The food and service were great. The ambiance of the restaurant was fantastic too. Menu had several things I wanted to try. Can't wait to go back and try more of the menu items. I would recommend this place. read more

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Man this pub has class. Seen this place a couple of times in passing via our Ubers and I couldn't wait to check it out. You had me at the name. However, I was not prepared for the uniqueness, elegance, crafted wood work, and the top level service we received. Not to mention, it being a British Pub! I love pubs!! Unfortunately, we had a late meal at another place, and decided we would stop in for a couple of drinks. He had a beer and I went with something I know my wife would have liked... The Monarch and Lion G&T. Aside from the glitz and glamour of presentation, the aromatic notes of Rosemary was a nice touch to the cocktail. All in all, a cool place to check out. A little on the spendy side, but these days, what place isn't anymore. I will say, this is much different than a traditional British Pub, but worth a go for sure. Perhaps if ever in the area again, I can actually order some food off the menu, however, the drinks were plenty filling. As always, Enjoy & Happy Pubbing!! read more

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What a great place to hide away from the Chicago winter weather. Entering the restaurant it is a warm and inviting atmosphere. The atmosphere is what you see on social media of the "Frank Sinatra winter" aesthetic but add an english twist to it. My waiter was Adam and he was phenomenal during my visit. He was informative of the drink menu and I went first with the Naughty Bird which was a good kicker to begin the evening. I then ordered the seasonal drink that Adam recommended (please add to your main menu, that drink was spectacular. It was essentially a pina colada deconstructed and iced and it was refreshing. After browsing their menu I went with a Caesar salad starter while waiting for my friend to arrive. I then ordered Bangers & Mash which was the best choice in my opinion. I have had their Bangers & Mash previously through Uber Eats order but having it in a dining experience was superb. To follow up on a savoury dish I opted for the Bread pudding for dessert. The bread pudding is a well balanced dish for someone who does not like their sweets to be "too sweet" if that makes sense. I did end up taking some of the bread pudding home, but it was perfect the next day to enjoy. Of course to finish the evening with the bread pudding it was accompanied by an espresso martini to finish the evening. The service by Adam was great, and I cannot wait to visit again. read more

Monarch & Lion - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We ordered the English Breakfast. Beans came out cold. Had to ask for salt which they did not have. Instead I was given salt on a small plate which is annoying to pour. Then I asked for butter and jam for my toast. No butter here I was told but the jam was good. Since the whole think took forever, eggs and toast were getting cold while the server hunted for thr basics only to return later to say those things did not exist here. We sat at bar so the waiter (bartender) didn't have to travel far to tend to us, but service was still slow as he had to make drinks for the entire bar. Not a very pleasant experience. read more

Monarch & Lion - Salt being served on a plate as they didn't have salt shakers - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Tried this spot again when they weren't as busy and had a lot better experience than when they first opened. The bartender was great. The cocktails were great. I really enjoyed the curry and the scotch eggs. You can adjust the spice level on this dish which is nice. I didn't enjoy the shepherds pie but they were kind enough to take it off since I didn't eat much of it. For me I enjoy vegetables in my shepherds pie and this was just meat and potato's that tasted like cumin. The bar area is comfy to sit at as well as the main seating area. read more

One of our favorite pubs. Great British Indian food. The lamb keema sheppards pie is amazing. Good burger, great mac and cheese, and I love the venison scotch egg. Good service and it feels like a cozy pub. read more

Monarch & Lion - Mac & Cheese - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The only thing I ordered here was the chicken pot pie and it was amazing. The crust was buttery and flaky and the filling was hearty and creamy. I like how the chicken used in the filling is dark meat and very flavorful. If there's anything to complain about, I wish there were more chicken, and it would be nice if they were cut into smaller chunks. The pie we got had 3 chunks of chicken and afterwards we were just eating the pie crust with the creamy veggies. But not a big deal, just a personal preference. Atmosphere and service were excellent. I like how the interior feels traditional, elegant, and modern at the same time. But my rating is just for the food. read more

Monarch & Lion - Chicken Pot Pie - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I'm not sure if this restaurant is affiliated with Embassy Suites or just located in the building but the prices were on the higher side. A cup of soup cost $10 which was cream of asparagus. Our chicken tikka masala was $25 plus a side of garlic naan for a whopping $8. All the flavors were good though I could have done without the pools of ghee on top of the soup and naan. The naan was also more of a flat bread and was long and thin. I liked the decorations which felt like a stylish lounge. Our server was awkward but nice. read more

