Came here after work with a friend for an hour before seeing a show at the Cadillac Palace Theater. It was about 6 pm on a Thursday night and the place was packed. The crowd was diverse and lively and there were enough people in jeans and boots to balance out the post-work suit set. We had to wait a good while for a table but the man at the door was very pleasant and kept patting us on the back. Our waitress took our drink order while we waited. We told them we had only an hour to get out so they took our appetizer order while we stood too, and told us they'd have it ready in no time. Which they did. We tried the spinach artichoke with chips. It tasted fine, nothing more nothing less. It came with green, red and blue tortilla chips which was disconcerting at first, but our waitress assured us it was "Festive!" The cheddar cheese in the middle of the app was a bit unusual too, but it was all creamy rich goodness in the end. Guiness for $4.75 in glasses with lime tasting rims was kind weird, but I was able to overlook any of the unusual dive-y aspects because of the super nice wait staff and peanut shells to toss and stomp on the grime waxed wood floors. I really like places like this. True midwest. read more

Based on what I've read on Yelp and the word on the street about how Monk's burgers rival Moody's, I was hoping to give Monk's 4 stars. I do admit the burger was quite good, but not Moody's good. We didn't want to try the Black & Blue burger because the bleu cheese is served crumpled, not creamy like Moody's. So, in an attempt to do a one-on-one comparison with the Moody Bleu, we had the Roquefort Cheese Burger. Sounds like something Charles Winchester III from the show M*A*S*H would order back home...heh. It was more than passable and cooked medium rare as requested, but in my valient attempt to find my subjective notion of Chicago's "best burger", Moody's is still holding the torch. I'd go back to Monk's if (a) the burger beat Moody's, (b) if the bartender gave $6 change for a $4 beer when Clarissa J. handed her a $20 (turned out she put the $20 in the $10 slot in the register), and (c) if Monk's had two more letters so it might then beat Moody's if nothing else, in the number of letters in its name...maybe Monkee's? read more

Beer list was great, food was pretty solid, service was good, had a couple of burgers and beers. The music though....Really? The Tootsie Roll by the 69 Boyz (among other garbage)? As I drink a Dogfish Head Midas Touch in a darkwood covered place called Monk's Pub I get to hear outdated rap/hip-hop? meh read more

When you walk thru the door, you're transported to a quaint little European chalet. Happy Hour on a Wednesday was fairly busy, but not so crowded we couldn't belly up to the bar for some beer and peanuts. After a couple hours and a few too many beers, the chicken tenders were a perfect compliment to my buzz...not too much breading, no "parts is parts" meat. read more

Its cheap for drinks. Its cheap for appetizers after 3pm. You can throw your peanuts on the floor. What more could you want? Oh, its probably close to your office too. read more

Monk's is the kind of place my Grandpa would've taken me if the Ponderosa Steakhouse or Old Country Buffet were too crowded. In short, it warms my heart with the glow of childhood nostalgia that is all too rarely experienced these days. Burgers are half a pound, flame-broiled, and juicy. There is one for everyone, from the classic Monk burger to the mushroom burger to one topped with Roquefort Cheese. For the less beefy among us, Monk's offers the Mini Monk burger, which is a mere quarter pound of beef but looks to be the size of a baby's head. If burgers are not your thing, before asking why you are at Monk's, I will recommend the crispy buffalo chicken sandwich, which is a tasty but undistinguished bet when you are tempted to stray in this mecca of ground beef. If you're a veggie, they also have veggie burgers and a Portobello mushroom sandwich, in addition to a melty grilled cheese with a cheese of your choosing. Skip the side salad - it's just chopped up iceberg lettuce with a handful of diced tomatoes - and go for the zesty curly fries. They are what the potato is all about. I was a little puzzled about the prominence of cottage cheese on the menu - a nod to Weight Watcher's perhaps? Grandpa would not approve. No sir. So come to Monk's, throw some peanut shells on the floor, and relax. Heck, take an older relative if you have the chance and let them regale you with stories about the times when men were men and burgers were burgers. read more

