Monarch

How come I didn’t know about this place?! Monarch Restaurant located inside Zaza Hotel, is a hidden gem 💎 by the Museum District, perfect location for such a beautiful restaurant. They have valet and friendly hotel hosts that welcome you at your arrival. Monarch staff is attentive and knowledgeable. This restaurant is famous for their Lamb Lollipops, and this is one of my favorites dishes, I have had Lamb Lollipops in many other restaurants, but these blew my mind away! With crushed pistachios and feta cheese, this one of the items they will forever keep, absolutely delicious! We also had pizza, very good as well. The restaurant is beautifully decorated, there is so much art in every corner, definitely a charming place for a date, happy hour or business diner. You will not regret dining here!

Had a wonderful birthday celebration dinner here with my daughter and my cousin. Food was good and the server was great. I forgot his name and I hate that because I like to give recognition properly. He was a younger tall guy with blonde hair. He was kind, very attentive, patient and had a wonderful personality. If the restaurant see this and knows who I'm referring to please let him know how wonderful he was. We were there til almost closing the night of Dec 29, 2025 if that helps narrow down who was scheduled that night.

Excuse me, this is by far, one of my favorite Hotels due to its elegant and vintage design. The Monarch also adds a nice touch to aesthetics, offering delicious food & a soft dining experience. My favorite feature is the grand piano room that accompanies a crystal chandelier hanging center over—there also happens to be framed art throughout, giving it a unique museum feel The food and drinks served at the Monarch are tasty, their lamb lollipops and salad are my favorite! I literally have no complaints—as this is one of my go to restaurants

We popped in for just 1 round of cocktails for the 3 of us. The drinks are impressive, upscale & pricey. Definitely worth the ambiance & the location! Beautiful presentation & excellent service!

I had such an amazing experience at Monarch Restaurant. From the moment I walked in, the atmosphere felt upscale yet inviting, the kind of place that makes you want to linger and enjoy every detail. The staff were attentive and friendly they really made the afternoon special. The menu is outstanding, carefully curated, full of rich flavors and fresh ingredients. Our order felt intentional and beautifully presented.

Austin C was THE BEST server I've encountered potentially ever. This man surprised me with what I wanted before I even knew I wanted it! He went over and above from the moment we sat down. Without knowing it, Austin created an experience I won't forget from my recent trip to Austin. Thank you sir. Your service was sublime! Oh yeah... Food was excellent too. Almost forgot because we were so taken a back by Austin. 😂

i came by around 10 pm since i needed a place to sit while waiting for my dad to pick me up. i had two waiters josé and judith. i also talked to the manager, who heard about my situation. i was given a burger and fries even though i said i couldn't afford to buy anything here, because josé asked if i was hungry. i mostly wanted to eat fries but josé said i could still order a burger. it was really big, so i'm going to share it with my sister at home. my second waiter judith brought me to the terrace when the bar area was getting too loud (a party was going on at the bar area). then she walked me to my dad's car when she saw me getting up to leave with the takeout bag. even if i can't afford anything here, i would go here again if i'm in the museum district because the staff is very nice. i plan on getting my license soon so i don't end up stranded in houston again. i liked the fries here.

I really enjoyed my first experience at Monarch! Exquisite interior design that fits neatly inside the Zaza Hotel featuring delectable dishes. The Feast of the King (elk chop) is delicious.

The Monarch is attached to Hotel ZaZa and is a very solid spot for food. With a $40 drink credit and a $50 Breakfast credit (package deal with a stay at the ZaZa) it was a win for sure....my very first Dark Chocolate Espresso Martini and I could get used to these...just delious....GD picked the Pineapple Nojito and the wife had a draft beer...staff was super friendly and restaurant in general was very upscale. Breakfast the next morning was next level. Wife had the All American Breakfast...had to be more than 2 eggs, plate was huge...bacon was superb...GD had the Pancakes...super fluffy and delicious ...I have the Loaded Breakfast Skillet...and it was definitely loaded...Have it on the radar to hit this place for dinner even if we don't stay at ZaZa.

We spent a fair amount of time here the last time were were in town. This place is great to meet up with people, have a drink or a meal.

