El Monte Grill and Lounge

What a shame that you closed this outstanding restaurant — one of the best in Fort Collins. Hard to believe you’d choose to keep going with Rare, which is entirely average, and give up the opportunity to bring unique Oaxaca-​style Mexican to Fort Collins.
The staff at El Monte was excellent, in particular Todd and Lorna. Too bad you didn’t at least transition them to your other restaurants.
At the Rio you’re serving entirely average Mexican fare …
We will miss El Monte very much.
Signed, Long-​time, loyal patrons

Best Mexican food I’ve ever had! Everything we had was amazing. The service was slightly slow, but it was totally worth it!

Top notch service, atmosphere, food and drinks. Lizzie was very knowledgeable, Helpful and friendly! Will definitely be back. And the warm tortillas and salsa? Keep it up! Seriously though, Lizzie, you’re awesome!

We came in and were greeted and seated by a happy host. Our wait, Lizzie, was happy to recommend her favorites. And we took her advice on the shrimp enchilada and relleno. We also ordered the beet salad and a custom guac to share. My drink? The Esteban. When the manager, Matt, came over to tell us more about the restaurant we knew we’d return. The service was great. The food was fantastic. My drink was unusual and pretty magical. I was thrilled to learn El Monte is a scratch (!) kitchen taking its inspiration from a particular region in Mexico. Not only do I not have a single complaint, I think this may be the best Mexican-​inspired meal I’ve eaten. And since I love those spices and a creative flair, that is high praise. If you haven’t been, go to there! If you’ve been, well, now you are hungry!

AUSTIN:
Back in Fort Collns now having dinner with the family at El Monte. Its amexican restaurant with a a great ambiance and modern feel. I noticed in the back they have a brick oven and tortilla maker.
I ordered the duck mole (medum rare) and loved it. the duck was cooked perfectly and the mole was a great accent. The dish also had zuchini and squash noodles in a mild dressing, very light and delicious. and last but not least it came with a mushroom tamale with was the perfect ending to such a well rounded dish.

Great food. Great service. Hidden gem. Not your typical Mexican fare. The focus on food quality is evident.

My friend and I get together for dinner about once a month and this month we decided to check out El Monte Grill. Upon our arrival the hostess was super friendly and sat us right away. Our waiter was prompt to greet us as well. We ordered waters and each ordered a drink. I was curious about the Caliente and asked the waiter if it was spicy. He said it wasn’t too spicy so I ordered it. Thankfully I really like spicy foods and spicy mixed drinks because boy was he wrong! The drink was wonderfully strong and quite spicy. It hit all the right notes for me but if you don’t like spicy drinks, don’t order this! My friend ordered a sangria drink of some sort and said that it was really strong too but enjoyed it.
We ordered the exotic guacamole. It was served on a banana leaf with tostada rounds rather than chips. It’s Palisade peaches season in Colorado so our exotic guac was made with peaches and mango rather than strawberries and mango. My friend said she prefers the exotic with strawberries but the peaches were fresh. It was happy hour so we pieced our meals together of some tacos al pastor and cheese rellenos. I will come back again and again for the cheese rellenos. They were delicious! There were perfectly charred and soft. They weren’t breaded and fried like lots of places make them. Seriously sooooo good! Our tacos al pastor were also good.
We ordered dessert of a peach cobbler and cookies with cream cheese frosting. The peach cobbler was good and the ice cream was the perfect compliment. The cookies were also good but I was a little frustrated by the presentation. It looked beautiful which is important but I felt like there could’ve been a better way to present it. The frosting was under all of the cookies making it difficult to get to and messy to eat with your hands. The cookies were crispy so it wasn’t necessarily a dessert you could eat with a fork.
Our waiter was attentive but constantly seemed distracted. Each time he’d come to our table he would talk to us while looking outside. I found that odd but he was attentive overall so I can’t complain. The manager came to see how our meal was and he was super friendly. He talked to us about the menu, how it was developed, and the «feel» they were going for.
Overall: I’d definitely come back for the cheese rellenos! I’ve been craving them for a week since I came here. The service was great! The reason I’m not giving 5 stars? They don’t open until 3. I work on campus and would love to come here for lunch. The manager said they might be changing their hours in the future but for now, I’ll just have to settle for dinner. Until next time yummy cheese relleno,

A couple buddies and I came here seeking authentic Mexican with a nice bar. Immediately when we walked in we were greeted and seated at the bar. We were surprised at the small size of the menu but the ambiance is what kept us there.
The cute bartender made some excellent margaritas while we made our food choices. We all chose the tacos since we were told it included three of them plus the two sides (rice and beans). The Carne Asada was slightly overcooked; not so much that it had any less flavor, just a slight crunch on the outside. There was also some rice that had clumped together and obviously cooked outside of the water, making it incredibly hard. Still, all the items were very delicious and I was sure to finish my entire plate. (Our other friend got the Pork Tacos and they were amazing!)
Without me saying anything about my minor issues with the food, the owner treated us to some fancy tequila. He also came up and thanked us for stopping in. This was all we needed to decide to return to this fine establishment, as the food is well worth the price and the service was amazing.

