Brasserie Monte Carlo
7929 Norfolk Ave, Bethesda, MD, 20814
Brasserie Monte Carlo Menu
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Appetizers and Salads
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Entrees
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Sides
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Desserts
Healthy Meal suggestions for Brasserie Monte Carlo
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Appetizers and Salads
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Entrees
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Sides
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Desserts
Visit below restaurant in Bethesda for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Bethesda for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
7929 Norfolk Ave
Bethesda, MD, 20814 - Phone (301) 656-9225
- Website https://www.brasseriemontecarlo.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 2:00pm
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Street
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : No
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Intimate
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Duarte R.
"I love the ambience and atmosphere..but the food is the winner. Fresh exquisite and stylish food....nice place to take a first date or even your parents.""
(4)Alfred J.
I had a cockroach experience and poor service here. My family and I went to this restaurant for my birthday. A cockroach was in one of our napkins. When I told the waitress and chef, they just replaced my napkin and did not apologize. There wasn't even an explanation. A horrible experience. I would have forgiven and forgotten, had the staff shown any care or concern. Terrible place!
(1)Harvey D.
This place was a little hard to figure out. I went there on a Monday night and the place was basically empty. I did get to sit outside which was a nice touch. There was definitely something off about the wait staff, though. Our server took 10 minutes to greet me and fill my water glass. She then asked if I wanted to hear the specials and I said yes. She then says that the chef can explain them better and goes and gets him. Another 5-7 minutes passes and the chef comes out and explains the specials. The watiress and the chef then both disappear for like another ten minutes and the watiress finally comes back and takes my order. I ordered the braised short ribs. The portion was just the right size and it came over pasta which was a nice idea. I had the warm apple tart for dessert and this was excellent. The dessert was on the smaller side but I didn't mind since I was pretty full. The only reason this place gets 3 instead of 4 stars is the weirdness of the whole experience. I almost felt like I was an inconvenience to the staff and they only came to my table when they felt like it. It's definitely worth a try so you can judge for yourself.
(3)Suzanne G.
based on reviews, probably wouldn't have bothered with this French bistro, but my parents gifted us a certificate they couldn't use, and hubby and I were able to dine solo whilst 11 yo was at pizza bday party nearby. Anyway, I'm a bit of a snob, having lived in Paris & Geneva, but the salmon with a few moules, along with some sauteed watercress & carrots, was really excellent. On the negative side, the salade maison which my husband ordered (he wanted me to try as he couldn't taste the dressing), was bereft of the Balsamic dressing it supposedly had, and although the mesclun was fresh, the few pieces of fennel thrown on top were tired & not crisp. On the plus side again, the tiramisu for dessert was truly fine. I did not try my husband's short ribs in red wine reduction (am a vegetarian), but hubby said the ribs as well as the tagliatelle weren't great (tagliatelle were way beyond al dente). I would go there with a Groupon or Restaurant.com gift certificate, possibly, but their menu prices are higher than justified for the quality. However, waiter was gracious, ambience was pretty nice considering you're across the street from fast-casual California Tortilla (avoid, avoid, as even Chipolte is better). May be a bit biased as was treat not having to listen to 11 yo complain that he'd rather have a home-cooked meal as he's not that an adventurous eater. They will have to step up their game -- but maybe in Bethesda, people will eat ANYTHING to avoid shopping/cooking (I've begun to conclude).
(2)Mysba R.
My friends and I had a great lunch outside on their patio. The food was amazing and the service was excellent. I will definitely go back again.
(5)Kam A.
Just went there last night for the first time and had a very positive experience. The food was great and the staff was very nice as well. All around I would come here again. The prices were a bit high, but in line with the rest of the places nearby. I would recommend anyone come here who wants a good quality meal and is willing to spend a little bit more.
(4)Stan P.
Not worth it!! My wife and I made a reservation for Christmas night, hoping the reviews we found on Open Table were correct... They were not. Let me detail the ruin of an evening. First, the place is about as large as a living room with tables all pressed together. If the couple next to us wanted to, they could have reached over and taken something off our plates. While this might be "authentic" in terms of a real French brasserie, more room might be more comfortable. The food was forgettable and left us with an uncomfortable feeling in our stomachs the rest of the night. Bland, lukewarm and late. The waitresses kept trying to fill up our sparkling water glasses with tap water. One waitress filled our wine glasses from a bottle, not even changing the glasses when I ordered a different wine, with wine still in the glass! The service was in attentive, unimpressive and at times just plain rude. The music was too loud and everyone seemed to not know, not only what the rest of the staff was doing, but what they were doing as well. All in all, too over priced for such a mediocre and disappointing lesson in buyer beware. Save your money and seek another place!
(1)Jennifer W.
I've always been a fan of this little French bistro. Its simple and delicious menu reminds me how small businesses SHOULD be. Sometimes they are out of things, which I expect for a little place, and always the service is friendly and genuine. I most frequently visit for lunch and there is rarely anyone in the restaurant other than my table, which allows for wonderful personal service. I adore the trout with white wine sauce, the bread is always fabulous, and I can't say enough for the apple tart tatin. It makes me sad that so many negative reviewers experience this charming place only with a groupon or during restaurant week. Those types of visits rarely reflect well on ANY restaurant. I've never had anything but wonderful experiences here.
(4)David B.
This is a nice little corner restaurant a little off the beaten path in Bethesda. The food is pretty good. Anchovies appetizer was delicious, as was the braised beef short rib as well as the chocolate mouse and apple tart. Service was not great in that there were not enough waiters. Basically one waiter that was also the host who was assisted by two bus girls. The restaurant was at capacity and this is more than one waiter can be expected to handle. The bus girls were not polite, I do not think they meant to be rude, they were just easily overwhelmed and did not do a good job keeping their cool. It was a Sunday night so maybe it would be better staffed on say a fri or sat. Go for the food but not the service. Prices are a bit high which is why I am making 3 stars. Also make sure you have a reservation!
(3)Laurie O.
This was a terrible experience on numerous fronts. There were two waitresses for no more than 7-8 tables at any time. It still took 45 minutes to get our appetizers. The food was mediocre at best. The filet tasted old and was cooked poorly. The entire meal took close to 2 hours and we couldn't get our bill. When we did, it had an 18% gratuity added to it. I understand restaurants do this for large parties, but we were a table of two. Maybe it was because we were using a Groupon, but still somewhat unconscionable since it came with no advance notice. When we went in to ask the waitress about it, the chef (or whoever was in the kitchen) started yelling at us to get out and repeatedly told us to leave, just because we we asking about the automatically added gratuity (for dreadful service, but we didn't even point that out at the time). We have had several nice (and good) meals here in the past, but I will NEVER return, Groupon or not.
(1)kj k.
My wife and I went here about a month ago after we had some trouble finding a last minute reservation at some of our standbys. We are glad we did! We both really enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Servers were very attentive and it was nice that the chef/owner came out to see how things were. While the inside is quite small and tables are close -- once you are seated we didn't have any problem hearing or any feeling of people being right on top of us. We will defintely be back!
(4)Harry E.
We ordered both breakfast and lunch items from a brunch menu. The lunch items were very well done and the waiter was solitictous, but the wait was over an hour with only two tables occupied and the breakfast items were horrible (e.g., overcooking eggs, forgetting to use hollandaise sauce on Eggs Benedict)). Do not go for breakfast and do not go on a holiday. Otherwise, might be ok.
