Mark was a great server. The food was outstanding as always. Highly recommended. Staff was super friendly
Stacey
Our experience was fabulous. Food and drinks were fantastic. Our server Amy was very attentive and thorough! Will definitely be back!
JustinS
My boyfriend and I chose Montero for our one-year anniversary because it has always been one of our favorite spots. We've eaten here several times and loved it, so we were excited to celebrate. Unfortunately, this visit felt very different from what we're used to, which is why I'm giving 2 stars. We had a 7:15 pm reservation and appreciated that the hosts acknowledged our anniversary and seated us quickly. But once we sat down, everything felt a little rushed. My drink came out fast, but his took over ten minutes and needed a follow-up. The pacing of the whole meal was unusually quick, and by around the 45-minute mark we were already being nudged toward dessert. On past visits we were able to relax for nearly two hours, so the speed definitely stood out. Our entrées weren't quite at the level we've come to expect, and small touches were off too. We had to ask for water twice, and our candle went out early and stayed that way, which normally the staff is quick to relight. Dessert is where we noticed the biggest difference. We ordered our usual crème brûlée, but it was placed on one side of the table instead of in the middle, and the berries and whipped cream were on the side of the plate instead of on top. Meanwhile, the couple right next to us—also celebrating an anniversary—received a beautifully presented Happy Anniversary crème brûlée placed right in the center for both of them to enjoy. We were happy for them, but the inconsistency was hard to miss. We normally end our nights here with a photo taken by our server, but the rushed feeling made us skip it this time. We left around 8:45 pm, well before the 10 pm kitchen closing time, so it wasn't a timing issue. We still really like Montero and hope this was just an off night, but for an anniversary dinner we were excited about, it didn't quite feel like the warm, thoughtful experience we've always loved.
Kathleen
The lighting was way too bright, especially those high beam lights at the high top tables in the bar area. If you dimmed those and overall in the restaurant it would be a much better ambiance. The food was amazing, the choice of drinks and wine fantastic and service was great.
Shawn
Excellent service from the hostess to our server Sara S. Compliments to the chef as I ate way too much but that's because it was all so dang good. Drinks and water were never empty.
Michelle
Outstanding food and outstanding service. We hasn't been in a few years but we had an amazing meal!
Cindy S
Went to Montarra for out 49th wedding anniversary. When my husband made the reservation he was asked if it was a special occasion. As a result every person we were served by wished us a happy anniversary and we received special souvenir menus acknowledging the occasion. Everything was outstanding from my Apple Pie Old Fashioned to the English Toffee Sticky Pudding (served on a plate with Happy Anniversary written in chocolate syrup!). The service was the best we've had anywhere and the decor and ambience is beautiful. Would give them a 10 if I could!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Duet of Beef Tenderloin Tips \u0026 Pecanwood Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Scallops, Steak, Soup, English Sticky Toffee Pudding
866TaylorB
Is it too far to drive 50 miles through rush hour traffic from downtown Chicago to Algonquin, a northwest suburb in McHenry County, for a good meal? Judge for yourself. Located at 1491 South Randall Road, in a small, nondescript red-brick strip mall outside of town, Montarra is a hidden gem, a AAA three-diamond restaurant with a classy atmosphere that you've come to expect in the city. Open from 4 to 9 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 4 to 10 on Friday and Saturday, Montarra features a blue Chihuly-inspired blown glass chandelier, a 20-foot glass waterfall, dark wood accents, a full bar and a wine list representing 10 countries. Once seated, you are impressed by executive chef Joshua Lynn's menu of prime aged steaks and fresh seafood and non-traditional desserts. I started with a traditional jumbo Gulf shrimp cocktail with spicy horseradish sauce and citrus and a chopped Caesar salad with house-made garlic/peppercorn dressing, shaved parmesan and garlic/brioche croutons. For my entree, I chose a 10-ounce center cut Black Angus filet mignon with bearnaise sauce, Boursin whipped potatoes and creamed spinach. For dessert, I couldn't resist the English sticky toffee pudding with pralines, vanilla bean ice cream and brown butter rum sauce. Yes, it was well worth the trip.
