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Café Monarch
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
6934 E 1st AveScottsdale, AZ 85251
(480) 970-7682
- Hours:
Thu-Sun 11 am - 2 pm
Thu-Sat 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
175 reviews for Café Monarch
Review Highlights
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"Thanks Chef Chris for a wonderful evening." In 23 reviews -
"Chef Chris is a one man show and treats each guest with..." In 14 reviews -
"Christopher (and his wonderful assistant David." In 34 reviews
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175 reviews in English
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Review from Jennifer S.
Dallas, TX
4/28/2012
Hands down my new favorite place in Scottsdale! Every thing about this place is perfect. The atmosphere is romantic and relaxing, the service is friendly and helpful and the food is fresh, flavorful and downright incredible! There were four choices today for lunch and I honestly don't think you could have gone wrong with any of them - all for the low price of $13.50 each.
I selected the arugula, prosciutto, tomatoes, cheese, and pesto plate...AMAZING!
Note that they are only open for lunch & dinner Thursday through Saturday and brunch Sunday...and they close for the summer. Also, it is cash only, but trust me, it is so worth it!
The chef stopped and talked to us as we were leaving...so nice and appreciative of our business. Definitely a first class place! -
Review from Michelle A.
Aurora, CO
5/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
I tried to go for brunch the last time I was in town with my son and girlfriend but there was a private party. This time I was able to get in with my son. Sat in the lovely patio area. I ordered the bacon and date sandwich. It was so tall because the dates were whole as we're the little tomatoes. However once it was smashed down I tried to get my mouth on it for the full experience. Let me say the sweetness of the dates with the smoky, crunch bacon and delicious bread it was so worth the mess that was made. The lady next to our table ate it layer by layer. No fun.
My son had the salmon salad. There was a lot of salmon. We shared and we had a lovely time together. We were full so didn't have dessert but I saw someone eating the brownie and it looked really good.
This is not a cheap restaurant but if you have a special date this would be a place to consider. Service was good. Glad to have finally dined there. -
Review from Gracie O.
Phoenix, AZ
4/17/2012
Chef Christopher is not unlike a character crafted by (insert prolific author here). I wouldn't be surprised if his motto wasn't "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." Undoubtedly, he would wash dishes and bus tables if he could. The fact that he cannot control every second of the customer's experience is visibly painful.
The night's main course was salmon or chicken. Crippled by indecision, I finally landed on the boneless, skinless chicken, with a smear of asiago cheese, basil and garlic rolled in prosciutto. This coiled beauty lay napping in a pool of fresh corn polenta with aromatic tomato basil fennel sauce.
Cafe Monarch truly takes comfort food to the next level. My first bite was akin to stepping into a warm bath. Even the tap water tasted like home; a farm that I never grew up on. Truly honest, rustic food.
No visit to Cafe Monarch would be complete without a little chat from the Chef. He personally thanks every one of his customers for coming in and tucks away their comments and feedback for later analysis. The conversations are never disingenuous, but always intriguing. In between tiny sips of hibiscus tea from what appears to be a squat ceramic container that you store kitchen utensils in, he is quietly studying you and plotting his next meal. -
Review from W H.
Tempe, AZ
5/16/2012
The atmosphere inside/outside this restaurant is amazing. It is perfectly decorated like a Pottery Barn picture.
I visited recently for dinner as part of a large party for a friend and was excited because of the reviews all my friends had given it. We brought 3 bottles of wine to share with the group.
I was impressed with the appetizer (shrimp with corn salsa) but was extremely disappointed with my main meal (cod with fennel). It was chewy, over fennelled and bland. I could not eat much of this meal and after dinner, I had a terribly sore throat...which I attribute to the excessive fennel. My husband had the pork dish and it was pretty delicious. Dessert was a Neapolitan dish and it was fairly good.
Once you consider the price ($65/person with uncorking, tax and tip), I have to say that although I loved the atmosphere and the idea of this restaurant, I am not likely to go back. I went home starving after having spent $65. Always disappointing. -
Review from Andrea T.
Gilbert, AZ
4/1/2012
I am surprised at all the 5 star reviews. Café Monarch is mediocre for the expense.
My boyfriend surprised me for my 40th birthday with a dinner at Café Monarch. We were impressed with the restaurant concept, high end, delectable fare, operated as a one-man show.
The starter white bean soup was bland and the main meal was very, very spicy. It took about 3 hours to get through only three courses; it was BYOB unfortunately the owner/chef charged us a corking fee.
We were not able to choose what we wanted for dinner, we only noted any food allergies we may have had and the chef prepared surprise spicy beef dishes.
