The Monterey

It was great while it lasted. Adventurous food with a diverse menu. Fantastic cocktails. Classic fried chicken was amazing. Will miss this place!

Why, oh why? The Monterrey is closing November 4^th. What will we do?
I guess we will have to go to Barbaro.

What a shame that this place is going to shut down. A weekend brunch here is a definite «must do» event in San Antonio. The patio was the place to relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy a wonderful creation from the kitchen. I’d write more… but it’s all for the record as this place closes it’s doors 2 Nov. Hopefully, there will be someone to carry the mantle of a great neighborhood joint focused on quality food creations.

This is the second time I’ve been here, and you can really tell that this place is closing. The outside patio was full so we had to sit inside (bummer). And the kitchen was non-​stop!
It took a while for someone to get our drink order and it took even longer for me to get my food. My friend was almost done with her food by the time I got mine. But let’s get to the important part… the food.
The Brussels sprout were the best thing I have ever had!!! They were cooked perfectly with this charred exterior… I want a pool full of these to swim in and eat everyday. For my main course I had the Frito pie po’ boy with pulled pork. The pork was delicious… Take that North Carolina! Vary sad to see this place close, on to bigger and better things I guess.

I had my third visit to the Monterey this past Tuesday for burger night and it was AMAZING. You get a huge flavorful bacon cheeseburger with fries for only $ 5! We sat on their outside patio and the service was excellent. We noticed they were playing some 90’s hip hop and the server was nice enough to ask that they play some songs we requested. The restaurant is quite small and you have to wait a bit for your food but it’s worth it. On previous visits I’ve had the sweet chili brussel sprouts (yum! this is the dish that made me like brussel sprouts) and the smoked fried chicken (like no fried chicken I’ve ever had before). The Monterey is closing the first week of November so if you haven’t been yet, you need to!

I know that you guys are on the way out! But don’t you want to go out with some dignity???
This is a late review but it needed to be said… we went to the Monterey on September 4^th.
I’ve been to the Monty twice before just for drinks and apps with friends. It’s always been a favorite spot within the industry so after work we will drink there. I had never gone solely just for dinner and in light of the fact that the Monty is closing soon we had a birthday dinner with 5 of my friends. We knew that the drinks were gonna take long because they only had 1 bartender, we knew the food was gonna be served staggered because the food never comes out at the same time there, and we knew it was going to be expensive… all things we can tolerate for «GOOD» food, but the dining experience was just so horrible!!!
We all ordered signature drinks and with one bartender it took about 15 mins for each drink. The Smoked Chicken was the first dish that was served and took about 15 minutes. My friend wanted to wait to eat it but I told her just to eat it would prolly be another 15 minutes before the next dish came out. We all tried it though and it was pretty good. The taste and amount of food left us all anticipating what was to come.
15 minutes later the Oxtail came out. Very small portion but tasty.
15 minutes later the Zucchini dish came out. My cousin thought it was the vegetarian entrée option… This is when I wish the Monterey would label there food under «entrees, appetizers, etc» because it was half of a very thin zucchini topped with sunflower seeds and micro greens! Only had about four bites to it! Waiting 30 minutes for an underwhelming appetizer was was not what he had in mind.
My date had ordered a dish with the pine nuts on the side because she has an allergy. Half way through it she says «my throat feels funny, really tight»…I look through her meal and there are the pine nuts on the bottom of her plate!!! I was relieved that her pine nut allergy isn’t as severe as her peanut allergy, we would have had a hospital visit if it was…
I eventually get my entrée (an hour and 15 minutes into our meal) which was the King Salmon dish with Quail Eggs and Cappers… for a couple of dainty pieces of raw fish, no quail eggs and no cappers… what exactly took a over an hour on that dish??? Did you go fishing for the salmon when I ordered it and forgot to stop by the store for the rest of the ingredients???
Never before have I had such a terrible experience at a restaurant EVER! And did I mention we also were sat by the table 3 feet from the bathroom! Seriously if this dining experience where any worse it would need to be in a chessy comedy movie!

