This place was great neighborhood eatery. Food was delicious and service great. The philly cheese steaks and apps where awesome. Great beer selection also. read more

These are the best cheesesteaks I've had in the city. Try the "Southside Johnny"--I'm still thinking about those grilled onions and horseradish cream sauce. Great beer selection, too. This place is now on my neighborhood go-to list. read more

My boyfriend and I hardly go out to the Chicago area and were very excited to try this place we've been hearing about on Yelp. I could not believe the rude waitress we had...I had not even ordered an appetizer yet, and was pulling out my ID to order a drink for myself while we waited but she wouldn't serve me alcohol. I'm 25, and wasn't the designated driver. We were taking the train and a cab home!!! I'm certifed in BASSET, and work in a restaurant. This was beyond anything I've seen happen in an established resturant in my entire life. We were so happy to get out for a change, just to be treated like children and were both extremely embarrassed. With no real reason given, just that she has the right to refuse service. If you go here, DO NOT order a drink, they'll treat you like absolute garbage. read more

Went there to check out their Philly cheese steak and would say that it is average at best. 20+ dollars for a sandwich fries and drink is too much for fast food. Ill stick to cheaper places for the same type of food as their food is nothing special. Save your money and go to regular old fast food joint because that's what this place is an overpriced fast food joint. read more

I REALLY wanted to love this place, however that just didn't exactly happen. I arrived there and the place was completely empty on a late Friday afternoon. I ordered to go, two large Philly's (one chicken, one beef) and a 6-piece buffalo wing, $39.67...OUCH! Got home and realized the dude gave me two orders of FREE fries, thank you! A little salty with the skin-on but, still FREE! The presentation of the food looked pretty good. The meat (beef) was tender, bread fresh with peppers, cheese, and onions. My sandwich lacked the flavor I'd hoped for. It was just a sandwich, nothing special at all. I know people won't believe this but, I think Philly's Best tastes better in my opinion, despite all the sweet onions they load on. I've definitely had better. Anyway, on to the wings...I actually wasn't impressed with those either, and I love buffalo wings. They were lightly breaded and fried, doused with orange buffalo sauce and serves with a cup of bleu cheese dip and a few carrot and celery stalks. The sauce wasn't too spicy, which was fine but, those lacked flavor too. I just think something more was to be desired from all the rave reviews about this place. I expected more and thought I'd found a new lunch spot. I ended up eating 3 wings and half my sandwich. I highly doubt if I go back. I think I'll stick to Philly's Best for now on for sandwiches. read more

Where has this place been all my life? Why am I discovering it now? Monti's food is delicious! They have the best wings I've ever had in my life!! The customer service is amazing as well. I'll definitely be back here again. read more

didnt realized that I never gave this place a review?! been coming here for years! decent service and delicious cheese steak sandwiches! ive tried quite a few different cheese steak here but rocky is my favorite one.. there's not one item here that ive tried that I didn't like.. for some reason everytime I come here.. rather its weekday or weekend.. afternoon or night.. it is not busy at all? I guess ppl don't know about one of the best cheese steak place here in Chicago haha.. read more

Great neighborhood restaurant. Monti's was my first restaurant in Chicago when I moved to the area and it always hits the spot when I'm looking for a cheesesteak. Admittedly, I'm a vegetarian and love their vegetarian option. I always get a side of the horseradish for the sandwich with extra mushrooms. My carnivorous friends always leave happy too! As others have mentioned, it isn't the cheapest place, but the quality, service, and beer selection is worth the trip in. read more

If this review was for the food it would be 5 stars. The lady working the bar and answering the phone is rude, disrespectful and unprofessional. I always call in an order for food and I have never drank there,but two out of the three times the lady hung up on me for no apparent reason. I then call back and she acts like nothing happened. Really weird. The food is so good that i keep going back despite having to deal with this lady. read more

So good, I have to write another review...this one focusing on Natalia. Still THE best cheesesteak in the city, but when we come it is Natalia's warmth that makes us want to keep coming back. We haven't been there in about a year due to us living pretty far away and this past Monday we were greeted with hugs, she remembered our names and our favorite drink. Monti, I hope you know what a special employee you have. read more

Their cheesesteak is basically a block of salt. But because of all the positive reviews I might have to give it a second chance.

