• Home
  • About PubClub.com Nightlife Pubs And Clubs
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us

PubClub

Where The World Goes To Party! A Nightlife & Travel Blog

Critiquing Happy Hour at Monterey’s Montrio Bistro

May 12, 2012 by kevinwilkerson Leave a Comment

Highly-Regarded Restaurant Popular Among Locals for Its Drinks and Tasty Appetizers 7 Days A Week

Montrio Bistro's Happy Hour has $5 wine and $3 and $4 appetizers.


One good thing about drinking wine, as I was at the Terranova Fine Wines tasting room in Monterey, CA, is that when you start talking with people they offer suggestions of place where you can, well, drink even more wine.

And so that is how I found myself at Montrio Bistro. I was told to go there for Happy Hour (daily, including Saturdays and Sundays, from 4:30-6:30 p.m.) because you get a good sampling of the restaurant’s food without paying the full dinner price. It’s owned by the same people who run one of my favorite Monterey restaurants, Tarpy’s Roadhouse, a classy roadside stop slightly out of town on Highway 68 on the way to – or from – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

So I knew the setting would be classy, the mood would be casual and expected the food to be outstanding.

The sauteed mushrooms and pork appetizers are both good at Montrio.

The full Montrio appetizer menu at Happy Hour.

 


In most cases, it delivered all of the above and not only did I leave satisfied, but I will return again next time I’m in this cozy little central California town backed up against beautiful Monterey Bay.

To be more specific, here’s my impressions of Happy Hour at Montrio Bistro.

First of all, wine and beers are just $5. I had the house chardonnay – normally I’m a beer drinker and I bobbled slightly when I noticed they have Longboard Lager on draft but I had just been at a wine tasting room – and it’s quite good. A bit light but with good flavor. That’s a plus, especially for a Happy Hour house wine.

The appetizers are $3, $4 and $5. One thing I do when I go to a new place is look at what other people are having. The table of four ladies next to me were all having full dinners, so they were of no Happy Hour help (though the roasted chicken on one plate looked so awesome I came within an whisker of chunking my appetizers plan, but I focused hard on my research for you readers). To my right was a 50’s something couple of youthful exuberance that obviously knew their way around the menu.

The decor in Montrio refelects the quality of the restaurant.
Empty barstools are a rare site at Montrio during Happy Hour.

 

It appeared that by the size of the portions that two meat dishes and a couple of sides would be sufficient to be filled, and one their choices was the fries with smoked chile and onion. They were tempting looking, to be sure, but I really wanted to avoid anything fried. So on the first order, I went for the prawn bite and the lobster mac ‘n cheese ($4 each). Obviously, I could not pass on the lobster mac ‘n cheese, and my neighbors had ordered it, as well.

Well, the prawns – two large prawns wrapped in pancetta – were outstanding. I was immediately tempted to order it again, but since it was my first time I wanted to try other things on the menu. You can bet it will be on my ordering agenda my next visit.

The lobster mac ‘n cheese, on the other hand, was disappointing. I hardly expected a full tail to be included, but if any lobster was in there, it swam away before it got into my dish. But the real problem was that the noodles tasted as if they were from that Kraft box you see in the grocery store and the “cheese” was a runny liquid kind of thing that had little flavor. I did like the fact they put in small peas – it gives it a bit of a crunch – and the baked bread crumbs on the top are a nice touch.  But overall it was a disappointment My neighbors said that the consistency of the mac ‘n cheese is an issue.

Back on the good side, the braised pork with butternut squash and something called apple gastrique ($4) was excellent it has two nice portions of pork, though I’m not a fan of butternut or squash, so I would have preferred to have it over some type of gourmet cole slaw, perhaps including something along the gastrique name that nobody knows what it is but sounds nice all the same. The sauteed mushrooms come with grilled polenta and are a tasty $3 selection.

In all there are five appetizers for $3, and four for $4. For drinks, in addition to the house chardonnay, merlot and cabrernet (all $5) and beers ($4-5) there are five different margaritas for $6, and 10 specialty drinks for $5.50. My table neighbors informed me that the guy making drinks is considered one of the top bartenders in all of Monterey County. So a mixed drink is certainly something I’ll consider next time (depending on how many wine tasting rooms I hit in advance!).

The overall decor of the place is nice, a bit subdued and certainly classy. The hostess is quite friendly and once I got the attention of the waitress, she was attentive.

