A solid bar specializing in Belgian beers. A good stop for one or two after work in the Chicago loop. Festively decorates and dimly lit with Christmas lights that accent the dark wood all around. read more

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Great food, waitress was excellent, and you can actually hold a conversation with your friends. 10/10 experience.

Due to flight delays we had to find a place to walk to get late night food. It seems like everything was closed except Monks Pub. So we stopped in here and had burgers and fish & chips. Server was very cool, the atmosphere was homey, and food tasted pretty good. The only knock we had was that we had to wait a long time between ordering drinks, then wait to order food, then wait for food, then wait for the check. It was not busy, it was late on a weeknight. We were just eating, but looks like a nice place to grab a beer! read more

Used to go at least once a week. Tried today, place is half empty for holiday. Hostess goes to seat me next to front door or bar entry/exit. I ask for something not in the middle of traffic so she points me to a tiny, dark table in a corner and told me I'm difficult. She walked away, next person asked if she could help. I explained and she walked away. So many open tables and they treated me like a popper or surf, no explanation and called me difficult! I was very polite the while time, and just left. Last time I'll go there. read more

One of the best and most well-rounded beer lists in Chicago with a super knowledgeable staff to help guide you through it. Add a menu of very well-executed gastro pub food and you've got a must-visit spot. Seriously, if you're in the Loop, you owe it to yourself to visit. Also, shout out to my bartender. He was the consummate publican, and he'd be right at home at any of the best neighborhood bars anywhere in Britain. read more

Much as I miss the peanut shells under foot, this is still a gem, and the food has improved. (As has the air quality, says a staff member who didn't like breathing peanut dust.) The blackened fish sandwich is especially nice, and you can substitute a generous tranche of good and not soggy salad for fries. I love the environment, especially the booths, which you can occupy without objections if you get there early enough. They are very cozy to work in. And for vegetarians they have Beyond stuff and a veggie burger that isn't Frankenfood. What I love the most is the fossilized fake medieval late 1960s quality of the establishment. Someday I will go there alone without something to work on and check out the shelves of books on the wall. I wonder what the actual and contemporary Franciscan friars on my block would make of it? read more

This place was sub-par for me. We came here for a co-workers birthday lunch. She loves this place but I beg to differ. I am only truly rating the food, The overall atmosphere of the restaurant is cozy and nice and I am sure it's a cool spot later in the evening but for drinks only. I got their Mediterranean Quinoa salad and it was the most bland thing I have ever eaten. When my plate arrived it looked like one of those plates restaurants use that are preserved so show their food options. So in a way it looked fake. When I put the dressing on, in hopes it would add some flavor, that didn't even do it for me. However, if you want something fried then this is the place to go! Their tater tots and curly fries are delicious! Staff was nice and overall we had a good time. But I will only come back here for drinks and not the food. read more

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Fellow Yelpers mentioned Monk's offering of complimentary peanuts and allowing patrons to toss the shells on the floor as they please. We weren't given the honor during lunch hour on a Friday. Perhaps it's only offered at a certain hour of the day? We had two orders of fish and chips and one order of sliders. The portion size was filling. The fish was not crispy and it was fried to a brownish color. It was lacking in batter and the oil used was a bit too old. The fish also sat on a bed of soggy and flattened French fries. These were fried to golden yellow but I wish it would have a little more crisp to it. I didn't try the sliders but my friend said the patties were very flat. Service was quick but do expect a 10-minute wait. It was packed when we arrived at 1PM. read more

Monk's Pub - Sliders - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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My Go-to bar in Chicago, amazing drinks and food. fun but not too crowded and very good location. read more

Great bar in the West Loop offering a German and Old English ambiance. They offer a great selection of beer, wine, and cocktails, as well as food. Great for happy hour gatherings. Highly recommend. read more

