Service was excellent. Let's start there. Our server was super upbeat and fun. The crab cakes were OK, but not killer. Definitely not worth the $25. The New York is where it went sour for our table. I ordered it Pittsburgh style, medium rare which is charred. It's not east to do without a very hot grill as you would over cook the meat in the process with lower grill temps. The server assured me they could do it. The steak was promptly served and was not only not charred, it had little color on it. It was also cut in half and laid out showing the inside. Who does this? Anyhow, the server took it back to the kitchen. Not 3 minutes later it was returned kind of charred. It looked like the chef hit it with a torch. Not only was it poorly charred, whatever they did to it over cooked it. It was tough, little flavor, hardly any salt on it, etc. Very poor steak at even a fraction of the $75 price tag. My colleague also ordered one, not charred and was pretty upset with the quality. Neither of us ate more than half of it. I'm not picky either. This was just a really bad steak served on a strange underwhelming mayo based sauce. On a side note, the French fries served with it were hot and fresh. 2 steaks, a cocktail, a glass of wine, and an appetizer with tip $255. Even for Monterey this is high, but if the quality was there I wouldn't care. The location and restaurant atmosphere is pretty perfect. read more

I'm not sure how this place is considered a Michelin Star restaurant... We stopped by for dinner and were seated immediately because we had a reservation. It was almost completely empty on a Sunday which should have been the first red flag. We browsed the food and drink menu and knew what we wanted. No one came over to take our drink order or introduce themselves for about 25-30 mins, despite it being pretty empty (a second red flag). We almost left but then our waiter came by. We never got his name but he was a white male with a man bun. He spoke to us in a fake & rude tone. Very weird vibes. He did not inform us about their food specials. Our food took a while to come out but it was pretty good, nothing to rave about though. I loved their complimentary bread. It was so soft. Duck was one of my least favorites I have had. It was so dry and lacked flavor. The black angus new york strip was juicy and soft. Portions are meh for the price. I did enjoy their duck fat fries as it was a flavor I had never tasted before. We celebrated my birthday and they brought over a dessert (which was just ice cream?). They ended up charging me for it too???? and without even informing us about it. Never have had this happen anywhere else so BE AWARE!!! Overall, the service really ruined it. Our waiter was inattentive and dismissive. He would be seen chatting and laughing with the chefs or at other tables but not ours. I noticed a couple who came in shortly after us received much better treatment than we did. Someone came right over to take their drink order, tell them the specials of the night, and were even offered bottled water (we weren't). They checked up on them often. Left the restaurant feeling highly unsatisfied with no plans to return or recommend this to anyone. Please save your money and time to go elsewhere. Food: 5/10 Service: 0/10 read more

We absolutely love the Montrio Restaurant as locals. The entire staff is so professional, personable, and always attentive to the customers requests. The food has always been amazing, but we keep coming back because we love the staff at Montrio. If you are a local or a tourist, I highly recommend stopping at Montrio restaurant for an amazing dining experience. read more

Food and service was excellent. We had nick as our server and it was and an amazing experience. Being my family's first visit definitely recommended Montrio. And can't wait to dress up and go again. read more

Steak was beyond expensive for 6oz and 8oz. This used to be an amazing restaurant but no longer. Ambiance is still nice and service is impeccable. read more

Don't take a vegetarian. Don't assume the dish is vegetarian. One entree option and 1 or 2 salads to pick from. Most of the side and appetizers sound vegetarian but are not. Soups cooked in chicken broth per the server. Great for meat eaters. We were so excited to go there for a romantic, quiet anniversary meal but I had no options. Seeing one vegetarian option makes me feel unwanted. Astounds me to still see restaurants not offer any or more than one vegetarian option these days. Disappointed. read more

