Now that we've lived across the street from Monti's for over a year (and we've probably been here once a week since last summer!), I figured it was time to update the review. Monti's is still amazing. The servers are top-notch and so friendly. The food is delicious. It's a bit pricey, yes, but the price definitely matches the quality and freshness of the food that they serve. Everything we've tried on the menu is delicious. We've brought countless visitors to eat/drink here and everybody is always so impressed! Pro tip - the pretzel nuggets and the buffalo nuggets are TO DIE FOR. We just absolutely love Monti's. :) read more

As a Philly girl in Chicago, I've been on a continuous quest for a proper cheesesteak, only to come up empty-handed. Philly's Best? Get outta here. So imagine my surprise when an impromptu Groupon search led me straight to Monti's. Not ONLY do they import Amoroso rolls, but they're a straight shot down Lawrence from my apartment! I was there the next day. I was the first customer in the door, and Tiffanie was delightful to chat with as I waited for my guy. She told me about the restaurant's history and the owners, and we talked industry for a bit. As the customers began to flow in, she never lost her charm or attentiveness. Onto the food! I ordered the "whiz" wit (you can also choose white cheddar or provolone). But there's no molten orange goo here; instead, they make their own aged cheddar sauce. Just one bite and I felt like I was home. My guy ordered a chicken steak with provolone, and it was just as delicious. My one quibble, which is so minor I probably shouldn't even mention it: I'm used to cheese sauce being served on top of the meat, and here it was placed in between the bread and the meat. The sauce was wonderful, but even the mighty leak-free Amoroso roll started to cave. Next time - there will be MANY next times - I might try the other cheese options to see how they compare. Thank you, Monti's, for giving this girl a much-needed taste of home. read more

I'm just saying $42 out the door for 2 sandwiches and 1 beer is kind of pricey. And I don't believe there were 6 full bonafide slices of cheese on my sandwich. Maybe 6 thin half slices? A good sandwich, fries/chips and drink for lunch should be about $10 a head out the door. Unless there is crazy to die for meat on it like at Perry's or Manny's Deli, then maybe $12 for the sandwich. Anything more than that, you're talking dinner money or a bucket of chicken! read more

I'm in love! I've been to Monti's twice now and have been thoroughly satisfied each time. I've gotten the South Side Johnny per a recommendation from a fellow Yelper (you know who you are). It's served with sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, swiss cheese and a horseradish cream sauce. Oh my.... yum. On my second visit, I felt it was my duty to order the Authentic Philly Cheesesteak with grilled onions and the aged cheddar sauce. I've been to Philly but never had the opportunity to get a cheesesteak. If this is even close to what I've been missing, I'm really sad because this sandwich is right up my alley. The sandwiches are chock full of tender black angus ribeye and served on Philly Amoroso Rolls. If you are watching your calories, this place is not for you. I am not watching my calories and will be back for the calamari...and The Rocky. Yo, Adrian! I did it!! read more

Adorable neighborhood bar and restaurant serving authentic Philly Cheesesteaks! As someone who has to eat gluten free, I thought this place was off limits for me until I saw they offered several gluten free items on the menu, including gluten free hoagie rolls! Dropped by with my husband in the early afternoon on a weekend and plenty of seating - good for large groups or small. I like that they have both high topper tables, booths, and plenty of seating at the bar and its wheelchair accessible too. Our server was super friendly and knowledgeable and service was fast. I ordered The Rocky cheesesteak which I was warned was super spicy. Our server was super attentive and even offered to put all of the "spicy" ingredients on the side. I was up for the challenge but just opted to skip the spicy mayo but loved how accommodating they were. Our server informed me that the fries unfortunately are fried with other gluten items so they are not gluten free, so I got the side salad instead (probably for the best!). My cheesesteak was SO good. Spicy, juicy, and best of all the gluten free hoagie roll was warm and crispy on the outside and soft of the inside. Loved that the roll was sturdy enough that my cheesesteak did not get soggy. Yay! I noticed they also have a gluten free pizza crust available too - will definitely try this some other time. They also have a TON of drinks and I was particularly excited that they offered several ciders which are naturally gluten free in addition to a lot of martinis, tons of beers, and mixed drinks. Oh yeah, and free refills on soft drinks! Great experience - will definitely return! TIP: Check in on Yelp and get a free Italian Water Ice for dessert! (I saved mine for next time :). read more

