Reviews describe Mona Loa as a vibrant yet intimate speakeasy with cavernous, unique decor and a friendly, attentive staff. The overall vibe, atmosphere, and craft cocktails are repeatedly praised, with many noting strong drinks, interesting menus, and memorable private events, while some visits suffer from loud music, slow service, and high prices or small portions. Food quality is described as good to excellent in places, though not always consistent, and a few guests feel the value does not fully match the cost. Reservations help with seating and the space is cited as ideal for birthdays, dates, or nights out with friends, making Mona Loa a must visit for ambiance and cocktails, even when experiences fall short on timing or service during busy periods.
This weekend, I went there with a group of friends to celebrate my friend's birthday. Since we were a large group, an 18% gratuity was automatically included, which normally wouldn't be an issue if the service had matched the experience unfortunately, it did not. The service was extremely slow throughout the night, & there were several mistakes with our orders. On top of that, there were also issues with the bill at the end, & it took a very long time for the staff to correct everything. Our table was placed right beside a very loud speaker, making it difficult for anyone at the table to even hear each other speak. One of the tables was also unstable & shaking, which caused one of my friend's drinks to spill. The food itself was good, & I understand this is meant to be a higher-end restaurant, but the portions were extremely small for the price. Overall, the food was enjoyable, but the service & overall dining experience were really disappointing.
We came to Montreal, very excited for this dinner reservation & was extremely disappointed.
I really wish we had picked another restaurant…
The drinks were very good, the food was awful.
Our sushi, the rice was dried out & old so we had to send it back but still was charged. We had the filet for our main & it was the only thing we actually ate.
The carrots were raw so we couldn't eat them & the fries were cold….
We were shocked at the poor quality of food.
Atmosphere is cool but couldn't get out of there fast enough to actually get something decent to eat.
Jai beaucoup aimer le decors etl'atmosphère de cette endroit. Les drinks sont très beaux & bon. Jai commander dans la table d'hôte,la bavette de boeuf (qui etait exelente) tendre a souhait, avec comme entrée des calmars frit & pour dessert gâteau au fromage matcha. Jai passer une soirée agreable entre amis.
I made a reservation at Mon? Loa months in advance to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday, & unfortunately the experience did not live up to expectations.
When we arrived, things felt disorganized right away. We were asked to follow another group downstairs, then brought back upstairs & seated there instead of the lower-level area we were hoping for. We were also left standing at the entrance while the other group was seated first.
Our initial table wasn't great, & after politely asking to move-especially since I had been notified our table was ready an hour before-we were relocated to a table right next to the bathroom & kitchen. Not ideal for a special occasion.
Service was inconsistent throughout the night. A nearby table remained dirty for about 30 minutes, & we were missing basic items like silverware. Small details like this made a big difference in the overall experience.
The Mai Tai was excellent, & the bartender clearly knows what they're doing. However, after the first round, the drink sizes noticeably decreased. The menu was also limited, with several items unavailable, including oysters & desserts.
The biggest issue was the food. Portions were small & not filling at all. We spent over $300 & still left hungry, which is hard to justify.
What stood out the most-in a negative way-was how the birthday was handled. While they acknowledged it verbally, the effort felt minimal. My girlfriend received a very simple dessert, while another guest got a more celebratory presentation with a candle, which felt inconsistent & disappointing.
The space itself is beautiful & clearly designed for aesthetics, but the service, food quality, & overall experience didn't match the price point. Unfortunately, I wouldn't return or recommend it for special occasions.
the service was lowkey outrageous 😅 51$ for 2 drinks (not an issue) that took 30 mins to make (now an issue) , got seated at the bar like i hadn't reserved a table for a reason. never got my entré, like bro, im done with the main dish. (food is pretty good) everything else is great. the music, the atmosphere. but if you are young (18) like me, dont bother, they dont even care about you you'll see it in their faces🤣 Went to get drinks to Marcus after , where my money was worth it!
May 4, 2026
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At first we weren't sure we had found it as there was no signage outside. The lighting in the bar is not what the internet would lead you to expect. It's dark & grey, not red, suggesting Lava as Instagram shows it. Onto the important thing: the drinks. Being serious connoisseurs of tiki cocktails we came prepared to judge, but the barman on that night, Simon, did not disappoint us!! The cocktails were transcendent! Some of the best we've had. He builds them with real skill & style, on the bar in front of you. Happy with our drinks we engaged Simon in a conversation surrounding cocktail ingredients, tinctures, syrups & tequilas. Knows his stuff! Prices were what you expect on Crescent street. Will definitely return.
Had an amazingggg time at Mona loa. All the staff was welcoming, especially Nish & the host Sophia. They were the sweetest & their hospitality was above & beyond! Would definitely
to come here. The drinks were also delicious & the interior is stunning!!
10/10
had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant. While I was sitting at the bar, the waiter accidentally splashed lemon juice all over me while making a drink. My clothes & coat were completely soaked.
After that, he said he would offer me a drink to make up for it, which I appreciated at the time. However, at the end, I was still charged for that same drink. I had to ask for it as a courtesy because of what happened, & it still wasn't taken off the bill.
I found this very unprofessional & frustrating. Definitely not the kind of service I expected
La serveuse nommée Ranim était super gentille! Le service était impeccable & tout était très bon. Je recommande pour des belles photos & des bons drinks!
Apr 4, 2026
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Hosted a private event here in March. It was extremely fun, amazing drinks, the most friendly & accommodating staff. Our guests absolutely loved the ambiance & had an amazing time.
Good atmosphere with a cool vibe & an impressive entrance. Without a reservation we had a 5-10 minute wait. I only got drinks. The service is a quite slow as we had to wait a while to get our orders in & they overcharged me as I got charged for three drinks & only received two due to having no staff to take my order someone else other than a waitress took it. The drinks themselves were pretty good. The DJ is live & music is decent. Overall an okay place to check out.