I love this place! After I wasn't able to secure a meal at Jimmy Figs, I found this place on Yelp so I meandered over and sat at the bar to watch Monday Night Football and get some grub. I ordered the Tripel Karmeliet, a wonderfully tasty Belgian beer. For dinner, I went with the Macaroni & Cheese bites and a bowl of Chili. I enjoyed the Mac & Cheese bites, even if the ranch dressing was a bit runny. The Chili didn't do much for me at all. I"m guessing it's your typical canned chili. Service, though, is what made this place 4 stars. The bartender was truly charming and after the Tripel Karmeliet ran out, she recommended I try a Coney Island Albino Python beer, some odd concoction out of San Francisco, of all places. That was a very intriguing and tasty beer, if not particularly refreshing. Still, I'd certainly drink it again. All in all, the Monk's Pub deserves 4 stars. Who knew monks had it so good? A pub full of beautiful waitresses and a charming bartender, plenty of beer... Show me the way to the nearest monastery please! read more

Oldest dive bar in the Loop. Is that actually true? Well, I don't know but it has been around FOREVER. When lifers at my job talk about Monk's back in the day it's like serious reminiscing. This place is always packed too. Always. But I've never had a problem getting a table after a few minutes. It's next to the office so it has quickly become the go-to "let's get a drink after that 10-hour meeting we just sat through". They have a robust beer list with lots on tap. They've got a ton of spirits to choose from too and as long as you have good whiskey at your dive bar, we're good! I finally did try a little bit of the food too during a co-worker's going away event. The buffalo cauliflower wings are basically smothered in something like Frank's Red Hot so you can barely taste the vegetable you're eating and the loaded tots were pretty darn loaded. I didn't taste the cheese curds but everyone said they were great. If you're allergic to nuts stay away! There are peanuts everywhere... crack the shell, toss it on the floor, eat peanuts, repeat. read more

Monk's is a downtown staple. The burgers are great. I get the mini-monkburger with blue cheese. And who doesn't love curly fries? The dark pub transports you to medieval Europe (or at least a window-less, family-style pub that could be anywhere in Chicagoland). I'm always surprised what the weather is when I come out. If you need a beer on your lunch break and a greasy hangover cure, I highly recommend it. You can even throw your peanut shells on the ground; and that never gets old! read more

Oh how I'd love to be a Monk involved in this monastery and while I think sustaining myself on beer through the winter could be done, fasting here would be impossible . Monk's pub instantly has one of the best decors of any restaurant or bar that tabs itself as a "pub" or "ale house". With the library, barrels and wood facade adorning the place, you'd expect any minute that a brown robed man with his hair shaved in the middle would bring you your food. Nice touch with the jukebox. Decent tunes that are not just your usual mix of old man music and top 40's dreck. Additionally the Egg Burger is definitely a must have from the menu. I know bacon is good but the bacon on this burger is seriously crack bacon. Beyond the beauty of that and the egg, the patty is nice, big, meaty and juicy but without seemingly like an overly dense hunk of dry beef just sitting on your bun. Lastly, I like that they have a solid Belgian on tap served in authentic glassware though unfortunately I find this to also be their short coming. With a Belgian on tap (Urthel Hop-It!), a few microbrews (Domaine DuPage, Oberon) and a light selection of Belgian bottles, it feels like they were on their way to putting together a great beer list and then just kind of quit. It's refreshing to find a place downtown that isn't your standard domestic and faux import den but this place should still carry on and get a few more solid beers. Also, I found the service to be a bit hit or miss. Though there were two bartenders it seemed like one was specifically serving a certain corner though not much of the bar was occupied. It's time for supplication. I will definitely be back to Monk's Pub when nearby. read more

This is not the best bar every, but I really have nothing bad to say about it. The worst thing about the place is free peanuts that you can eat till you're too full and sometimes it get crowded. They have a good beer selection. read more

I went to Monk's for a few beers with my friends. They have some interesting beers and unlimited nuts. Four of us split the chicken nachos and it definitely filled me up, they were pretty delicious. The place was decorated pretty nicely but it was busy so service took a while to get (even though our waiter was pretty cool). The cool beers and unlimited nuts made it a good time, and the fact that it is one of the only fun/non-classy bars in the loop :) Would frequent again if I worked in the area. Service was OK... read more

This is a very popular lunch place located in the loop. So popular, in fact, you better get there early to get a table. Luckily, I met people there who ordered my food for me in advance. I ordered the grilled cheese and fries. How can you really go wrong with that? My only complaint, and this is only b/c I am particular about my fries, is that the fries were a bit bready. That is not the type I tend to like. But the place was hopping with business professionals enjoying a lunch out. It is kind of a cool interior, too, with the "antique" look of a monastery. I definitely should try a happy hour out there! read more

