MONARCA

The vibe of the restaurant was amazing. The music takes you on an adventure like your traveling and then paired with the food. The flavors were phenomenal. We got the ceviche, light and citrusy. And the salmon w/ chorizo. The salmon was cooked so perfectly, and layered on a corn salad. The bistec ranchera was also just as delicious served with warm tortillas, almost like eating in your abuelitas kitchen.

I’ve visited Monarca a couple of times, and overall, I’ve enjoyed the experience. The presentation of the dishes is excellent—thoughtful and elegant. The ceviche is tasty, and the food in general is quite good and satisfying, though the prices are a bit on the higher side. It’s a great option if you’re looking to try Mexican dishes with a gourmet twist. Their cocktails are also very well made, both in flavor and presentation. The space itself is a bit small and can get somewhat noisy during peak hours, but the atmosphere is stylish and well-decorated, giving it a modern, upscale feel. Service on both of my visits was relatively pleasant, with no major complaints. Another detail to keep in mind is that there’s a private parking lot right across the street, which makes access easier. In summary, Monarca is a solid choice if you’re in the mood for elevated Mexican cuisine in a beautiful setting. I’d recommend it for a more dressed-up outing—perfect for a special dinner or a stylish evening with friends.

A very upscale Mexican restaurant, had poblano chicken legs and the birra tacos. The slightly deconstructed poblano chicken dish was amazing. Poblano Chili's and cream sauce were very good. Tacos were amazing, there's tortillas were perfect. Slightly expensive for slc, but very very good food for this town. Worth it! 11/24 Okay 2nd round. Had ceviche, soup, and carne asada. Ceviche was amazing, shrimp were firm, very well balanced, thats a theme here. I would suggest jalapeños on the side if you want it more spicy, but not needed. Greens were perfect, not wilted. The kicker was the tostados, omg. The deep corn flavor, crunchy with firm shrimp and the lime w/ avacados, it like does a yin yang thing, you cannot descibe it. As I'm writing this, Alfanso, the chef just talked to me. Such a humble guy. He loves what he does, it shows. Tortilla soup, first words: delicate, with bumps of flavor. The broth was subtle, when you taste it, its slow, not like a thick heavy soup, but a wow I keep tasting it over and over. The chicken might have been cotton candy, just melted, the cheese and small bites made for a different taste eveytime you take a bite, so good Lastly carne asada. Ill just say wow, I only eat prime beef but this melted like wagu. No need for a knife. Seasoning was perfect, you tasted beef beef, then the slightly spices, green sauce balanced with the grilled lemon(very good with the fat) was perfect, but the corn/cheese/Chile combo was divine. The sweet corn w sweated onion and poblano worked so well. Oh portions are huge imo, but I eat here for the quality My mouth is happy. Thanks Alfonso

It didn't start well, no servers came to our table for the first 12-15 minutes, maybe they had staff shortage that night, as the bartender was the one taking care of us in the end, we were very close to leaving, and I'm glad we didn't. The food was de-li-cious. The octopus tacos were amazing. The mole was outstanding, may be one of the best I've had. My wife loved her halibut with zucchini blossom cream, which is a coveted thing in Mexican cuisine. The churros were crisp and delicious. We liked it so much that we called the chef/owner just to meet him and congratulate him, he gave us a nice little story about the mole. The service ramped up eventually, so may have been a one-off thing, and the only other thing that may need a little improvement is the cocktails, but again, the food was fantastic. Look for this place if you find yourself in Salt Lake City.

Very nice restaurant, food was wonderful and service was also very good, our waitress was very nice. The owner chef and his wife came out and talk to the guess, that is so nice to see and experience. Is a almost lost custom, he came to us and talk for a while. Really nice dinning experience. Looking foward another opportunity to visit SLC, he mention he will be open a new restaurant, fusión of asian peruvian.

