone were $15 each. They were tasty, although one was described to my wine-hating friend as having no wine, which in fact it did, so she couldn't drink it. I happily drank it for her, but it would've been nice if the server we'd asked about the cocktail ingredients had been more knowledgeable. I'm picky about my fries, and these were perfect. Crispy but not overdone, with just the right amount of salt. My club sandwich was huge and delicious. My friend had the homemade pimiento cheese- it was very creamy and fresh & served with lots of fun accompaniments on a cheese board- pickled vegetables, ham, and lightly dressed arugula. The pickled jalapeños were incredible. The atmosphere is relaxing and soothing. Definitely a nice place to collapse and chill out. read more

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Lovely restaurant and great vibe! The reviews were basically 50/50 for me so I took a leap of faith because we should always get our own opinion right? The restaurant is beautiful! We didn't stay at the hotel but the hotel was absolutely gorgeous as well! We will definitely stay in the hotel in the future. We had a reservation, arrived about 15 minutes early and they sat us right away. Service was great! Our waiter (didn't get his name) but he was attentive, knew the menu, and recommended a few items. A few other servers came by to clear our table with dishes we were done with which I thought was very thoughtful. Very pleased with the staff. We had the ahi tuna and the flatbread for appetizers and the flatbread was so good! We were under the impression the ahi tuna was going to be warm but it's served raw, we still ate it. For entree, I ordered the superfoods bowl and he ordered the grilled salmon. We were both impressed, it was super yummy and everything was served and cooked very well. We were looking forward to dessert but we were so stuffed! The ambiance is beautiful! The lightning is dim and so romantic. The music playing was nice and relaxing. Such a great vibe. For parking, your option is valet and it's $15 even if you eat at the restaurant. Overall, we will definitely be returning :) read more

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We went there for dinner after the museum of fine arts. The restaurant has both in and outdoor seating. We chose to seat inside. The restaurant is very well decorated and they have a room with a tv to watch sports. The food was great. I had their fish of the day with asparagus and seasonal vegetables. I also had their tortilla soup. Everything, including the blackberry margarita, was really good. The service was great too. They were very attentive and even gave my niece a stuffed animal with the hotel zaza logo. We were all very happy with the experience and will definitley visit again. read more

Monarch - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

We stayed at the hotel and ate at the Monarch for Valentine's Day. We ordered a couple items off the special's menu, and a couple from the regular one. We started with the lamb chop that had a Mediterranean tzaziki, wasn't the one we had a couple years ago, and the lamb was a bit small, but the flavor was spectacular and it ended up being a relatively light appetizer considering it was red meat. We then had the caprese salad- the tomatoes were fantastic, as was the dressing, but the burrata wasn't quite as creamy as we usually like I had an old fashioned with a rye whiskey which was delicious - I love the combination of bitter and sweet and how the flavor of the drink evolves as you get to the denser liquids and the ice dissolves a bit. The apricot glazed chicken was the star of the meal. I wish it was a regular menu item! The chicken was tender and juicy, the glaze was sweet and slightly tangy, and the veggies cooked with the dish were expertly made. We loved everything we ate and out waiter Jake was just a top notch, extremely respectful and patient addition to the meal. He made some great recommendations, was funny, and made the experience all the better. The ambiance at the monarch is always fun, lots of music, beautiful lights, and friendly service making you feel special. They also gave out roses for Valentine's Day! read more

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The restaurant is very pretty and upscale. The staff was very attentive. However, the food was average. Not worth the price. read more

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Not a good restaurant. Mediocre is giving the food offerings ( let's not call in cuisine ) ... credit. This is a social & business hangout for locals. I like that because it's a part of social fabric of Houston. It was open on Christmas Day ! However my Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl tasted like frozen fish ! YUK. And The glass of Rose Wine was just bad. So. NO to Food. YES to Schmoozing with your friends & business operatives read more

Pre dinner cocktail - atmosphere is delightful and the filet was amazing with grilled asparagus. Wedge salad very generous, enough for two. When you travel a lot and have to guess at restaurants this one is a home run. Don't miss it. read more

