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Cafe Montana
Category: Restaurants Breakfast & Brunch Breakfast & Brunch [Edit]
1534 Montana AveSanta Monica, CA 90403
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
(310) 829-3990
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Breakfast, Brunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
123 reviews for Cafe Montana
Review Highlights
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"The granola french toast with rasberry sauce is AMAZING." In 5 reviews -
"i love the banana brownie cream pie." In 2 reviews -
"I love their Pumpkin Ravioli, Vegetable Rolls, and..." In 5 reviews
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123 reviews in English
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Review from Robert P.
PACIFIC PLSDS, CA
5/14/2012
I am a little surprised by some of the lower reviews here.
I have eaten here many times over the years, usually for breakfast and lunch. It is one of my favorite restaurants for brunch/lunch.
The salads here are great, particularly the chicken curry salad. The brunch menu has several items that I enjoy. The restaurant sits on a corner, and gets good light, making the dining experience more pleasant.
The food is consistently good, and I always seem to have good service. It is not a 5 star restaurant, but is a solid 4 star. -
Review from Victoria K.
Laguna Niguel, CA
5/17/2012
I used to like this place a lot but their portions have gotten increasing smaller and smaller lately. I ordered huevos rancheros and literally got dime sized scoop of guac and pico de gallo. I pointed it out to the server and mentioned that in the past there seemed to be a little bit more to offer. She brought me another dime sized scoop of pico de gallo... but not guac. I guess that was too expensive for the restaurant to swing.
I've left my last two brunches starving. Maybe this is great for the stereotypical overweight American, but I weigh 115 lbs. I would like a full meal when I order one! -
Review from Craig k.
West Los Angeles, CA
4/24/2012
There is just nothing remarkable about this place. Been there several times and tried several different things. The waffle is as bland and boring as they come, and could have been made by a 6 year old with help from Mom or Dad. Not crispy, not particularly big, and I think they had sliced 3 strawberries on it. And why so stingy with the thimble of maple syrup? It's not a commodity, you know.
The breakfast burrito is filling, but again, nothing special. If your menu items taste just like everyone else's, then you're just relying on people being too lazy to meander farther than they block they live on. Being a former NYer, I have no problem traveling a bit to get to food that I WANT.
The service is spotty. Sometimes I had a waiter/waitress who was really attentive and on top of things, and sometimes it took 25 minutes to get a second cup of coffee. For these prices and this location, that is NOT acceptable on a Sunday morning.
Want better suggestions for breakfast/brunch/lunch? Try FarmShop in the Brentwood Countrymart or The Brick House just behind Abbott Kinney. Cafe Montana just mails it in, and first class mail it ain't. -
Review from Stephanie B.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
2/27/2012
I was invited to have lunch here with a client. It is a nice cafe with a small bakery counter at 16th and Montana. There are a couple dozen small tables in a cafe with windows on two sides, so it has a nice light/bright feeling.
The servers are gracious and the menu is vast/eclectic. There were a handful of sandwich choices, salad choices, pasta choices, app choices, egg choices, etc. I ordered the Curry Chicken Salad, which was a pile of mixed greens with 8 slices of grilled chicken breast, which were about two bites each), and a bunch of chopped mango and a couple of almonds. They use a creamer to serve the curry dressing. The salad was tasty...I don't think that it was $14 tasty...but I wasn't paying and I ate every bite. The food is somewhat pedestrian and quite expensive. So if I were choosing, I would pick one of the more interesting eateries in the area. That being said, the food is tasty and emminently edible, so I would not turn down an invitation. -
Review from Tara M.
Los Angeles, CA
3/3/2012
FOOD POISONING! I ate here last Friday (2/24) and ordered the scallops over angel hair pasta. I went home and puked Friday night and Saturday. Clearly the scallops were bad.
I emailed the restaurant through the website over that weekend and heard nothing. Then I called the manager on duty the following week and he said he'd call me back - no call.
I can't believe the lack of concern they showed over what they're serving and their indifference to customer satisfaction. Food is mediocre at best on a good night, but you have been warned - don't order the scallops! -
Review from Boris M.
Downtown, Los Angeles, CA
2/17/2012
Decent food, high prices, small portions, and lousy service. There are far better other dining options in the area.
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Review from P. R.
Los Angeles, CA
12/24/2011
Honestly, not impressed.
Ive come to Cafe Montana once before, and also had a luke warm experience, but this time...ugh. I definitely WILL NOT be going back.
