This Week's Roommates loved Monterey Bar's retro vibe and throwback flare. The vinyl tunes were amazing, the atmosphere was excellent, and the vegan smoked tofu burger was delicious.. not to mention the liquored iced soda selection! Definitely recommend!
I've only been to Monterey once but for a small joint it made a big impression. Good if you like carpet and vinyl with a splash of quirk and a dash of old fashioned milk bar. Oh...and then there's the beer!
Ordered the fried chicken burger and it was amazing. Was ordered online and delivered and was amazing!!!
One of the best coffees in Wellington.
had a tall dark & sassy burger & it was awesome
Best burgers I've had in a billion years. Yum thanks!
Best burgers in Wellington. This was my treat once a week last year at uni
GREAT COCKTAILS EVEN BETTER FRIED CHICKEN
Best eating and drinking in Wellington
In my opinion, Monterey serve the best burgers in Wellington. It's hard to go past the fried chicken burger, all ways with a side of their hand cut fries. In saying that the pulled pork burger also does good things to me! Value for money is exceptional and service is always on point. The bartender knows his way around a margarita (if that's what you're feeling) and of course there's always a variety of nice beer on tap and in the fridge. Neato!
Wow. They closed. I was sad.
And then reopened.
The food is still good. Economical. In keeping with the original philosophy.
Counter guy has character and chef has obvious skill. I look forward to getting fat here
Well maybe a bit portly.
Recommended. Cost 2 of us 56 bucks for maIns and 3 sides.
Bohemian without the scummy edge that usually goes with it..
10/10 recommend!! Been here twice now, amazing every time. Staff is SUPER friendly and polite - dealing with any hiccups very well. Tonight especially seemed like a very hectic night. Several problems arose and with a full house of customers, the staff handled everything calmly and professionally - they even offered us a couple of colas on the house as an apology for the wait! We politely declined but highly appreciated the offer. When we finally got our takeaway dinner, it was incredible! I had the fish burger and onion rings, my friend had the portobello mushroom. Again, INCREDIBLE! Will definitely be getting those again! Great job guys 😁😁
Had a halloumi vegetarian burger as a takeaway option while at a work meeting. Was really good and makes me want to visit and give the restaurant a go. Love the outside of this place too, looks rustic!
Amazing food! Would go back anytime. Super chill atmosphere and awesome music. The tables are covered in paper so you can draw on them which is more fun than it should be for an adult. I had the Halloumi burger with fried pickles as a side and it was delicious.
Ordered the pulled pork burger combo (including Lime & Cranberry Dry and a side of slaw). Probably one of the best pulled pork burgers that I have tasted! Pork was really nice and the slaw was awesome. Definitely recommend.
Probably the best burgers in Wellington. Nice little place - record player, warm and cosy, you can draw on the tables, and now they have a new thing where you can design the burger of the week, which is pretty nifty... Also the burger buns are house made (the chef's buns are heaven made.. if you get what I mean.... )
Had the chicken burger and root 'n rye cocktail - everything was great! Service was great too - even though it was full it didn't take long for the food to come out.
Awesome place and atmosphere for hanging out with friends and having a couple of burgers and fries. I really enjoyed the fish burger. I really love the bread that they use - super soft and delicious!
This Week's Roommates' writers loved the retro ambiance and modern take some old school diner favourites. The smoked tofu burger was delicious, as were the thin-cut seasoned fries. Not to mention their range of liquored iced sodas... what more could we ask for? The service was excellent.. Billie-Jo was friendly and helpful, and the courtyard out back had a laid-back, vintage vibe with fold out beach chairs and stings of colored light bulbs. Excellent vinyl tunes as well!
Monterey is now under new ownership! All the things you love will still be happening but I've taken note of some of the not great things that have been pointed out and will do our best to improve 😀
Came here recently as have moved to the area and had a night off cooking. I've been for brunch before and it was good - not entirely memorable but good. Came on a Thursday night and they have a deal where you get their BBQ meals for $15 instead of the usual $19. Note to self: need to come on a Tuesday when it's $10 burger night. My dining companion and I went with sharing plates and got hot wings, sliders and sides (we chose onion rings, fries and coleslaw - 3 for$10)
The sliders were fantastic! Pretzel buns and pulled beef. So good. Their homemade mustard is a very good companion for this burger. The wings - a little disappointing for me. Tasty all the same but not as show stopping as the sliders. Sides were good - nothing to write home about. Sorry wings aren't pictures (food didn't come out at the same time which is a pain of you're not sharing)
Comestible Consultancy
+4
AMBIANCE: Warm and soulful. The lighting was perfectly dim without being too dark. You can draw all over their tables (they put a new sheet of paper on each time a new group sits down). Nice music and comfy seats.
SERVICE: Ok. There was the odd mishap with orders but otherwise it was good. Food came quickly.
COFFEE: Not ordered
FOOD: A good wholesome 'homemade' burger. The chips were crispy and tasty too.
PRICE: Very good. Takeaway burgers are only $10, if you dine-in (as we have in the past) they're $15.
OVERALL: You could easily make this place a regular meal to fill the gaps in your eating schedule.
Great meal here. Had burgers and cocktails which were great. Price wise awesome. Burgers were quite meat heavy but still a fine burger. Sides were really nice and again not to bad on the wallet..
Had a choice time for dinner here with the missus, wondered in no booking or anything got a table straight away. Been before really enjoy the spot, the music was playing and the atmosphere buzzing. We got the side plate to share with onion rings, fries and the daily salad, with the beef brisket burger and the fried chicken burger. All of which had awesome flavours and well put together, washed down with a barrel soda I was thrilled with everything. Service flawless too, really knowledgable and nice!