When making the reservation, the owner/chef/waiter offered to make a special birthday treat and asked my boyfriend what my favorite dessert was. He told him that
I love cupcakes and Chef said he would make them for us. At the end of our meal, he informed us that he had sold all of my cupcakes. That was absolutely, positively, 100% unacceptable.
I do understand why it took so long to prepare and serve the meals, but just that he sold out all of my birthday cupcakes, not even just saving one for the birthday girl, was disappointing.
Unfortunately, I will not visit Café Monarch again.Comment from Christopher V. of Café Monarch 4/1/2012
CUPCAKES, have never been a part of Cafe Monarch's food… More » -
Review from John H.
McKnight, PA
5/20/2012
My wife and i just dined at this restaurant. I am a chef and must say that Chef Chris's concept is one I have not experienced.The food was outstanding, service excellent and the decore was creative,down to the flower pot wine bucket and old wooden crate that it sat on. Our entrees were served on either a bed of sundried ploenta or baby spincach and blackrice. What really intrigued me was the slaw made of shredded green papaya that was part of the appetizer course. Being a chef I had to share a neat appetizer, that i recently found, using a baby corn shoot! Chef keep up the suberb Cafe Monarch Bravo.
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Review from Grace K.
3/19/2012
This restaurant looks like an illustration off the page of a storybook. The decor of this quaint cottage is classic and pretty. We sat in front at a small table outside in the shade of a big tree.
Chris is an anomaly. He was by himself cooking, hosting, and serving. I was impressed by his calm demeanor and grace. He ran his restaurant with a smooth efficiency. Busy as a bee but filled with purpose.
My dish of turkey with cranberry sauce, julienned apples, mandarin oranges, mixed greens, and bread chips reflects everything about this man's cooking. He understands flavors and cohesiveness. He also has an eye for beauty, each part of my plate reflected his attention to color and detail.
My mom had made Korean food for Thanksgiving instead of the traditional stuff. But thanks to Chris I still got my Thanksgiving fix, in a gourmet way. It was nice having the best of both worlds. I had a lot to be thankful for. -
Review from Drew M.
Camarillo, CA
4/20/2012
Best breakfast! French Toast
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Review from Tracy M.
Sun City, AZ
4/23/2012
I love this place! My husband and I have been coming here for over a year. The building and courtyard are very tastefully decorated. The vines and foliage make me feel like I am eating in a garden; I love it!
I also love the fact that it is a set three course meal with a choice of two entrees for dinner. Believe it or not, it is hard to chose between the two because they both sound so delicious! Indeed the food is delicious and consistently great.
Christopher makes dinner look easy as a one man show in the kitchen. It is truly amazing! Looking forward to our next dinner...better plan soon!
Whoever the person is below that gave two stars and was surprised by a corkage fee needs to get out of the house more often. A corkage fee is standard for any byob. -
Review from Brian H.
2/12/2012
First off, I feel bad giving this place just three stars. After reading all the reviews, I was really hoping to like it a lot more than I did. I've heard for months from friends and fellow yelpers about how awesome this place is, so we decided to give it a try for early Vday dinner.
The atmosphere is very very nice. Nice little cottage with a kitchen (where they have a few tables next to the chef), a dining area, and an outside patio area. There are lots of candles and can be romantic place. The waiters were all nice, but we had some issues with the service. A group of 4 that came 20mins later than us(just 2) sat next to our table and kept getting food quicker than us. The most annoying part was that the waiters kept telling us our food would come, but the speed and service was definitely lacking.
As for the food, it was definitely worth 3+ stars except for the main chicken pesto dish. It was just two butterflied chicken pieces with pesto sauce, no vegetables, no special sauce, nothing special. I did love the appetizer 1 (white bean soup with side of bread with asiago cheese), appetizer 2 (barley and poached shrimp w/ sweet asian chili sauce), and one of the main dishes (pork tenderloin with a sweet chutney/hint of curry sauce and asparagus). The dessert was just some strawberries and fudge brownie. Again, nothing special.
All in all, I did like the experience, but the food left me thinking there could have been more or that it could have been better. Maybe I went in thinking too highly of this place. I am willing to give it another try, but it's not #1 that I would recommend to a friend.
** I wanted to add something. Chris, the owner of the restaurant sent me an apology via email and phone call. This says a lot considering chefs will get very offended if you talk remotely bad about their food/creations. I have to admit. I feel bad if I seem very cruel in my review, but I feel that I was not over-exaggerating anything. I like to think that I speak the truth and hopefully readers can appreciate that. One last thing.. Chris pointed out to me that the chicken pesto had provolone cheese and spinach. I am sorry Chris, I have a dull palate.
Again, i would like to try cafe monarch again and will update on my next visit! -
Review from Nick R.
