Monarch - Dallas

Had an amazing time here with my boyfriend. The food was pretty good overall, but the chicken dish wasn’t what I expected. Did enjoy everything else such as the lobster spaghetti. The seating did feel a little tight, especially since we were at the very corner.

This is a great restaurant so this is not meant to be a bad review, but for the money you may spend I want you to know what to expect. First off, I highly recommend booking a window table, which will cost you money up front, but it is supposed to be a deposit towards your bill. There seems to be a breakdown there though, because after the fact, I didn 't see that my deposit was subtracted from the bill, but I wasn 't too worried about it so I didn 't make a fuss about it. Also, you should strongly consider dressing to impress. This is a place to see and be seen in Dallas, and there will be multiple people in couture, like in a high-end restaurant in LA. We did the tasting menu which is $300 pp. Wine pairings are either $150 pp or $300 pp. The $300 pairing is nicknamed the baller pairing, which made me laugh, but is also kind of tacky. But maybe wealthy people in Dallas want to be called ballers, I 'm not from Dallas so I don 't know. I guess everything in Texas is bigger, right? The $150 pairing was sufficient for us and paired very well with the food we were served. The service is excellent, and the quality and taste of the food is excellent as well. But you are paying the same price you would pay for a Michelin 2 star in Chicago or New York (I 've dined at most of them). The presentation of the food here is not a Michelin experience. At a Michelin 2 star, every dish is a work of art, both visually and in your mouth. I 'm happy I dined here, and both my date and I had a good experience. The hotel was a great option after all the wine and is a wonderful hotel. The overnight staff informed the morning staff that we had checked in very late and they did not bother us when we stayed late in the morning. Also, you don 't have to go all out and do the tasting menu. You can order anything on the tasting menu ala carte. Last note, the music in the restaurant was quite loud and hindered conversation a bit. Overall, I rate this as a should visit, not a must visit.

They cancelled our reservation that was booked a month in advance within 30 minutes of our reservation time. Do not go here if you want to be treated with respect.EDIT:The restaurant has since reached out and apologized for the major inconvenience which was due to the whole building losing power. They showed real class by following up and making sure we were taken care of. I really appreciate this gesture and I will be sure to stop by there at a later time.

Monarch is the absolute best! From the moment you set foot into the building you are treated in a great manner. I always leave with the biggest smile on my face which is why this is my favorite restaurant! I want to give Xavier Doyle the biggest shout out on our most recent visit i was celebrating my birthday and he ensured we were having a great time and everything was brought out in a timely manner. Will forever keep coming back!

I had an exceptional dining experience at Monarch. The food was outstanding, you should try the meatballs! However, our waiter, Pepe, added a personal touch that made the visit truly memorable we’re going back just to see him. Highly recommend!