Short Ribs are a HIT! Food: Drinks are amazing! Each drink was better than the last. 4/6 people in our group ordered the short ribs and it was a crowd pleaser. Crab cakes are also delicious. Service: amazing staff. Bartender was wonderful and made a delicious tepache drink. Location: Close to the conference center and an easy walk from Downtown area. Really nice and clean location with great lighting for a first date. Parking: I recommend ubering. Notables: the dessert ice cream is great and small so grab a few and share. read more

Montrio - Pineapple Cocktail - New American Near Me - Monterey, California

Overall service was great I believe our server was named Carlos, he took great care of us. The food was excellent the chicken was cooked and flavored to perfection. The atmosphere is intimate and a little romantic. We will definitely be back. read more

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This is an overlooked spot. We tried it because it was across the street from our hotel and were wonderfully impressed. I don't do fancy restaurants often, but plan to go here every time I stay in Monterey. The staff was very attentive and the food was excellent. I requested a very rare filet minion and it was cooked to perfection, and melted in my mouth. read more

One of our favorite places to visit when we are in town. Outstanding food and service. Parking can be challenging but the public parking garage is close by and a good option when it's not full. Worth the walk, wherever you park!! read more

Outstanding dinner! And great service to boot. Husband had the pork chop and I had the chicken. Both were excellent.

Montrio was just "ok." We dined here on 12/21/24, at 7:30 PM for four of us and we were celebrating 2 birthday dinners. I wrote this as a note on our reservation hoping they might pull out 2 candles with the 2 desserts we ordered; however, the birthdays were not acknowledged. Food: Crab cakes are flavorless, skip these! The Cioppino and the French onion soup were good, but we wouldn't return just for this. Service: The service was very slow even though there was only one other table dining during our visit. There were several staff members throughout the restaurant; however, they were very delayed to check in with us. Bill for four: $420 before tip for 4 apps, 4 mains, 4 cocktails, 1 corkage, and 2 desserts (not bad). There's better restaurants in Monterey, sadly, we won't be back. read more

A weird experience last night. Hadn't been here in while and decided to try it again. It's a really nice redo of the Pat Kuletto design going back some 20 years. Since reopening the Chef turnover has in my opinion been frequent. Not always for the better. Last night was strange because the restaurant was pretty empty. The main dining room was empty but we decided to sit in there anyway because it's a nice room and we had a guest with us. Server was good. The food was another matter. I had a filet that cost $72. What I expected and what I got was totally different. My filet was about 3/4 " and flat. Tender but not worth the $$. The plate accompaniments weren't good. Mashed potatoes had been sitting around a while. Actually too long. Veggies blah. My wife had short ribs.,everyone knows they are to be braised. Not these it seems. These were dry, very dry. Not enjoyable. Our guest had a mushroom start appetizer- blah. Blah. Cocktails were very good. I liked our server, unfortunately it wasn't enough. I actually told the server when she asked that the Caesar salad was almost inedible. She said, "really"? Not "let me get you something else..." Just an example- sorry I can't recommend Montrio presently. read more

Management refunded the charge and reached out to assure me that the team would be trained to disclose the charge up front, which I really appreciated. No one can be perfect all the time, but the earnest effort to be makes a restaurant a standout in this day and age when prices just keep rising and service keeps getting spread thinner and thinner. read more

I love this restaurant. There service is always excellent. The food was great . Cocktails were delicious. The restaurant was warm and cozy. I would have given it a 5 , but the menu changed a bit :( read more

