Q: No clue how this place stays open. Food is WAAAAY overpriced, as are the driniks; service is horrid. Four of us: we ordered 2 ceviches, 2 carnitas sopes, chips/queso and a total of 6 margaritas (at $10 a pop), our bill was $127. $127?! The carnitas sopes came two on a plate with black beans and rice. The sopes had NO flavor to them. Zip. Zilch. Nada. They had to be covered in salsa and queso to even make it tolerable. Our waitress was nice, she was new, but getting drinks took an act of Congress. Once the margaritas came, we had to ask 3 times for water, that seemed to take the longest. On a Thursday afternoon?? Really?? I think they were bringing it in by the bucketful from the Hoover Dam. I've been to Cabo Wabo in Cabo and we enjoyed ourselves and the service; and even though I didn't think it was possible, this one in Vegas both sucked AND blew.

A: negative

Q: I wanted to first watch these guys for my bachelor party. Why? Magic is fascinating (and when I was little, I thought it was real). I just figured everyone would've enjoy the show. I was wrong. My boys had other ideas for entertainment: bowling and poker of course -- and I'm sticking to that story. So I found it fitting my wife bought us tickets to finally see Penn and Teller. Thanks babe. It was a great show. The tricks they performed varied from the standard rope cutting trick to an intricately mind blowing final shoot out. Regardless of what they did, I kept asking, "How'd they do that?" My favorite act of the night didn't even involve magic. It was a juggling exhibition with broken glass bottles. The performance was prefaced by telling us how one small miscalculation would lead to gushing blood and an immediately to a trip to the emergency room. The build up was great and the tension exciting because people need to know there is an element of danger involved. Overall, the show was a nice mix of comedy and magic. Moment of the night: There's that time in the show when the performers seek out the assistance of an audience member. And since we had some really good seats, I was afraid one of us would be chosen. My fears quickly materialized as Penn (or was it Teller?) approached us. *rapid heart beating* How I wished I could make us disappear. Fortunately, he picked the girl sitting directly one row in front us. *collective sigh* Good thing neither of us went on stage since the volunteer got splashed with water at the end.

A: positive

Q: I'm going to do a pro & con list to make it as easy as possible to lay out my thoughts about the restaurant. Consider my review more like a 3.5. Background/Facts: - I've eaten at Monte more times than I can count. - I visit mostly for breakfast and brunch. - I've been to Cafe Monte several times for dinner. - My husband has celiac disease and cannot have any gluten. I'll do the con first so as to end on a positive note. Con: - Biggest problem is food quality consistency. I tend to find a favorite dish and order it over and over again. Doing things this way makes me aware of any changes made to the dishes (also, simply the poor execution of said dishes). So, for example, I can't help but notice when the English muffins served as part of Monte's Classic Eggs Benedict suddenly become smaller and very hard. I wonder each time I order Eggs Benedict if the poached eggs will be runny as one would expect or hard boiled. I detect when a chef uses way too much onion in the quiche Florentine, and I lament when the quiche is hopelessly soggy. Knowing that the food can be fantastic on the next visit keeps me coming to Monte. I just wish they could tighten things up when it comes to the consistency of ingredients and food/cooking quality. Pros: - Beautiful atmosphere. Sun streams in during the mornings, and the restaurant feels romantic at night. The music from French artists adds to the delightful feeling at Monte. I like the furnishing and decor choices whoever designed the space made. It hits on a lot of what Americans expect French cafe dining to feel like, but it does it without being overly Disney-fied. Also, there's usually plenty of parking close by. - Servers are always friendly, knowledgeable and helpful, which is especially important when dealing with the gluten-free thing. We eat there so much, the employees know us by name or at least face. - Coffee is always great! - Great place to take out-of-town guests. So there you have it. Cafe Monte will remain on my restaurant list in maximum rotation, but I am watching the consistency issue. I hope I am not let down.

A: positive

Q: $6 for a supposed gourmet sausage is such a rip off! The bread was okay, but the hot dog was so sub-par. Unbelievable! Prices are supposed to be inflated at Town Square, but geesh... I think the hot dog was literally worth $1. The employee was kind of friendly and did what she could. She was all by herself, but it was later in the evening, so I'm not sure if that's a normal thing. I would not go back to this fast food stand.

A:
negative