Came here for the first time. Street parking is available. I ordered some pastries, chocolate coffee, and a pack of cafe de olla coffee ground. Pastries were very fresh, coffee was flavorful, and I always like the cafe de olla coffe ground. I like to make myself a cup of cafe de olla to bring it to work daily. Coffee was on the pricy side. The server who served me does not seem to speak much English, but she understands what I was and tried her best to help. Will keep stopping by for more cafe de olla coffee ground.
Fel E.
Their pastries here are really good , and the staff has been always been so friendly , place is small compared to other monarcas , but is cozy and in a good location , really great coffee place
Joselyn R.
The ambiance was very chill and casual, somewhere to go for a quick breakfast. The service was great and fast! The food was definitely not my cup of tea. The drink was very sweet, but I'm probably just used to having it hot. I tended to follow it up with water to balance it out. I was not a fan of the burrito at all, but that is 100% my bad since soyrizo is spicy, and I'm not a spicy gal. I think if I was someone with different taste buds/preferences, it would've been delicious! I will say, I am not one to waste food, so I did eat the entire burrito and it was surprisingly supper filling! Don't let the size fool you!!
Rob P.
My wife and I have been long time customers at this location and others. Today we stopped by around 5:05 pm (3-11) to get a baked good and coffees. We love Monarca btw. Anyhow there were 3 female workers at the store. The older lady who helping us at the cashier, was very unpleasant and unresponsive since the moment we got in. Never told us her name or greeted us even after I said hi. We asked for two brewed coffees , plus our sweet bread. No eye contact was given at all, not even a fake smile. All she keep saying "Anything else" ? We said no thank you. My wife was getting a little concerned why this worker was so unpleasant and rude. If she was having a bad day or doesn't like her job, we as a guests and consumers have nothing to do with that. We decided not to say much about her poor and nasty costumer service. Then she asked while charging us for our coffee "need cream for the coffee"? We said yes , on the side please. She give us 4 creamers, which she over charged us .50 for them per coffee shown as simple syrup on the receipt. After adding the cream, we needed the coffees topped off with hot water since they were warm, so my wife asked another worker to help us since she smiled at us while we're finishing our transaction. However, she was even worse; when my wife asked to top our coffees with hot water the younge woman told my wife that she didn't speak English?!! And if she spoke Spanish? My wife looked so confused but she patiently ended up explaining to the young woman in Spanish what we needed. Then my wife heard them all speaking in English and Spanish after how the young woman told my wife she didn't spoke speak English. In conclusion, all the workers were playing with us and having their fun. It's a shame that Monarca is not on top of the quality of its customer service and hiring, especially in this particular store in South Pasadena -Monarca! 1 star not for the food or products but for bad service and attitude towards its customers.
Maria Elena Luna
I am so disappointed! I love La Monarca but this location sucks! My Chai Blended Latte and Honey Blended Latte was watery with no consistency! This tasted like day old melted coffee sitting in a fridge and the pastry was dry old and hard! I usually do not give bad reviews but this place is garbage! The Boyle Heights location is phenomenal!
Food: 1
Valeria R.
The service is great. The food and coffees are always delicious and I love the ambience you're on the corner street in South Pasadena.
Hiromi R.
**Rating with a small child** Another bakery outing with my 5 year old, this time we stopped by La Monarca after spending a good chunk of the day watching trains roll by at the South Pasadena station. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was "oh there's not much seating". This was a bit of a struggle, but luckily a family had just left the area by the window sill so we snagged that area quickly. We rate various bakeries by their chocolate croissants. I found this one to be a bit on the dry side, perhaps because it was already past noon and I know the fresh ones are all in the morning. There was also a bee flying inside the display window, which turned both of us off a bit (my son wanted to leave) but I had to convince him that it must be super good if the bees also wanted a piece. My kid still gave it a thumbs up, but we've definitely had better croissants at other bakeries, which had more seating ;)
Joshua J.
Super expensive pan dulce. Half the time they don't have breakfast items on the menu. They can take 20+ minutes to bring out a mollete, that's if they even start making it. Sometimes they forget and don't even start making it. I ordered a small decaf coffee this morning and after 15 minutes of waiting and watched people who ordered after me get theirs, I had to just walk out. They just can't get their act together at this location. Avoid it if you can.
Arden P.
I like this place a lot! They have a variety of Mexican-styled sweets and drinks to try. Most are on the sweet side though (fair warning for any salt lovers!) Personally I'm a fan of their chocolate croissants and mini concha's ^^ I also tried their la fresca con crema slice-it was very moist, similar to a tres leche cake (my cat went absolutely feral for it-much to my dismay XD)
Gino Munoz
Some of the best coffee I have had in a while will be coming back soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pan Dulce by the Dozen - Assorted, Mexican Chocolate
Great spot to grab some Mexican hot chocolate and some snacks! Delicious
Nikki B.
