Monica’s Aca Y Alla

I’ve made multiple trips here for their margaritas! They’re fantastic and strong! Food is delicious, served quickly too! I’ve been there before when they had live music, which is always a plus! We had a party there once where the bartender ordered us to start a congo line! I always have fun here and will continue to make multiple trips!

The Dallas classic has and always will be a standard spot for fast service, out-​of-​this world chips and hot sauce, and let’s not forget — Margaritas. Just a regular hotspot without shining too much of the limelight on their tasty ‘ritas, I would even venture to say that, they could be the main attraction of Monica’s. Almost as if it’s their sole mission to get you drunk. And I have no problem with that.
Now, for the food. Likewise to almost every Tex-​Mex restaurant standard — the food ranges from enchiladas to fajitas, but it’s their pancakes that I hear are worth a brunch visit. It may not be my favorite spot for Tex-​Mex, but for a Mexican restaurant to boast delicious pancakes — I am impressed. Ordering guacamole is a must for me. I like to think of it as my journey through Dallas via the best guacamole. Though Monica’s was delectable, I didn’t find the chunky standard of the onion and tomato ingredients of which I hold all my guacamole tastings. I like it table-​side-​fresh! The food I’ve tried never disappointed, however the allure of the fun-​loving, live music atmosphere and their $.25 Margaritas Wednesday special that keeps me going back for more.

Went here last night for an early dinner while I happened to be near Deep Ellum. Knowing how great BEE is and that the same person started this restaurant, thought I would give it a shot. Greeted and sat promptly because it was early. Drink, chips and salsa came quickly as well. Server was very pleasant. Ordered queso. Salsa is pretty good, queso is similar to that at BEE, so pleased by the consistency.
As I go over the menu, definitely pleased by the choices and then happen to notice that on Tuesdays everything (except guac and queso) is 50% off. Unknown bonus for me… not that I care about the discount, but great anyway.
Ordered the chicken poblano which came with veggies and rice. Not a big fan of rice, so it has to be really good for me to give it kudos. It took putting some queso on it to make it ok. But I digress. The stuffed chicken was simple, but great. The veggies also simple, were pretty good.
I have a hard time thinking this was really Mexican or even Tex-​Mex, but it was a pleasant experience. Giving four stars because no part of the experience was bad, the food was decent and the staff was very prompt and pleasant. Just still not quite sure it was Mex/​Tex-​Mex… believe me I’ve eaten all over Texas, so I say that with certainty.

A friend invited me to a birthday party here ~ It was a Friday Nite.
Live music~ NICE !!
Very tasty food, we started with Queso & Guacamole both served fresh with pippin hot chips, so far so good. (Time for a tequila shot)
The music is sounding good ~ time to Order dinner, I had the Carne Adobo very flavorful ~ (I love eating out with a group) Now I can taste the Talapia Veracruz & the Mexican Lasagna both very good as well, (Time for another tequila shot)
Did I mention Friday it’s Happy Hour all NITE !! ~ Things just keep getting better ~
A little dancing before dessert ~ gotta love the live band (Time for another shot) I’m starting to feel like i’m back in Spain, Conga line and all !!
Dessert time I tried the Flan, normally I’m not a fan but this was smooth and creamy,
the Cuatro Leches took me over the top.
Overall just a great experience, actually forgot I was still in Dallas.