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Our visit to Montrio was unfortunately marred by incredibly slow and inattentive service. Despite having a reservation, we were forced to wait 25 minutes beyond our booked time. To make matters worse, the wait staff seemed to ignore our party entirely until I eventually had to speak up. It became clear that the key to getting attention was to stand close to the entrance or pedestal--otherwise, you risk being overlooked. What made this even more frustrating was that there were three open tables available on both floors throughout our wait, which felt especially unfair. The food and ambiance may have potential, but the service left a lot to be desired. I hope the restaurant addresses these issues so future diners don't have to experience such frustrating delays. Beverages The Diet Coke we received from the upper bar was flat. Possibly all the soft drinks were flat. After bringing it to the attention of the staff, they had to go to the lower bar to get us a replacement. It was a bit inconvenient, and a smoother solution would have been appreciated. Food While the wait was frustrating (75 minutes after ordering), the food was well worth it. The halibut was flawlessly cooked and complemented perfectly by a rich clam white wine sauce. The Sriracha risotto struck the right balance of heat and creaminess, while the Brussels sprouts were beautifully crisp on the outside and tender inside. The simple pasta with butter was delicious, and the short rib with mashed potatoes was exceptionally juicy and tender. Despite the lengthy delay, the quality and taste of the dishes ultimately made up for the wait. read more

This has to be one of the best restaurants my husband and I have ate at. I got the short rib with the bees elbow cocktail. My husband got the New York strip and both plates were exquisite! The beef was cooked in a fire oven which gave it an amazing woody taste from the fire and was super tender! I'm not much of an alcohol drinker and my bees elbow was perfect! All I could taste was the honey and still got the effects of alcohol! Our server was very attentive and pleasant. The ambiance was relaxing and romantic. Thank you Montrio for the great experience ! read more

Delicious food and drinks. Some are smaller portions but my husband got the short rib and it was very generous. It wasn't super busy when we went (Sunday 5pm) but there was a storm. read more

28 miles in the bike saddle, back n forth from 17 mile drive to the hotel, my ass was hollering! "Your stomach may be hungry but we (left n right cheek) are off duty for the remainder of the night, so you better order DoorDash or uber to eat!" With Bae having bookmarked this spot AND it being a half a block walk from the hotel, my brain and stomach convinced my ass to get moving. Fortunately I wasn't too hungry but definitely worked up a thirst. We splitzies the burger and gem salad while she ate most of the bread pudding. Me? I was pounding this yummy take on an old fashion that was so good and smooth my ass melted into the chair and stopped protesting. I'm such a light weight when it comes to Alcohol, one beer with dinner and I'm ready for boo boo dream land. So bae was a bit surprised when I ordered a second then for dessert another. Hell im a half a block away why the hell not! The service was solid the food looked unfortunately better than it tasted. Mind you it was good but not blow your mind great. What was however was that cocktail "Beauregard's Revenge" I assume named after the confederate general who allegedly started the civil war. Our east bay friends who dined with us the night before showed up for take out, so we hung out with them til their to go order showed ( the next day they raved about everything!) but aren't yelpers so that duty falls on me to convey. Beautiful indoors...this restaurant! Too bad we couldn't eat inside to soak in the ambiance as Beauregard's Revenge slowly sucked any soreness out of my limbs. While the food was solid, their stellar reputation for mixology is warranted. Definitely pay them a visit and try one... or two.... or three in my case! read more

Montrio - 3 cocktails in feeling Pretty... pretty... pretty... pretty good! - New American Near Me - Monterey, California

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My husband and I arrived at 5pm opening time without a reservation. The hostess told us they were fully booked, but lucky for us the bar was available should we choose to sit there or the outside patio. We chose the bar and were super happy with that choice. The bartenders name was Daniel and he was charismatic, efficient and excellent at his job. We ordered 3 entrees to split and the roasted cauliflower was my favorite of the 3. The woodsy flavor of the roast really came through as did the harissa seasoning and the summer squash and sauce was also flavor packed. Second entree --The sea scallops were my husbands favorite and they were tender and buttery and delicious. There were only 3 sea scallops unfortunately but the dish tasted excellent- the corn and fregola was tasty and we ate every morsel. I found the trumpet mushrooms a little chewy but still good. Third entree-- The halibut was a let down. The fish was over cooked and the seasoning just was not there. The succotash however, stole the show of that dish. We ordered 2 desserts to share as well and I thought the bread pudding would be my favorite and it was delicious. The white chocolate shavings in the dulcey creme anglaise around the warmed croquant and beneath the passion fruit ice cream WAS divine, but crème brûlée was even better. The custard had perfect texture and flavor and the caramelized sugar was perfectly torched. The berry compote was a perfect accompaniment as was the chantilly cream. We would return next time we are in Monterey. read more

