Montrio

If you are in Monterey Bay and don't eat at the Montrio you will miss the best in town. It's definitely give stars quality modern American kitchen prepared by high class chef. We had crab cakes - the best ever. Duck breast was tender with delicious vegetables. Elegant inside with great atmosphere Excellent service. Everything was organic as I'm very sensitive and had zero digestive problems after. Plus, we were able to enjoy our dinner outside with our dog. ❤️

The appetizer soups were well executed. The stuffed pasilla pepper was bland and mundane. Not enough mole to flavor the white rice puck. The stuffed pepper and everything inside it were unsalted nothingness. A very sad entree

Pros: The service was impeccable. Shoutout to everyone we were in contact with esp Christopher and Michelle. The atmosphere was really pleasant. The almost Paloma cocktail was really nice. I love that they are trying to do farm to table and focus on local and high quality proteins and veg. The short rib on the kids menu was such an amazing deal for my kids and so generous. And a favorite all the way around. The New York steak was really good. Potatoes so light don’t know how they do it. The scallop entree (if you love scallops was good but not great) Cons: the rest of the cocktails were not that creative or balanced. They could use a refresh on the cocktail menu. The risotto was not a fav. Normally we choose rice over potatoes. Go with the mash potatoes pure perfection. The scallop starter was interesting but not in a good way. Sliced way too thick and the “sauce” felt like a simple pour of tamari so it was a miss. The crab cakes were a little fishy and a little heavy and they’ve been done so much unless you’re doing something special why even serve them. For reference being based in Maui, HI were going to places like Morimotos for seafood or mama’s fish house so we are a little spoiled but still, from the reviews we expected a little more. All in all I give it a five because they were quick to fix anything we needed. Most of our food choices we loved and the service which really makes the experience was spot on. We would come again we’d just be more careful in what we ordered. 👍🏽

Calle Principal is the proverbial Silk Road connecting Monterey's resorts and working class districts to storied Cannery Row. Each one has its charms, but even the most charming ones still have their rough edges. Honestly, this keeps things interesting. Of course, Monterey is mercifully nothing at all like San Francisco, which has rough edges at nearly every turn, and can at times be a little too interesting. Sometimes, what one desires is peace and quiet; and despite the river of cars crawling along, Calle Principal remains comparatively calm and oddly reassuring. This leads us to Montrio, an elegant, if slightly twee, bistro that specializes in seafood. Occupying a building that appears as if it were once a carriage house, Montrio's tall windows allow soft, diffused light to smooth out even the roughest edges. It's a beautiful dining room, with inviting banquettes and cozy tables swathed in crisp, white tablecloths. My companion and I immediately felt welcome. We began with Lobster Bisque and French Onion soup, both of which were equally exquisite: the restrained refinement of the bisque contrasted by the appealingly sloppy onion soup. The bisque was rich, velvety and complex, and thankfully kept reminding me that actual lobster was in evidence. An edible ginkgo leaf was added as a garnish, and played nicely with the tomato, white wine and smoky paprika notes. Montrio's warm, comforting interpretation of this classic dish featured a deep, mysterious vermillion color that invited exploration. The French Onion soup featured a sharp cheese topping that, when opened, rewarded the diner with a round crust of bread toasted so perfectly, that it's crunch persisted against the deep, tangy, soup in which it was immersed. Montrio's flavor profile for their version of this soup emphasized the sweetness of its caramelized onions, whose crispness accompanied the suppleness of the soup. Our mains were equally exquisite: my companion ordered the Seared Scallops, and I chose the Cioppino. The scallops featured subtly charred edges and silky, substantial interiors, accompanied by the distinct and mildly astringent artichoke and grana padano notes. The only caveat here was the bed of risotto, which was slightly too glutinous where it should have been rich and pliable to the bite. But make no mistake: this main was sublime. The Cioppino delivered a wonderfully bold and piquant flavor redolent of the sea and its inhabitants. Served with the same, toasted sourdough bread as the onion soup, the broth met the moment with its own, saliferous tang; and the variety of shellfish and fish was sumptuous and satisfying. But here is where we at last encountered the aforementioned "rough edge": the dessert menu was uninspired and antiquated, relying too heavily on dessicated treats as bread pudding and creme brulée to round out the menu. Because I like to try as many items as possible, I chose the one thing that appeared unusual and was unfamiliar: Butterscotch Budino. Briefly, it was cloying. Its sum turned out to be much less than its parts. As an aside, there is a reason why dessert chefs in fine dining restaurants are worth the risk. They are an oasis of peace amidst the din of service; and if their Zen remove provides the right inspiration, their legacy sometimes results in a spectacular and memorable finish to a splendid meal. People may clamor for the swordfish, but secretly wish for the sweet work of art to rival Willie Wonka's wildest creations. But times for restaurants are difficult, and adding specialist staff and ingredients for their offerings can strain the bottom line, so perhaps it can be understood if dessert is an afterthought. That said, if dessert can't be done well, then don't offer it at all. Montrio exists in that liminal space in Monterey that still tries to reconcile its blue collar past with its soigné present. Montrio accomplishes this Sisyphean task remarkably, putting an intriguing spin on familiar recipes. Here's hoping they continue to evolve and experiment.

