Finally found my Philly Cheesesteak place in Chicago! Chicago is a city with great restaurants, but as a recent Philly transplant, I was struggling to find a good cheesesteak in the city. My search is now complete after having lunch at Monti's. In addition to cheesesteaks, they have roast pork grinders and cheeseburger hoagies (a sub made with a cheeseburger instead of ham and salami) which are other local Philly things. As an added bonus, the fries remind me of the boardwalk fries you'd get on the east coast! I'll definitely be returning when the next Philly craving hits! read more

Super friendly awesome staff! The owner is super cool and really passionate about cheese steak! I am also really passionate about cheese steak on days when I am hungover and can only walk the block to get to to Monti's. For some reason, this place has the BEST Coca-Cola I have ever experienced in any corner of the world, they must mix it with extra sugar/love/real cocaine. Come for the cheese steak, stay for the friendly banter and cavities! read more

Probably one of the best Philly Cheese Steaks you will have in Chicago. The steak is lean yet tender and of great quality. Does not feel fatty and gross like others. My wife usually goes for Chicken phillys but she tried the steak and loved it. The fries are pretty good and the italian ice is really good too! The location is small yet cozy and the staff is very friendly. I imagine there may be a bit of a wait to get a table on weekends but its worth the wait. I will definitely be coming back and am looking forward to trying more items from the menu. read more

There was a rumor that philly cheesesteaks would be invading Lincoln Square soon..and then, it arrived. I'm not gonna lie, one of my favorite sandwiches is the philly cheesesteak and I get really upset when I have a bad one. Trust me, you don't want to see an upset Gary after eating a bad cheesesteak; I start oozing cheez whiz and tearing off my clothes, storming the streets back to my fave philly spot to make up for crappiness. But after eating at Monti's, I soon realized that I wouldn't need to ooze the whiz, rip perfectly good clothing, or head back to just one philly spot. No, I have found another. I have only been there once, so far, and I have to say that it's quite good. Had the 8-incher Authentic Philly. Filled with black angus ribeye, overflowing with aged cheddar sauce, this gorgeous sandwich made it into my stomach in record time. It's meaty, for all of you who have had cheesesteaks that flake out on the -steak part. It's cheesy, with a choice of melted or cheese sauces (ideal for any cheese connoisseur). It's filling, for those worried about having enough to eat. 8-inches is a lot (insert giggle), but if that's not enough for you, there's always the foot-long. The awesome part is that there are other variations of the cheesesteak, and from what I hear, the kitchen does an amazing job with all of their sandwiches. Open late on the weekends (TR-Sat until 12AM), Monti's is sure to become a Lincoln Square fave. See you there! read more

Wow this was really good. I had the pick Three minis. The hot one its really hot. Really good but it is hot. Original with provolone was excellent as well. The mushroom one was good but i don't think i like mushrooms enough to order again. Checked in on Urkooo and got Italian ice water....it was really good as well. Try this place if you are up there. Oh the bread was almost the best part read more

Seriously amazing! Every time.. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable when it comes to food and drink. I drive about 45 minutes just to eat here once a month with some buddys. They do it right! read more

I've never been to Philadelphia, but I can't imagine the cheese steaks being much better. My favorite at Monti's is "The Rocky," which is pretty spicy. I give Monti's 4 stars and not 5 because Budweiser, Miller Light, and Old Style are not on the beer menu. Again, I've never been to Philadelphia but I feel that in your average run of the mill cheese steak place they would have one of these beers as an option. If everyone in Philadelphia is drinking craft beers I stand corrected, but based on videos that I have seen of Philadelphia sports fans raging at professional sporting events, I think that craft beers are not the drink of choice for your average cheese steak eating Philadelphian. read more

Great Cheese Steaks. Great local bar and worth traveling to if you don't live in the area for the cheese steaks. Lots of T.V.s to watch games. Friendly staff. Decent beer selection but only one draft. We got the Rocky and another one, whcih I forget the name of. Rocky is great, really spicy but not over the top. Fries were good and I like you can put toppings on them. read more