Excellent food. One of the best Mexican restaurants I've been to in SLC. I ordered the rib-eye and bone marrow tacos and they were amazing! The steak was perfectly cooked and the bone marrow was creamy as can be. While the menu did not mention it, I think the bone marrow was topped with parmesan cheese. I wished the amount of bone marrow was greater but the flavor combination was great! The ceviche was also delicious. Simple, but flavorful. The jamaica agua fresco was also great. A bit too sweet for my taste but very refreshing. The queso fundido with carne asada is the best queso fundido I've had in a long time. Again, simple but full of flavor. Cheese, Pico de gallo and carne asada. Eat with the flour tortillas or chips. Either way it's amazing. I will be visiting again try more of their menu. The 4 stars in atmosphere is due to having small tables. There where four people in our party and it was hard to fit everything on the table. A bit uncomfortable.

Amazing plates! Contemporary atmosphere with delicious plates and great service. We ordered the Pescado A La Talla (Grilled fish) and Elote, ended it off with Americanos and Churros. The second time we got the Soupa de Tortilla and Birria Tacos.

I rarely leave 1-star reviews, but this experience unfortunately "secure" it—not because of the food, but due to how the staff handled a serious incident. I visited this restaurant with a group of 12 colleagues, including coworkers and managers. While parking was a bit of a hassle, I opted for garage parking and looked forward to a good meal. I ordered the Tacos Birria. However, when our food arrived, the server accidentally spilled my entire dish on me. The hot birria sauce drenched my shirt, jeans, socks, and shoes. Thankfully, I was wearing loose jeans and was able to pull the fabric away from my thigh, minimizing the burn, but it was still painful. I had to go to the restroom to clean up, and a coworker helped me wash what we could. I returned to the table soaked and sat through the rest of dinner that way—about two hours—because I didn’t want to ruin the rare occasion of our team dining together. The manager did come over to apologize, offering a $25 gift card, which I used to pay for dinner, and a complimentary dessert. While I appreciated the apology, the gesture didn’t come close to making up for the damage. My jeans alone cost more than $150, my shirt $50, and my shoes $300—not to mention the inconvenience and discomfort of being soaked and burned in my thigh during the entire meal. I'm also traveling for work, staying at a hotel with no laundry facilities, and I won’t have access to laundry until the weekend. This is the only pair of shoes I brought. With $25, I think I can get a new pair of socks. While I understand accidents happen and didn’t want to make a scene (not single word or attitude during my diner), I expected a much better response from an upscale restaurant. Some of my coworkers expressed their disappointment with how the situation was handled. The food itself was good and nicely presented, but given the circumstances, won’t be returning for sure.

You HAVE to order their ceviche. It was by far the best thing we ordered. Great location and service as well.

We love the food here, nothing disappoints. My husband had a dish that reminded him so much of his grandmothers cooking, he almost cried. Very authentic and our server Bryan was top tier.

Monarca is amazing! From the service, to the food and decor. We've been here 5 times and have loved it so much. We recommend this place over and over again to all of our friends. If you want good yummy food with great service this is the place to check out. Every time our friends want to do birthday dinners we have suggested this place as it is close to everything such as bars after a great dinner. The drinks at Monarca are so delicious. The price is great for the food and service.

The vibe of this restaurant is super cool and unique. Definitely recommend making a reservation since the wait times can get long. Our server was friendly and did a good job overall, but he didn't refill our drinks which would've been nice, though to be fair, it was a busy Saturday night. We went with a group of friends and the food did not disappoint! Half of us got the shrimp tacos and OH MY GOD, they were amazing. The fried cheese, the sauce, the tortillas, the shrimp, everything was so delicious. My husband and a friend had the enchiladas and really enjoyed them too. One friend tried the rib eye tacos and didn't love them as much, but overall everyone was really happy with their meals. It was also great to see they have solid gluten-free options, which made it easy for two of our friends.