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I came here for a work lunch the other day. Definitely a cool vibe and it's cozy with a great location in the Loop. Like most bars in the Loop, it is not fancy, but it has a good beer selection. Also, like the loop, this place was packed during lunch. We didn't have to wait for a table, but it was pretty crowded. It was also quite noisy, but that was kind of expected. I ordered the bleu cheese and bacon burger with fries. It was ok and definitely nothing extraordinary. Unfortunately, the bacon wasn't too crispy. Price was pretty cheap so that was nice, but you pay for what you get. Monk's pub is a good bar to meet with coworkers for after work drinks with ok food. I could definitely see it being one of my happy hour bars after work. read more

Monk's Pub - Bleu Cheese and Bacon burger with fries - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

The sodium from the pickle fries should just about kill you, but if you can work through that, they are still pretty tasty. Friendly staff, even during these masked times. read more

Wonderful selection of beers. At first, I didn't understand the concept of eating peanuts and throwing shells on the ground, I kept heaping them on the table. At my friend's gentle insistence("have you never been to such a place?"), I slowly slid them down. I didn't like the service the second time around. The waitress was gruff and didn't have time to give any beer recommendations. Maybe she's just having a bad day, who knows. Will definitely return. read more

Monk's is my go to when I feel like some pub food for lunch, i.e., I'm having a bit of a crappy day. I really enjoy them for what they are - a pub with relatively good food! I nearly always get the BLT with curly fries. Their BLT is large - I cannot finish it but it's really good. Hits the spot for sure. Their curly fries could be curlier though. Seems like they are just more like broken curly fries. The last time I dined, I actually got the pickle fries which were really good! The pickle fries are quite thin, with a nice batter. The bf generally get the buffalo chicken wrap and cheese fries. The cheese fries aren't on their menu (I think) but we ask and they deliver . I've also been here more than a couple of times for after work happy hours - great selection of beers and appetisers to snack on. I remember their mac and cheese bites are to die for. Overall, give it a go! It's a great pub! read more

Monk's Pub - The BLT with curly fries - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Generally only able to order and pick up food to go. I highly recommend The Maple Brisket burger which I've ordered more times than I should admit. Perfection every time. I should include a picture but oops.... too late. Sooo good and wait staff is the best. Always helpful! read more

I think the only things I ever crave is tacos and a burger with a beer! This place is the prefect spot to the the latest. Awesome tavern decor! I had the club sandwich with fried and a beer for lunch once. It was pretty good. I have also had the Black & Blue Burger Blackened burger, blue cheese, chipotle mayonnaise with a beer. Last time I was here all we had was drinks and peanuts, and it was awesome! read more

Great spot for lunch. Lots to choose from. Plenty of vegetarian options. Long list of beers. Excellent sweet potato fries. They no longer serve peanuts, or have peanut shells all over the floor, but it's still a cozy vibe. Service is quick and friendly. You don't have to rush through your meal. If you have time you can relax. read more

Didn't know what to expect for my first visit but heard good things about this place , I wasn't disappointed, the staff was friendly and my food came out fast and was really good . Clean and nice atmosphere. read more

Great old fashioned pub in the Loop. Perfect place to relax after work and grab a meal and drink. There's lots of tables and built for large parties of people. The interior is cozy, with wood interiors and packed with odd and ends that remind you of an old german pub. Packed with seating but very popular so it can get crowded. There's no windows and really separates you from all the stone, glass and steel in the city. The drink selection is huge and drinks are average price around $7 for a pint. Food is also good according to my coworkers. Neat little pub tucked away in the middle of the city, definitely coming again! read more

So my review is just for the bar & drinks. A great selection of beers at decent prices and a good location. This would be my go to location downtown for beer and a chill place to drink. We did not eat there so I'm not sure about food but I'd be willing to eat there while we are grabbing a drink! read more