After reading the reviews I could not wait to try their philly cheesesteak and fries, but I was very disappointed. The cheesesteak was completely flavorless and the fries tasted like they were fried in old oil and had been sitting under a heat lamp for awhile. Thd server, Natalie, was nice. The ambiance of Monti's is a casual neighborhood bar with televisions. Unfortunately, I will not return. I continue my quest for a great tasting philly cheesesteak in Chicago... read more

Monti's is the best new restaurant I have visited in quite a while. What makes this Utopia of Philly-Steak so good? The answer is simple. The food, the vibe and the great people who run this place make it a fabulous, top-notch eatery. I have never found a place in Chicago that can replicate the Cheese-steaks found in Philly. It took two people from the City of Brotherly love to bring the taste of Philly to Chicago. Not only does Monti's offer authentic, Artery clogging Philly-steaks, they offer east coast pizza as well. The Cheese-steak's at Monti's are awesome. They are just like the one's you would get out east. They offer a 8" and 12" version. The sandwiches are a generous helping of chopped steak, their own special cheesewhiz and grilled onions. This was a table knocking-good sandwich that had me drooling for more. The food was so good that I had to give Monti (the owner) a hug on the way out. Yes folks!! This place is that good. If you love delicious, high quality bar food and haven't stopped in to see the good people at Monit's, what the hell are you waiting for? This is a dining experience that's too good to pass up. read more

A co-worker mentioned this place. I'm sure glad he did. A couple from Philly moved to Chicago and opened an authentic Philly Cheesesteak restaurant and bar. If i lived in the neighborhood, i'd be walking here frequently and see it being one of my local hangouts. The service was excellent and server was very knowledgeable he answered all our questions and we had a lot of them. The beer list is awesome. His recommendations were tasty. My brother ordered the South Side Johnny the horseradish sauce was excellent. Fries are fresh and crispy. I ordered the sampler platter, Southside Johnny, Niko the Greek and Original Authentic Philly, all of them were freaking perfect. Can't wait to go back and try more sandwiches and drink more craft beer! read more

Monti's - Sampler platter. Authentic Philly, Niko the Greek and South Side Johnny! - Cheesesteaks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

While we sat in a Lincoln Square radiology center awaiting my results, the BF and I began the usually exasperating discussion of what to eat. To my utter shock, he immediately responded with, "I could go for a cheesesteak." Gee-golly-gosh, so could I! But I figured we were out of luck unless we wanted to resort to the gritty, open-late sort of joint we were too sober to patronize. Yelp led our dubious, first-world-starved souls to Monti's, an unassuming storefront tucked away on a sleepy side street, just catty-corner from the HarvesTime market on Lawrence. The room was half-full but seemed almost hushed, aside from the furious clanking of spatulas against a flattop; we took it as a good sign since delicious food tends to shut people up. Ten minutes after ordering an original Philly each (mine with added mushrooms and peppers), we were quiet ourselves, save for a few muted "Fuck, that's good"s and grunts of concurrence. The judicious amount of house-made aged cheddar sauce melted between and bound the juicy layers of shaved ribeye, piled high on a real Amoroso's roll that managed to be simultaneously crisp, chewy, soft and durable. (As much as I love how an Italian beef disintegrates, I loved that my cheesesteak kept together; it definitely wouldn't have if Monti's got their rolls from, say, Turano or Gonnella.) And the fries were great--crunchy and a deep golden brown. Washed down with Metropolitan's citrusy Jet Stream wheat, the sole draft beer on rotation, our meal was a total success. Philly husband-and-wife duo Jennifer and James know what's up. We'll be back and spreading the word. read more