Been here 3 times. Once for a private meeting and had a special menu with great service in the back room. The other two times I had taco take out and it was awesome food but pricey ! Although the queso fundido and the tamales where super average and would choose something else for sure. They have an on house habanero sauce that is legit hot that I could recommend. Overall I find the prices a bit high for what you get considering the other options in the same parking lot.

Wow… El Monte… What happened?! I literally today listed you as a «top 5» local restaurant to an out of town friend, only to be completely disappointed tonight. The new guacamole presentation left little to be desired. Yes, it looked «prettier», but why fix what ain’t broken? It was amazing just the way it was. Now? Really? Guac without chips? Mind blown. I felt like we got less and were expected to feel happier because it was served on a banana leaf. I’d take it the old way ANY day over this.
The meals tonight were average, at best. I miss the old menu.
Now for the dessert… Literally, one of the worst desserts I’ve ever had in my life. We tried the tamale de leche… And it was barely edible. Each of us took one bite and could barely swallow it. I let the waitress know and she said she would take it off our bill… Well, it wasn’t off the bill, but we couldn’t wait to leave so we paid for it anyway. I am so embarrassed to have called this one of my favorite restaurants to numerous people only to be disappointed to this extent tonight.

Its been awhile since I’ve been here. First thing I noticed was new menus with new prices. They used to give you chips and salsa, now its a couple of warm tortillas. I started off with the classic Guacamole” It always seems to lack salt? That will set you back eight bucks” that was served with a few crispy flat taco shells. The shells tasted like they were not cooked in the freshest of oil and might have been sitting around for awhile. I had the special Mahi Mahi Vera Cruz. Salty and the fish was slightly overcooked as it lacked flavor. All this and a beer forty big ones. These are more like Newport beach prices then Fort Collins. Place was busy so they must be doing something right. Missed out on the Chocolate Crème Brule which happens to be my favorite. Service was very attentive. Maybe next time. Or not.

A hidden gem in Fort Collins. My husband and I have been here twice and both times it was dead and we can’t figure out why. Location maybe? Either that or people in Colorado just don’t appreciate true Mexican flavor. The service wad outstanding and the food even better. If you love authentic Mexican food with a little extra class try this place. Their specialty mixed drinks are awesome as well and both times we’ve been they’ve had a great bartender who knows what they’re doing.

The exotic guac is fantastic but they recently changed the menu so that the guac comes with these weird fried circle corn things and I even asked for chip but the waitress said they no longer had them. Also, the portion was much smaller than the large guac on the previous menu but for the same price. They have vegetarian options available but took them off the new menu. The food is excellent but the options are more limited with the newer menu and I will be ordering guac to go so I can enjoy it with chips thank you.

Update: Previously, I gave this place 5 stars. However, they recently changed their menu (they got rid of their amazing shrimp tacos) and jacked up their prices. Still ok for Mexican food, but I was disappointed in their changes as they were previously excellent. So I downgraded my review to 3 stars.

Mmmm mmm mmm! Good food. Good drinks. Amazing atmosphere. But where are all the people? I dropped by with the girlfriend on a Saturday night, and man was this place dead. There were maybe 5 tables at 6:00 p.m. on a Saturday. WHY?! I love this place. I wish I could speak with the owner on some marketing strategies! Cause I would love to see this place hopping! I had the steak relleno and oh man! So so good! It’s not like a traditional relleno, but absolutely worth a try! The Anaheim chile was sliced open and served open faced with pure deliciousness inside. Everything was perfect! I just wish more people were there, and the atmosphere would go from amazing to… well… what’s better than amazing? SUPER AMAZING! It would be such a fun place to rent out for a party!