Man oh man, this place has a special place in my heart. I used to go when it was my neighborhood restaurant and loved to try any and all off-​menu items. From pig’s feet to tripe to the best damn burger I ever had.
They are closing soon and I wanted to come have a meal before they went.
The food was fine, but my excitement over the menu wasn’t what it had been years ago. Did it change or did I? Don’t know.
My tip? Go. Have some food. Enjoy the place while you can, just know you can never go home again.
Thanks Team Monty, for all the tasty treats and the wonderful things you’ve brought to San Antonio.
KH

Yikes, this review has been in my drafts for over a year now. Now that’s just not right.
Know what I love about The Monterey? The lack of pretense. I recently had the misfortune of being at a dinner that was nothing but pretense and backstroking all around about utterly pedestrian food that came at an astonishingly steep price. So, take note: The Monterey is the very opposite of that experience I had.
For example, want some pricey wine? Guess what? They give you a g-​damn «Expensive Wine» list! I think that’s hilarious because this would make a great first date place for pretty obvious reasons.
We opted for more modest options because I’m a rosé-​colored Champagne girl, ain’t gonna lie. I like how Sonia C puts it: «One of the best places, ever, to spend an evening or late night with friends.» This says so much. It reminds me of dining in Italy, where such affairs are celebrated over the time span of several hours. As it should be! As it should be at The Monterey on their perfect patio, one of the most sublime places I’ve ever had the fortune of gracing on a warm summer night. Hell, I’d brave a San Antonio sweltering August night out here.
Aaaand, I was even greeted by a gorgeous black cat here, which is always a good sign because cats don’t just choose any place to be their home.

The atmosphere and changing menu keep us coming back to The Monterey. There is always something new and intriguing on the menu for us to try. The last time we were here we chose the 5 course meal. The chef prepares each course without you knowing what is coming. We had fried chicken skin in a wasabi sauce with caviar. Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it; it was incredible.
The Monterey is in the trendy part of San Antonio, so the prices match. We will save up a little and go out here as a special treat. It is very much worth it. And once scheduling allows, we’ll be here on a Tuesday for $ 5 burger night!

Yup. This place rules. Sure, they have lots of fantastic menu items and overall a great vibe. But, if you want a real treat you must come get a burger on $ 5 burger night. It will change everything.
After your burger help yourself to a glass of wine or 3 from the awesome wine list.
That’s it. That’s all you need to know. $ 5 burger, no substitutions, and wine. Lots of wine. Happy dining my friends.

Came here for $ 25 all you can eat crawfish! Your $ 25 comes with two drinks incl beer and live music in their patio (just for today’s event).
The last time I came here, the service was horrible. Our food took forever but today, so far so good.

Retro urban café. Absolutely amazing place with friendly service. Our server Amanda was super sweet and had a great personality!!! We enjoyed fried green tomatoes! With two farm eggs, fried oysters, crustal hot sauce hollandaise, green onion for $ 11.50.
Also Ramlette with house bacon, ramen noodles, basils, kewpie mayo, and white chedder and furikake for $ 11.50.
Best breakfast!!!

This is not a place you come looking for some chicken strips or nachos. You don’t complain about the menu and you surely don’t ask if they have anything else to offer from their daily menu. Patrons should come to The Monterey to enjoy a culinary experience that’ll have your taste palette yearning for more! No two trips are ever the same and you can expect a change-​up in their menu constantly.
The food has some of the freshest and tastiest ingredients in their entrees. The offerings are great and really allow you to enjoy the foodie scene that is upcoming in San Antonio. Some of the menu items are permanent which is nice if you’ve grown to love some of them.
I personally love to read the whole menu as they describe everything from the food to the drinks and how the menu even came together. It’s great «back-​story» knowledge and allows you to appreciate just how much work they put into their menu.
One of my favorite menu offerings is their adult grilled cheese with multiple cheeses with some thick cut bacon slices. My mouth is watering right now just thinking about it.
I love the atmosphere that is created here and the patio is personally one of my favorites in San Antonio. It’s great during the summertime, especially when you’re enjoying some of their flavorful hand crafted drinks. Their craft beer offering is pretty stellar as well.
Make sure you check to see they’re open before you head on over as they focus more on dinner hours. On Sundays they are open only till 2pm unless they are offering a «pop-​up» concept which usually occurs on Sundays/​Mondays.
One of my favorite things is the unique and funky décor in the men’s bathroom.
The staff is great and knowledgable and always willing to chat about their offerings and just a friendly conversation.
Another plus is their private parking lot with a vintage red car right out front to let you know that you’ve arrived.