(2)L. B.
I have two positive things to say about the food here: 1) the bread is pretty good, and 2) the food was edible. I was able to finish my plate. The escargots were bland, bland, bland. Honestly, I have never had such tasteless escargots. They weren't awful, just. . . pointless. Which sums up the food here quite succinctly, actually. The smoked salmon on my salad was too salty, but at least the field greens were fresh. My pan-seared duck breast was the most offensive, though. I don't get where they get off calling it that when the sear on it was basically non-existent. I had to wonder if the chef even knew what pan-searing was. And the sauce and vegetables accompanying the duck breast were forgettable. There was no real taste to any of it. If you don't like your food with any flavor, this is the perfect place for you.
(1)Eric S.
Had a restaurant.com voucher I got a while ago, so my wife and I had been waiting for a chance to try Brasserie Monte Carlo. Got a little concerned about the reviews, but we were pleasantly surprised and had a very good experience and meal. There were only a few other people there on Thursday night, but we were seated right away and the waitress checked on us for our order quickly. Staff was attentive and service was good. I got the butternut squash soup which I thought was very flavorful, and the salmon which was also pretty good. My wife got the rockfish which she liked too. Overall, we liked the place. It would have been too pricey without the coupon (special was a $28 pasta seafood dish), but with it we thought reasonably priced. I'd consider going back with another coupon.
(4)Tim G.
This place was great... Of course for me some of it has to do with not currently living in a big city and having great food option. We were able to get a table on a friday night without reservation in this small crowded restaurant. The ambience was nice, the service a little slow, but at the same time appropriate amount of time between each course, and the food was wonderful. Started with a roasted beet salad with goat cheese and had an entree of braised beef short ribs. The others at the table also enjoyed their meals, the only complaint was the butternut squash soup was a little sweeter than preferred. Desserts were wonderful as well. My female friend stated the chocolate mousse pie was the best thing she ever put in her mouth, while the apple tart with ice cream was also pretty good.
(4)Justin C.
We came here for brunch one day after seeing it touted as one of the best in Bethesda for so long. After the meal I'm not even sure it's the best on this street corner. The service was pretty much non-existent and entirely too "uppity" for a place in old Bethesda that was, with the exception of 2 other tables, empty. The frittata omelet can hardly be classified as either of the things listed in the title, and more like scrambled eggs with miniscule amounts of ingredients and a really random addition of salad greens. I did not enjoy this dish at all. The potatoes were ok, and the only reason (aside from the relatively nice and clean decor) this place didn't get a 1 star from me. Nicole's eggs benedict were manageable, but for the price I really expected much better. This place completely under-delivers for the money, I've had better at Waffle House.
(2)Donna C.
I had a really nice lunch here a few years ago, but dinner recently was really disappointing. The server didn't really have much experience and while she was very nice she wasn't too effective. The food was average at best. Two salads of "mesclun, fennel and tomatoes" was mixed greens and two slices of fennel and two slices of unripe tomatoes. My companion's pasta (the veggie alternative) was billed as having basil cream sauce, but was bland and totally unremarkable. My duck breast, which was supposed to be medium rare, was cooked all the way through and then some on the ends. Sorry to say, not so good.
(2)Karina G.
Went here for restaurant week. Food was good and service was good. But the price in my opinion was pricy for the overall experience....
(3)Morgan C.
My boyfriend bought the groupon and took me here last weekend for a belated birthday dinner. Neither of us had been here before and didn't know what to expect. We had reservations, but didn't seem necessary since the restaurant was only about half full. We were lucky to get a seat by the window, and didn't have to sit at a small table in the middle right next to another couple. We both agreed that it would have been a little bit awkward basically sharing a table with strangers. Although it was a tight dining room, it was comfortable because it was only half full. I can't imagine what it would be like in there on a busy night. The food was wonderful. The groupon gave us the option to order anything on the menu, with a small upcharge for only a few items. A wonderful deal. We liked everything that we ordered and found the portion sizes great. We definitely left feeling more than full. We had also had a bottle of wine, which was expensive but expected. 18% gratuity was automatically added to our check, even for our party of 2 (perhaps because of the groupon), so be careful not to double tip. Service was friendly and efficient. We had to wait a bit for our meals and between courses but we did not mind. The menu was somewhat limited so I would suggest checking it out before you go. This is definitely a place we would return if in the area.
(4)J L.
Went to Brasserie Monte Carlo last evening. Had an excellent dinner, good service, nice intimate space. We found the prices were very reasonable for a quality restaurant. Overall an excellent experience. Would recommend and plan to return.
(4)Lina K.
never again! made a reservation for a large group since it was the only place that had tables open for Saturday brunch. it took us 1.5 hours to get our food and it was our party and only another table! it's almost as if they are not used to having customers or something. after waiting an eternity, they mixed one of the orders up and don't seem to know what eggs Benedict are...I mean, the egg should not be boiled!!! the staff was nice but slow service and the food was not worth the wait. never going back again.
(1)Will G.
Brasserie Monte Carlo is a hidden gem of a restaurant that is good for a quiet, relaxed meal. They have a fairly traditional French menu with several specials every night. The food I have ordered, either from the regular menu or from the list of specials, has always been very well-cooked and delicious. The wine list has a good selection of both inexpensive and more upscale choices. The atmosphere is nice, but not stuffy, with a friendly, neighborhood restaurant feel.
(4)Paul W.
Sammy's been doing great food for a long time -- a really passionate restaurateur and, when the chef's out of town, a great chef. (In fact, a friend ate the duck special one night when Sammy was in the kitchen and we all agreed it was among the best duck dishes any of us had ever had). A mix of Mediterranean and traditional country French dishes, all executed with a lighter touch. Good, solid wine list, with a few stand-outs and a fair number of actually interesting table wines. BMC had great specials, and my experience with their seafood has been consistently good. It's both cozy and bright. Great for a date or groups up to eight, but I'd definitely call ahead for bigger groups so they can set up the table for you.
(4)Brian S.
Quaint corner French place with white table clothes. I went with a large group, we booked the whole restaurant on a Monday night and had a fixed menu. I ordered a salad that came with a light vinegerette dressing, duck prepared with red wine sauce and apples and an apple tart with icecream and a berry sauce. One server for the whole group. He went out front and smoked in between servings. That left the smell of smoke in the air when he gave you your dish. "Very Frenchlike!:)" The wines I tried were good, but I'm not picky. The duck was well prepared and everything tasted just fine. There is a restroom in the back where they keep some supplies. Everyone else at the dinner enjoyed their dishes (rockfish or veal chop) and I didn't hear any complaints.
(4)C L.
Each dish our group of 5 ordered last night was delicious (clean plates all). The selections showed off fresh, local ingredients prepared in classic and creative ways. We'll return soon and hope to find the grilled sardines (the first of the season), creamy fettuccine with seafood, and duck leg cassoulet on the special menu again. Perfection right down to the delicious Muscat dessert wine. Owner/chef Sonny Abraham's warm hospitality was unforgettable. He was a dynamic presence in the dining room as well as the kitchen--greeting each guest, explaining his special dishes, and making sure we all enjoyed our choices. Mr. Abraham also made an exceptional effort to welcome one of our group who has health challenges and won our loyalty and highest praise.
(5)Mark O.
