We decided to go here for Restaurant Week and were very impressed with the food! Great menu, fantastic drink/draft list that left us very, very satisfied. We are most definitely planning on going back to give everything else on the menu a shot! Great service, great food, the owner even came by to ask how everything was. Very nice staff! read more

Have been here about a half dozen times and think it's a great hidden gem in Lincoln Park, especially for people who care about food and drinks. First off, the bartenders are fantastic! They know their stuff, give great recommendations and make the place feel welcoming. The food is very inventive and original, and it's a scratch kitchen. Most of the food is excellent, I've had a few things that were so-so and one dish that was not good (gnocchi), but overall the food is way above par. If you're looking for some of the best beer in the city, from a knowledgeable staff, in an unpretentious environment, Monkey's Paw is the spot! read more

Best tasting ketchup ever! Love the outdoor seating. The waiters are very good at their jobs.

Good food & I like the Wed 1/2 price bottles of wine. Service is attentive. Desserts are homemade and very good.

My girlfriend and I were wanting a late lunch on a Sunday so we stopped in to get something to eat. After being seated and ordering a drink, the waiter then told us that they were out of most of the items on the menu. He explained that they try to sell out of everything at brunch. The menu was not very large to begin with, so it left us with limited options. We would have excused ourselves to go somewhere else, but as we had already ordered a drink (before being told about the food shortage) we felt compelled to stay. I understand a restaurant wanting to sell through their inventory on a weekend, but I wish we would have known this before we were seated. Also, its a restaurant, I don't think that running out of food is excusable, but that's my opinion. We both found something on the menu to eat. I had the last hamburger they had (the waiter told me that) and she had a breakfast plate. The food arrived quickly and was pretty good. My only complaints about the food are: My burger was greasy to the point of soaking the bun, and the katsup they had was either homemade, or organic or something, but it didn't taste like katsup really. The atmosphere was quiet for a sunday afternoon. They were showing a few different NFL games at the bar, but it didn't feel like a sports bar. Overall this place was nice and the service was good, I just wish they had a bigger menu and more of it had been available. read more

in the hood and the food is really good and the drinks are good. I like the waitstaff and sitting at the bar. It is a very nice place and very good all around. make sure you get the flatbread that is always excellent read more

BEST PAN SEARED DUCK! I was absolutely blown away. They have great beer, and their food is amazing. It's great for groups big and small. Admittedly, I've only had pan seared duck twice. The Monkey's Paw duck towered over the John Hancock's Signature Room's duck in taste, which is ironic because MP is 94 flights lower than the SR. You will not be disappointed. Although, you may be disappointed, because I fear that this was a fall seasonal dish. read more

The décor and ambiance are great. However, the service and food were not. Service was slow every step of the way. We waited forever just to be greeted by the waiter and it was not busy. We had a bottle of wine, which he never once poured for us. The burger I ordered was very well done (I requested "medium") and small. Finally, when I made the reservation, I said that we were celebrating a birthday. When we were there, I said it again when I asked for the dessert menu. Still, we got nothing; no candle or any recognition of the birthday. We wouldn't go back. read more

The ambiance and lighting at the monkey's paw was wonderful. We sat at the bar and were quickly welcomed with menus. My friend and I ordered wine and cheese-- both delicious. As a beet lover, I was drawn to the beer salad. The beets themselves was honestly too salty for me, and I like salt. The greens, beets, and dressing just did not mesh well together. Overall: great service and wine, but the food was average. read more

This is a neighborhood gem. It is cozy, with delicious local food, and great service! They have daily flatbread and soup choices, as well as a seasonal menu featuring farm-to-table affair. read more

This place rocks so happy it's in the neighborhood! read more

The Monkey's Paw - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We stumbled onto this place after reading some reviews on Yelp. It's a little bit of a walk, but the place is awesome. It definitely has a unique menu, a nice pub atmosphere, and the poutine is to die for. One of our go-to places now. read more

It was weird because it was open but the kitchen wasn't so we went in and had to wait to even place an order. The mac and cheese was sub par and everything was so pricey. I got a few small plates and spent 40 just for myself before the tip and wasnt anywhere near full read more

I've eaten a lot of chickens in the last 37 years...the smoked chicken from monkey's paw was the tastiest bird I've ever eaten. Great laid back service and their library was fun to relax in. Great beer menu although I would like to choose from a couple more Belgium strong ales. To top it off, the cherry desert was awesome. read more