Consistency and innovation aren’t always reconcilable terms in the restaurant universe, and yes, I used those same terms in my review two years ago… true then, true now.
The current 5 course omakase menu being offered by chef John is absolutely amazing; as it changes quite frequently, a description of the individual courses would serve little purpose. The progression of courses (mackerel– pork belly/​daikon/​mustard– eggplant/​roe– Corned beef– desert) was flawless. Our server/​somm, Steven, pondered a bit on a bottle pairing but the German pinot noir he suggested was great. Will make it a point to try Karah’s cocktail creations on a future visit– enjoyed the write up she provides on the beverage list.
Some recognizable standards remain on the menu for those unwilling to dive into something new, and they now have a late-​night menu for Fri and Sat evening when they’re now opened until 2 AM.

I’ll start with the good.
The frog legs were amazing. Fresh. Perfectly fried. So good.
Now the just ok.
The brussell sprouts were good. We ate half of what we were served. I’ve had so much better at so many other places.
Now the bad.
We ordered 6 other dishes. All were mediocre or we had a bite and then pushed it away. It was either too salty and too bland or over seasoned. Very dissapointing. We gave it our best shot too, trying to order more and more thinking we just struck out with our first few dishes.
I’m a fan of eating seasonally. But don’t have a rotating menu if you can’t do it well.

Do you enjoy junkyard dining ambiance but prefer upscale fusion food? Maybe you’d like to eat at a Junkyard/​Fusion Fusion restaurant?
If so, this place is for you.
The restaurant is essentially that cartoon that used to be paired with Heathcliff. It’s built to resemble a junkyard, complete with no floors and the occasional cat roaming. This is all in a cool, kitschy way.
I’d tell you what we ate here but it was complicated and I can’t quite remember. I think we did some sort of brisket benedict on cornbread? There was also a fantastic burger mixed with another unexpected ingredient that was delicious. Everything we ate here was awesome.
Is the place a bit hipsteresque? You could argue that but really does that matter? Our server was laid back and she was friendly. I recommend this place for a leisurely dining experience on a nice night.
Note: I read through some comments from the owner on here and they are disappointing. I think more constructive responses would benefit this place greatly, but that’s just my «more flies with honey» suggestion.

I am partial to El Monty. I live in the neighborhood & this is my go to restaurant when we are out with friends or it’s just the two of us. The ever changing menu ensures that we never have the same meal twice. The craft beer list is great. However, the wine list is the best in town. If you are into boutique wines, this is your list. Also, as long as the bottle has a proper cork, they will serve any wine by the glass. So, you can really go crazy with flights of wine from a region or grower. The Somm is incredibly knowledgeable and will guide you in the right direction based upon your tastes.
Service has always been fantastic & I have always been accommodated by the wonderful staff here.
All in all I can’t believe I hadn’t updated this little neighborhood gem to *****
P. S. The new menu (I have had everything on it) is killer & the new chef is super talented