I'm surprised by some of the less-than-enthusiastic reviews. I've eaten here on quite a few occasions (in groups of 2, 4, and 6) and always enjoyed both the food and the atmosphere. The chef has gone out of his way to greet/welcome us, offer wine suggestions when asked (including a delicious French chardonnay that wasn't on the wine list), and make sure everything was fine. And I have always enjoyed the food -- loved the medium-rare duck and the various seafood entrees. The overall atmosphere is friendly and the place is not too noisy even when busy. Granted, the menu isn't long on vegetarian options. Other than that, however, I can't think of anything I don't like about it. It's become local favorite when I want to enjoy a nice meal with friends.
(4)Sarah C.
This is for our 2014 Valentine's dinner menu experience. The three-course journey fused the already familiar options found in their existing French Mediterranean rotation. We had no urge to stray too far from our home so kudos to the better half for reserving a local spot. He's like a mailman when it comes to special occasions - neither snow nor rain nor.... Thanks dear -_0 #foodporn provided to entertain the eyeballs. He chose: 1. Beet salad: mesclun (mixed) greens, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted almonds w/aged balsamic vinaigrette 2. Pan seared duck breast (medium rare) in thyme au jus: red wine sauce w/cabbage confit (braised) and smoked apple wood bacon 3. His slice of Belgian chocolate mousse cake: w/berry coulis (fruit purée) Mine: A. Butternut squash soup: garnished w/foie gras butter (fatty something-good) B. Angus filet mignon medallions (medium rare): red wine wild mushroom sauce plus haricot vert, potato, and they snuck some nommy cabbage confit (merci) C. My own slice of Belgian chocolate mousse cake: w/berry coulis (fruit purée) Our choosings dictated the Valentine's event so what a way to end this snowy evening. BMC is a cozy location so watch your personal space since likely it will be invaded when crowded. Service was hella busy but likely so during these types of holidays. I'm sure it was a successful night's work for the team ... lots-o-couples/groups. A "salut" shout-out to our server for acknowledging our wait for the check. Thanks for the warming peach schnapps :) I haven't had this spirit since Seinfeld aired Elaine's mouthy weakness while under the PS influence - good times. Goodness I slept well.
(4)Ideen S.
Don't be fooled by the Groupon ( groupon.com/deals/brasse… ). 1) You won't save that much money -- the Groupon cost $54 and is advertised as worth "up to $92." But that $92 is only if you order the most expensive items on the menu. Instead, you'll order other items that you actually want, and the total will be way less (for us, it was $75). 2) The prices are much higher than the quality merits -- our appetizers (smoked salmon and house salad), entrees (wild rockfish and braised beef short ribs), desserts (chocolate mousse cake and warm green apple tarte w/ vanilla ice cream) were good; but not on par with the retail prices. They were just barely on par with the discounted prices. 3) The service is pretty slow -- me and my girlfriend were there for almost 2 hours. I appreciate a relaxed dinner, but it felt as if the pace was very slow. And my entree (rockfish) came out quite cold, which leads me to think that they started preparing it at the same time as the braised short ribs. It's a rather simple concept that it takes way less time to grill a fish than it does to braise short ribs. So not only did they not cook the food in the right sequence, they didn't even make use of heat lamps to hide this oversight. If I were at Chili's or Applebee's, I might expect this; but not at a supposedly upscale restaurant.
(2)Olchik B.
Horrible place! The worst restaurant that I have ever been!!! The food was cold and didn't taste good!! Onion tart looked like it was cooked two days before serving to us!!! The food didn't look fresh at all!! Grilled salmon was only one good sign that evening, 3 stars! Chocolate cake has tasted like really really old one, I am more than sure they don't cook it in restaurants!I! Cheating,and they lied to you that they are!!!! The service is slow and the waitress was so rude!!! Especially that guy, he tries to be friendly, but you can see how a disgusting attitude he has! My friend told me that she heard that waiter complained about small tips, REALLY??? That kind of service doesn't deserve any tips at all!!! And the WORSE PART I saw how the employee who works in the kitchen went out from the restroom and zipped his pants only after that!! I hope everybody understand what does it mean!!!!DISGUSTING!!!DISGUSTING!!!DISGUSTING!!!ÂDISGUSTING!!!
(1)Armin V.
Went to this restaurant last weekend! The food taste is about 3/5! We went in around 8 pm and there were just a few folks sitting in the restaurant. The hostess was not there and nobody was even asking if we want to sit!! It took about 10 minutes then a very rude lady appeared and asked us if we wanna sit! There were 3 servers taking our orders, bringing food, etc. Absolutely there is no management there! The lady who was taking the order was extremely rude and unprofessional! She brought the check at the middle of our desserts and throw it at table! I can give them ZERO for their service! These two starts is just for the quality of the appetizers! We got mushroom and onion tart for appetizer which both were pretty good! The duck breast and it's sauce was awful and we did not touch it at all! The fillet mignon was awful! We got apple tart and tiramisu for dessert and they were tasty. I don't recommend this place at all! Don't waste your money!
(2)Mina C.
I came for my friends bday. The place is tiny. The restaurant was empty when we first got there, and they still decided to seat us in the middle of the restaurant. A group of 8 girls can get pretty loud, and with the choices they could have given us, they didn't. Anyway, they were still accommodating enough. Our party trickled in one by one (i was the first to arrive). Once the birthday girl came we decided to order. Dinner started at 7, but ended around 930, which is normal. So, they were definitely patient and did nothing to rush us out. We didn't order drinks because we were all going on our separate ways afterwards.The food was meh. The arugula salad had a SOY MAPLE Vinaigrette. UM it was NASTY. I mean soy and maple are extreme ends of the spectrum as is, and to think they could make it work.. GROSS. Good thing it was on the side. I was trying to make a good food choice, and opted for salmon and veggies. But it was attack of the butter. The veggies tasted like I bit into a stick of butter. I thought maybe I am being dramatic, and my friend with the same dish confirmed our veggies were just disguised butter sticks. Would I come back? No, definitely no.
(2)Sara B.
Been here twice for lunch, right now (fall 2013) they are running a great lunch special of 2 courses for $12/person. Service was friendly and attentive (there was only a few covers besides us). Both times I had the house salad and a rainbow trout filet in a lemon, caper, white wine sauce. The salad was standard, balsamic dressing was good, and the fennel was a nice touch. The trout filet was a nice light lunch entree - very tasty - pan seared and topped with tomatoes and capers with a small side of wilted greens and a potato wedge (one time potato was a smidgen under done). They also bring you out warm rolls, they must be like a par baked take and bake roll that they finish in the oven right before serving - one time they were not quite done on the inside, but it was okay as I appreciate that they give you warm bread. They should consider, however, not accompanying fresh hot bread with ice cold rock hard butter (major SB pet peeve!). the end.
(3)Lauren T.
I am visiting Bethesda on business and came across this place restaurant.com . It is quaint with a plentiful outdoor space. The staff was friendly, welcoming and very attentive which added to the experience. I ordered the Smoked Scottish Salmon as an appetizer which was a perfect start. The braised beef was so tender I didn't even need a knife. I'll definitely be coming back in the future.
(4)Alex R.