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Absolutely amazing meal and service. Everything was top notch! Brown butter old fashioned Yum! Incredible beet salad. Pork chop with siracha risotto to die for. Are you a foodie? This is a must visit. Really wanted the butterscotch budino but didn't have room. read more

Montrio - New American Near Me - Monterey, California

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Beautiful restaurant Good service and amazing food I definitely enjoyed the fine dining read more

Montrio - Cioppino - New American Near Me - Monterey, California

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The food was delicious-- we ordered steak and a orichette pasta as well as the flourless chocolate cake and crème brûlée. My partner and I enjoyed the ambiance despite the table of 6 loud, drunk men seated by us. What I expected to be a relaxed evening out became the men creating a commotion in what was nearly an empty room. I understand the restaurant isn't at fault here but I also didn't appreciate the condescending tone of the server-- I don't quite remember her name that started with a "C" but she had thick black glasses and short blonde hair. She seemed nice at first but I quickly caught the fake tone and she also felt the need to tell us the prices of the fish special of the night and desserts and I can't help but wonder if the same was done for the other guests that perhaps appeared more "belonging". When she said the prices she was very exaggerated and pointed as if she was speaking to someone hard of hearing. Her vibe was strange but again, luckily the food saved the evening. I also liked the soft jazz playing and the soft lighting. read more

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A great restaurant. We were given excellent service and good assistance selecting of food and wine. Loved the appetizers the most. We sat outside and enjoyed the great weather and watched the sports cars drive by for car week. read more

I had my wedding reception in private space upstairs here, it was intimate and splendid. The manager Charlie was very accommodating to our wishes, Bernice was awesome with coordinating and responsive to our vision. Food is spectacular- we chose the scallops, braised beef, and chicken dish, with rave reviews from all of our guests. Chose the bread pudding for dessert and everyone loved it as well! Thank you Montrio for making our special day that much more special. read more

Montrio is our go-to fine dining restaurant in Monterey. It hits the right marks on service, food, ambience, and location. Fabian is an excellent bar manager; ask him to pair a cocktail with your meal and enjoy the ride! We look forward to many more fine dinners on their patio! read more

If you're in the area and have the chance to dine at this place, DO IT! You won't regret it. Thank you to Jose and Juan for making our dining experience amazing. I dined here with my husband for dinner and had the pleasure of having Jose as our server. He gave us several recommendations on drinks and food options, but in a way that wasn't pushy and I definitely appreciated that. Some of the items he recommended and we ordered were the scallops and the 48 hour bacon. We also ordered the beef carpaccio and mushroom ravioli. Jose also recommended the bread pudding for dessert. We loved everything that was recommended to us! Juan was also very helpful throughout our dinner, assisting us with anything we asked for. We did make reservations and ended up coming to the restaurant a lot earlier than expected, but they were still able to seat us upon arrival. The food was delicious, but the attentive and amazing service we received made our experience so much better. Would definitely come back in the future. read more

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Montrio bistro was closed for awhile during the pandemic and recently reopened as Montrio. We have been coming here for over ten years and we're disappointed the menu has changed since they reopened and it is now under new ownership. The service is still great but the food quality has gone downhill and the price increased quite a bit. It seems like they only kept the short ribs and bread pudding from the old menu. They are trying to go more upscale. Some of the beloved favorites are really missed. We ordered the special halibut and the NY strip (for two). Both entrees were only ok. Even though they kept the bread pudding but it was not what it used to be. Our family of four spent $400 on dinner including two glasses of wine and two desserts. While nothing was bad, nothing was memorable either. It was mediocre and definitely didn't feel like a $400 dinner. We are so sad because we used to look forward to Montrio bistro when we vacation here. We may not be back in the future. read more