Steve Carasso
Hadn't been to Montarra for a few years, but went there recently to celebrate an anniversary. The service at first was not great, but improved as the meal went on. Ordered an appetizer of the bacon wrapped dates. They were good, but a little expensive for what you receive. I had the tenderloin and scallops, which was very tasty and my wife ordered a pistachio crusted sea bass. She liked her dish but thought the fish needed to be have more of the pistachio crust. We ended our meal with a slice of flourless chocolate cake with Happy Anniversary written on the plate. I forgot that our menu also said Happy Anniversary, which was a nice touch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
Laurie Magee
I enjoyed this restaurant so much! The small plates were perfect and they pay special attention to every detail including your special event. The food and drinks were exactly what I wanted. I'll be back!
Amy was our waitress. She was attentive and also accurate with timing of wine, apps, dinner. Wine selection was ample. Food was exceptionally delicious. Montarra never disappoints.
Irene
I ordered The Caesar Salad and The Duck Confit. The salad was crisp and fresh with a dressing that had a fresh clean taste. The croutons may have been house made. They were infused with an interesting herbal blend. The duck confit consisted of two legs. The meat was fall of the bone delicious and the skin nice and crispy. I traded Brussels sprouts for the risotto and they were delicious. The broccolini was charred crispy. We had sticky toffee pudding for dessert- the best! The restaurant had an original Chihully chandelier. The whole vibe made it a good choice for a special dining experience (or not!)!
Ashley Landin
My husband and I went to Montarro's for a date night. The server we had was very friendly. The food was delicious, a little overpriced for a strip mall location, but the atmosphere inside was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Janis
Good food, interesting flavors. Nice touch to give us menus that said Happy Anniversary on them (since we were celebrating), but disappointed that we didn't get a free dessert. Even cookies or a dish of ice cream would have been nice.
Belle
We had Sara as our server and she was amazing! The food was incredible and a perfect place for us to have our date night. Definitely will be back. Thank you!
Mark was a great server. The food was outstanding as always. Highly recommended. Staff was super friendly
Our experience was fabulous. Food and drinks were fantastic. Our server Amy was very attentive and thorough! Will definitely be back!
My boyfriend and I chose Montero for our one-year anniversary because it has always been one of our favorite spots. We've eaten here several times and loved it, so we were excited to celebrate. Unfortunately, this visit felt very different from what we're used to, which is why I'm giving 2 stars. We had a 7:15 pm reservation and appreciated that the hosts acknowledged our anniversary and seated us quickly. But once we sat down, everything felt a little rushed. My drink came out fast, but his took over ten minutes and needed a follow-up. The pacing of the whole meal was unusually quick, and by around the 45-minute mark we were already being nudged toward dessert. On past visits we were able to relax for nearly two hours, so the speed definitely stood out. Our entrées weren't quite at the level we've come to expect, and small touches were off too. We had to ask for water twice, and our candle went out early and stayed that way, which normally the staff is quick to relight. Dessert is where we noticed the biggest difference. We ordered our usual crème brûlée, but it was placed on one side of the table instead of in the middle, and the berries and whipped cream were on the side of the plate instead of on top. Meanwhile, the couple right next to us—also celebrating an anniversary—received a beautifully presented Happy Anniversary crème brûlée placed right in the center for both of them to enjoy. We were happy for them, but the inconsistency was hard to miss. We normally end our nights here with a photo taken by our server, but the rushed feeling made us skip it this time. We left around 8:45 pm, well before the 10 pm kitchen closing time, so it wasn't a timing issue. We still really like Montero and hope this was just an off night, but for an anniversary dinner we were excited about, it didn't quite feel like the warm, thoughtful experience we've always loved.
The lighting was way too bright, especially those high beam lights at the high top tables in the bar area. If you dimmed those and overall in the restaurant it would be a much better ambiance. The food was amazing, the choice of drinks and wine fantastic and service was great.