We brought our friends from London for brunch this morning to experience Montana ave shopping, and overall just the other side of Santa Monica. We walked in, and the girls at the front are smiley and welcoming, and then they seat you and dont take a drink order. Next the busboy comes and takes the drink order, and then the server...(oh my god he is so PREFUCKINGTENTIOUS)...its painful really.
And just a side note, I live in Santa Monica...so I'm used to really waspy places, and from time to time I'm good with putting on something from Fred Segal and yucking it up. Today was one of those days.
Anyway, so the server, a taller, left handed, Brad Pitt wannabe with a piss poor attitude and the intelligence of a rock...how did I notice he was left handed you ask? Because thats how INVASIVE he was.
The food...these people seriously need to revamp their plating skills. I mean, even if its scrambled eggs, there is usually some sort of garnish right? It literally looked unappetizing. I ordered a ham and cheddar omelet (which came out looking nice) and I took a bite, actually two bites before noticing a really sweet taste to the ham. When I looked closer, I noticed the ham was a gray color. Ham isnt gray, its pink. I dont care how you cook ham, its PINK. Unless of course, its spoiled. And along with a really sweet taste, like sweet...rotten-sweet, you get freaked out.
Because our server failed to check back up on us, I had to flag down the hostess and ask her what her thoughts were on the meat. She had no idea what kind of ham they used or why it would look or taste like that...and she sent over a blonde woman who I assume was the manager or owner. She then proceeded to tell us that its some sort of honey ham, and that she ate the ham this morning and she isn't sick yet.
REALLY?!
Needless to say, the customer service here is so terrible, I wasn't going to cause a scene with my wife and guests in tow, so I paid the $50 tab vowing an honest yelp review of how horrible and mistreated as a customer I felt. And also, that we will never, ever, return.
Now hopefully, I dont get sick! -
Review from Hope R.
Santa Monica, CA
10/25/2011
Okay. I don' t like to give only two stars. To be fair, my review is based on not only this restaurant, but an attitude that is pervasive throughout the whole street.
It's not exactly pretentious, it's just "cold".
It's an attitude: not relaxed, not friendly, not haughty, not anything. Just cold, and all people that sit and stand near each other are as if they are miles away. Just cold.
This restaurant has food that's okay. Too pricey.
Like a lot of Montana Ave, in Santa Monica.
Most of the stores, like most of the folk---aren't all that interesting or interesting looking. No one looks artistic or like they have all that much to say.
And they don't. They're just cold.
Maybe they have a lot of money because they live around there. Yeah, and so what. The street is still boring and cold, and so are the people. As is this restaurant. -
Review from sasha h.
10/10/2011
This is probably more of a 3.5 but i'm feeling generous. I'll start off by saying I think this place is worth a stop, especially if you are in the area frequently. In short - it's a stylish café with all glass windows looking out at Montana and an open kitchen, nothing too fancy but cute nonetheless. They have a pretty decent sized selection of salads, pastas and seafood / meat entrees.
Recommend the gorgonzola salad, crab cakes, pumpkin ravioli, penne, seared scallops with angel hair, kobe beef burger for dinner. Their special of the day usually includes a fish which is what I frequently order and have had success every time. For lunch, most of the sandwiches are salads are tasty (grilled chicken sandwich, montanta burger). Brunch you won't go wrong with eggs or lox, for something sweet the Blynas are a nice change. Their food is not very intricate but they do the basic California cuisine pretty well. Service is hit or miss, I've often waited quite some time to get my food and when the place is busy waiters can be curt. I've heard sometimes the flavors can be hit or miss, i guess i've gotten lucky if that is the case -
Review from Jamie K.
Los Angeles, CA
11/23/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Went on a Sunday afternoon for brunch. Made a reservation for our party through OpenTable, which was key in arriving and not waiting. Restaurant was full. Waitress was friendly and the staff is quick to make sure that your water/drinks stay full.
One friend and I each had the Huevos Rancheros on the rec of the waitress. She was right on point...Delicious!! Also had a side of home fries, which were also very good. I would DEF get both these items again.
My girlfriend order the Silver Dollar Pancakes. I tried them. They were good but not overly special. My friend's girlfriend had the Lox Benedict. She thoroughly enjoyed her meal as well. I am not a lox fan so didn't try it.
They have plenty of pies to choose from. We went with two of their large chocolate chip cookies and had them put ice cream in the middle, called "It's It." This was not on the menu but they were willing to make it and let me tell you, heads were turning. It was filling down to the last bite and was big enough for the 4 of us to split.