Not too busy for a Friday night. We have a large party and sat in the back. It was a bit darker than expected. However it was better conducive for conversation. Service was good. Cocktails were all pretty great...I got something with gin and cucumber and black pepper. Other people had the old fashion. The menu has something for everyone. The 1000 layer potatoes, chili naan, calamari apps were hits. I shared the lamb shepherds pie. The chicken tikka was meh. The sticky toffee date dessert with ice cream was fabulous. I would skip the cream brûlée. read more

Fantastic spot for a delicious and cozy lunch. Smack in the middle of tourist central, you can get yourself a yummy meal that is anything but ordinary. They have typical pub fare like fish and chips or burgers, but also some Indian food. I went with the lunch special of half a prime rib/french dip type sandwich and side salad with lemon sorbet to end the meal. Added a cider (blackberry) and I was very happy. Sat by the (electric) fireplace and enjoyed some peace and quiet during a nearby conference. $18 lunch specials are very reasonable. read more

Monarch & Lion - Starter plate on the table when you arrive - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We're staying at the Embassy Suites upstairs and decided to try Monarch & Lion for a simple, easy dinner - 2 burgers and a mac and cheese for our two-year-old. Huge mistake. The burgers were an overpriced, sad attempt at making a Big Mac "gourmet." Both came absolutely drowned in sauce and still undercooked inside. The fries were already cold by the time they hit the table, like they'd been sitting in the window for a while. The mac and cheese we ordered for our son was also cold. Not lukewarm - cold. He took one bite, spit it out, and refused to touch it again. When a two-year-old won't eat mac and cheese, that tells you everything you need to know. For the prices they're charging, this was shockingly bad food. We ended up walking away feeling like we'd thrown money in the trash. The only upside here is the decor - the space itself is genuinely beautiful. Unfortunately, you can't eat the furniture. Hard pass from us. If you're staying at the hotel or in the area, do yourself a favor and go somewhere else. read more

This was not a great first impression of the heart of Chicago. We stopped here shortly after checking in to enjoy some Irish beers for St. Patrick's Day. I have a tradition every year to enjoy a Guinness and shot of any Irish whiskey. I checked prior to arriving and confirmed they sell Guinness on tap. We decided to sit at the bar and after a couple of minutes, we were greeted. I ordered a Guinness, to which I was told they not only were out of Guinness, but THEY WERE OUT OF ALL DRAFT BEERS!!! I know Chicago is a popular and busy St. Patrick's Day destination but c'mon. I decided on the Monarch and Lion G&T. I cannot remember what my husband ordered because his second choice they could not make because they were out of the ingredients. My drink was good. As we sat and sipped our drinks, there were these 3 male staff members who kept standing around the bar talking about crappy cars. We were there for maybe 30 minutes and they were standing there the majority of the time. The restaurant was not packed but there were other staff members hustling around them. We finally got to pay and noticed there was one of those "service charge" fees on the check. This experience was not a good first impression for me at all. We stayed at the hotel the whole week and did not visit here again. It's sad because I loved the ambiance inside and maybe the food is good. read more

Monarch & Lion - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I truly try to avoid posting negative reviews, but I must warn you that you might want to spend your hard-earned money elsewhere. My spouse ordered the chicken pot pie and I ordered the truffle mushroom pie. Both dishes arrived hot in a mini skillet with what appeared to be overstuffed pastry atop the skillet. Unfortunately, the pastry was burnt to nearly a chocolate color, while ironically being undercooked under the pastry! When we dug into the pastry, we found that the contents of the pie were mostly air and there was perhaps about a half cup to a third of a cup of filling in each dish (which is a generous description). The contents were dry. There were a few only handful of diced chicken cubes in one dish and something that appeared to be a few thinly sliced mushrooms in the other. The only moist entree we received was the ice tea in small cups and the water. Unfortunately, I think we could have fared better buying a grocery store pot pie. The interior of the restaurant was gorgeous, but you can't eat ambience. The wait staff is very nice, but I just didn't have the heart to send back these horrid dishes to the kitchen. The pies were so unfulfilling that even though we ate them because were hungry, we also left hungry because there was so little food in the pies. I cannot recommend this place to anyone who cares about fine cuisine. read more