Café de Olla where have you been all my life? When I heard the La Monarca specializes in Café de Olla, I was curious to try it. Café de Olla is brewed in a clay pot with natural spices such as cinnamon, cloves, & star anise and sweetened with Piloncillo (raw dark sugar). I stopped by early in the morning for my pre-workout coffee fix. I received a friendly welcome from Pao as I entered. The smell of delicious baked goods permeated the air. The display cases were filled with an abundance of tasty treats. The shop is neat & tidy with seating inside and a few tables outside. I enthusiastically ordered my Café de Olla and selected an Empanada Dulce de Leche to go with it. As I was leaving Pao noticed a sketchy individual outside the door and he said he would walk me out. As we approached the man collapsed on the sidewalk, so he called 911 to assist. Pao is not only a good-hearted person - he is also a stellar employee! The Café de Olla exceeded my expectations! I'm hooked. The pastry of the Empanada was light & flaky. It was even better heated up because the filling became warm & creamy and you could taste the delightful caramel flavor. (Unfortunately, due to all the excitement I forgot to take pictures of my purchases.) They also have breakfast items, burritos, tacos, & tortas. You can purchase their Café de Olla in single serving brew bags (10 for $16) in addition to packaged cookies and Mexican chocolate. I appreciate that La Monarca donates 1% of their proceeds to ECOLIFE Conservation to support their programs to protect and preserve the Monarch butterfly. *Conveniently located next to the Mission Gold Line stop. Residential and street parking available.
Gary G
Brenda that works at the counter in the evening is very good with customer service. This type of service makes people become return customers. The bakery products are always fresh and very good. They have indoor seating with 6 tables and a very nice location.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Quiche, Cuernito Croissant
Vee Cee
La Monarca is sweet little place, and while I prefer Italian and French pastries, there are things that I order whenever I'm in the neighborhood. The shortbread cookies are yummy; there are three varieties: regular, cinnamon sugar topped, and by favorite, with ground nuts in the cookie; I love them with coffee. I also like the guava pastry, and I really like the cinnamon roll. There's also a large variety of whole cakes and cake slices. There are the usual selection of coffee drinks, and some that you won't find at the coffee chains. Everyone who works there is super nice and accommodating. Stop in if you're nearby.Vegetarian options: Lots of items with beans and cheese. I'm not sure if you can add veggies, but it never hurts to ask!Parking: There are parking options, you just have to know the area and where to look.Kid-friendliness: It's a casual place, but there is limited seating (although there are a few tables outside), so it's kid friendly, if the seats are available.Wheelchair accessibility: Parking may be an issue, there isn't an automatic door, but it is wheelchair accessible.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cookies
Christian B.
everyone's super nice and the food was tasty af so like, yeah 5 stars, duh a lot of the people that work there will also remember me from previous visits, which is really nice
Came here for the first time. Street parking is available. I ordered some pastries, chocolate coffee, and a pack of cafe de olla coffee ground. Pastries were very fresh, coffee was flavorful, and I always like the cafe de olla coffe ground. I like to make myself a cup of cafe de olla to bring it to work daily. Coffee was on the pricy side. The server who served me does not seem to speak much English, but she understands what I was and tried her best to help. Will keep stopping by for more cafe de olla coffee ground.
Their pastries here are really good , and the staff has been always been so friendly , place is small compared to other monarcas , but is cozy and in a good location , really great coffee place
The ambiance was very chill and casual, somewhere to go for a quick breakfast. The service was great and fast! The food was definitely not my cup of tea. The drink was very sweet, but I'm probably just used to having it hot. I tended to follow it up with water to balance it out. I was not a fan of the burrito at all, but that is 100% my bad since soyrizo is spicy, and I'm not a spicy gal. I think if I was someone with different taste buds/preferences, it would've been delicious! I will say, I am not one to waste food, so I did eat the entire burrito and it was surprisingly supper filling! Don't let the size fool you!!
My wife and I have been long time customers at this location and others. Today we stopped by around 5:05 pm (3-11) to get a baked good and coffees. We love Monarca btw. Anyhow there were 3 female workers at the store. The older lady who helping us at the cashier, was very unpleasant and unresponsive since the moment we got in. Never told us her name or greeted us even after I said hi. We asked for two brewed coffees , plus our sweet bread. No eye contact was given at all, not even a fake smile. All she keep saying "Anything else" ? We said no thank you. My wife was getting a little concerned why this worker was so unpleasant and rude. If she was having a bad day or doesn't like her job, we as a guests and consumers have nothing to do with that. We decided not to say much about her poor and nasty costumer service. Then she asked while charging us for our coffee "need cream for the coffee"? We said yes , on the side please. She give us 4 creamers, which she over charged us .50 for them per coffee shown as simple syrup on the receipt. After adding the cream, we needed the coffees topped off with hot water since they were warm, so my wife asked another worker to help us since she smiled at us while we're finishing our transaction. However, she was even worse; when my wife asked to top our coffees with hot water the younge woman told my wife that she didn't speak English?!! And if she spoke Spanish? My wife looked so confused but she patiently ended up explaining to the young woman in Spanish what we needed. Then my wife heard them all speaking in English and Spanish after how the young woman told my wife she didn't spoke speak English. In conclusion, all the workers were playing with us and having their fun. It's a shame that Monarca is not on top of the quality of its customer service and hiring, especially in this particular store in South Pasadena -Monarca! 1 star not for the food or products but for bad service and attitude towards its customers.
