La Monarca Bakery & Cafe

Great place!! First time being there and it's very cozy! The Iced Horchata latte was amazing. Tiramisu cake was delicious too!

This bakery and cafe shop on the corner offers a delightful Mexican-style experience. It's enjoyable to relax in the shop while savoring a cup of Mexican hot coffee and a piece of freshly baked cake.

I've lived in Santa Monica for 7 years and April 4, 2024 is the first time I stop in to order something. The coffee is excellent. It's better than Starbucks. Excellent pastries to choose from and they are absolutely delicious. I don't know of any other place that has pastries that taste as good as the ones here. Cozy atmosphere inside and outdoor seating is also available for those who wish to dine outside. What stood out the most was the amazing customer service that I received. It was genuine service. The kind of service where you can tell they really want to make sure that you are taken care of. You don't find that at hardly any place these days but I was delighted to find it here. I think I'm going to discontinue my 15 years streak with Starbucks and start coming over here. I highly recommend it!

I had a terrible breakfast experience here. I chose this place based on the positive reviews, but it was extremely disappointing. The breakfast sandwiches were clearly frozen and premade, then just microwaved, which left them soggy and unappetizing. I felt unwell afterward, with stomach discomfort lasting the entire day. It was a regrettable choice, and I won’t be returning.

Mmmm! Their tres leches cake and pan dulces are beyond delicious and you can tell they’re using top shelf ingredients. Delicious Mexican conchitas & other baked goods that don’t leave a film in your mouth. Terrific coffee, too! Better than Starbucks. Great prices and nicest staff. Fresh ingredients, and even part of 1% for the planet. Easy parking and convenient hours.

La monarca Bakery is my favorite place to enjoy a coffee, very clean and what I like most is the attention that Patty B , gives me with her excellent customer service, I personally recommend it.

Went in yesterday for a coffee bag refill since I tried their coffee bag from Costco (sells them for less then $20) only to find they sell the same bag for $40. No thanks, that’s twice the price. I got a box of conchas and an orange juice instead but then was informed they couldn’t take my cash. That was all I had with me. I left with nothing. I’ve been to other locations and this one is really small, they don’t have the same stuff as the other locations and the employee did not seem very informed on anything. What a bummer because I enjoy going to this bakery but this whole experience was so unpleasant.

ordered a Horchata Latte wasn’t good asked for it hot and it was warm at best. Vibe is weird in here I guess not a lot of tall black men come here. Also not sure how the guy who ordered after me and a similar drink got his before me. Seemed intentional. I asked for a breakfast burrito and they were out apparently not going to question if they were or not as it was after 10am. Idk won’t be returning here

Your local bakery when craving pan dulce! This location offers a variety of coffee options, including cafe de olla, a Mexican style coffee. The staff is always so friendly and there are many tables to sit and enjoy your goodies. Their pan dulce is absolutely the best! I usually purchase conchas. However, my favorite pan dulce, called "pan de muerto," is sold in October and November during the Día de los Muertos season. It's savory, soft, and delicious! Highly recommend it-- be sure to pair it with a Mexican hot chocolate or cafe de olla!

Ordered the Dulce de Leche latte - it was good and hot. Also selected the guava cheese croissant and vanilla concha - very yummy. Street parking is available, and there are several tables inside and outside. Staff was super friendly.

I'm here every other weekend, that's how much I love this spot. Not only is there delicious coffee and hot chocolate, but my favorite pastries. The flan is incredible, not overwhelmingly sweet, it's just right! The concha's are also great, one of my all time favorites. My go to drink is definitely the Hot Chocolate, especially on a cold day. Staff is always very kind and friendly, attending every one with the same care and respect. There will be people studying or reading there, tying it all together. Most often than not there's lots of seating. As well as a few places to charge devices.

Let's start with the good things, the service was great. They were open until 5 pm on thanksgiving, and the cake looked good! Unfortunately, the taste was just missing. We got the tiramisu, and it was so dry. There was almost a powdery coffee flavor, but no moistness. It tasted more like a sponge cake than a tiramisu. It was $38 for a standard cake. But they have a lot of other flavours, so I might be down to try out another flavour another time.

