Bellevue's Cantina Monarca plans Seattle waterfront restaurant

Cantina Monarca, the Mexican restaurant at The Bellevue Collection, plans to open an 11,000-square-foot location at Lake Union Piers in Seattle by summer 2027.

The expansion, first reported by MyNorthwest, would bring the Bellevue-born brand across Lake Washington for the first time in its history. Founder Bernie Garcia, who also leads Elev8 Hospitality Group, said in a statement that the project is "an opportunity to take everything we've learned over the years and elevate it to an entirely new level."

The new space will include about 8,300 square feet of interior dining and 2,700 square feet of outdoor patio, according to a restaurant news release.

The restaurant will sit on the Lake Union waterfront with views of the Space Needle. Architect Gulla Jonsdottir, who designed the Bellevue location's interior, is leading the Seattle project.

The press release describes the concept as featuring an expansive bar, outdoor patios for year-round lakeside dining and natural materials meant to highlight the waterfront setting. Lake Union Piers is developed by Vulcan Real Estate.

Garcia's restaurant roots stretch back nearly five decades. His father, Arturo, opened Moctezuma's Mexican Restaurant in Tacoma in 1978 at age 24, according to the Bellevue Downtown Association. The family-style chain now has locations in Tacoma, Gig Harbor, Southcenter and Silverdale, MyNorthwest reported.

Bernie Garcia grew up washing dishes and bussing tables at Moctezuma's before taking over as president in 2007, the Bellevue Downtown Association reported in a 2022 profile. He launched Cantina Monarca in late 2022 at Lincoln Square South as a more upscale counterpart to the Moctezuma's brand. The Bellevue restaurant features a Tulum-inspired interior with over 10,000 sticks and vines imported from the Mayan jungle, according to the association's profile.

The Bellevue location, at 504 Bellevue Way NE, remains open. Garcia said in the press release that the family has been building the business for four decades.

No lease terms, rent figures or job numbers have been disclosed. The restaurant said design and menu details for the Seattle location will be announced as the project moves toward its summer 2027 target.