The problem with Happy Hours in good restaurants is that they are only good in the bar area, and most bar areas of fine restaurants are small. All the eight or so barstools were taken and I had to squeeze into a small table between groups, one of only two available. The entire Happy Hour seating capacity is somewhere around 20. I was there on a Wednesday; I can only imagine it’s hard as heck to find a spot on a Friday or Saturday.

But hey, go on a Wednesday. O better yet, on a Sunday.  Have the prawns and just about anything else that catches your eye. Just pass on the mac ‘n cheese.

Montrio is located at 414 Calle Principal (just down from the Marriott). Phone: (831) 648-8880. Website: www.montrio.com.

 

Filed Under: Bars & Food Tagged With: bars and food, Happy Hour review, Monterey

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Unfinished Man

Search

Today On PubClub.com

EVENTS CALENDAR:
• Sept. 16-Oct. 3 – Oktoberfest, Munich

LET’S BE SOCIAL!
 
PubClub.com is a member of the Travel & Tourism Marketing Association, Inc.​, and the Travel Massive chapters in Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange County (CA).

Instagram

Follow on Instagram

PubClub (@pubclub) • Instagram photos and videos

Destinations

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Destinations (2,268)
    • Africa (1)
    • Asia (18)
      • Japan (5)
        • Tokyo (3)
      • Taiwan (1)
      • Thailand (7)
    • Australia (19)
      • Surfer's Paradise (3)
      • Sydney (5)
    • Brazil (7)
      • Rio (2)
    • Camping (1)
    • Canada (21)
      • Montreal (2)
      • Niagara Falls (5)
      • Toronto (2)
    • Caribbean (63)
      • Cuba (1)
      • San Juan (7)
      • Virgin Islands (24)
    • Central America (1)
      • Costa Rica (1)
    • Europe (106)
      • Amsterdam (14)
      • Britain (1)
      • France (3)
      • Germany (6)
      • Ibiza (2)
      • Kiev (1)
      • London (6)
      • Malta (1)
      • Monaco (1)
      • Moscow (1)
      • Munich (5)
      • Paris (5)
      • Poland (3)
        • Krakow (2)
      • Prague (6)
      • Sweden (1)
      • Switzerland (33)
        • Basel (5)
        • Bern (3)
        • Swiss Alps (1)
        • Zermatt (3)
        • Zurich (4)
    • Greek Islands (29)
      • Corfu (3)
      • Ios (2)
      • Mykonos (7)
      • Santorini (5)
    • Mexico (13)
      • Baja (1)
      • Cabo San Lucas (1)
      • Puerto Vallarta (1)
      • Tijuana (2)
    • Ski Resorts (73)
      • Aspen (1)
      • Austria (5)
      • Big Bear (15)
      • Big Sky (6)
      • Mammoth (18)
      • Squaw Valley (4)
      • Whistler (3)
    • Tokyo (1)
    • USA (1,907)
      • Alabama (3)
      • Alaska (1)
      • Arizona (8)
        • Lake Havasu (1)
        • Scottsdale (3)
        • Sedona (1)
      • Boston (6)
      • California (1,429)
        • Carmel (24)
        • Central Coast (9)
        • Lancaster (16)
        • Los Angeles (830)
          • Catalina Island (12)
          • Culver City (1)
          • El Segundo (4)
          • Hermosa Beach (177)
            • Fourth Of July (12)
            • Smackfest Events (23)
          • Hollywood (17)
          • Huntington Beach (3)
          • Lake Arrowhead (2)
          • Long Beach (43)
            • Grand Prix (12)
          • Manhattan Beach (78)
          • Marina del Rey (6)
          • Newport Beach (44)
          • Orange County (29)
          • Party Report (16)
          • Redondo Beach (82)
          • Santa Monica (4)
          • South Bay (93)
          • Sunset Strip (5)
          • Temecula (13)
          • Venice Beach (5)
        • Mendocino (13)
        • Monterey (30)
          • Restaurant Reviews (10)
        • Napa (5)
        • Oakland (7)
        • Palm Springs (9)
        • Paso Robles (9)
        • San Clemente (1)
        • San Diego (348)
          • Balboa Park (1)
          • Del Mar (14)
          • Events (83)
          • Gaslamp (56)
          • Imperial Beach (6)
          • La Jolla (1)
          • Lifestyle (4)
          • Music (1)
          • Ocean Beach (6)
          • Oceanside (1)
          • Pacific Beach (5)
        • San Francisco (75)
          • Events (15)
        • Santa Barbara (1)
      • Chicago (10)
      • College Towns (1)
      • Colorado (4)
        • Denver (4)
      • Florida (87)
        • Daytona Beach (1)
        • Ft. Lauderdale (4)
        • Jacksonville (1)
        • Key West (24)
        • Keys (8)
        • Miami (10)
        • Panama City Beach (3)
      • Hawaii (25)
        • Waikiki Beach (15)
      • Indiana (1)
      • Indianapolis (3)
      • Las Vegas (173)
      • Michigan (2)
        • Traverse City (2)
      • Nevada (2)
      • New Jersey (1)
      • New Orleans (43)
      • New York City (16)
      • Newport, R.I. (1)
      • North Carolina (1)
      • Oregon (9)
        • Portland (8)
      • Seattle (2)
      • South Carolina (4)
        • Charleston (4)
      • St. Louis (1)
      • Tennessee (51)
        • Franklin (4)
        • Gatlinburg (6)
        • Knoxville (13)
        • Nashville (5)
        • Smoky Mountains (3)
      • Texas (7)
        • Austin (6)
        • San Antonio (1)
      • Utah (2)
      • Virginia (1)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Hong Kong (1)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Events