We thoroughly enjoyed our Anniversary dinner at Montrio! Every dish was exquisite. Every interaction with the staff was top notch. Not to mention the cocktail list was great! Have the crab cakes!

Garlic Roasted Mushrooms they were okay I wish they were dripping in garlic butter. Almost Paloma Tequila Blanco, lime juice, house-made grapefruit shrub Tastes exactly like a good Paloma but without the fizz of soda. Would recommend Snake River Farms Wagyu Eye of Ribeye Grilled over almond wood, duck fat fried marble potatoes, charred onion, huckleberry demi-glace Just get it because it's that good melt in your mouth seriously, but pro move ask for a little salt to sprinkle on top it will enhance the flavors truly. Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Cakes Pan-seared, apple-carrot slaw, pomegranate seeds, pomegranate reduction Good, but it is sweet, I would have preferred it a little more with savory notes but I recommend it because it's a really fresh take on the crab cake Miso Glazed Pork Belly Pickled apple arugula salad, garlic chili oil This I would order again and double it.. soo good. The salad was absolutely refreshing paired well with the rich tender pork belly. I was so mesmerized. Olo Ranch Braised Beef Short Rib Confit of cherry tomatoes, vegetable sauteed spinach, pommes puree, pan jus Tender TENDER TENDER I recommend ordering this everytime you go.

We went here from a recommendation add from google listing Montrio as a great place. Well. The food was poorly presented, poorly prepared and lacking in any creativity. The service absolutely the worst I have had in a long time. Have you been someplace and you felt you were not welcome, this was one of those times. Every chance the sever had he would run to the bar to chat with what looked to be the manager. The staff seemed put out and exasperated to take our order or just to check on us. For the food…Crab cakes ok. Oysters, tasteless. Chicken dry and no taste. The steak was ok and prepared well, but not worth the money . Nothing about Montrio would make me want to come back. Bottom line, with so many great choices in the area, try those. You will have a much better experience. I really wanted to like this restaurant.

Sat at the bar for a dinner while on a work trip. Got the MP halibut that was chefs choice serving and the waiter told me what was in it but failed to mention a key ingredient. I ordered it and after two bites realized it has bacon or pork in the sauce and I DO NOT eat pork. I told the server and he sent it make and they made a fresh one. Flavor was great. Figured they would knock my drink off or offer free dessert for the inconvenience and nothing was accommodated. I even asked about meat being in other items before I ordered so it’s a failure in the server and kitchen for not noting that I’m telling me what I ordered. It was white table cloth and next to hotel, but for the price I was disappointed!

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

Visits to Montrio already always exciting food is consistent and delicious! But this time the downstairs bartende didn't pat attention to my drink order and made it wrong. Then the server upstairs tried to make the drink better with no sugar but had no success. Good old fashioned drinks with good Bourbon are not made with cubed ice... just sayin On the upside, the caesar, scallops entree and flourless chocolate cake were fantastic! Even better the company was superb!

Last night New Years Eve we had a reservation for four at 8:15 pm. This reservation was made a few weeks ago and it was confirmed. We arrived first and as we got close to the door there was so many people waiting inside it was a little surprising. We have been to Montrio a number of times before. With the previous management and now the new one. We hadn't had any issues until last night. They called our name to be seated about 15 mins after our scheduled time and then just kinda left us hanging for as we waiting to be seated. Our waitress was great, personable, good mood, just very nice.We brought our own wine and the corkage fee was $25.00 which is the usual around here. We all got drinks, water was brought. They took our orders and that's when we noticed how long it was taking. Our waitress kept checking on us and finally we asked for some bread, we were getting hungry. They seated us at 8:30 and we didn't get food till 10:30. After we all got our meals we noticed that 3/4 of the tables in the restaurant were now empty. Our waitress brought us a complementary desert for us all to share. Which was nice of them. My husband called the manager over. He was very aware of how long it took to get our meals. He was very sorry and adjusted our final bill. He took off a considerable amount and we all thought that was good on his part. He treated us kindly. The food was good but the scallops were a little on the cool side but still good. We all finished our meal and agreed that it was a good thing we didn't have plans for after dinner. All in all we feel they were behind the eight ball and never recovered last night. Although they really should have been more prepared for New Year's Eve. We will go back but not for a while. One of the things I miss about this restaurant when the previous owners had it is the clouds that hung from the ceiling and being able to leave a tip for the kitchen staff. It was a nice gesture and they would ring a bell when they got a tip for them. Just a little fun added to the night.

