My original review for years has been this place is amazing!! But like most things all good things must come to a end.... my last few visits have not been the best. And I moved out of knox so this time i drive a hour to eat here.... . I feel they went from great quality and care to just another "popular" place in knoxville and its sad! I had less food, most of it was cold, and after my whole family ordering the same thing as we always have for everrrrrr we spend more then we ever have! this one hurts!! read more

My favorite Mexican restaurant! I've eaten here since I was a little kid, and it's always been a smash hit amongst my family. I'm not sure what they've done in the past few years, but I feel like they've gotten even better! My wife and I ordered the Guadalajara Special and the Yolandas to go. Absolutely phenomenal flavor and fresh as can be. The gentleman who handed my wife the food mentioned something about not having a certain pepper for one of our dinners and comped our horchata, which was a nice extra. Their horchata tastes like kindness, love, and warm hugs. Monterrey: Knoxville's most welcoming Mexican restaurant with flavor and quality! read more

Monterrey - Guadalajara Special - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Great food, friendly service. The tacos al pastor were excellent, with their house made salsa which was super spicy and delicious.

Loved this place. Our hotel suggested it, mostly because it has free parking. We were greeted and seated right away. Chips and a perfectly spiced salsa appeared even before we got menus. We loved the chicken, steak and shrimp fajitas. Food was gear and so was the service! read more

Whenever I travel, I always love supporting the smaller businesses that are independently run and owned. Not only was the Service really nice and friendly, but the food was fabulous. Location was clean and the cost was on spot for what they had. I had a delicious meal for under $20 including tip. read more

Very tasty but very disorganized. They were busy, not slammed, so it was a shame that we had to wait as long as we did for service. The staff didn't seem to care that children were banging on the booths either. read more

Fast service. Food is fantastic! Great Salsa! Love my Monterey Chicken Fajitas with cheese dip!

Some of the best food in Knoxville! I recommend it to everyone. I even have a tshirt!

Usually, if I don't like a restaurant I just don't leave a review. But in this case, the owners need a wake up call. First, the ambiance is unappealing. The place looks like a run down veterans hall with a Mexican accent Second, the food is tasteless, this is not Mexican Food. My taco was non seasoned ground beef, very little lettuce and white tasteless shredded cheese. The beef and cheese tostada was nothing more than the same plain gray ground beef and some white cheese sauce. The only saving grace was my chicken enchilada. The chicken was shredded and the enchilada sauce had some taste. No rice and beans was served with my meal. However the rice and beans one the other meal were tasteless. Is this food made in house? Who knows. I realize this is Knoxville, but the chefs need to go to L.A for a few weeks and taste real Mexican food. We left, and went somewhere else to eat. It's obvious that these high star ratings others have given are from people who don't know what Mexican food should taste like. Adios forever from this foodie read more

I kept seeing this place voted as the best Mexican food in Knoxville so I had to try it. Unfortunately, it did not live up to that reputation. The food was not terrible at all, but definitely underwhelming. However, service was awesome! There are a few places in Knoxville that I would consider to be better Mexican food options but this isn't the worst by far. read more

Monterrey - Steak fajitas with all salsa options - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

My wife and I arrived at 9pm on a Wednesday night. The place was still busy with great music playing and the WNBA game on. Our waitress was friendly and prompt. The right amount is checking on us. The margarita was in a mason jar and was good. The food tasted great and smoking hot. All staff was super nice. The most impressive thing was watching a gentleman flip over ever table and wipe off the legs. Every bench was pulled out, every seat taken apart, and all wiped down well. CLEAN. We drove 10+ hours today on a trip. I researched this place ahead of time. DID NOT DISAPPOINT. You can't be in business 30 years without doing something right. M. Davis Iowa read more

This is a favorite spot!! The food is always so delicious and priced very reasonably too. Food comes quickly even on the busiest taco Tuesday. Staff is always kind and personable with their customers. True family business that makes you feel welcomed! read more

I came here with my best friend for dinner, I was literally passing through on the way to tail of the dragon. The place did not look fancy, but the food was super good. The service was a little slow for a Wednesday night but it was fairly packed. I still am give 5 stars because my food was amazing. I would be happy to eat here again. read more

Monterrey - Yolanda - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

This is a really good Mexican restaurant in this area... I really liked this place. The service was good. The food was good. The restaurant was clean and had an upbeat vibe. Worth a visit when in the neighborhood. read more

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Came through town on a work project and stayed at a nearby hotel. Everything about this establishment is amazing! Manny is an awesome server. Very attentive and efficient, as with all of the other staff. Yummy house margaritas and micheladas! Both of our meals were absolutely on point; on par with the southern Cali style we've missed since moving to the upland south from the south-west. Cute decor. Will def be back next time we're in the area!!! read more