Excellent service from the hostess to our server Sara S. Compliments to the chef as I ate way too much but that's because it was all so dang good. Drinks and water were never empty.
Outstanding food and outstanding service. We hasn't been in a few years but we had an amazing meal!
Went to Montarra for out 49th wedding anniversary. When my husband made the reservation he was asked if it was a special occasion. As a result every person we were served by wished us a happy anniversary and we received special souvenir menus acknowledging the occasion. Everything was outstanding from my Apple Pie Old Fashioned to the English Toffee Sticky Pudding (served on a plate with Happy Anniversary written in chocolate syrup!). The service was the best we've had anywhere and the decor and ambience is beautiful. Would give them a 10 if I could!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: French Onion Soup, Duet of Beef Tenderloin Tips \u0026 Pecanwood Bacon Wrapped Jumbo Scallops, Steak, Soup, English Sticky Toffee Pudding
Is it too far to drive 50 miles through rush hour traffic from downtown Chicago to Algonquin, a northwest suburb in McHenry County, for a good meal? Judge for yourself. Located at 1491 South Randall Road, in a small, nondescript red-brick strip mall outside of town, Montarra is a hidden gem, a AAA three-diamond restaurant with a classy atmosphere that you've come to expect in the city. Open from 4 to 9 on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday and 4 to 10 on Friday and Saturday, Montarra features a blue Chihuly-inspired blown glass chandelier, a 20-foot glass waterfall, dark wood accents, a full bar and a wine list representing 10 countries. Once seated, you are impressed by executive chef Joshua Lynn's menu of prime aged steaks and fresh seafood and non-traditional desserts. I started with a traditional jumbo Gulf shrimp cocktail with spicy horseradish sauce and citrus and a chopped Caesar salad with house-made garlic/peppercorn dressing, shaved parmesan and garlic/brioche croutons. For my entree, I chose a 10-ounce center cut Black Angus filet mignon with bearnaise sauce, Boursin whipped potatoes and creamed spinach. For dessert, I couldn't resist the English sticky toffee pudding with pralines, vanilla bean ice cream and brown butter rum sauce. Yes, it was well worth the trip.
Hadn't been to Montarra for a few years, but went there recently to celebrate an anniversary. The service at first was not great, but improved as the meal went on. Ordered an appetizer of the bacon wrapped dates. They were good, but a little expensive for what you receive. I had the tenderloin and scallops, which was very tasty and my wife ordered a pistachio crusted sea bass. She liked her dish but thought the fish needed to be have more of the pistachio crust. We ended our meal with a slice of flourless chocolate cake with Happy Anniversary written on the plate. I forgot that our menu also said Happy Anniversary, which was a nice touch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 4
I enjoyed this restaurant so much! The small plates were perfect and they pay special attention to every detail including your special event. The food and drinks were exactly what I wanted. I'll be back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Amy was our waitress. She was attentive and also accurate with timing of wine, apps, dinner. Wine selection was ample. Food was exceptionally delicious. Montarra never disappoints.
I ordered The Caesar Salad and The Duck Confit. The salad was crisp and fresh with a dressing that had a fresh clean taste. The croutons may have been house made. They were infused with an interesting herbal blend. The duck confit consisted of two legs. The meat was fall of the bone delicious and the skin nice and crispy. I traded Brussels sprouts for the risotto and they were delicious. The broccolini was charred crispy. We had sticky toffee pudding for dessert- the best! The restaurant had an original Chihully chandelier. The whole vibe made it a good choice for a special dining experience (or not!)!
My husband and I went to Montarro's for a date night. The server we had was very friendly. The food was delicious, a little overpriced for a strip mall location, but the atmosphere inside was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good food, interesting flavors. Nice touch to give us menus that said Happy Anniversary on them (since we were celebrating), but disappointed that we didn't get a free dessert. Even cookies or a dish of ice cream would have been nice.
We had Sara as our server and she was amazing! The food was incredible and a perfect place for us to have our date night. Definitely will be back. Thank you!
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