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

The Egg Burger is the shiznit!!!! Egg sunny side up with bacon....One of the best burgers I ever had! Addictive, delicious peanuts are always in order as the shells are usually all over the floor. Great burger menu also read more

Great dive bar. Been here a LONG time. Gets festively crowded with an after-work crowd. Free peanuts! Have not eaten here, but the food smelled great. And Duval. Can't bet that OR a Schlitz Tall Boy. read more

This place is a blast. Went here with a few friends for a drink after work and was not disappointed in the place. Apparently it has recently re-opened after renovations had been made. Inside it feels like a true tavern/pub with the interior, decorations, and all other aspects of the place. Drinks are reasonably priced and a good selection. Also, if getting a mixed drink, if you get the right bartender (who's name I'll keep quiet) will give you a bit more than the standard, which is always nice. Overall good customer service, though it can be a hit or miss depending on everything. Also a fun thing they have is free peanuts. You eat them, then pitch the shells on the floor. It is a bit crunchy but always fun. This is a great place to go for a quick happy hour or for a few drinks to start the evening. read more

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

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

Hey, this place is pretty effin' cool, especially for being nestled into the west loop. Among the random office buildings, fast food joints, liquor stores, and yes, not far from an adult bookstore (I didn't go in, I swear!) was this medieval building that was virtually begging for me to spend the rest of my afternoon in. I was among the many that were summoned down to the Daley center for jury duty, only to be shunned shortly afterwards! No matter, I could kill time here while I studied for my exam, I thought. Well, never underestimate a boy with both German and Irish blood! Not only did I sample a flight of (mostly) local beer, I managed to cram a few hours of studying time in. The ambiance in this place is straight up castle-esque, and I found it quite pleasant to be in. The prices are on par for downtown, though I'd much rather drink here than sipping on an olive in a tiny martini glass with a pinkie up. Cheers! 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

LOUD! Lots of people! Lots of Beer! Came on a Friday. This place is not a pretty bar but a real bar! we had to wait about 45 minutes for a table but we had a big group so I get it. The choices of beer are great. We ordered appetizers and were pleasantly surprised. Service once we got a table was good. Fun place to go and have a causal fun time with friends. read more

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

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

While visiting Chicago over the weekend with my girlfriend who has been to Chicago a thousand times she was talking with her cousin who is born and raised in the Windy City about a little shady looking bar on Lake up from State. Her cousin said "Monks Pub" without blinking an eye. So we head there around 7 pm on Saturday night. As we walked up to two huge wooden doors with large brass handles you could tell that you were entering into a old well established bar. As soon as we entered the barkeep said that he had already called for last call so as we turned to walk out we heard somebody from the back yell "They came in from the cold serve them a drink"! So we sat down at this huge wooden bar. This place is awesome. There is so much to look at. Hundreds of tap handles and old beer signs and lamps. The barkeep told us that this place has been here since 1960 and that the place was sold a couple of years ago and that it was the new owner who told him to serve us. We found it strange that the place was closing so early on a Saturday but the barkeep told us that that are crazy busy from Monday through Friday. They serve food but obviously the kitchen was closed. They have beers from all over the world and some domestic beers. Bottom line this place is great and cool. I hope to come back so I can spend more time inside and check everything out. read more

Monk's Pub - My sweetie at Monk's. Very cool place. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Pretty decent food. The best thing I had was the beer. Check out my photo. It was similar to corona but much better. read more

Monk's Pub - I got the 4 beer sampler. 2 I picked myself and 2 I asked for as the most popular and all were decent. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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You will love Monk's! Good food and the best bartenders and servers. Got to love Paul he's the biggest best teddy bear and fantastic bartender! read more

Although I don't like the term "____ smelled like old people" because my wife's work supports seniors in the area, even I have to admit that between the look and the feel and the smell of the place, Monk's Pub smells like old people. But when you are sitting near an open window at Monk's--as I did last Thursday for lunch--some of this goes away (and the loud sound of L trains takes its place). I did the BLT Club with tater tots; my vegetarian friend did the homemade veggie (black bean) burger. She thought her meal was better than expectations; my club was average, and the tots were a little too crunchy but fine. I will give Monk's this much--they gave me a ton of bacon to go with the club, so that's a plus. The prices are a little too high for a normal lunch given the cheap options close by, but the space and its dank feel aren't exactly a reason to come back for a second visit. Glad I went since this is two blocks from my office and I was curious. And kudos to the staff for at least getting my food out quickly during a busy lunch hour. read more

