Wow. Did not have any expectations here. Breakfast was "ok" but dinner = exceptional. Server Braden felt like he was a butler to Queen Victoria in his other life. He can shake a martini. First one had bleu cheese olives second he brought me onions (see pic). Plating beautiful. David, I learned is the chef and he takes tons of pride. My husband ordered something special (no bleu cheese on his filet) they made it to order- they made everything to order. I was so impressed I will be back (I mean I never thought I'd come back here because I had to fly to Houston and take an hour and a half ride here which is a royal pain in the Dupa, but it was so worth it); the hotel is exceptional read more

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Walking into the Grand Galvez for Sunday Brunch always feels like stepping into a bit of old‑school Gulf Coast glamour -- polished serviceware, a terrace that looks out over the water, and a buffet that's unapologetically extravagant. The food really is the highlight. Raw oysters come out cold and clean, the kind that make you stop for a second because they're that fresh. The prime rib is carved to order and surprisingly tender for a buffet line, with that slow‑roasted richness you hope for but don't always get. The omelette station turns out made‑to‑order plates with plenty of fillings and cooks who actually pay attention to what you asked for. And the chicken and waffles -- hot off the iron, crisp, sweet, and genuinely satisfying -- are worth the wait every time. Then there's the dessert room. Not a dessert table, not a dessert corner -- a full room dedicated entirely to pastries, cakes, mousses, tarts, and confections. It's theatrical in the best way, and it's one of the reasons the brunch has always felt like a special‑occasion splurge. But the disconnect comes from something the hotel itself emphasizes. On the brunch reservation page, the dress expectations are printed clearly and prominently -- essentially no shorts, no swimwear, no hats, and gentlemen should be in collared shirts or similar attire. It reads like a firm standard meant to preserve the elegance of the dining room. Despite that, we saw plenty of guests in beach shorts, cutoffs, t‑shirts, baseball caps, and even a someone with a chain running from a facial piercing to one of the studs on their shredded jeans. No judgment toward anyone's personal style, but it's noticeably at odds with what the hotel says it requires. For a brunch that runs close to $100 per person, in a historic hotel that prides itself on refinement, it's hard not to feel the mismatch. The staff seems more focused on getting bodies through the door than maintaining the ambiance they themselves advertise. It doesn't ruin the food -- the food is excellent -- but it does sour the overall experience enough that, even after enjoying it on several special occasions, it's no longer something we plan to keep in our rotation. read more

Located within the Grand Galvez hotel, there is a sometimes-strict dress code. Men are expected to wear collared shirts to enter, but they don't always enforce it. There is free street parking behind the hotel (on the north and west sides of the hotel). Service was friendly and so pleasant. We were sat right away on a Friday night. The menu was much smaller than I would've expected, especially for such a big restaurant. We ordered the goat cheese & onion tart, Caesar salad with chicken, seafood bisque, the New York strip special, and the key lime pie. Food is going to be hard to rate because it took SO long for it to come out, it was cold. It had clearly been sitting there for quite some time. We honestly thought our order had been lost by the time it came out so we weren't surprised, but very disappointed. The steak was very fatty, and cold. The chicken with the salad was cold and had given rubbery, but the Caesar salad itself was great. Very refreshing and crisp. Seafood bisque was also very good and thankfully came out first so it was still hot. The goat cheese & onion tart was very cold and at that point hard & inedible. We still appreciated the atmosphere and service, but wouldn't return unless it was for a drink and appetizers. read more

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Attended the Sunday Brunch in the fabled Grand Galvez hotel. At first glance it looked amazing. However upon closer inspection none of the covered broilers were labeled. Each one was a mystery to open to see what was inside. The carving station and the omelet and pasta stations were amazing. Sadly we were sat at noon per our reservation and some of the food ran out during our meal. Talked to a staff member about the oysters and he had served on an oyster trawler and discussed how the worms would crawl out of the shells and bite him. He assured me they inspected theirs. But still... The service was good but not fine dining good. It's Galveston so fine dining is relative. They still did all we asked. read more

