Monte’s
“For dessert we got the Nutella calzone which was delicious, it was the perfect ratio of ricotta and Nutella.”
“We didn't know what to eat even because they have a big menu and a different selection, so we decided to ask for some advices to our waiter Chris.”
“Service was great, staff was friendly, got to chat with the chef for a bit (he's from Sicily) and Genarro had a great table presence.”
Monte’s
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
6 reviews
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My wife suggested we go here the other night. I checked Yelp and noticed the following:
– Most reviews so far were people with very low numbers of reviews
– One guy who has a lot of reviews, complained about their brunch (f'n brunch!)
– Peter D. hadn't reviewed it yet which is odd
First course: spicy octopus in a tomato-y sauce. Awesome
Second course: clams, mussels, shrimp in tasty broth. Awesome
Third course: Truffle pizza with an egg and pancetta. Awesome
Bread basket: Oddly, awesome. Their focaccia bread was super dense but also super moist. Like angel food cake. Like I said, oddly awesome.
Wine List: Italian. Decent. Could be a tad more choices.
Staff: Hello. Friendly. The guys taking care of us did a great job with the timing of our dishes.
Decor: Warm. Candlelit. Homey. Open kitchen.
I don't want to jinx this, but could Monte's be the best italian in the hood?
IN SHORT: Opened in 1906, Monte's is Brooklyn's oldest Italian restaurant, and when you try a slice of their Neopolitan-style pizza cooked in their wood-burning oven, you'll understand why.
THE STORY: I had heard that Monte's had some great pizza. What I did not hear, and what I was woefully unprepared for, was the sheer size of it. When I say I have never seen a larger pie, I mean no one has ever seen a larger pie. The pizzas offered on the menu come in two sizes, 12" and "Metro." When I first see the prices of the 12" pies ranging from $13-$19, I assume this is a pizza fit for one person, and when, understandably, the prices for this ambiguous Metro size range from $22-$29, I assume perhaps 2 people could share this pizza nicely.
Have you heard what Oscar Wilde said about assumption? The devlishly clever writer was right, that "when you assume, you make an ass out of u and me."
These pizzas are gargantuan. A Metro can easily feed 3 men and 4-5 women with average appetites, and for someone who prides themselves on their appetite, I'm embarrassed to admit that after an elegant appetizer of gloriously fresh Burrata and Proscuitto with arugula and a drizzle of olive oil, I was only able to finish two slices of the Truffle pizza. But with a puffy, crispy, ever so slightly chewy crust, topped with mozzarella, egg, pancetta, and the lightest addition of earthy, white truffle oil, it was heaven.
Also approaching this perfect pizza state were the Proscuitto and Arugula pizza with mozzarella and shaved parmesan for a creamy and nutty finish, and the Salsiccia pizza with tomato, mozzarella, red onion, and lightly spiced, exceptionally hearty sausage.
Unfortunately where the pizza excels, the pasta falters. The Bucatini Amatriciana with shallots, guanciale, and pecorino suffered from too little salt and too much heavy tomato sauce that didn't seem to innvoate to the same degree Monte's pizzas did. The housemade spinach Gnocchi with a walnut-gorgonzola cheese and tomato sauce was also dreadfully dense, and lacked enough texture to make it bearable for more than a few bites.
Monte's is truly about being blown away by the scale and authenticity of its pizzas provided by a friendly, yet no-nonsense staff in a classic, neighborhood space. Even though it wasn't what I expected (including the surprise that they only accept cash and American Express cards), Monte's turned out to be exactly what I wanted from a local, warm, extraordinarily filling dinner in Brooklyn.
The "old school" has gone "new school" and it works! Went for dinner last night and it was crowded with big tables.
Wood fired oven in the back is the centerpiece of this updated Brooklyn classic.
Lovely dark, salty, garlicky focaccia w/ olive oil
Ordered:
Polpette w/polenta- $0
Special pizza- escarole, sausage, mozzarella- $17
Cabernet
Polpette was under sauce and mozzarella cheese cooked in oven. Lovely sauce, high quality cheese made this a delicious dish. The pizza, round, rustic, escarole nicely aldente, beautifully charred(similar to Zero Otto Nove) was amazin' Larger pizzas called metros were peeped at the big tables and looked spectacular! Only ate at the old Monte's once and this part of the nabe has come a long way. New and oldt timers shared food and memories at the "new" Montes.
2 Stars for the following: poor service. When your waitress gets your order wrong four times. When you ask for a drink for three people and completely forgot about the third person's drink. Then the waitress at Monte's has problems.Or was it your cooking staff that messed up the order, for example,you ask for baked, instead you get steamed. But this place does make bangin' pizzas. I also liked the decor very homey and the music is old school pretty cool. But customer service needs improvement.Perhaps the waitress we had that particular night had a bad day or maybe it was her first day.
Monte's is amazing!!!I came on a Thursday night with one other person, and we were seated at a candle lit table in the back. The atmosphere of the restaurant is very warm and sort of romantic, but I can also see a big group being accommodated very well.
Once seated we were given choice of sparkling or flat water and given menus. They have a vast selection of different pizzas, and a full menu. We got the salsaccia pizza and the braised short ribs, which came with a side of mashed potatoes. The pizza is cooked in a wood burning oven, and I really believe that's what makes it taste as good as it does. The braised short ribs were out of control, probably one of the best entrees I've ever had. The meat was so tender and literally fell right off the bone, the sauce it was cooked in was amazing. For dessert we got the Nutella calzone which was delicious, it was the perfect ratio of ricotta and Nutella. I do wish they made the calzone in a smaller size, because by the time dessert came we were already so full, but did want to try it, it was too much between two people.
Im so happy I found this place, the service was great and the food was great, and that means I'll definitely be returning.
The new Monte's is a very nice place if you just want some pizza/pasta and some wine or drinks. The menu to me is not expansive enough compared to most restaurants. The pizza is very fresh and delicious and cooked in a beautiful oven. The rest of the menu after the pizzas is very hit or miss. I have eaten here three times and the food has been off in diff ways each time. My last visit one dish we got took so long to come and was not seasoned at all! im talking no salt at all beyond bland. It was the seafood cooked in a pan in the pizza oven. The cook must have just forgot completely. One time we got some pasta that was under cooked. I think the kitchen staff loses it when it gets too busy. One time pasta cooked too much and falling apart. The last time i was there the wait for food and the service was pretty messed up. A menu that is that limited should not be so hard to execute. Its a place to go with friends for pizza some apps maybe a pasta and drinks. The service is friendly but seems a bit scattered. I think the menu needs some tweeking. The place is very nice inside and there is a parking lot which is nice. I would go back but pretty much just for the pizza.