The location is great ! It's directly across from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston after a day of fine art, this was perfect. The decor is modern and classy, we chose to sit outside .. which is also beautiful. The food is fresh and delicious ! Honestly the chicken was fried but flavorful and juicy. The greens were fresh the drink was delicious & strong. The service was good, fast and courteous!

My wife and I were staying at the Hotel Zaza Houston Museum District and while there enjoyed two meals at the Monarch Bistro which had a visually beautiful appeal. Our first meal was dinner where I ordered the Pan-Roasted Redfish with sautéed spinach and mushrooms with a glass of white wine. The atmosphere here is on the upper scale so recommend business casual attire. The staff was extremely nice and friendly. The redfish arrived and presented nicely. The fish tasted very delicious for it had tremendous flavor and cooked perfectly. The mushrooms and spinach complimented it very well. Next up was brunch and was less busy where I ordered a cup of coffee and the Bacon, Egg & Cheese Sandwich. The coffee tasted as if made using a French press. The staff was once again very friendly and my meal once again presented very nicely. I enjoyed this breakfast sandwich where all the ingredients from the eggs, cheese, bacon, and bun tasted really good with breakfast potatoes on the side. Overall I was very impressed with our meals.

Went for a family birthday brunch. Restaurant was very nice, clean and luxurious. Service was quick and servers were very nice! Shoutout ro Krysten! The food however was disappointing. The lobster bisque was unacceptable. It had no flavor, a watery consistency and an odd color. The bacon on the American breakfast was extremely hard and the fingerling potatoes needed more than just salt and pepper. The portions were plentiful though. The only saving grace was the caesar salad, the dressing was exceptional!

First off I want to say our server was really good. He came and checked on us and explained the menu very well even with the drinks. So nothing but good things to say about our server. We ordered the Bourbon Brioche French Toast, The Lamb Lollipops, and the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl. The French Toast had a really good flavor to them and texture was nice. The Lamb Lollipops had this peppered honey drizzle sauce that had me wishing they had this as a main course! Now when it comes to the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl it just wasn't it. I really love poke and was disappointed in my bowl the flavor was just off. That was really my only complaint. I would try something else there if I go back. The place it self is a nice little social spot and has a room in the back for events.

First off, whoever is the interior decorator for Monarch & Hotel Zaza needs a dang raise because the restaurant and hotel decor is so fun and maximalist. I love just walking around and taking all the art in. Great vibes - perfect for a date night or brunch with friends. The cocktails are expensive but super delicious. The food menu is expansive and seems to offer something for everyone. The waitstaff/bartenders are friendly and quick with orders. On a nice evening, I would recommend sitting on the covered patio. They do have valet, but I personally recommend the street parking on Caroline and Binz street (free after 6pm!). Fun vibe, unique themed cocktails, decadent menu choices, and great aesthetics - what more could you ask for in the age of Instagram? I will always recommend Monarch & Hotel Zaza

This used to be my go-to spot when I worked in TMC now I only frequent when I stay at the hotel. The food is so good! I had the Oatmeal in the morning and the absolutely delicious Shrimp and corn bisque for lunch. I opted for the veggie omelette the next day and it did not disappoint. Service is on point. Our waiter patient with us when ordering as we were too busy talking to make a selection. I sat outside on the enclosed patio which was nice and cool. It gives Miami day drinking vibes. Lol. Don't plan on parking your own car. It's a valet only hotel unless you can find precious street parking but the upside is you get to walk through their beautiful dimly lit lobby. I love all the art work into the hotel and restaurant. I highly recommend this place especially if you're staying at the hotel.

Stayed at the Zaza Hotel for work and the Monarch was convenient to have breakfast and dinner. Menu had a variety of choices. Service seemed as if they were busy and if you needed something there was a wait for refills to your coffee

This restaurant is right off the lobby of the hotel. It is very different than you would expect from hotel food. Very complex flavors, very nice variety, very savory. The drink menu is very unique and the bar always hopping. Wine list is very high end as well. Very dark inside and personally would recommend outside dining if available.

Overall this place was amazing! The jalapeño calamari was delicious and the lamb lollipops I had were a 50/10 hands down the best flavors !!!! Service was good always checking on us and if you enjoy the ambience of a restaurant then make sure you stop by.

