Reviews - Montarra

We celebrated a birthday and everything was great—the service, the atmosphere, and the food. read more We celebrated a birthday and everything was great—the service, the atmosphere, and the food.

We went for my mom’s birthday, and they put a cute little message on the menu. Everything was great. read more We went for my mom’s birthday, and they put a cute little message on the menu. Everything was great.

A great experience! Entrees were delicious. I had the ribeye and my wife had the lobster rigatoni. Our server Bergan, was great and very attentive! read more A great experience! Entrees were delicious. I had the ribeye and my wife had the lobster rigatoni. Our server Bergan, was great and very attentive!

The best steak I've ever tasted, with excellent service and a very pleasant atmosphere. read more The best steak I've ever tasted, with excellent service and a very pleasant atmosphere.

Montarra has always been our go-to spot for special occasions or simply to savor a great meal. However, something has changed that has made us reconsider our vi... read more Montarra has always been our go-to spot for special occasions or simply to savor a great meal. However, something has changed that has made us reconsider our visits. Our last truly enjoyable meal at Montarra was in July 2019. Since then, at both locations, both my dish and my partner's—groupers and Chilean sea bass—were dry and lacked the exceptional sauces and flavor combinations that we had come to expect as a standard at Montarra.

I had a wonderful first experience at Montarra. Despite living in the area for many years, I had not had the chance to visit until this past Saturday night. I h... read more I had a wonderful first experience at Montarra. Despite living in the area for many years, I had not had the chance to visit until this past Saturday night. I had made reservations for my wife's birthday and four of our friends, and we were pleasantly surprised by the attentive staff and the fact that our table was ready when we arrived early. The menus even had a special happy birthday message for my wife, which was a nice touch that we hadn't requested. The atmosphere was fantastic and my group appreciated the low noise levels, which made for a great environment for conversation. The food was excellent and all of our guests were happy with their meals. My wife was especially pleased and surprised by the thoughtful gesture from Montarra.

The restaurant offers excellent food quality and service. However, the ambiance is dark and loud. I would consider returning to the bar for drinks and small pla... read more The restaurant offers excellent food quality and service. However, the ambiance is dark and loud. I would consider returning to the bar for drinks and small plates, but the noise level was too high for enjoyable dinner conversation during our visit.

I have been dining at this restaurant for years and have always enjoyed the quality of the food and service. However, during my most recent visit, two out of th... read more I have been dining at this restaurant for years and have always enjoyed the quality of the food and service. However, during my most recent visit, two out of the four dishes my family ordered were disappointing. The beef tips were extremely chewy and almost inedible, while the sauce on the scallops ruined their taste. The filet that was ordered was also chewy. While I usually do not complain at restaurants, I have decided not to return to this establishment. There are simply too many other dining options available.

The food and presentation are impeccable. Staff is always attentive but not overwhelming. The experience is consistently far above the bar. read more The food and presentation are impeccable. Staff is always attentive but not overwhelming. The experience is consistently far above the bar.

I have been to Montarra Grill many times. They never disappoint. Their filet mignon and ribeye are always both fantastic. They have other options such as fish,... read more I have been to Montarra Grill many times. They never disappoint. Their filet mignon and ribeye are always both fantastic. They have other options such as fish, pork chops and chicken as well. Ben the bartender makes an amazing pomegranate martini. Ben is a great representation of Montarra Grill who is very personable/professional. The servers are also very nice too. Montarra Grill is the best hidden gem in McHenry County. I will definitely always be back.

This is one of the rare spots where you can enjoy truly excellent food. It’s the only place in the area that I know of that prepares steak tartare the right way... read more This is one of the rare spots where you can enjoy truly excellent food. It’s the only place in the area that I know of that prepares steak tartare the right way—chopped! I will definitely be returning soon! Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Not a relaxed, quiet setting for our anniversary. Just too loud on a Saturday with a 5:30pm reservation for us. Tables so close together it was hard to navigate... read more Not a relaxed, quiet setting for our anniversary. Just too loud on a Saturday with a 5:30pm reservation for us. Tables so close together it was hard to navigate to the restroom. Our server was very nice but she had six tables so was not able to check on us often. Food was good, not outstanding. For our anniversary we would have been better off at Seasons 52 or Ruth's Chris.