Come for the Philly. Stay for the wings. Monti's is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. Good beer? Check. Delicious food? Double check. Philadelphia is one of my favorite cities in the world. The bad living about living in Chicago is that you can't get good East Coast food here. Well, that's what I thought until I discovered Monti's. Hands down they have the best cheesesteaks this side of the Appalachian Mountains. I've had both the regular and the Rocky. I highly suggest getting the Rocky if you like extra kick to your meals. I guarantee that you will not be let down with their food. Sure Monti's has the best cheesesteaks in Chicago, but they have the best wings in the city. Their wings are large and smothered in delicious house made BBQ sauce. I wish they still had their Spicy BBQ Wings. I still have dreams about them. Sadly, they don't have many beers on tap. However, they do have great selection when it comes to there cans and bottles. And the beer prices aren't ridiculous like most places. So just go to Monti's and enjoy some fantastic food! read more

Fantastic. I heard enough positive word of mouth about Monti's to make the trip and see what all the fuss was about. I've never stepped foot in Philadelphia and therefore have never had a truly authentic Philly cheesesteak. But the first thing I noticed was how high-quality the beef was and how this was the first cheesesteak I'd ever had where the meat seemed to be the star of the show. The cheese acts as a complement instead of overwhelming the sandwich which is the case with most, and up until now I didn't know any better. I see lots of complaining about the price but it seemed about right to me (and was worth it). One annoyance. I was here on a Saturday in the late afternoon and ate at the bar since I came in solo. After I finished my sandwich and beer I wasn't checked back up on for probably 20 minutes while the two bartenders -- one male, one female, who also acted as servers for the tables -- and who I assume was a deliveryman stood in the corner talking to each other while I was waiting for my check so I could pay and leave. I'm typically used to this since I live in Lincoln Park but given how proactive Jennifer M. is on this site I quickly figured out that these were not the owners. I hope to meet them next time around! read more

This was exceptional! Probably the best Philly cheesesteak sandwich I've ever had, even compared with what I had in Philly...which in actuality wasn't all that great to begin with. To start with, the bun was exceptional, fresh tasting and crunchy and rounded at the ends, they get it directly from a bakery in Philly called Amarosa, according to the owner, Jennifer Monti. Then there were the toppings, smoked provolone and onions, nice upgrade from the typical offerings you usually get with a cheesesteak. Then there was the beef, in this case it was rib-eye, juicy and perfectly seasoned. Everybody seems to mention price, which I agree is kind of expensive, $10.95 for an 8" & $13.95 for a 12". I'd definitely go back, but not quite as often as if it was a little cheaper. My only mistake was not getting the fries...only because I thought they were extra!!! My mistake, not theirs! It was so memorable I'm thinking of already going back today! Another thing I liked about this place was how friendly everyone was, from the owner Jennifer to the bartender, both treated me like family. Wish more restaurants were like that....are you listening Kuma's Corner??? Less attitude, more customer service. Since it wasn't very busy I ended up eating at the bar, a rarity for me, had a spirited conversation with both of them on just about everything from Chicago politics, crime, food, etc. This is the place to go NOW for a real Philly cheesesteak! read more

Just moved to the neighborhood and not only that, but right upstairs from the place, so you know I had to check it out. Before even having the opportunity to dine at this establishment, I had the pleasure of meeting the owner who just so happened to be outside when I was walking my dogs. Genuinely a nice cool guy. Finally had the pleasure of dining there last night for the first time with some friends. I was by no means disappointed. Besides, having an excellent bottled beverage menu (beers and ciders) and a fully stocked bar, the place just felt cool and relaxing. The food, delicious and the restaurant staff was super friendly. Whatever seasonings they use on their fries makes them highly addictive, watch out! Needless to say, this will be an easy choice next time I'm hungry and looking for a quick awesome bite! read more