Monti's surprised me in the best way possible on a Monday afternoon lunch trip on MLK Jr day. After moving to the Lincoln Square area last May, I had heard great things about Monti's and was looking forward to giving it a try when I wanted to carb load on a delicious sandwich and fries. Luckily for me, they were offering a Groupon a few days before my visit, which was an amazing deal that I couldn't pass up! For $22 my boyfriend and I each got a beer, a 10 inch sandwich, fries, and a dessert. We arrived around 12:30 pm to a bustling lunch crowd, which I wasn't expecting given the fact that it was a Monday afternoon and it was freezing out. For some reason I pictured the atmosphere at Monti's to be more like Philly's Best in the Lakeview neighborhood where you simply walk up to a counter and order your food. Monti's, on the other hand, has an incredibly friendly waitstaff and gives off more of a bar/pub vibe than a quick lunch or dinner spot. The restaurant is incredibly cozy with comfortable booths, tables, and hightop tables which can probably seat around thirty people or so. Upon being seated, we were greeted by a male server (sadly I didn't get anyone's names) who saw that we had a groupon and walked us through the deal. We were able to choose *any* of the beers that they were offering, which was an impressive offering of craft brews for the establishment. We quickly put in our beer order as we decided which of the sandwiches to choose. Here's a breakdown of our delicious choices: 1) Authentic Philly Cheesesteak with grilled onions and aged cheddar sauce: I absolutely loved everything about this sandwich. It came out piping hot and slathered in a respectable amount of their aged cheddar sauce, all nestled into a fresh and flavorful Amoroso roll. Before placing my order I asked specifically about the cheese sauce, which the waitress told me was house made and not the "typical" cheese-whiz type sauce you can find on other Philly Cheesesteaks. This sauce was fantastic and really brought the sandwich together. I'd get this again, and again, and again. 2) South Side Johnny: sautéed mushrooms, grilled onions, swiss cheese, horseradish cream sauce: Thissandwich was also quite tasty, the mushrooms were perfectly cooked, meaning they weren't mushy or rubbery. All of the flavors came together and was nicely topped off with a slight punch from the horseradish. Again, no complaints here at all. 3) Fries: These fries seemed fresh cut and freshly prepared for our order, which gets high marks in my book. They were seasoned, but not overly salted, and were a great side to the sandwich. Dessert 1) Ice Cream Sandwich Sundae: This sundae was a throwback to my childhood and I loved every guilty bite of indulgence. It's as simple as the name lends itself to be--a chocolate ice cream sandwich topped with freshly made whipped cream, two cherries, and a generous portion of hot fudge. This could easily be split between two people, but my boyfriend and I each polished off our own. I will definitely be back to Monti's in the near future as the quality of food is fantastic, even at the non-Groupon value. The staff is incredibly friendly and the atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it a place I wouldn't mind spending a fair amount of time in. Monti's, until we meet again! read more

I recently moved to the neighborhood and have been on the lookout for good eats within walking distance. I'm SO glad I came across Monti's! It's exactly what I look for in a casual, comfortable neighborhood joint with stellar food. I may not be from Philly but I can still appreciate a great cheesesteak when I eat one and Monti's does it right. I've heard that they ship the bread in fresh daily from Philly which might help explain why those more familiar with the art of the cheesesteak tout Monti's for its authentic taste. They offer six different cheesesteak sandwiches. So far I've had the Authentic and the South Side Johnny, both of which were delicious, and I plan to try them all. Their fries are perfect with just the right amount of crispness. I've also heard great things about their pizza and wings. Monti's has killer grub, a relaxed, friendly environment and a nice beer list--you really can't go wrong! Something else to keep in mind if you live in the neighborhood: THEY DELIVER. I'm in trouble. I'll apologize in advance to my arteries. read more

My friend and I wanted to go somewhere for a drink and chose this place randomly. Great decision. The Philly cheesesteak and fries (got the mini size) that I ordered where very tasty. Some people at the table in front of us ordered dessert and it looked excellent. Very good service. I noticed the people working here were very attentive. I plan to come here again. I will also choose restaurants randomly again. I highly recommend Monti's. They have sports games on a few TVs and it seems like a chill spot. It's nice to come here to watch some games. read more