I really wanted to love this place because the vibes are soooo cool! Every time I walk by, there are a lot of people in a lively atmosphere. The building had a really cool open concept and the brick is stunning. I went with a group of friends and we were all really excited. The server asked if we wanted any appetizers and we said no. He then asked if we wanted chips for the table and we said yes and he said great I'll bring two for the table. Chips and salsa are not listed on the menu and the server didn't mention there was a cost. When he brought of the check he let us know he added them on there. I don't mind paying for the chips and salsa but it felt really weird that they offered them and selected how many for us without indicating we would be charged. For the prices they charge, it felt kind of corny to trick us into paying for something rather than just having it on the menu. The shrimp tacos were incredible. I'd give them a big 5/5. The rib eye tacos were good but not great. The bone marrow was delicious. The Diet Coke was just okay, but the guava pisco sour drink was really good! Overall, it is a fun atmosphere and the food is yummy. The service was okay. I probably won't be back, but its def a fun option for upscale Mexican food

Monarca is quite the experience! We loved the Birria tacos they had a crunchy shell and the most tender flavorful meat inside. It came with pickled onions and cheese on top which was perfect! Enchiladas were incredible as well! The drinks! Wow! So incredible the detail and decor on each cocktail is spectacular. Definitely order the chocolate cake it comes on this cool stone plate, and has so many gooey layers! Our server kaylie was such a bubbly, fun server so happy we had her.

I celebrated my birthday here. Loved the food, service and atmosphere. Solid fine dining Mexican food. Particularly liked their ceviche and Pollo en mole, chicken is perfectly cooked and mole is delicious. We also ordered the lamp rank and the steak special, which is good but can be flavored better. Server also gave me a birthday desert(ice cream and churros) ! Overall, a very satisfying experience, will be back to try out other dishes.

We were in Salt Lake on business and ended up coming here twice in the same week we liked it that much. The menu had so many interesting options that it was hard to choose, from "basic" or familiar Mexican dishes like chicken enchiladas to the more elevated fare like halibut cooked in a zucchini blossom sauce. I strongly recommend the lamb in mole over rice, or (if you're on a tighter budget) the gooey, drippy birria tacos, omg. Good service, amazingly fresh and flavorful ingredients. I do think it's a bit overly expensive--be prepared that most of the main entrees are above $30 apiece. I wasn't wowed by the house margarita but did very much enjoy their paloma, served in a big ol' terra cotta cup. Seems to fill up on the weekends (understandably) but wasn't very busy on a weeknight Monday.

Overpriced Mexican! That alone isn't a bad thing, but the quality wasn't there for what they were trying to be. The chips and salsa they brought out was absolutely flavorless, and everyone dining agreed. I ordered the Halibut which was served on some hot peppers (I think poblanos) which made the Bottom super spicy. The Halibut was also pretty dry with the exception of 1/3 of the middle of it. I picked at it but it wasn't good. If you like your fish well done, then maybe it's your cup of tea. The Queso Fundido was amazing though. I'd totally just get that next time. The guacamole was also pretty good, but again, pricey. Maybe it's because Salt Lake City is far from Mexico (and uphill?). I don't think I'd come here again when in SLC. If I did, I'd stick to appetizers and the basics.

Monarca was such a fun spot to eat! The atmosphere is lively with welcoming staff and the food definitely doesn't disappoint. The ceviche was really fresh and packed with flavor. Their cocktails are also yummy and pair well with the dishes. We also tried the Cochinita Pibil, which was tender and delicious. There was plenty to eat and we ended up having to take some to go and it was just as good later. The flavors were spot on, and we definitely left satisfied. We're already planning our next visit to try the huitlacoche--it sounds amazing, and after how great everything else was, we're excited to see what else the menu has to offer.

Our meal here was just ok. I always wonder about high end Mexican. What are they going to do to elevate what is usually perfect at a much lower price point? Monarca's answer is not much. The food was decent. Granted we didn't try anything outrageous. It just isn't as good as the price point suggests. You want your enchilada to have a little cheese pull with each bite. You can see here that these enchiladas are not such. The sauce looks vibrant but the flavors fell flat. My companion ordered the grilled salad and said it was incredible.