Monarch & Lion - Chicken pot pie - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First off, stunning ambiance. Everything from the leather chairs, the crackling fireplace, to the walls of books scream English pup but fancy vibes. We had Christmas Eve dinner here sandwiched between the fireplace, Christmas tree, and wall of books - it was great. The food itself, glorious. Rib Eye - lightly seasoned and perfectly cooked. It was great. Breaded Chicken - think chicken nuggets but fancy. Can't go wrong. Fries - as expected Nan - delicious Several drinks were ordered and all were delicious. read more

Service was great! We came after work for RW and the dinner was really good! I'd go back any day for the pretzel and fondue. the potato was a bit salty though. The chicken Tikka masala and lamb keema were really nice! Flavorful and great portions. Ambiance was very on brand! read more

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Had a wonderful restaurant week experience at Monarch & Lion. The chicken tikka masala was delicious and so flavorful, and I especially liked the crispy chicken sandwich, but wish it had more sauce inside the sandwich as well, or a garlic aioli or something on the side. The truffle Mac and cheese was SO good as well, but I would've liked an extra sauce on top, something like a spicy honey would've been a great extra touch. The mashed potato gravy was very different and was a great twist on a classic side as well. As for the ambience, the restaurant was very homey and great to dine at. The servers were all helpful and brought everything to us in a timely manner, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience! read more

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Went in for a pre-movie light snacks and drink. Had the old fashioned and the pimp. Delicious. Tried their potato layers and chili naan. Simple yet delicious. A must try! Good friendly service, chill and classy ambiance read more

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I recently dined with my boyfriend at Monarch & Lion, a British pub. The moment you enter this place, you can definitely feel the Royal ambiance and aura. The subdued lighting, elegant historical decor, and a musician playing soulful melodies on a saxophone surely sets the stage for a memorable dining experience. We walked in and were immediately seated in the cozy dining room area. This place can easily be mistaken as an Indian restaurant as it has a lot of Indian dishes, however, it is a British pub that also serves Indian cuisine as it is very predominant in British culture. Vegetarian options are limited, with almost none for vegans except salads. We ordered the chilly cheese garlic naan for apps. It was good and I liked the combination of a tangy dipping sauce it was served with. For main course, we ordered black lentils dal and Paneer Makhani and my boyfriend ordered Chicken Tikka Masala. We ordered this with 2 sides of Garlic naan. The vegetarian main dishes were very flavorful. My boyfriend did not like the Chicken Tikka Masala at all and we ended up wasting most of it. The portion sizes are generous, so we opted not to order any desserts, although I have heard rave reviews about their date sticky toffee dessert from friends. For drinks, I ordered a Naughty Bird which was Mezcal based and I liked the balance of tartness and sweetness in it. While our dining experience was mostly enjoyable, I couldn't help but deduct a star due to the lack of vegan options. Vegan choices are not just limited to Salads, at least not in 2024! I'm hoping Monarch & Lion will consider expanding their vegan offerings to cater to a diverse range of dietary preferences. read more

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Service, ambiance, food and drinks 10/10. My friend and I randomly stopped by on our way to Navy Pier fireworks and we were pleasantly surprised. Highly recommend this hidden gem! read more

Solid bar and a great dinner seating area. It's cozy on a rainy/lightning filled night. Pleasant but not ostentatious, plus some great food. Will be dining here again read more

Monarch & Lion - Chicken Pot Pie - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Always fresh and delish love the atmosphere nice people who don't try to rob you will come back

Great food, great service, great ambience! 5/5 for sure. Chicago's Monarch and Lion was a grand experience and I will mostly be back. I was seated immediately after letting the host know that I had a reservation for one. From beginning to end, the night was perfect. My waiter name was Ian and I ordered a Turmeric G & T, gin and tonic-Gin, English Cucumber, Peppercorn, Rosemary, Fever Tree Tonic $16, sooooo freakin good. I asked Ian when he comes to work what does he order and he recommended the Truffle Mushroom Pot Pie Roasted Oyster Mushroom, Caramelized Leek, Truffle Cream; Charcoal Grilled Garlic Naan. The naan was made to perfection, garlic took it to another level. I sat there and enjoyed every bit of my meal and drink. M&L was a great experience and I will most definitely be back. Pics to follow read more