The Monterey is a cute little hipster restaurant in downtown San Antonio with an outdoor patio strung with lights.
The first time I came here I ordered fries. I was already full, so I didn’t order much. We got our food in a decent amount of time. The second time I came, I ordered the po-​boy brisket and it came with fries. We also got an order of the cornbread. Unfortunately, it took about an hour to get our food and I was soooo hungry. The server did try to make it up by give us a free order of brussel sprouts and pickled veggies.
FOOD:
Pickled veggies: not very good. Too vinegary for me. Some of the vegetables had such a strong vinegar flavor that they were almost inedible. At least it was free.
Brussel sprouts: these were sooo good. I normally don’t like brussel sprouts, but the peanuty sauce they put it with makes it hard to stop eating them.
Cornbread: Nice, warm, and soft. I think they use blue corn here, which is a unique change.
Fries: Average. They were soggy the first time I had them, but tasted a lot better the 2^nd time. the 2^nd time most of the fries were pretty crispy. The fries aren’t seasoned with anything special, just salted.
Po-​boy: Ok-​ish. Top piece of bread was crispy, but the bottom piece of bread was not toasted. The beef was tender, but I thought the seasoning was overly sweet. It was only one slice of brisket on a lot of bread.
The menu does seem to change pretty frequently, which is a nice idea. Maybe it’s seasonal. I like that they try to use fresher ingredients here. Another pro is they do seem to come up with pretty unique dishes which is a rarity in San Antonio. Prices are decent and it’s affordable to eat here especially if you go for the sandwiches or tapas.
Overall, would like to try more things here. Hopefully the service will be a little better next time and I find more items that I like.

I haven’t reviewed the Monterey yet? Let’s do it then!
I’ve been here twice and absolutely love their patio. It is so cute with all these lush plants and chic decors. Be prepared to get a few mosquito bites though in the summer time. But they do have OFF!
Their brussels sprouts are the best. They are cooked perfectly, not mushy at all and so yummy. The portion was big but I ate the whole thing by myself without offering any to my table mates. So that tells you how good it was! On my most recent visit, I ordered the watermelon salad. It was such an unexpected dish. The sweet watermelon mixed so well with the sour mint vinaigrette, feta cheese, jicama and red onions. Very refreshing! I was impressed and almost licked the bowl. My friend ordered the seared skirt steak and offered me some to try. The meat was juicy and tender, deff great flavor.
Although I haven’t tried many of their offerings, I think I’m confident to say you can count the Monterey on quality food and a good time.

I absolutely LOVE the vibe, décor & feel of The Monty. The classic car (a Monterey, duh!) in the parking lot with the flashing party lights amused me to watch for a minute or two. What a cool touch! The patio is great with the colorful string lights. The inside is sheik, modern & comfortable. The parking lot is super small, so we parked across the street at the hardware store (I think?)…there were no signs posted & they were closed so don’t think they mind…
The staff is quirky, hipster, & super friendly. They were on their game from the get-​go, without a doubt.
Ted K.C. lugged in his magic wine bag & they didn’t seem to mind. He also purchased several wines off their current Riesling menu. Not sure if there was a corking fee or what… or if they just let him BYOB cause he’s VIP like that. Ask beforehand & perhaps you shall receive!
Anyway, the food… we’re all Unilocalers so we ate like half the menu (which was introduced a week prior to our visit):
My favorites were the watermelon salad — with min, feta, red onion, vinegar — it was so simple & absolutely delicious. I’m totes making it for a BBQ this weekend… it’s the perfect summer salad! The fried peanuts & almonds were dangerously good & addictive… spicy, warm, oily. Mmm. The shrimp aguachiles were also the perfect refreshing summer item — shrimp, lime, avocado, red onion, jalapenos — yum! The corndog was ginormous & tasty… a homemade corn (casing?) with a nice sweet crunch to it wrapped around a giant juicy sausage. Can’t go wrong there.
The ok: fried cream corn, Oaxaca quesadilla (loved the grilled green onions on top… make it at home instead), & the twice fried chicken… one piece was still raw inside. The other two were moist & crunchy.
The bad: campechana — a ridiculously sour fishy taste! Ew! I think the scallops were bad. Some at our table said it was the shrimp. It was just bad news. I personally didn’t care for either dessert — the cocoa hazelnut cheesecake or the Meyer lemon pound cake. The flavors just didn’t work well together on the pound cake. The cocoa hazelnut cheesecake was ok, but I was too full to pursue more than a bite. Others at the table liked both desserts so… to each his own.