Montrio BistroSpecial nightWe were sat immediately after arriving a bit early. The service was prompt, knowledgeable and very helpful. The food was flavorful and balanced. If you can enjoy whiskey, order the Monkeying Around - banana infused Irish whiskey with a salted caramel on the side. Crazy good. Overall, a pleasant dining experience.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMFourth Time at MontrioWhen we are in the PG/Monterey area, we always try to make it in to this restaurant. We have only had great experiences! Our server was friendly without being overly so and was well-versed in the menu and specials. We had taken in our own wine and she was around to refill our glasses from time to time even though we don't expect that if we have not purchased there.
I had the lamb tenderloin special with goat cheese/red pepper polenta and brocollini, my partner had the scallops. The food was delicious (although my lamb was past med-rare as I ordered). BF had 3 well-seared scallops but it was very heavy on the amount of garbanzos. I think there was a tiny bit of spinach mixed in with garbanzos.
Overall, though, a very pleasant experience.6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful!!Was on vacation with my mom, driving down the coast. We stayed overnight in salinas and just googled some local restaurants. The menu sounded good....so we took a chance! SO glad we did. Such a warm and inviting place and quite lively for a Sunday night at 830. Had the brick chicken and seafood pasta special, with grilled artichoke to start. Everything had such great flavor and we couldn't get enough. Wish we could go back.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMdeliciousI ordered the braised short ribs and bread pudding. Both were excellent! I will be returning upon my next visit to Monterey.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMMontrioThis is a great restaurant. It has all the trappings of success. Great location, delicious food, and stellar staff!6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMBest of MontereyTried this restaurant for the first time after many visits to Carmel. The menu is creative and impressive. Quality all around. I believe that this must be one of the best restaurants in Monterey.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMSuperb Food!Very creative without falling in the extravagant. All the dishes are well thought and carefully prepared! You can tell by enjoying the flavor and portion!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWent for anniversary dinner.Went for anniversary dinner. Just husband and I. Tables for two all lined up against wall. Little close to the next table to feel any intimate conversation possible. Jack the waiter very attentive. Food arrived hot. Lamb T-bones were the special as well as the halibut. Both excellent. Will go again. Have been before for a banquet upstairs. First time there and the appetizers alone were fantastic!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMMiontrio Bistro is great!My wife and I have been dining at Montrio Bistro since it opened in an old Monterey firehouse in 1995. The food is consistently very good and the service has always been excellent. The wine list has a lot of great sections that pair well with the dishes they serve. I almost always order the De Tierra Syrah. It tastes great with any of the meat items on the menu. I recommend making reservations if you go on a Friday or Saturday night, or if there is a conference in town.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service!The wait staff worked together very well. Table was cleared promptly after each course. The steak was perfectly cooked and the desserts were awesome!5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat find off touristy Cannery RowCame here based off Open Table recommendations. Great find! Go here instead of tourist traps on Cannery Row.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMA wide variety of tasty dishesA wide variety of tasty dishes made for an enjoyable evening. We sampled an assortment of appetizers and small plates.
The lobster BLT is not to be missed. Wine list was extensive and interesting.5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMKnowledgeable and efficientKnowledgeable and efficient wait-staff. The time between courses was minimal.
Other restaurants should take lessons from them.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderfulGreat place, great food, great service... thanks for everything!5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall incredible experienceWe found Montrio Bistro online and went there based on their food and drink menu! We ordered bourbon cocktails upon arriving and were thrilled with what we received! The cocktail list is extremely unique and well thought out. We ordered scallops and pork chop as entrees and had the bruschetta for an app. The food was flavorful and cooked to perfection. We paired our dinner with a bottle of wine (also excellent). It was exactly the experience we were hoping for and will definitely go back next time we are in Monterey!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent MealMy husband and I were in Monterey on vacation and had a wonderful dinner at Montrio Bistro. The food was delicious (especially those truffle tater tots), and the paper and crayons on the table were a fun touch. Our waiter was fantastic - informative, friendly, and conscientious.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMGood choice everytimeEntertained client here on business. Restaurant is in a good location and the service and food are good.
Would definitely recommend!!5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Anniversary DinnerMy husband and I went to Monterey for our anniversary and many of our friends recommended Montrio Bistro. We decided to go and am very glad we did.