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Monarch and the Lion is such a unique take on Indian cuisine in the colonial era. I highly recommend going in to enjoy their moody ambience with their well crafted cocktails! Some of the staples are the lentil dal, the chilli cheese naan.. and don't forget to try their delicious date and toffee cake which comes with an equal sized serving of vanilla bean ice cream... I'm a dessert lover so EVERY single thing is equally good but the toffee cake is by far the best I've had read more

Monarch & Lion - Chili Cheese Naan Paneer Tikka Masala Black Lentil Dal - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had an amazing salad with grilled chicken. Fast friendly service for carryout. The place looks like a very cool english pub, well decorated, classic. Unfortunately I was visiting on a weekend at noon. Will try to enjoy a pint one evening when in town. read more

Recently visited for the first time during restaurant week and the food was delish! I've been wanting to come here for a while and I'm glad I finally did. Overall, the food was great but the service was a bit of a miss. My friends all ordered beers and I ordered a cocktail, which took a while to come out. I definitely think the waitress forgot about my cocktail order at first, which wasn't a huge deal. The food portions for restaurant week were huge! A few of us got the potato croquettes, which came with so many. Definitely a great appetizer portion. For dinner I got the fish and chips, which said it came with mushy peas and tartar sauce, but both were forgotten. The waitress told me they stopped serving the mushy peas with the fish and chips, which wasn't a huge deal but should probably be removed from the menu then. The portions for dinner were also pretty big and everyone enjoyed their meals. The dessert was the star of the show for sure. That sticky toffee cake was amazing. I'm still thinking about it. Everyone should order that for sure. The restaurant was also nice, but definitely really cold in there, so I'd dress appropriately. We also spent a solid two hours there, and many parties came and went while we were dining, so overall it was pretty slow for us to get our orders. Overall, the food was definitely good, but not so sure how much I'd go back. read more

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Restaurant week review: 1. Fish & Chips - IPA Battered Haddock, Mushy Peas, Tartar Sauce 2. Date Sticky Toffee Cake 3. Butternut Squash Soup - Pumpkin Seeds, Grilled Sourdough + Bangers and Mash (not restaurant week menu) Overall, everything was delicious. Butternut squash soup tasted like it's name. I wanted more than two slices of the grilled sourdough to pair with that bowl of soup. Fish and chips could be crispier but still solid. Fish was tender and chips seasoned. Date sticky toffee cake with vanilla ice cream was moist and rich. Banger sausages were flavorful and juicy. My friends got croquettes and shepherds pie which were made with Indian spices and had very good flavor profiles. Service ws a mixed bag. Before and after you get your food is slow to non existent. While you're eating your food, they're on top of it. I love the classy interior. I would come back if in the area. read more

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My wife and I had the fish and chips, Freakin Amazing !! Best tasting fish we've ever had . We met Mike ( he was hilarious) , Jessie and Joey . All three were great bartenders. Joey was exceptionally nice, eager to please and very polite and personable! We visited twice in the week we were in Chicago. Tells how much we enjoyed fish and chips , ambience and the great bartenders When we vacation there again we will definitely return! read more

Recommended by a co-worker (a gen z coworker) for the ambiance and food quality. We went during happy hour, so walked in approx 430. There were 2 tables sat in the restaurant and one bartender. There was no host to greet us, bartender looked over and quickly looked away. Listen, I get it. It's a weird time. Lunch staff is turning over for the dinner staff...but if it's really that hard to schedule an efficient transition maybe dont offer a happy hour. Ambiance is cool. British inspired...patterned wall paper, gold chandeliers, tall book cases, books, high backed chairs, etc. Menu is a cross between Indian food staples (masala) and British cuisine (fish and chips). Drink menu is imaginative, the glassware doesnt seem to be very fun to tray carry for your waitstaff, but I'm sure your mixologist took this into account when creating the beverage like a true professional...right? Service was spotty at best. When we got it, it was great. Super personable...but it was clear that he was distracted by a large table. Not sure if I'll make it a point to come down here again. Streeterville is such a tourist destination, M&L just wasnt good enough to deal with that. read more

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Great happy hour! Very cozy atmosphere and ambiance! The fish sandwich was was delicious read more

Monarch & Lion - Fish sandwich - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My server Sophia was very kind and attentive, service in general was great. I got the bangers and mash with a spiced apple cider. The bangers and gravy were fab, the mash was a bit grainy, and the apple cider tasted like it was 80% bourbon, but I feel pretty confident that other items on the menu would impress me more. I'll probably return, the vibes were good, seating was comfy, etc. read more