They should call this place rotating handles. They always have a fresh selection of the best of the best craft beer on tap. If the tap isn't good enough then the bottle selection will blow your mind. Better than bar food with the wonder burger and other vegetarian options. Always good conversation and a very knowledgeable staff. Easily best brew pub in the city. read more

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

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It's realy about the beer. They have an incredibly impressive list of Belgian beers, so this place will offer options you're not going to find at just any bar. I give them credit for being open on Saturdays. Now let's get to my experience. I came on a Saturday afternoon with three of my co-workers. I showed up a little late since I had to stay at work an extra 30 minutes. They'd already had a couple of drinks before I showed up. I had 2 beers and 2 shots of Jameson along with them. When the bill came, it was $200, and they split it evenly among the 4 of us. Even though I ordered less than the rest of my colleagues, we were all charged the same amount and we were not told that was going to happen. What really bothered me was they did not attempt to fix the issue and so I paid $50 for 2 beers and 2 shots. I felt completely ripped off. read more

Nice little pub for after work drinks. Gets very busy. Service is efficient and food is pretty standard bar food. Great beer and cider selection read more

This is a fine spot for a casual bite and some good beer. It's nothing fancy, but Monk's isn't trying to be fancy. It's the sort of spot in the Loop where you'll see execs in suits sitting next to students in jeans--it has a welcoming come-as-you-are vibe. The beer selection is terrific. Be cautious with the page that lists beer without prices. They have some special and expensive options. My server let me know I had chosen an especially rare and pricey option, and I changed my order. (Prices would be nice, but at least they gave me a heads up.) The place feels old and lived-in. Old and mismatched lighting fixtures hang around the joint and the walls look like bookshelves. (But don't plan on picking up a book to read--the books are sawed in half to fit on the narrow shelves.) This is a cozy, inviting spot to hang with friends and enjoy some decent bar bits and some good beer. read more

Enter past the vaguely medieval entrance and you will find a typical bar filled with the after work crowd. Everyone gets a bowl of peanuts, and everyone tosses the empty shells onto the ground. If you can get past this mess and the typical smoky bar atmosphere, you can enjoy a thick and delicious cooked-to-order burger and a side of fries. read more

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

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The bar is huge and I enjoyed my evening there. Actually, had planned to go to another place, but it was so tiny, there was like no place to sit. That wasn't a problem at Monk's - plenty of seating. Not to say it was empty, it was plenty lively for a Wednesday evening. Beer selection was great and the bar food was fine, given that it was bar food. I would have tried some real food, but ended up not doing so, at least this time around. I think the IPA I had was Spunkel, but it wasn't on the menu, so I'm not even sure. :) When I wanted to try something different, but waitress suggested Old Speckled Hen Pale Ale. That was probably one of the worst beers I've ever had. Tasted like piss. You know how bad Fosters is in the US? It was worse. Seriously, undrinkable. What I appreciated about Monk's was I was able to send it back. I would recommend Monk's for a post-work chill place to hang out. Good first experience and I look forward to more. read more

This place is a fun stop on the weekends since most bars are closed downtown during brunch hours. We stopped here after brunch to grab a few beers (I think they stopped the peanut shells on the ground but idk). The servers all knew the beers and consulted and recommended like pros.. I know little to nothing about beer and they gave me great options and I now know at least which types of beers I like! A fun experience in a unique venue. read more

I would say the dark wood and old medieval feel is the best thing going on for this place. Also probably the beer selection. It's a good place to make you forget you're in the Loop and work a boring ass 9-5 corporate job. I had weekday lunch here the other day and had a chicken tenders salad (it was Friday and I was in the mood to eat like a 5 year old). The salad was very mediocre, but what I expected for a pub like that. They do have a wide selection of burgers and those looked pretty tasty. I would definitely want to come back here for a happy hour and try their beers again! read more