It's nice to have a place like Monti's in town offering Philly cheesesteaks. We dropped in recently and enjoyed our sandwiches. My classic Philly cheesesteak was delicious. The shaved ribeye (piled high on the bun) was tender and tasty, and the roll was perfectly soft yet chewy. I opted for cheddar chesse, which turned out to be a thinner sauce than I had imagined; as a result, the sandwich was rather messy to eat. Fries were pretty good. My companion's pork hoagie was not as spectacular, but good nonetheless. We started with a Society Hill salad, which was underwhelming due to skimpy greens and a sharper-than-I-like balsamic vinaigrette. We were too full for dessert, but I think we'd have gone elsewhere if we were in the mood. Why go elsewhere for dessert? Well, Monti's is all about cheesesteaks, for me. It's not a comfortable place: seating is at the bar or at high tables/stools except for a a couple of low tables tucked in the dark recesses at the back of the room (if it were my place, I'd put the low tables in the window, with the high tables to the rear). The high tables present a challenge to petite diners, like my companion (and, I imagine, to older or mobility-impaired customers). And then there's the noise: between the music and the customers, this is not a conversation-friendly venue when it's busy. It's a nice neighborhood tap, but not the kind of ambiance I prefer for a leisurely dinner. The staff gets high marks for congeniality and helpfulness, and the food came quickly (a mite too quickly, since our sandwiches arrives halfway through the salad ). There's a nice selection of craft beers and ciders in bottles (no room for more than one tap, I was told) and a few martinis, but no wine. I encourage everyone to stop in for a cheesesteak - and if you like the ambiance, you may just discover a new neighborhood pub for your list! read more

Excellent, Excellent food. This is the best Philly Cheese Steak i've ever had. The meat was extremely tender and very well seasoned and the way they spread the cheese on it really made a difference. It was a great atmosphere, it is definitely neighborhood spot and has a very good beer list. The wait staff was friendly and the co-owner herself came to our table and talked to us. It was a great outing with my wife. I will definitely return and this time I will get the 12" Cheesesteak. read more

AWESOME PHILLY CHEESE!!!!! - MONTI's HAS THE TYPE OF SANDWICH YOU DO NOT WANT TO END!!! Wife and I saw this on diners and dives, decided to give it a shot, and were blown away....The staff is extra helpful, but the sandwiches were overly delicious, this is a MUST HAVE PLACE..... Pretty pricey, but TOTALLY WORTH IT, good quality meat, and it is the Enjoy read more

You do NOT want to play around with the Rock It Philly cheese stake sandwich! Unless you have a Mexican ethnicity like me or you're crazy for scotch bonnet! The little problem for me is that I don't really like the whole shredded meat, but I love the onions! Have I mentioned cheese sauce? Yum! I love their Philly cheese stake sandwich (although the meat and the onions get confused) and if you don't have a problem with that go for it! I give them 5 stars because of the flavor, their bar, they're service and the fries. Oooh the fries!! I could really write a whole book about them! lol they are delicious! read more

I found Montis after doing a recent philly cheese steak search on Yelp. Not many choices in Chicago. I've tried Phillys Best, it was pretty good. However, I noticed Montis was given an avg of 4.5 stars / nearly 300 reviews. That said, my expectations were set pretty high... Fries were perfectly cooked, light and crispy. I tried the 3 minis, your choice. The authentic style and Swiss/mushroom subs were excellent. The star sub in my opinion was the spicy cheese steak...definitely my favorite. read more

My only previous cheese steak experience was in downtown Philly years ago. I've passed on so many cheese steak options in Chicago because they always feel the need to add things that aren't necessary, use different bread, or prepare the meat differently. I was told Monit's had an authentic cheese steak and was not disappointed. I might echo the minor complaints about the amount of cheese if not for the fact that when I ordered in Philly I accidentally ordered mine wit' Whiz AND provolone. A delicious mistake for sure. We also ordered the buffalo nuggets and those were also spot on. I'll definitely be stopping in again! read more

Love this place.! Food and drinks are always amazing.! Beer list is great good choices of ale ciders and ipa but the sandwich are the best close to the house love it.! read more

See all

Hands down the most authentic Philly place in Chicago! I love it. They actually have amoroso buns instead of the fake 'hoagie' rolls. The only critique I have is the super cheap napkins they have. This is my pet peeve. I hate places that have cheap napkins...you need 10 just to wipe your face! It's like toilet paper. read more

Just finished lunch here with a friend of mine from the neighborhood. We could not be happier to have this place as neighbors. The owners, James and Monti, greeted us as soon as we walked in the door, and Monti talked to us for a few minutes about their backgrounds, their concept and how they've changed the space since the demise of the somewhat-missed Cinner's at the same location. They did a nice job making the space more inviting and brighter than it was before while still keeping things casual. We both got the cheesesteak hoagie, mine "wit" onions, white american cheese and sans tomato. It was perfect- juicy without being overly greasy, and with a great beefy, steak flavor. The fries were a perfect portion, a nice complementary size. I liked the flavor of the celery salt but wouldn't have mind if they were cooked a minute or two more. As stated above, service was excellent. We talked for a few minutes with Monti and James about their family, previous experience in the industry and James gave us a tour of the small but very impressive and clean kitchen, including the great looking stacked Blodgett stone pizza oven. Might have to try some pizza next time if I can possibly resist the other beefy, oniony, cheesy enticements. I look forward to enjoying this new addition for years. read more