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

A friend recommended we go to Montrio as it is his favorite restaurant in Monterey. Parking is along street or in a small, one level covered garage next door. We were lucky to find a spot in the garage at around 5 pm so be prepared to circle around the area for parking - your best bet will be street parking. Our server was an interesting guy - quite talkative and definitely had strong opinions. Nevertheless, we did have a good meal and while it was nearly forgotten, my Blood Orange Shrub mocktail (house made blood orange sherbet, lime, and soda water) did eventually arrive after our miso glazed pork belly was served. Miso glazed pork belly is a must order here - 6 pieces of pork belly are crisp along the edges but have a slightly sweet, slightly salty flavor. The arugula and onions on the side were great to cut into the fat. The complimentary bread here is quite good - crispy exterior but very soft interior. I wish there was more thyme throughout the butter instead of being the decoration on top. Caesar salad - very garlicky, comes with big pieces of romaine and actual anchovies on top. Not many places do this with Caesar salad so I really liked this one. We opted to go family style for the meal so us 3 dudes split 2 short ribs and a side of Brussel sprouts. Brussels were very good (caramelized, but not burnt and could taste the sweetness), but would've liked at least 2x the portion if we're paying $14 for them. Short rib had good flavor throughout the cut - sometimes these can only have flavor on outside but not permeate inside. The potato puree had enough butter and the sautéed spinach also complemented the dish. This is definitely a splurge restaurant but the food quality was solid! I felt every dish was above average and I could justify spending the money I did here for almost every dish (still looking at you, Brussels...) We were full so we skipped dessert. On a Saturday evening, it was about 60% full. Some ambiance suggestions I would make - while I loved the red booth seats, somehow the air felt slightly cold inside - if they warmed it up inside and added some fire elements, it would be perfect.

We had a fantastic time here. The food was perfection. Each morsel was better than the last. We had some cocktails to start. The smoke and mirrors is Smokey goodness paired nicely with the mezcal. We enjoyed some appetizers like the French onion soup and the Cesar salad . Then for our main entree we had filet mignon that was accompanied by mushrooms, onions and potato puree. It was all cooked to perfection! The wine list was also remarkable, we had a bottle of cab from the Napa Valley and finished our meal with a cream brûlée. Oh wait we can't forget about the side of herbed risotto that we shared that was so rich and creamy it melted in our mouths. For a culinary delight, Montrio is a must try.

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

Was looking to get out of Carmel for dinner and came to Montrio! Location was super cute and convenient and there is a ton of street parking. Drink menu was so fun and unique, brown butter old fashion yes pls! The best thing we ate all night was the crudo, wow, they had a hint of spice with little bitty jalapenos and a hint of lime - so good! Main courses were alright but the apps and drinks really shined here!

Didn't make a reservation but was able to sit at the bar... Birthday Celebration part deux . The Brown Butter Old Fashioned is a must. The Pan Seared California Grimaud Farms Duck Breast is a sure fire hit and the Espresso Martini is a great way to close the dining experience.

I had another opportunity to dine at the restaurant. This new experience was memorable. The short ribs are absolutely delicious - perfectly cooked, wonderful flavor, excellent portion. The risottos are the best - we ordered 2 additional sides for the table. We also ordered mushrooms and the calamari. The service is first class! I will be back to enjoy another meal!

Dropped by during happy hour on my monthly visit to Monterey looking forward to my favorite drink Zen Garden and found out it's off the menu! Disappointed by the Nino Perdido that starts with a light flavor and goes downhill from there as the ice melts. Very meh! Bartender said they tend to update menus about every quarter. Too bad. The mussels was missing the pizzazz and with hard fries this time, too. So I opted to head out to avoid further disappointment. Hoping the inconsistency is a one time. Sorry.