Monk's Pub - Chicken tenders salad. Just ok. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Monk's has a somewhat cheesy "ye olde English pub" look that you'd expect to see at a Ren Faire, not in the midst of the Loop. However, you push open the heavy old wood doors and you could be walking into an ancient English pub: it's dark, there's a lot of men hunched protectively over their beers, and it's occassionally smoky. (new Chicago smoking regulations have lowered the smoke level). See the photo I posted of the interior, above, to guage how dark it is inside. Personally I've always been very happy with their food: their burgers are huge and delicious, some of the best I've had in Chicago. I'm not real fond of the eat-your-peanuts-throw-the-shells-on-the-floor thing they have going here, but that's an old bar habit that still is seen occasionally, I just don't see the appeal. The staff is friendly and is knowledgeable about their menu. The burgers lean towards the pricier side ($7-8ish) but remember, you're in the Loop and this isn't McD's. And they're HUGE, so you're definitely getting your money's worth. read more

Monk's Pub - Interior of Monks Pub - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Went here for a mid-workday lunch and was pleasantly surprised! I've walked by Monk's almost every day for 2 years and had never ventured inside. I don't know what I was expecting, but it wasn't this! A modern-ish but cozy tavern with a great, giant menu! It was hard to decide what to order. The salads all looked good, but it's not quite what I was in the mood for. I ultimately settled on a chicken sandwich while my friend had a burger. Her burger was enormous and looked delicious. My sandwich was really good - not at all dry, as chicken sandwiches have a tendency to be. We came on the early side - 11:40ish, and I'm glad we did. By the time we were leaving around 1, it was packed with a wait. The prices seemed a little high, but the serving sizes were good and it is the loop, where everything costs more than it should. Otherwise, a great experience and I'm sure I'll be back! read more

Monk's is hit or miss for me. I've had a good burger there, a good salad, and good onion rings, but I'm not a fan of their fish & chips. Tartar sauce out of a packet is not my idea of restaurant quality. Maybe for a hot dog stand, but not a restaurant in Chicago. I only visit Monk's when co-workers want to eat there - otherwise, I'd rather go somewhere else on my lunch break. The atomosphere is fun, sort of dark, and you feel like you're in an old library or an English bar from another century (or millenia?). Fun idea, but the food needs to be kicked up a notch, in my opinion. Service is always friendly. I have no qualms with that. I just think those tartar sauce packets threw me off. I haven't gone back since. read more

The food was awesome. The beer selection was phenomenal!!! Trevor and Cheryl awesome bartenders that picked out some pretty great beers for us!! Definitely would recommend this place! read more

My boss and I went to this pub on Friday afternoon, after not eating all day. He had been wanting to go for the ambiance, and it did not disappoint. Peanut shells scattered on the floor, bar food that hits the spot, and an excellent variety of beer. Overall, the atmosphere of this place was phenomenal. We are definitely going to go back, hopefully with the whole team. And yes, the doors are very heavy. read more

Monk's Pub - Chimay, nachos, and wings. - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Chicken avocado sandwich with curly fries (or tots.) That's all you need to know. Oh, and the beer list is awesome. The ambiance off-kilter and fun. And the servers friendly and attentive. read more

Overall: A great stop for a fun pub vibe with a ton of drinks, come here for a more homey feel. The good: Great atmosphere, really fun and unique. Tons of beer and drink options available. A lot of food options too if you are looking for that, and the food looked promsing. This is a pub, this isn't a cocktail bar, so know what you're getting into. The bad: The waitress got multiple drinks incorrect. As awesome as the atmosphere is, it was a little dirty. Atmosphere: 9/10 Service: 7/10 Food: N/A (didn't try) read more

It took awhile to get served but this was also a very busy place. Super cool atmosphere with tons of beer on tap and in cans/bottles to choose from. We ordered a few drinks and some cheese curds. The cheesecurds were good but a bit overdone and definitely not the best I've had. Our server was friendly but not over the top (like I said though it was very busy). I would go back here again as the prices were right and the atmosphere was cool and unique. read more

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

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Good food, extensive beer list, fun vibes. Definitely worth a stop if you live or work in the area.