Great service great beer. I got the rocky cheese steak and buffalo wings both were great. Free mug of ice with Yelp check in. Not much else I need read more

Go here. Great beer list and the food was awesome - definitely the best, most authentic Philly I've ever had. They also had a good clam chowder and our server was friendly and prompt. read more

Awesome Cheesesteaks. Great service by friendly employees. They are nothing like those "holes" that work in the kitchen at that cheesesteak joint on Belmont. The food is much better here anyway. The food is served so hot and fresh that you need to let it cool before ingesting. Can't wait to try the pizza. Looks great, but it is so hard not to order one of those scrumptious sandwiches. A must try. read more

I've been looking for an authentic traditional Philly Cheesesteak in Chicago for 18 years. All I've ever found are hoagies and grinders advertised as Phillies. I used to get the real deal at a place outside of Philly called Township Line Pizza. I haven't had one of those for about 26 years. Until now. Monti's nails it. I got the mini sampler: 3 small Phillies - 1 with White American Cheese, 1 with Aged Cheddar, and 1 with Provolone. These were the real deal. Can't wait to bring my Dad here. Thanks, guys!!! read more

As a long-suffering Philadelphian-in-exile, I was ecstatic when Monti's first opened in the Spring of 2012. Since then, I've become a bit of a regular - especially for Eagles' games on Sundays. Monti's is - without question - the best cheesesteak you will find in Chicago. The "eats" are authentic, with Amoroso's rolls flown in on a regular basis and local favorites like scrapple whipped up for special occasions. Now it's true that it's a bit pricey for a cheesesteak joint - I've never gotten out of Monti's for less than $20 per person. That said, I'm willing to pay for high-quality food. Ditto for beer, and they've gotten much better about pricing alcohol fairly since football season began. I'm particularly pleased by the $5 pitchers of Rolling Rock, though the alcohol prices still leave me somewhat confused. That said, I'm inclined to give Monti's the benefit of the doubt, since pretty much every aspect of the joint has seen drastic improvement since the Spring of 2012. It's a great little neighborhood joint, and I couldn't ask for much more - other than to live closer! read more

I had the pleasure of moving into the neighbor hood this "vinter". Cruising home after another epic gym session I had a life changing thought. As after any victory I treat myself to something I love. My love of beef sandwichs has led me to the yelpverse .Initially the place was not easy find. Waze had me confused. The bar was trendy and nice. The ambiance was casual. As I sat for at the bar and patently awaited my precious beef sandwich I couldn't not resist the temptation of an nice glass of whisky. I had the pleasure of consuming the 12" Southside Johnnie! Need I say more. A lovely patron whom went out of her way one upped my story about developing a leak in my brand new crib. told me that I should get spicy mayo for my fries...Thank you, you are truly an angle from foodie heaven! I also heard the barkeep say how the owner apparently Flys in bread from Philly.I truly enjoyed my meal the and good company was worth the 10$ whisky. Well done, montis. In the words of the Govenator "I'll be back"! read more

I loved this place! It had been on my to-try list for a long time and yesterday I finally gave it a whirl. So good. Now, I've never been to Philly for an authentic cheesesteak so I can't speak to the authenticity of Monti's cheesesteaks, but I will say it was definitely the best cheesesteak I've ever had and I've had a lot. I went with the basic cheesesteak. The other options sounded good and I may try them eventually, but I wanted to see what they did with the original cheesesteak. The meat was sliced very thin and chopped into small pieces, which I loved. There's nothing worse than taking a bite out of a sandwich and having a big long hunk of meat pulled out of the sandwich that just dangles out of your mouth onto your chin. Take my word for it, not a good look no matter who or where you are. That will never happen with this cheesesteak! I went with the provolone cheese, which was great, but I would have been happy with a little more cheese. I love cheese. And the bread was great, too - very soft and easy to bite into. It wasn't tough at all. The bread is from Philly so I would assume that part is definitely authentic to a cheesesteak you'd get in Philly. As for the fries, so great. Honestly, some of the best fries I've ever had. I love fries and am usually not too picky about them. I don't really have any favorites so to speak, but these were really great. I'm not sure what makes them better or different. I just know they were some of the best I've had. They were all very crispy (no limp fries here), but it was more than just that. As you can see, I'm not really food critic material! My descriptions leave a little to be desired. With that said, the food I had at Monti's was really good. I will definitely be back. I think they also deliver via one of the delivery services in the city, but I'm not sure which one. read more