Everything was perfect from our wonderful waiter, to the great food, to the Happy Anniversary note on our dessert plate.
The Baker's bruschetta was fabulous - almost a meal in itself. The short ribs were tender and full of flavor. We enjoyed every bit.
I would highly recommend Montrio Bistro to all of my friends...and even, to some of my enemies. It's that good.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWe Ate Here Two Nights in a Row!It's that good! I had the best 14 ounce New York strip with root vegetables!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Time!My wife and I had dinner this past Saturday to celebrate our anniversary. We had a great time and the food was spectacular! I had steak and she had fish! Both were done superbly and had an abundance of flavor! The staff was kind with great service and even made a special note regarding our special occasion! We will be coming back soon because there are so many things on the menu we want to try! Thank you!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and service is greatThe food and service is great as always! See you again next year!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMdoesn't disappoint....wide variety of exceptionally prepared food combinations - server always open to make suggestions. They nicely accommodate your made-head reservation with centrally located seating.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother Fabulos Meal!Consistently good food and attentive service explain this restaurant's long run. A refreshing cocktail list. Scotch drinkers - try the 'Thrill of the K..l' cocktail.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMFrom the first step in toFrom the first step in to the way out the door a wonderful dining experience.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMdowntown treasureWe came here to test whether the Monterey County was right in voting this place as the best restaurant in Monterey. And Montrio lived up to that reputation. It was also a birthday dinner and we received a complimentary dessert for that occasion. The service was prompt, friendly and accommodating. The food was certainly delightful and delicious. The ambience was one of energy and lively diners enjoying each other's company. What more could you ask for? Nada!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways a great mealMontrio is my go to for a consistently good meal and service. Their wine list is weak and the corkage is a little pricey but bringing your own bottle is recommended.
The short ribs and pork chop are prepared perfectly.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellentSuperb food and service. Jose was friendly and knowledgeable as our server, made us feel right at home. The duck was very flavorful and perfectly cooked to my liking. Go to place in Monterey if you are there.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMHappy birthdayGreat birthday dinner. Service was exceptional - very attentive, knowledgable, friendly, and helpful. Rita had the pork chops and I had the duck. Both were delicious. We brought our own wine (free corkage if you purchase it at the "Taste of Monterey" on Cannery Row"). Note: Bottles of wine are half price on Sunday. We have eaten here several times - mainly for special occasions - and will return again. We like all three restaurants in the group - Montrio, Rio Grill, and Tarpy's. You can't go wrong with any of the three.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMFresh and FantasticWe were attending a conference in town and wanted to invite clients to a nice dinner. Montrio was recommended by someone I know who is a foodie that frequently visits the Monterey region. It was a great suggestion. All of us in our party thoroughly enjoyed our meals and the dining experience at Montrio. Everything was fresh and fantastic! I would most definitely return on a future trip.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMWell Done!!!Had a dinner meeting at Montrio this week. My first visit. The service was spot on. There when you need him and not constantly interrupting to asking if we need anything. The small bites were fun and creative, The entrees, as they should be. Medium rare fillet was medium rare and perfectly seasoned. The sea scallops had the perfect sear. Presentation was enticing.
The Bourbon selection is off the charts.