I have two knocks on the place. For a Sunday brunch they could use a special on the mimosas. $8 for the first and $2 for each thereafter is not the greatest deal in the world. Also, the prices are about 25% too high in my opinion for breakfast items. For our party of 4 we dropped about $120 ON BREAKFAST. Without the mimosas it still would have been about $70. However, I guess it is on par for restaurants on Montana.
Will likely go again but it will be to take someone from out of town and not my regular or semi-regular brunch spot due to price alone. At least the Fig Restaurant at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel (Ocean & Wilshire), for Sunday brunch you can have ANY brunch item and an endless pint of draft beer for $25 from 11AM-2PM. -
Review from Rick S.
Glendale, CA
10/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
Wow! I have to say, this was a pleasant surprise. I was looking for another restaurant in the area and happened by Cafe Montana. The menu looked good so we stopped in.
The service, from greeting us at our entrance to leaving after the meal, was genuinely friendly. The table service was also efficient without being rushed.
The restaurant is surrounded by floor-to-ceiling glass on two sides giving you a nice view of Montana Ave. The service helps provide a warm atmosphere to what could otherwise seem like a sterile experience.
We ordered Zucchini soup, Linguini with Salmon and Pumpkin Ravioli. All the food was fantastic but the ravioli was the standout. The pumpkin filling was smooth and delicious. Slightly sweet with a hint of cinnamon. The salmon was grilled and went well with the linguini. The portions were the right size; enough to be filling but not stuffed!
They seem to have a nice wine selection too. We had a couple glasses of good white wine but at a typically overpriced $9 a glass. It seems to me that with so many good, inexpensive wines these days a restaurant could increase business by bringing down wine prices.
Overall a great experience. -
Review from michael t.
Santa Monica, CA
12/10/2011
Still have not did a sit down in this place but I just did take out and it was awesome! I ordered the pumkin ravioli and the blackend shrimp and lemon linguini. They both far exceeded my expectations on taste. Pick up was quick and easy and the the price was reasonable for the quality of the food. Will try it again.
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Review from Kelly B.
Los Angeles, CA
6/21/2011
Got together with some girlfriends the other night at Cafe Montana. Two of the girls suggested the place so I figured it must be fabulous. I looked on the website and from what I read movie stars live and die by their food. Suffice to say, this east sider, although dreading the drive to the west side, was looking forward to the food.
When I arrived, I realized I had been to Cafe Montana before with my husband years ago. Realizing this scared me because wouldn't I have remembered the place if it was so good? I headed in and took a seat with my 4 girlfriends who were already settled in.
Since I am pregnant and have to get in so many vegetable servings a day and pretty much avoid fish, the limited dinner menu was made even more limited. The only veggie oriented item other than a mushroom dish was a vegetable stir fry with low mein noodles. So I ordered that and a homemade strawberry lemonade.
I was very much excited about the lemonade but when it arrived I found it to be severely sweet and loaded with the strawberry black seeds. I am the kind of girl who hates pulp in my orange juice so I did not appreciate seeds in my drink. It wasn't a winner for me. So I stuck to water.
After nibbling on some bread which was very fresh, I observed the waiter bring our our main dishes. My friends ordered the fish special which looked good and pleantiful and then came my less than steller bowl of vegetables and low mein. Compared to everyone else I couldn't help but be disappointed. While the dish tasted okay it wasn't anything better than I could make at home.
I guess I was expecting movie star fabulous. By the time I finished my meal, I was full so I didn't really want to parttake in dessert. My girlfriends ended up ordering two desserts to share. Both of which were really large servings and both of which looked super appealing. I really wish I had room because the desserts looked absolutely fabulous. We got a piece of strawberry coobler and I had one bite and in that bite I had the most fabulous mouthful of food at the restaurant.
Unfortunately, it was only one bite. I don't think I will return for dinner any time soon but I wouldn't think twice about coming back for dessert or to try one of their pastries in the cabinet. -
Review from Annie R.
Los Angeles, CA
1/25/2012
Went for Dine LA and was very disappointed to see that the serving sizes were not full size, which makes the deal absolutely not a deal. We had to ask for the Dine LA menu it was not brought with the food and wine menus, and we sensed an attitude immediately after we asked for the pre fix menu. They forgot my date's drink order the entire meal, yet added it to the bill. Obviously they removed it when we pointed it out, but the place was empty, how do you forget to deliver an iced tea and still add it to the receipt. The desserts looked like marie calendars pies, the fish on the Dine LA menu was very meh, in a heavy sauce, and then potatoes and asparagus on the side that had no seasoning. Ravioli appetizer was good, but it was TWO raviolis. That's practically an amuse bouche.