I found Monti's on grubhub last night, and their hoagies looked so good I just had to give them a try. The food that arrived on my doorstep was delicious and appropriately (perfectly) portioned. The only problem was that I had ordered an Italian hoagie and ended up receiving a turkey hoagie. It was all so delicious, I didn't really mind, but my husband called just to let Monti (the owner) know about the mixup. He noted that the turkey hoagie was cheaper than the Italian, so he just wanted to get the difference back. Not only did Monti immediately apologize and refund the money, but she spent time on the phone with my husband asking him about the food, relating her own experiences, and being genuinely interested in our input. We told her it was DELICIOUS, and after the awesome customer service we got, we will absolutely be coming back. If she cares that much about how we feel about the food, we can't wait to frequent Monti's as she works to establish herself in the neighborhood. read more

Delicious Philly cheesesteak! Best I have had since leaving Pennsylvania. Service is great and price is very reasonable for quality of ingredients read more

I am not someone who goes around sampling Philly Cheesesteak to find the best one around, but I'm pretty sure if you are, your quest will come to an abrupt end at Monti's. First of all, they have an awesome option of the "Mini Platter." If you're in a group of three, you can order two platters (which comes with three of their "mini" cheesesteaks) and sample one of each of the cheesesteaks they have on the menu. And all for the price of three of their regular-sized cheesesteaks, so you're paying the same amount either way. We, however, decided to order three sandwiches on our own. My friend got the 12" Rocky, and he devoured it. I got the Authentic Philly with Provolone and split it with my friend, who got the Philly hoagie with aged cheddar sauce. Both were unbelievable, but I would have to say the Authentic Philly was my favorite. Food comes out quick, which is great, and the atmosphere is laid back and welcoming. They only had one beer on tap, but they have plenty of bottle and can options. I highly recommend!! read more

I'll admit, I've only been to Philly once, but I fell instantly in love with the Philly cheesesteak while visiting. I probably had five of them in the course of a four day visit. As soon as I hit the ground in Chicago back from vacation I started my quest for a cheesesteak that could live up to the real thing. Many cheesesteaks later I pronounce Monti's the clear winner, in my mind. I get the 12" authentic Philly cheesesteak with aged cheddar. It's big, it's awesome, and it's authentic. Atmosphere is great and they even accommodate our little one who's under a year old. Note, I've never checked out the bathrooms so I'm not sure if it's child friendly with a changing table, but I'd classify it as a place that's ok to take well behaved kids or sleeping infants to. They have a full bar which is great addition, but it's not the type of place where folks get rowdy, just good food & drinks. Also wait staff is top notch, very attentive & friendly. I highly recommend Monti's to anyone looking for an awesome Philly cheesesteak in Chicago. read more

I just moved into the Lincoln Square area and Monti's was the first place I checked out and it is already my absolute favorite. I got the greek cheesesteak and it was the best I've ever had! Im usually not a fan of cheesesteak in general but this was phenomenal! My boyfriend and I stopped by for the blackhawks game a few weeks ago. The staff was very friendly and the bartender was super nice to us! Plus they had my favorite kolsch beer and $1 fireball shots! Cant get any better. It was a very fun welcoming place and will definitely go back soon. read more

So after talking to Jennifer (and confirming with the spouse that the chicken nuggets are, in fact, really good--and organic, made-when-ordered, not frozen!), I have to update the review. This is customer service at its finest, and we will absolutely be returning to give the menu another go around. read more

Went to Monti's with my family last night, as always a great experience. Staff was great, food was terrific.

I forgot to post my review??! I was at Monti's a few weeks ago... saw the Friday special $5 martini's (starting at noon) posted on Lincoln Square's website. Now let me tell ya... I should have been raised in the East Coast but I grew up on the southside in Bridgeport and Taylor st areas. Basically this is pretty close to coming from Jersey as far as food and slang accents go. I fancy myself to be somewhat of an expert in pizza and sandwich joints. That's some about me, now for the sandwich... OH THAT SANDWICH!!! I just had to get a South Side Johnny (well, duh!) with fries (if you skip the fries your sandwich is a $1 less but the fries w/celery salt somehow are a wonderfully suttle accompaniment. The sandwich was more than perfect and altho I knew better, I ate the whole thing!! I actually sat there til I had more room in my tummy so I could finish the sandwich!! It was THAT GOOD!! The sliced/shaved beef was oh-so-tender and flavorful, perfected caramelized onions, the horseradish sauce, THE BREAD FROM PHILLY!! Can't wait to go back and try the boneless wings which smelled divine and the soup looked awesome. My ONLY qualm is that the $5 martini's are made with well vodka. I wasn't paying attention until my last French martini when I noticed the off brand. Ok, no biggie right... the drink still tasted good but I had a headache like horrible the next day. I would've preferred to pay an additional buck for the Friday dealio to upgrade it to at least Absolut. The atmosphere, owner (we talked to the male half of Monti's), the bartenders, the FOOD, all was great!!!! I know some think it is expensive but for the quality and freshness of the ingredients you are getting your money's worth. It's not dollar menu quality or something you just eat. You seriously need to sit and enjoy. and I'd definitely eat in instead of taking out read more