My friend, Dean, knows I love a good Philly Cheesesteak, and when he told me that Monti's has, " the best Philly outside of Philly" I was expecting the BEST of the BEST. After devouring there classic Philly with fries and a coors light, I was in fact convinced that Monti's Philly Cheese Steak is the best in the city and outside of Philly. There homemade cheese sauce, perfect hoagie roll and tender steak all served piping hot made the experience very enjoyable. I want to go back to not only get there cheese steak, but also try the wings, pretzel bites and other treats that they had on there menu! 5 stars! read more

If you're craving a cheesesteak, I don't know of a better place in the city. Hot and melty with great soft bread. Good low-key neighborhood vibe if you eat in. Nice beer selection and kids' foods they'll eat. Do it! read more

This place was recommended by a coworker as having authentic Philly cheesesteaks...and I was wary (having lived in Philly for a couple of years)...in the 20 years I have been back in the Chicago area no other place was as good as what I had in Philly...until now! I was excited to see the cheesesteak hoagie on the menu...since no other place I've been to outside of Philly has had that exact description. It was delicious!!! The same coworker also recommended trying the buffalo chicken bite appetizer...and it also didn't fail to impress! I'm definitely coming back here despite the drive!! read more

The boyfriend and I tried this place about three weeks ago. He lives just down the street so I called ahead and placed an order to go. They said about 20 minutes, we got there in 25 or so. While waiting at the bar for our food, the bartender offered us water while we waited. Very friendly lady! Got our food in maybe 5 minutes, brought it home and devoured it as if it was the first time we ate in a month. SO GOOD. SO TASTY. SO COMING BACK AGAIN AND AGAIN. You guys are great. Thank you! read more

I was a little disappointed with Monti's. I have to say the food was better than average and I dont mind paying a little more for quality ingredients. But I don't think being slammed the day before is an adequate excuse for having enough rolls or meat etc... when you are in the business of selling said product. I dont expect popeyes chicken to run out of chicken, i dont expect Places to ever run out of something that is their specialty. I don't think the sandwiches had enough meat on them and value wise I'd rather come back when they start selling the menu they advertise. They had no 8 inch rolls, no tastykakes, and they don't have bbq sauce. How can you sell wings without barbecue sauce??? Why have 8 types of hot sauce, and ketchup on every table, wine vinegar, oil and vinegar , but bbq sauce is a no show? read more

2004: Our best cheesesteak experience happened once upon a drunken stupor in New York City, where my wife and I lived during my dental school career. Granted neither she nor I have ever had an authentic cheesesteak sandwich from Philadelphia, it was THAT place (Carl's near 33rd and 3rd) which we held as the gold standard of cheesesteak sandwiches. Fast forward to July, 2013. My wife is very pregnant and is ready to kill for a Philly cheesesteak. We ended up Yelping Monti's and assumed that any place with 200+ reviews should be a sure shot, no? YES! We became instant Friends on Facebook! She and I ordered ours with the cheese sauce. If you're reading this, ORDER THE FRIGGIN' CHEESE SAUCE! We asked for chicken tenders (it's gross calling them "fingers") and pizza for the kids. We figured our boys don't have a sophisticated-enough palate for a cheesesteak. They'd just mistaken it for Polish ham since that's the only other meat they eat aside from chicken (our nanny is Polish). Both of these meals were fantastic, very delicious at any age. My wife and I both ordered the "Authentic Philly Sandwich" and we absolutely loved it. The bread is very fresh, the meat tender and soft and the cheese...I am weeping as I type "cheese." Hey Jennifer Monti, I know you're reading this, "Thank you!" PS: I'm the dentist that came by for a pick-up order. Since you lost my business card, I'll drop another off at our next dine-in experience. :D read more