Very cool little spot to spend a few hours catching g up over some good food and drinks. Outdoor space is perfect with some ambiance and space heaters to make sure you are not too cold. Service is good, drinks are ok and the food is pretty delicious. Also their breakfast portion sizes are enormous

They serve food now, the staff is nice and service is good. The ambiance is very nice! Great place for a date and dress up and enjoy A must check out. The live music is good. It's a middle age crowd that's the fun night! On a few occasions their was a family come in with a large group of cheerleaders seeming underage or barely legal you definitely could tell they didn't have a clue about clubbing. Out of common respect you do not drink while dancing or stand on dance floor with drinks. They we're spilling drinks everywhere First , anyone could slip and fall due to spilled drinks. Very unsafe Secondly people sitting near dance floor couldn't see or enjoy the band due to inconsiderate people standing in front of the table and-wasting drinks over the dance floor. If you're not mature or old enough to be in a bar even with parents you should not be there. Overall it's a very nice place the owner is very pleasant unfortunately there's always a group of people that are idiots that don't have any consideration for others . I truly hope Monarch will be around for awhile if they can keep the BS out.

Staff was very accommodating. There were no more chicken and waffles, instead we got the next best thing... French toast and chicken. To our surprise it was even better! Went after a massage for some brunch. Left relaxed and with a belly full of delicious food

Can I say quickest food delivery, I have ever seen or experienced in a fool service restaurant. The order could not have taken more 8 to 10 minutes. Wow! Ok, I had a busy weekend as you can see by the reviews. So, amongst the many things here is a review from a trip to The luxurious Za Za Hotel, to check out the Monarch Restaurant for brunch. I would like to say, it's definitely very upscale and classy! Lighting just right Noise level quiet Service Food was awesome The only concern, I had here was when I received my tacos, they came with eggs, which I feel should have been annotated in the menu. Nevertheless, Victor my server quickly resolved the small matter and the tacos were great. I add a few pics of the decorum as well. Overall, this is a 5 start service, however that small piece of information on the menu would have saved a redo of my tacos. Until next time, Bye-Bye!

My husband and I stayed at the hotel inside so it was very nice to just come here and get some drinks. The ambiance is cool and I like that you can charge things to your room. The bartenders are nice and the drinks were strong. Would come again!

This is a beautiful, romantic bar and restaurant inside the Zaza museum district hotel. My husband and I were staying at Zaza for our anniversary and thinking about going to get dinner somewhere else, but the convenience factor of just going downstairs won us over. And we were absolutely not disappointed! The service was impeccable-perfect timing. Food was awesome. Drinks were good but not the most amazing cocktails we've had, though I will say you get your money's worth with a huge glass for everything we ordered. To eat, we started with the jalapeño calamari (crispy, delicious) and a wedge salad (fresh, yummy). Then for our entrees we got the shrimp bucatini (creamy and rich with a bunch of big juicy shrimp) and buttermilk crusted chicken (awesome, super crunchy, with yummy potatoes and green beans), as well as an order of garlic fries (cut shoestring style and nice and crispy perfection). Overall, highly recommend this place and will be back!

Not bad for a hotel breakfast! I stayed here on business and had an omelet each morning--really loved the addition of the asparagus on the side, it was a nice touch. Also enjoyed the multi-colored potatoes even though there were a lot, I couldn't ever finish them! Service was a littttle bit slow, but nbd. Not my favorite coffee either, but also nbd!

We had a late night dinner after a busy day. The restaurant was nearly empty and the service was relatively good with the exception of getting our check in a timely manner. The cheeseburger was the best option we ordered and was a good burger. The cheese sticks were basically a cheese pizza covered in chopped pepperoni and then cut into strips. It came hot, but was nothing special. The chicken in the blackened chicken wrap tasted OK, but the chicken lacked a blackened flavor. The star of the show were the Volcano Fries. They were thin, hot, and crisp.

I visited Monarch with my colleagues for lunch. Promptly greeted by hosted and quickly seated. Outdoor and indoor seating available. Server were very courteous and attentive. Place was extremely cold. Food came out on a decent time. We were able to have a good time as a team. My colleague seems to enjoy their plates. For me in particular I ordered the short ribs. They were very tender light in seasoning. I would put a bit more salt. I believe it came with a cauliflower purée and carrots. Purée was not of my like and carrots were hard.