Santa Monica, CA
1/29/2012
I mentioned to my ex that I would visit Scottsdale on business, she suggested I hit up CM for dinner. First off, my ex and I are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to food (no wonder we are no longer together, debating where to eat, she craved sushi non stop) so I was reluctant to dine here but I am so glad I did! This restaurant is run by a one man machine! Yes, you heard that right, Chef Chris cooks and serves your food with all with a smile. The food is delicious and the atmosphere is beautiful ( I just read what i have typed thus far, I said beautiful in a review!!!!! a first for me I am reviewing this restaurant with my feminine side, yikes!). My only regret is that I dined alone.
If I lived anywhere near Scottsdale I would be a regular. -
Review from Keith L.
Scottsdale, AZ
5/8/2012
Terrible all the way around. Enjoyed my first two experiences there but a bomb a few weeks ago. Hosted a B Day party for a group of 10 and started off with the chef being very rude to my wife since we were 10 minutes late. Don't get it when only 2 of the 25 tables were occupied. After a few prior phone calls to discuss the menu and pairing with the wines we were bringing, they decided the day of to change the menu with no notice. Normally not a big deal but no need to plan on pairing if they just decide to change last minute. Food was sub par. The most polite way to say it. The only bright spot was the staff. They were great and you could tell the were embarrassed. I live close by so I am letting all of my friends know including by buddies at the Wine & Food Society.
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Review from Samantha C.
Carmichael, CA
Had a wonderful girls night out here with my 3 best friends. The basics: $45 per person, cash only for a 3 course meal. $10 per bottle corking fee.
Food was delicious and portions were HUGE! The restaurant itself was situated in a small house. It was beautifully decorated with candles and had a beautiful courtyard with a warm fire to sit by between courses. Our server was very intuitive and could tell that a near by table (obviously celebrating a birthday) was being a bit loud so offered a nice table in the courtyard under a heat lamp for us to enjoy our dessert in peace.
We were also able to meet Chef Chris who we could clearly tell was passionate about his restaurant and the wonderful menu he creates daily. The amazing thing is that he makes all these creations with only hot plates and panini presses (no gas line to the building)! Would certainly love to visit again next time we are in town. Only thing I would suggest is some heavy drapes in the dining room to help dampen conversations. Bottom line: great food, great staff, beautiful restaurant and an excellent value! -
Review from Shon P.
2/1/2012 2 Check-ins Here
Everything you could want in a cozy neighborhood fine dining establishment. The restaurant looks to be converted from a small home, so seating is pretty limited--but that just adds to the charm. Location is very central to downtown Scottsdale, but enough off beaten path that it feels hidden. Decor and atmosphere are a fun mix between country garden and creole soul. Food excellent! And if you sit inside, you get to enjoy watching Chef Chris work only a few feet away. Its like dining at the home of a close friend--who happens to have an industrial grade kitchen, and can throw down in it.
To know, before you go: Cash only and BYOB. -
Review from Meredith H.
Scottsdale, AZ
3/22/2012
Wow! What a treat! The dinner was incredible, atmosphere outstanding and service wonderful. It is a true Scottsdale gem. Very romantic and personalized service at a reasonable price...what more can you ask for! Our waiter Christian was delightful.
The evening was priceless:) -
Review from Karen W.
Tempe, AZ
1/7/2012 1 Check-in Here
Cute little cozy eatery serving up what's the best and freshest at the moment. From the hand-written menu outside to the picturesque garden exterior, Cafe Monarch is a little gem in the heart of downtown Scottsdale.
It was a lovely late Saturday morning when we ate here, right at opening time (11 AM). The menu for lunch is all $12.50 no matter what you get, with selections such as pork tenderloin, chicken breast, shrimp, and brie with fennel. The last two selections are what my friend and I had. The shrimp was excellent. It was perfectly cooked, on crispy toasted bread covered with pesto. There were also pieces of sweet pineapple, sliced cherry tomatoes, and chopped onion to add some more color and tropical flavor. There was a massive amount of shrimp on the plate, which made this dish a tasty and very good deal. My friend had the brie with fennel and puff pastry (My description of this, by the way, does not do the dish justice). All the ingredients were well prepared and very good on their own, but for me, it wasn't as good as my shrimp dish.
Drink selections include hot tea, coffee, and iced green or hibiscus tea ($3). The hibiscus tea is very refreshing with a deep garnet color to the drink.
Our total for 2 lunch dishes and 1 iced tea was a little over $30 including tax. This establishment is cash only, so come prepared!
P.S. Another plus about this restaurant. For those of you who hate scavenging for restaurant parking around downtown Scottsdale, Cafe Monarch has its own private lot. -
Review from Rachel R.