I don't drink, if I did I might be a fixture in Monti's. They have lots of nice stuff to drink. I go for the food. Good food. This is not 'exquisite' food. It is damned good food. Look at their menu. If these items appeal to you, then you will probably enjoy the food, because it is done right. It is not super fancy, but it is made the right way using good recipes, good ingredients and proper cooking. The place is 'neighborhood nice,' casual but not a dump. Lots of TVs for sports that are properly adjusted to show actual HD, not just stretched SD. Staff is friendly, attentive. I did not find service to be slow, but I also did not expect fast-food-joint speed. I would say food service was faster than most restaurants and slower than fast-food joints. Kind of between the two. Which is fine. Only thing is, they close the kitchen too early for my tastes, usually 10 or 11 PM. I am a night owl. Quite often I want dinner at midnight, and they usually stop serving before that. Well I can't expect them to stay open till the wee hours if that doesn't work out business-wise. After all, I want them to succeed so I can have their food for years to come. [Nov-2017 addition] I went here with some friends from Philadelphia, pretty picky and snooty foodie types too, they are. They had the Philly Cheese Steak - their eyes lit up on the first bite, and then when I asked them if it was the real Philly deal, they could only nod affirmation because they were too busy gobbling up their sandwiches to speak. My picky friend from Philly likes these, and I can't think of a better endorsement. read more

Found a delicious cheesesteak in Chicago. And a block from my house. Tried the Balboa and it cleared every sinus in my body. Spicy!!!! Being from Tejas, I usually love the spices and this did not disappoint. Local beer selection was awesome as well. 3 thumbs up read more

This is definitely the best cheese steak that I've had in Chicago. There are some other good places, but so far, Monti's tops them all. I have to admit, I really need to branch out and try some other items there. Every time I go in, the staff is friendly, knows me by now and knows exactly what I want... 12" authentic. I love the cheese sauce, and it's a bit different than anything else you get in Chicago. I know in Philly they use "whiz" and this is not exactly the same (plus I've never tried that in Philly), but as far as Chicago goes, their cheese sauce is the way to go. The portions are huge and a cheese steak always comes with a bunch of fries that are pretty good too. I met a couple of people at a friend's party who are big Monti's fans and mentioned that there are other amazing things on the menu (such as the wings) so one of these days I am going to have to venture off and try them, or try my regular and a little something new. Very glad to have lived close by and that my new place will be too read more

I've gotten take out from Monti's in the past and thought it was time to eat in and the cheesesteaks might be better when you dine in! I also turned my wife on to Monti's turkey grinder and she loved the fact a gluten free roll was an option. This is a GREAT neighborhood spot! read more

Monti's had a very delicious, authentic cheesesteak sandwich - I'm glad I ordered the 12", 'cause it was definitely worth the extra to enjoy that much longer! I asked the waitress for a suggestion on the beer, and she came through - she recommended "a little somethin' somethin'" (no, that's the name of the beer!), which was a little hoppy and sweet, a nice change from the newcastle and killian's that I tend to order (they had newcastle on the menu, but if there are new beers to try, I'm going to try them!) The only reason I'm docking a star at all was that the beginning of the meal was rocky. I got in, was told to sit anywhere, and so I did - and proceeded to wait nearly ten minutes before being presented with a menu and an opportunity to order a drink. It turned out that my waitress had to take a phone order - no big deal, these things happen - but there were other staff members sitting at the bar who did not even acknowledge my presence. Another table, who entered just before I did, were sat and had their drinks before I'd even received a menu. That said, after the phone order ended, the service was great - very attentive, but not hovering. I've eaten my fair share of Philly Cheesesteak, and I can honestly say that this was one of the best I've ever had. Don't let my rocky start dissuade you from trying them out! read more

I've been to Monti's about 6 or 7 times over the past 5 months and absolutely love their food, service, and ambiance. I always bring my two little ones (6 and 3), to give Mommy a little break, and they love it too. Their preferences are the hot dog and chicken tenders. They love that they come with fries and I love that you can add carrots too at no charge. I always get the authentic philly cheesesteak (american cheese is my preference) and it's literally never disappointed in any visit. It's not soggy or overtly messy. But a perfect combo of meat and cheese, served piping hot. The beer list is great too, Daisy Cutter for me, and the service has always been really friendly. Very highly recommended. Thanks Monti's! read more