I visited Brasserie Monte Carlo for brunch on a Saturday. We sat outside on a table lining the sidewalk, which was nice and shaded. The service was slower than I expected. It took around 45 minutes to get our food and the restaurant was pretty empty. I had the smoked salmon and it was very basic - just some salmon and some capers. I wouldn't recommend it as an entree, but as a shared appetizer, it works. My fiance ordered the eggs Benedict with Canadian bacon served with greens and an herb roasted potato. The potato was hilariously small - about the size of a single tater tot. He thought the eggs were decent. I like the ambiance of the restaurant (inside and outside). I would go back to try a different dish.
(3)Maya M.
I brought my parents here for brunch and all three of us left raving about the place. The menu was great with a large selection (the worst part was having to choose only one meal), the waiter was friendly and very knowledgeable (he have us food and drink pairing recommendations complete with explanations for why they went well together), and all three meals were delicious. We considered going back the next day. It's pricey, but an excellent way to treat yourself.
(5)amy t.
I've been here a number of times over the years. The food is delicious. I had the pork loin special - it was outstanding in s wine sauce with mushrooms. My companion had the beef medallions - also very good. I loved the vegetables that came with the entrée. I started with the butternut squash soup - good flavor. We sat outdoors on a beautiful night.
(4)Ruth C.
Cozy and bright interior with appropriate ambiance music. I had a lovely server (Kris?), friendly and sporting a pleasant accent. She guided me towards a small window table that I had initially missed. Despite the temptation of the daily specials, I narrowed down my preferences and she recommended the trout over the lamb stew. In retrospect, I regret consulting with her since I can't imagine how bad the stew could've been in comparison. Being the only customer in the bistro for the first half hour of my lunch break was a distinct advantage; everything was definitely kitchen-fresh. Soup du jour was butternut squash-- tasty and just what I was in the mood for on a brisk afternoon. The drizzle of olive oil across its surface was more than generous, but not to its detriment. Seasoning was spot on and there was a reasonable amount of flavor development. This came out piping hot, minutes after a fresh batch of 2 crusty rolls were delivered with some stone-cold butter pre-portioned into a small ramekin. As an opening performance, I was super excited at finding an unknown 4-star dining spot. And then the fish. The tragic fish. Generous portion, too light on the white wine sauce. Hearty greens were cooked just enough, draped to drain over a nicely cooked fingerling potato. Chopped tomatoes, onions graced the surface but failed to reincorporate moisture back into the overcooked fish. The interspersed capers overwhelmed the trout with the taste of the vinegar they had been stored in. It wasn't easy to separate the skin with the utensils given, and the light scaling prevented my default preference to consume it. Womps, won't be getting this entree again. Completely forgot to buy the 4square coupon but I'll probably still come back to give them another shot.
(3)Duy N.
I went to Brasserie Monte Carlo for Restaurant week with 8 guests. Some took the option of ordering off of the normal menu while some of us stayed with the Restaurant Week selections. The place is small so the tables are a little close to each other. But the place is decorated nicely and has a good ambiance. The service was nice and friendly but a little on the slow side. But it was a Saturday night so I understand. I ordered the free range chicken. It had a nice creamy sauce on it and I thought the chicken was tasty. The vegetables weren't over cooked and the apple tarte dessert was delicious. My squash soup was creamy but a little on the bland side. The bread was over toasted and the whipped butter was frozen. I really wished the butter was room temperature. You can't spread frozen butter. I tasted my friend's lamb but I thought it was rather dry and overcooked. Overall, I'd recommend a try.
(3)Chuck S.
Ate Sunday brunch here with my wife on a spur of the moment decision after cruising around Woodmont Triangle for 10 minutes or so. Had we read the reviews in advance, we would have passed on this establishment, but we were pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. Our initial impression was somewhat off-putting, though. There was no one on duty when we entered and we had to go into the back to find someone to seat us. Only two other tables were occupied, and we requested a window seat. We were told that the two empty tables were reserved for patrons arriving 30 minutes later. Strangely, neither ever materialized. We ordered the eggs benedict and poached eggs entrees and found both to be excellent in preparation and presentation. Finished with the green apple tart with vanilla ice cream, which was also excellent. Would recommend this place for Sunday brunch without hesitation and return there in the future. I did detect a trace of defensiveness on the part of the wait staff and manger (owner?). After reading some of the other reviews on Yelp, I can well understand why. Was unaware of the problems associated with Groupon deals.
(4)Meller S.
The french onion soup was really good. My husband and I were not impressed with our entrees though. I had the Braised Beef Short Ribs which was 80% fat, the rest of the entree was all pasta. Very bland, and I was expecting much more flavor. My husband had the Filet Mignon Medallions and the portion was really small. The meat was pretty good, but nothing to rave about. I had to say the best part of the entire dining experience was the Tiramisu. Will not return here though.
(2)Joe J.
I was very impressed with this restaurant the Decour, the customer service and food were all excellent. The tables all had clean white linen and I noticed the glasses and silverware on the tables were all polished and clean. I ordered salad and came with a wonderful dressing. My fillet mignon came out exactly as I wanted it medium rare! Just thinking about it makes me hungry now LOL
(5)Anique T.
My family came into town and THIS is the place we're taking them. The food is fantastic and the owner makes you feel like a king...or a Queen. Our second time going here....first time was a complete win.
(5)I O.
Small quaint little place in Bethesda. Services was great, however the kitchen was loud for such a small place. I got the Angus filet, and probably one of the best filets I have ever had! 3.5 really, but again I will lean in the 4. Wine selection was small.
(4)Yumi M.
Unfortunately, this was not our best experience. The tables are way too close to each other and you can hear everyone's business. It seemed like a busy night but took a long time for our orders to come in. We ordered smoked salmon for appetizer, carbonara and ribs for entree. We had to ask for a shared plate, and the food was luke warm. The best part was the complimentary bread, sadly.
(2)Mike H.
Five of us went for Thanksgiving dinner with a 7 pm reservation. The place was packed and lively. Despite the full house, the service couldn't have been better - water glasses always full, the menu explained clearly and expertly, well informed wine recommendations, and food and drinks served without missing a beat. The turkey, duck and pork selections from the prix fixe menu were all terrific, as was the nicely seasoned butternut squash soup and the very generous desert portions of chocolate mousse cake. The entrees came with an interesting and delicious mix of small sides. When making the reservation, we noted that extra sauce would be appreciated for one of us, It was not forgotten - no reminders needed. This was the first time we had been to Brasserie Monte Carlo after being away for over a year, and it was great to see that one of our favorite Bethesda restaurants had apparently only gotten better. This is a special place - the owner is very much part of all operations and very often stops by at the end of the meal to see that all were satisfied. Last night was no exception, and when he did, we let him know it was great, as we always had before.
(5)Diana R.
This place was a joke. Service was abysmal - food was mediocre at best. After we arrived we were seated and given some tap water and menus. Twenty minutes later no one had yet come to take our drink order or offer us bread. Finally, a surly waiter came over and barked at us for our order. 10 minutes later, our drinks, including one extremely watered-down martini, finally appeared. The French Onion soup had potential - the broth was rich and flavorful, but was garnished only by a lump of toast with a sad little dollop of cheese rather than a full cheese crust. My husband's entree - pork tenderloin - was acceptable but my monkfish was tiny and bland - covered with some uninspired tomato and caper sauce and accompanied by a slice of potato hidden under an extremely unappetizing pile of what appeared to be boiled spinach. Dessert - tiramisu - was generous and good but at this point we just wanted the whole experience to be over with so that we could leave. The waitstaff was completely inattentive and almost seemed to be deliberately ignoring us - we were never asked if we wanted more beverages or how our food was. We will not be coming back.