The burgers at Monk's are bad ass. I went there today for lunch (the place gets super packed around noon by the way) and had the Roquefort burger. Awesome. The burger was cooked to perfection and the cheese was simply smothered goodness creating an additional layer of lubrication for my sweet baby burger satisfaction. If you haven't noticed the burger experience here is second only to Kuma's in my opinion. By the way, the place rocks for happy hour. I'm always down for chomping on roasted peanuts and gulping a few Goose Islands on special for $4.00. If you go after work on a Friday make sure you send some of the peeons at work early to save you a table because this place gets packed by 5:30 pm! And tell 'em Monk sent you! read more

This place looked so promising as a vegetarian-friendly after-work pub in the loop area, making it easy to catch up with friends over dinner. And I was still excited about this place when i stepped in today and saw the cool theme-decor. But the service was very average - our server kept forgetting about us for long stretches of time. The place was easy to chat in to start with, but then as people got drunker, they got louder, and the pub just kept cranking up the music louder and people kept trying to talk even louder - you get the message. So it's kind of cool how they serve peanuts on the table, but what is totally not cool is they just throw all the shells on the floor instead of cleaning them up with the table! The food, now, was very very mediocre - I had the veggie burger, which came over cooked to the point I couldn't even taste what was in the burger. The house salad was not what the menu described it as - it was a big bunch on onions on a bed of lettuce (no carrots or cucumbers) - who eats just onions for salad!? I don't drink, so not sure what the bar was all about, but I do know that I don't want to quite come back. read more

Good lunch burger place in the loop. Despite their name, they have no trappist beers. LArge burgers with a variety of toppings (i get the teriaki one with jalapenos but the mediterranean seems to be popular. It does get crowded so there's often a wait at lunch time if you get there after noon. Get the curly fries! My only complain about the place is that they took real books, and chopped them off to fit the shallow bookshelves. That just should not be allowed! read more

Well Monk's, you advertise that you're open til 2AM but when I arrived there at 11:30 PM you were closed. Well, the doors were locked but I did see some employees still in there. Really wanted to try this place too since it is conveniently located near the Blue Line at Lake/Wells and well not much else is open late in the Loop on a Thursday nite. So needless to say I was somewhat ticked off after walking several blocks thinking I was going to have a burger and a beer. Or at the very least an appetizer. If a business posts their hours as open til 2, then it should be open til 2. The Yelp page for Monks says best nights are Thur, Fri, Sat. so what gives? read more

Ok so when you walk into Monk's, you're either going to love the medieval decor or just loathe it. I happen to like it! What's more notable about the bar is their beer selection. Besides having Goose Island Matilda on tap they have the new Goose Island Green Line IPA! How awesome! Though you do need to try to Banana Beer in a bottle. It's quite interesting but not overpowering. They also have endless peanuts! Do not go if you have an allergry to them! The shells are strewn all over the floor. I found one in my pant cuff when I got home even! Another notable is the wait staff and bartenders. They are all very pleasant and helpful. They make the experience fun and nice! What are you waiting for? If you're a beer person, go there! read more

Now this is a place to loose your day at. Seriously cool interior and it really does put off that british pub feel along with a speakeasy type vibe. I loved the interior decor along with the bookshelves and crests along the walls. Really warm and cozy to me. The beer selection here is some of the best in the city. Ecclectic versions of belgians, IPA's and wheats that you are surely able to find pleasing. Large seating just furthers the experience of really kicking back and relaxing while here. No need for food as the free peanuts are more than enough to sustain the beer! read more

Service - Depends on when you come in. I came in with a colleague around 1130 for lunch on the weekday and received outstanding service! I dont recall his name but highly recommend you sit in the front room to get this service. Food- Known for their great burgers, pretty good chicken sandwiches too! Drink selection- Awesome! Great seasonal beer selection! I would recommend coming hear for happy hour or to watch a game! read more

Came here for lunch on a Friday afternoon. This places was packed. Still was able to get sat right away. You'd think that it would take a long time to get your drinks ordered. Not one bit. They were definitely on top of everything. I ordered a beer and "The Chili Beer Cheese Burger" and was extremely messy. Just like I expected. With a medium rare burger patty and very sloppy delicious chili cheese. I also ordered my fries with chili cheese for a little extra. And they forgot to put it on. So the waitress brought some for no charge. Now that's great service. Without a doubt I'd come back again. Also they're beer selection is amazing. read more

Monk's Pub - The Chili Beer Cheese Burger - Pubs Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Beer selection alone is why I'm giving this place 5 stars. Decor is warm, and is a true pub. Service is decent, and food help those beers go down smooth. read more