Monarch - Pre dinner cocktail - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

On an absolutely stunning day, in the museum district of downtown Houston, there is a hotel named Zaza. Hotel bars are always fun, soft live jazz, very lay back atmosphere. Sun-kissed skin was much in need of refreshments and a little bit of air conditioning. The food is decently prepared. Lamb lollipops could've been more medium rare than medium. The chef seemed to enjoy insisting his customer to have a full experience of his salad, and poured a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over the tender greens. It was not particularly unpalatable, for someone who has been staying away from all salad dressings for a couple of decades, it tasted a bit... different. It was a cute place to drop by for a bite or a drink. read more

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It has been a long time since I've even been to Hotel Zaza much less the restaurant...we will be back. Enjoyed a nice girlfriends birthday brunch here recently and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I started with the dip duo, that included the best pimento cheese dip! Then for my main I decided on the tomato basil soup and grilled cheese. The soup was perfect, although it is hard to mess up tomato basil soup this one had the right amount of tomato chunks and flavor to put it at the top of my list. The ambiance was nice with soft brunch music playing. The server was very attentive but not too overbearing. The only negative is that for brunch their cocktails are rather pricey. So you'll probably just want to have one. So many brunch spots in Houston have low priced or bottomless mimosas or other brunch drinks. read more

Monarch - Fresh Tomato Basil Soup & Grilled Cheese - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Food was excellent. Service is why they get 4 stars. Alcohol pricing is out of line with expected restaurant pricing. No drink under $20, bottles of wine over 300% markup. Bartending staff however is excellent. read more

I visited Monarch with my colleagues for lunch. Promptly greeted by hosted and quickly seated. Outdoor and indoor seating available. Server were very courteous and attentive. Place was extremely cold. Food came out on a decent time. We were able to have a good time as a team. My colleague seems to enjoy their plates. For me in particular I ordered the short ribs. They were very tender light in seasoning. I would put a bit more salt. I believe it came with a cauliflower purée and carrots. Purée was not of my like and carrots were hard. read more

Monarch - Beer-Braised Short Ribs - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

We took a break from the museum and went to Monarch to have a bite to eat. The place was not full at all and there were 2-3 wait staffs. It took them forever to take our order and then when the food came 40 minutes later, our drinks haven't even come out yet. Again, it was not a full restaurant but the service was super slow. If anyone is in a hurry for lunch, don't go there. read more

Service was very slow and questionable. I went for a birthday party. The first questionable action was how long I had to wait for valet to bring me a ticket and park my car. I sat in my car looking at someone standing around and then go into the office and sit. This valet saw me pull my car up. I even open the door. There was one empty car in front of my car. A van pulls up, not the hotel van, and they are quickly greeted. Once they were taken care of, he walks to me and barely greets me. That made me feel uncomfortable. Fast forward to dinner. 3 plates came out cold and late. The birthday girl asked for her food to be fixed twice. The last time she asked them to box the food up. My food was cold but eatable and was a good serving size. The manager came and offered to take some of the meals off the ticket. When I spoke to the party about my valet experience, they admitted to having the se experience. I've not been to Hotel Zaza much less their restaurant before then. The restaurant is nice. I think the food is worth a try and they are in a nice location (museum district). This might have been an off day for the staff. I will acknowledge their willingness and intentionality is rectify our issues. read more

Food: 4/5 Service: 3/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 The rating of 4/5 is a little skewed here, let me explain... I ordered the cheeseburger which was GREAT. Excellent fries, burger, service, decor, etc. I couldn't ask for a better experience. I love the ambience as it was modern, romantic, classy, inviting, and fun all-in-one. I knocked off 1 star because of the steak. 3 of the people who was with me ordered the steak (from medium rare to medium) and it was not very good (yes, I tried a piece of everyone's steak, heck, I'm a Yelp Elite, aren't I? lol). A little tasty? yes, but very mediocre and chewy. So I can't give a restaurant a 5 star with mediocre steak. Here is a deal-breaker, when you're at the pool and order from the menu it should NOT be the same menu as your fine dining menu, and that is exactly what happened here. Either they're low budget or lazy, same difference, am I right?! No excuse. If I am to return here I will order the same thing, the burger. Don't order the steak! (In my defense I NEVER order a steak unless it's a specific steak restaurant, any true Yelper would know better). :) read more