(1)David C.
Last night I wandered over to Bethesda for dinner and found this neat place. I had the two specials and they certainly didn't disappoint! The beet salad was yummmmy w/ goat cheese and balsalmic which was really a tasty starter. I'm uploading a pic of it. The dinner special was a huge yellow fin tuna steak on a bed of spinach with a mango accent! Delicious! Service was EXCELLENT and my water glass was never empty for a minute. Short walk from Bethesda station and worth it.
(4)Maria K.
I made reservations for 15 for a Saturday night through Open Table.com , and EVERY single person that came LOVED the food! For how cute and nice/looking the restaurant is, the prices really were good! I highly recommend the tuna (it was a special they had on Saturday, not on their regular menu). The people working at the place were very nice and pretty quick with everything. We started seating at 7:15, served and paid for food, out the door by 9. For a party of 15 (that actually turned into a party of 16), that is VERY fast! Great job Brasserie!!
(5)claudia i.
Like the reviewer below, we had the Groupon, too. I bought the voucher because the restaurant stated that they had gluten free options. I should have known better. Beginning five days before my reservation, I left messages to be sure I would have options available to me. No one ever returned my calls. When the hostess called me the day before to confirm my reservation, she checked with the chef and assured me there would be options for all three courses. Yeah, right. So the evening began. My pinot grigio had no taste, as it watered down mediocre wine. Blech. I sent it back. My smoked salmon appetizer came straight from Trader Joe's. Actually TJ;s would have been tastier. We got hit with the upcharge for the rockfish, which I thought was tacky. But honestly, while the rockfish was cooked correctly, the sauce was boring. No taste what so ever. Ditto for the dishes my husband ordered: pasta carbonara for his appetizer, the short ribs for his main course. And despite the fact that I had inquired about gluten free options, and was told that the sorbet dessert would be available to me, they didn't have any to offer. I have to say, I couldn't wait to get out of this place. The tables are jammed packed together. It's loud. And despite our inattentive waiter, we were hit with a 18% gratuity charge. I'm regretting that I opted to leave the full amount because his service wasn't worth it. Save your money (even if it's a Groupon) and go somewhere else. Unless you're used to hospital cuisine, don't put Brasserie Monte Carlo on your "wanna try" list.
(2)Morgan C.
The food was superb. Service was attentive. Liked everything. MY problem is with "REDEEMING GROUPON". The waiter told us instead offering a special limited menu for Groupon patrons, like other restaurants do, they graciously made the regular whole menu available. Although we have to pay $5 extra per entree if we order the Filet Mignon, Duck Breast, and the Rock Fish (the most expensive items on the menu). I paid $5 for the Filet Mignon. Although we complied with the random condition while dining, we feel the experience is definitely a "BUYER BEWARE". The surcharge was never mentioned when the Groupon was purchased. Further, FYI, it is impossible for you to order the full $100 credit that you're supposed to get, given the pricing structure and the limitation of 1 appetizer, 1 entree, and 1 dessert.
(4)Sherry T.
We went to Brasserie Monte Carlo using a Groupon this week. It definitely exceeded expectations. I had been there many years ago and don't remember why I did not go back but this time it will stay on my radar. The menu had a wide enough range to accommodate my husband's picky eating preferences. He enjoyed his onion soup served differently than usual in a wide bowl with less cheese than some. He ordered a pasta carbonara which was shown as an appetizer course but got a double portion. I had a very nice onion tart with a same salad for an appetizer and loved my rockfish with a tomato broth. Our server recommended the perfect wine to accompany my dinner. Has a nice neighborhood feel and appeared to have many regulars dining that night.
(4)Monica S.
I went here for lunch after walking around Bethesda trying to decided what I wanted. They had a great anniversary menu for two courses for $12. I chose the house salad with no tomatoes and the fish. I could have ate the fish for days. The sauce with the capers in it was so delicious. The fish was also very tender, even though I found a few small bones in it I was able to get over that simply by how delicious it was. The salad was okay nothing spectacular. Also they serve hot crusty on the outside soft in the middle rolls with real butter. So delicious. I would recommend this place to anyone but people with children. The atmosphere is a small quant place and you are really close to your neighbors in seating.
(4)clay b.
I really wanted to give this restaurant 3 stars but I just couldn't. I went here with my wife on a Groupon and from the moment we hit the door the experience was ridiculous. Immediately we were asked if we had a reservation which would have been completely reasonable if all night the restaurant would not have been more than half empty and we hand not been seated next to the bathroom/kitchen. Then we were treated to the "service". The server came over and let us know that we were welcome to anything on the menu, except the best dishes which of course would require an additional $5 up charge. He EXPLAINED that this was COMMON with Groupons. I assure you fellow Grouponers that this is not common AS I assured him. ETHICAL businesses disclose any up-charges in their fine print as THEIR business should have. Then he went on to insist that since we had a Groupon he would need to take our whole order at one time. This was of course to save him time, but ended up giving our white table meal a cafeteria feel, and thus made it more easy for him. We had no intention of giving him the full 18 percent at the end of the evening since he did not earn the full 18 percent, but like the others said, to our unpleasant surprise they had that "covered" as well. If it were left up to me I would have insisted that the tip be removed, but I wanted to be a gentleman and make sure my wife had a good time. Now a days we're all effective critics right? The food, WAS really great, but come on , it's Bethesda, the Beverly HIlls of Maryland. We will not be returning. Happy dining.
(1)Harris H.
I took my wife out for dinner for New Year's Eve and she picked this place. Based on the yelp reviews, she felt that they were good enough to try, so we did. They were 3/4 full but wanted to give us a window seat so we were basically in the back right at the kitchen. First, let me say, that the tables are crammed together so getting from the kitchen to other tables, they had to brush up against us the whole dinner. Unfortunately, that meant bumping into my wife's elbow constantly. The woman who was working there hit her elbow as she ran between the seating and the kitchen about a dozen times. Finally, after getting angrier by the minute, my wife said something as the other waiters managed to not do this. We were seated, and it probably took about 10 minutes for a waiter to come see us. It ended up being the nice gentleman who was also handling the front door. Shortly after we spoke with the waiter, they brought us our bread, which was so hot that we were warned. Later on they brought us more, but it was like a rock and completely cold. My wife was curious if it was just leftover that they wanted to get rid. After ordering my dinner, the waiter asked me what I wanted to start with. I asked him what that meant, and he mentioned a salad. I said sure, but then mentioned I didn't know it came with salad. He replied that it didn't, but pointed to the $5 appetizer salad. I said sure, why not, but when it came I actually laughed. It literally was a bed of greens, with 1 small slice of tomato. It was a complete waste. I would prefer they actually give me a decent salad for $5, or just offer a $2 add on salad to the meal and I wouldn't expect more. As far as the food, it was very good. My wife ordered the pork tenderloin and it was absolutely awesome. I got the carbonara fettuccini and it was really good and worth the money. We absolutely could not complain about that. For the service...horrible. Let me say that it took us a complete 2 full hours to get out of there. We got there at 7, and got our credit card back at 9:15. Granted, the first 15 minutes was definitely on us as we didn't jump in and look at the menu right away. Overall, average place with poor service and good food for the price. However, they will need to step up their game if they want to survive in a place that is known for having a ton of restaurants to eat at.