So I went downtown to meet my Polish Princess for groovy brunch then a stroll through the Deep Ellum Arts Festival to get some bestie time and see groovy art. After walking around for HOURS in what turned out to be excruciating heat amplified by all the peeps down at the festival we decided to grab some grub at Monicas.
Now let me preface this by saying that I have always been a HUGE fan of this place AND that it had been 41 days since I had Mexican food cause of Lent (which technically wasn’t over but I love Monica’s so much I was willing to break the moratorium on Mexi early). Well, I don’t know if it was solely divine punishment, the busy day, or the terrible service, but I really regretted the meal when I left.
First off they were super busy, which was a-​okay given the day and all that. The hostess did offer us the back patio for a quicker seating. After we sat it took 10 minutes for chips and sauce and still no server. When he arrived (after I had shoveled down a whole basket of chips, I WAS that hungry) the audible sigh he gave at our drink order of only water told me how the rest of this meal was going to play out.
He returned with our water (in plastic glasses) and asked if we were ready to order. The bestie ordered soup but I ordered a platter (can’t recall the name) but it had a beef enchilada, a chicken one, and rice and beans. After another 18 minutes (15 of that with no chip/​sauce refill) our order arrived. I was excited. I was overlooking the service and the wait because I had been waiting over a MONTH for this… I took my first bite and there it was… lukewarm sour cream sauce, ice cold chicken inside. I tried the beef: hotter chili sauce, cold beef inside.
I could literally feel the disappointment wash over me. Bummer, letdown, and all the other horrible words that describe disappointment. I looked for my server to let him know. No where to be found. Since there weren’t many tables on the back patio there was a sea of customers but no servers. I sat and sat, my luscious enchiladas growing colder as I realized that if I had a chance of getting any enjoyment out of this meal I should just eat the beans and rice (which were warm and yummy) and call it a day.
By the time we saw our server again I was over it. We asked for our check and he brought that quite quickly. As I put my card in the check holder I noticed he charged us for Mango Tea.
I waved him over and this is the conversation that followed:
Me: «um, you charged us for Mango Tea»
Server: «yes, because that IS what you’re drinking»
Me: «No, I’m drinking water»
Server: «No, you are drinking tea, see the lemon wedge on your glass?»
Me: «No, I’m drinking water would you like to taste it?»
Server: «Fine, I will take it off your bill, MAM»
And with that he was gone.
I could sit here and go on for days regarding this exchange. I could state all my experience as a server and server manager and whatnot.
But I won’t. I will just say this:
I used to LOVE Monica’s. I was so happy to be downtown close enough to the end of Lent to partake in their (what I used to consider) yumminess. Now, I feel like I was robbed of the $ 20 bucks it cost me to treat myself and my friend and treated like an a-​hole to boot. Disappointment doesn’t even cover how i feel regarding the entire experience.
I will never go here again.

One of the best deals in Dallas! $ 5.50 for the Mexican Lasagna at lunch and it is fantastic! Great service and great food!
If you don’t like parking downtown they offer complimentary valet, which I would recommend.
Can’t beat this deal!

Better than great service last night! Even my to-​go box was well presented when I opened it to see what made it inside.
I never ran out of salsa and I ALWAYS eat salsa faster than anyone can refill it. Plus the chips and salsa were addictively good.
The Margarita’s were really really good, and SUPER STRONG.
The Fajitas came out smokin hot! But I don’t give any bonus points for getting it right. Where I will give bonus points is the veggies in the skillet were PERFECTLY COOKED and colorful with red, yellow and green bell peppers. The meat was cooked well, and tasted good, but they were missing a little oomph. A little extra seasoning or marination would have gone a long ways. Also the meat could have been a little crispy on the outside.
The side of sour cream, guacamole, Pico etc was nice, but I noticed they didn’t come with a little side of cheese. No matter for me, I don’t normally put cheese on my fajita’s anyway.
I’d love to give 5 stars and they are pretty close to getting it. Improve the steak a little and maybe toss a grilled jalapeño on the side of the skillet and you’d get my vote.
Overall Wednesday night special prices got us 2 drinks, 2 Fajita plates and all the chips and salsa anyone could need for about $ 30 with tip and tax.
I will say I was a little disappointed that the Margaritas weren’t 75 cents anymore. But the quality appears to have improved congruent to the increase in prices.
Great job Monica!

My husband and I were invited to Friend’s Birthday party on Friday night and this was our first visit to this place. The place has nice vibe. Since it was Friday night, They had live band and it was rocking.
Food was pretty good too. I ordered TALAPIA VERACRUZ
Breaded and pan seared fillet, olives, capers and marinara salsa, with rice and vegetables.
CARNE ADOBO
Beef strips, ranchera salsa, cheese enchilada with chili con carne. Served with rice and beans.
For dessert we shared CUATRO LECHES CAKE. It was all so good.
We will definitely go back again.

Tuesdays is ½ price on (most) food. Drinks are strong, but can be pricy. It’s definitely worth a try!

