Great spot. Large beer selection and a great menu suitable for all diets. We made a reservation for 6 earlier in the week - definitely recommend reserving as there aren't a ton of tables. Our waitress was super helpful with our questions. We got 4 different beers which were all yummy. Make sure you pay attention to both the service size and price of beers as they very a lot! The food was also excellent. I got the jackfruit sandwich and it was fantastic - generous portion and great texture. We also got the fried chicken sandwich, lamb burger, steak frites, and plenty of garlic fries and brussels sprouts. The brussel sprouts and garlic fries are MUST tries. So flavorful and crispy! Drinks and food came out fairly quickly. Overall great vibes and service. read more

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Jesse was a huge help in suggesting substitutions for my dad and I's order. The ambience is cozy and inviting. The taste of the food was satisfying and will definitely come back. Open until 11 PM. I highly recommend. read more

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I have been going here for 16 years, I can't believe I never left a review until now! The Monk's Kettle is one of the great tried and true restaurants in San Francisco. It has weathered so many ups and downs in the city. Service is friendly and always attentive and helpful, food is delicious. (I did order the fried chicken recently and while it was very tasty, the portion was a bit small.) Hoping for continued success for this fabulous spot. read more

This is a review of the staff, not the bar or drinks - The bar is beautiful, location great and the beer selection is fun, tons of beers I'd never heard of. Only a handful of people were in the restaurant when we went, all tables empty , and the bartender treated our group as if we were wasting their time. It's difficult to appreciate the stacked beer and drinks menu with this kind of vibe. I can understand the bartender or owner's frustration at having an empty bar at 10pm on Saturday night. I don't think this will help and will not be recommending this bar. read more

The Monk's Kettle - Taken to remember where not to return - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

We came later in the evening and were seated right away. It wasn't busy at this time on a Wednesday night. Vax cards were checked upon walking in. We got a pretzel, lamb burger, garlic Parmesan fries, and a salmon Niçoise salad. Everything was delicious and very filling. Service was fairly quick. I loved the pretzel with the beer cheese and grain mustard. The lamb burger was juicy, flavorful, and well balanced. I didn't try much of the salad because I was so full but it tasted fresh and cooked well. It's been way pre-covid since I was at Monk's kettle last but I'd still come back again. read more

The Monk's Kettle - Lamb Burger with Garlic & Parmesan Fries - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Great addition to Rockridge. We went early on a Sunday evening and were able to get a table on the lovely back patio. Highly recommend the mushroom toast, I'll be returning for that. Also, of course, a great beer selection. Seems as if they were filling up, so plan ahead if you're going at a popular day/time. read more

Food was amazing such a great staff. We split the Lamb Burger and Monk's Burger both had their own unique flavors which complemented them in their own way. The ambiance is always warm and welcoming. I would definitely recommend this place if you're in the neighborhood. Huge shout out to Lomo for always taking care of us and making us feel like family. read more

The Monk's Kettle - Lamb Burger (front) Monk's Burger (rear) - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is OK. I'd say everything I had was just fine but nothing here particularly impressed me. I did appreciate the fact that it seemed their mustard, ketchup, cheese sauce, and pickles all taste homemade. Roasted Mackerel Sandwich - The mackerel was cooked well with the slight charcoal flavor on the outside and homemade pickles. Very light and ok overall. Pretzel with mustard and cheese sauce - The singular piece of pretzel is about the size of your fist and is enough for like 4 bites. It tastes fine especially alongside the homemade condiments but nothing to write home about. read more

The Monk's Kettle - Roasted Mackerel Sandwich - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Amazing! So thrilled MK has moved to the East Bay. Just went there and it did not disappoint. The Nicoise Salad is everything you need. The fries are perfection. The pretzels roll with beer cheese is a must for starting any meal! The atmosphere and service is perfect for a Saturday night out with the family (friends, or a date)-everyone was happy, comfortable, and well fed. read more