(2)Missy K.
My husband and I really enjoyed dinner here, we came with a Groupon. We were actually the only diners there, which was a little disconcerting, but also lovely. The service was excellent and the food was great. The onion soup was among the best that I've had and the duck was also excellent (if also the smallest one I've ever had). My husband had the smoked salmon salad which he enjoyed and the braised beef short ribs. This dish was exceptionally good. The chocolate mousse cake and apple tart were both great. I was a little surprised, however, that the 18% tip was included, I've never experienced that with a Groupon and it did put a slightly sour note at the end of an otherwise enjoyable meal. That said, I think that we'll be returning.
(4)C H.
I've been coming here for years, but am no longer a fan. The service is ok, and the food is edible, but there's nothing really special about it. Just another modest bistro in an area full of them.
(2)Diamond B.
I really wanted to give this restaurant 3 stars but I just couldn't. I went here with my husband on a Groupon and from the moment we hit the door the experience was ridiculous. Immediately we were asked if we had a reservation which would have been completely reasonable if all night the restaurant would not have been more than half empty and we hand not been seated next to the bathroom/kitchen. Then we were treated to the "service". The server came over and let us know that we were welcome to anything on the menu, except the best dishes which of course would require an additional $5 up charge. He EXPLAINED that this was COMMON with Groupons. I assure you fellow Grouponers that this is not common AS I assured him. ETHICAL businesses disclose any up-charges in their fine print as THEIR business should have. Then he went on to insist that since we had a Groupon he would need to take our whole order at one time. This was of course to save him time, but ended up giving our white table meal a cafeteria feel, and thus made it more easy for him. We had no intention of giving him the full 18 percent at the end of the evening since he did not earn the full 18 percent, but like the others said, to our unpleasant surprise they had that "covered" as well. If it were left up to me I would have insisted that be removed, but my husband did not wish to cause a fuss, he said, let them get their review on Groupon, so he left them their "concupiscence" ... and I am as well. The food, WAS really great, but come on , it's Bethesda, the Beverly HIlls of Maryland. We will not be returning. Happy dining.
(1)Izzat A.
Had a Groupon deal, so I headed here. Not sure why this place is getting terrible reviews. i came here for lunch and it was pretty empty...not a good sign. I started with a house salad which was alright. Their bread was okay too. I ordered the oven roasted Atlantic Salmon and it was pretty good. I really liked the Almond basil cream sauce. Portion size was pretty decent too. Prices were a lil pricey. $14 for the salmon and $4 for the salad. Service was very friendly and food came out in a reasonable amount of time. This is another restaurant that has fallen into the Bethesda trap... having to charge higher prices for average food to survive. Would I come here again, maybe?
(3)Beth W.
Our family of 4 went here on a Groupon gift from a relative. We were not initially impressed since half the electric signage out front was dark and the place was small with not as many diners as you would expect at a good restaurant on a Saturday night. It was cozy and charming inside however, with linen tablecloths, candles on the tables and a countryside mural scene stretched across one wall. Service was good. After looking over the menu, we mostly decided on ordering the same appetizers and main courses. We can't speak for other dishes on the menu, but the two dishes we would recommend are the onion tart as an appetizer and the filet minion entree - both were really heavenly and scrumptious!! We would go back again just to get these two dishes!! We left as happy customers :-)
(4)Jes S.
We had a gathering of friends for a special occasion. The place is small, but that was perfect for us and it was empty so we basically had the whole restaurant to ourselves. The food was decent, the service was okay, however they charged us for having cupcakes. It was a bridal shower, and the bride has food allergies and could not eat any dessert the restaurant offered. But they charged us 20 dollars, as if the special cupcakes didn't cost enough! They saw us with the cupcakes (individually wrapped and could have been taken easily with us), at no point in the 1.5 hrs before we decided to open them and eat them did they mention you can't have them, you can't eat them without a surcharge, it just appeared on the check with a generous 20% tip (given the service was only okay-orders weren't right, etc...again we're the only people in the restaurant). None of us will ever go back, i would not recommend this restaurant.
(1)Laurie K.
Very nice corner location with floor-to-ceiling windows across the front. Tasty short ribs, but pasta was overcooked. Officious service, just this side of friendly. Expert up selling. Got order wrong when we were the only table! Agree with nice, easy listening music selection. Would come again with coupon, but wouldn't pay retail.
(3)Stephen M.
Excellent! The place is cozy, and I can see how some folks have an issue with Euro-slow service. They bake bread upon your arrival so it's fresh...and worth the wait. Had the trout, and it was pan seared perfectly. I'm sure the salmon is just as good. Empty for lunch, but don't let that scare you away--they don't know what they're missing! Outside dining is street-side and a little noisy, but they do a great job replicating the cafe scene.
(5)Jessica P.
If you are looking for a wonderful, non-franchise local restaurant to support, GO HERE. I am living in Denver for grad school, but I make a point of going to Brasserie just about every time I am home for visits and holidays. I am always sad to see there are not more people in the restaurant...I am super terrified that if they go under I will lose my favorite spot for brunch with my girlfriends. I have been making an effort to come here with just about everyone I know and love to help keep them in business (and to their credit, I think they know I am a regular, so I will occasionally get a free round of schnapps...that is the kind of stuff you don't get from a chain). I am honestly surprised at the mediocre reviews, because I have never had a bad meal here, at brunch, lunch, or dinner. Their eggs benedict are the best I have ever had, bar none (no heavy, sticky hollandaise sauce on top, it's more of a perfectly flavored herb butter). I don't know if they still serve it, but I've also had a phenomenal spinach salad with goat cheese and maple-soy dressing there. The onion tart is fab, and the vegetarian pasta dish which another poster refers to as bland is one I've ordered at least three times and loved. I also talked to another diner one time who said he comes there virtually every weekend for the salmon...I'm not a big fish eater, but I've had trout there as well that was great. It's not cheap, average meal per person is around $18-25 for dinner not including any extras, but I really don't mind shelling out a wee bit for what I consider to be superb food. When the owner is there he usually serves us himself and is very attentive...I will concede that the seating hostess/waitress who is there more often is a bit less attentive/knowledgeable, but the upside of being on the "old" side of Bethesda is that you get way fewer crowds, so you won't have to wait at all for seating or service (unless you have a huge party, in which case I agree you should call ahead because it's a really small place). The only reasons I'm not giving five stars is the aforementioned pseudo-awesome hostess and the fact that I've been there once or twice in the summer when their air conditioning wasn't working properly, which made me want to leave faster. With those few exceptions, however, I still consider this one of my favorite restaurants in a city that has over 250 of them, so that ain't bad. **Edit: I am also annoyed to see that there are SEVEN other reviews of this place (all 4 and 5 stars and more recent than the ones listed) that have been filtered. I get why they have a filtering system on Yelp, but it's not supposed to get rid of ONLY good reviews and leave the mediocre/bad ones from two years ago. Lame, Yelp. Lame.
(4)Giannina R.
Great atmosphere, very accommodating us as we brought our toddler along. overall a great experience. I would have given an extra star if my food was a little tastier. Everyone else's was great.
(3)Daniel A.