Thanks Montrio.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMFormer fire house in downtownFormer fire house in downtown Monterey. We ate there several years ago and thought we would try it again and were not disappointed. Nice decor with restorrd red brick walls and strange puffy clouds on the ceiling that were probably there for the accountics. I had the dried scallops that were excellent and my wife ordered a small plate and appetizer, one being short ribs that she raved about. Wine list was decent and prices reasonable. We'll go back again. H4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMA definite must!!!We first came here for my husbands birthday and were blown away by the food. We decided to go back for our anniversary and it was amazing once again. There is a parking garage near by with free parking after 6 which is a plus as well. Make sure to save room for the white chocolate bread pudding, it's to die for!!!4/24/2013 12:00:00 AMMy first official date. ItMy first official date. It was amazing, which is saying a lot since we both work in the kitchen. Tony Baker has made a solid menu, mms a very attentive but not overly present staff. They made it a real special occasion. Well worth it.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was great and the waiterFood was great and the waiter was entertaining and very helpful with drink selections. We especially enjoyed the calamari and the scallops.4/19/2013 12:00:00 AMDefinitely my favorite spotDefinitely my favorite spot in Monterey! Been here twice and was impressed on both occasions.4/15/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome chef. Excellent food.Awesome chef. Excellent food. Great service. I would definitely recommend to any foodie.4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMI just got back from AfghanistanI just got back from Afghanistan and wanted to have a nice drink and dinner with my mom, so I decided to go to Montrio because I'd heard good things about it. I had reservations for 5 just in case and ended up getting there a little bit early. It was 440-ish, so we sat at the bar and I was looking forward to trying some of the pretty inventive drinks. Well, we sat there. And sat there. No one likes feeling uncomfortable waiting for their reservation, like an unwanted guest, so instead of just sitting there being ignored, we just left. Once we came back our server was great and the food was pretty tasty. I'm pretty sure that if you open at 430, you should be ready at 430. I'm a paying customer too, regardless of the fact that I look 18.4/6/2013 12:00:00 AMFood was excellent. ServiceFood was excellent. Service was also excellent, until we were asked to leave to make room for a party of 18.4/5/2013 12:00:00 AMMussels and steak were absoluteMussels and steak were absolute standouts! Staff was the great kind of attentive and the whole room vibe was upbeat without pummeling you to death.
Highly recommend.4/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAbsolutely great food andAbsolutely great food and drink. Unfortunately, we were seated next to a group with two toddlers. The parents actually encouraged loud and inappropriate behavior which was annoying to everyone in the area, not just our party. We asked our server to speak with them about the loud noise and he declined. This definitely impacted on our overall dining experience.3/27/2013 12:00:00 AMSurprising find, a quaintSurprising find, a quaint restaurant with beautiful decor and a friendly staff. Very good value too!3/23/2013 12:00:00 AMThey had full bottles of goodThey had full bottles of good wine at half price. The bottle we bought was fantastic. The cost was less than ordering the bottle on line from the winery. The waiter was very good and knowledgeable about wine and the area. The place had a very good feel overall, but our table was in the pathway and was bumped numerous times by people moving about.3/17/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat bread, great dessert.Great bread, great dessert. Good service, and if you like whiskey - the fun drink menu was heavy on whiskey.3/16/2013 12:00:00 AMI was pleasantly surprisedI was pleasantly surprised by every single dish we ordered. The food was comparable to many of the exquisite dishes found in five star restaurants, without overwhelming your wallet. Good vibrant scene and great food. The service was great too. The waiter even helped us to take pix under special lighting. There is a wine shop block down called Terranova. If you purchase a wine from this wineshop and bring it into the restaurant, they will waive a $20 corkage fee. Not too shabby.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was a great dining experience:This was a great dining experience: great food, a very knowledgeable server who could describe the menu perfectly, and nice ambiance. My wife and I have a hard time finding restaurants that cook better than we do and going out is often disappointing, but Montrio Bistro is exceptional. We both ordered two of the evening's special and they were just that, excellent and inventive. If they ever have the New York strip chimmichura on risotto special, be sure to order it as it was possibly the best steak I have ever had.3/15/2013 12:00:00 AMOur group of two had a greatOur group of two had a great evening at Montrio Bistro. The food was delicious (I had the beef rib). The waiter spent time with us explaining local vineyards and recommended a nice bottle of wine (Boekenoogen Pinot Noir). We were seated in this small booth in the front left corner where we had a interesting view of the whole restaurant.3/14/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat example of customer serviceI made a reservation at Montrios following a conference at the Marriott. Towards the end of the conference, I inquired as to what other folks were doing for dinner. We had all pretty much decided to go to Montrios. I made a last minute call to find out if we could all be seated together, and even with a packed restaurant, the Montrios staff were able to accommodate. We turned out to be a group of 30. The staff were great to work with.3/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food, good service.Great food, good service. Very easy to book online, we came from out of town and were very glad we stopped by here instead of somewhere else. Really loved the food.3/8/2013 12:00:00 AMoverall very goodGood food, a little pricey. Surprised chef wouldn't substitute 1 vegetable for another from different entree. Used to more flixibility1/24/2013 12:00:00 AM