My wife and I stopped by on a Thursday night right at 4:30 when they're starting their open. The bar is the only spot available for service between 4:30-5 as the rest of the kitchen and restaurant are still getting up and running. Fabio, the bartender, was excellent. He's super knowledgeable about each cocktail and was a wealth of knowledge around all things mixology. The special 1890 cocktail was called Agua de Flores which really reminds me of a riff on an Aperol spritz but the base is a hibiscus syrup which reminds me of Agua de Jamaica which I'm a big fan of. It was just the right balance of tart, tangy, and sweet. A beautifully crafted cocktail and a STEAL at $1.89. Yes, you read that right. Less than 2 bucks! We also tried a Pistachio Horchata cocktail which was also "good" but not amazing in my opinion ($10 during happy hour). A bit too sweet for my liking but still an objectively good cocktail. The 1890 featured appetizer was a Housemade Shrimp Eggroll. The outside shell was super light and crispy, almost TOO crispy, but the shrimp inside was still tender and not over cooked. The orange sauce that is drizzled on it is awesome. Some sort of mayo based aioli. Multiple guests asked for more of the sauce to add to their other appetizers because it was so good. The Braised Short Rib Sliders were EXCELLENT. The brioche bun is fresh, soft, light, and airy, while still having a good chew to it. The meat itself was juicy and tender and the slaw added that needed touch of acidity to balance out the richness. The mussels and frittes (yes, fries), were solid and the broth they were in was decadent. The mussels were tender and melted in your mouth which I really applaud because so many places overcook them and turn them into little balls of rubber. Putting the fries on top of the dish may make for a nice presentation but is an odd choice because they'll inadvertently get soggy from the steam coming up from the mussel broth. They'd be better presented on the side in one of those small serving cups. For dessert, we tried the bread pudding which was on top of a rich butterscotch sauce with shaved white chocolate and served with a scoop of passion fruit ice cream on top. I initially scoffed at a bread pudding being served at a "higher end" restaurant but I'm glad my wife decided to go with this dessert because I was thoroughly impressed. Soft and chewy at the center but those toasted / burnt edges on top added some nice texture contrast. The passion fruit ice cream was a great compliment to how rich the pudding and sauce were and it was also nice on its own. Montrio bistro is truly too notch from service, ambience, and food and I'm excited to come again soon.

Excellent, attentive service from the whole staff especially our server William, who introduced the manager to the person in our party who called ahead about a garlic allergy. Beautiful interior, you can see small remnants of the former firehouse it was, like the red brick wall and gold carved fire extinguisher behind the maitre d stand. Ladies, check out the larger women's bathroom stall for the black and white photo of the former fire house. I'm surprised a former Michelin-rated restaurant offered bread and butter though it was rather unremarkable. A sign of a good restaurant is having mocktails on drink list, good sign. I didn't get a drink but my friends enjoyed their mocktail and drink. DUCK BREAST, coconut rice and charred bok choy. Thank you for accommodating the person allergic to garlic, who loved everything. BRANZINO - 3 pieces of fish, provided me with two meals. The sauce was tart and acidic and needed salt. The stewed tomatoes were the best, and the farro was perfectly chewy. ORECCHIETTE with spicy sausage - large serving for high end pasta, delicious, and al dente For meat lovers they have Wagyu and angus cuts. There's a great patio facing the quiet street. We found street parking a few blocks away. Montrio is pricey but a great choice for a special meal with excellent service.

Nice, open and spacious restaurant. Wait staff was friendly and attentive. We were celebrating our engagement and they brought us a complimentary dessert and sparkling wine that was a lovely end to the meal. The Caesar salad was really tasty. The fillet was buttery and amazing. The sides were just OK. The Waygu was mostly great, but a bit overcooked and charred on the end pieces. Overall good experience, we would give it another try.

My boyfriend and I came across this place on a mid afternoon stroll around our hotel and decided to make same day reservations. My boyfriend and I shared 2 appetizers, 2 entrees and 3 desserts. Everything we had was delicious but my favorites were the lobster bisque, butternut squash and the wagyu. Their bread pudding is also a must try! So incredibly fluffy and warm! Highly recommend this restaurant if you're visiting Monterey.

We heard a lot of good things about Montrio. Therefore, when our niece had her pre-wedding meet and greet there, we were excited and looked forward to attending. Boy, what a disappointment! Took us a long time to find a parking spot since Montrio is located in a prime location of Monterey. When we finally got there, we were told to wait since we were 3 minutes early. After we were allowed in, we were led upstairs to a small space for private parties. We felt like sardines as we squeezed through and found the bar at the side of the room. I ordered a glass of Pinot Noir and noticed how rude and unorganized the bartenders were. My bartender was very rude and unfriendly. He poured half of the Pinot Noir in my glass before the bottle ran out. Instead of opening a new bottle, he slyly took the Cabernet and poured in the rest. I questioned him when he handed me the glass but he insisted that it was all Pinot Noir. Normally, I would contest or call the manager but it was a celebration and I didn't want to make a scene. The cheese plates that they offered were sparse. I'm sorry to say that this was not the experience that we had imagined.

