"Even the elevator ride up to the 49th-floor restaurant at Monarch feels celebratory. They hand you a glass of champagne and off you go towards jaw-dropping views of Dallas from a Downtown perch. Dinner at this Italian-American joint-that’s-also-a-steakhouse is large and luxurious, including a caviar service with potato chips and warm blinis. There are gigantic, butter-slathered steaks and Italian classics worth passing around the table, especially the fork-tender, crackly veal parmesan that usually comes out about as big as a birthday cake." - nick rallo