Great pub with excellent selection. This looks like a little hole-in-the-wall type place from the outside, but it's actually pretty large inside. 5:00 on a Friday afternoon and it was packed (and they sure do pack the tables in there!). The beer selection is ridiculous, and I mean that in a good way-I saw about ten different beers I'd like to try, so I'll have to go back at some point! The service was good, especially with it being so busy. The food was maybe the one tiny downside: I ordered the pretzel stick appetizers and they were just okay. But, there seemed to be a lot of other good options so I'd go back and try something else. It was also a little pricey given the vibe (this is much more of a pub than the typical Loop cocktail bar), but it is still the Loop so it wasn't awful. Overall, I'd definitely go back! read more

Monk's Pub - Pretzel sticks appetizer - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Convenience is the main reason I'd go here if I worked in this part of the loop. The thing about convenience...you pay for it. Way overpriced for that quality of food. It's at the low end of bar food--which is already pretty low. Should have gone to Hooters. But! The service was fast and attentive. And the chicken avocado wrap was ok. Pickle fries were like the Dead Sea. Sooo salty. Good idea tho. The bathroom was clean but had those air dryers. Articles say those things blow around...stuff you don't want on your hands. This is a place for after work drinks when the boss is paying. I'd go to Hubbard street or Hooters on Erie before coming back to Monk's. read more

Monks Pub! What can I say, except that it is a great place to go to. The food is anything but bar food. It's presented perfectly and tastes delicious! Plenty of great beers to choose from,  too! Everyone that we've met that works there, whether employee or management, is top notch! Easy to talk to and friendly. Busy, of course but when they have a minute, you can bend their ear for a bit. There's a couple that might bend your ear right back! (You know who you are). To sum it all up,  this would be my first stop in The Loop when I arrive in Chi Town and the last one before I leave! read more

Monk's Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fun stop for a Saturday lunch, a couple of beers and a couple of hands of euchre. Loved the eclectic inside atmosphere and good service. The pretzel sticks with beer cheese were fresh and good texture. Chicken avocado sandwiches were excellent on a nice, thick cut of bread. Sweet potato waffle fries were crisp and perfect flavor. Cobb salad was good also. Only complaint is that beers are $7 or $8, which adds up way too quickly! Two sandwiches, the salad, pretzel sticks and six beers came to $104, so a pretty pricey lunch. read more

This place is awful. I spent my whole time here stacking up peanut shells and some asshole who works here just pushed it onto the floor. But this asshole forgot the rest of my peanuts. Never coming back here again. They suck! read more

Monk's Pub - Yup, that dude standing is the asshole. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beer selection is amazing with a great vibe. Bartender was helpful and nice. Thank you we had a great experience.

Wow...very fun place...stopped off while walking back from the Riverwalk. Waited to see if someone came out of the doors as I was not sure it was "open" as the outside is completely painted like a monastery i.e. the name Monks! Upon entering...it was a bit dark...and there were quite a few people seated at the bar. The bartender Trevor was very welcoming to all guests and engaged in conversation while serving and checking on the guests as well as going to the juke box to pick music...someone requested the 1984 Chicago Bears Song..."The Super Bowl Shuffle" which I found to be entertaining (it was not available on the juke box)...so "The Beatles" were played... Huge variety of beers and extensive menu. I ordered the buffalo wings "to go" which were jumbo sized, tender and well sauced. They were accompanied by chunky blue cheese and a substantial portion of carrots and celery! Delicious! I also ordered the BLT Club Sandwich with Turkey that was a triple decker and well stacked...would order both again. I want to go back to try the tempura battered "cauliflower wings" with buffalo sauce and blue cheese...sounded really unique. I was fascinated by the small bottles strapped into a long leather belt-like contraption hanging from the bar. It turns out they are bottles of "Underberg" which is popular in Germany. Apparently, people drink these small bottles of "Underberg" after a night of heavy drinking and eating to "settle" the stomach and aid in digestion. I did not try it-but Trevor, the bartender described them as tasting like licorice. Also you can get an application to join the Underberg "loyalty" club and earn points to win things like a signed Underberg drinking glass..... I loved the library (with actual books!!!), monastic themed decorations, baskets of peanuts in their shells on the tables, and the wide spacious areas for sitting both at the bar, tables, or booths. It is nice to know that Monks Pub opened in 1969 and has had the same owner since 1972 according to the bartender. Really great place and by the early evening it was suddenly packed and some of the booths had "reserved" signs on the tables. Regardless, the crowd was gregarious and of various ages and the staff seemed well equipped to handle everyone. FYI-Cool bathrooms complete with a monastery theme...women's restroom had a huge sign with a painting saying "Nuns." May all of your prayers be answered here?!!!! read more