Montrio is that rare restaurant that's classy and looks ideal for date night, yet is super family friendly and kid friendly too. We had an excellent dinner here with great service from Chris. Montrio seems to be famous for their steaks and fish entrees, with many of them with a slight Asian twist. Their kids menu is larger than most other places with things like grilled salmon. After a while cheeseburgers and chicken strips get old! They had a decent cocktail menu. I got the Open Sesame, thinking they Black Sesame Vodka will remind me of my favorite Chinese dessert. However, the raspberry flavor overwhelmed a bit with tartness. Decent drink though. For entrees, the bone-in Brick roasted Jidori Chicken was incredibly juicy. My 3yo son wound up eating most of it, so I wound up eating his salmon. The Kid's Grilled Salmon was good sized. Salmon cooked perfectly but a little bland. Some lemon would be nice. We wound up getting some ketchup on the side. I guess with kid's plates they need to go easy on the salt. The yellow squash side was excellent. For dessert, definitely get the Budino. Italian custard but with an Asian twist of using miso caramel to add some umami to your dessert. Add in some crunchy hazelnuts and you have a 5-star dessert to end an excellent meal.

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

Great service: the staff was very accommodating to our party of 10. Extremely patient and very helpful with the recommendation Wonderful ambiance inside: tasteful decor and arrangement through and through Food and drinks: we ordered most of the cocktails on the menu. They were beautifully arranged, refreshing and well balanced I'd highly recommend the onion soup, pork belly and oysters as starters. Crab cakes are good as well but slightly on the fishy side Loved my Branzino especially, fresh ingredients, nicely cooked with crispy skin My friend loved her Ciopinno. She did all the cracking work and soaked up the last bit of the broth with cheese bread provided Other folks loved their wagyu orders, although the steak portion looks a tad small to me compared to the price it's being charged. All in all, another solid dinner marked!!

I've been come here since the 90s. Every meal has been great. The quality has not slipped. Great preparation, texture and flavors. Nothing is overpowering. Flavors are balanced and complementary. The service was friendly attentive and fun. I'll be back.

Loved the chicken under the brick! Seldom see it on a menu. Moist chicken and delicious sauce.

The food was mediocre, and we waited 30-40 minutes for our entrees. The fries came in a container, topped with a few regular-shaped fries, but when we dumped them out, they were mostly crumbled. Underneath the duck breast, there were large vegetable stems that I would typically discard when cooking at home. Overall, the experience was really disappointing

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

The bartender was the star. Down to earth, knew his wine and liquor and was super friendly and helpful. We had the scallops, pork belly and cioppino and all were great - with not too bad of a price tag. The selection of tequila, wine and bourbon was great as well.

We went to Montrio for my birthday with my family. Food and service were both lovely. When we first arrived, the host greeted us and asked if it was a special occasion. My husband mentioned it was my birthday and he wished me a happy birthday. But that was it. No candle on the dessert we ordered. Nothing ‍ The wild mushroom torte was wonderful The crab cakes were full of real crab and not doughy The seared scallops for main was beautiful as well The cioppino was tasty with plenty of seafood The brick chicken was nicely cooked but could use more gnocchi We also noticed other tables received bread and butter but we never did. So overall it was pleasant but a few things made it a more of an average experience

This was my favorite restaurant pre-pandemic. We were in Monterey recently and now it is a Michelin rated restaurant with Michelin portion sizes (per photos on yelp) and Michelin prices. While I am happy for the restaurant, it is beyond our budget in these inflationary times! If you have the budget give it a try. Their craft cocktails were always amazing and the way they use to serve their mussels, to die for, especially if you asked them to be served over pasta. I give them 4 stars for the memories.

Food was super delicious! Never had such juicy pork chop in a non Japanese restaurant and it's double cut! Friend and family loved cioppino, scallops, abalone taco and the catch of the day kid version! Bread was warm and delicious. More than plenty of wine choices. Service team can use more agility but I guess I can wait for my cold draft beer and delicious food/bread.