Monti's - Philly cheesesteak and half acre daisy cutter beer. - Cheesesteaks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Monti's had been on the "gotta try" list for a while. Finally got a Groupon and that was enough to get us through the door. Really wished we hadn't waited so long, but oh well. First experience was good. Our server was very helpful getting the Groupon to work on my phone. I went for the Cheesesteak Hoagie, because you know adding lettuce & tomato to a cheesesteak makes it HEALTHY! She went with the plain sandwich. Both had a nice serving steak. I thought the fries were really good. I think the ice cream sandwich sundae is brilliant. I mean what's not to like about an ice cream sandwich covered in Rediwhip & chocolate sauce? The Lemon Ice was also very good. Second trip was over the weekend, basically a repeat order except for dessert. Again, service was good, food was good. Bottled beer selection is impressive. I wish they had a bigger draft selection though, they only have 1 tap. Maybe that's all they were able to install when they moved in? I don't know, if that's the biggest complaint I have, that's pretty good. As we were getting ready to leave Saturday the server walked by with a plate of wings, which REALLY smelled good, but we were already pretty full with yummy cheesesteak goodness. Maybe next time read more

Selective-vegetarians in the hizzy reprezent! ... Right. So, I don't dig on meat unless it's in the form of a feathered friend or a friend from the sea. And even those categories have sub-categories which I won't touch (dark meat, duck, goose, pheasant, poultry sausage, pâté; crustaceans, bivalve molluscs, coleoidea, eel). If you are asking yourself what I was doing in a place like Monti's, what with my highly developed sense of food selectivity, the answer is, accompanying my favorite person on a dinner date. So what the H did I eat? Well, a plain cheese pizza, which was a three-star selection. Oh, and I had a bottomless unsweetened iced tea. I also had some fries off the aforementioned companion's plate, which were salty and good. So Beeeth, why the fourth star?? Because for me, a place like Monti's is less about the fact that I can count on one hand the things I can eat, and more about the personality that comes through in the experience. I obviously peeped the menu online before agreeing to go, and the "About Us" section has a photo of the husband and wife owners. I didn't think anything of it until after we'd been there awhile and I recognized the Mrs. talking to the people at the table next to us. I figured they were family friends, because she was very warm and gave their little girls some Tastykakes on the house. But then she came by and chatted with us - not in an annoying way, but about our appetizer (which my husband lurved) and why they prepare it the way they do. Then later she checked in and even confided which day of the week they get their Tastykakes (not telling, yo), It occurred to me that you don't have to know the owners to be treated like you know the owners. It was like she was the best kind of hostess - upbeat, wanting guests to have a good time, and really proud of her business. It was actually uplifting, if I may be so uncool. I imagine we will be back, since Mr. R. liked it so much. They have a turkey grinder (side note: can't we have a less medieval name to describe a sandwich that has merely been toasted?) that I will try sometime if I'm feeling particularly adventurous. Adventures come in all sizes, man. [It was brought to my attention that Tastykake is spelled Tastykake, not Tastycake. Who knew? -Ed.] read more

Monti's is delicious and wonderful! I actually just went to Philly this past weekend and I found that Monti's was even better than the one that I got in Philly! The cheesesteak here was overflowing with all of that delicious rib eye steak and just the right amount of cheese. The fries here are actually pretty tasty also! Street parking was pretty to easy to find also. It's a little bit pricier than I would like which is why it gets a star docked off. Otherwise Monti's is great! read more