Service: Our server was fantastic. He checked on us throughout the experience. Slightly salty the manager greeted the other tables around us (we're millennials and very excited to have a nice, expensive meal when we can). The average age of the guests our night we where there was 65. Food: My husbands steak tasted like ground chuck beef (ordered medium rare, came out Medium well), my girlfriend's halibut was flavorless, but my chicken entree was awesome. The cocktails and wine were on point. Great selection of wine. Ambience: it was nice. I noticed other staff members actively walking around checking tables to clear or to see what need they could fill. Clean restrooms. read more

BISTRO WITH POTENTIAL FOR GREATNESS I have certain expectations whenever a restaurant is listed in the Michelin Guide. To get onto the guide is an honor and an accomplishment in itself - in addition to being a successful business in a brutal industry. Within the Guide's standards, the food is unique and intricately presented. The environment is carefully thought out, and the service is personable - with a sense of embedded pride. Even if one of these elements is lacking, the other two overpower the deficit enough to ignore the lacking piece of the Michelin "puzzle." Sometimes, that French restaurant wasn't rude as much as it held to their tradition and culture. Sometimes, the service wasn't slow, but rather, the style of the meal was intended to take a few hours. Sometimes, it's the customer - not the restaurant. Montrio didn't land me into that classic, mesmerizing Michelin Guide feel. The bright yellow awning against the warm, soft brick made me feel out of place. Perhaps the lights over the table were too bright to induce a relaxed feeling. It could be the server - who should work somewhere else. I'm not sure what it was, but the Michelin Guide expectation got in the way of enjoying the curveball of a "Mushroom Risotto" listed as an appetizer rather than a classic entree one would expect. The timing of how fast the dessert came out made me feel like the kitchen was assembling food rather than preparing it. Still, if management changed out the awning, dimmed the lights, worked on their risotto, and crafted the desserts a little better, it wouldn't shift the experience into that Michelin "feel" the Guide is so respected and trusted to provide. When the hostess is bored with her welcome, the staff avoids eye contact, or the bartender makes eye contact - only to turn away with a feeling of cold disregard; something deeper within the organization is causing that. Even the tiny things, like the server deciding to give us the check without fixing the error, claimed it was the same price. This all displays the culture of leadership - and the transference onto their employees. The human being continuously senses apathetic service - regardless of the ability to put words to the experience. The lack of poise in their movement, the flat tone within their words, the blindness to essential details. When restaurants get it right, a sense of family overflows onto the guests. When leadership shows the same care and attention for their employees as they wish for them to show their guests, it's a Michelin experience - in both arenas of precision and artful pride. It may have been an "off" night, and it may have been the server, but the experience felt like a transaction, causing it to infect my ability to enjoy perfectly great food. Employees who feel secure and valued can't help but show it at their tables. When leadership constantly grows their team's knowledge of food, wine, and the art of service, the euphoria transcends onto the guests. There's nothing wrong with Montrio - and that's a unique position to be in. When there's no distinct drive to change, the guests miss out on experiencing a snippet of an ever-evolving entity. I may give Montrio another try when I'm back in the area. They have a lot of potential. read more

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Our waitress was great but she forgot to bring the bread. The manager seemed a bit rude. We spent over 400 on a dinner for two and the drinks were horrible and food was not to the standards. No wonder it was empty. They need to improve the food and the drinks. read more

We went to Montrio to celebrate my mom's birthday. The food and our server were good. And another server was nice enough to offer to take a group photo of our family in front of the restaurant. But there was a different female server with bright red hair who ruined our night. She very rudely photo-bombed several of our family photos by sticking her tongue out right behind my parents while one of the male servers laughed and encouraged her. We never interacted with her so her actions were completely uncalled for. She was extremely unprofessional and ruined what would have otherwise been a great experience. read more

Montrio - Servers - New American Near Me - Monterey, California

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Visited Motrio as a recommendation by a friend. What a great place to celebrate a special occasion. Atmosphere, food and service were excellent. Will visit again on my next trip to Monterey. read more

The food here is amazing! Had the angus steak and scallops . Did not disappoint! Also had a delicious espresso martini.