I rarely leave 1-star reviews, but this experience unfortunately "secure" it--not because of the food, but due to how the staff handled a serious incident. I visited this restaurant with a group of 12 colleagues, including coworkers and managers. While parking was a bit of a hassle, I opted for garage parking and looked forward to a good meal. I ordered the Tacos Birria. However, when our food arrived, the server accidentally spilled my entire dish on me. The hot birria sauce drenched my shirt, jeans, socks, and shoes. Thankfully, I was wearing loose jeans and was able to pull the fabric away from my thigh, minimizing the burn, but it was still painful. I had to go to the restroom to clean up, and a coworker helped me wash what we could. I returned to the table soaked and sat through the rest of dinner that way--about two hours--because I didn't want to ruin the rare occasion of our team dining together. The manager did come over to apologize, offering a $25 gift card, which I used to pay for dinner, and a complimentary dessert. While I appreciated the apology, the gesture didn't come close to making up for the damage. My jeans alone cost more than $150, my shirt $50, and my shoes $300--not to mention the inconvenience and discomfort of being soaked and burned in my thigh during the entire meal. I'm also traveling for work, staying at a hotel with no laundry facilities, and I won't have access to laundry until the weekend. This is the only pair of shoes I brought. With $25, I think I can get a new pair of socks. While I understand accidents happen and didn't want to make a scene (not single word or attitude during my diner), I expected a much better response from an upscale restaurant. Some of my coworkers expressed their disappointment with how the situation was handled. The food itself was good and nicely presented, but given the circumstances, won't be returning for sure.

Seriously what an amazing find...I'd probably walked by this place a million times but never popped in, until last night. And wow. Crazy good drinks (like the best Paloma I've ever had), the food was phenomenal, and top-tier service (our server, T-named female, Trinity I think) took really good care of us. I can't say it with enough emphasis, this place beat every one of my expectations. Will 1000% be back.

Kylie is an awesome waitress! Cocktails and food are excellent! Tacos and margaritas are great! Had avocado and ceviche apps, so good'

The Monarca has some impressive staff. They worked diligently to provide seamless service. From my visit, it appears this place was a local favorite. Many large parties (12+, such as ours) were gathered for their Mexican American cuisine. I had the halibut, which looked great on the online menu. The white fish was a little tougher than I would like. A coworker who ordered the same thing, also agreed. The fish might have been cooked 2-3 minutes too long. It might have happened when they were trying to get our orders out at the same time, but were a tad unsuccessful. The zucchini flower sauce was a little too mellow for my taste. I think it needed a typical acid. Overall, I still thought the presentation was nice. My espresso martini was delicious. No complaints there!

Malcolm was our waiter. If I could import him to St. Louis, I would. His knowledge of the drinks and food menu was second to none. His recommendations were spot on. We were absolutely in awe of the presentation of every item we received, from the margaritas to the main entree. As our friend Chris said "this is not your typical Mexican restaurant".

Monarca never disappoints with upscale Mexican cuisine and beautiful plating. Fun wine list with unique Mexican wines. Highly recommend the halibut on an unctuous and silky squash blossom sauce. Service was excellent.

Malcolm Anderson was a stellar waiter. he made great recommendations, he was enlightening. He was respectful and knew the menu.He could suggest great options and he made our dining experience. Incredible. The food was incredible. The atmosphere was incredible, but Malcolm topped it all off. We will be back!

This is My first time here at Monarca and I was very happy and shocked by the way everything looked. The food looked amazing and the portions were a perfect size and the way it was presented amazingly. The Servers are really nice and I love how police and kind they are and the way they are respectful makes it even better. The Ambiance is perfect it feels like your somewhere in a island or at a really fancy restaurant and the way the tables, chairs, and the way the decorations look are amazing and I'm glad I came here. I recommend this place to anyone who's in the mood for delicious food and awesome Drinks 5 Stars Hands Down!

We dined at Monarca for the first time yesterday and it was great that they take reservations online so we had a reserved table before heading to a show. The place has a lively decor and fun atmosphere and colorful dishes. Personal pet peeve but they still have QR codes on the tables for the menu so you have to scan to get the menu which then focuses your attention on your mobile phone instead of the friends your dining with. I really dislike this. We ordered the guacamole to start. It was fresh, flavorful and colorful with assorted veggies and came with chips in a small cereal bowl. For $14 I was disappointed with the small amount of chips as we had lots of guac left but no more chips. No problem our server gladly brought us more chips and added $3 to our tab for refilling the chips. They also have a full bar so we could enjoy some adult libations with our meal. The menu has a wide variety of items. We ordered the Pollo en Mole, Birria Tacos and the Fish Tacos. They all came out looking amazing and the taste matched the amazing appearance. The portion was satisfying and everything was very fresh. I'd love to go back again and try more items on the menu as it was hard to decide what to try on our first visit. Located downtown so parking can be challenging with either a mix of street parking (paid) or a nearby garage.

The food is amazing and the ambiance is perfect. The best part of our experience was our server. Josh was so personable and professional. He had great recommendations and checked on us regularly. It was so nice to feel like a cared for customer. We can't wait to go back!

Was in SLC for a night on the town with the girls! Our friend that lives nearby said she loved this place. We ordered elote and chocolate cake to share and a variety of other plates. Fish Tacos, Birra Tacos, Tacos Mar Y Tierra and Enchiladas. The elote and the chocolate cake were amazing, one-salty tangy and sweet, the other-moist with a deep bitter sweet flavor. The other dishes were rated with a various state of enjoyment. For one, my Tacos Mar Y Tierra were delish but I wished the guacamole was more flavorful but the tenderness of the carne asada made up for it. A few of the dishes came with rice and we also ordered a side of beans as well but weren't very impressed by them. The location was filled with beautiful evening light and was full of fun textures and finishes. Our waitress was excellent and the food service was speedy. Definitely a place for special occasions. The older couple near us asked how we liked it and only good things were said. Same with another gentleman on the street when we were passing by.

The food is decent but way overpriced for what it is. They also charge for a small chips and salsa, but fail to mention that when asking if they can bring it for the table. Would not go back.

We were sad to *finally* dine at Monarca and find it so delightful for our final meal as foodies of SLC. It's a lively, airy joint with friendly, competent service and soulful fare. I don't drink, but I love a fancy zero proof cocktail, and their hibiscus margarita was pow, tasty, right in the kisser. Service was prompt, warm, and expertly navigated a problem with our carne asada (which was ultimately divine). I don't know when we'll be in Salt Lake again, but I would make it a point to visit Monarca, and you should, too.

Food was incredible. Table of 11 and our server Angela was attentive and great! Literally no complaints. These are the mole chicken enchiladas with the honey lemon mocktail!

I really wanted this place to be good. Great location and decent service. However, The ribeye and bone marrow tacos were such a let down. Toughest ribeye I have ever had. It came out COVERED in onions. Like a blanket for the dry meat. And the "seasoned" bone marrow lacked flavor. Michelada mix was great! Had a good spice to it. Enchiladas Suiza was good but could've used more sauce. Chicken was kind of bland/dry. Ceviche was decent. I spent $250 for 4 people and I don't think I'll be back.

Birria tacos were excellent! Pickled onions made the difference. Server was very attentive, didn't hover. Checked on us after appetizer, and after meal.

The food was delicious! I had the birria tacos, and my friend tried the fish tacos. While I might be a bit of a birria taco connoisseur (hence the 4 stars), they were still quite enjoyable. The salsas were fantastic, and the staff was incredibly friendly and attentive. A great experience overall!