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

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

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

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

This review is very late because I thought I had already submitted it. I just realized I just wrote my notes down but did not write the review. We visited Montrio earlier this year in May on our central coast road trip. It was supposed to be our nice anniversary dinner and it turned out to be the worst experience of our trip. I'll start with the positives: Steamed clams appetizer - The sauce and bread were a perfect match to go along with the clams. Buttery and delicious. Pork Chop with Apple chutney, baked polenta and charred broccolini - This was our main entree and it was pretty good. The pork chop was cooked about med to med-rare which made it very juicy and tender. Broccolini was nicely charred but could have used some acid or additional seasoning. Baked polenta had a nice crust and flavor. Now onto the not so good: Braised short rib sliders - these were Meh. Most of the flavor came from the slaw and pickles. The short rib had no flavor and the brioche buns were toasted but tasted stale. Ahi Poke with rice crackers - The tuna was marinated which masked the freshness or perhaps the lack of freshness. The tuna itself was cut into tiny cubes (much smaller than I have ever seen), served on a small bed of cubed avocado and sweet glaze on top. The rice crackers were a weird touch and to us, felt like it cheapened the dish. Drinks: Miso Harmony - Bourbon cocktail with sherry and red vermouth topped with spiced orange foam. I did not like this drink at all. The bitterness from the vermouth and spice from the orange foam just was not my cup of tea. Perhaps someone who likes these characteristics will enjoy this cocktail. Bees Elbows - Gin cocktail with lemon and honey. This one was nicely balanced and had just the right amount of honey. Definitely a good cocktail. Here's where all of this becomes pointless. For a nicer restaurant, you would typically expect pretty decent service. When we first walked in, this is exactly what we were met with from the hostess to our first server, Daniel. They were very friendly and made us feel very welcome. When we asked about the happy hour menu, Daniel let us know that it is only available in the bar area so he happily moved us to a bar table. Unfortunately, this meant our server changed. Our new server, Bill, was weird right off the bat. His odd sense of humor was dry, too dry for us, and he gave off a super weird vibe. We started talking about the Happy Hour menu and the different times listed. Some deals were available from 4:30-5:00 and other deals were 5:00-6:00. When I asked him about the Happy Hour beer prices, he replied "it doesn't matter if you're not going to order a beer". HUH??? WHAT?? EXCUSE ME? What kind of response is that????? The rest of our meal, we were just weirded out as he kept up with this weird vibe which definitely turned into more rude towards the end of our meal. We finally ask for our check and he goes, prints the check, and drops it off at our table without a single word. Not a single "how was everything?" or other normal gesture a server would make. Finally, the kicker, when he returns with my credit card, again he drops it off and walks away without saying a single thing. Whatever, I go to sign the credit card slip and notice that the amount charged is more than what was due. Our total came out to $96 but Bill had taken the liberty to charge $123.45. WTF!! At that point, I walked up to the hostess and asked to speak to a manager. Manager, Don, comes by and I tell him about our terrible experience with Bill and the fact that he purposely overcharged us. Don was very friendly and apologetic. He fixed our check and even comped our 2 cocktails which was nice of him. He said he would talk to Bill about our experience but honestly, this was enough of an experience for me to never recommend Montrio to anyone I know. There may be good/great reviews by other people and I'm sure they are honest, real experiences. It's unfortunate and unlucky that one bad apple can ruin an experience for someone but that's exactly what happened here. To Manager Don, Server Daniel, and Hostess whose name I didn't get, thank you for your hospitality and friendliness. I'm sure this review won't deter many people from visiting you guys. To Bill, wtf is wrong with you. You are rude and deceitful. You should be ashamed of yourself. By the way, we could hear your conversation with your co-workers bashing your clientele and we could also see you grabbing cocktail garnishes from the bar, sniffing, licking, dropping, and returning that same garnish to the bar for some other poor soul to have added to their drink. NOT COOL!

Do not understand the high rating for this inferior restaurant. Substandard meal for an exorbitant price. Steak was tender but overcooked and tasteless. Cioppino had foul taste, no fish, shrimp had heads and not cleaned. Waitress was sick and coughed all over us while serving - management should have sent her home. There are good choices for dining in Monterey - this is not one of them.

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

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

I finally had the chance to properly dine here. I've only been to place for dessert before. This is one of the few restaurants in Monterey that is featured in the Michelin Guide. The interior is lovely and elegant, with a fancy, yet cozy ambiance. We were seated in comfortable booth seating, across from the bar area. We were served rustic bread with butter, which had a nicely crisp crust, while the inside part was soft and chewy. For my meal, I was trying to decide between Duck 3 Ways or Short Ribs. I ended up ordering the Duck dish, consisting of pan roast duck breast, crispy duck leg, local sunny up duck egg, as well as crispy polenta. My favorite preparation was the crispy duck leg. There was an irresistible crunchy exterior, while the meat was tender, and delightfully well seasoned. The duck egg had green onion and other spices on top. The yolk oozed beautifully and there was polenta cake below the egg, which was absolutely delicious! Then there was the duck breast, which came with whole grain mustard jus. The sauce was decent and had bold flavor, but I thought the duck breast was a bit on the tough side and kind of bland. Of course we had to get one of the homemade desserts. I was leaning towards the Valrhona Dark Chocolate Tart, but then our waitress let us know about Flourless Chocolate Cake, served with housemade pistachio ice cream, whipped cream, an artistic streak of chocolate spread and pomegranate seeds. We went with the latter, and it was definitely the way to go! You could not tell that the cake was flourless. It was simply delectable, melt in your mouth, incredibly rich and full of chocolate taste. The ice cream was smooth, creamy, nutty, while the whipped cream and pomegranate added a bit of sweetness. All the ingredients combined together well. Service was solid. My friend and I arrived late, but the hostess was friendly and understanding. Our waitress was attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. Prices are on the expensive side, but I would be open to returning to try the Beef Short Ribs or Grilled Local Catch, depending on what it is.