I love that it's close to home, my husband loves that it's a Philly bar, and the ambience and service was great. The food, however, was a bit disappointing for me. I would return because it's convenient and fun, but more to drink and chill than for an awesome meal. With all the positive reviews, I was expecting better from the food. I think some of the more critical reviews were spot on. We ordered the original cheesesteak with cheddar and the one with jalapeno mayo sauce. We also tried the wings. The wings were pretty good albeit different from traditional wings. The batter was lighter, but the wings tasted almost buttery. We all liked it in our group of 8 people. The Italian ice was pretty tasty and it came free with our Yelp check in. If Monti's worked on the following, I would bump up a star or two: 1) The meat in the cheesesteak was a notch too salty. I thought maybe it was because I always find restaurant food too salty, but after we left we all agreed they could have laid off the salt. 2) Not very cheesy. My husband is from Philly and said Monti's fell flat with the cheese. He prefers the cheese whiz type cheese. I actually don't even recall tasting the cheese, although the server said it's in there. Somewhere. 3) Price. 8-inches costs $12. Eeek! I guess I wouldn't mind if I thought it was amazing, but since it was more on the average side, the price seemed steep. The bread was close to what you'd find at Pat's or Geno's but otherwise, it definitely wasn't on the same level. The service was great, everyone was very friendly. The beer selection was good and the place is clean. A nice venue to hang out in the neighborhood. I just wish the food tasted better. Then this could be a place that I would return to again and again. read more

Well, I thought I was going to love it here based on the reviews I'd read but I have to say I wasn't too impressed with the food. Before I get into the food portion of the review though I want to give kudos to the young man (well, young compared to me anyways) behind the bar when I stopped in this afternoon. He was friendly and knowledgeable and made a very good first impression on me. I see from reading the reviews here on Yelp that the owners read these reviews frequently so hopefully they'll see this and find a way to either give him a raise or at least a verbal pat on the back for being such a good front man for their company. Ok, first off I'll be the first to admit that I am not from Philly and until about a year ago I had never eaten a Philly cheesesteak. Normally I get mine from another place that specializes in them and if I could rate theirs 7 stars Yelp's scale of 1 to 5 stars I would. Out of respect for the owners of this establishment I won't mention that places name here though. I ordered a 12" authentic Philly cheesesteak (I think that was what it was named on the menu) and an order of the pretzel bites. As far as the cheesesteak goes it was a good sandwich, but not anything that I would ever go back for because I was craving it. The only seasoning I could taste in it was a fairly heavy salty flavor. As far as the pretzel bites go they were good and came with 2 dipping sauces one was a cheese dip and the other was a Dijon mustard (or something pretty similar). I wasn't a fan of the cheese one but the mustard was a nice complement to the pretzel bites and I'm glad it was included or I would have been disappointed. You might think from reading my review that I won't be going back here. Actually I do plan at some point on going back and trying some other items on the menu since they have so many other things that sound really good. After I try Monti's again and try some other options who knows maybe I'll update my review and bump up the rating a star or two. While I may not be a fan of their Philly cheesesteaks it's entirely possible that some of those other items on the menu may be enough to turn me into a regular here. My 3 star review is obviously lower than most peoples reviews so go ahead and stop in and try Monti's. The odds are you'll probably enjoy it a lot more than I did. I believe their cheesesteaks probably are as good as everybody says, but for me personally they just fell short of what I prefer mine to taste like. Oh well, no restaurant can please every single diners taste preferences so I guess I'm the exception to the rule here. P.S. I love the oldies music they play here. I don't know if it's the regular type of music that plays here, but if so that's another good reason for me to back and try a couple more things and have a couple drinks. read more

Being from Philly, I grew up knowing authentic cheesesteaks and I can certainly tell the difference between an authentic and a "not so authentic". Monti's does a great job on their cheesesteaks. Excellent quality meat, bread is just like I am used to back home and the service was pretty good. Waiter was a tad bit slow but it isn't anything to be scared off about. The one thing that takes the 5th star away is the amount of cheese on the sandwhich. 6 slices of cheese was supposed to go on the steak but I didn't see nor taste it. There was certainly cheese on there, just not 6 slices. I alerted my waiter to get some more cheese on it and they were tentative in doing so. Very polite about it and got it taken care of for me. Another thing, the price! I am used to paying $8.50 for a cheese "wit" onions but it is a tad bit more expensive here. 3 people dining in was about $55 so it's a bit high up there in price. But remember kids, you get what you paid for and I feel I did get my money's worth. All in all, this place earns 4.5/5 stars. If there was a bit more cheese and if the price was less expensive, good 5 star restaurant. Ambiance is excellent, everyone seems nice and I was very happy with my dining experience. I will certainly recommend this restaurant to anyone, whether you know cheesesteaks like I do, or not. Oh, and remember... NO KETCHUP on your cheesesteaks! It's illegal.. well.. it should be. read more