For Sunday brunch, Monte Carlo is very pleasant. It is a very cozy, little place, no more than a dozen tables. The service was attentive and polite. They didn't try to rush us out the door which is the kind of relaxed environment I'm looking for on a Sunday morning. We ordered the escargot appetizer. Not the most flavorful, but they were massive. I'm not saying they shoot their snails with gamma rays before they cook them, but I'm not ruling out any explanations. Our entrees were nicely portioned, but again, not the most flavorful. The tiramisu was a nice end to the meal. The cost was a little pricier than I would have guessed, but not outrageous. It is a characteristic typical of French restaurants, I find.
(3)George A.
great little restaurant. nice ambience, good food, good service and decent prices. my wife and i went for our anniversary and were not disappointed. we'll be back.
(4)Meredith H.
I have been here with my fiance 3 times and we love it! It is a small but romantic restaurant in downtown Bethesda that you've walked by but never noticed. The food is GREAT and the staff is friendly. We have never been disappointed by the food. It is a bit pricey but they offer brunch and Groupon deals. We are definitely going back because it has become one of our favorite restaurants. I wouldn't recommend it for large parties because it is so small but its definitely great for an intimate encounter.
(5)Mahsa K.
I didn't think I could find any amazing hole in the walls like this anymore outside L.A. The food was sooo amazing. Everything could only be described in one word as "delicate." From the French onion soup to the salmon and vegetables to the warm apple tart, everything was made with so much care and MELTED in your mouth. Even the butter served with the complimentary warm baguette was of the utmost highest quality of imported European butter...made the antics of Grace (from Will & Grace) justified for her habit of just eating the butter straight served at nice restaurants. Let me note I am NOT overweight but my comments are completely serious because I've never experienced butter like that before I cannot even explain! My recommendation just go there, treat yourself to a meal you'll never forget---and then, you won't think I sound so crazy.
(5)Tim T.
i'd give it 2.5 stars, just because the servers were nice. I tried to like this place. I was a big fan of the ambience, lighting, music, and servers. you would think that all those qualities would make me give it more stars, but the quality of the food was just beyond blah. I had the duck breast. i have always been a big fan of duck, as i find it more sweeter, tender, and flavorful than regular chicken. The duck breast i got was flavorless, and tasted burnt. It had a slice of potato, and some garnish with it. My fiance bought the filet, and it tasted like card board. both dishes were aesthetically pleasing, but the taste of both was just horrible. Especially given the high prices of these, both $28 and $29. most people there had a groupon, which we weren't aware of, but maybe with the groupon, it would be a better deal.
(2)Maria Z.
Groupon deal that is, so we head to "Monte Carlo". What alarms me is that the place is empty on Saturday brunch. Ok,fine. We sit outside, the weather is nice, and I order Bellini for a cocktail, while my bf ordered Kir Royal. It turned out, Bellini was no avail as "they had no liquor" for it.. Strange excuse for a brunch crowd, isn't it? Then we order the food: eggs Benedict and trout. 45 minutes later, we are still waiting. No food in sight. And no waitress. We already finished the entire bread basket, and not even hungry, and it still wasn't there. Finally, it came--about an hour and some change later... Now, dear owner, how do you expect to improve your business if it takes over an hour to receive the meal in an empty restaurant? And the food wasn't anything to brag about. Fish was blah, not too much flavor and eggs were average. Strange, but their version of "home fries" was a bizarre "slice" of potato sprinkled with some weird spices,and it was undercooked (see pic) Overall, not too impressed. Service:2 stars Food:2 stars Atmosphere:3 stars (it was a sunny day, after all)
(2)Nikki A.
My boyfriend and I attend this venue for Valentines Day. The place was extremely quaint and all of the tables were connected. When we arrived our table was not set. Finally someone placed a water glass and silverware on our table. It took approximately 30 minutes for our server to acknowledge us and give us menus and fill our glasses with water and bread (but no bread plates) grrrrrrrrr. Finally 45 minutes after we arrived we ordered from the prefixed menu which had a pretty decent selection. The food arrived about an hour after that however we had no napkins humph...... (etiquette 101) Over all the food is about 3 stars it was pretty tasty however the service was a -0. The service was so bad that I even questioned if the dinner rolls they gave us were fresh or if it were from the table that left before us. It was extremely difficult to move around in this place. Simple task such as passing to use the restroom and removing a coat was damn near impossible due to the set up of tables. Nonetheless, nothing compares to the terrible service. HELLS KITCHEN needs to fix this place up. Its so sad because this place has so much potential however the service brings it all to shambles. This venue is not ideal for children or parties over 2 people (we had 3 and it was very awkward due to the use of space) The service at this place was offensive. I felt at times the servers were ignoring me. Its hard to believe, a place that small, can be mismanaged the way that it has been.
(2)Rosers M.
A colleague and I are in town from SF for some meetings and chose this restaurant mainly based on the outdoor seating - yikes, not good. I hate to give single star reviews - every restaurant has a redeeming quality and is entitled to a bad night - but it's hard to justify anything else after our throughly unsatisfying dinner... First, the not so bad - the service was OK, with servers that were nice and very attentive but unfortunately couldn't really answer any questions about their food and drinks. Our appetizers were also OK - pretty standard fare salad with some hot bread. The dinner started going downhill with the drinks, which was strange given what we ordered. My colleague had a bottle of beer (which ended up being skunky) and I had a Grey Goose martini (warm and tasted funny). I'm sad to say that we actually left most of our drinks unfinished. On to the main course - we both ordered rare steaks, he had the rib eye steak and I had the seared yellowfin tuna (the special). Both steaks were very well done (the steak inside was completely brown/grey, chewy, and dry) and the accompanying sauce was very bland (I think mine was meant to be some sort of mango/coriander and his a marsala, but we didn't taste anything). Honestly, this is the first time I've ever contemplated ever sending a dish back to the kitchen - but given how bad the drinks and main dishes ended up, we didn't have high hopes for "take two" and ended up just paying the bill and searching for dinner part two. On a related note, thanks to Black Finn for saving the night - their ahi tuna sandwich totally hit the spot for dinner part 2!
(1)Pete A.
The servers are wonderful and the wine list is reasonably priced. Overall, it's an experience worth trying.
(3)Amanda H.
We tried BMC on a Friday night and sat outside. The interior of the restaurant is very small and I imagine that it can get quite loud when full, so I highly recommend sitting outside. The wine list has a decent bottle selection, although it appears to be a bit more overpriced that most restaurants (e.g. instead of the traditional 2x mark up, they had a 3x-4x mark up.) That said, we had a great bottle of wine for $45 (that we plan to purchase at our local wine shop for $10). The by the glass selection was quite limited. The food was excellent. My table had the oyster mushroom appetizer (excellent), the rockfish (light, but good), pork tenderloin (excellent - highly recommend), salmon (also good), and the belgian chocolate mousse cake for dessert (light in texture, but full of flavor - highly recommend). The service was also great. As a special treat, the server brings complimentary peach schnapps with the check. Overall, this place was solid. Guessing by the small crowd on a Friday night, it seems like this place might be a hidden gem in Bethesda. It is not funky or trendy like some of the places in the area, but it has solid food and is a great choice if you want to avoid the crazy wait times and crowds in other Bethesda restaurants.
(4)Tasha C.