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

Great date night spot! Service was great, Bridgette was awesome. Food and drinks were amazing! The restaurant is located in an old firehouse building that was converted into such a stunning looking restaurant, such a vibe in there!

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

Wow! What an incredible foodie experience! Fantastic location, classy and comfortable ambiance with excellent service! They have a grand selection of boozes, wines, craft cocktails... my husband loved the "Almost Paloma" and my "Brown Butter Old Fashion" was amazing! Our appetizers were so delicious! The oyster trio and scallops crudo were very creative with their unique garnishes. My husband enjoyed his pork chop and my short rib was out of this world! Very very pricey but we'll worth it! Excellent special occasion place or just because? Don't pass this one up if you're visiting from out of town OR if you're a local and haven't been here yet? Hurry up and get over there!! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

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

Service great, they use seed oils, like every restaurant, maybe they will change that, hope so the bread pudding was cold and bad, my waygu dish was delish, ordered medium rare pork came out medium, disappointed

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

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

Before we begin, we used to love this place and always made sure to make reservations when we were in Monterey. Everything truly was a 5/5 for us. To start, we noticed some sort of black substance in both our waters. If it were a lemon seed, I'd understand but a black substance?! What could it be?! We didn't think of it much because we were so excited to eat there. Here's what we ordered: - Brown Butter Old Fashioned cocktail (2/5) - Old Sesame cocktail (2.5/5) - Hamachi Crudo (2/5) - Short Ribs with mushroom (2.5/5) - Duck Breast (0/5) - Side of asparagus with red bell pepper (0/5) Short Ribs: Texture was good, but total lack of flavor. Mash potatoes were good, but the whole plate consisted of no mushroom whatsoever. Duck Breast their duck breast dish was what we were most excited about. See our previous review of what we were expecting. Oh my - where do I even start. This duck has the consistency of an over cooked pork. You know the texture of overcooked pork getting stuck in your teeth? Dis be that. I'm going to quote my favorite TV personnel Gordon Ramsey here, "where's the sauce?!" because the sauce was definitely missing. Before we even touched it, we noticed huge slobs of fat right underneath the skin. They didn't even care to render it. The skin was super chewy, like fatty gum. The duck was plated with purple rice (?) mixed with green onions (??), which for some reason was overly sweet. We left it untouched. And then on the side it was, LITERALLY, one bok choy split in half. Mind you, this dish costs $36 for 1/2 of a duck breast, purple rice and a bok choy. Please save yourself some time and go to an Asian market to pick up a $18 whole duck to feed your family - I guarantee you will not have a more disappointing duck there. Side of Asparagus Plain and simple; it was horrible, it was literally plain and simple. 5 stems, no seasoning and shriveled PIECES of bell pepper. This was $16. Can't believe we paid $3.25 for each stem. Everything else was subpar and completely forgettable. In total we paid around $200 for everything. We honestly think they're trying to squeeze as much money out of us before they close their business. The food shouldn't have been this bad. There was no effort in it at all. Thanks for reading. We're only one small review but we're hoping to save ya'll some moola and disappointment. We felt played, and we will not be coming back.

The food here was outstanding. Our server was very attentive and had great recommendations. The area the ambience was quite nice not over the top, but we both felt quite pampered. I would recommend this place highly.

service was wonderful; Conchetta was our server and she was great. Dinner was lacking. I had the special; halibut with polenta. The polenta was disappointing. it reminded me of potato hash brown sticks. No flavor and dry. Considering the price, it was poor. The dessert was the brioche bread pudding; again, disappointing. It was dry and no flavor. It was a sad experience especially because Montrio's was our favorite place for over 30 years. A Montentry favorite is gone; so sad.