OK, full disclosure. I'm not from Philadelphia; I've never been to Philadelphia; I actually know very little about Philadelphia. So, as far as knowing about "authenticity", I'm not going to be much help. I DO, however, know an amazing sandwich when I see (or rather, taste) one, and Monti's? They make amazing sandwiches. I tried a roasted pork loin grinder: I've heard that while the cheese steak may be what Philly is known for, locals actually prefer this sandwich (see, I guess I DO know something about Philadelphia). I can see why: tender and juicy pork, sweet peppers and a nice, bitter bite from the broccoli rabe (plus there's some heat: something in here has been introduced to some pepper flakes or something similar. I'm guessing it's the broccoli rabe). My wife had a Niko the Greek, which is essentially gyro fixin's incorporated into a cheese steak format: good stuff (amoroso rolls have an almost pita-like pillowy consistency, so this came together well). Can't wait to try the actual cheese steak(s). read more

Monti's has been a favorite of my husband and mine's for some time. We have a one- year-old so unfortunately we can't spend tons of time there, but we often find ourselves getting take-out or a quick lunch during the week. I have always loved the society hill salad and for some reason my husband dreams about the Rocky sandwich, beware, you must like spicy to enjoy the rocky - I mean, really, really spicy, which he does. The food is very good, and I think their philly sandwiches are amazing even though I often get the salad, which tells you they can do all types of food. That being said, the service and owners are by the far the best! I thought about leaving a review of this place for some time, but I am so busy with my baby and life I never got around to it, but after tonight's service I had to make my voice heard "Monti's is GREAT!!" Today is my son's first birthday. My husband and I decided to celebrate one full year of being parents by having a good meal at one of our favorite spots. We came in with a big obnoxious stroller and I expressed how he sits better in the stroller then in a high chair, the owner (I'm pretty positive it was the owner, but if it was the manager, still great!) was so accommodating, very "no big deal!". I then explained it was his birthday and not only did he get free sherbet at the end of the meal BUT when we left we forgot his ONLY sippy cup - and she RAN down the street to ensure we got our cup. It was above and beyond. That being said, not only is the food very good but the service honestly goes above and beyond and made our son's birthday one of the best! read more

This review had been a long time coming. It's way overdue. I went to Monti's several months ago. A friend suggested I go there because I am from the Philadelphia area and I love a good cheesesteak. I went there and anticipated a decent cheesesteak and didn't get that. Instead I got a spectacular cheesesteak. After I started to eat it I came to the conclusion that I died and went to cheesesteak heaven. By far it was the best cheesesteak that I have eaten in Chicago. The cheesesteak from Monti's is neck and neck with Jim's on South Street. I met the owner because I had to tell her that their cheesesteaks are fantastic!!! She was very friendly and we shared our Philly experiences. I love the fact that they have Philly stuff hanging on their walls. If it was possible I would give Monti's ten stars. I only wish that they had onion rings and Yuengling. In a couple of weeks I am going to get some people from my Chicago Philadelphia Eagles group to meet up for dinner. I CAN'T WAIT!!! read more

We wen to this place last week and was not impressed. We were told that we could sit anywhere we wanted to, once we picked a table we were told to move to move to another table in case a bigger party wold come in. It took about 10 minutes for our waiter to take our order. It took another 15 minutes to get us our beer. We ordered the calamari. We saw the an order of the philly steak sandwiches and we were not impressed with the size of it. I think $15.00 is a bit overpriced for a 12" sandwich. Gluteen free bread is another $2.50. The calamari was soaked with oil. Our waiter never offered us utensils. The service sucked. We were never asked if we wanted another drink. I believe this place lost its personal touch due to the a few TV shows showcase of this place. read more

If you love cheesesteaks, this is the place for you. I have been here several times and love it! The food is delicious, the staff is awesome and the owners are welcoming. They have a solid beer selection and a rotating tap. The Southside Johnny is one of my favorites and a must try. read more

My husband lived in the Philly area for a bit as a child and has been searching for an authentic Philly Cheesesteak for decades. He found it at Monti's. The meat was delicious, the bread was spot on and the toppings were perfect. I don't have a frame of reference myself as to authenticity, but it was one of the tastiest sandwiches I have ever had in my life. I also tried the coconut chicken which was juicy, crispy and delicious. We also tried a turkey grinder that was amazing. The quality of the ingredients is what makes all the food here so tasty. This is a real gem of a place. read more