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Review from Philip B.
Los Angeles, CA
2/10/2012
Good food & service, but kind of pricey. One of the many good restaurants located on the Montana strip.
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Review from Laura D.
4/24/2011 6 photos
Shelagh and I were looking for a quick breakfast, after Easter morning service, and we settled on Cafe Montana. Surprisingly it wasn't very crowded, but maybe because it's Easter people are going out later.
Shelagh had a very simple scrambled eggs with tomatoes and an English muffin. I had eggs over easy (they were delicious) with sliced tomatoes and a burnt bagel. Yes, I ordered it burnt, and our very cool waiter, Adam, was glad to oblige.
Coffee not bad, food not bad, nice quick breakfast in a not crowded trendy cafe on Montana. Not bad. -
Review from Sally G.
6/3/2011
Came here for brunch Memorial Day weekend with my college bestie. I asked at the front desk for change for the meter, and they gave me the change as well as suggested that I use their lot in the back. That was nice. The restaurant wasn't too crowded, and we were able to have a nice meal. My waffle was delicious, and my friend devoured her huevos rancheros. It was pricey, but that's to be expected on Montana Ave.
The server was a little off-putting for us. First, when he came over to take our orders, he said, "You've had enough time to look at the menus, you should know what you want by now." I get that he was trying to joke about taking a while to wait on us, but it was a bit abrupt of him. Second, he brought us our check when we both still had half-full (very tasty and perfectly spicy) Bloody Marys in front of us. Too bad for him, because we were actually planning to have another friend meet us there for more drinks. Feeling booted by having been prematurely presented with the check, we went to Father's Office and spent our money there instead. -
Review from tracy m.
Los Angeles, CA
4/11/2011
So sorry to say that I had breakfast with friends there yesterday (and high hopes), but the service was so bad that it became laughable. While my friend ate her oatmeal with her coffee spoon (a real spoon wasn't provided), we joked about the unapologetic, turtle-like speed of our server who was still about 10 minutes behind on a coffee refill and seemed lost when I asked for syrup for my pancakes. We let the spoon issue go feeling it might just send him over the edge.
The manager happened to stop by to deliver our check and we told her about the service. She was most apologetic and said she'd take care of us next time. Unfortunately, though, too little too late.
The food was good, but the service made the experience less than desirable. -
Review from Mike A.
Marietta, GA
11/7/2011
Good menu--poor hospitality--and "bring your own stuff". Nice server--not so ingratiating hosts. Good omelets, good pancakes, no maple syrup. So we went across the street to Williams Sonoma to buy our own maple syrup for the pancakes and french toast. The server was gracious; they did nothing for our inconvenience of buying $18 worth of maple syrup except to say "we sent someone to the store". The family next to us ordered hot chocolate for the kid--but guess what--out of stock.
They think highly of themselves in the 'hood where customers expect a little 'tude. They can keep it--we won't be back nor will our production company. Remember, some of us pay for the food AND the hospitality--or we can find someplace else where we feel welcomed. And we will. -
Review from Shabnam K.
Santa Monica, CA
7/24/2011
I was in LA area for work and after a day of being in the office, Wanted a bite outside before I head indoor again!
I came across Cafe Montana and asked them if I could seat outside...Eventhough they had no tables set outside, they set a little table for me outside in just few minutes so I could enjoy the sunset and do some people watching . Now I call this service :)
The waiter and owner were pleasant and checked on me few times
I had wine, soup, and salad and all good but the service was what I am giving the five star -
Review from Titi L.
Sherman Oaks, CA
3/11/2012
We (party of 7 = 4 adults + 3 kids) came here to celebrate a birthday dinner on a Sunday night. We easily got reservations with no problems and were seated almost immediately. The restaurant is charming and cozy but the seating was a bit cramped (the tables were situated close to each other so anyone bigger than a size 0 supermodel, you had better be very careful not to swing your butt around and hit the table behind you!).
PARKING
Free in back or metered on the side streets. There was plentiful of parking on a Sunday evening in their back lot.
SERVICE
Our waiter was friendly but the food took a rather long time to come to our table (not his fault but the kitchen's "slowness"?). The kids were getting restless because the food took so long to get to our table and the restaurant was not that crowded either. There are 3-4 cooks in the open kitchen so I would assume the food came out sooner than it did. The veggie soup was served along with the main entrees and not during when the appetizers were served (weird?). All items were served hot.
