Monti's La Casa Vieja

Just Wonderful!. We took some friends who were visiting from Canada recently. The food was very good and cooked right and their bread is fantastic. The staff was attentive and friendly. I love the old stories and photos about Tempe. We had a great time. Thanks!…

Monti's keeps Jazz alive.. Monti's La Casa Vieja is a place of culture like none that can be found elsewhere in Arizona. The restaurant itself is teeming with history, being amongst the oldest houses in Arizona. Beyond that, however, Monti's has integrated fine dining with fine music, and done so seamlessly.

Every Sunday evening, the back room is filled with the sound of Jazz music. This weekly event is the "Back Room Jazz" jam session, where talented musicians from abroad come to play their instruments with an incredible rhythm section, an opportunity that is becoming more and more rare these days. Jazz, as a form of music, is currently going through a decline in popularity. It is because of venues such as Monti's that offer the jam session experience that it keeps alive.

In fact, Monti's is making great progress in advocating for jazz music and jazz education. Apart from offering the

"Back Room Jazz" session, the restaurant also sponsors performances by high-caliber jazz singers and instrumentalists such as Dennis Rowland and the Jazz Experience and Margo Reed. Beyond that, Monti's is also working with Jazz in AZ, a local non-profit that funds jazz education projects like the acclaimed Young Sounds of Arizona.

To sum it up, Monti's La Casa Vieja isn't a simply a place of food and atmosphere. It is a business that is truly engaging the culture of our city and keeping our music alive.…

music, food and great people. Sunday evenings, sitting down to enjoy dinner is quite the experience at Monti's. Musicians from around Arizona come to play live jazz for the dining audience, and after they play a couple of songs, allow members of the audience to come up and bring their instruments. The musicians in charge know just about any jazz standard you could call out and are willing to play anything. Its candle lit dinners and live music make it a great spot to be with friends or a date.

People in the crowd who are prepared to play are allowed to come up and perform with the band. The band makes sure to keep at a reasonable volume to ensure that the diners won't be deafened by their music and will enjoy the experience. The music is always at a non-stop flow, and the people willing to play far exceeds the time period the band is told to played. The band is very willing, and even takes audience shout-outs, so entertain anyone who walks though the doors.

The staff was kind and courteous to the musicians, paying compliments to the performers. The smell of grilled food, dim-lighting and music make for a very intimate experience and can even be romantic depending on who you are with.…