Lately I've stopping by in my way to work, but sadly the service is very slow they see you waiting on line and pretend they don't see you, I think they need another register and people who knows about customer service, they use to have great service, today I stopped by I asked for two moyetes the kid didn't know if they had bread for it, the girl signal him they were on the display but I do have to say that I haven't seen him before, but it reflects on who the manager

A unique cafe with a clean-cut modern touch to a Mexican bakery. The lemonade I tried was refreshing after a long run. The matcha lavender horchata latte was delicious with the right amount of sweetness. Surprisingly, I find it hard to find horchata blended drinks that taste good. This one was done right. The breakfast sandwich was okay. The biscuit was a little too soft for my taste. The side salsa served with it was a nice Mexican touch to a breakfast sandwich. I look forward to coming again the next time I visit Santa Monica. The servers here were friendly

Really cute coffee cafe in Santa Monica, but they have multiple locations across LA. Their drinks are what stand out. I highly recommend the cafe Oaxaca, which is like a super chocolatey coffee. The horchata latte is also great. Their pastries are hit or miss - I've tried the pan de elote (corn bread), dulce de leche tacos, and conchas. The corn bread was good but dry and deflated, like it had been out for a while. The concha was good and so was the dulce de leche taco. Maybe it's better to get the pastries only when they're fresh in the morning.

Cute spot in SM, kind folks working there too. Very delicious and creamy coffee and drink options.

Came here to study it was very cute. Good priced pastries and free wifi for customers. Workers were super nice and gave personalized experience. Also closed later than most other coffee shops in the area!

They offer cafe de olla travelers which are great for meetings and parties because it's different than regular coffee for your guests. Their burritos are delicious. If you order for catered events, they're individually foil wrapped which keeps them warm for a good amount of time. Their conchas and cookies are a great treat but not overly sweet.

Wonderful coffee selection and great service. 10/10 would go again. Recommend the o scan coffee.

I've been coming to La Monarca since they opened this location back in like 2011 or so. What is reliable: Cafe de Olla Conchas Chocolate croissants Panitos de muerto (when they have them, they're seasonal items) I recommend against their cakes, they're quite dry. Also any of their fruity drinks. I am sad about menu items leaving like their tacos and their bread pudding (they removed this a loooong time ago). It seems overall their selection of baked items has continued to shrink over the years, probably due to economic constraints. However I hope they stay around and have new offerings!

Only got to come here for a short bit but I was pleasantly surprised by all the options and what we tried! Even more exciting I found out World Market sells their products!! Tried a couple cookies and the horchata latte. Cookies were great! Late was good but not as much horchata flavor as we hoped! Hope to try this place again there were so many options I was excited about!

The only thing I don't like about this place is that there's not one closer to me I love Horchata based coffee drinks, so this place was a must and it did not disappoint. Their pastries were also delicious!

La Monarca bakery was a pleasant surprise to find in Santa Monica. I bought some baked goods for a friend's birthday. As they were treats for my friend I didn't get to try them. They were apparently tasty. I bought a slice of horchata tres leches & the holiday conchitas. Customer service was very good. The two young ladies that assisted me were very friendly and helpful. One made a great suggestion about the cake. I plan to come back to try their cakes and coffees myself.

Someone says guava in a baked good and I am there! I came across La Monarcha while searching for a bakery to buy something to have for breakfast and to bring back for the friends I was staying with. I came across the guava croissant and ended up buying that along with a Mexican hot chocolate. I was not disappointed with either. The guava croissant was flaky and the guava was not overly sweet. The Mexican hot chocolate hit the spot as it was a bit chilly in the morning. I got it with oat milk and it was nice and rich. The bakery was bright, clean and had a few tables for patrons who wanted to eat there. I will definitely be back there again!

Got the burrito and the très lèches latte... I've been robbed the chipoté beef burrito is so small. The très lèches latte was good but the latte was basically filled like a small half way. Finally the ambiance was ok nothing special just expect Spanish music.$$

Service was 5/5, friendly staff and fairly quick to get the espresso and food. I got a cortado, something about the temperature was off. And the espresso shot itself was harsh. One note is it looks like their espresso comes out of a machine and isn't pulled manually. I also got a lunch burrito ($8.50) and it was the tiniest burrito I have ever seen in my life. Took literally three small bites to eat it. It tasted fine, but for the price felt like robbery.

Love this place!! If you're looking for an assortment of pastries or cold hot chocolate, this is the spot! You can sit and study or read a book if you want with your coffee! They're also open until 8 which is amazing when so many other coffee shops close by 5 Parking is relatively easy (metered street parking or a paid lot behind the store) Definitely always going to return to try a new pastry (they have seasonal offerings!) and a blended Mexican chocolate (personally prefer cold drinks over hot drinks)

I had good memories of my brother picking up pastries and coffee from La Monarca a few years ago. We ate the goodies at our Airbnb and I hadn't visited. This time my brother and I visited and I wanted to buy coffee to bring to Houston. But the 12 oz bag was about $16. I felt it's too much because I can get good quality coffee for less. They sell Café de Olla too and cocoa. The slices of cake looked really good but I wasn't hungry. I just purchased a mollete with soy chorizo for my sister-in-law who wasn't with us. I hope to try a cup of coffee from La Monarca the next time I'm in L.A.