I love a deal, but I love great food more. On Tuesday nights at Monica’s, I get both!!!
The Good: Great food, great service, great price
The Bad: Expensive drinks can override the savings
The Ugly: None!
I had previously gone to Monica’s for the first time with a friend for the Sunday brunch. Impressed with the tasty food, I was stoked to learn that they had a half-​price Tuesday night special on all food (except a couple of items. More on that later.)
I dined alone and enjoyed the extra attention that this brings. My waiter was extremely attentive and very helpful with recommending food and drink items. I settled on the Sope de Monica (chicken), the Mexican lasagna, and the Swirl Margarita. The food arrived promptly, was the perfect temperature, and looked wonderful. My waiter had described the appetizer perfectly, and it was delish. The crust was a flaky and light, with a nice taste, and the multiple toppings set it off nicely. It’s kind of messy to eat, so don’t order it if you’re trying to eat «cutely.» The lasagna was so flavorful… I’m talking, eyes-​roll-​back-​in-​your-​head flavorful. I’m not actually a fan of a lot of corn mixed into my dishes, but the taste and texture of the meal altogether was so on point, I didn’t mind the frequent crunching. I stopped juuuust short of licking my plate and slurping my straw. LOL
As I mentioned, most of the menu items are half. A couple were not, as my waiter pointed out to me. But the people at the table next to me, who had ordered those items, claimed that the waiter did not tell them of their regular price status. The manager took them at their word, promptly apologized, and adjusted their bill. So, although I had no issues with service, it was refreshing to note how accommodating they are to their customers.
I will definitely be back. Wait, isn’t it Tuesday?

I would give it another shot but the cons outweighed the pros in this visit.
1. It was so, so hot in there. I mean, it was like 50 or 60 degrees outisde… prop a door open.
2. There was a live band that was so, so loud and the music was a big mix from salsa to Louie, Louie.
3. They had dancing but there was no room to dance. We were being pushed into tables.

I had the pleasure of going to Monica’s for Sunday brunch for a good of 30! They handled the multiple checks and the finicky food orders with excellence. Plus the $ 3.50 Screwdrivers were strong, and i heard the $ 1 Mimosas were on point too. I will definitely be back, and I highly recommend them for large groups as well.

I feel as I must apologize for this review. I’ve read a lot about Monica and the new restaurant ventures she’s been making, her general success and business prowess. But with all the new ventures, does that mean she’s put her older one on the backburner? Sure tasted like it.
The specials were almost unbelievable. I will give it that. My friend arranged to have her birthday dinner here on a Tuesday which is half price food night. Nearly EVERYTHING on the menu was ½ price so even after the added gratuity, it was such a reasonably priced dinner.
But, have you ever heard the phrase «good, fast, cheap, you can only pick 2?» (That might not exactly be the way it goes, but you get the point) Well, that night we got cheap. Where was my other factor from the 3? Nonexistent.
Fast could have been negligible because it was a great special night and the place was packed. But it wasn’t. The restaurant wasn’t full.
Good? My chicken fajitas were very, very bland. Chicken was tasteless and on the verge of being dry. I didn’t get the black refried beans with my meal, but everyone else at the table commented on how tasteless they were. The majority poured and mixed salsa into them hoping for any glimpse of flavor.
Even at half price night, I doubt I’d venture back here for a tex mex craving. I’d probably be willing to shell out the extra dollars for the standard flavor.

Monica’s has been a decent Tex Mex stand by for a few years. On Wednesday’s, with the .75 margaritas it used to be packed, and an unofficial gay night. As the economy slowed so down, so did gay night, and then eventually the food got worse.
With my friend not to keen on La Grange’s menu, and I not so hot with the Asian place across the street, we settled on Monica’s, and it delivered fresh tex mex. Perhaps in light of BEE’s home run, Monica is flashing a new wand over her oldest daughter. Three margs hit me fast, and as I was telling Greg about Monica’s interesting «past life», she instantly appeared, in a leather biker hat and with a firm handshake to ask how everything was. Non nonsense and friendly.
If you can’t make it to the new darling BEE, come here for reliable Tex Mex. Good Specials vary throughout the week.

I was lured in by the cheap happy hour special on Thursday but ended up ordering the wrong item thinking it was a special and ended up paying full price.
The menu is in need of serious changing. The inside has smiley face emoticons that are ONLY happy hour items for Tuesday. Whereas those same goddam smiley faces on the back of the menu are happy hour items for BOTH Tuesdays and Thursday.
I ended up order the nachos which is on the inside of the menu as an Tuesday happy hour as well as my husband who order the mexican lasagna. And since it was Thursday, we basically saved $ 4 from magarita drinks only. We would not have ordered it if we knew it was full priced.
I am not sure why they can’t use two different emoticons since they mean different things. The service was also really spotty and the waiter was not too enthusiastic about life. Also, the mango margarita was really nasty.