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No vibe. Old and just under the train tracks. Dust is right at home here. Not my jam but okay for one beer. Wings good and not burn your mouth off flavorful. read more

On the outside, Monk's Pub looks like a tourist trap in the middle of the city, designed for people looking for an "authentic" Irish pub experience. However, I would say their Belgian beer selections is one of the best I have seen in the city. On top of that they have a great beer selection in general. Oh, and the place smells like delicious fries. read more

I'm guessing they couldn't ruin a beer...but I was ordering lunch with no beer as the guest of a business friend. Perhaps his chilli and salad were digestible, but this is some of the worst food you'll ever eat this side of the Mississippi. Lunch at Monk's makes me want to look back on other restaurant reviews I've left and upgrade them, just because their food was not as awful as what is served here. What I ordered: A black bean burger with sweet potato fries. What I got: A mashed mass of salted (canned?) black beans. Not a burger. Picked it up, and half of it came apart and fell out of the bun. The sweet potato fries (usually a treat) were cooked in oil that was likely added to the fryer in the year advertised over the door as the founding date of Monk's: 1969. In case the cook has never been informed, rancid oil is not suitable for cooking. You can run a retrofitted diesel engine car on it, but you should not consume it. One star for funky old atmosphere in the middle of the loop. Second star for our waiter, who was pleasant, competent, and is not contractually obligated (though one could argue that perhaps he was morally obliged) to stop customers from eating. The fact that Chicago has lots of gastro pubs lulled me into thinking that a drinking establishment can serve good food. In this case, it doesn't. read more

Given it's location within the loop, the after lunch-rush drinking and eating crowd was surprisingly blue collar with your occasional sprinkle of suit. The ambience is more tavern like with standard pub grub. They do have a tv, so you could watch the game but it's not a sports bar. Their beer menu is a little bit of awesome though. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5QSxzXNfLU-y0MQ-WqViYQ?select=xybnhtvo1jkfWLbMcYbjCA) Sliders & potato skins - solid (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5QSxzXNfLU-y0MQ-WqViYQ?select=I70y9DvCCKdDlXsVtH6qgw) Beer - Young's double chocolate stout - Strong, deep, chocolately but not overpowering, it's best when warmed up a bit to let the aromas and flavors to come out. I wish I had some vanilla ice cream to make a beer float. Oooh. (http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/5QSxzXNfLU-y0MQ-WqViYQ?select=xybnhtvo1jkfWLbMcYbjCA) read more

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When I travel back in time in order to get a pint, I prefer for the establishment to look like this: dark, a little dank, wooden... with SportsCenter blaring on the screen. When my buddy, fresh from a sojourn in Edinburgh, brought me here, I wasn't too sure I would like it. 50 Mr. Peanuts and two pints later, I was a fan. Would I eat here? Probably not. Would I eat mutton with Maid Marian? Probably not. It is what it is. It's a a pub called monk's. The illustration recalls Sean Connery in In The Name Of The Rose (that movie FREAKED me out, by the way). I wouldn't come here expecting a gastronomic breakthrough. That's not to say that it's not possible; it is to say, come here to drink. The bar is comfortable. The bartenders are friendly. The drafts are well poured and the bottles are impressive. Bell's Oberon always hits the spot and, after being cajoled by a strangely persistent bar fellow (he might have tried to make a man out of my buddy after I left), the Wells Banana Bread was an interesting addition to my import knowledge. Come here to drink. Come here to catch up on life stories with your buddies. Come here to lie to strangers. But, above all else, come here to drink. Next time I come here, I am going to demand to drink mead out of a metal stein and I'll make sure to kiss a saucy wench before going out to battle. Or, I'll down a Green Line while nervously looking at some hottie I'll never talk to before taking the El to my next destination. One of the two. Cheers! read more