This is a excellent restaurant. Great food, fabulous menu. Something for everyone. Full bar with a great wine list. Service was excellent. Service: Dine in Meal... read more This is a excellent restaurant. Great food, fabulous menu. Something for everyone. Full bar with a great wine list. Service was excellent. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner

Always delicious. One of my go-to local spots for celebrations or for a more intimate atmosphere. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $50–100 F... read more Always delicious. One of my go-to local spots for celebrations or for a more intimate atmosphere. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $50–100 Food: 5 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5

Service was good. I expected an awesome steak at these prices, but it was only mediocre, on par with Outback and not as good as Lonestar. Service: Dine in Meal... read more Service was good. I expected an awesome steak at these prices, but it was only mediocre, on par with Outback and not as good as Lonestar. Service: Dine in Meal type: Dinner Price per person: $30–50 Food: 3 Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5 Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup

The food, service, and ambiance were absolutely fantastic. Our waiter, Sam F., was exceptional and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu items. I highly recom... read more The food, service, and ambiance were absolutely fantastic. Our waiter, Sam F., was exceptional and incredibly knowledgeable about the menu items. I highly recommend Montarra!

The food was incredibly delicious and the service was exceptionally friendly. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection. read more The food was incredibly delicious and the service was exceptionally friendly. Everything was cooked and seasoned to perfection.

Our waitress was extremely friendly and well-informed. Each dish was served hot, fresh, and beautifully presented, and they all tasted fantastic. The cocktails... read more Our waitress was extremely friendly and well-informed. Each dish was served hot, fresh, and beautifully presented, and they all tasted fantastic. The cocktails from the bar were excellent too. This is definitely an upscale dining experience.

I had a fantastic experience at this upscale restaurant. The menu offered such a wide variety of dishes that it was tough to choose just one. I can't wait to re... read more I had a fantastic experience at this upscale restaurant. The menu offered such a wide variety of dishes that it was tough to choose just one. I can't wait to return and sample more items from their selection!

We went out for Mother’s Day dinner and decided to revisit Montarra after many years. Unfortunately, they lost our reservation but were kind enough to seat us a... read more We went out for Mother’s Day dinner and decided to revisit Montarra after many years. Unfortunately, they lost our reservation but were kind enough to seat us anyway, which was the first of several issues we encountered during our visit. We were placed outside in the Covid tent, which was acceptable as we were just happy to have a table. However, the floor was extremely unstable; whenever someone walked by, one side of our table would lift dramatically, nearly spilling our drinks. We laughed it off, but they need to either stabilize the floor or stop serving in that area. Our waitress struggled to set down the food on the tray stand due to the shifting floor. On the positive side, our waitress provided good service despite the challenges—she was certainly working hard. However, the service from the bar and kitchen was slow. The drinks and bread were great, and the bouillabaisse stood out as excellent. My chicken dish with risotto was solid, but my wife’s NY strip steak came out cold to the touch, which was unacceptable for a $52 dish. It took an eternity for our waitress to return with the correct order, delaying my wife's Mother’s Day dinner. We genuinely love this restaurant, and once the issue was addressed, the steak turned out to be excellent. Hopefully, it was just an off night for them. However, given the prices, they can't afford to have too many off nights, or customers will think twice about returning. That said, we will be back to give them another chance. As a nice gesture, they comped one of our martinis due to the cold steak, which we appreciated since we didn’t even ask for anything. I still consider Montarra one of the best places for special occasions in the area, but it’s not somewhere we’d visit regularly unless price is not a concern.

Always fantastic! I've never had a disappointing meal or service at this place. We love sitting in the bar area for a more vibrant and sunny ambiance. The main... read more Always fantastic! I've never had a disappointing meal or service at this place. We love sitting in the bar area for a more vibrant and sunny ambiance. The main restaurant is a bit small, dim, and quiet, but it's always clean and comfortable. Plus, the drinks are outstanding! Ben and Gina are truly the best!

The food is outstanding! The service is excellent. Without a doubt, this is the best restaurant in the neighborhood! read more The food is outstanding! The service is excellent. Without a doubt, this is the best restaurant in the neighborhood!