I had been meaning to try this place for a while and finally got the chance to go with a friend a few weeks ago. We started off with the pretzel nuggets, which were probably as good as pretzel nuggets can be but nothing special. The most disappointing thing during our visit was surely the cheese sauce. It was awful and very off putting (my friend, a chef, agreed). I don't usually have a problem with cheese sauce (Portillo's is great), but this one was a huge let down, especially from a Philly place! Maybe it was just an off day based on some of the other reviews... My sandwich was very good, and luckily I decided to get it with white cheddar. The bottom portion of the sandwich, where the cheese was, was delicious and moist, while the top portion was very dry. Perhaps they could add another piece of cheese on top to combat the dryness. The fries were good, the service was friendly, and the decor, atmosphere, and music were all great. Despite the dryness issue, this was one of the better Phillys I've had in Chicago, and I will go back if I'm in the area again. read more

Food: 2 Authentic 12inch philly. One with cheese sauce one with provolone. Bread is good, has a nice crunch. Meat is lackluster. Most Def been sitting in the freezer for too long. Lacked seasoning, onions were sparse. Cheese sauce helps since the meat is so dry. Provolone was salty and didn't even melt down. Staff is super friendly and the beer selection is good. TLDR: I'd rather eat at great steak read more

Can't say enough good things about this place. Came here for a date night this past Saturday. We were seated right away, and our waitress was quick to take our food and drink orders. The food here comes so fast! We were starving and had our sandwiches in less than 10 minutes, outstanding. The food here is always super fresh, hot and absolutely delicious. It doesn't hurt that they have a killer beer selection on top of it. I seriously love Monti's and it's one of the few reason's I'm sad I'll be moving out of the area soon. If you're thinking about trying this place, stop thinking and just go...like, NOW! You won't regret it, trust me! read more

My husband and I came here for 2 Philly cheese steaks for lunch and they were good. Nothing exciting, not super flavorful and a little pricey for what we got. I had heard such great things for YEARS being a local in the neighborhood, so perhaps we will give another try. read more

I never thought I would be able to find a place that makes a better cheesesteak than Delco's in FL. Well, I have. And unlike Delco's, they serve Zombie Dust! You have a new fan :-) read more

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Not a better representation of a Philly steak in Chicago! Love this spot for lunch, I usually stop by at least once a month. Super friendly owners make this place even better. They always have good local brews too, but only one on tap at a time. read more

Stopped in with no knowledge of this place! Groupon purchase urged us to go. Surely glad we did as the experience was delicious! This funky neighborhood joint was cozy and friendly! The Philly Cheesesteak sammich was awesome and yes will bring us back for more! read more

Monti's - Nice craft beer/cider selection! - Cheesesteaks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

My Dad is born and raised in Allentown, PA and his family still lives there. So needless to say, I've had more cheesesteaks than I can remember. For what it's worth, Tony Luke's has always been at the top of my list. But then...the cheesesteak gods themselves, came down from their savory heavens to put Monti's in Chicago. Until now, finding a truly great cheesesteak in The Chi was basically impossible. Monti's bucks that trend in the best way. They use hoagie rolls imported from Philly (yes...that makes a huge difference), a wickedly-awesome cheddar cheese sauce that puts cheese-whiz to shame and just plain, good rib eye steak. It's very, very good. Add in great apps (get the pretzel bites and you can thank me later), a solid beer list with a ton of microbrews, and FREAKING Tastykakes for dessert and you can see why this place is getting the coveted 5 star review. Do yourself a favor and check this place out. read more