FOOD
There were many choices on the menu from salads, pastas and main entrees but nothing stood out that was unique (there was nothing on the menu where I thought to myself that I "HAD" to try it). The hot, crusty french bread was a great starter to the meal (unfortunately, they did not give enough butter for the table...a slice of butter for 7 people? I love hot bread and butter so they had better bring it with the butter!). The calamari frite was great but I just wish they gave more on the plate. There was about a dozen pieces on a huge bed of lettuce and two types of dipping sauces. It was definitely not worth the $10 for what seemed like a 1/2 order. I got the pumpkin ravioli which was in a nice mild, creamy sauce with a sprinkling of walnuts on top. It was good but nothing that I haven't tasted before at other restaurants. The hubby got the lamb chops that came with rice (he substituted instead of the standard mashed potatoes) and veggies. The chops looked like they were perfectly cooked and moist. Others at the table got the sole, prawn and mango salad (colorful, fresh tasting salad with huge, spiced shrimp and sweet sliced mangos), and scallops appetizer. Everyone seemed to enjoy their dishes. We ended the meal with 2 large chocolate chip cookies we split amongst 6 people. The cookies were the perfect blend of chewiness, lots of chocolate chips and not overly sweet (which I like!). If I could, I would rate this place with 3.5 stars, as the extra 1/2 star would be for the baked goods alone.
Overall, a decent meal but I'm not sure if I would come back and spend my own money (we were treated to dinner since it was my nephew's b-day). Decent food but expensive prices for small portions (not enough to share...maybe enough to taste). There is really nothing special or spectacular about this place to write home about. -
Review from Eriko P.
2/4/2012 1 photo
5 star for the food! 3 star for the service. We went here during Dine/LA. We were seated immediatly on a Wednesday evening, without reservations, which was great. However, we were seated by the glass wall, and it was chilly. We kept our jackets ON, during our meal. I ordered the kale+quinoa+roasted almond salad to start, which was sooooooooooooooo good. The main course was a grilled Petrole sole with chopped veggies in a wonderful butter wine sauce and asparagus strips. It came with fingerling potatoes. This dish melted in my mouth! Dessert was a chocolate granche cake with whipped cream. This cake was delicious but rich! 5 stars for the food! Now the service... We had to ask twice for water. Once the water came, I asked for a straw.... they brought one, and only one... My friend also wanted a straw, so I had to crane my neck around and try to get the wait staff's attention. Our server never came back to check on us if the food was ok. She seemed distracted. Overall, the food is what is important, so I would come back to Cafe Montana in a heart beat, wearing a sweater!
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Review from Pam R.
San Francisco, CA
11/14/2011
Last year found this place while shopping on Montana District with girlfriend. We loved the place. The cafe was packed but the hostess was very friendly,. accommodating & had us seated in less than 5 minutes. We ordered the egg scramble special, plus a cobb salad, for dessert we ordered the italian wedding cake. Have gone back several times for dinner with my husband. Excellent frito misto, lamb chops, & steak. All done to perfection. Very good wine selection. The waitstaff is very friendly & very good in making recommendations. I have also gone to Cafe Montana by myself - Excellent omelets, french toast, pancakes, plus a good selection of sides & fruit. They make wonderful coffee drinks, too. Their desserts are over-the-top delicious, especially the fruit pies. My husband & try to go back everytime we are in L.A. as we liked the place very much.
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Review from Vivian H.
11/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
Came here for brunch and was happy to see such reasonable prices for the area. My friend and I got the french toast and the fruit crepe -- both pretty standard but well-made and quite delicious. Since we were celebrating her engagement, we splurged on a couple mimosas which were amazing.
Though we had to stand around awkwardly for a little while before anyone greeted us, the staff was very friendly, especially our waiter who had just started there :) Parking's pretty easy on the side streets. -
Review from Brandy L.
Brentwood, CA
10/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here 4 breakfast a cple yrs ago it was good! Chicken Bella salad with pesto hit the spot Cafe Montatna I will be back to try other menu idems
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Review from Jackie C.
Los Angeles, CA
11/23/2011
This restaurant does not deserve any rating. My husband and I went in at 6pm with small baby. In total there was ourselves and two other groups; hence not too busy. We ordered soup and salad. Our appetizers came in reasonable time however after we were finished; we sat for 20 mins waiting for someone to clear the table and take desert order. We waited another 15 mins for our desert and then gave up (and BTW the cakes were just sitting behind the counter). It then took us more time to get the bill and pay. And the bill was incorrect (IE it had item that we didn't order).