I love that everyone here is always so nice and sweet, especially to my little one who always manages to get something complimentary from the staff. I love your pastries and anything with Dulce de leche. I discovered you because I once had a patient's wife bring us a box of pastries and from that time on, whenever I drove by, I just had to stop by. My little one loves the Conchas. The reason for the 2 stars....on more than one occasion I have seen multiple fruit flies/gnats/flies inside your casings with all the pastries. Big no-no. Until this is corrected, I will not be returning. It is so incredibly unappetizing, and each time this happened, I walked right out. I get that stuff happens but this is happening quite FREQUENTLY. Please correct, I'm sure there is a solution.

Got a bunch of different goodies to take to my in-laws and it was all delicious. Also, got some cafe de olla and hot chocolate to make at home and it's been my go to on these chilly days.

Super friendly customer service from Diego. Nice selection of sweets. Parking on the cheaper side, at least on a Saturday morning. And good hot drinks. Definitely will be back to this location as well as recommended for a cup of Joe and sweets.

La Monarca Bakery is an absolute gem of a coffee cafe. I can't wait to return for another burrito and Mexican hot chocolate and dig further into their wonderful menu. Friendly service, welcoming ambiance though small inside. Nice place to grab a coffee to start or wind down your day.

I didn't realize the food was frozen and they just warmed it up. Like Starbucks. The Mexican bread pastries and everything else is great though but I will not get food there for me going forward.

I have seen plenty of these across town and today, I finally got to try it! I ordered the soy chorizo burrito for lunch. Sorry no pics! This is a good size burrito and filling as it has potatoes. I'm not vegan but I opted for something "healthy." I am curious to try the torta and tacos at a future visit. At the recommendation of the barista, I had the oatchata latte iced. She said it was the most popular drink but I was torn with the tres leches latte. I will try that next. The oatchata latte was good- not very sweet. I could have added sugar but I chose not to- again me trying to be healthy lol. I really had to hold back on buying pastries. Guava anything has my heart and I saw at least 2 different type in the cases that will be haunting me until my next visit!

I love this cafe! They have a ton of variety in their coffee options and even added a flavored sparkling water to their menu. You definitely get a bang for your buck here which I find so refreshing in LA! 15$ for 3 beverages and we even got an alternative milk. The employees are always so knowledgeable about the menu and are more than willing to chat. If you want a yummy, affordable latte that isn't the standard vanilla latte, this is the place for you!

I'm updating my review. Thank you to La Monarca and it's for their prompt response and service! Our family is very grateful as our mom got her cake in time for her birthday celebration. Pro tip: order their sausage egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and cafe de olla! I placed an order for a cake on Feb 6th and made arrangements to pick it up Feb 8th for my mom's birthday. When I arrived, I was told they were out of the cake I ordered and that there was no record of an order placed on Feb 6th. Needless to say we are disappointed. Do better.

I love their packaged cafe de olla, will forever be my favorite. Their sweet breads are delicious and very nostalgic of tradition mom and pop bakeries. My only grief is in their lattes and coffee. Every time I order, it feels like they skimp out on the espresso, maybe it's me used to strong coffee, but those who prefer a hint of coffee in your latte this is your place. Other than that their soyrizo molletes are delicious accompanied by a triple shot horchata latte.

Sooo yummy. The Oaxaca coffee taste authentic and so tasty. I've had coffee while visiting Oaxaca and this comes very close! I also had the concha & it was perfect. I had the best concha's in Mexico City and this comes close. It was flavorful while perfectly fluffy. I can feel the love in the food.

Lovely pastries, good service. I recommend the guava tacos and the powdered tea cookies. So rich and sweet and the textures are a wonderful experience. TIP: Parking behind store and also metered parking. Try the Aguascalientes frescos for something refreshing to go with your treats.

very good drinks!! the cookies pair well w them, i highly recommend trying them out. getting a latte here before heading into work always makes the day go by easier!