After having just written one of my many medical licensing exams I wanted to go out and celebrate somewhere with good whiskey, the Monkey's Paw came up as an option on google. The whiskey was brilliant and the choices were almost endless. A great selection of single malt whiskey, which seemed like I was playing on a playground looking at all my options. Can I suggest Balvenie. one of the three whiskeys I had on my flight Speyside #2. It was sweet like a dark honey, with some spice notes like cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla. There was virtually no smokiness and it had a very pleasant mineral like finish. I will certainly be hunting for that at my liquor store and I have the Monkey's Paw to thank for introducing the two of us. I ordered a few cheeses to start, and while I can't remember their names ithe portion were fair for the price with a nice golden raisin compote with some nice sharp vinegar notes. The main I had was a crispy pork belly. Being such a fan of pork belly I went against my Canadian instinct to order poutine and opted for the pig. It was a good dish, although in my mind I had imagined something wonderful. The dijon spetzle was fantastic, with some sharp mustard coming out. Melted leeks on top of the pork were wonderful, sweet and tangy although they were served cold (not sure if that was the intension). The belly was good, perhaps a touch overcooked as it was a little dry. For a cut of meat with so much fat that was disappointing. It was served with a strawberry balsamic sauce, which seemed a little flat on flavor, as I know balsamic reductions to be very punchy. And for some reason, I still can't figure out why, there were 4 strawberry halves on the plate. I tried to incorporate them into the dish but my palate could not find a place for them. It wasn't tasty when I ate the strawberry with everything on the plate, or in-between bites as a sort of palate cleanser, or even with only the pork belly. Also one of the strawberries was white and green, not even close to ripe missing any hint of pink or red to suggest it should be served. Needless to say I left the strawberries resting on the corners of my plate when I finished. All in all the whiskey was phenomenal and worth a trip to this restaurant, the cheese was very good and the crispy pork was good but missed the mark in a few regards. Maybe next time I'll try the poutine... read more

Everything on menu is A1! The cheesecake was the best dessert I have ever ordered from a restaurant. Also tried the Sweet potato and orange zest soup.... very satisfying and refreshing. read more

Loved the whiskey flights. The food was nothing special. Mac and cheese and cheese plate. The panzela salad was weird. But great spot to get a table for a group. Overall solid restaurant. read more

After hearing about their biscuits, we tried Monkeys Paw for brunch on their large patio. Sad they open at 11am on Sunday's as we like early brunch, but it was worth the wait. The biscuits were huge, buttery & flaky served with homemade peach jam. So awesome! I had their BLT & E sand which with smoked bacon, cheese, avocado, egg and fried green tomato on sourdough. Best breakfast sandwich I've had in years! My husband loved his biscuits & gravy stuffed with pimento cheese & served with scrambled eggs for $9. Great hidden gem! We can't wait to try for dinner. read more

I really wanted to love this place. Love the name and love the space....though it could probably do without the televisions.... I also love the idea of the their beer, wine and whiskey flights. I think there were about 5-8 different flights of each. Also the food descriptions looked very appetizing. I only tried their house poutine with duck. The duck was way too salty, so unfortunately I didn't particularly enjoy the poutine that much. Where I'm most disappointed though, is in their cocktails, or rather lack thereof. It's supposed to be a whiskey centric bar, so I was expecting an awesome and extensive whiskey list along with an awesome whiskey based cocktail menu. I really really hope that they are developing a more extensive and better cocktail menu since the space is crying out for it. We went the 5th day of their opening and there were only four cocktails on the menu. I got their whiskey paw paw cocktail and another friend got the vodka cocktail with St. Germaine. We were very disappointed with them so we decided to quickly down them and walk over to Barrelhouse to enjoy much much better cocktails for a slightly lower price when you account for Barrelhouse including the tax in the price of their cocktails. So sorry monkey's paw, I really don't see myself returning until you have a better cocktail menu....=( I might return to try more of the food but yeah..... read more

The Monkey's Paw - Gastropubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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The look of this place is cool, although we sat outside because we went when it was still warm out. We ordered the whitefish spread, which was good, but not fantastic and very salty. We also ordered the charcuterie, which was also not super impressive, but good. We then shared the burger and poutinized the fries... what is it with everyone and their mother putting poutine on the menu when they have obviously never been to Quebec? Or maybe they have and their memory is not that clear? I grew up in Montreal and went to college there, so I am intimitaly familiar with good poutine, which this was not. It was virtually inedible because of the saltiness of the gravy that it was topped with. I can't even recal what the burger tasted like because my tastebuds were so destroyed by the salty gravy. On a positive note, we told our waiter about it and it was kindly comped. Also, the beers we ordered were good. Also, people we know say this place deserves a second chance, but I'm reluctant since they did me so wrong on the poutine... read more

The food was solid and the drinks were good. Overall, this is a good spot for the neighborhood.