Phoenix, AZ
1/31/2012
I headed out to Café Monarch for a friend's birthday last Sunday. The place is tiny and positively filled with atmosphere. There are only a handful of tables inside, and Chef Chris is able to give personal attention to each one. We were a little earlier than most of the rest of the folks, so we had the chance to sit and chat with him before he started cooking. Seriously? I'd go back just to hang out with the guy.
He prepared an absolutely fabulous meal. We started with a salad -- lots of greens, citrus, raisins, some tabbouleh and a little eggplant. Magnificent. The main course was ribs. I'll be honest.. I'm not really a ribs person.... but these were like, fall off the bone, melt in your mouth delicious ribs. Dessert included some of the richest chocolate that I've had in quite some time.
It's BYOB & cash only. And amazing. -
Review from Kim S.
Phoenix, AZ
2/26/2012
My goodness! Where are these reviews coming from?? A PR company? I've seen such positive press on this restaurant that when my husband tried to make a reservation and they told him that we needed to wait 3 weeks and bring two friends since they only had a four top I was still excited to go. Disappointed. One, you pay a cork fee for your wine but the waiters are nowhere to be found to pour it. Not ONCE. Two, the decor was sterile at best. It was like modern looking office depot desks placed in a warehouse in some parts and then fake pine needles and mirrors in another. Kind of 'off'. Maybe they need to consult a decorator. Three, although we were told to bring two people since there were no two tops, there were 2 of them just in our little room alone not even including the front area. FOOD: You had no choice of appetizers or desert. One choice. For the entree you got to choose between fish and meat but when we ordered the meat they didn't even ask how we liked it cooked. It was all average. AND, the reviews all tout how involved the owner is in choosing the meals but we saw no hide or hair of him until we were in the parking lot ready to leave. Small asides: I asked for black napkins. They had them but they were wet. Yup. Wet. And when we decided to take a doggy bag (yes, for the dog) they handed us a cardboard box and told us to have at it.
DISAPPOINTED. We will never ever ever ever ever go back again. The food was OK but nothing to brag about. Considering they only have FOUR dishes in the whole restaurant I expected to be wowed. Not so.
Don't waste an evening out or your hard earned cash on this place. And I mean cash literally. They don't take credit cards.Comment from Christopher V. of Café Monarch 2/26/2012
ANY & ALL reservations, are booked personally by me. I've… More » -
Review from Leila U.
Chicago, IL
12/12/2011
Only sad part of lunch was that it wasn't the full dinner experience. We found this place on Yelp while in town for a conference and got to have a deliciously awesome lunch for under $30 for 2.
We had a roasted veggie crostini and shrimp+polenta. Both were perfection. Again, only issue here was that we wanted to sit there for the rest of our vacation and eat everything Chef Chris makes. Nonstop.
The space is truly special, as if you are eating in your friends rustic house while they are cooking you up a culinary masterpiece. The lunch was unforgettable, and we'll have to make it back for hours of evening eating. -
Review from Niki S.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/24/2012
Woohoo is right! We've been coming here for a couple of years and came on Sat night for my birthday. Upon arrival find that Christopher has finished his renovations and had a beautiful new dining room and best of all, a new space on an outdoor patio, complete with fountain and heaters, where we elected to dine. As usual, the food was outstanding and service good. We do find however, that we miss talking with Christopher during the meal, but understand that it's just not possible with all the new tables. We wouldn't go anywhere else for a special occasion or just when you want a special & intimate place, and great food. Too many times you pay too much for just okay food, so it's a treat to get great food for a fair price. Do yourself a favor and try Monarch Cafe.....you'll love it as much as we do.
Mike & Niki S. -
Review from Grace F.
Palo Alto, CA
3/18/2012
Cafe Monarch is a treasure. I'm sad there isn't a place like it back where I live. I am in town for the weekend and had dinner here last night with my family.
We were taken to the kitchen to meet the chef before we were seated outside in the courtyard. It was lovely. We brought a bottle of wine and enjoyed the appetizer: fresh mushrooms, asparagus, roasted bell peppers, proscuitto and pesto with lavash crackers. It was a generous portion and both my mother and I felt like we could have walked away after the appetizer satisfied!
The two entrees were absolutely fantastic. Pork with cheddar polenta and some sort of (delicious) new mexico chile sauce. Scallops fried in panko with arugula and heirloom tomatoes. We tried both and were very satisfied. Again, the portion was quite healthy and we felt totally satisfied.
Dessert was good. Fresh berried, mango with vanilla ice cream and fried wontons with chocolate sauce and berry sauce.
Service was terrific. We had a great time and wish we could go back tonight! If we lived in AZ, we would come back on a weekly basis! -
Review from Kristal R.
Las Vegas, NV
10/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow.
That about sums it up.