Most of the bars or "pubs" in the Loop stink. This one does not. Actually, for the Loop, is it the greatest bar on Earth. For Chicago, it's pretty good. If the food were special and the patrons more interesting (sorry Loop workers, but you know what I mean. We all had a shitty day. We all like to vent about it; no slight intended. I just need to see a grizzled old bastard or couple making out or annoying bachelor party or someone not in a tie once in awhile), then it would be a great bar. The beer selection is good (AMAZING for a Loop bar), featuring (for me anyway) Domaine Dupage, Duvel, Triple Urthel and Lagunitas IPA. Most of the staff is friendly, the decor is well done, and they provide free salted peanuts on every table. Because of that, I've never felt the need to order any food. The few bar-food stand-bys I've tried were decent; what you'd expect. They tout the burgers as the best ever, like everybody else, but by the looks of them, they're probably a decent restaurant style. Please refer to other reviews! Honestly, the one thing I would really want at Monks is a rooftop deck (but it's right next to the El), a open window patio thingy (but it's right next to the El), or, best of all, a beer garden! The place is dark and precisely mimics a real German Gasthaus or, I suppose, monastery (the name is not misleading). Great for the winter, but kinda gives me a troll cave feeling in the summer; especially when walking outside and squinting in the 80-degree sunshine. A beer garden with lots of oak and vines and gnarls would kick ass here. But,... this ain't Ukranian Village. I'm sure expanding 10 feet into any nearby space would be a bit pricey. Oh well. If you want German beer hall or actual pub feeling in the Loop, skip the crowd at Miller's and Berghoff and check out Monk's. read more

Found Monk's Pub while searching for something near the Chicago Theater with 1. Beer 2. Vegan options. Good beer list (I had a Daywalker Black IPA on draft) Veggie burger was housemade and delicious Great service Loud & rowdy, with peanut shells on the floor & a heavy German Pub vibe. I'll be back. read more

I think Augie described this perfectly. This is a fine spot, with solid beer choices. It isn't fancy, but then again it isn't trying to be fancy. If it were, you wouldn't have a basket of peanuts on your table and able to throw them on the floor. This gives a cool old English pub feel, with the acceptance of anyone. You'll see people in suits, you'll see grungy looking millennials. There's no separation. Just people looking to enjoy themselves. read more

Great pub! Good food and drinks at a great price. Place is usually very busy weekdays after work. If you are looking for a five star restaurant with a pub name attached to it go to Streeterville. If you want a true pub this is your place. read more

Great place. Awesome bartenders. Cool atmosphere and close to the 'el'. Also they have Zombiedust!

Stopped in after getting out of a concert, arriving after 10pm - haven't been here in 25 years! The place was still hopping but we were seated and waited on almost immediately. Staff was friendly, and fast, and the food was fast and phenomenal. Still best burger in the Loop! read more

This is one of my favorite spots in the Loop. Incredible and evolving beer selection, friendly and efficient staff, decent bar food. Really enjoy the atmosphere and the old school decor in this place, which feels like it hasn't changed much over the years. Gets a bit crowded at lunch and immediately after work, but that's to be expected given its location. This is the kind of place you come to because it's close to your office, and as far as Loop watering holes go, it's one of the better ones. read more

4 Stars on the way back to our hotel we stopped by this pub to grab some brews and small eats, we sampled there potato skins, calamari, sliders and several brews, the skins decently made not super oily, the calamari standard decent portion, the sliders full flavored and filling, the beers on tap were all delicious they do make snakebites here folks. oh and the tvs all over the bar and behind the bar showing the local mlb game was a nice touch. next time in chicago I would definitely come back and grab a brew and grab some appitizers food **** service ***** excellent service from our bar maids price $ ambiance **** divey indeed, loud, best to go during local cubbies are playing haha read more