Simply put the best hoagie I have ever had (makes me want to take a trip to Philly and try their's). For one they have good drink specials ($1 shots of fireballs and $5 martini on Fridays). For two they have a great staff here. For my food I had fries with bacon, garlic, cheese, and jalapeño (which were simply top of the line great) and I went with the cheesesteak sampler. That is when you choose 3 5'hoagies out of about 8 different types (also tried their roasted porn loin sandwich). Everything here is excellent and on point and must try. The way I would rank them in order is: cheesesteak hoagie, rocky (very very spicy but good), south side Johnny, and roasted pork loin. Overall this place is a must when you are/live in Chicago. Oh by the way they do give you free Italian water ice when you check in on Yelp and yes that's good too. read more

Being originally an east coast girl, I am soooo pleased to have come across this spot!! I called ahead to order, then stopped in to pick up the sammy's and there were just a few people there. What a cute little place that you'd never expect to be there....or to be any good! Can't wait to go in sometime to have drinks and cheesesteaks....and try the wings that everyone is raving about. But the cheesesteaks are absolutely delicious. We tried the cheesesteak sampler with the authentic philly, south side johnny and pizza steak. All were absolutely fabulous! My fave was the authentic philly. My honey's fave was the SSJ. We went so hard on those subs, it was ridiculous! How nice to bring a little Philly back into my life right when I need it. read more

Great place with great food. I am from SE Pennsylvania and Monti's is spot on. All they're missing is a Temple U pennant :-) The steak was incredible and the fries with celery salt were a real treat. read more

I was creepin on yelp one night for all things cheesesteak related when I stumbled upon Monti's. Can I say how absolutely THRILLED I was to discover that there was a new cheesesteak place so close by to where I live? I went in the very next day because I'm pretty much cheesesteak obsessed. Monti's did not disappoint. There was no one in the restaurant at the time but I did not see this as a bad sign as the place had just opened for business maybe 2 weeks beforehand. (Yes, I've been procrastinating writing a review...better late than never I suppose) I felt immediately welcome. The girl behind the bar went over the menu with me and while I sat waiting for my take-out order they offered me water. I thought that was a really nice touch. I chatted with both her and the owner and they were both incredibly friendly and nice to talk to. The owner told me they have the rolls flown in twice a week from Philly. This got me pretty excited...hey, it's the little things/thrills in life. I've been to Philly and have been searching ever since for a cheesesteak as equally delicious as the ones I put in my mouth hole when I was there. I was happy to hear they deliver too. Yaaay! Food was excellent. I got the authentic philly cheesesteak with the aged cheddar sauce and pretzel bites. You can't really screw up pretzel bites (or can you?) but the sandwich was DELICIOUS. Oh NOM NOM NOM (Yeah, I said it. Deal with it) Only reason I haven't returned yet is I've been too busy. This is no good excuse but it's the only one I have. Trust me, it's not from crap food or service. I am a fan. Now I'm hungry after writing this. Maybe I need to return today.... Thank you Monti's for gracing our hood with your presence! read more

Came here with my husband a few days ago. Service was AMAZING..very nice young lady, and very helpful and sincere. We ordered the coconut shrimp chicken for an appetizer, so good! I had Authentic Philly Steak with provolone cheese and my husband had the South something steak. Loved it! :) We'll be back! :) read more

I usually use Talman Avenue on the way to my office nearby and have always wanted to grab a bite there. I am not the type to enjoy a meal solo so I went there with my fiancée last week to sample their much talked about and reviewed meals. There's street parking and we were able to find a lot soon enough, within a short distance. We had been to Philly a year back and decided to go with the imported the Amoroso rolls from Philly while I settled for the Cheesesteak Hoagie with a few veggies. It tasted so good and the best part of it is that you can't tell the difference between an original one in Philly and Monti's. My fiancée loved her rolls and we split a Rocky which was spicy and worth every bite. The prices are reasonable and the service exceptional. We will be going back soon. read more

I needed to find a new place to indulge my family's love of Philly Cheesesteaks. I'm a Philly native, so I have some expectations to fulfill. I found Monti's on Yelp and our visit a few days ago was great. We all got cheesesteaks. The meat was neither too greasy nor too dry and there was plenty of it. Also, plenty of mushrooms, onions and cheese on all our sandwiches. I ordered the South Side Johnny with horseradish sauce on the side, which was perfect. The fries, which came with the sandwiches, were tasty. Overall, a great value! Monti's is our new favorite cheesesteak place. I just wish they were closer to Evanston. read more