Approaching Monarch, I did not have high expectations. From the outside, it appears cold and a bit "stuffy". However, never judge a book by its cover and be prepared for a pleasant surprise! Settling down for a Sunday afternoon Brunch, we were quickly seated, prompted greeted, and treated with the highest regard. More importantly, the food was top notch and selection/pricing fair. I would recommend a visit for brunch! read more

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I came here for a quick dinner before the symphony on a Friday night.. Very sparse on a Friday - couldn't say there were a lot of people in the dining area. Staff - a little on the snobby side. Apparently no one seems to like to smile here - but benefit of the doubt.. It wasn't quick for how slow it was, but it wasn't super slow either. It was super dark inside - not even dim ambiance but dark. The bread came out warm and crispy on the outside with super soft butter. We ordered the calamari salad which was crispy and had a good flavor. The mozzarella carpaccio caprese was good but lacking in the mozzarella side. It was squashed thinly on the bottom of the plate. Didn't know what to make of the bread on the plate either - didn't really go with my salad. The balsamic with the green glaze was a good mix. There also isn't basil in this dish and the tomatoes still had a hard core - the cherry tomatoes were good. The 12oz ribeye came with garlic mash potatoes and mushrooms with a foie gras butter. The steak was nice and tender but so fatty. Mash potatoes were creamy and had a good flavor. Overall, the place was good. Would I say it's amazing?! Probably not.. Not the most spectacular meal but not the worse either. Main course runs about $40ish and the sides and salads about $10-15. Prices are decent. Would think it'd be nicer in the ZaZa but the red lighting in the covered patio looks cool. Just didn't like the plastic covering that blows - a little tacky. Maybe all glass would make a bigger statement. read more

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Stopped by this place for a quick drink. The service was pretty bad for sitting at the bar. The bar itself is really classy and upscale. There's a sign at the door to be dressed appropriately. The patio area looked really nice as well. The drinks were good, standard bar drinks, but didn't have the best service. I think we arrived in the middle of a shift change so the bartenders were busy. read more

Monarch - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Stayed at Zaza Hotel and after long day of travel decided to have dinner at Monarch. It was a very good choice. The service was attentive, friendly, and professional. The lamb lollipops with a fresh mint pistachio feta sauce were fantastic and the fried chicken and mashed potatoes were on point. All in all an excellent choice for our evening meal. Next time we will try outdoor patio as it looked inviting read more

Thanks for the quick wit and great drinks! Dimas, he makes you feel like you're in that one show Cheers (Where everybody knows your naaaaame!) The best chicken sandwich, spicy, tangy, and crunchy if you like pickles even better. 10/10 read more

This past Saturday night, my husband and I went to Monarch with another couple and we all opted for The Monarch Dining Experience: a four course menu chosen by the Chef and his team for only $44 a person, if you know anything about Chef specials, then you know this is a great price! We all began with a lovely scallop and fennel salad with a delicious dressing. This was followed by a rack of veal, so tender that it made chewing optional! This was then followed by skate fish, which I'd never had before, but it was clean tasting, didn't have a fishy smell and only seared on one side! Delicious. This was all followed by a different dessert for each of us! My husband had a triangularly shaped bread pudding with cranberries on top of it. I had a raspberry torte with a white chocolate base drizzled with dark chocolate. The other couple had a "cherry bomb" which was a chocolate cherry mousse with a whiskey center as well as a cheesecake with a mint touch. This was all so delicious! I'm sure the next time we return, we'll do the dining experience again! read more

It was a fantastic experience. The food was amazing. Great for a date. See the museums and end it here. But here's the trick, go at the right time or the wait for a table and the service can be slow. So if you are in a hurry or have a big party or have the kids with you... might not be the right place. For a couple not in a hurry the food is very good. read more