Food was excellent. Service is why they get 4 stars. Alcohol pricing is out of line with expected restaurant pricing. No drink under $20, bottles of wine over 300% markup. Bartending staff however is excellent.

Stayed at Zaza Hotel and after long day of travel decided to have dinner at Monarch. It was a very good choice. The service was attentive, friendly, and professional. The lamb lollipops with a fresh mint pistachio feta sauce were fantastic and the fried chicken and mashed potatoes were on point. All in all an excellent choice for our evening meal. Next time we will try outdoor patio as it looked inviting

Okay what. This place sells $22 lobster rolls. But here's the kicker. YOU GET TWO. Amazing service. Great food. Hope to come here after my wedding. It's popping on Saturday nights

Post museum snacks Still the swanky pricey place it's always been. Still a place for the pretty people to hang out. Decent cocktails and lite bites - the shaved cauliflower and a cucumber salad were both pretty tasty. Parking still sucks - we walked over from MFAH.

Not a good restaurant. Mediocre is giving the food offerings ( let's not call in cuisine ) ... credit. This is a social & business hangout for locals. I like that because it's a part of social fabric of Houston. It was open on Christmas Day ! However my Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl tasted like frozen fish ! YUK. And The glass of Rose Wine was just bad. So. NO to Food. YES to Schmoozing with your friends & business operatives

Went for a wedding reception in room 710. Had a great time. Then dinner at the monarch. Ahi Tuna salad and artichoke dip with Santa Margherita pinot. Service was a tad slow for our party of 18 by server, Redding but we made it thru. (He needed to be more observant--i e be around more) Great food and ambiance but the lighting was a tad too low for my liking.

We took a break from the museum and went to Monarch to have a bite to eat. The place was not full at all and there were 2-3 wait staffs. It took them forever to take our order and then when the food came 40 minutes later, our drinks haven't even come out yet. Again, it was not a full restaurant but the service was super slow. If anyone is in a hurry for lunch, don't go there.

We stayed at the hotel and ate at the Monarch for Valentine's Day. We ordered a couple items off the special's menu, and a couple from the regular one. We started with the lamb chop that had a Mediterranean tzaziki, wasn't the one we had a couple years ago, and the lamb was a bit small, but the flavor was spectacular and it ended up being a relatively light appetizer considering it was red meat. We then had the caprese salad- the tomatoes were fantastic, as was the dressing, but the burrata wasn't quite as creamy as we usually like I had an old fashioned with a rye whiskey which was delicious - I love the combination of bitter and sweet and how the flavor of the drink evolves as you get to the denser liquids and the ice dissolves a bit. The apricot glazed chicken was the star of the meal. I wish it was a regular menu item! The chicken was tender and juicy, the glaze was sweet and slightly tangy, and the veggies cooked with the dish were expertly made. We loved everything we ate and out waiter Jake was just a top notch, extremely respectful and patient addition to the meal. He made some great recommendations, was funny, and made the experience all the better. The ambiance at the monarch is always fun, lots of music, beautiful lights, and friendly service making you feel special. They also gave out roses for Valentine's Day!

Pre dinner cocktail - atmosphere is delightful and the filet was amazing with grilled asparagus. Wedge salad very generous, enough for two. When you travel a lot and have to guess at restaurants this one is a home run. Don't miss it.

On an absolutely stunning day, in the museum district of downtown Houston, there is a hotel named Zaza. Hotel bars are always fun, soft live jazz, very lay back atmosphere. Sun-kissed skin was much in need of refreshments and a little bit of air conditioning. The food is decently prepared. Lamb lollipops could've been more medium rare than medium. The chef seemed to enjoy insisting his customer to have a full experience of his salad, and poured a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil over the tender greens. It was not particularly unpalatable, for someone who has been staying away from all salad dressings for a couple of decades, it tasted a bit... different. It was a cute place to drop by for a bite or a drink.

