• Banner 1
  • Banner 2
  • Banner 3

Welcome to Cantina Monarca

Located in the heart of downtown Bellevue, Cantina Monarca is a Latinx-owned upscale Mexican cocktail bar known for its trendy, intimate, and romantic ambiance. With offerings like tender wagyu, flavorful asada, and mouth-watering pork belly tacos, Cantina Monarca has garnered praise for its delicious food. The restaurant provides a unique Tulum-like vibe, with vibrant decor, lively music, and a fantastic margarita flight. While some customers have noted room for improvement in certain dishes, overall, Cantina Monarca offers a delightful dining experience with upscale vibes and tasty Mexican fare.

LOCATIONS
  • Cantina Monarca
    504 Bellevue Way NE Bellevue, WA 98004
    504 Bellevue Way NE Bellevue, WA 98004 Hotline: (425) 531-7206

Welcome to Cantina Monarca, a Mexican cocktail bar located in Bellevue, WA. This trendy and upscale restaurant offers a romantic and intimate atmosphere, perfect for a dinner date or special celebration. The Latinx-owned establishment boasts a variety of amenities such as valet parking, free Wi-Fi, and private dining options.

Customers have raved about the delicious tacos served at Cantina Monarca, with one reviewer claiming they are even better than the ones in Mexico! The meat is tender, the sauce is perfect, and the guac, salsa, and chips are a must-try. However, some diners have noted that the quality of drinks and enchiladas could be improved.

Despite some mixed reviews on the food, Cantina Monarca's decor and presentation are top-notch, reminiscent of the vibrant vibe of Tulum. The restaurant's aesthetic, complete with green plants and stylish decor, creates a lively and inviting atmosphere for guests.

For those looking to enjoy a lively night out, Cantina Monarca offers Tequila Tuesdays with discounts on tequila, making it the perfect spot for a midweek pick-me-up. Whether you're in the mood for a margarita flight or some delicious fish tacos, Cantina Monarca has something for everyone.

If you're in the Bellevue area and craving Mexican cuisine with a stylish twist, be sure to check out Cantina Monarca for a memorable dining experience.

START YOUR REVIEW OF Cantina Monarca
Sarah K.
Sarah K.

This place has hands down the best tacos I've had in my life! Even better than the ones in Mexico! The meat is tender and the sauce is just perfect! I've tried the wagyu, asada, pork belly and chicken and they were all amazing! Their quac, salsa and chips is also delicious! The quality of drinks and the enchilada can be improved. We went there twice when I was pregnant. I ordered a non-alcoholic beer and it was warm! I think it is bartending 101 to serve beer cold, so I hope they see my feedback. The second time I got their non-alcoholic cocktail and was not impressed at all, tasted artificial.. Their enchilada was also of average quality and over priced.. All in all we had a lovely time both times and enjoyed the restaurant environment and the food! I highly recommend visiting this restaurant and trying the tacos! You won't be disappointed!

Justin K.
Justin K.

Was craving Mexican food after coming back from Tulum so while I was visiting Bellevue I wanted to find something that matched its vibe. The decor and presentation was top notch and reminded me of Tulum however the food could've been better. I know this is more of an upscale restaurant and we went for happy hour but I was looking for more authentic taste and it just didn't quite deliver. For food we ordered the monarca salad, quesadilla, tacos (chayote, pastor and sakura pork belly) and added the margarita flight. Not saying it was bad, I just thought for the price, the quality would've matched it. Everything else was great, from the service to the ambiance. It's in a great location and walking distance from the mall. I think I would have to come again but maybe for dinner to try out some of the other items on the menu.

Megan S.
Megan S.

I think this place still needs to figure out what exactly it is. Located in the heart of downtown Bellevue I think the area needed a place like this - it's super hip trendy and plays the club dance type music, it really does feel like you're in Tulum or somewhere in Mexico. We ordered the marg flight and a couple of other drinks all of which were pricey but delicious and you get a lot of bang for your buck. The chips & guac were to die for as well! Our server was lovely and gave great recommendations. One issue i had was the seating near the windows, I don't know how anyone can be expected to fit in that seat, you feel crammed up against the wall like you can't move and the bench isn't even a full seat. The music is pretty loud and I think if they transitioned this to more bar / club at the end of the evening it'd make more sense. Overall picture did it feels a little confusing.

Thomas E.
Thomas E.

Phenomenal Mexican food in Bellevue? Amazing surprise. I live in San Diego so I was unsure about getting Mexican food here but the aesthetic looked super cool so I decided to pop in, and I was pleasantly surprised. Vibe is definitely very cool, giving Tulum for sure. I was just here for lunch, so can't speak to the crowd but I'd love to see what it's like on a Friday night. Lunch menu isn't available on Fridays which is kinda silly in my opinion, so restricted to the normal dinner menu. I started off with a margarita and chips and salsa. I forget the margarita flavor, something with coconut, it was incredible though. Well balanced flavor with the tequila, like a more delicious Pina colada. Chips were solid, salsa was okay, I added a hot salsa too which ended up being tangy, not my favorite. I then got the enchiladas divorciadas, absolutely incredible. the texture was great, not soggy like many enchiladas. Meat is perfectly tender. Both of the sauces tasted amazing. I have had so many enchiladas and these were definitely top tier. Would love to come back and try more of the food and margaritas. Definitely a cool spot and stand out among the restaurant row in downtown Bellevue.

Yuanhong Z.
Yuanhong Z.

Came here for with my college best friend for reunion and birthday celebration. It was such a beautiful restaurant! The restaurant was surrounded with green plants, marble, straw-waving decor. The music is lively and the vibe is just right , such a good place to have dinner or grab a margarita with your friends. We really enjoy our time here.

Amanda M.
Amanda M.

I was invited by a friend to join in on her party of 3 reservation here since there's such a buzz to dine in. It's 21 & up - they card you at the door so bring your credentials. Once you confirm your reservation your party doesn't need to be complete & they'll ask you if you'd like to wait or be seated. So that's nice. I chose to be seated to create content. We were given probably the best seat near the window in the center of the restaurant. The window was open and although chilly the ambiance was amazing. Let's talk about service. Definitely 1 star. I was politely seated and after 10 minutes had to ask walking and passing by staff who will bring/pour my water & put in an order for a drink & appetizer. I'm talking about a full maybe 8 minutes of sitting and being ignored. So, the waiter finally comes by & takes my order for a marg flight (la pasion, mamacita & smoke & spice & guac/chips. The marg flights are 90% ice, FYI which takes away from drinking & enjoying so I had to ask for a straw. But, they were OK- mamacita being my fave. The Guac & Chips 10/10. So much so we had to refill our chips bc we had more guac than chips which is usually unheard of! For dinner I had Enchiladas de Cangrejo (blue lump crab) & they were 10/10. They come a la carte for $34 but it's $5/side to order a molcajete of rice/black beans. Be mindful of sitting food bc they'll sneak & clear it away when you're attending to your convo but were quick to replace. It's definitely a beautiful restaurant and the ambiance is fire! Very instagrammable & date worthy. Super cute photo ops at entrance & bathroom (beware it smells AWFUL) in that area. So quick in & out there only 2 restrooms.

Jeremy L.
Jeremy L.

I came here on a Tuesday. What's tuesday? Nope... not taco tuesday. Here... its Tequila Tuesdays! That means its 25% off tequila. So of course I had to test some out. First, shout out to Luis. Awesome bartender. Down to earth and walked me through his favorites. I ended up going with one pricier one and one less pricey. Fortaleza anejo was super smooth with good flavor. I wanted more agave flavor so also got the El tequileno blanco. This was good as well. Not as smooth but good agave flavors and not too alcohol-y. They have a decent selection. Tacos (4): Hit or miss. Pretty pricey. I went a la carte so I could try more. Got the pork belly, sea bass, and prime asada. I thought that prime asada was gonna be the hit but surprisingly my favorite was the sea bass! Crispy but moist and flavorful fish. The asada was good, but I feel didn't justify the prime price. May have been slightly overcooked. The pork belly was just okay. I think if they crisped up the skin it would've been good, but they didn't. It was somewhat chewy or rubbery. Overall great spot to try out some good tequila and indulge in some expensive mexican cuisine.

Deri P.
Deri P.

Came here for a birthday dinner. We got the margaritas flight and one of the other cocktails. It was excellent! Love the pina margaritas. For the appetizer we got the guacamole which was really good. As for the entree we got a couple tacos, carne asada and fish tacos. The fish tacos was soo good! Def the highlight Overall this place is good however we do think that its a bit too overpriced even for bellevue standard also the place is quite small. We were seated in the corner table in the back and it feels very cramped. And not very comfortable.