Good but 34$ for a 6 oz piece of halibut, some corn and sauce is bonkers then they serve it on the wrong side of a bowl? Im only eating here if someone else is paying and im still pushing them to other restaurants instead.

I'd really give this a 3.5 overall. It was very busy when I arrived and I dined solo, so I sat at the bar. I was fine with that. I do think this is a higher priced Mexican restaurant. The vibe is cool with music but it seemed like not one of the employees smiled. It was busy but even during interactions, they looked very somber. It took a little bit to get my water and drink. I had asked for some chips and salsa when I ordered my plate and next thing you know, my tacos were there. I didn't ask for the chips at that point, since I had my meal. The tacos were great and chicken was very juicy which was surprising for the tacos. The plantains were perfectly cooked! I was pleased with the food but giving my boat a 3.5 because the staff did not seem happy to be there at all. And they missed my chips & salsa... which in my opinion should be a given at any style Mexican restaurant, not added to the menu when the prices are already higher.

Great salmon- and so beautifully presented, too. The ceviche was okay. Maybe for the locals, the ceviche is something special- I was unimpressed. The tortilla chips that came with the ceviche was stale. The appetizer chips were awfully stale and hard. The salsa (both green and red) was tasty! I loved the customer service- talk about an ELITE host & waitress. She was great. She told us all about the story of how this restaurant started and a little background about the owners and the exciting news of it opening a location in the airport. That was a really neat part of our experience here. I wish I remembered her name. The seats here are pretty flimsy, the silverware was not clean, the bathroom was truly disgusting- with the price points of the menu I almost expected a higher end experience and I'm kind of sad my "nice" dinner option during my travels here to SLC didn't really do that for me.

Food was great and beautifully presented. Staff was short, due to No shows, but life happens. The staff that was there hustled to care for all patrons.

Food (3/5) - Got the chicken mole enchilada. Mole sauce was a little too much sugar and covered up the cinnamon flavour, but the chicken quality was solid, melt in your mouth texture. Price (4/5) - A little more expensive for the Salt Lake area but pretty large portions. We shared a dish, it came with two enchiladas. Service (3/5) - Prompt and waitstaff were generally quite friendly, though once you finished your food, they prompted us to pay. Though the restaurant got quite busy by 6:30pm.

First time in Utah and had an amazing meal before leaving to the airport. Jojo the bartender and waiter, Made this experience Great, he had great recommendation was very welcoming, and you can tell he pays attention to detail to make sure everyone has a good experience. I would recommended and come back.

Monarca is our favorite elevated Mexican restaurant around. Their menu never misses. If you're looking for a fun date night look no further than Monarca. The staff will help you decide on what to order if you're unsure. They also have a delicious drink and dessert menu. Eat at Monarca and thank me later!

I really want to leave a 5 star review but the experience here left much to be desired. We arrived early for our 8 pm reservation and sat by the door waiting for our table. The man that greeted us was wonderful. You can tell he hustles and cares a lot about his job. The music was great, I love Latino music. Lots of bad bunny. After that things went somewhat downhill. We got seated at a table that had track lighting from above pointed directly at our faces. No one wants to eat a nice meal with a Spotlight on your face. There was a salsa splattered card with a QR code on it at our table. The waiter came to get our drinks. We realized at this point that we wouldn't get a physical menu and scrambled to pull up the digital menu. The drinks were good, no complaints there. But a little communication about the menu would have been great. We ordered the ceviche appetizer and got chips and salsa. The waiter asked if we wanted side plates for our ceviche. We said yes. The ceviche was delicious but our side plates never came. Next we ordered dinner. The item my husband wanted was out since yesterday. Again, a little communication would have been nice since now we had to go back to the crappy digital menu. He got the birria tacos and I got the chicken mole enchiladas. Both were delicious. No complaints there. Also the bathrooms were gross, and there was no toilet paper in the stalls, people were using paper towels. I will try this place again on a less busy night, because the food was really good. And the waitstaff was doing their best, they just seemed overwhelmed. And I will call to request a table by the windows to avoid the lighting issue. Hopefully I can update this review with 5 stars next time!