Lovely restaurant and great vibe! The reviews were basically 50/50 for me so I took a leap of faith because we should always get our own opinion right? The restaurant is beautiful! We didn't stay at the hotel but the hotel was absolutely gorgeous as well! We will definitely stay in the hotel in the future. We had a reservation, arrived about 15 minutes early and they sat us right away. Service was great! Our waiter (didn't get his name) but he was attentive, knew the menu, and recommended a few items. A few other servers came by to clear our table with dishes we were done with which I thought was very thoughtful. Very pleased with the staff. We had the ahi tuna and the flatbread for appetizers and the flatbread was so good! We were under the impression the ahi tuna was going to be warm but it's served raw, we still ate it. For entree, I ordered the superfoods bowl and he ordered the grilled salmon. We were both impressed, it was super yummy and everything was served and cooked very well. We were looking forward to dessert but we were so stuffed! The ambiance is beautiful! The lightning is dim and so romantic. The music playing was nice and relaxing. Such a great vibe. For parking, your option is valet and it's $15 even if you eat at the restaurant. Overall, we will definitely be returning :)

Delicious! A waitress did make a glass explode on me, so that was thrilling. Very nice place and location.

Lamb chops weren't as good as I remember them. I felt they were lacking the seasoning. We ordered them medium but next time need to order them medium well as I didn't like the chewiness of the meat. The crab cakes were delicious. More crab than bread crumbs. Perfectly cooked perfectly seasoned The key lime pie was a special treat. Perfect in taste, consistency and flavor!! Beautiful atmosphere always Def a revisit soon

Very good food and staff. We've eaten here several times, for dinner and breakfast. The desserts are excellent. A few of the entrees are really great, while a couple of them are more "medium."

Service was very slow and questionable. I went for a birthday party. The first questionable action was how long I had to wait for valet to bring me a ticket and park my car. I sat in my car looking at someone standing around and then go into the office and sit. This valet saw me pull my car up. I even open the door. There was one empty car in front of my car. A van pulls up, not the hotel van, and they are quickly greeted. Once they were taken care of, he walks to me and barely greets me. That made me feel uncomfortable. Fast forward to dinner. 3 plates came out cold and late. The birthday girl asked for her food to be fixed twice. The last time she asked them to box the food up. My food was cold but eatable and was a good serving size. The manager came and offered to take some of the meals off the ticket. When I spoke to the party about my valet experience, they admitted to having the se experience. I've not been to Hotel Zaza much less their restaurant before then. The restaurant is nice. I think the food is worth a try and they are in a nice location (museum district). This might have been an off day for the staff. I will acknowledge their willingness and intentionality is rectify our issues.

The restaurant is very pretty and upscale. The staff was very attentive. However, the food was average. Not worth the price.

Thanks for the quick wit and great drinks! Dimas, he makes you feel like you're in that one show Cheers (Where everybody knows your naaaaame!) The best chicken sandwich, spicy, tangy, and crunchy if you like pickles even better. 10/10

We had a lovely late afternoon lunch here. Definitely no happy hour pricing though. Our cocktails alone were $15 each. They were tasty, although one was described to my wine-hating friend as having no wine, which in fact it did, so she couldn't drink it. I happily drank it for her, but it would've been nice if the server we'd asked about the cocktail ingredients had been more knowledgeable. I'm picky about my fries, and these were perfect. Crispy but not overdone, with just the right amount of salt. My club sandwich was huge and delicious. My friend had the homemade pimiento cheese- it was very creamy and fresh & served with lots of fun accompaniments on a cheese board- pickled vegetables, ham, and lightly dressed arugula. The pickled jalapeños were incredible. The atmosphere is relaxing and soothing. Definitely a nice place to collapse and chill out.

We went there for dinner after the museum of fine arts. The restaurant has both in and outdoor seating. We chose to seat inside. The restaurant is very well decorated and they have a room with a tv to watch sports. The food was great. I had their fish of the day with asparagus and seasonal vegetables. I also had their tortilla soup. Everything, including the blackberry margarita, was really good. The service was great too. They were very attentive and even gave my niece a stuffed animal with the hotel zaza logo. We were all very happy with the experience and will definitley visit again.

I'm not sure what has happened but the food, service and atmosphere have changed for the worst. The food had absolutely no seasoning, the steak was also dry and the mashed potatoes were worst than nursing home food. I'll never return and totally disappointed. The waitress was slow and didn't appear to love her job.