4/1/23 My recent trip to Monterey for a weekend getaway with our 3yr old and 2month old kids was totally a reminder of how acclimatized we people are from the Bay Area to crappy butt service, and the entitlement of waiting staff for tips that were not earned. I never felt so willing to be generous with tips... and thus I was. And don't even get me started on those 5% "SF Mandate" aka "Living Wage Surcharge" aka "Small Business Surcharge" aka GREED charges... never saw one of those should-be-illegal resort fees at any restaurant here. Anyway, forget SF... this place is about You. Our waitress even said straight up to us, "I am here for you. Whatever you want, you tell me." And she kept her promise. As for the food... 1. Talley Chardonnay $15 "'estate' arroyo grande, CA, '19": It was good but sorry I didn't take notes. 2. Brown Butter Old Fashioned $16 "brown butter washed bourbon, house roasted almond syrup": Amazing!!! Truly. You know me--I've tried a lot, and I really look for that complexity of flavor and texture in cocktails, and this really has all the nuances you could want--especially that butter wash! Just the right amount of meatiness and oiliness that really gets your senses... sensuated. 10/10 3. Trio of Oysters on the Half Shell $18 "chef's daily inspiration": Well, firstly, just look at the pics--let me know if that's not the prettiest plate of raw oysters you've ever seen outside of a Michelin-star prix fix menu you've ever seen. And yes, they are as fresh as they look--so much so that they're actually just a little crunchy. The guts are creamy, just a little bitter. Unfortunately, though the garnish is super pretty I don't taste any of it. 8/10 4. Miso Glazed Pork Belly $23 "pickled apple arugula salad, garlic chili oil": This one was an absolute fail. This came early in the meal so after being served this I actually had a really bad feeling the rest was gonna be god awful too... luckily I was wrong. Firstly, they made a mistake and brought us 2 plates. I told the buslady and she took one back--the one that's TWICE as big as the one she left. That's not good. Seriously, check out my pic--this was basically a 1.5" square of roasted pork belly. Pretty ridiculous. Also the plating was awful--half the play was empty and the sauce looked like dirty water running across the plate. But worst of all, it was nearly inedible. The skin was hard and it tasted like this was cooked yesterday and kept under a lamp. Like how can basically a block of fat be dry to the point that it couldn't be chewed? 1/10 5. 'Sterling Farms' White Sturgeon $45 "forbidden black rice and butternut squash, sauteed florentina, ginger-tamari glaze": OH GOD YES. This absolutely made up for that disgusting pork belly. The outer sections of the surgeon were a little on the dry side, but once you got through the surface layers you're treated to a waterfall of juices seeping out the microscopic crevices in the firm, white, yet buttery flesh. Sure, I think if they can cook it just 10% less it would have been perfection, but this was orgasmic as is. 10/10 6. Kid's Orecchietta Pasta $16 "butter & cheese, or pomodoro sauce": Memory is a bit vague but I did remember the pasta (kinda like shells but not?) was al dente but the sauce was too thin. But my 3yr old isn't the world's biggest connoisseur so he gobbled it up. 7. Snake River Farms Wagyu Eye of Ribeye $72 "tripled seared, smashed & duck fat fried yukon golds, charred onion, black garlic emulsion": Perfectly medium rare. The meat was seriously high-quality--no sinew, and totally soft and tender like filet. But I do wish they kept some of the fat. It was too lean to feel like a good ribeye. Also, I will say, my wife bought for me a huge also-Snake-River-Farms wagyu ribeye roast for my bday (but I ended up smoking it for my kid's 1st bday) and that meat was totally different--it was almost foie gras-like in buttery fattiness. This one was absolutely opposite. Also, I could have used 2x as much--portions were pretty small. 7/10 8. Side Smashed & Duck Fat Fried Yukon Golds with Chermoula $16: These are the same as those served with my steak. Shouldn't have ordered this. 8/10 9. White Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding $14: 1 of top 3 best bread puddings I've EVER had. Another was a croissant-based one in SF. But definitely The #1 Prettiest Bread Pudding I've ever seen. Just look at the pics. And it tastes just as glorious as it looks. Soooooo silky inside. Like tasting the solidified air of love. 10/10 10. Spiced Pear Tart $16 "bourbon, spiced pear syrup, walnut liqueur and lemon juice": Tastes like Asian plum actually. One of the best cocktails ever. So rich and complex. Pear almost tasted fermented. Amazing. 10/10 11. Latte $4.50 Bring $300 for 2. Treat yourself to what a great dinner should be, service, food, and all. 5/5 #monterey #italianfood #americanfood #fancyschmancy #sturgeonfish #sturgeonsteak #wagyu

There were some stand out items and some that could've been executed better. The two stand outs of our meal was the steak tartare and the cioppino. I loved the depth in both these dishes. The cioppino sauce was well balanced and had a pleasant smokiness to it. Out of all the dishes, this was definitely the best in my opinion. The fish of the day dish was well cooked, but had no seasoning. The fish was moist, but we definitely lacked salt. We had to ask for some on the side. The duck three ways was underwhelming. The duck leg confit was stringy and had no moisture whatsoever. The breast was cooked to a perfect medium rare and was good. The duck egg needed some salt. The side of bread at the beginning of our meal was one of the best I've had, I would buy a loaf if I could. If you're reading this review, the restroom has a door knob, but it doesn't turn - go ahead and push the door open. I thought it was pretty amusing sitting facing the restroom and walking people trying to turn the knob and waiting until a waiter/waitress tells them it's push to open.