Amazing selection of beers to choose from and the food was great too. The fried Brussels were crisp and cheesy and were perfect for snacking with a light beer. Ask for a recommendation and try something new or stick to an old favourite. This place is great for a casual date night or sharing with a group of friends! read more

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Monks Kettle is one of the VERY few places with knowledgeable employees and good service. I also really appreciate that they have a great wine selection along with their beers as I can't have gluten but wanna hang out too! My friends all raved about the food. Thanks for coming to College Ave! read more

My girlfriends and I ducked into this spot for some drinks and light bites and it didn't disappoint. The vibe is really chill, the staff is friendly and efficient, and the food is solid. We aren't beer drinkers, but they did have a small selection of nice wines. read more

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Downgrading to 3 stars. Unfortunately, the value simply doesn't justify the cost. Upon returning, I tried the Mission Fried Chicken. Looking at older photos, it seems like this dish used to come with three chicken thighs. The current version only comes with two (and they were both on the small side). Overall, the portion was much smaller than its $23 price would suggest. It is fried chicken, after all. I also didn't like that they charged $1 for a side of ranch, which they didn't warn about ahead of time, and a "safety & benefits" charge for an additional $2.50. So, $27 in for a dish that was just ok. The chicken itself wasn't bad. It just wasn't worth anywhere near $27. I think this will be my last visit to Monk's Kettle, at least for food. The beer, on the other hand, is great. read more

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Fantastic addition to College Avenue. TMK has a great selection of beers on tap--a perfect mix of local craft brews and tasty imports. Excellent snacks, salads, and entrees, too, with fast & friendly service. Nice to see their impressive wooden bar shelves relocated from SF to Oakland! Looking forward to checking out their new patio as well. read more

I only ordered a beer and an appetizer here, so most of this review is focused on the service and ambiance. I came in on a Monday with a running group of twelve people, and the staff were kind enough to let us group some of the outdoor tables together. The server started all of us off with glasses of water and then took our orders. She had a great sense of humor and brought our apps and drinks within a few minutes. We ordered some stouts, amber ales, and a few other beers. They all came in different sized glasses, so it was neat to see the aesthetic of our beers in different shapes and colors. I got an order of brussel sprouts, and it was delicious that even a non-vegetable lover would like them. They were well done (or rather well crisped) and nicely coated with a sweet glaze. The Monk's Kettle made for a nice place for beers and appetizers on a Monday evening. read more

The Monk's Kettle - Draft Menu - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

We enjoyed a very pleasant meal at this brewpub on a cool Friday night. Like everywhere in SF they are taking Covid very seriously with health screening, gloved and masked servers, and even sanitizer on the table. Our table for three was just along the side of the building and out of the breeze (with a cozy heat lamp above us to take the chill off. We started with a couple of the fresh baked pretzel knots with cheese sauce and some glasses of wine and beer before moving on to the crispy and very tasty chicken sandwiches. We also got some garlic fries (not too garlicky) that came with a tangy artisan ketchup. The fried berry pie for dessert was the only disappointment as it was quite greasy. Service was good and the food arrived quite quickly-we had time to spare on our 90 minute reservation slot. read more

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After months of wanting to try this place, I finally had the chance to visit. I had a friend visiting from Kentucky and suggested we try this restaurant and bar. We walked in today on a rainy day, and the place was pretty empty. Some people sitting at the bar, and a party of two sitting in the restaurant side. The sign stated to 'wait for the host to be seated' and for 5 minutes without acknowledgement, even with the short lady bartender making eye-contact with us, and us being the only two people waiting to be seated-- the same short bartender lady finally then says 'hi' and we ask if we can 'dine-in'. She then said, 'sure, take a seat near the window' in which we thought was the booth near the window. She then raised her voice and stated 'NO, THAT OTHER TABLE' (and I am not being dramatic either, she literally raised her voice at us). Both my friend who is visiting from Kentucky and I are both Managers in the Restaurant industry- and we both just looked at each other in disbelief after this lady spoke to us in the way that she did. We discussed whether or not we still wanted to dine-in... we decided, absolutely not. I am very disappointed in the unprofessionalism demonstrated by this lady bartender, the unwelcoming attitude, and this overall experience. With the many selection of restaurants and bars cascaded throughout our beautiful city, the last thing a customer deserves is to feel unwelcome and to be spoken to in a rude way. The bartender needs to check her attitude because it really is not acceptable and a shame. First impressions are everything, especially in our industry. read more