Came here for an early dinner a few Thursdays ago. We were the only ones in the restaurant for the first half hour or so. It is very sweetly decorated inside-very bistroesque. The staff was attentive and very nice. The rockfish was good, a little oily (a characteristic of rockfish, I believe) but tasty and the veggies and potatoes were appreciated and well- seasoned. My boyfriend ordered the salmon/mussel dish and he said good things. Our food didn't blow us away, but was solid, and the different flavored sorbet were good. It was really hot, and I chose to sit in the window, which was a poor choice, because it definitely detracted from the experience. There was a weird smell when we first came in (like cat litter?) and I was told by my boyfriend that the men's room was kinda dirty. But overall, it was a fine experience, just nothing to lure me back anytime soon.
(3)Steve M.
I had lunch three times in the past few months. Few tables were occupied, but all guests seemed happy. I always ordered from the daily specials. Every appetizer and every entree was special and reasonably priced. As were the deserts. I remember few details, just good vibes. Escargots with much garlic, French onion soup, fish fillet. It is a two person operation but they were efficient and friendly. I'm holding back with one star until I try dinner.
(4)Lydia P.
Chose Brasserie Monte Carlo for my husband's birthday...wanted something with an intimate feel and he's been wanting to try a French restaurant for ages. Pros: Mediterranean decor & fresh flowers, lots of light from the large windows, sweet and lovely waitress, piping hot crusty rolls, and the arugula/goat cheese/maple vinaigrette salad appetizer was fresh and tasty...nice that they split it on two plates for us and we still both got a healthy portion. Husband was pleased with his rockfish entree. Cons: appetizer plates & silverware were dusty (maybe from the open door?), music was a little loud and not suited to the atmosphere, and my 18 dollar chicken was dry :(. We were the only people in the restaurant at 7:30 on a Thursday night...so I kindof hoped for a better execution. It happens I guess! Overall, a decent experience but I wasn't blown away. I'd probably come back if there weren't so many other great places to try!
(3)Jesse W.
I made reservations via open table for 6 pm. I added a note saying we had a 7:30 show and to let me know if 6 was too late. They called and said 5:30 would be better. We got there and were greeted very warmly. They brought complimentary champagne (yay!) we shared an onion tart appetizer that was very good. I had the duck breast and my wife had the rockfish. Both were excellently prepared. For drinks, my wife had them whip up something as a surprise. It was very good. With dinner we had a side of roasted arugula, goat cheese and bacon. Desert was an apple tart for me and chocolate mousse cake for the wife. They brought complimentary peach schnapps with dessert. Service was very friendly and helpful. Prices were reasonable. Food was excellent. Small and intimate seating area that didn't make you feel crowded. I'll definitely go back again.
(5)Steve C.
This charming restaurant is my favorite place for a date in Bethesda. The duck is the best I've had in the greater DC area. I also enjoy there wine list. I would give it five stars if there was seating for larger parties.
(4)An L.
I hate most is when you have to ask for water twice from the girl that clear your plate, your waiter whom is more interest in talk to his friend and still no water.. I don't really ask for much.. When they start to ask us if we want desert rather filling our glass with water, that was the straw.. The food was decent but nothing to brag about.. Portion was small, don't get the beet salad.. 2 beets and rest salad for $8.. I am sitting here eat leftover from yesterday. I rather go to the other French restaurant in the area.
(1)Nathan O.
Went here on groupon last night. Food taste was 4/5 as I ordered a baked onion tart, filet mignon, and the apple tart+vanilla scoop. Take the following sentence with a grain of salt, but the portions are very...petite. Im not a very sophisticated person and probably don't eat enough european cuisine, but the whole night i was begging the waitress for more bread rolls. Again, the taste of all the things I ordered was tasty, in my opinion, but when the filet mignon said 'included with veggies and potato'...literally potato was singular....as in a half of a 1" diameter potato. You will not have any over eating issues here. Something funny that others have mentioned in other reviews, which this is just speculation* but there was a comment made about how the dessert wasn't cooked in house and the bread rolls looked like costco rolls. Again, not making any accusation , but in our family we made the comment during our dinner, and it's weird to see similar things being writing on yelp. The price with groupon was 'ok' for a nice night with family, but i could not imagine paying full price here knowing what I know now. I probably say the value of food rating to about a 2/5. The service was friendly i thought, not particularly 'well oiled' as a team and slightly unorganized what seemed to be a busy night, but nothing stood out to me as terrible. It's a small place, the decor is 'ok'. Me and my family went to dunking donuts across the street after for a coffee donuts and more ice-cream for dessert.
(3)David W.
Wonderful service, presentation was fantastic and the food was delicious. We orders the Cod, the Short Ribs and the Duck; all were terrific. Great place for a birthday and Father's Day.
(4)Kim A.
The food is GOOD! We used a Groupon, and were able to get a 3 course meal -- appetizer, main course, and dessert. You have the option of indoor or outdoor seating. If weather permits, do outdoor; it's a really pleasant atmosphere. Service was very friendly and accommodating. It looked like there was only one guy working, and it wasn't a busy night, but he was efficient in taking care of both the indoor and outdoor tables. I tried a salad to start, and was able to swap out anchovies with an onion tart :) The onion tart was incredible, and I've never had one before. It had a ton of flavor, and actually didn't taste overpoweringly onion-like at all! I was worried about that. For dinner, I couldn't decide, but finally settled on the lamb stew. There was a lot of meat, and it was a little light on the potatoes and other veggies, which you could love or hate. I'm not a the biggest meat eater, and didn't finish it, but it was really good. The flavor was just right, and it was really filling. It's a great choice if you're in the mood for a really hearty dinner. I forget the exact name of the dessert I got, but it was basically like an apple pie à la mode. A little more ice cream would have been nice, since it was melting and disappearing by the time I got it, but it was still good! I'd definitely recommend trying this place!
(4)A L.
I'm torn because I like the food and atmosphere, but there is a horrible man in the midst. I suspect he is a part owner from his arrogance and I can say what I want attitude, who's always agitated that we are there with a Groupon. I've been 4 times with a Groupon in teh last years and encountered him twice. THEY run the Groupon constantly so I don't understand the problem. Both my girlfriend and I were interrupted with a dismissive attitudes that I'm ashamed to say hurt my feelings. On another visit with my hubby he told me "excuse me, I'm talking to your husband," while my hubby was asking my opinion and help about his selection. It was just ... ugh, horrible. I try not to attribute everything to my being black or a woman, so I'll say it's because I had the Groupon. I will go back, but each and every time I pray that he isn't in the reasturant.
(3)Iris T.
We went in because we saw a lunch menu at 12$ but it was half sandwich (priced in the menu 12$, 1/2 would be 6) and house salad (priced in the menu 4$) so you would pay for the lunch menu 2$ more!!!!! We asked then from the menu, an onion tart for share and a flank steak sandwich, pasta with seafood and 2 cokes. The three dishes were , I think made by the plumbier, and we paid 43$. I wouldn't recomend it for nobody!!! Less go back ever!!!!
(1)Jinna C.
I came to this place with a group of 7. This place is tiny! Our table was in the middle of the restaurant and we were within am earshot of the whole place. I ordered the salmon with mussel sauce. It was supposed the be cooked medium rare but ended up being well done. The fish was bland. Overall i was under whelmed with the dish. The veggies on the side tasted like it was pulled from a butter bath. The arugula and goat cheese salad was just three ingredients. The dressing was weird so I was glad it was the on the side...
(2)