This menu is small but mighty! Our server was great, very helpful and gave great recommendations. Also the cocktails here are FIRE! We came at noon and needed a pick me up so our server recommended the Spanish version of an espresso martini -- so good, just forgot the name. It's in one of the pictures I uploaded. We had an empanada sampler for an appetizer and they were delicious and fresh. The breading reminded me like tamales. My husband has the salmon tacos and they were flavorful and not dry. Came with a black bean tortilla. I had the rib eye taco with the bone marrow -- probably the best taco I've ever had. So so so good!

I'm only one person, so I know me not going there won't impact much but I'll make sure to NEVER suggest this place to anyone anymore. I honestly do not know why I chose this place over a REAL AUTHENTIC Mexican restaurant. Maybe because I live in the city so it was more of a convenience. Anyway, the prices are ridiculous for what they are selling you. I can tell you all in all honesty, that you are being ripped off. A molcajete was priced at almost $100?!! WTF! Those usually run about $40 at real authentic Mexican restaurants. So aside of being ripped off let's talk about the service here. My server was named Kayla I think. She seemed a bit pushy trying to sell alcohol drinks and appetizers to me and my family. I ordered a regular coke but when she brought out the coke....she brought me a bottle of Mexican coke. Which I did not ask for and when I asked her "why did you bring me this kind of coke when I asked for just regular coke". Her answer was "oh well, sometimes our syrup and carbonation doesn't really work so like the soda sometimes tastes weird". I've worked in restaurants before and if this is the current situation with your carbonate drinks, you tell the customer so that they can make that decision and you not assume that they would like to pay extra for an overpriced Mexican Coke bottle. As I sat there, I over heard her asking the table next to me what they would like to drink. She then proceeded to tell them "we have Coke products, starts naming the list and at the end says WE ALSO HAVE Mexican Coke that is bottled". WEIRD, because she didn't tell me that when I was ordering my drink. Also NOT ONCE did she tell that table that the carbonation was off or the syrup sometimes tastes weird. She took their order and brought them regular coke. Ummmm wonder why she was up charging me???? I know that this is something small but all it takes is for something small like this to ruin your whole experience. Food was alright but service always plays a big part in dinning experience and if that is ruined by a server trying to secretly up charge you......I think that is when I decided this is not a business I want to support any longer. I'll be driving a little further out to real authentic Mexican restaurants, where the food is not over priced, the service is transparent and the ambiance is welcoming to the Mexican culture. Ps. You know it's not really an authentic Mexican restaurant when they don't even realize that May 10th is Mexican Mother's Day and they just ruined that evening for you and your mother.

5 stars any day of the week. Come here often, located on 3rd and State-ish - walking distance from my office and never experienced a wait. However, the place is usually full! The Birria tacos are awesome. You can drown anything in their consome. s/p Service has never been less than great, and food always comes out quick. I've ordered the guacamole and queso fondido as appetizer during my visits and queso is the clear winner. The guacamole could have lime juice and other spices added to taste a bit better but still good. Already looking forward to my next visit. Oh - Tuesdays have specials on their tacos, and allows you get a taste of everything.

This place was AMAZING! We came here for a family celebration and everyone was so happy! Three of us ordered the tacos pictured and we all loved them! We had a couple other taco orders and one carne asada order. Everything was DELICIOUS!! The churros at the end of the night really stole the show. You MUST order them when coming here. They were so good i couldn't get a picture before they were all gone. The only thing against this place is I wish our server was more attentive. We had to flag them down when we needed things and it took a while to get our requested items. Also they would leave before we finished talking so if they would have checked in more that would have been the icing on the cake.