After cancelling a brunch reservation for my fiance's birthday, we scurried on over to Cafe Monarch. Fabulous Sunday, and the weather is gorgeous. We drive up to Cafe Monarch a little early to avoid the Sunday crowd (thanks to the advice of some reviewers since Cafe Monarch is a one-man show and can get pretty busy). There are beautiful monarch butterflies flying around the outside of the Cafe. Beautiful landscaping and cafe style, white linen tables adorn Monarch.
Chef Chris is outside writing up the day's sweet & savory brunch menu. We walk on over, and he remembers the message I had left him the day before. He wishes Edgar a happy birthday. He explains the way the restaurant is run and tells us to help ourselves to the beverage area as there's hibiscus tea, coffee, water w/mint leaves and orange juice. A cute little station with beautiful drinkware. We help ourselves and get comfy on a bench outside.
A few minutes in, his helper comes out and tells us to take a seat anywhere we'd like and asks us what we would like to order. We order one each of both dishes. One savory and one sweet. When our meals actually came out, we took one bit, and I went inside to tell Chef Chris to bring us each the opposite of what we just ordered. We couldn't share! It was too dang good! DELICIOUS is an understatement!
For the sweet dish we had pumpkin french toast with roasted pear, amber maple syrup, cranberry butter and spicy chicken sausage. For savory we had grilled porkloin w/feta, herb potatoes, fried egg and tomato sauce.
The flavors that were extracted from these dishes are unbelievable. Chef Chris creates a custom menu every single day, and you'll never have the same meal here. It was divine. The french toast is one, if not THE BEST french toast my fiance and I have ever had anywhere. We didn't drench the french toast with syrup as there was no need for it. The texture was spot on, and it was moist. The cranberry butter was absolutely delicious, and it accompanied nicely to the chicken sausage.
The porkloin was cooked PERFECTLY. Not dry and not under done. The herb potatoes were stacked beautifully with wonderful herbs and spices, and the very top layer was crispy. Perfectly cooked fried eggs (it takes a real special person to make perfect eggs in my opinion), and the tomato sauce was out of this world. This wasn't some run of the mill tomato sauce. It was home made, thick and hearty tomato sauce.
This was the perfect way to end our trip to Scottsdale, and we were so happy to have been able to experience Cafe Monarch. Chef Chris is truly talented, and you can feel his passion and love for what he does. Not a lot of Chefs carry this same passion, but he does. There is LOVE in each and every dish - no factory style kitchen dishes coming out of here.
My fiance said it... "the best breakfast I've ever had."
Thank you again Chef Chris!Listed in: Spoil your culinary taste…
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Review from ben m.
Menlo Park, CA
12/8/2011
Worth making a trip for.
If you're interested in food and enjoy chatting with the chef, this is amazing. The chef/waiter/maitre'd/everything is super calm, polite, and skilled.
The cafe ambience is very warm, the open kitchen makes you feel very much at home, the coffee is great (there's chicory root), and the food is superb. -
Review from Joe B.
Chandler, AZ
12/24/2011
I like the place, but it is not 5 stars and based on our experience it is only pushing 4 stars(3.5)..but I will concede the extra half.
First off, the place is a nice atmosphere. Small and quaint with a B&B feel.
Next, the food: On our visit, I have to say the food was just not that great. Unfortunately with the style of the place, you are at the mercy of whatever is on the menu for that night. On this night it was tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for the appetizer. I was kind of confused by this, not that it wasn't good, but grilled cheese and tomato soup? That is kind of like a dinner in of itself. It was just not what I would consider an appetizer.
For the main meal we had a choice of beef tenderloin or shrimp. We got one of each so that we could share. The beef was very ordinary and so were the basic mashed potatos and sauteed veggies. The shrimp was on a bed of polenta. The shrimp was plentiful, but wayyy too spicy(note: I love spicy food). The spiciness just took away from the whole dish. Plus it was very watery.
Dessert was the best part: Baked pear with cranberries, chocolate ganache and ice cream. I would have liked the pear baked a little more so that it was softer and easier to eat. But it was good none the less.
Ok..now for the service: First off, this is supposed to be a nicer dining establishment...yet the servers are in jeans and a black t-shirt. During the night the owner was constantly telling the servers what/how to do things. Now, I fully understand training...but shouldn't it be formal training and not on the fly? In general though the service was ok. Nothing special. Our server explained the menu but did not provide much detail(especially as noted earlier that the shrimp was spicy...that should have been a key item).
Anyways, it may have been an off night for everyone based on other reviews, so I am not going to be overly harsh. It is a good place, BYOB is a plus. We just did not have anywhere close to the same experience other reviewers have had. I would try again and hope that I get a better menu option. -
Review from Dianne B.
