Monai
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287 reviews
#3 of 155 Restaurants in Klaipeda$$ - $$$, European, Central European, Vegetarian Friendly+370 626 63362+ Add websiteImprove this listing
Hours
Sun
11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tue
11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Wed
11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Thu
11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Fri
11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
Sat
11:00 AM - 10:00 PM
MICHELIN
Details
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CUISINES
European, Central European
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
features
MICHELIN Guide's Point of View
The busy port city of Klaipėda plays host to this cosy restaurant where, once you’ve located the discreet entrance – a very warm welcome awaits. As you...
Read more on MICHELIN GuideDoes this restaurant offer free wifi?
Details
CUISINES
European, Central European
Special Diets
Vegetarian Friendly, Vegan Options, Gluten Free Options
Meals
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Brunch
FEATURES
Reservations, Seating, Highchairs Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service
Contribute
4.5
287 reviews
Excellent
222
Very good
40
Average
18
Poor
3
Terrible
4
Hawk470
Baltimore2650 contributions
Oct 2019 • none
We decided to take a little detour on our way from Liepaja to Kaunas and enjoy a bit of Klaipeda before exploring the Nagliai Nature Reserve on the Curonian Spit. Arriving in Klaipeda near lunchtime, we decided to eat before taking the ferry to the Spit. Having no notion of where to eat, we checked Trip Advisor, found this gem and had a perfect lunch to set us right for our nature explorations and the rest of our drive to Kaunas.
Before arriving in the Baltic countries, we didn’t know what to expect from Baltic cuisine. To our delight we found sensational restaurants in each location; offering fresh, local, carefully crafted and creatively plated dishes that are distinct from any other cuisine – clear flavors, imaginative combinations, and healthy without fussiness. Monai is the marvelous example that we found in Klaipeda. Even the restaurant’s logo is inspired.
I could go on about how modern, yet homey and attractive the dining room is and the warmth and friendliness of the informative servers, but instead I’ll get right to the food. Small plates, starters, and main dishes; everything sounded delicious and was. If it was dinner, we would have indulged in dessert, but we had lots of driving and activity ahead of us, so just had some excellent cappuccinos.
We began with sensational homemade bread with whipped nutted butter and the meal just kept getting better. Beet Soup better than grandma’s: beet cubes not overcooked and with bits of beef in the broth. Tangy and sweet. Perfect. The Halibut Croquettes with flying fish caviar called out to us and the four of us each devoured one of these tasty, morsels of flavorful fish fried without a touch of grease in two delectable bites. In other places, Chicken Cordon Bleu can be goopy, but at Monai, it was as fresh and as light as the ingredients could allow, enlivened by a garlicky pesto sauce and complemented by fried fresh vegetables that emphasized “fresh” rather than “fried” in the eating. Deviating a bit from the healthy theme, the meatballs with potato purée (light, not thick), onions (slightly pickled), parsnip chunks, and cranberries combined to form the essence of comfort food – warming, a little sweet, and just heavy enough to feel really good. From the name, we expected the homemade “potato sticks” to be crisply fried thin slivers of potato, but they were thick rectangular slices. Recovering from the mismatch in our expectations, we enjoyed their pure potato flavor and slight crunch on the bite.
The magic of Baltic cuisine is the way they take standard ingredients and imaginatively prepare and commingle them with a light touch, an emphasis on freshness, and methods with bring out the natural flavors. And this is what Monai does with every dish.
When you are Klaipeda, you must eat here!
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nikolaus K
Arlesheim218 contributions
Jul 2020 • none
They have a very small and limited menue, only three small starters, three snacks, three main courses and three desserts. But they are very well composed, everythign is a little special and they are perfectly done. Without and comment. The service is attentive and nice. The prices are - in compare to the region - on the top level.
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NewYorkBulldog
170 contributions
Aug 2022 • couples
Exquisitely prepared, excellent food in a soft, modern setting. Wine list includes good French and Italian wines. If you are looking for a lovely restaurant a bit away from the tourist district, this is it. We had the chicken liver starter, the duck and veal and all were cooked perfectly with a great presentation. Delicious. Desserts looked amazing and were good but could have been better. Service was exceptional.
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
pasiausiukas
Vilnius561 contributions
Jun 2020 • couples
Small surroundings, professional waiters and small yet selected menu made us believe that this restaurant will not disappoint us. Unfortunately it didn’t blew our minds at all. Our first cold starter - raw beef with philadelphia and carrots was a bit too much. Presentation itself was something different and interesting, but it was a bit unpleasant to eat a big chunks of raw meat. And believe me we are a big raw beef lovers. Also there was too much of philadelphia because it overwhelmed everything and creamy cheese was the only thing you could taste. Our second starter was salmon tartar and it was truthly one of the best raw salmon dishes I’ve tried. It was so well balanced, light and fresh. This dish is worth coming back again. For our only hot starter we chose wonton dumplings with duck and truffle mousse. We were surprised that the dough was so light and fresh. But the consistensy of duck was strange. It felt like half of it was finely chopped and the other half - minced. And strangely the most disappointing part was that truffle mousse. Because it’s taste was so intense that it overwhelmed everything else in the dish. And finely - white fish. I really liked fish on it’s own because of it’s lightness, freshness and it also had a really delicious crispy crust. But potatoe and bacon base was too greasy and although we shared this main course we could hardly finish it. I really liked those two girls who worked that day and served our table. But dishes should be balanced better.
Written July 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ner Inga T
2 contributions
Jul 2020 • family
Nice interior, like at home.
Food is tasty, but nothing special. No fresh juice. Average.
Staf is very polite and professional, but please pay more attention to guest with little children: it is quite difficult to explain to crying baby why we are waiting for check longer than eat food.
Not properly working ventilation system - hot inside.
3 of 5
Written July 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Julija A.
83 contributions
Aug 2020 • couples
Tasty brunch - though a bit pricey and little choice but very cozy place, quality food and kind, caring and helpful service. They also serve tasty daily dishes. Will come back again!
Written August 16, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Toma J
Vilnius2 contributions
Jan 2024 • friends
From the moment you step through its doors, the ambiance exudes a perfect blend of sophistication and warmth.The menu, a symphony of flavors curated with finesse, showcases a culinary journey that celebrates both local traditions and global influences. Each dish is a masterpiece, meticulously crafted with fresh, seasonal ingredients that tantalize the taste buds. The attentive and knowledgeable staff elevate the dining experience, offering impeccable service that complements the culinary artistry. I recommend Monai
for anyone seeking an exceptional dining experience. ❤️
Written January 28, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ilmar_traveler
Tallinn94 contributions
Jun 2020 • none
That was the best gastronomical experience I have had with my wife in 2020. I recommend to try the duck dumplings as a starter to share. For main we had COD and HALIBUT. Both were extraordinary. For a dessert we took a Picstachio cake which was also very good.
Written June 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wsmith
Edmond44 contributions
May 2024 • couples
We felt fortunate to get a reservation a day in advance. Place was full the entire time we were there. Fun to watch the wait staff buzz around and we could see through glass doors and see the chefs working. Wonderful Dorado meal and an ice cream with caramel froth. We so enjoyed the entire experience!
Written May 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonas L
Abu Dhabi6 contributions
Aug 2022 • friends
Visited Monai for lunch. Food was well presented but bland. Probably not worth the price. Service unpleasant. Can’t compare to alternatives in Klaipeda, but the new trendy eateries in Vilnius offer better experience for less.
Written August 4, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin P
1 contribution
May 2024 • solo
If there is one restaurant worth crossing Lithuania to eat at it is this one. Food is delicious with unexpected flavours and combinations (especially the sunflower seed ice cream), service impeccable, and the overall ambience perfect. Once this restaurant gets recognised outside of the area I only hope I will be able to secure a reservation!
Written May 6, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Steve B
24 contributions
Jul 2024 • couples
This restaurant was an absolutely wonderful find during our only day in Klaipeda. We noticed the Michelin rating in the window and spontaneously decide to go in for lunch around 1330 in the afternoon. I am so glad we did. Our server Jovita was so welcoming; she described the lunch menu on the blackboard in excellent English. We enjoyed a great bowl of gazpacho each and then a fish entree for my wife and hog jowl entree for me. Our entrees were excellent just like the gazpacho. Do not skip dessert, the pastry chef who made the wonderful bread to accompany our soup is very skilled at pastries as well. The desserts were the best I have had in a very very long time; they were just the right size too. All in all this was a delightful experience. Highly recommended. We did not look at the prices on the board just inside the restaurant as we walked in. The bill was a very pleasant surprise. You will not be disappointed.
Written July 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Francisco C
Island of Malta31 contributions
Mar 2020 • couples
Top place in Klaipeda, we been at least 5,6 times basically every single time we visit the city. Service it’s super friendly, They speak a very good English so do not worries if like me you don’t speak Lithuanian. Good it’s simple on essence but flavors are super reach and pure. They really show some good cooking skills.
Written September 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RotterdamMichael
21 contributions
Aug 2020 • couples
Been visiting Klaipeda for years and never I’ve tried a restaurant this good. Limited but carefully selected menu, excellent ingredients, nice presentations combined with great wines and top service. Can only recommend!
Written August 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jo
Italy165 contributions
Aug 2022 • couples
The food is amazing and so is the staff and the chefs.
My starter was fantastic, so it was the pan fried veal and the cod with vegetables.
Also the tartelette with vanilla cream was delicious.
I definitely recommend this restaurant, even if it is a bit pricey.
Written August 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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