This place was so yummy and I loved the vibes! Super cute for a date with friends, to come hang out, or maybe even study. There was plenty of tables open when I came at like 11am on a Thursday. The concha was a little dry, but the sweetness of the sugar shell elevated it and made it good. Especially complemented with the coffee I think it's a good pairing. Although the coffee was pretty sweet, I think I might go for the cold brew next time. Unless their other flavors are less sweet, and the horchata is just sweeter. But I felt like the drink was very horchata and cinnamon heavy, and the coffee flavor wasn't really there. I had a sample of the flan and it was delicious! Wanna come back to try more of their desserts they look really good!

I've seen this place on social media a few times now and honestly it's overhyped. You walk in, y ni te saludan, so it feels super awkward. Nomas se te quedan mirando like if you were gonna steal something and literally all we did was walk-in .. Not only are they staring at you the entire time while you're trying to figure out what you want. Then you get to the order counter and there's like three of them there waiting for you to start ordering and you can't even tell who's taking your order. You order one thing and all three of them respond which makes it so confusing. I didn't even know who was actually taking the order the whole time. The actual food wasn't great either. The conchas were good flavor-wise but they were the tiniest conchas I've ever seen in my life and they're like $2! You're better off going to your local panaderia for bigger and cheaper conchas! Then we got the horchata latte and honestly it tasted like puro cafe de olla. Which nothing wrong with that, but when you order an horchata drink you expect something sweet and maybe cinnamony not bitter We also decided to get the Trenza breakfast croissant/ pastry since there was no way the little conchas would fill us up.. terrible decision. We got the cheese, ham, and chipotle croissants and it had no flavor at all. Overall, the service, the pricing, and the food were not great. I probably would not go again.

Stopped by on a weekday evening to grab a few pastries. The bakery/cafe was quite cozy and small. Service was quick. The food was not bad and the prices were a bit high. The Trenza (Jalapeno) was delicious, especially when toasted. It came with salsa and was not spicy. I also really enjoyed the Horchata cake slice which was not too sweet and had a nice cinnamon horchata flavor, but I felt the cake was a bit dry. The taquito (guava) and pumpkin concha were just okay, quite dry but the flavors were there. Overall, a hit or miss with some items. Hoping to try their coffee and guava cake sometime!

Came here for the first time not to long ago and I was happily greeted by Carlos . He eagerly told me about all of their products even the most popular items. It's definitely so hard to choose after staring at all these different pastries but I settled on croissants this time around. I also decided on the tres leches latte , Carlos allowed me to sample one of the brews which was very nice of him .I was very pleased with the service and with what I ordered so I will be sure to come back here . Everything was delicious

I love this coffee shop. It's so homey and cozy inside. I come here once a week during my work shifts. They have great coffee and fresh bread. The staff here are so friendly and nice. They have a lot of Christmas decorations making the inside feel very festive. I got the matchata this time. Although it's typically an Iced drink, they were able to accommodate my request and make it hot. And it was bomb! 100% recommend

The pan dulce is average and the variety is limited. The smallish sized conchas are more dry than usual but are pretty, which I guess is a selling point. The croissant looking cuerno mantequillas have a choice of plain, chocolate, guava or cheese. They are flaky with a slight sugary crunchy top. I recommend heating up these breads gently on the comal before indulging. They bring out the flavor and refreshes the just baked softness of the bread. The cold brew oatchata is lightly sweetened by the oat milk and cinnamon.. in the cold display case were a variety of cakes. The strawberry shortcake with Chantilly cream looked scrumptious. Maybe next time!

I really like the coffee from here, and the people who work here are very pleasant too. I haven't tried the hot food yet but I'm excited too, and I also enjoy the pastries.

This is a cute little Spanish bakery located in Santa Monica. I so happened to be waiting for an appointment in my car about a block away and needed coffee so I stopped by and discovered an array of Spanish cookies and baked goods. I was in Heaven! They serve everything from conchas to flans and even cakes. I didn't get to try their cakes but their conchas are very buttery and sweet. I loved their elephant's ears and I can't remember the name of the others I tried but it all went great with my cup of coffee. The lady behind the register was so sweet and helpful as I don't know much about Spanish pastries. Very inexpensive and so good...I feel like I hit the jackpot with this find. I prefer this place over any small bakery + coffee shop in the area. Such a gem of a place!

I love Mexican baked goods, especially during this season. I have previously heard a lot of great reviews about this bakery, and finally I had to give it a shot myself. I went in to buy day of the dead bread, as my family and I celebrate. They had two different versions, the day of the dead bread with sugar on top, and the other with sesame seeds on top. Both of these versions are delicious, and there are other delicious baked goods in the store. I highly recommend any of the cookies available, especially the orejita cookies! I also ended up ordering their Mexican hot chocolate, it's an absolute must!