Ordered from here as I was craving a fried chicken sandwich. Ordered: Fried chicken sandwich- Honestly very good, the fried chicken was super moist and the vegetables were good, and it was overall a pretty sizable sandwich. I did wish for a little more pickles or sauce, but overall was a solid sandwich! read more

The Monk's Kettle - Fried Chicken Sandwich - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

During the pandemic, a lot of us got pretty good at cooking. For me, I got pretty good at cooking burgers and steaks. As a result, I tend to only order these things at restaurants that are particularly good cooking them. Came down here to get one of the best burgers in SF as my partner was out of town and I didn't feel like cooking. I'm not going to lie, this burger left a lot to be desired. The patty was dry, under seasoned and over cooked. The bun was stiff and dry. The cheese was not melted. None of the toppings made up for the shortcomings in the other departments. For $19 (without sides), and a reputation to live up to, I was disappointed. The saving grace is that this place still has a killer tap list and that alone is a reason to come here. read more

One of my favorite tap rooms in SF! I ended up coming here twice. Once on a Wednesday at 2pm and once on a Saturday at 4:45pm. Both were different due to the amount of people there on the weekend, but this is still a fairly cozy environment that you can have a conservation in. Their beer selection is bar none in San Francisco. Youll be hard pressed to find a a selection on tap within the mission district (or any neighborhood really) that has a comparable tap selection. Sure theres other places serving special kettle sours or imported german beers, but not all under one roof! While I wasn't planning on ordering food here, I was enticed by some of their offerings. The Scotch eggs had quite the middle eastern flare with the lamb merguez. These are small, but they pack a punch! Definitely worth getting. The meat and cheese board is fantastic! All the sauces and pickles are house made. The pretzel knot was malty and fluffy. The meats and cheeses themselves are excellent. The candied walnuts were delightfully crusted in brown sugar. Eat slow and enjoy your beer with it. read more

We came by after an event in the City, solely based on Yelp reviews. We ended up waiting for about 30 min as they were slammed and only had a bartender, two servers, and two kitchen staff best as I could tell. We watched the plates come out as we were waiting and everything looked great. We were seated by a friendly server/bartender. We had already decided what we wanted based on what we saw coming out of the kitchen: fried Brussels, pretzel rolls, wings, Mac n cheese, just for starters, then a hot fried chicken sandwich, burger, and steak frites. Everything was so good! The Brussels had a sweet glaze, the wings had a Cajun spice, the Mac was rich... get them picture? Did I mention the service was excellent, even tho they were slammed? Two thumbs up for sure read more

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Came here over the weekend with some friends after our long hike and I was trying to find a place that was "dog friendly" and found this place. Parking in the area is somewhat difficult especially around 6pm hour since everyone is out eating dinner but luckily for me, I found one right away. :) Anyways, we didn't make any reservations but we told them we had 2 dogs with us + 5 adults so they told us we can sit outside. They checked all of our IDs as this is a bar-type of restaurant. What's also awesome is that they have happy hour on a Sunday!!?? Whaaaaaaaaat?! I know right? It's one dollar off for drafts and also $2 pretzels between 4-6pm I think. Anyways, we all got some beers to start off and 3 pretzels. I ordered the Peach Sour beer. It was refreshing to drink after a long hike that we went on. For food, I ordered the monk's burger with medium rare beef and side of fries. The burger was alright to be honest. If you're a sunny side up egg lover than I think this would have definitely tasted even better. One of us ordered the mac n cheese, there was 2 people that ordered buffalo style fried chicken sandwiches. Everyone overall enjoyed their foods and it definitely filled us up. Service: Service was great! The servers were also awesome when it came to checking up on us, pouring our water cups, offering water to our dogs (extra stars!) and getting our food in a timely matter. Overall we had a great time and I definitely would love to try other things on the menu and other beers in the future! read more