"Dark, Loud and Lousy Food" Seriously, that sums it all up. Don't read any other reviews. This place is terrible. I suppose if you are in the loop and want to drink beer, in a cheesy bar that is supposed to look medieval, and eat a burger that looks and tastes like a hockey puck, this place is for you. And if you are that person, please take all your friends with lousy taste as well so that the lines are shorter at places like Pastoral, Saigon Sisters, Flip Crepes, Hannah's Bretzel, PQM, Taza, etc, etc, etc. Thank you in advance for making my lines shorter. read more

Stopped by here to meet a friend last night after a long day at the office. I had no idea that there was a place with such character, around all the characterless places in the area! All I could think was that I was continuing my fine tradition of being in a dive bar, dressed for business, where my open toe shoes could scoop up the peanut shells on the floor! What can I say? An interesting mix of people from blue collar to white collar to some guy from out of town with his shirt half off and crooning along with the jukebox which I must say had some pretty fine songs! A little bit of Monk's trivia is that all the light fixtures have been collected from antique stores around the world -which is why they don't match adding to the eclectic feel of the place. Monk's has a large beer selection and while I didn't have any food- my friend's burger looked and smelled great and came with curly fries. Where do you get those anymore these days? It was like an 80's flashback! Another plus? The bartender was amazingly adept in keeping the shirtless man from totally ruining my evening (or maybe she was just keeping me from giving the guy a swift kick! Hmm . . .) Whatever the case- Monk's gave me the first laugh of my day and that was at 9pm! Go for the "kitschyness", go to meet friends, go for the laughs, go for the drinks and food. But if you are that guy without the shirt last night- I suggest you go somewhere else as I won't miss the next time! read more

Tasty burgers* and large draught beer selection! Great please to hang out after work (so long as you don't have a peanut allergy). *Try the Maple Bacon Brisket Burger with curly fries. read more

Great burgers, great beers. Bartender Paulie makes the best bloody marys in the loop. Waitress McKenzie is the true rock star though, finding my backpack when I left it after happy hour. read more

Monk's Pub - McKenzie: Super Hero, Backpack finder, hairstyle trendsetter. \m/ - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Monks pub is awesome, the food is high quality and delicious. They have a great assortment of beer and have to-go beer options which is convenient during covid. Also the bar staff has been super friendly and remembers us every time we come in, highly recommend read more

Amazing beers on tap and a cool respite from hot muggy chicago smear weather. I love the service. It was highlighted by a bartender with an Irish accent who knew his beers. Excellent choices of Flemish, ales, stouts, bottled and on tap. Traditional signs in an almost 'old English' style with beautiful dark wood. It was delightful! read more

Monk's is the perfect place to for after work drinks. There's such a large variety of drinks. The appetizers are good and the service is great. It's easy to walk past; it's a hidden gem. Look for that big door! read more

Monks Pub! What can I say, except that it is a great place to go to. The food is anything but bar food. It's presented perfectly and tastes delicious! Plenty of great beers to choose from, too! Everyone that we've met that works there, whether employee or management, is top notch! Easy to talk to and friendly. Busy, of course but when they have a minute, you can bend their ear for a bit. There's a couple that might bend your ear right back! (You know who you are). To sum it all up, this would be my first stop in The Loop when I arrive in Chi Town and the last one before I leave! read more

Monk's Pub - The front door! - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois