Date Night in Monroe, LA: 6 Restaurants Worth the Reservation
By Mila Arias, Meet Monroe
Monroe has a short list of places that take dinner seriously, and most of them require advance planning. Here is the current list, with what each one is actually good at.
Apero
The most technically refined restaurant in Monroe. The menu changes, but there are recurring items that regulars come back for: lamb lollipops with feta and minted Greek yogurt, seared duck breast, housemade gnocchi that shows up in different preparations depending on the season. The wine list is serious and the service is attentive without hovering.
Reservations recommended. Budget around $50-60 per person with drinks. Open Tuesday through Saturday.
WhenTue-Sat dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Cost$50-60/person with drinks. Reservations recommended.
Where1901 Tower Dr, Monroe
Parish Restaurant and Bar
Parish has an interior fire pit, which sounds like a gimmick until you are actually sitting next to it. The cocktail program is the best in Monroe by a considerable margin, the menu leans Louisiana with enough creativity to stay interesting, and the bar area is lively without being loud in the way that kills conversation. It also books out on weekends, so reserve a few days ahead.
Reservations recommended. Budget around $50-60 per person. Open Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sunday.
WhenTue-Sat dinner. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Cost$50-60/person with drinks. Reservations recommended.
Where1900 Tower Dr, Monroe
Genusa's Italian Restaurant
Old-school Italian in a family-run setting that has been in Monroe for decades. The pasta is made in-house, the portions are generous, and it is the kind of place where regulars have a usual table. The range is wide ($20-70) depending on whether you're having pasta and wine or going further into the menu. Bar seating is walk-in, which makes it the most flexible option on this list if you didn't plan ahead. Open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 PM.
WhenTue-Sat 5-10 PM. Bar seating walk-in.
Cost$20-70/person depending on how far you go into the menu.
Where4010 Sterlington Rd, Monroe
Ronin Japanese Steakhouse
Hibachi done as entertainment: the chef cooks at the table, and it is the kind of show that works for a date precisely because it gives you something to watch and talk about between courses. The shrimp appetizer toss at the start is either charming or alarming depending on your reflexes. The food is consistent, the sushi side of the menu holds up, and the space is large enough that you won't feel crowded. Located near Pecanland Mall, which makes it easy to find. Closed Tuesdays.
WhenOpen most days, closed Tuesday. Call ahead to confirm.
Cost$20-50/person.
Where4681 Pecanland Mall Dr, Monroe
Waterfront Grill
A bayou patio where the water is directly below the deck, close enough to see turtles surfacing. The menu runs from lighter options like po-boys and salads to full plates of blackened fish and steaks. It is less formal than Apero or Parish, which makes it a good pick if you want a relaxed outdoor setting with something worthwhile on the plate. You can feed the turtles off the side of the dock. Open Tuesday through Saturday.
WhenTue-Sat lunch and dinner.
Cost$20-50/person.
Where700 Riverside Dr, Monroe
Planters Bar and Grill (Rooftop)
This is the one for a nightcap or a late drink after dinner somewhere else. Planters sits above Restaurant Cotton in Downtown Monroe, and the rooftop overlooks the Ouachita River. The bartenders are attentive, good at reading the table, and know the regulars. The view is the reason to go but it is not the only reason to stay. Open into the evening, price range $10-60 depending on whether you are getting cocktails only or also eating.
WhenEvening hours. Check ahead for current schedule.
Cost$10-60/person.
Where200 Walnut St, Monroe (rooftop above Restaurant Cotton)
If you want something to do before dinner, Southern Escape Room on Louisville Avenue runs 60-minute rooms at $29.75 per person and puts you a short walk from most of these restaurants.
More things to do in Monroe worth planning around.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to do in Monroe, Louisiana for adults?
Monroe has a growing dining scene that makes for solid date nights: Apero for seasonal fine dining, Parish for cocktails by a fire pit, Genusa's for old-school Italian, and Planters rooftop for drinks overlooking the Ouachita River. Beyond dinner, Masur Museum of Art is free, Biedenharn Museum covers Coca-Cola and Bible garden history, and the Ouachita River has kayak trails accessible from downtown.
What are the best date night restaurants in Monroe, LA?
Six restaurants stand out for date night in Monroe: Apero (seasonal fine dining, $50-60/person), Parish Restaurant and Bar (fire pit, best cocktail program in town, $50-60/person), Genusa's Italian Restaurant (family-run, housemade pasta, $20-70), Ronin Japanese Steakhouse (hibachi theater, $20-50), Waterfront Grill (bayou patio with turtles surfacing below the deck, $20-50), and Planters Bar and Grill rooftop above Restaurant Cotton downtown ($10-60).
What to eat in Monroe, LA?
Monroe covers more ground than most visitors expect. For fine dining: Apero (seasonal, French-influenced) and Restaurant Cotton (upscale Southern, downtown). For Italian: Genusa's has been family-run for decades on Sterlington Rd. For Japanese: Ronin does tableside hibachi and a full sushi bar. For casual waterfront: Waterfront Grill on Riverside Dr serves blackened fish and po-boys on a bayou patio. For cocktails: Parish and Planters rooftop both have serious bar programs.
Do Monroe restaurants require reservations?
Apero and Parish both book out on weekends and reservations are recommended. Genusa's offers walk-in bar seating even when the dining room is full. Ronin, Waterfront Grill, and Planters are generally more flexible, but calling ahead on Friday and Saturday nights is still a good idea.
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