My goodness their food & pastries are delicious. It's a tiny place & the ambiance is super casual. It was my first time & their service was very welcoming. Their iced horchata was exactly what I needed & I even took some pastries to go to share with my family. Highly recommend this hidden gem!

This is a fantastic spot! I love grabbing a coffee here before going to any tasks I have to do in the area. The staff are amazing--friendly and welcoming. I haven't tried everything they have yet, but their black coffee is good, and the lattes are fantastic as well.

I have ordered a few cakes from here. The tres leches, horchata, vanilla and fresh fruit were ALL delicious! The coffee drinks are tasty too. The pastries, however, are overpriced and underwhelming. I have tried the jamon trenza ($5.99!), corn bread, and guava croissant. The beef verde burrito is way too expensive for what you get at $8.50. The flavor was good, but very small and cold in the middle. Definitely come here for the cakes and coffee. Those are great!

I come work here once or twice a week. The staff is amazing and the coffee is on point. Haven't had any of the pastries but they look epic!

A small bakery/cafe in Santa Monica - it has been a long time favorite. My attraction was the coffee with the additional Mexican hot- chocolate flavors added in. Many pastries- traditional breads, Tres Leches and other styles of cakes- and savory items for any meal of day. I like their burritos for a small lunch or dinner along with a sweet item for dessert and maybe I'll throw in a cool drink like the hibiscus lime-Tajin tea. The sweets do not knock you down with sweetness. They are mellow flavored, many good for coffee dipping like Abuelita taught us. Many options for beverages and packaged items unique to bakery. Good for to-go or to eat in. I always manage to find a street parking spot using the meter or use small lot in back. it is calm enough for you to curl up and study, or you can enjoy in small group with friends. Music is not screaming loud or distracting. Hard working folks here that always give good service and it makes me respect them all the more as it gets close to closing time- give them a break! I highly Recommend!!

Authentic Mexican pastries and drinks. The iced Cafe de Olla was to die for and the con has were good even the day after.

I'm not one to leave reviews often. The place has to be either really good or just really disappointing. In this case I'm truly dissapointed. I was really excited to come here when I found out they had a bakery after seeing their café de Olla at Costco. It makes me proud to see the Latino community represented in a place such as Costco. Maybe my expectations were to high coming here, but I feel they should be . The Santa Monica location is in a prime place, the corner is beautiful and really cute. Walking into the shop my 1st thought was the music is good, but the ambience already felt off. It wasn't as put together as I imagined. I felt like I finally understood what our moms meant when they wouldn't let us out the house until we tucked in our shirts. It was missing something it felt sloppy. The idea is there but it needs to be tightened up. The reason I was ultimately disappointed about this place was the service. I am one to truly appreciate those who serve us and also I am understanding that the work force is rough right now. But geez, I felt like offering my coffee to the lady at the register because she looked like she needed a cup. When I approached the counter she didn't make eye contact, she looked like she was doing something, so I didn't want to interrupt but it took her a long time to acknowledge I was there ready to check out and place an order. Her customer skills were not there, she was also working extremely slow, she didn't smile, she looked like she was annoyed and not to mention everyone else was also working at a very leisure pace with no care in the world. One of the staff looked overwhelmed and stressed. It wasn't a good look. The area where they were making coffee and food looked disorganized and messy. The person bagging orders wasn't doing it with care. I saw food being put into the bags and probably being squished. Overall It didn't feel warm like a coffee shop should feel especially on a Saturday morning. I shouldn't feel my mood going down after a Saturday morning coffee shop run rather I should feel happier and ready to take on the day. I left feeling disappointed. A little about what I picked up. The Iced Horchata de Olla, oh how I was really looking forward to that. It didn't live up to the hype and neither did the Oatchata Agua Fresca. Both of them were watered down and truly a let down. I'll will say though the mini conchas were delicious. The breakfast tacos were good but their prep area needs work. I wish this place would have been a better experience. Other than buying a bag of their coffee at Costco I wouldn't recommend coming to the brick and mortar location unless it's only to grab some mini conchas. There are definitely better options in the area for coffee and an overall coffee shop experience. This review isn't meant to put them down but hopefully entice them tighten up and level up.

We love this small gem--the coffees and other drinks are delicious, the sweets, the savories all wonderful and the staff is friendly and welcoming--all worthy of 5 stars. But the volume of the music makes it so hard to enjoy it all. It's hard to hear someone sitting just inches away from you! When we very politely asked to have the volume lowered, we were told that the staff has no control over it! The customers' comfort should mean something; The ambiance is unwelcoming. And the sound level should never be something the working staff cannot alter.