Since The Montauk opened its doors back in February in Old Town and Chris and I saw pics of the place and its insanely gorgeous, Hamptons-beachhouse-inspired interior, we’ve wanted to go check out the scene and give their menu a try! This past Saturday it seemed like it was just about a thousand degrees in Phoenix, and when it gets that hot, there are really only two things to do to stay sane… seek shelter and grab a cocktail. I wish I was kidding, but that’s the reality of our current situation here on the surface of the sun! As you guys all know by now, we’re always looking for cool new places around town with a fun, funky vibe to spice up our dinner date nights, so this Saturday was our opening to finally make it over to The Montauk for a couple of refreshing pre-dinner drinks, and let me be very serious when I say that it didn’t disappoint!
From the perfect white-washed shiplap walls to the gorgeous herringbone bar, the gold and blown-glass light fixtures to the brightly painted oars, the seafoam bistro chairs to the distressed leather couches and the retro touches of East Coast Americana all around, the interior of the restaurant is about as perfect as it gets. They nailed it with the decor and I think Chris is a little scared that our visit to The Montauk inspired me to put a DIY shiplap wall on our list of near-future home projects… and he’s not wrong. But the kitschy-cool decor isn’t the only thing this place has to offer!
We cozied up on a comfy leather couch in the lounge area, and asked our waitress for a couple of cocktail recommendations. She directed us to two of her favorites: The Master Monk and the Mexican Firing Squad. The Master Monk (which was originally my choice) is a really pretty, refreshing mix of Beefeater 24 gin, muddled blackberries, ginger and lavender simple syrup and yellow chartreuse, and the Mexican Firing Squad definitely lives up to its name with a crazy concoction of Herradura tequila, Domain de Canton ginger liqueur, orange, pineapple, cherry and Red Bull Yellow. The latter was Chris’ order, and although I’m weary of any drink that includes any kind of Red Bull, I gotta say, it was absolutely delicious! It looked like a summer sunset and tasted like pineapple, which is ideal for a steamy June night in the desert! So naturally, I requested a swap with my love and being the sweet, wonderful man that he is, Chris happily obliged. Isn’t he just the best?
So we sipped our delicious drinks, bounced around the restaurant from the couch to the bar to the piano and finally to a comfy little booth and kicked it to a pretty unexpectedly eclectic, crowd-pleasing playlist. While we took in the scene, we realized that The Montauk is the perfect summer Saturday hangout spot for any kind of clientele – post-pool snacks with your flip flops and a cover-up on in the lounge area, a casual lunch with the whole fam in a comfy booth, or sweet, breezy cocktails at the bar with your main squeeze. PS – Chris and I were eyeing some of the dishes that were coming out of the kitchen, and we’re pretty sure we’ll be back ASAP to try the Mac ‘N’ Cheese with Kobe hot dog crumb, the fig, pistachio and prosciutto Burrata and their House Potato Chips with parmesan and truffle oil. We’re also pretty curious about their 10-person Punch Bowls and hear they have a great brunch menu. Plenty of reasons for round two at this place!
Tip: There’s a really cool patio that wraps around the restaurant, but no one seemed brave enough to venture out there at this time of year. Even though it looks extremely inviting and right up the Love and Specs alley with classic wicker and wood seating and colorful Mexican blankets, we’ll have to wait until the fall to give the patio a try when the weather’s more forgiving!
Him: shirt – zanerobe, jeans – joe’s, shoes – sperry, specs – ray ban
Her: shirt – jcrew, pants – loft, shoes – loeffler randall, earrings – old, similar, specs – warby parker, lipstick – nars (in “yu”)
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