Looking for another date night option in Salt Lake City? I've found the PERFECT one! Meet Monarca in downtown SLC. You may have seen them before due to their viral nitrogen infused margaritas - but let me tell you they have SO many amazing dishes. We started with one of the more unique elote dishes I've ever had - it is a classic base but was topped with sweet popcorn! It was absolutely delicious and is now the only way I want to eat elote! It gives it that perfect crunch! We obviously also got the table side margaritas - this one was a pineapple base and we liked to refer to it as our "adule dole-whip"! Definitely is a splurge but was soooo worth it! As for our entrees, we went with the chicken tortilla soup, pollo en mole & Huitlacoche Quesadilla. Every single one was absolutely delicious and soooo flavorful! But the Chicken tortilla soup was the real shock of the night. It was packed with ingredients and every spoonful was even better than the last. I would go back just for that alone on any given night! Plus is was absolutely MASSIVE and only $10! The restaurant itself is pretty new, they have only been open a few years but I really feel like the have created such a unique and fun spot! It's perfect for date night, drinks out with friends or a great spot for lunch! I definitely recommend checking it out!

Fantastic belated Valentine's dinner tonight at Monarca!! All of the staff was super friendly and attentive! It was a very chill relaxing vibe, which I thoroughly enjoyed after a long day at work. The complimentary chips and salsa were great! Perfect portion for two people. I started with the margarita of the day and my husband had his traditional Diet Coke. I got the octopus tacos which were delicious!! I'd never had octopus before and was happy with my decision!! My husband got the fish taco of the day which was corvina (a fish neither of us had heard of) but he definitely enjoyed!! For dessert I got the Old Fashioned to drink which was really cool and unique from other Old Fashioneds I've had. Fun smoky flavor! The only slight disappointment was the chocflan dessert. It was the regular flan I think on top of a rather tasteless chocolate cake. We just peeled the flan off, which was really good and left the cake behind. I would definitely come back for other special occasions!! Lots of tasty menu items and nice vibe. Would just stick to the regular flan for dessert or maybe try the churros.

This was my second time at Monarca--last year was great, but things have definitely gone downhill. Our group of 8 waited over an hour to be served, meals came out 10+ minutes apart, orders were wrong, and staff didn't seem to care. Food wasn't good. Over $500 spent--very disappointing.

A bit pricey but definitely worth it if someone else is paying. The service was very good. The ambiance is typical of a popular downtown eatery. Loud and fun. The food is exciting eclectic take on Mexican food. Lobster tacos. Hibiscus tortillas. They have a full bar.

You know when you want something and it just appears in front of you... I was in downtown for the Utah Blues Festival ( AMAZING!!) .... I'm not from there, so I didn't know where to go... im craving Mexican food ..walk across the street & ...... Jasiel behind the bar was FABULOUS!! He's friendly, the bar is comfortable & let me just tell you. . . . . One of the top 5 Margaritas I've ever had!!!! ( let's just say, I'm not young so I've had my share!) It truly was amazing & THEN.... they had octopus tacos!!!! I will say this.. the octopus was cooked perfect... very tender, just could have used more flavor. However, those tortillas.... AMAZING!! Homemade, so soft, almost melt in your mouth!! So, GO is what I'm saying!!! GO!!! I saw some of the food being served around me.... looked sooo good!! Thank you, Jasiel.. Next year I'll be back!!

Beautiful upscale casual dining experience. BEAUTIFUL drinks. I love the garnish and thought put into the drinks. My personal favorite was the Paloma, highly recommend! We did have tacos dorados as an appetizer to go with our drinks. It was good, but nothing special about it. Service was great. Our waiter was super sweet, knowledgeable, and attentive. Overall, I would recommend this place.

Great modern twist on Mexican food. A place everyone needs to try. Would definitely go again if I get the opportunity.

Nothing wrong with it but wasn't super memorable? I had halibut tacos and some of the bites were excellent while some were flat.

Great food and service! Our food came out within 10 min of ordering and was all so good! We loved the queso, carnitas, and tacos mar y Tierra. All so good and huge portion sizes. Will be back!