The Monk's Kettle - Monk's Burger - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Delicious food, great service. Kirby is a fantastic bartender. Ambiance is eclectic, everything is clean.

Fantastic addition to the Rockridge food and bar scene! A beautiful day yesterday and a stroll on College Ave, my wife and I took one gaze at the Monk's Kettle menu and the lure was set- we had to try this place! Formerly Citron- a delightful French bistro that sadly closed and then sat idle for what...2 decades??? (Landlord, your raising the rent on Citron and forcing their closure didn't pencil out did it? Hundreds of thousands of dollars- millions actually in lost revenue!) Back to my 5 star review: Wonderful casual vibe, we sat in the outdoor patio and our server, Jamo ( Hope I remembered your name right) was so fun, genuine and had such a love of food and his supportive co workers- we felt right at home! The Star or Stone hazy IPA, one of the best ever in my life! The bricked chicken- a new take on the Italian version, the boneless thigh superbly seasoned and then then a surprising hit of Korean fermented chili paste in the coleslaw- a fun fusion of Italian and Korean flavors on a perfect Brioche bun! Truth be told, my wife and I shared this but I will get my own next time! The Greek salad was truly one of the best in any restaurant, anywhere. Bias cut nicely chilled Persian cucumbers, good dose of ultra fresh dill, creamy feta, some perfect little gems and tomatoes, lemon, not overpowering olive oil... The flavors exploded. Truly exceptional place. read more

We were seated outside and the weather was on the colder side but the heaters kept us pretty warm. The food was delicious - brussel sprouts were definitely a highlight; they were sweet and well cooked but not soggy. The steak could have been better since it was a tad bit more rare than I would have liked (and they didn't ask us for how well done we would like it). It was a good dinner outside until a random person came up to us asking for water and leftovers while coughing loudly by our side. I guess it is not the restaurant's fault but I would not sit outdoors again if I revisit for dinner. read more

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The Monk does it again. Super burger lunch! Side pickle pot was also delish. Few beers for lunch? Why not!

Came here on a Saturday evening around 6pm and beat the dinner rush! #Caramelized brussels sprouts - This was bomb. Super packed with flavor and caramelized to perfection. #Scotch egg - This was delicious as well. I loved that they had a few sauces to smother your scotch egg in, all of which were delectable. #Mussels - This was good paired with the parmesan fries. The mussels themselves were on the smaller side and a bit overcooked and shriveled up, but the sauce was SO good. In fact, this dish comes with bread, and our waiter provided more bread to sop up the broth on request. #Parmesan garlic & herb fries - These were ok. We did like the ketchup, but the aioli tasted more like mayo than anything else. All in a great establishment for dinner. It gradually became crowded as the dinner service progressed, and some of the seating is on the tight side. There's outdoor seating as well, but those are generally taken on a nice day out. read more

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Not that they need a 2235th review, but.... This place is the cure for what ales Californians, always so hoppier than thou. Crikey, I've bought wheat beers in other places that were undrinkable due to their hop content. But here, get your dubbels and trippels, monastery ales, Germanic wit beers, stouts and sours, whatever you want. Then, BONUS!! Great food too!! Last night I had the polenta with asparagus and peas, which was cooked in an adorbs little black cast iron skillet with about a full stick of butter I believe. I sat outside after calling ahead, arriving about an hour before I had to be at the Roxie, and the service was very quick. I had too much time left over, had to walk around a bit. I wonder why they don't serve mussels and frites? I'm a pescatarian, and I would have appreciated another hot option. read more