It has been a long time since I've even been to Hotel Zaza much less the restaurant...we will be back. Enjoyed a nice girlfriends birthday brunch here recently and we all thoroughly enjoyed our meals. I started with the dip duo, that included the best pimento cheese dip! Then for my main I decided on the tomato basil soup and grilled cheese. The soup was perfect, although it is hard to mess up tomato basil soup this one had the right amount of tomato chunks and flavor to put it at the top of my list. The ambiance was nice with soft brunch music playing. The server was very attentive but not too overbearing. The only negative is that for brunch their cocktails are rather pricey. So you'll probably just want to have one. So many brunch spots in Houston have low priced or bottomless mimosas or other brunch drinks.

This place had good service and the food was delicious. The waiter didn't come around too much which was fine with me. The chicken on both of the dishes we order was cooked to perfection. The spicy chicken sandwich came with a lot of fries. The crispy buttermilk chicken over potato's was drizzled in honey. Everything was so tasty!

Food: 4/5 Service: 3/5 Cleanliness: 5/5 Decor & Style: 5/5 The rating of 4/5 is a little skewed here, let me explain... I ordered the cheeseburger which was GREAT. Excellent fries, burger, service, decor, etc. I couldn't ask for a better experience. I love the ambience as it was modern, romantic, classy, inviting, and fun all-in-one. I knocked off 1 star because of the steak. 3 of the people who was with me ordered the steak (from medium rare to medium) and it was not very good (yes, I tried a piece of everyone's steak, heck, I'm a Yelp Elite, aren't I? lol). A little tasty? yes, but very mediocre and chewy. So I can't give a restaurant a 5 star with mediocre steak. Here is a deal-breaker, when you're at the pool and order from the menu it should NOT be the same menu as your fine dining menu, and that is exactly what happened here. Either they're low budget or lazy, same difference, am I right?! No excuse. If I am to return here I will order the same thing, the burger. Don't order the steak! (In my defense I NEVER order a steak unless it's a specific steak restaurant, any true Yelper would know better). :)

Stopped by this place for a quick drink. The service was pretty bad for sitting at the bar. The bar itself is really classy and upscale. There's a sign at the door to be dressed appropriately. The patio area looked really nice as well. The drinks were good, standard bar drinks, but didn't have the best service. I think we arrived in the middle of a shift change so the bartenders were busy.

I've gone to Monarch several times over the years. Initially, I wasn't a big fan. However it's well placed and my book club goes to the MFAH annually. For the last three years, we have gone to Monarch beforehand, as a large group & enjoyed our meal immensely. We love the semi-private room at the end. This year Brandi was our server & she was outstanding. Having been a waitress, I know what a pain large parties can be. She was well organized, patient & just lovely. I actually asked to speak with the manager to provide feedback. She was that good. Unfortunately, he/she was in a meeting. It seems as though the brunch menu has been tweaked. We requested the regular breakfast menu & they were accommodating to let us order off both. I really like the changes and will most likely go more often.

We were on way to the zoo to see the Christmas lights and stopped at Monarch for dinner. Nice atmosphere and were seated quickly outside. Nice warm December night. Had our menus and ready to order. 5 mins, 10 mins, 15 mins, still nobody came to get us water or drinks and we were hungry. Not a word. It wasn't very busy before 6pm on a Friday night. Don't understand why they didn't care about us. So we left. Went to MF Sushi a few blocks away and it was great.

Last night we had outstanding food and drink drinks. Our redfish was cooked to perfection. Definitely have a S'mores martini for dessert because Rico makes the best. If you want the very best service ask for Will !!!!!!

It was a fantastic experience. The food was amazing. Great for a date. See the museums and end it here. But here's the trick, go at the right time or the wait for a table and the service can be slow. So if you are in a hurry or have a big party or have the kids with you... might not be the right place. For a couple not in a hurry the food is very good.

I had the best blackened chicken wrap! The chicken was so flavorful my husband got the steak and he loved it the mashed potatoes were so fluffy and yummy!

live music, water fountain view, outside seating, & dim festive lighting. i really enjoyed this place.