Ordered the organic hot chocolate. Best hot chocolate I have ever had. Want to come back and try the spiced hot chocolate. Came over for brunch, order the fish. Delicious,perfect portion, great value. Atmosphere was perfect and cosy. Such a neat place to hang out. If I lived in wellington I think this I would become a regular at this place. I also loved how the place was decorated, had a vintage urban feel. Service A+
Went to Monterey last Friday night for a drink and enjoyed it so much I stayed the entire night. Really good cocktails, great selection of beer, amazing service and although I didn't eat this time the food has been pretty sweet other times I have been there. I love that they play records and felt very welcome the entire night. Great bar.
$10 burgers on Tuesdays. Burgers are AWESOME!
This is a very unique spot. Here are some pros and cons on the basis of my 2 experiences here.
Pros:
-amazing burgers
-beautiful beers on tap
-EACH TABLE IS SET WITH A FRESH SHEET OF PAPER, AND THERE ARE PENCILS!!!! I LOVE THIS!!! So while you are waiting for your food your can release your creative flow :)
-board games and books galore
Cons:
-the service tends toward dismissive, and cooler-than-thou-ish. I think they must be really really nice to their regulars and their in-crowd, but if you're a once off guest it's pretty hard to get much love from these guys, and that makes me sad :(
If I had felt more welcome I think I would have gone back regularly every Tuesday, but I was kind of made to feel I wasn't really hipster enough to be there.
I came here with some friends last Tuesday night for one of the $10 burgers. There was a small wait for a table, but this was to be expected as they are always very busy on Tuesdays. I had a chicken burger and it was nice, although the flavour was a little on the bland side. The meal was not huge but is well worth the $10. I am not sure I would dine here on a night when the burgers are full price though. I have also had brunch here earlier in the year and I must say that is was fantastic. The burger was certainly not to the same standard as the brunch but it's quite possible they were just very busy and having a bit of an off day.
Went into Monterey for the first time the other night with friends. What a great spot! Classic music on the record player, friendly staff and a great atmosphere. Had an incredible Halloumi burger and a bowl of olives. Delicious. A very good selection of beers as well. A nice place to spend a rainy night. I will definitely be back soon.
Monterey is a great Newtown bar. Kind of Americana atmosphere and music. A bit hipster but feels really comfortable to hang out here. Serves Tuatara beer on tap plus good beers in the fridge. Cocktails are nice too.
Had burgers for food. The cheeseburger was really nice. Classic with nice cheese and pickles in it. Fries were tasty if a bit over seasoned. Also had the falafel burger which was good too. The food seemed really fresh on really nice buns.
Definitely will eat here again. Going to check out their burger/cocktail combo some Tuesday in the near future.
got into Welly one sunday evening to find this refreshing little place at the top of Newtown. We just needed a snack and a drink on the run but ended up staying much longer! The barman was really into his cocktail making and they were spot on. The bits & pieces from the kitchen tasted like they were made for us, fresh and original.
The ambiance feels kooky but real, no airs and graces.
It was surprising to find this place when & where we did,
I would recommend it.
Really awesome place. Great vibes. The burgers are genuinely fantastic. A little bit of a wait if it is busy but definitely worth it.
The wait staff are really chill. This place is perfect for any occasion.
Cute little bar. You can sometimes meet an anonymous artist who just drank and left. :)
Great food and beer on offer here. Homely sort of feel with super friendly staff. Seating is a bit old (happy to see upcycling though) and not the most comfortable depending on where you sit .. But just choose a good seat and you'll be sure to have a grand time here
A great place to find some peace and quiet with a great range of wine and beer. All my encounters have been amazing except my last (hence 4 stars) I guess a customer shouldn't have to ask for service while staff stood behind the bar chatting! But in saying that there was a discount given due the mistake. Happily go back and a great place to try new wines due to the selections and staff knowledge.
Another lovely meal. Paper tablecloth for kids (and not so young!) to draw on. Relaxed atmosphere. Great music. The crumbed chicken was yum!
I got a fried chicken burger when I came in for a late lunch on Saturday and, while it wasn't anything fancy, it hit the spot. I was pretty happy to have the place much to myself and to be left to my own devices in this laid back cafe/bar.
The burgers were great! Everything was very fresh and extremely tasty. Will happily come back again for another burger and beer :-)
A staple of the Wellington gastro scene, Monterey has grown a lot in recent years now performing as the kind of bar you wish there were more of. Superb and eclectic offerings of craft beer from across the country, including Behemoth, Moa, and Kereru.
The dismally bad red office chairs have become Monterey's trademark, and these are offset by interiors that truly speak to Monterey's role as Newtown's local bar.
Just to keep you sober, the bar also offers quality nibbles and a
Burger menu that will tempt the already-full.
Go here for the authentic experience of good food and drink in good company.
Good burgers, nice beer. Soba accepted. Funky pAper table cloths for doodles. I love the wall art. Always has good music
Awesome burgers. Isaac and crew was very welcoming. Local brews and good times. Defo recommend
Delicious food, lovely and attentive wait staff, unique handmade sodas, and bottomless filter coffee all in a quirky cozy atmosphere. Love this place!
Good homely place for craft beers and burgers with friends. Food quality and service have stepped up a good notch recently too. Enjoy.
Burgers are fantastic!! Fries are slightly better some how .
Staff are a happy bunch and the beer on tap is great ...
Real funky place. Love that they provide pencils to draw on the paper table covers. Food is good and drinks are too.
Nice and niche. Cool with the retro, modern bar food with awesome selection of beers. Draw on table clothes are a bonus
Great food, great service and a wonderful atmosphere. The only complaint I've ever had was not being able to get a table.
Top notch food cooked to perfection,cocktails were amazing ,service was outstanding and love it could draw all over the tables best meal ever
Friendly staff and great burgers. Would recommend.
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