I'm not sure what has happened but the food, service and atmosphere have changed for the worst. The food had absolutely no seasoning, the steak was also dry and the mashed potatoes were worst than nursing home food. I'll never return and totally disappointed. The waitress was slow and didn't appear to love her job. read more

Monarch - What's left over of a unseasoned 4oz filet, mashed potatoes and asparagus. - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

We stopped in for lunch at Monarch because we were visiting Houston's Hermann park and the museum's butterfly exhibit. Between activities we decided to splurge just a little for lunch and stop in here because the exterior is beautiful, classic and classy. The interior matched and so did the food. We couldn't have been happier and when the check came it wasn't all that bad considering the downtown location. I read some other reviews complaining about the price but honestly their prices are close to what diner food costs for lunch. If you're buying drinks the bill is going to add up real quick - one drink was $15 but was superb and made with top shelf stock. During our weekday visit it wasn't all that busy and service was prompt. They have indoor, bar, and patio seating, depending on the weather you really can't go wrong. I highly recommend. read more

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Came here for drinks on a weeknight, and it was about 1/2 full. Tried the ginger basil smash, sorry not sorry, and el jefe. All the drinks were delish! We also tried the calamari salad, which I really enjoyed. It was so crispy I originally thought there were nuts in the dish. Generous portion, with quite a bunch of spinach leaves as well. It was not overdressed, which I appreciated. One of my fave aspects of the experience was the ambiance. The artwork is so international! I also loved how the restrooms were completely black inside. Super luxurious feel! read more

I used to come here all the time, lately this past year the service has gone down for me. They just take your order and they don't ever come back to ask you if you need anything else. Last week I went there for the chilaquiles and I ended up with an upset stomach for days! Not only was I the only one sick but my entire family which is why we know it was the food. With that being said, we won't ever come back. We tried giving the place opportunity but I don't think nothing will improve. The place itself is relaxing, it's a great place to hangout however I just wished the service was better and make sure they have people checking the food for freshness. read more

Monarch - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Uggh. I usually have higher expectations when restaurants have their chef's name printed on the 1st page of a menu. This tells me the chef has a sense of pride and responsibility in their food. Unfortunately, the chef de cuisine just didn't come through tonight. Flying in from NYC on a Sunday evening, my choices for dinner was limited due to lack of transportation, so I decided to stay in house for food (Hotel restaurant). I ordered the sea scallops and what I got was a poorly executed plate of mush! The scallops, upon initial presentation, appeared to be seared quite well; until you flip them over. So what lies hidden under a mount of carrot risotto-flavored baby food, was the pale colorless underside of the "chef's pride" in searing sea scallops. Neither overcooked or undercooked, every bite of those scallops tasted like I swallowed a mouthful of seawater! Over seasoned? What an understatement! No onto the bland carrot risotto topped with arugula and slices of red peach. The consistency and taste was just horrid. It was like eating soup with undercooked rice bullets! A few mouthfuls and I swear I gurgled a ga ga. The slices of red peach only brought the dish further apart, though I wasn't sure if it was meant to be quite so cold and soggy. I'm in the middle of nowhere land and this is my best food option? It's gonna be a long sad weekend... read more

This place had good service and the food was delicious. The waiter didn't come around too much which was fine with me. The chicken on both of the dishes we order was cooked to perfection. The spicy chicken sandwich came with a lot of fries. The crispy buttermilk chicken over potato's was drizzled in honey. Everything was so tasty! read more

Monarch - Spicy Chicken Sandwich Crispy Buttermilk-Dipped Chicken Breast Drinks : Beer & Drop Kick drink - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

Very good food and staff. We've eaten here several times, for dinner and breakfast. The desserts are excellent. A few of the entrees are really great, while a couple of them are more "medium." read more

Delicious! A waitress did make a glass explode on me, so that was thrilling. Very nice place and location.