Monterrey - #8 combo; pork tamale and chicken enchilada. Both on point! - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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Service was very good. We had a party of nine people, but were seated right away. One couple in our group ordered fajita quesadillas and what was brought to them was fajitas but they kept them and said they were delicious. We got the street corn dip which was very tasty and not something you see at every Mexican restaurant. I got the shrimp tacos. The shrimp were cooked perfectly and were delicious. My husband got the El Pastor which was a pork burrito with verde sauce. It was extremely spicy but very flavorful; he ate every bite but had to order a horchata drink to cut the spice. Not the fanciest restaurant as far as decor and ambience and with the Applebees sign out in front we almost missed it but it was very very good food. read more

A solid find for good Mexican food. There are 3 Mexican restaurants right across from each other. Monterrey had the most cars in the lot and the best reviews, so I gave it a try. It did not disappoint! The mole dish was fabulous. A very unique spin. Good attentive Waite staff and super reasonable prices. read more

Traffic was backed up, I was craving some Mexican food and I found this little gem right off the highway. It was a quick stop, table for one and I was approached immediately. The owners son has taken over and he was working so hard to make it all happen. A ton of people came in and he got everyone seated, greeted and served asap. I ordered the shrimp quesadillas and oh my!! Yummy!! Huge portions and full of protein and veggies. The chips and salsa were top notch too!! It is a family run business with minimal decor but who cares. I was there for the food and it was a hit. I'll be back with family and friends for sure!! read more

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I posted a lengthy, honest, and heartfelt review on Google (I think, but I'm technologically impaired) praising this restaurant in superlative terms relating to fabulously prepared and presented food that was incredibly delicious. The staff was outstanding and seemed genuinely happy to be taking excellent care of their truly valued guests. I'm old and have high expectations of establishments serving my food. I have rarely visited a place with the full compliment of excellent family run management, really great food, efficient and cheerful staff, charming ambiance while offering a tremendous value for your money. If you visit once, I fully expect you'll become regulars. We would except we live on the beautiful west (best) coast of Florida. I rarely write reviews and only when my experience is outstanding, either negatively or positively. This is one of the latter. OUTSTANDING restaurant which truly deserves loyal customers who appreciate an excellent dining experience with a great value for your money. read more

this place is hands down has the best steak tacos n salsa. food is fresh, hot and brought out quick. service is always great, friendly staff. i anyways enjoy eating here. oh and it's also affordable! read more

Monterrey - fried ice cream - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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A family favorite for our yearly visit to Knoxville. ONCE LEGENDARY QUESO. All queso we eat in my family is compared to Monterrey's queso and it is an unspoken agreement that we order it as soon as we sit down. It was just that good. Sadly, at our most recent visit the queso was just not living up to our expectations. That said, the rest of the chips and salsa were quite enjoyable. THE ONE AND ONLY CHILE RELLENO. This is the one restaurant where my mother-in-law will order chile rellenos. And she makes a point to tell us this. Every. Single. Time. Apparently, this food does not live up to the hype if ordered anywhere else. The rest of our food is always quite tasty, from the fajitas to the quesadillas everything tastes good and fresh. You really couldn't ask for more. The queso let us down in our most recent visit, but we are far from giving up on this establishment. See you next year, Monterrey! read more

Best Mexican food in the state of Tennessee. I had the taco salad which when I've ordered it in the past from other Mexican restaurants, it's always very greasy or no flavor and it always costs extra to get guacamole and sour cream and I always leave a lot on my plate because it's usually nasty. NOT here, I ate it ALL!! I love this place. I don't care where you live, it's well worth the drive!!! You will be very pleased. This was my third time and it WILL NOT BE MY LAST!!! read more

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They are almost always busy, and the food is consistently good. Very friendly service, makes it easy to want to support this place.

My family and I stopped in here the other night while we were visiting for some Mexican cuisine. The chips and salsa were amazing we had a really good time with those. I got a big old burrito with cheese on it and wife got a fajita meal and the kids got soft tacos with no lettuce and they enjoyed it very much too we had a great time and this is a great place read more