A great spot for a burger and a beer. Grabbed a spot at the bar mid-week and ordered a smoky stout then a local cider- both of which were unique and tasty. The burger was cooked as ordered and was delicious; I'm glad I added on a side of fries too! Bartenders were friendly and made for an enjoyable night. read more

Ambiance - 8/10 - could work for a fun date night or time with the friends Staff - 7/10 - very nice but took effort to flag someone down. Great if you don't want to be bothered and they are happy to let you camp for a long time (at least at the bar). Food - 8/10 Pretzel with mustard/cheese - 7/10 - tasted good, mustard was good, came out lava hot and felt fresh. Price was a bit high for me. Monks burger with garlic parm fries - 9/10 - came out closer to medium then my ordered medium rare but it still hit the mark (these things are finicky anyways). Burger was on point and it was a great size. One of my favorite burgers in SF so far. The garlic parm fries were a bit soggy (cheesy? Not firm?) for my taste. Ketchup on the side was something premium. Adding bacon/egg/avocado will run you an insane extra $3 per item. Adding any side (fries, etc) to accompany your burger is $4. Total with side is $20 and I felt it was pretty worth it considering how this type of price is normal in the area. Massive beer selection. Was a big fan. I would come back. Make sure to do online reservation if you want to sit outside. read more

If y'all are looking for a safe outdoor dining experience, but not sure if it's actually "safe"...I've got the place for you! We didn't have a reservation, and they were booked solid (Saturday), but thankfully they were able to squeeze us in. As soon as your table is ready, the host will ask you a quick list of questions to make sure you're not sick, been exposed, etc. They even stand 6ft away from you when they take your order, check in on you, and enforced mask wearing at all times except eating. The tables are spaced out on the sidewalk and they have a parklet set up. It was a chilly afternoon, but they had heat lamps (yessss!) For someone who's been on the stricter side during quarantine, I appreciate all these details very much. Plus, they had mini hand sanitizer spray AND individually wrapped wipes at each table setting. The chosen beer selections: -Trial by water, oak aged sour golden (Ghost town , Oakland) You like sours? You'll love this. - IPA: incidental mortality The food was really good, but overall the safe experience and not having a lot of people near us made it all a great time. Nonetheless, get the: - Fried chicken sandwich apple slaw and fried Brussels sprouts (I looooved this) - Monks burger with Onion jam Gruyere. Ask for extra jam! We'll be back. Thanks for doing your part to keep our community and your staff safe, Monks Kettle ! read more

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Open late, great food and service. Cool place in great neighborhood. Great selection of beers too!

I liked the SF spot, but the new digs in Oakland are much more comfortable. Same great beer list and the food menu is very nice, but having more space makes for a better experience. I don't love how they charge $8-9 for a 13 ounce draft pour of a beer that you can get a pint of for the same price elsewhere in Rockridge. Blind Pig isn't hard to find anymore. read more

Are you kidding me? This food was horrible! I know my job is to describe the taste.... but I can't. I got a burger and fries... how can you mess that up? read more

The Monk's Kettle - Mojave dessert dry fries and a dehydrated burger. - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I picked this spot for a date because, living in the area, I'd heard lots of rave reviews. I was not disappointed - we had such a positive experience here on a Friday night. I had a reservation for the outdoor parklet. It was separated into sections with individual tables and was lit up by overhead market lights. We had the sweetest and friendliest server; he really made the whole experience, offering us all kinds of recommendations for drinks and food. Per his suggestion, I ordered the kale salad and added steak on top, and my date ordered the burger (which they're known for). I also ordered a guava cider. We were given apt warning that the next reservation was coming up so could finish our food. Such a lovely spot; I'm definitely coming back! read more

The Monk's Kettle - Kale Salad with Steak - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