We happened upon this place on Monday Labor Day and had a lovely dinner. We sat at the bar and enjoyed great service. The bar is really spectacular in terms of its look and selection of beer on tap, wine and cocktails. The menu is upscale - more than your standard bar food. We ordered the scallops and fish and chips and both meals were delicious. I noticed a couple dining next to us ordered lobster mac and a salad to split and it looked like more than enough food and might be a great way to go next time. All and all a great addition to the neighborhood for somewhat upscale pub dining. I couldnt quite push to 5 stars because the menu was limited particularly to vegetarian options. read more

The atmosphere alone is a reason to go back! Such an awesome place for drinks and apps. The food is good...I personally loved the burger. Favorite part was the wine flights. And completely reasonable on top of it all. Great for date nights, girls nights, guys nights, whatever the excuse may be. I would definitely go back...and am looking forward to doing so! read more

this place is great!!! My only gripe is that I wish I lived closer... WEnt with a friend, sat at the bar and had a great vino verde, not often found on the menu. We split the chicken lollipops and shrimp to start. THe lollipops were great, not at all dry (like every other satay/lollipop I've had), these were moist, the tandoori seasoning was perfect. Sauce was great, as was slaw, might like a little more of both, only because they were both so good! Shrimp were good, well cooked, the cocktail sauce was fresh and homemade and tasty! we then ordere the poutine and a chopped salad to share. Was so good. Poutine is sinful and a must order!! On another trip we had Brussels sprouts and those were killer too! read more

Great place!! Cool vibe, very welcoming, great looking, great selection of whiskey's and excellent service. Staff was terrific (especially Andy) and really knew what they were talking about. Enjoyed the bourbon flight (loved the presentation), followed by the cask-aged old fashioned, which was delicious. Didn't try the food, so can't give it a complete review. Definitely looking forward to going back. read more

Great selection of beer, bourbon and whiskey. Very good food as well. Recommend it!

Amazing food and a great atmosphere for a double date or dinner with friends. They also have a decent craft beer selection. Get there was early or make reservations though since the place is on the small side. read more

Love this place! We use it for our book club meetings since you can get lots of mimosa for a good price. The food is good- atmosphere is neat. read more

I ventured to Monkey's Paw for brunch. Reflecting upon my experience, I keep coming up with "eh." Meaning it was ok in all aspects. Service was slow, and food was mediocre. Monkeys Paw has very quiet vibe and nice patio. I'd recommend going there for a drink, to catch up with a friend, or even work on a laptop. Chill neighborhood vibe about the place. read more

Went for Mother's Day brunch. The menu had a good variety. The Bloody Marys were really spicy. I asked for some tomato juice so I could cut the spice a bit. She brought me a small glass of additional Bloody Mary, spicy mix. My son and I got our food first and my husband's arrived about 7 minutes later. When my husband's food arrived, the waitress said she had made a mistake and she had given me my husband's order. With that, she picked up my plate, after I had already taken three bites out of the sandwich, and placed it in front of my husband. She then gave me my correct sandwich. So.....she assumed my husband was okay having a plate of food that was already half eaten! Wow! We were really put off after that. Clearly the service here left a lot to be desired! The food was just okay. read more

Great food. Great service. An awesome neighborhood place. With really top notch food. The meatballs were amazing.

Food is average but very over priced for what it is. Their beer is decent . This place just really did not do it for me

My new favorite neighborhood spot! i had poutine last year in Vancouver and been trying to find it ever since! They have an amazing poutine!! Wine list is amazing! read more

Great craft beer selection and flights of wine/scotch. Food is also solid and the Charcuterie/cheese plate is fantastic. The mac n' cheese was ok, but the pork belly was great. read more

Great atmosphere and nice selection of bourbon. Appetizers were great and staff was very friendly and professional. Would definitely come back again. read more

Really impressed by the quality of the food! Everything tasted even better than it looked. Really, every bite I was impressed all over again. We sat outside, which was nice-- inside looked really cool too. Big place, didn't seem like it gets too crowded. Will definitely come back! read more

I love the warm and comfortable atmosphere here. They also have an unexpected food menu and great beer list. The burger is phenomenal! It has balsamic vinegar on it which adds a great dimension to the beef and bacon. Salivating just thinking about it! Go get it! read more

Went here for my birthday and had a horrible Sunday brunch. Over cooked burger - medium rare came out well done, the bartender never checked to see how the food was which leads me to the horrible service we received. Bad food, bad service and overpriced. Won't be returning. read more

My girlfriend and I came here for Sunday brunch and it was really good. Monkey's paw has a nice out door seating area opt for that if the weather is nice. The place was not busy and had a decent beer selection. The cocktails were excellent, I got the Smokey Maple Manhattan, and the spicy Bloody Mary both very good. For my meal I got the Chicken & Biscuit Sandwich and my gf got the veggie omelette. The potatoes were good. I thought there was too much cheese and onions on my sandwich, so much so I couldn't even taste the chicken. My girlfriend enjoyed her omelette. Overall I would recommend giving the place a try and I will be back read more

Cute place with a cozy yet classy interior. Wine flights and cheese plate were great. Didn't have dinner, but the menu looked like it has a few promising options on it. read more