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Beautiful setting located in the Grand Galvez. Fabulous music. Greeted warmly by the host and he took us immediately to a table. Started with a mimosa. The shrimp poboy was excellent. Shrimp fried perfectly on a delicious roll. Our server was amazing! Great lunch! read more

Monarch Restaurant - Shrimp Poboy - American Near Me - Galveston, Texas

Monarch is in the Grand Galvez hotel which has plenty of rich history and space to rest and wander. Was not too busy for a Saturday lunch, so we waited out the rain for a lunch here and loved their brisket sandwich and burger and fries. Our waitress was attentive and friendly, and the ambiance was lovely and elevated. Highly recommend if you are in the area! read more

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We are staying at the Hotel Galvez and had breakfast at the Monarch, and our experience was very pleasant. We have a large party, and the staff quickly arranged a table for us and they were very professional. Our waitress was very attentive, making our experience there feel warm and inviting. The food was really good. My daughter had the breakfast shrimp and grits and loved it. She had shrimp and grits at another Galveston restaurant the night before and she expressed how much better the ones were at the Monarch restaurant. read more

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Beautiful restaurant and hotel (Grand Galvez). This was actually our second time coming to this restaurant. We came a year ago and the food was okay but the service was a miss. But we wanted to give them a second chance. Sadly, things went downhill. The service was inexperienced and untrained with their manager constantly telling them what to do every 5 minutes -- maybe they were still in training. The food was atrocious this time. The oysters were a nice size but tasted like they were frozen and then just thawed under warm water for a few minutes -- tasteless and chewy. The escargot was lacking in ingredients too -- butter and garlic are quite common but they used some sort of pesto sauce instead and they were tiny and dry. The shrimp pasta dish was okay but nothing special. The fish dish was okay too but lacked any notable flavor. The crème brûlée also tasted like it was frozen and then just toasted at the last minute -- it did have a nice fresh berry topping though. Had this been a $50 meal, it might have been acceptable. But given a $200 price tag, the money would have been better spent elsewhere. Advice to the restaurant: train you staff better, enforce a dress code (bathing suits and baseball caps should not be allowed in evening hours), make things fresh if they are high-tag items, and expand your menu -- get rid of all the fried dishes. Decide what kind of restaurant you want to be and who you want to cater to. If this a family buffet or is it a fine food restaurant. I know hotels need both, but you can't mix and match. Sadly, there won't be a third time for us though. read more

Beautiful surroundings. Delicious food, and great service. Complementary valet parking. A wonderful venue for a special occasion. read more

This restaurant is located inside the Grand Galvez Hotel and makes you feel like you're on vacation in the 1920's. The hanging petunias, mint green walls, and glass windows that let in natural light makes this great for brunch or lunch near the beach even if you're not staying here. The vibe feels a bit off for a late dinner, but we did attend both dinner and brunch since we stayed overnight. Steak at dinner was dry and chewy and had an "off" flavor. The crab cakes were much better just small. I did love the crispy micro greens that were served alongside the drizzled dressing & slice of lemon though. Shrimp & fries were good. The apple & cheese salad refreshing. Breakfast menu was nice and diverse. Loved my avocado toast! Was not your basic toast but loaded w tomato, onion, & feta on hearty bread. Appreciated the other sausage meat options and grits were yummy. Had to order an extra shot of espresso because my espresso martini was unbalanced & too sweet. Service was ok, they tried but the servers seemed inexperienced with how often to check back on tables, ability to adjust dishes with other options such as alternative dressings, or even basic coffee beverages such as what is an Americano. I had also said when making the dinner reservation that this was an Anniversary celebration but it wasn't acknowledged and we paid for our dessert which felt different from other dinner venues. But no problem just an observation. :) Maybe next time it will go more smoothly, as I do want to give it another try. read more

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We used the buffet and the taste of the food was AMAZING. And of course it was my first time eating Indian cuisine. read more

Beautiful restaurant but fell flat with service. The waiter was very kind and answered all questions but there were long periods where no one came to check in. Our water was not refilled the whole time there. We ordered the filet mignon and the seafood platter. Both were very good. read more