We split the Monks Burger and the oysters and enjoyed the guava beer and Reality Check Pilsner. The burger was super tasty with the quality of the meat really coming through nicely. It was an afternoon delight having no wait at 3:30pm and easy street parking. read more

Looking for a solid dinner? This is it! But here's a guide on what to get and what to avoid: Brussel Sprouts: GET! Brussel sprouts are my number one veggie, especially roasted with a sweet glaze. Only drawback is that there were so few in the takeout container; $7 for about ten halves is a bit pricey. Still, I would still get them again just because they're so tasty, even after getting a bit soggy after driving home with it. I'm sure that fresh and crispy, they're to die for! Bean and veggie soup and mushroom polenta: PASS. The bean soup was pretty good, a bit like minestrone with four different types of beans added. But if I were to get my meal again, I would choose the fries as my side. And the mushroom polenta, although the mushrooms on top were absolutely delicious (I would get them a la carte if possible! One type was deep fried and the other sautéed), the polenta itself was lacking the trademark grainy texture of polenta and seemed to be soaked in butter so that it was excessively rich and overwhelming. The rest depends on your own tastes/ lifestyles. I got the jackfruit burger (it's sweetness and appearance very much like a pulled pork sandwich, but a bit more tangy and missing the texture of pulled pork) since I'm vegan. It was pretty interesting, as I have never had jackfruit as a meat "substitute" before. My dad got the lamb burger, which he really enjoyed, and my brother got the mission fried chicken. He was practically going starry-eyed at the delicate flavorful fried batter, and ate up every last bite of the meat. The brussel sprouts that the chicken was laid on, however, were nowhere near the level of the brussel sprout side; they were hard and raw, with an overpowering horseradish taste. The pieces of roasted squash mixed in with them were soft and tasty, though. And the mashed potatoes that ALSO came with the dish were delicious. My brother said he would get the meal again but try to swap out the brussel sprouts for something else. So the food at the The Monk's Kettle, overall, was a hit or miss. The highs were high, and the lows were low. But making different menu choices next time could definitely raise the stars to a 4-5! read more

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Had the burger, salad, pickled veggies. Really great flavors though the ambience was a bit sterile. Fun selection of beers.

The first time I had the burger at Monk's Kettle a few years ago, I was convinced that it was the best burger in SF. The second time I had it, it was way overdone and terrible. So, I was determined to try it again before deciding how I truly felt about it now. The verdict? It was a pretty good burger, but not the best in SF. The sauces and veggies were good, but the meat was just ok in flavor and texture for me. The bottom bun was soaked in oil or juice from the patty. The fries were decent, but a bit too salty. My boyfriend added the bacon and avocado on his burger, which were outrageously priced at $3 each, and the bacon was too tough in his opinion. Overall, it's a good burger that I wouldn't mind coming back for but I wouldn't make it a point. I applaud their top-notch COVID safety measures though. They go over some guidelines before seating you and seem to take them very seriously. The tables are very spaced apart with overhead heaters and some even have partitions between them. Each table has hand sanitizer and individually wrapped alcohol wipes. Definitely would recommend coming here if you're looking for safe outdoor dining! read more

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Food is pretty good but nothing too special. We had the Wings, Fried Chicken, Mac & Cheese, Steak & Fries, Chicken Sandwich, and Kale Salad. We all expected the Fried Chicken and Mashed Potatoes to be better. The steak was cooked to my liking and was seasoned well. The server was attentive but the hostess was not great. I had called ahead and the hostess said she could seat us since we were on the way and there was an opening. When the 7 of us arrived shortly after, she said she couldn't seat us yet even though there were open tables in the patio. I asked if she could put two tables together and she said no and that we had to wait for a large table to leave because she thought they were almost done. However, that table had just gotten their drinks. After waiting about 10 minutes, the hostess came back and said that they would put two tables together as if it was her idea. read more

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