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Look... I'm just going to be blunt, but don't take it as me wanting to be offensive. That's not the case. But the truth is these local people don't know what Mexican food is. I'm sorry, but if you think "queso - sauce" is actually part of Mexican cuisine, you're part of the problem. If you're local, you might actually think this is Mexican food and you might like it. So, please enjoy. But if you're like my wife and I, and you're from the West Cost, where they actually serve the best Mexican food... This is a very cheap imitation. We always judge a Mexican place by its salsa. When they bring you chips and salsa, or you get your own... almost always, that salsa is a tell tale sign of your meal. Well, when that salsa came to our table I knew just by looking at it: "Oh, boy... blandsville!". I did ask for something "spicier" and the waiter said "I got you... we don't usually serve it but we have something homemade". Translation: "We have something that actually resembles real salsa that these people won't eat". In fairness, it was hotter, but... it wasn't really that good. We were only in town to visit Gatlinburg for the first time, and stayed at a nearby hotel. This was in walking distance. We kept our expectations low, so we weren't disappointed. In fact our low expectations were met.... so... There's that. We knew what we were getting into cause as we looked around, my wife and I both noted to each other that "There's nothing but white people eating here...". That's a sign you're in for a pretty bland and not-so-Mexican meal. The food wasn't bad. It just wasn't good (to us). You can't really fault this part of the state for not knowing different. It's not known for it's cultural diversity or cuisine. So if you're hungry, and from out of town, I recommend sticking with something a little more "American" like burgers, or eat here knowing exactly what you're getting and NOT getting. If you're from the West Coast, just remember you're spoiled and nothing will really taste that good again. You have my sympathies. read more

Can't go wrong at Monterey! The menu is great with a wide variety of authentic Mexican food. They have small plates from a single taco to big items like Texas Fajitas. Salsa is fresh made in house as well as their chips. Don't worry Montereys keeps the chips and salsa coming with no charge for these stables. (As long as you are having something else lol). Owners are friendly family oriented and service is always good. It's a great home town vibe restaurant. Go enjoy and have a margarita while you're there. Don't forget the hashtag #feedlucia read more

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Best Mexican place in Knoxville. Incredible food and drinks for great price. Service has always been on point.

Visited with my sisters and BIL, they all loved the food + margaritas!! The waiter was super nice and the atmosphere was fun as we went on a football Saturday; Go Vols!! Sadly I'm too sick to taste or smell anything but I bet the nachos I ordered tasted great (negative covid test, just a sinus thing, don't yell at me please I will cry) read more

Monterrey is a new favorite! They have great service, great food, and the prices are reasonable. We especially love the giant ball jar margaritas. My go to is the skinny, while my husband's is the regular. read more

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We were driving through and stopped in Knoxville to spend the night. Monterrey was right next to our hotel and was the perfect pick. I got the Pollo Monterrey on recommendations from our waitstaff and was DEFINITELY not disappointed. It came out sizzling and was delicious!! My Dad got the Chorizo dish and he loved it as well. The waitstaff was really friendly and efficient. They are a well-oiled machine and was quick even though were fairly busy. The $3 house margaritas were also great addition to our meal. The portion sizes were great and a great value for the price. Would definitely come back to this restaurant if we are back in Knoxville!! read more

Monterrey - Beans and rice - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

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Great Service and HUDGE portions. We love eating here. Convenient location. Fast Service! read more

Monterrey - Chicken and Steak with rice and veggies - Mexican Near Me - Knoxville, Tennessee

Atmosphere is great and food was good. We will go back. The service was excellent and our server was very pleasant.

Really decent restaurant that has some of the best Mexican food in the area and a wide selection of options on the menu. I usually get takeout from here and have never been disappointed. Very consistent. read more

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This was good hot and fast. We were on the way north and were happy we stopped. Free chips and salsa with meal.

Best carnitas in town. Family owned, 30+ years. Service is wonderful. Even the salsa is tops. Great drink specials and always something new to order. I'd say "make this your place," but I don't want to wait longer for seating (though no matter how busy, the wait is never too long). That said, make this your place!! read more

On our way back home to Kentucky we stopped by to this place and we were all ready to eat. It was a late dinner on a Sunday so we didn't have much options besides this place but like I said we were pretty hungry. I ordered an Horchata to drink and I will say it wasn't the best and very disappointed. If you're an horchata lover don't get it you would be just disappointed. My food was amazing, I will say. I got the Chicken Monterrey and that was chefs kiss. Wish I got a picture! The queso was meh very watery. However I did see really good drinks around me wished I wasn't the one driving or else I would've gotten myself one! read more

We had an okay meal that was at an okay price. We liked our very competent waitress and we liked the restaurant's salsa sauce. However, we have never been in any establishment where so many of the patrons were wearing guns. We won't be back. read more

Been going here for about 15 years and have only one meal that was not what was expected. The place is run by Mexican family and they know what real Mexican food is. My stepson comes to town about every 6 to 8 weeks and this is the first place we eat while he is here. Good Food. read more

We were traveling through the state and stopped at a local hotel that was around the corner. Asked the desk agents to recommend a good Mexican restaurant and the both said Monterrey. The food was great but the friendliness and service was even better. read more

Excellent family owned and operated, fantastic service, great food. I have never been disappointed here!