This was the go-to spot back in my working days at a certain consulting company, since it was down the block. From what I remembered back then, it was always dim/dark but it was always packed with corporate nerds in their collared shirt and khakis/slacks, and their name badge on their hips (do people ever put their name badges anywhere else nowadays?) Welp, not much has changed since. It is a bit brighter in there, and the decor inside and ambiance still has that medieval theme, which is cool. We came here for lunch and the place was absolutely packed. Luckily there was a table available and we were seated right away. Before this particular instance, all I got was beer, as we came here for happy hour, never lunch time. This time around, I actually looked at the food menu. Part of my health-conscious ass wanted me to order another boring chicken sandwich, but considering the logo of this restaurant is a monk holding a beer and burger, I figured this place was known for burgers. So a burder is what I ordered. There was four of us and we all ordered the burger cooked a certain way, and all four burgers were cooked wrong. The burger was cooked "done" versus medium. Others ordered med rare and got theirs medium. Regardless of that though, the burger was big and tasty. My coworkers all enjoyed their burgers. No tomatos come with any of our burgers apparently, which I guess is ok, but what place doesn't give you a tomato by default? The staff was friendly -- one knew I was struggling to find the bathroom and quickly pointed me in the right direction. We got our food pretty quickly too Unfortunately, my glass of water was all I got -- the waiter never refilled my glass. For those who ordered beers though, the waiter did ask them whether they wanted a refill. BATHROOM REVIEW: The bathrooms are located near the middle of the bar, close to the kitchen. Inside, there were little tiles on the floor, walls, and even back of the door. I wonder how impossible it would be for a late night dude who has had 10 beers to somehow figure out where the door was to exit. The bathroom had two stalls... One was very roomy. No paper towels but an excelerator -- those dryers that feel like it'll blow your skin right off the bone. There was one sink and one soap dispenser and hand sanitizer. Other wise, pretty clean for a bar bathroom. Sit or squat? I'll still squat... I dont trust drunk asses.... literally. read more

What a beer selection! Great drinking establishment if you are in the area. Looks old with dark wood, very German. The boneless wings and pretzels are pretty good too. Remember, you are here for the beer. It will be hard to find a better selection or retro vibe. read more

The 4 star review is for drinks and environment only. DO NOT EAT HERE! The food is downright terrible and comically expensive relative to just how bad it is. The service is a shit show. The environment is however fun for grabbing happy hour drink. It's a nice random change of scenery. Just make sure you have somewhere else lined up to eat at either before or after. read more

Super friendly staff and laid-back and nice atmosphere. Open till midnight and kitchen closes at 11 p.m.

Good beer selection, succulent burgers, and tater tots as an optional side. I think there are healthy options on the menu, but I'll happily gravitate to their greasy goodness. How can I speak poorly of this place? I love the dark and relaxed ambience in here. Whether you're getting out of the summer sun or snow glare, it feels like your blood pressure drops 20 points just by walking in the door. Even more noteworthy is that this pub will offer take-away, and they'll take an order over the phone if you happen to be time-starved and stuck at work. If I lived in Chicago, I think this would be my "regular" pub... read more

Best beer selection of any bar in the loop area I've been able to find with decent prices. The service is ok and it matches the super laid back atmosphere the place has going on. I wasn't impressed with the food, but the burger was ok. Plenty big, but not exactly the most interesting options. So this is more a beers after work place in my opinion. read more

A bit of old town south of the river. Great prices on appetizers and burgers. Decent Guinness pour. The night we were there one person was working the floor and we had to wait a lot. I think it would be cool if on Yelp reviews you could indicate how many times you went to that place. Sample size. n=1. For my brother, n=3. Would help everyone interpret comments like "the wait takes forever here" as rule vs. exception. read more

I will give Monk's four stars. I have only been here twice. The first time was back when I worked in the city. I had a good experience there. I enjoyed the decor (dark woods/book shelves), the mini burgers and that you get peanuts at the table AND they encourage tossing the shells onto the floor. They have a pretty good size beer menu which is great for those beer drinks. Good wine list and the typical mixed drinks you can order at any bar. My second time there was just before Christmas. I met my monthly "drinking group" for our catch up chit chat get together. It was a fun evening and it was not as packed as I thought it would be. We lucked out with a table right near the juke box. Well maybe not lucked out because some of the music coming out was rather interesting choices. LOL. I think for the city people it is a good location. I had to walk from Union Station ok ok I took a cab over. Hey it was COLD and I wanted to get there! :) Good service. I would go back again if it was the place my friends picked. Check them out if you have not had the chance yet. Cheers! read more