I love two subs ,the Italian and the steak and cheese. I tested many of both in Chicago and Monti's Authentic is the only steak and cheese I have found that is worth going back to have another. Sorry for any offended anyone with "Steak and Cheese" read more

OMG!!!! i went there for the first time after hearing my brother brag about this place, wow was he right. We ordered the wings, they were awesome just the way i like them also we had got the rocky philly cheesesteak another omg a little spicy but great. I love this place and will definitely go back. read more

Having been born in Philly and now living in the Chicago burbs the thought of finding good Philly fare was just a dream. The thought of eating anything listed as a "Philly cheese steak" made me move to the burgers instead. Yesterday we visited Monti's and for a short time, it was like being back home. The rolls are brought in from Philly and are finished baking at Monti's. The cheese steaks here are actually made to order. It might take a few extra minutes to be served but well worth the wait. The meatball grinder was fantastic and the red sauce was incredible. The fries were crisp, tasty with a hint on seasoning. Lastly...the pork loin..... broccoli rabe, peppers, cheese, and the incredible role. Was it as good as the one in Reading Terminal Market? For us, it was better. The service was great, professional, and friendly. read more

Wow. As good as, or actually, way, way better that Pat's or Geno's. Staff is great. The ambiance is cool, darn fine beer list, and they are doing a lot of take-out too. WORTH IT! read more

First time I've had a Philly cheesesteak and it was delicious. Saw Monti's on "Chicago's Best" and had to try it that same day, and as I write this, I am getting hungry. Bartender was really nice and I got to chat with one of the owners while they made my lunch. Cool place and a great Philly cheesesteak! read more

Was here to try the cheesesteak tonight. I got the original with provalone; it was delicious and absolutely an authentic Philly! I'll be back! read more

I had such high expectations for Monti's after reading all the positive reviews. Sadly, I was hugely disappointed. My husband and I placed a to go order early Saturday afternoon. It was ready in 15 minutes just like we were told. After the five minute drive back to our house, we dug in. First of all, our appetizers (calamari, wings, and even the fries) were already lukewarm, despite being packed in Styrofoam. The calamari was tough, too chewy, and overcooked, with some pieces even being crunchy with little to no breading on it. The breading was too salty, making some pieces inedible. I was disappointed that the lemon had been deep fried along with the calamari and I wasn't able to squeeze the juice over the pieces. The marinara to dip the calamari in was just OK, nothing special. We also ordered buffalo wings. The sauce had just enough zing but since it was cooling down already, it started to congeal at the bottom of the container and looked unappetizing. I am not a fan of breading on my wings. Again, since the wings were not hot anymore, the breading was soggy and the skin was flabby, not crispy at all as I was expecting. It appeared that the celery and carrots were placed in the container along with the wings and the sauce was poured on top. The veggies were not crisp but were also flabby after swimming in the buffalo sauce. The side of ranch was quite tasty though. We split a 12 in authentic Philly cheesesteak wit and the cheddar cheese sauce. The meat was tender and juicy and the onions were distributed throughout the sandwich. I wish there would have been more cheese sauce on the sandwich though. The bread had a nice chew to it and it held up to the mounds of meat on it. The french fries were over salted and tasted like they had been sitting in the warming basket for half an hour before being served. Considering the high price for our meal, $35 for two appetizers and a 12 inch sandwich, I was expecting the food to be at least average and not such a huge disappointment. I understand that our take out food would not be as fresh and hot as if we had dined in but I was not expecting the food to be lukewarm from our five minute drive home. I have had fast food stay warm longer than our food from Monti's. Although we enjoyed our cheesesteak, the rest of the meal was basically inedible. We will continue our search for great Philly cheesesteak in Chicago. read more

By reading all the great reviews I guess I could say I was expecting more out of montis. I thought the location was a little odd and I was assuming it would be a bigger restaurant with more of a dining room. Anyways, the service was decent, nothing spectacular but also wasn't bad. Since it was my first time I figured to try the authentic with white American. Pretty good sandwich, a little greasy and the bread seemed like it was toasted...but it was a generous portion that came with fries. Next time I will go with the 8 inch sandwich and less salt on the fries. It's ashame I don't live closer to this place. It was quite a drive for me. Oh well, it was worth the experience. I'll have to add that nothing hits home like a cheese steak from actual Philadelphia though. There's something about the history of philly steaks and the atmosphere of pats and ginos battling right across the street from each other for so many years. read more