South Glastonbury, CT
12/18/2011
This restaurant was awesome! My husband David and I chose this restaurant for brunch based on the feedback/ratings in Yelp and, we weren't disappointed!! The Chef had two items (Sweet & Savory) of which to choose from. We chose the potato, spinach & mushroom frittata with chili rubbed pork tenderloin and it was wonderful! We asked the Chef about the sauce and
He told us how he makes it and offered to send some home with us. Unfortunately, we
are traveling so couldn't even take our left overs. We will definitely go back especially knowing that you can call in a reservation and speak with the Chef about any food allergies, etc. and he will accommodate!! We also like that you can BYOB!!
Again, awesome restaurant, Chef and service!!! -
Review from Arielle A.
Scottsdale, AZ
1/28/2012
Cash only is accepted. The food is excellent. I went for a sunday brunch. My options were savory or sweet. $20 a person without tip. It was excellent. I got french toast but the menu changes all the time. Very pretty patio and great service. Chef Christopher is amazing.
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Review from F U.
Royal Oak, MI
7/27/2011
Very very good
Off the cuff breakfast sandwich
Host chef waiter and a wealth of knowledge!!! -
Review from Diannette F.
Phoenix, AZ
1/29/2012
Love Love this place! The jewel of the valley offering very creative dishes from an extraordinary chef. An eye for a keen sense of taste and entertainment. Truly an artist in his mastery...finally someone who understands what simple pleasures can bring. Spontaneous happiness is this place! I highly recommend. My wedding rehearsal dinner will be a unique experience in his hands....can't wait for what Chef Chris has to bring:)
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Review from Al S.
Portland, OR
1/28/2012
Cash only. We went here for lunch and were not disappointed. The food was amazing as was the service. The menu was rather limited but everything on it sounded amazing. The chef/waiter/owner did an excellent job of providing excellent service and amazing food. He suggested some slight variations to the dish I ordered and I could not have been more pleased. The mac and cheese side dish was the best I have ever had. I will definitely go back next time I am in town.
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Review from Francine J.
Phoenix, AZ
3/25/2012
My boyfriend surprised me with dinner at Café Monarch last night. What a surprise! Chef/Owner Chris takes you on a unique and innovative culinary journey. The atmosphere and world he has created is whimsical and romantic. Smart concept - prix fixe menu and BYOB. This allows you to enjoy his inventive cuisine and a special bottle of wine in a gorgeous and intimate environment. I highly recommend this restaurant. I eagerly look forward to my next dining experience at Café Monarch.
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Review from isabelle j.
Arlington, VA
11/23/2011
I was in the area for a conference and Yelp led me to this lovely establishment. I set a reservation for 5:30 on a Thursday night. Chris asked if I had any allergies or foods that I didn't like. You care? Awww.... My only request was no beets. He also asked if I had any time constraints. At least give yourself an hour here. I ended up running late, but Chris assured me it was no problem. I arrived and was kindly greeted by Chris and his staff of 2 (one of which was a trainee). I chose to sit inside so I could see him cook. The inside is small, intimate and quaint. The cooking area is off to side, but in a location where most diners can see Chris in action.
The first course was shredded cucumber noodles with chopped roma tomatoes, grated asiago cheese atop 2 toasted slices of baguette with olive oil. The cucumber threw me off a little, but everything tasted fantastic together! The perfect blending of ingredients. I probably coulda eaten another serving but thank goodness I didn't. The second course was Shrimp cakes with green beans, black rice with carrots, purple cabbage, and zucchini, served with a sweet chili sauce. There was a little kick on the finishing bites of the shrimp cakes. Nothing unbearable. I wasn't a big fan of the green beans. But they were just plain. The shrimp cakes with the black rice were wonderful. I got pretty full from the shrimp cake, but shamelessly finished the entire portion. The final course, dessert, was pumpkin bread pudding topped with glazed pear and toasted nuts with cranberry sauce on the side and a sprig of mint. This portion was HUGE! I think I maybe took about 4 bites and just couldn't eat anymore. The dessert was delicious and I especially liked the glazed pear topping. The food tasted very fresh. Chris mentioned that he had gone to the market earlier that day to prepare for dinner.
Service - The staff, to include Chris, was very attentive. About mid way through my dinner, 2 more couples arrived and decided to sit outside. A few minutes after the waitress seated them, Chris asked the waitress, "Is everybody comfortable?" Really?! If ain't customer service, then I don't know what is. Oh wait, yes I do. So I've paid my bill (only cash accepted; think it was around $65) and I stand up to leave. I walk over to Chris to thank him for a wonderful dining experience and ask if I can take his picture. He graciously obliges and takes a pic with me. After the pictures, I walk out the door and who should follow? Chris! He walked me to my car and even opened my door. If THAT'S not customer service, then I dunno what is! I can't say enough about this little gem. I only wish Chris could split his time between AZ and DC. At least think about it, Chris?? :-p I
If you ever find yourself near Scottsdale, make some time for Cafe Monarch. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Stephanie L.