Monarch & Lion - Spiced Apple Cider - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Great ambience, excellent fish and chips...but their desserts are mind blowing. This cake they had with a toffee/caramel drizzle was perhaps the best I've ever had. Holy smokes!!! Only negative I could say is that my Guinness wasn't poured correctly. Shocking for a pub of this caliber! Let it rest, it deserves to be poured properly! :) read more

I do not have the privilege of living in a city with a large British population, and most British Pubs/Restaurants one finds as they travel this world conform to the (false) adage that British food is dull, bland, boring, etc. I can honestly say this is some of the best British food I have ever eaten outside of Great Britain. The price point was decent, the service was okay, but the food was more than good, it was excellent. Can someone please open up one of these places in LA? - Please read more

Exceptional dining at Monarch & Lion! We've been wanting to go ever since it opened and were incredibly pleased with our experience. Made a reservation ahead of time on Resy and glad that we did. Even on a Sunday night in the winter it was surprisingly busier than expected. Ambiance was scholarly British library meets restaurant and we were there for it! There was a lot of food to order from and we enjoyed it all; venison scotch egg, fish and chips, bangers and mash, variety of fun cocktails, dark chocolate pudding, and the date sticky toffee pudding. Out of all of those, the only one I would likely pass up on next time is the scotch egg. It was good but nothing drastically exceptional. All around a wonderful time. Definitely a bit pricier for an English restaurant but we would come back. Pro tips--If in the winter dress warm! Large windows make it a bit chilly inside. Wear your warmest layers here. Also they validate parking for the garage next door! read more

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Stop in here frequently because I'm in the neighborhood often. Burger is very good, as is the roasted carrot salad. Usually the place is pretty chill. Tonight was unusual as an unruly customer got incredibly angry when I asked for the closest TV to be switched to the Bears game. Apparently this customer was watching the current Eagles game, and he went off on the bartender Mike with a string of profanities for several minutes and even asked him to step outside. As someone in the service industry, I'll say the bartender showed incredible restraint and de-escalated the situation by calmly checking him out and not engaging. read more

Love this place and live around the corner. The ambiance is so cool and cozy. Maybe dark academia is the word? The blackberry reviver cocktail is delicious. I always get the paneer Tikka masala and a garlic Naan. It's pretty tasty. Wish they had a Chana masala or another vegan option but the paneer is vegetarian at least. The bartenders are always friendly and listen to my drunken chatter. read more

Monarch & Lion - Half eaten because I am hungry lol. Paneer Tikka masala, garlic naan, and a blackberry reviver - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The food was SO good! This is some of the best steak I have had in a long time. The seasoning was perfect, and then the potatoes were bursting with flavor as well. My mom loved her pot pie, and my stepdad's mac and cheese was really good too with a special seasoning. No complaints with the service and ambience. I will be back for that steak! read more

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A fairly new establishment in the Streeterville area that combines Indian and British classics into a boujee-feeling dining atmosphere. I believe this restaurant falls under the same ownership umbrella as Bar Goa and Rooh so the food pricing and quality is roughly the same as those places. When it comes to value, the food items will likely seem a bit more expensive than what you would like with Indian food, but I would say the dining atmosphere and service likely justifies some of the price inflation. Overall this place is a decent restaurant to feel boujee, but I think if you're a big value for price sort of person you might want to seek out other options as the portions seem a bit small. Food: Steak and ale pie: very homey and filling, could've used a bit more flavor Lamb shank: super tender and well prepared, definitely order this Chili cheese naan: was okay, probably wasn't worth the price read more

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My husband and I came here with our baby for happy hour and dinner. Everything from the drinks to the food to the service was amazing! We absolutely loved the atmosphere. I had a glass of wine and my husband had a mango margarita and some IPAs. For an app we had the chili naan and oysters. Yum! For dinner we had the truffle mushroom pot pie and chicken pot pie. Both were unreal. I highly recommend checking this place out!! read more

Monarch & Lion - Chili Cheese Naan - British Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The service and people were great! The ambience was amazing. We actually hit this place twice in one night.

An Irish Pub that ran out of Guinness? The food was marginal at best. Atmosphere was great and the restaurant has a lot of potential.