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Events (521)
    • BVI Interline Regatta (5)
    • Carnival (5)
    • Cinco de Mayo (2)
    • Exercise and Socalize (2)
    • Fourth of July (8)
    • Halloween (9)
    • Holidays (19)
      • Thanksgiving (7)
    • Indy 500 (10)
    • Kentucky Derby (12)
    • Memorial Day Weekend (5)
    • New Year's Eve (43)
    • Oktoberfest (11)
    • Party Report (46)
    • Running Of The Bulls (5)
    • Spring Break (7)
    • St. Patricks Day (8)
    • Sundance Film Festival (8)
    • Super Bowl (16)
    • Valentine's Day (10)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Sports

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Sports (527)
    • Baseball (9)
    • Beach Volleyball (3)
    • College Football (297)
    • Golf (13)
    • NFL (45)
    • Olympics (13)
    • Racing (27)
    • Soccer (8)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Lifestyle

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Lifestyle (1,661)
    • Beach Reads (1)
    • Cannabis (4)
    • Celebrity Sightings (6)
    • Entertainment (22)
    • Mr. Sorehead (3)
    • Music (295)
      • Bands (3)
      • Festivals (59)
      • Jimmy Buffett (47)
      • Trop Rock (13)
    • Party Stories (2)
    • People Profiles (10)
    • Singles Life (7)
      • Men Vs Women (2)
      • Relationships (2)
    • Social Media (2)
    • Spirits (27)
    • Travel (665)
      • Airlines (32)
      • Airports (1)
      • Blogger (369)
      • Cruise Ships (28)
      • Hotels (15)
      • Product Reviews (3)
      • RV (1)
      • Singles Travelers (1)
      • Solo Travel (2)
      • Touring Blog (12)
      • Weather (17)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

From the Bar Stool

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • From The Bar Stool (321)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Bars

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Bars (279)
    • Bars & Food (27)
    • Bars & Nightlife (205)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

News

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Business News (4,810)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • News (7)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Colleges

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Colleges (30)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Food and Drinks

  • 72 Hours (5)
  • Food and Drinks (429)
    • Beer (99)
    • Bourbon (2)
    • Cocktails (59)
    • Foddie Blog (27)
    • Restaurants (2)
    • Rum (10)
    • Singles Cooking (1)
    • spirits (10)
    • Spirits & Beer Industry (79)
    • Tequila (22)
    • Vodka (3)
    • Wine (83)
  • Homepage Fun Stuff (7)
  • Homepage Lifestyle (4)
  • Men's Stuff (4)
  • Party Report (3)
  • Virtual Happy Hour (8)

Subscribe To The Party Report

About PubClub.com

PubClub.com is a content-oriented nightlife tourist guide dedicated to social-minded travelers with articles on worldwide destinations such as Amsterdam, the Greek Islands, Prague, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Canada, and more. Top keywords for search are pubclub, pub club, party pubs, club pub, travel pub, pub club night, pubs and clubs and the pub club.
Read More...
Our Terms | Privacy

Legal

Ads

Powered by imFORZA