


Classy Italian haunt featuring handmade pasta, wood-fired meat dishes & premium seafood specialties.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1401 Elm St 49th Floor, Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 945-2222
Website: http://www.monarchrestaurants.com/
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Reviews
Unfortunately, the experience fell short.
Upon arrival, we were informed that only the $225 per person Valentine’s prix-fixe menu was available in the dining room. If we wanted to order from the regular menu, we would have had to give up our reserved table and attempt to find seating in the lounge on a first-come, first-serve basis. That information would have been helpful prior to confirming reservations.
We decided to stay.
While the presentation of each course was visually appealing, the flavor and execution did not meet the standard expected at this price point. Several dishes lacked depth and personality, and the portions were surprisingly minimal.
For a final bill of $577, we left feeling underwhelmed rather than impressed.
We understand holiday menus are curated experiences, but when charging premium pricing, the food and communication should align with the reputation.
At this price point, excellence should be assumed — not hoped for.
The service was attentive, professional, and genuinely welcoming. Every dish was presented beautifully and tasted even better than it looked.
Must try dishes were the appetizers: fried calamari and Prawns.
On the flip side, the food was just okay. I had the King Salmon with asparagus and whipped potatoes out of those, the asparagus was the best part. The potatoes were fine, but the salmon, which was cooked medium well, lacked the flavor I was hoping for. We also tried the rigatoni alla vodka, which was just okay, nothing particularly memorable. In summary,
The calamari and meatballs appetizers were delicious! As you can tell from the pictures, they were delivered to that table with such great presentation.
I am very particular with veal and they nailed this dish. The veal was thin and cooked just right. Accompanying this with mushrooms was awesome.
The atmosphere was energetic, yet comfortable.
I will be back.
We started our evening near the bar for happy hour to enjoy the full experience. The beef tartare was fresh but underwhelming compared to others I’ve had around the city. The drinks, however, were spot on.
Once we moved to our reserved window table — which had a lovely view and elegant ambiance — we were welcomed with a large celebration card featuring my friend’s name. That was a really nice touch. We began with focaccia bread and meatballs; the bread was decent, but the meatballs were far too salty.
We did, however, expect a complimentary welcome glass of champagne (something we’d seen mentioned in several reviews), but that never happened.
Our server didn’t add much to the experience and made us feel a bit rushed throughout the meal.
For mains, we had the veal Parm, which was thin and pretty basic, though the side of mushrooms was delicious. The shrimp were tasty but nothing memorable, and the Caesar salad was heavy-handed with the dressing.
The highlights of the night were the New Zealand white wine we chose, the gorgeous view, and the tiramisu we shared at the end. Despite the uneven service and average food, we made the best of it and enjoyed each other’s company. Sadly, it’s not a place I’d return to.
We began the night inconveniently stuck in the elevator, the kind of hiccup that could easily sour the mood. Instead, the staff handled it with effortless grace. Complimentary champagne appeared, warm apologies were offered, and part of our check was comped without hesitation. It wasn’t just the gesture; it was the poise and sincerity behind it.
From there, the night unfolded beautifully. The ambience is refined without feeling stuffy, service attentive without hovering, and the food delivered across the board: perfectly cooked filet, a classic Caesar, rich rigatoni alla vodka, standout Brussels sprouts, and a bottle of wine that tied everything together.
Luxury isn’t defined by aesthetics or skyline views. It’s defined by how a place takes care of you when things don’t go perfectly. Monarch understands this. We left feeling valued, impressed, and already planning our return.
For a Michelin recommended restaurant, we expected more thoughtfully layered flavors and at least one true wow moment. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one.
Service was polite but lacked the attentiveness and polish that should accompany a dining experience at this level. Servers should have enough knowledge and mannerism to deliver chef’s intention to dishes. It didn’t feel elevated just average. Im fact, the appetizers below average with saltiness and over seasoned tartare and carpaccio.
We opted to pay extra for window seating, which we were happy to do. However, we were initially told it was $75 without clarification that this was per person. It ultimately came out to $150 per person, which felt misleading but miscommunication happens.
The view is beautiful, and I understand Dallas doesn’t have many high rise dining options. But a view alone can’t compensate fo the experience we had at this cost.
Given the Michelin recognition, I expected far more in both execution and service. There are many restaurants that deliver stronger flavors and a more thoughtful experience at a similar and lower price point. I wouldn’t recommend it to friends!
My fiancée and I are absolutely blown away by the night we just had! First off, amazing staff. Everybody seemed knowledgeable on the menu, our server, Thomas, went above and beyond tonight, and the food was amazing!!!
We had the course meal for dinner. Everything was delicious. My fiancée’s favorite course was the tuna carpaccio and mine was… hard to say but I think I’ll go with the Foie Gras. Huge shoutout to the chef, amazing course meal that you put together sir.
As for the atmosphere? 10/10. Great intimate lighting, beautiful view, and 10/10 with making sure my proposal was a success! The manager even showed us around a little after our dinner and gave us a wonderful, celebratory espresso martini!
Definitely will be coming back, and like I mentioned earlier this is definitely the spot to propose. The only downside of the night was that I spent too much on the ring and didn’t get to tip my man Thomas what he deserved. I’ll be back in March though.