Was not extremely impressed with El Monte Grill. The décor and everything is nice, which adds to the experience, but it just didn’t live up to my expectations. The server was nice, just a bit awkward — we had never been there before so we probably had a few more questions than people that have been there before.
We got two coin margaritas and three happy hour tacos (1 carnitas, 1 carne asada, 1 fish). I liked the carnitas taco with the pineapple salsa. The carne asada was mediocre. Fish taco was okay. Then we got a pork and chicken tamale. The tamales are really small, with way more masa and mole than meat — wasn’t a fan.
We wanted to try their steak stuffed in a poblano pepper entreè, but couldn’t see spending the money after not being impressed by the appetizers. Still tipped over 20% (I can’t not unless service is just horrible) and altogether we spent $ 35.

My husband and I tried this place on 10÷28÷14. I thought the food was delicious! My husband ordered the shrimp tacos and I got the roasted chicken tacos. Plus, we ordered an appetizer. The presentation of the food was excellent. I thought the pinto beans I got with my tacos were amazing! The best beans I have ever had for sure! The service was good and the atmosphere was perfect. If your looking to try this place make sure you order extra food. The portions are on the smaller side. Make sure you get the sides with your tacos. and order a extra appetizer or entrée. I’m glad my husband and I ordered extra food because we hadn’t had any breakfast or lunch. so we were starving when we showed up to El Monte. The food is a little on the pricey side. but I will say that it’s excellent! It’s quality tasting, excellent presentation and a meal you won’t forget. Give it a try!

Good guacamole and local craft beers. Not bad for Mexican food, but service and spiciness could be better.
I attended a vendor dinner in a private room. We had about 40 people in our party, but only one server worked the room. I had to wait about a half hour before I could flag the waitress down to order a drink. We also had to ask for napkins. In all fairness, the waitress was working hard, and the restaurant should have had at least another waitress working the room.
Guacamole was brought to our table. The guacamole was fresh and tasty… very good with chips. We also had mini tacos offered in a serving line with three different meats: chicken, pork, and beef. The chicken was the best, but could have used a bit more of a kick. The beef and shredded pork were very bland. The pico de gallo helped a bit with the taste. Rice and beans were also available and were ok.
There were a few local craft beers offered, and I had a good Odell IPA with my meal.
I can see this place being good for happy hour or to watch a game, but other than that, I have had better Mexican and Tex-​Mex food. EMG is only a five minute walk from the Hilton.

What a fantastic experience! We came in at 6:15 on a Saturday night and were seated right away in a nice booth. We ordered the exotic guacamole as an appetizer and the Esteban and Oaxacan (pronounced oh-​ha-​can) Margarita for drinks. The guacamole was delicious as many reviewers have confirmed. Both of the drinks were tasty, especially the Esteban which I would recommend for anyone that enjoys a Mojito and gin.
For dinner we ordered the Steak & Enchiladas and the Shrimp Huaraches. The steak was marinated very well and cooked to a perfect tenderness. The Shrimp Huaraches were a nice option for those folks who are not crazy about traditional Mexican fare. For dessert, we ordered a chili crème brûlée which was also very good.
The service was exceptional, I wish I could recall the server’s name to mention, but he was very quick and helpful. We were never without a full glass of water and we received the check before we had even finished dessert!
We’ll definitely be back on a future night out.

I’ve heard for years that EMG is the best Mexican in town, and save for tasting some bites at an event they were at in town, have not found the occasion to visit the restaurant until recently. The location isn’t the greatest — a run-​down strip mall on the south side of the CSU campus — so it’s not exactly a place I’d think about going to for dinner since it’s not really near anything. However, they recently (August, I think?) started offering lunch, and since they are sorta half-​way between me and a friend I have lunch with every so often we decided to meet here.
As many have mentioned, the guacamole is off the hook. Even though I don’t get too crazy with my guac, I love the idea that I can customize it to my liking. I think a small portion is perfect for 2 people to share — have a bit with chips as an appetizer, but be sure to save a little to go with your meal.
I had the steak and enchilada lunch combo — marinated skirt steak with a cheese enchilada. So skirt steak is not one of your more glamorous cuts of beef, but I have to say that the way EMG served it was tender and tasty, particularly with the aforementioned customized guac. I recommend it!
The lunch combo comes with two sides you get to choose. They happened to be offering a pumpkin bisque as their fall seasonal soup, so for a small upcharge I chose it as one of my sides, and then their chile glazed green beans as the other. Firstly, can I say how much of a relief it is not to automatically get rice and beans as your sides? Okay, next time I might actually try the rice and beans, but it is nice to have options. I loved the soup, but the green beans weren’t anything particularly special … just nice to have a fresh veggie option.
All in all I really enjoyed my lunch — so much so that I found myself changing into my yoga pants to stay comfortable in the afternoon.