An (I am not sure what to call the theme) English pub with a strong pseudo-medieval decor. The walls have faux stained glass panels (meaning painted on) and images of actual monk brewers. Who knows if the people who run this place have any actual connection to "the old country"? The place serves up cold beer and good pub grub. You won't be disappointed. Burgers and fries. Service was efficient and friendly. read more

Yeah, pretty cool place, I was surprised. I liked the interior, how if I just tuned out the local newscast and the Cubs, I could temporarily feel like I was back touring the English countryside. Sorta, ya know, it is still Chicago. Free peanuts...I'm in. Peanut junkie. Toss the shells on the floor? Cool, thanks! Their chicken tenders were really pretty good -- they were huuuge, not like the usual log shaped suspects but like flattened and split. Anyway, fun was had and lots better than other spots nearby there. read more

Popped in here for lunch with a friend who works in the Loop during lunch hour. It was busy and full of business-types, but we were seated immediately and service was prompt and courteous. We lingered for a while, and that was fine with everyone, because we happened to make it in at the end of lunch rush. Overall, serviceable, decent pub food. Not a memorable meal, but fine for what it was. read more

This is one of the only bars I can stand to go into in the loop. It has a vaguely English vibe, and the jukebox has good to amusingly cheesy classic rock. With mad cow, I don't eat burgers unless I knew the cow personally, but their cajun/bbq chicken sandwiches are good if you ask for extra sauce. The food doesn't really merit the price, but you're paying for a decent atmosphere and a chance to unwind with a beer and a friend, which can be welcome respite in the crappy foodchain hell that is the Chicago Loop. read more

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

See all

I am a huge fan of really dark bars for some reason...they make me feel pretty. That's one of the top two reasons I like Monk's. The other reason is that it is only a block and a half from the Mart where I work. These are reasons enough for four stars from me when it comes to a place to have an afterwork cock-a-teel. I will warn you, however, that I have never eaten here (don't dig on burgers), the vodka sodas I had were really weak pours all three occasions that I ordered them, and I really freaking hate p.nut shells on the floor--shit gets in my heels! read more

I finally made it around for Monk's after work. The main difference between Monk's after work and Monk's during lunch is that after work there are more peanuts all over the place and you mostly see beer on tables instead of food. Other than that, it's still incredibly crowded and hard to find a table if you don't get there early. Had good service, friendly waitress, and enjoyed my time. 4 stars Monks read more

Comfortable European interior. Unfortunately on a Friday night this is not my type of place. However, if you like to hang with the "in" crowd and enjoy the eye candy of the all female staff, then this place is for you. I did find Lagunitas and quite a few other good beers on tap though. And, I had attentive service sitting at the bar. Again, just not my style. read more

I've stopped into Monk's Pub several times now, usually just to catch an odd sports game and enjoy a beer. The theme of the place definitely comes off as dated but it is very cozy and warm feeling. The crowd seems to be made up almost entirely of small groups of 3 or 4 meeting up for drinks after work, and while I've always walked in by myself, it seems like I've made a few new friends by the time I leave. They have a pretty good beer selection, and its priced well. I have not tried any of their food but it looks pretty good. read more

This place is very close to my office and you can throw peanut shells on the floor. Man I love making a mess indoors. They also serve booze and these 3 things really, really appeal to me. But also, the interior is, you know, meant to be all medieval bar style (Monk's, get it?) and totally reminds me of the old Barnaby's before it moved. I was a kid then and my parents always drove me to Barnaby's so I couldn't even tell you where it was, but it was a grand place. At this point, only my sister would understand this rambling review or feel inspired by it, but maybe you grew up in Chicago and miss the atmosphere of the old Barnaby's as well. Drinks, peanut shells on floor, great atmosphere. Love it. read more

I love this place. It is a great refuge from the madness of the loop. I can't speak to much of the menu, but they seem to do the bar food pretty well. Decent drinks, good service, and a great feel inside. Peanuts on the floor scores it an extra point. It definitely caters to the after work loop crowd, but the fun part of that crowd. No pretense here. Just a bunch of good folks unwinding after a tough day in the trenches. read more

Decent burger and nice selection of beer. To be honest, I've never actually eaten here on an empty stomach because I'm usually full of peanuts by the time I get my food. The decor doesn't feel like a pub, but some medieval wine cellar. I like it a lot. Definitely one of my primary destinations if I feel like unwinding after work. read more