This is the restaurant at the Zaza hotel. I came for a quick breakfast. There was plenty of seating with a nice outdoor covered area that was nice and cool. Service was good. Overall the food was decent. I loved my omelette with chicken, mushroom, avocados. But the Belgian waffle was a little on the soft side. read more

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The drinks were amazing at this bar. The food was also great . I had the ahi tuna tacos. I had a sangria and peach jalapeño drink (forgot the name). Parking on Thursday is insane cause of free museum day so I had to valet (15 bucks yikes). The bar had and older maturer crowd (50 plus). Most of the people appeared to be restaurant guests. They do not have happy hour specials so I would suggest arriving later in the evening. Overall I had a great experience and I would visit again. We had to get the bartender when we first arrived because the original waitress ignored us but the bartender and new server were amazing. read more

Monarch - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

I adore Hotel Zaza. It's fun, snazzy and a visual feast. I've been to the restaurant/bar Monarch several times over the years and its had its ups and downs. I will say that it's very consistent and fun for drinks. They have a great, fairly hip crowd and even have a DJ later at night. The patio is beautiful and I've even been to some functions in the patio area that were very nice. I'd definitely recommend for drinks. They have a fun cocktail list and the martinis are big and strong. The food I think it hit or miss. The last time I was there we had drinks and bits. I had the calamari, which was very so so. Kind of chewy and bland. I also had the Caesar salad and it was pretty good but nothing special. I nibbled on a friend's fries and thought they were pretty tasty. Another friend had the burger and really liked it. So I'm on the fence about what to order for nibbles. Definitely go for a fun walkthrough of the hotel lobby and enjoy drinks in the bar/restaurant area. I think this is a good spot to take people new to Houston or visitors. It's one of the more "hip" but upscale venues we have in Houston in my opinion. Oh, a few years ago we saw Andy Garcia there! :) read more

Ok, this restaurant is inside Hotel Sza Sza. Very nice and they have the absolute best lamb chops (lamb lollipops)! I could have eaten them as my entree. I ordered the 4oz filet, cooked medium. It came medium well and was very dry. I should have sent it back, but I was hungry and wanted to get to my room. They had creme brûlée, my fav. I was somewhat disappointed because the top on most creme brûlées are hardened by the candy coating. Mine had a slight topping. Another co worker had a very slight coating and the last 2 had almost no coating. For the prices, I expected better. Also, we had about 15 ppl. They were not crowded, but their waitstaff was slow and almost inattentive to our table. The food took forever for 1/2 the table. So 1/2 of us ate while others had to wait. Overall, the lamb chops saved the day. read more

Nice looking restaurant in the hotel. I had a very good plain old cheese burger with fries and it was very good. My wife had a caesar salad with shrimp. The salad came without the shrimp and the waitress was nowhere to be seen. Finally waved her down and she got the shrimp to us. The caesar was wilted Romain past it's prime and the dressing was over powering with ground up anchovies in it. Usually you are asked if you want them but it's part of the dressing here. It was not nice and crisp like we are used to seeing rather more of a wet mess. A surprise since the place looks like it knows what there are doing here. My wife ate my fries and her shrimp and left the salad. Disappointing. read more

Yes be been meaning to get down to Monarch for a try & today the stars aligned! I was delighted by the service, but not surprised- the Zaza always exceeds expectations. My drink was refreshing and complex and the chickenn was crisPy, juicy, and the potatoes beneath- PLUM DELICIOUS!!!! read more

Monarch - This is the buttermilk chicken, drizzled with something sweet and the potatoes were the best I've had IN MY LIFE!!!! - New American Near Me - Houston, Texas

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Without a doubt the worst vegan option I've ever eaten at a restaurant. Essentially paid $70 for dry bland quinoa. The only saving grace was my drink. But feels ridiculous to spend $15 on a virgin cocktail. Steer clear. read more

Last night we had outstanding food and drink drinks. Our redfish was cooked to perfection. Definitely have a S'mores martini for dessert because Rico makes the best. If you want the very best service ask for Will !!!!!! read more