I am so disappointed! I love La Monarca but this location sucks! My Chai Blended Latte and Honey Blended Latte was watery with no consistency! This tasted like day old melted coffee sitting in a fridge and the pastry was dry old and hard! I usually do not give bad reviews but this place is garbage! The Boyle Heights location is phenomenal!
Food: 1
The service is great. The food and coffees are always delicious and I love the ambience you're on the corner street in South Pasadena.
**Rating with a small child** Another bakery outing with my 5 year old, this time we stopped by La Monarca after spending a good chunk of the day watching trains roll by at the South Pasadena station. The first thing I noticed when we walked in was "oh there's not much seating". This was a bit of a struggle, but luckily a family had just left the area by the window sill so we snagged that area quickly. We rate various bakeries by their chocolate croissants. I found this one to be a bit on the dry side, perhaps because it was already past noon and I know the fresh ones are all in the morning. There was also a bee flying inside the display window, which turned both of us off a bit (my son wanted to leave) but I had to convince him that it must be super good if the bees also wanted a piece. My kid still gave it a thumbs up, but we've definitely had better croissants at other bakeries, which had more seating ;)
Super expensive pan dulce. Half the time they don't have breakfast items on the menu. They can take 20+ minutes to bring out a mollete, that's if they even start making it. Sometimes they forget and don't even start making it. I ordered a small decaf coffee this morning and after 15 minutes of waiting and watched people who ordered after me get theirs, I had to just walk out. They just can't get their act together at this location. Avoid it if you can.
I like this place a lot! They have a variety of Mexican-styled sweets and drinks to try. Most are on the sweet side though (fair warning for any salt lovers!) Personally I'm a fan of their chocolate croissants and mini concha's ^^ I also tried their la fresca con crema slice-it was very moist, similar to a tres leche cake (my cat went absolutely feral for it-much to my dismay XD)
Some of the best coffee I have had in a while will be coming back soon.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pan Dulce by the Dozen - Assorted, Mexican Chocolate
Restaurantji Recommends
Great spot to grab some Mexican hot chocolate and some snacks! Delicious
Café de Olla where have you been all my life? When I heard the La Monarca specializes in Café de Olla, I was curious to try it. Café de Olla is brewed in a clay pot with natural spices such as cinnamon, cloves, & star anise and sweetened with Piloncillo (raw dark sugar). I stopped by early in the morning for my pre-workout coffee fix. I received a friendly welcome from Pao as I entered. The smell of delicious baked goods permeated the air. The display cases were filled with an abundance of tasty treats. The shop is neat & tidy with seating inside and a few tables outside. I enthusiastically ordered my Café de Olla and selected an Empanada Dulce de Leche to go with it. As I was leaving Pao noticed a sketchy individual outside the door and he said he would walk me out. As we approached the man collapsed on the sidewalk, so he called 911 to assist. Pao is not only a good-hearted person - he is also a stellar employee! The Café de Olla exceeded my expectations! I'm hooked. The pastry of the Empanada was light & flaky. It was even better heated up because the filling became warm & creamy and you could taste the delightful caramel flavor. (Unfortunately, due to all the excitement I forgot to take pictures of my purchases.) They also have breakfast items, burritos, tacos, & tortas. You can purchase their Café de Olla in single serving brew bags (10 for $16) in addition to packaged cookies and Mexican chocolate. I appreciate that La Monarca donates 1% of their proceeds to ECOLIFE Conservation to support their programs to protect and preserve the Monarch butterfly. *Conveniently located next to the Mission Gold Line stop. Residential and street parking available.
Brenda that works at the counter in the evening is very good with customer service. This type of service makes people become return customers. The bakery products are always fresh and very good. They have indoor seating with 6 tables and a very nice location.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Quiche, Cuernito Croissant
La Monarca is sweet little place, and while I prefer Italian and French pastries, there are things that I order whenever I'm in the neighborhood. The shortbread cookies are yummy; there are three varieties: regular, cinnamon sugar topped, and by favorite, with ground nuts in the cookie; I love them with coffee. I also like the guava pastry, and I really like the cinnamon roll. There's also a large variety of whole cakes and cake slices. There are the usual selection of coffee drinks, and some that you won't find at the coffee chains. Everyone who works there is super nice and accommodating. Stop in if you're nearby.Vegetarian options: Lots of items with beans and cheese. I'm not sure if you can add veggies, but it never hurts to ask!Parking: There are parking options, you just have to know the area and where to look.Kid-friendliness: It's a casual place, but there is limited seating (although there are a few tables outside), so it's kid friendly, if the seats are available.Wheelchair accessibility: Parking may be an issue, there isn't an automatic door, but it is wheelchair accessible.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cookies
everyone's super nice and the food was tasty af so like, yeah 5 stars, duh a lot of the people that work there will also remember me from previous visits, which is really nice