I remember what i had now.It was their infinitely SALTY cheesesteak sandwich.You see the infinitely attention seeking and disrespectful comment reply i just got from the owner or manager or a regular employee of this restaurant? I got too much attention actually and some of it comes from you Jennifer M.You love my page.This is why you're the internet troll you wish i was.You got too much time on your hands LYING to everybody about you giving me a refund you know you didn't give me.The only reason you're not blocked yet is because i don't know how to do that yet.All LIARS and clowns trolling me will be blocked.Now go away quietly please.THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!! read more

The only drawback to eating at Monti's is that you'll be craving it all the time afterward and eating it every day probably isn't good for your arteries. I, so far, haven't deviated too much from the cheesesteaks, because I can't imagine ordering food at Monti's and not getting a cheesesteak. It's their signature and it's amazing. I am not from Philly, so I can't attest to the authenticity of the sandwiches, but I'm guessing they're pretty legit, since the owners and the bread are both from Philadelphia (according to the Monti's website). The fries are great on their own. The beer selection is not Hopleaf-huge, but still respectable enough for those of us who hate having to pick between only Bud Lite and Miller Lite. While the location might not bring in a lot of foot traffic, this neighborhood is a hidden gem in Chicago and it's great to have a good restaurant addition like Monti's. I hope they don't go the way of Cinners, because the Rockwell Corridor hood needs to support great small businesses in the area. I know I'll keep on being a customer both because their sandwiches are fantastic and I like supporting a local place that does it right. The extra incident that made me give Monti's five stars: My dining companion ordered the Rocky and, though scoff as he did at the warning of its strength, was struggling through it. Our waitress noticed his battle and brought him a shot of milk to ease his pain. I love a place that will give its customers that kind of consideration. read more

OK, so I'm from Pennsylvania about 2 hrs west of Philly so I'm thinking I'm gonna get a taste of the east coast. Not so much... First of all, since when does a cheese steak sandwhich cost $15? I've tried 3 so far and the flavor is not bad but also not authentic from what I remember. So I'm thinking , let's try the pizza. My memory of east coast pizza is thin, doughy, crispy crust, giant slices with lots of cheese. Well, I guess you could call it doughy(or chewy or rubbery) but the bitter, sour sauce was so heavily applied that it squished out and burned my mouth and the dry bitter oregano is still stuck in my teeth. Not good! I really wanted to love this place because I live so close but it's expensive and not so great. I'll be going to Pizza Art Cafe and Spacca Napoli for my over priced za in this area. read more

It was delicious. A lot of meat! Fresh fries.

Great spot in Lincoln Square. I've been here several times with my ex's family who have spent a significant time in Philadelphia. All of them agree that this is the best cheesesteak they've eaten outside Philly. My favorite is the southside johnny because I'm a horseradish fiend. His family has ordered pretty much the rest of the cheesecake menu on our several visits. Their favorite seems to be the cheesesteak hoagie for the grilled onions. Although the sandwiches themselves are filling you have to order the fries too as they are perfectly crispy on the outside while not overly so as it retains its pillowy potato texture inside. Can't go wrong if you decide to add on a side of the cheddar sauce for the fries too. read more

We ate at Monti's this afternoon. I have to mention our adorable waitress/bartender. I don't know her name. She took my order for a cheesesteak sandwich and fries and a gin martini on the rocks. Doesn't everyone drink two gin martinis with a Philly sam'ich lunch? It's the only way to fly! She asked about Vermouth. How much? I told her not to bother. She protested. "But then it's just a glass of gin!," she said. I told her the story of Winston Churchill. And how he liked his martinis dry. How dry? He'd only scowl at the Vermouth bottle across the room. That's how dry. She was skeptical...but a good sport. And she served me two excellent dry martinis. The sandwich was fine. A superior martini in Chicago is more rare than a decent cheesesteak. Go to this place! read more

GREAT SERVICE. FANTASTIC FOOD. GOLDEN MONKEY ON TAP. I would highly highly recommend trying this place. The Rocky is my all-time favorite cheesesteak. It can be VERY VERY hot so be careful. The prices are a little high but after you try their food, you won't complain and you'll probably be back for more. It's a little annoying to find the place because Talman is a one way street, but parking is not difficult to find. There are indeed many great places to eat in and around Lincoln Square, but Monti's is definitely one of the best in my humble opinion and shouldn't be missed. read more