The waitress who originally served us completely disinterested during the entire miserable 40 mins we spent on the premise to the point where another waiter processed our check. 40 mins may not seem like a long time but when you consider all we had was soup and a salad. And they could even be bother to refill my lemonade. The salad was stale and Ahi Tuna taste weird (like frozen).
Also, the other couples next to us had a young boy. They burger was undercooked. I saw them taking the under -cook burger to the beverage counter because they couldn't get anyone attention .Poor food and lack of consideration (not even talking about their lack of services; just basic human decency) for people with children. -
Review from Hoda B.
Santa Monica, CA
10/23/2011
Used to go there all the time, cuz they had the best Chinese Salad, but they must have changed the chef cuz the last time I went there I wasn't a fan at all. I tried going back again after that and got their burger, but the meat was soooo thick! TOO thick...it was overwhelming. And I think they ran out of the hamburger buns, cuz they gave me a different bun than my friends, and it was bleh! However, their banana creme pie is TOO DIE FOR. seriously I don't even like pie, and am even less of a fan of banana creme pie, but this pie will change your mind...GARANTEED!!!!
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Review from Joan S.
4/6/2008 2 photos
So. Tonight I fled Father's Office on foot to look for food. I had a taste for a burger but could not handle the creepiness of FO.
I ended up at Cafe Montana, 6 blocks up the street, when I realized I had left my glasses on the table at FO. I could not even read the damn menu!
So the hostess loaned me her glasses to check out the menu. I could actually see better through hers than I could through the ones I left behind....haha.
I ordered the Kobe burger, with a side salad in place of fries. And coffee.
My coffee was luke warm, so I sent it back. My replacement cup was so hot I nearly scalded my tongue.....but damn good coffee once it cooled down a bit.
My burger was served with fries by mistake, so that went back too. Haha! But when the side salad came, it was attractive....formed in a little pyramid. Mind you I have no glasses and the food is mostly a blur.
So I dug in as best I could. First food of the day for me, and it was already past 6pm. I was seriously starving.
The burger, topped with caramelized onions, mushrooms and Swiss cheese, was one of the best burgers I ever have had. I have never had a burger that needed no ketchup, mustard, mayo.....nothing. Not even salt. It was perfect as it was, melt in your mouth delicious. Even the bread.
And.....same for the salad. Never in my life have I had a salad so tender tasty it needed no dressing.
My blurred vision prevented seeing exactly what was in the delectable mound of salad greens, but I think I tasted chopped cuke, chopped tomato, sprouts, perhaps watercress, and shredded other things......
I was amazed. I normally goop up burgers and salads with all kinds of sloppy dressings. This has never happened before, where I ate a naked salad & burger.
My server comped the coffee, nice touch. The burger/salad cost $16 plus tax and tip. Worth every penny.
As far as atmosphere, there were fresh flowers on the tables and thick cloth napkins, and big square white plates.....elegantly simple.
Celebs do frequent this cafe, and I think I spotted a few but.....drat!....blind as a bat without my glasses, so I couldn't be sure.
My server was friendly, and so were the people who greeted me when I first walked in.
I will return for a repeat of that meal, and soon. Cafe Montana is open for breakfast, lunch & dinner, 7 days.
Oh, and afterwards I stopped by a little place I know on Venice Beach. But I won't be Yelping that experience 'cause what happens on Venice Beach stays on Venice Beach...... ; )Listed in: Fancy Schmancy Restaurants, Montana Ave.
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Review from George B.
10/21/2010 1 photo
Went here on a Sunday for brunch, the day after my wedding :)
The food was very good and prices were reasonable. They took reservations, which was a little hard to find in Santa Monica and Brentwood for Sunday brunch.
High marks for nice neighborhood, good service, reservations, decent prices but most importantly good food! Parking though, like always in the westside, was hard to find. -
Review from Nick S.
Los Angeles, CA
3/27/2009
THE BEST Gorgonzola burger I have ever had in my life. This burger was so effin good that even though I had never had Gorgonzola on a burger before, I have since tried copying this burger at every other burger joint I go to trying to recapture the magic - alas to no avail. This was a thick burger smothered in Gorgonzola with grilled mushrooms and onions. I'm telling you it was one of the most delicious things I've ever eaten
I did have some appetizers which were just okay, and I can't speak for the rest of the food. But just go here and order this burger, it is a taste explosion, it is sensory and pleasure overload, it is like crack - and once you have it you will be chasing the high everywhere else you go. My god it was good. -
Review from Ed H.
Santa Clara, CA
12/15/2008
Perhaps some of it can be laid into being in the dark setting. Hungover, needing food, the soujourn of blocks of walking, in the cold of light of Sunday.
First thing I see is a table of ajummas, all snazzed up. Not good. We're all in hoodies, and grisly. With name on list, we wait patiently for a table. I tried to jedi mind trick a table to leave (seemed to work last night), but to no avail.
There's a two and four person table open on the other side of the area, and I'm thinking... I mention it to my friends who rationalize, then we'd be promptly forgotten. True.
Some dude come in, maybe cuz he's rockin' the killer 'stache, the hostess is moon eyed and offering him ANY seat. Either of those tables, for IMMEDIATE seating. He politely refuses and says he'll wait his turn. Kudos to that guy. Though, I can't help feeling a bit ticked. My buddies were probably right, and they probably reserve those tables for special guests or something, their prerogative, but kind of felt in my face.
As per our discussion of what to eat earlier... the thought of corned beef hash, eggs, sunnyside up and hash browns were there. As I hopefully reviewed the menu, I perked at the word HASH only to be dashed by the word CHICKEN preceding it.
So I got the Huevos Rancheros on a deep fried tortilla. Deep fried tortilla. Awesome. Though, I never really understood the meatlessness of that dish. Seriously, a little scoop of carne asada, carnitas, or something would turn that dish into the Rock Star of Brunch.
Service wise, I felt like an afterthought. I dunno, like I said, I could be biased, but after I finished eating, all I wanted to do was leave. -
Review from Jim W.
Palm Springs, CA
5/26/2008
It was raining out the other day and I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I parked the car and ran into Cafe Montana. It was about 1 o'clock...the place was very busy...they sat me and my good buddy down and tossed a menu at each of us...at this point I did not have a good feeling...I ordered a burger and a salad and so did my friend...nothing special, I must say, and the service was less than good...AND I felt like the waitress was trying to get rid of us...very uncomfortable feeling. So, just to piss her off...I ordered another drink and sat there nursing it for another 20 minutes or so...I could tell that she was not happy...Well, I wasn't happy with her!
Paid the bill left a tip (less than I usually give) and walked out never to return! -
Review from Katie D.
Los Angeles, CA
10/15/2011
You need to be choosy when you make your brunch selection because the food is a bit hit or miss. I have been here several times and am 50/50 on the food. Their attempt at French cuisine is ok at best. I would stick to huevos rancheros or an omelet. I have not been here for lunch or dinner, so can't speak to those menus. ONE HUGE PLUS, they have a mimosa deal on the weekends that is one mimosa at full price ($7?) and $2 for every one after that. If you want a lazy mimosa brunch, that alone is enough to keep me coming back.
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Review from Suzanne C.
Santa Monica, CA
Okay - So I love this place and go a lot, but I need to give it a 3.5 because of the brunch. There are certain things on the menu that are always great - but for some reason the omelettes are hit or miss. A few times my friends have had the omelette be overdone or sometimes they just aren't that great. But my BF has always had good luck there with his eggs. I was ordered eggs over medium several times and they are either still really runny or overdone. So - I stay away from the eggs. Now, onto the god stuff!
I love their pancakes - they are all good - silver dollar or banana! So delish!
For lunch and dinner I haven't had a bad meal. The chicken dishes are always great as is the Penne. I also like the Pumpkin ravioli - sage & shallot butter sauce with candied walnuts.
My dad loves the:
Lithuanian meat dumplings
Halibut - sometimes they have it as a special -
Review from Kristy C.
Studio City, CA
7/13/2008
Heed my warning and read a couple of the below reviews to get an idea of the rating.
Don't bother.
It looks cute from the outside, but the inside is a disorganized mess.(wait, those two words are synonyms, ah well)
My friend and I waited the aloted time and then some when two tables opened up. We got ready to go and noticed that she wasn't going to seat us. we asked why and she said she wasn't allowed to seat two people at a 4-top. So you are telling me that on a Sunday morning you are going to make us wait as long as it takes for two people to get up and 4 people are going to stroll right in and sit down? Methinks not.
After telling the manager that that was not going to happen, she rolled her eyes and sat us (then yelled at the hostess in front of us).
By the way, we read the posted menu on the window while we were waiting...could someone explain how from the time we walked in and to our table the prices changed? Seriously, all of the prices were hiked by at least 3 bucks. WTF??
My friend said she would love to order drinks but since there was none listed she just went to each table and pointed ot what she wanted.
The huevos rancheros were good, so at least the cooks know something, but no one else seems to quite know anything about the cafe business...and I'm still waiting for my toast...
Guess i'm just trying to taste as many bad L.A. restaurants as possible before hightailing it out of here! -
Review from Leon S.
Redlands, CA
11/6/2011
Ordered the filet, which was a special. Although it was tasty, it was well done instead of medium rare. The waitress took back the steak only and left the sides for me to enjoy. Strange. Difficult to do without the main attraction. Eat sides while hot or eat them with steak when they are cold? Tough choice. However, since the sides were tasty and I was hungry, I enjoyed eating them until I noticed that there was calamari mixed in with the onion rings. Seems like the diners at the adjoining table were short-calamaried on their appetizer.
Steak, take two, arrives around the time the last of the sides have disappeared from my plate. This time it is rare. No, not just rare, cold in the center. I have had steak tartare that was better cooked. I hear Gordon Ramsey screaming from the kitchen: "It's raw!"
My two companions enjoyed their shrimp and pasta dishes, but the cooks in the kitchen, well, frankly, they can't cook. I was not surprised to see that my order had not been taken off the bill, although I pointed out the second steak's deficiencies to the waitress. She didn't even offer to take it back to refire, which was ok with me, as I was afraid of what the third version might have been. A smoldering cinder? We will not be back. -
Review from Liza N.
Los Angeles, CA
3/1/2010
So, for a place thats billed as a 'breakfast' spot, I'm sure glad I went to a friends birthday DINNER here, because it was delicious, and I'm sure I would have never known they serve a damn good after-dark meal! Fantastic selection of salads and pastas, and the specials looked seasonal and yummy as well.
Prices are slightly higher than I'd expect, but the service was great and they didn't even charge an automatic gratuity for a large party, which I always think is a classy touch.
Great vibes, too!Listed in: W-w-w-w-westsiiiide, BRUNCH.
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Review from Molly M.
Santa Monica, CA
11/5/2011
We strolled into Cafe Montana for a casual post-work dinner during the week (we were starving). My bf ordered the 3 mushroom farfalle which was pretty poor. It had a strange aftertaste, and he couldn't finish eating it because it tasted so bad (he regularly cleans his plate). I had a simple salmon salad, but it was a pretty soggy and tasteless. Overall, it was a disappointing, overpriced letdown. Our waiter was very nice and attentive, but we wish he would have warned us about what to order (and what NOT to order). We had been eying the place for a few weeks as we live close by, but have officially crossed it off the list now (pricey + gross = no thanks).
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Review from Meghan L.
Santa Monica, CA
2/21/2007
Had they not had one of THE best split pea soups, this place would have only gotten one star. The other star goes to our great server, who was very friendly and helpful.
I was really excited when I came upon Cafe Montana last week driving up Montanta looking for somewhere to get a nice soup/salad lunch. The extensive California cuisine oriented menu and light flooded dining room were very inviting. I had a hard time deciding between the many many delicious sounding salads.
The meal started out well with the above mentioned AMAZING split pea soup. I love split pea soup and have tried it almost every restaurant that has ever had it as their soup of the day. And I tell you, this split pea rocked my world. It was so good, I wished I had gotten a bowl and forgotten the salad all together...and I didnt' even know what a disappointment my salad would be at that point.
Enter our entree salads. First of all the dressing was straight balsamic vinegar. Nothing more...vinegar from a bottle. The feta cheese on my greek salad was shredded and weird and not feta. The "grilled veggies" were two slices of eggplant, marinated in staright balsamic and grilled days ago. The chicken on the salad was good, but not great. And there is nothing else worth mentioning. Again, I wish I had ordered a bowl of the soup and called it a day.
We tried to let Cafe Montana redeem itself by ordering two of the GIANT cookies that greeted us upon entry. We couldn't decided between the chocolate chip and the oatmeal raisin - always go for the oatmeal raisin when in doubt about an establishment's baking abilities...it's easier to mask the flavor of nasty shortening with all those spices and all the oats. The chocolate chip cookie was not worth eating. You could tell they don't use butter and it just wasn't good. The oatmeal raisin was better...close to good...but I wouldn't get it again. There are far better cookies to be had in this town.
I would go back and pick up that splt pea soup to go should they ever have it again...otherwise...I'll give Cafe Montana a miss. -
Review from Elizabeth C.
Torrance, CA
2/12/2012
Food was amazing! Attentive friendly service! Will be back for sure.