The food was delicious and our server Bill's recommendations were spot on. At the end of the meal, he even walked us out, holding the door for us. The ambiance is gorgeous too. We look forward to returning. read more

Pros and Cons of the Newly Reopened Restaurant: Pros: Pretty inside (we were downstairs) Comfortable seating Owner and Servers were nice delicious passionfruit & mint mocktail Cons: 1) They charge for bread and butter. It isn't even Astra bread, just a typical narrow, sourdough loaf. The crust was nice. However, instead of being warm from the oven, which it should be - it was cold. Which made the butter hard to spread. Warm from the oven is a simple thing to do and them not ensuring this is a basic standard from the kitchen, was a disappointment. 2) Ceasar salad was a generous portion but the dressing was oily and lacked flavor. 3) steak tartare - while a very generous size - was minced so finely that it was almost mushy in consistency. It also lacked flavor. 4) Filet mignon - we waited a half hour for both of ours. The waiter tried to say it was coming. and coming. and then used the excuse that the chef liked to give the meat time to rest. Puhleeeese. Both of our filet mignons - while perfectly cooked - were a bit tough and chewy. The owner was insistent on replacing it, and the next filet mignon was buttery tender. But the seasoning seemed to be missing, and the sauce was underwhelming and did nothing to complement the meat. 5) White chocolate bread pudding, and the chocolate cake with raspberry ice cream, were both pleasant but unremarkable. Can't say anything better than that about it. 6) The food runner brought my friend's plate to me instead of paying attention to who ordered what - three different times. That is careless. Needs more training. 7) Presentation was okay. But only that. Surprising at these high prices that it wasn't more sophisticated. 8) We asked for a doggy bag. Rather than handling this in the kitchen and being presented with the filled containers in a nice leak proof bag, they brought us containers to the table to do ourselves, with no bag. Not what a typical high end restaurant does - ever. 9) The meal was very expensive. For the two of us $320 (including a 20% tip but without alcohol and with having our desserts comped because the owner was being nice because she felt badly about my steak). For that price - and we tend to be lavish spenders where excellent quality, very tasty meals are concerned - we expected far better. Montrio will likely pack in the tourists and not care. However, as locals we were disappointed that the Chef wasn't better, and can't recommend them for the above reasons read more

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So I Yelped "cioppino" and it lead me to Montrio. OMG, best cioppino EVER! Lobster tail, shrimp, mussels, clams, and fish. Served w/sourdough charred in a pizza oven. Aaah sweet mystery of life at last I found you! read more

Montrio - Charred sourdough from a pizza oven, so good! - New American Near Me - Monterey, California

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We came here for dining while visiting Monterey. Didn't know this place had been newly reopened. The interior is fancy and nice. Got the crudo appetizer, the swordfish entree, the chicken entree and the pork pasta dish. Everything tasted good, though somewhat unremarkable. Out of them, i liked the chicken the best. Prices are $$$$. Overall, good experience though I didn't think the food's worth the price. read more

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The food, phenomenal! The tastes are amazing. The service was great. It's definitely a place to dine at. Not if you are in a rush.

This place used to be so good! We went a year ago and it wasn't as good as it used to be, but this time - it wasn't good. Timing was off, drastically, to the point that we got a complementary dessert, but the food wasn't that great. Not for the price. Our server and Management was great about all the things, but the food, it just wasn't that great. The tables were CRAMPED! I get that business owners are hurting after COVID, but even in 2022 seating wasn't this tight. We move tables twice because there just wasn't space to move. read more