Gilbert, AZ
1/28/2012
Cafe Monarch had great food, service and atmosphere. My boyfriend and I went for our one year anniversary and the intimate setting was perfect for the occasion. Chef Chris made salmon and pork and they both were delicious. We especially liked the appetizer, it was the perfect amount and flavor with the pesto, tomatoes, prosciutoo and fennel. We highly recommend this restaurant and would definitely eat here again!
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Review from Melissa W.
Chandler, AZ
3/25/2011 ROTD 5/24/2011
Yes yes yes, for every reason all the 5 star reviews state below! Multiple trips to wine country with more than my (small) wine fridge will hold, this is exactly the place I want to crack these bottles open and let the atmosphere and food wash over me. Hey...though I love to cook at home, I admit my meals do not justify these bottles' price tags. :P So bring your beautiful wine and enjoy the evening away... actually bring 2-3 bottles and decide what you are going to pour once you hear the menu ;)
PS. Just talking to Chris on the phone, he has more personality than some folks exhibit their entire lives! -
Review from S W.
Seattle, WA
I, too, found Cafe Monarch on Yelp. Chef Chris and I played phone tag a few times, but we finally got reservations. My party of nine ended up getting Easter brunch, and for $20 we felt it was a great deal. We got a poached salmon salad (amazing dressing and fresh peas!) and a cashew chicken with Japanese black rice. They were served family style and delicious. The coffee, hibiscus iced tea, and dessert course was also included in the price. Unfortunately we didn't take advantage of the BYO-champagne since we partied a little too much the previous night :)
Chef Chris came out after our meal to chat with us and he was hilarious! He is probably the only person who can get away with calling his guest an elitist cougar :) (Don't worry, it doesn't sound as bad as you think!)
This is a dining experience you should not miss. Take your time to enjoy the atmosphere (maybe eat in the patio area when it's cooler). I'm off to tell my friends in Phoenix to try it out, and I hope to visit Cafe Monarch if I'm ever back in the area. -
Review from Sarah A.
12/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
Excellent service, excellent environment, and excellent food. I went for brunch and the food was seasonal and fantastic with both sweet and savory choices. Just remember to bring cash...
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Review from Temi C.
5/17/2011
Cafe Monarch is an absolute must-try dining destination!
Chris, the owner, is a one-man show taking reservations, prepping, cooking, and even washing his own dishes. He works very swiftly and efficiently with just one server running the food. He shared that he was a Northwestern graduate, and Cafe Monarch was his creative outlet.
The 3-course dinner was amazing!! Our first course consisted of eggplant tapenade with perfectly cooked asparagus and buttery toast. The portions were huge.
Next, we were given an option between salmon with sweet corn and spinach or pork tenderloins with Japanese cashew rice. The salmon was delicious.
Chris not only created a wonderful meal, he entertained us with his witty jokes and keen sense of intuition. We were celebrating our friend's bachelorette so he asked us to go around and share one word about her. He added his own observation: compassion. He couldn't be more spot on about her and I know she really appreciated his thoughtfulness.
It's byob with $10 corkage/bottle. I would definitely return the next time I visit Scottsdale. -
Review from Jennifer O.
Mesa, AZ
10/29/2011
Update: Chef Chris is awesome. He not only sent me a message late last night, but he called me this morning to personally apologize, talk with me about the experience, and insist I take a refund (which I did not want to take because there were a lot of positives about the experience that I thought were valuable). He really made me feel good about our experience and it is so rare for a person to be so mindful of his consumer and take the time to personally talk for ten minutes to make the situation right. That is very cool and makes me want to give this place another shot.
Review: I was trying to decide between two and three stars because we went here for our fancy anniversary dinner and I really REALLY wanted to love this place! Unfortunately, it was disappointing. I'll start with the positive stuff, because there were lots of positives- 1. Chef Chris was super nice and friendly 2. I love the environment, we sat on the patio and it was beautiful. The tables were candlelit, there was a pretty fountain, and I LOVED the little wood burning fireplaces and the nice smell that the wood gave off 3. A lot of the food was good. We started with a very tasty minestrone soup with home made crackers and the dessert (pumpkin cheesecake) was also wonderful! I also liked that they put mint in the water and the coffee was very good.
