My wife and I used to love Cafe Monte; went all the time. Then we took my brother in law there a year or so ago for his birthday, and noticed a significant decline in both service and food. We took a year off after that and tried it again this weekend. It's actually declined a bit further still and I doubt we will be back. French onion soup, which used to be pretty good here, came out tasting like dirty dish water (I think they must have actually made it wrong). Steak was a poor cut - fatty and not remarkably prepared. Prices remain pretty high ($20+ for an entree). Menu hasn't changed at all in years. Wait staff pushes you out the door. Over the course of the meal, I noticed other customers complaining about one problem or another.
Given the competition in Charlotte, they need to step it up. Perhaps freshen up the menu, retrain the wait staff, improve the food to justify the prices.
Positives: bartender mixes good drinks; great live jazz some nights. We really did once love this place so I hope they get it back on the rails.