Hidden on a side street and totally unexpected bar. Very friendly staff and I wanted to do take out as my mom try a philly cheese steak. I ordered a philly cheese steak, a chicken cheese sandwich, and a tastykake. Well I wish I didn;t order a tastykake and should have asked what is was before ordering it. Well, it was a version of hostess cakes philly style. It was too process for me so i threw it away. Both subs are really good and tasty and I just wish it was little cheaper, it was a lot of food but a little price for. read more

For anyone that loves Philly Cheesesteak sandwiches... this is the BEST place in Chicago. I went with a couple of people and they were already talking about going there to eat again next weekend. Im usually not a fan of Philly Cheesesteak... however I got the 'Rocky' and it was unbelievable and extremely spicy - which I love... so be prepared! For appetizers we got the pretzel nuggets... which were soo addicting.. I couldn't stop eating them! Service was also great... I will definitely be coming back here soon! read more

Monti's - Pretzel nuggets - Cheesesteaks Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

A friend recommended this place to me because he knows I love philly cheesesteaks. I came with my girlfriend on a Saturday night and to our surprise, it was empty. We got seated and immediately decided to get the Cheesesteak Sampler Platter which gave us an option to try 3 mini versions of the cheesesteaks. We chose the Rocky, Authentic Philly Cheesesteak and the South Side Johnny. Our favorite was the Rocky but honestly, they were all good. I can't wait to come back to try the rest of the options. We checked in on yelp and got a free rainbow italian ice. I liked it, but my gf thought it was too sweet. I liked the different types of ketchup on the table, especially the spicy one. read more

I'm not a cheese steak expert by any means. I've never been to Philly but would definitely love to go and try all of the cheese steak joints. My only previous experience with cheese steaks were at the Hoagie Hut up in Highwood (Now closed) and Phillys Best, a fast food joint that doesn't specialize in the cheese steak. Monti's, on the other hand, does. And they do it fantastically well!!!! I like the coziness of this place, has a very good vibe with the exposed brick walls and high ceilings. My buddy and I each got the biggest size sandwich and split them. We went with the original and the Rocky. I am glad I dug into the original first because it was delicious but also bc the Rocky had some serious heat to it!! I LOVE spicy, but even for me I took a couple deep breaths and long sips of iced tea in between bites. I'd go with 4.5 stars for Monti's. Not 5 stars bc it's just a tad bit pricey. 34 bucks for two large cheesesteaks, two fries and two drinks. Eh, I'll still be back whenever I'm in the area!!!! It was delicious! read more

Great Chicago take on a Philly joint. Thought the sandwich could use a bit more cheese though... South Philly born and raised.

The food was good and I really have no complaints about that. A $9 Allagash White? That is crazy. I actually left a little upset about this... I can get over their weak beer selection but I feel pretty ripped off. A previous reviewer felt they paid too much for their Daisy Cutter and I think he paid 6 bucks. If you just want a tasty meal I recommend this place. If you want to pair it with a good beer then go elsewhere. Also, ask for the price of the beer before you order it. They seem to vary in price quite a bit. EDIT: Thanks for the response, Jennifer. I look forward to coming back. I'm glad you are taking the feedback seriously and I'd be happy to raise the review up to 5 stars. :) Glad to have you guys in our 'hood! read more

Live a few blocks away and we've been to Monti's about 5 times now. Every time we come in, we are never disappointed! The fiancé loves the buffalo wings, with ranch so we always get those as our app. I like to try new beers so instead of just picking one, I always discuss with the waitress what I like to drink & she always picks out a winner Craft beer for me. Last night she picked a good one for me, and my fiancé loved the blueberry/was it Peach Cider? Love the philly steaks....delicious! you get a good amount of fries too! if you're in the area, stop on in....you won't be disappointed! read more