I WISH I could’ve met Monica! I’ve heard so many things about her that I wanted to meet her in person and let her know how AMAZING this place was!
It’s a combination of the 88 reviews before mine, so in a nutshell I’ll sum up the highlights of our lovely Saturday night!
–we got seated on time and fast for our reservation at 9pm
–our waiter Pedro was the sweetest kid ever… and very attentive!
–everyone ordered something different and EVERYthing was tasty… I tried the mexican lasagna which was cleaned off my plate in less than 10 min… and I still kept sticking my fork in my bff’s dish of Green Pasta… holy shiz that was good!
–2 la bomba margaritas and 2 watermelons and we were conga lining it up with complimentary shots~and the band was magnifico!~
All in all this place is a def on my list of WONDEROUS places if for the atmosphere and service alone. Plus I need to make my way through that menu… :)

Monica — you redeemed yourself during Sunday brunch. I ordered the banana pancakes and was really surprised with what I got when the pancakes arrived. The bananas were carmalized and there was syrup over everything. The big scoop of what I thought was butter was actually a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The meal ended up tasting like a dessert, but hot damn it was so good. Kudoos for the $ 1 mimosas and $ 1 margaritas too.

Monica, you go with your bad self! Go on gurl!
First off, the people that inhabit this place are not only some of the strangest people i’ve ever seen, but also some of the coolest!!! If you’re lucky, you might see a Drag Queen waltzing around somewhere…
I’ve been a few times and most of the time i’ve sat in their indoor patio. I would def recommend sitting here if you are looking for somewhat of a quiet night. If you go on a Friday or a Saturday (especially), they have a mariachi band and it gets INCREDIBLY loud inside the main dining area. Just ask to sit on their patio.
The food is ok. I’ve had their risotto (which was actually just rice with lots of sauce). It wasn’t bad, just NOT risotto. Their enchilada’s are good. Their beans are rice are scrumptious. Oh, and totally random for a «Mexican» restaurant, but their Pumpkin Ravioli is to die for. Also, if you are a veggie, they have TONS of options for you. My vegan friend loves this place.
Tips:
Tuesdays Half Price food at night.
Wed $.75 rita’s with purchase of an entrée. (Limit 3) ha!
Friday is ALL NIGHT HAPPY HOUR! $ 3 ‘Ritas, Beer and Wells!
Saturday night Live Music and dancing (NO COVER)
I would def give this place a shot before you judge from the other reviews. I have met tons of people that love this place and others that aren’t to fond of it. I’ll just say this. It’s definitely an experience. It’s always crowded, but not obnoxious (i’ve never had to wait for a table). The food is very eccentric. Flat out. Be prepared. Service isn’t the best, but the waiters are sooo friendly and try hard.
Go try it on for size, see how it fits. Cha Cha Cha!

First… five dollars to park? seriously? No… I’ll walk six blocks thanks.
We put our names on the guest list and waited. And waited. There were three long set up empty tables. waited. is it that hard to sit two people?
Finally got seated when I was on the verge of walking out to go eat somewhere else. Our sweet server made up for our wait. Queso was good. Salsa was good. Enchiladas were good. However nothing was great. it was just good.
but is it as good as Lupe’s Tex Mex on Central Drive… absolutely not. Viva la Lupe’s! Was it as good as El Paisa on Harwood Road? nope. Both have far superior enchiladas. at Monica’s you’re paying for atmosphere and location not the quality of the food. I won’t be returning.

3 $ Margaritas for Friday Happy Hour.
We arrived at 7:30pm.
Then our waiter informed us that EVERY hour is HAPPY HOUR in Fridays.
(sigh). The quality was fine. Not the most delicious margarita ever. But certainly a bargain at 3 dollars on a Friday night.
I had the mushroom and spinach quesadillas. (I know, I know. not that exciting of an order. But, I’d had dental work that day so I needed something soft and gushy…) probably more info than necessary, but I feel the need to explain.
My friend had the chicken fajitas and she CLEANED her plate.
The salsa had a nice little kick.
The service was excellent. Even though the restaurant was packed and loud, he was always there anticipating our every need.
Then the magic happened. The lights dimmed. Our greasy meals and ‘ritas started to settle in our tummies. And then a mariachi band or sorts began to play. Some of the musicians strolled around to the tables and I completely forgot I was in Deep Ellum.
Oh, and self parking across the street was 3 $. Deal!
There were a bunch of large groups there, celebrating and enjoying the group-​friendly atmosphere. You may want to call in advance though, so you don’t have to wait.
It’s a little loud for a first date place. But if it’s a 4^th or 15^th date, get a cozy table in the back and enjoy…
;)