So now on to the not so great parts... So first, we had tried to go to this restaurant for my birthday in April, but a couple days before our reservation, the BF got a call saying that chef Chris had fallen ill and that we would not be able to have dinner there BUT that they would call us as soon as he came back to give us a reservation then. Well, I waited a month after my birthday... no birthday dinner.... cuz all I wanted was to go here. No call. The BF called and left several messages with no response. Then the message changed and they were closed for the summer and we went somewhere else. That was pretty bad. So now we got a res for our anniversary, and I was super excited but things went so wrong. The main dish was not at all impressive. I was told that one entree was chicken in a creamy sauce with black rice and spinach and I ordered that. The BF got a beef tenderloin with pesto, potato, and spinach. Well... they came out and my chicken and his steak were identical...both with pesto, spinach, grilled potato. That irked me a little bit, but I just figured that it was an honest mistake on the waiter's part. Then I took a bite of chicken and it had a gelatinous texture... I have never experienced that before, but I thought maybe it was just so juicy and I have never had chicken prepared in the same way before...Wrong. Then I took another bite and the texture was just weird. I tried to see if it was pink inside, but we only had the candlelight so I couldn't tell. Had the BF try it, and he said he thought it was underdone. Not a real awesome thing for chicken. So I sent it back and the waitress was very nice, apologized and took it. Chef Chris brought the new one out a few minutes later and was very sweet about it, which I appreciated. However, the chicken was not so awesome. Maybe I was just turned off to it or something... but it wasn't very appetizing. Anyway, it was kind of bland and the sides were not great... plain potatoes and raw spinach and tomato.... nothing special, and definitely nothing worth the price. The BF's steak was chewy but still better than the chicken, but essentially they tasted the same. The worst part, though, was unfortunately the service. I would understand the service being lackluster if chef Chris were doing it all himself, but with two people on waitstaff and only about 15 tables it was unacceptable. We were there for 2.5 hours, which would be fine if that was the intent of the restaurant..but I don't think it was. The first two courses were timely, but dessert was kind of a mess. We got some coffee...cute LARGE coffee cups, but not too much coffee in them and it wasn't hot, but it was tasty. We finished the coffee before we got our dessert. The waiter told us he'd bring some more coffee (us and the people next to us too) he came back a minimum of 3 times without refilling our coffee, probably more. I don't know if it was because there was a big table inside to tend to, but we did not get coffee until about 10 minutes after we finished our dessert and I had eaten slowly on purpose because I wanted to have coffee with dessert. THEN we proceeded to get the wrong check twice (with about ten minutes in between wrong checks) and wait about 35 minutes to get the correct check. There was some confusion between the waiter and waitress on who was supposed to take care of us, but it was a bit ridiculous. For 100$ for two people there are many places that have attentive service and tastier food. So for all of these reasons, I do not foresee us returning to this restaurant in the near future, unfortunately, because there really are some great aspects of this place -
Review from Mara W.
Scottsdale, AZ
2/25/2012
Highly recommend! This upscale, casual dining restaurant is a special treat. Che Chris is a wonder in his tiny kitchen, making fresh ingredients come together for a memorable experience. And it's byob! Great for dates, groups, occasions frankly, any reason. Cannot wait to go again.
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Review from Christine S.
Fremont, CA
2/22/2011 5 photos
Husband and I went for a grown up night out. I love good food but don't always like to get all dolled up to enjoy good food. It was the perfect evening out. Completely unpretentious, its like going to a friend's house for dinner who is also an amazing cook. So, hands down 5 stars for atmospere. Now, onto the food:
1) chef/owner makes what he wants to make. Be ok with it and you won't be disappointed
2) three courses, prix fixe for $45/person plus $10 corkage. Byob cuz there's none at the restaurant (a great deal if you ask me)
3) make reservations! On the night that we were there, he had one seating-that's it. We felt very special as we watched Chris turn down several walk-ins.
4) what we ate:
Tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwich-the best tomato soup-EVER, perfect consistency, a nice garlic kick.
Grilled pork tenderloin-my dish, very tasty, over bed of japanese black rice. So good!
Scallops with bacon-lots of scallops, lots of bacon, good flavor
Strawberry tart-remember-it's Feb in Arizona and I was having a hard time finding good strawberries. These were better than good.
Remember-the chef is the owner, the owner is the chef so if you call during lunch or dinner, chances are, he's cooking. We usually love trying new places and don't often repeat, but this one we will. -
Review from Steve M.
Atlanta, GA
12/13/2011
Love it! Right up there with Fnand B as the best restaurant in Scottsdale. Fn and B has the better location. Cafe Monarch is harder to find as it is 3 blocks from the restaurant area in downtown Scottsdale. We were there for breakfast 2 years ago it was $20 and you choose sweet or savory. The chef was the cook, and the waiter. While, they were busy, he could hire more staff if the average chains were not so busy. It is upsetting that more people do not give small great places like this a chance. While, I do not love yelp, yelp was the only way we would have found this hidden gem.
