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Categories: Bars, Gastropubs
Neighborhood: MissionOn Wednesday Dec. 2nd we will be holding a six-course, seven beer, paired dinner with The Shelton Brothers. Space is limited, reserve now.
Announced 22 hours agoMon-Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
I know a great time to go to Monk's Kettle without any wait: Mondays at 6pm! You're welcome. Another pleasant surprise is that the food is really good! They always have special pot pies of the day (or week?) so you're not really sure which one you can order until you arrive. I've heard they have served chicken and lobster pot pies before which both sound delicious but yesterday I got the one that I really wanted to try, SCALLOP! I saw it on the menu and I was sold.
I'm not really a beer drinker though I aspire to be one day. I just like sweet drinks and beers are usually not. The waiter gave me a "shot" of a sweet beer they had and it was actually pretty okay! It did have a sweet lingering flavor and a nice maple after taste. I ended up with the Black Currant Cider. The waiter said it's the alcohol's soda and it tasted like fruit soda. I will work my way up to beers next time around.
My friends' ordered the Lamb and Steak Burgers which were both excellent. Who knew a bar would become my to-go burger joint? The fries were also thin and flavorful. But the scallop pot pie was the real highlight of the night. It was stuffed with huge succulent scallops, swam in a rich, creamy chowder with carrots, potatoes and peas, and topped with a buttery crust. It's luxurious comfort food at its finiest.
Dessert came in bread pudding form with a root beer float syrup and vanilla ice cream. The cold ice cream was much needed for the steaming hot and sweet pudding. I loved the crispy edges and soft insides of the bread. A few moments later it was gone. Not bad for a Monday night at a bar!
Great beer selection, cool atmosphere, super packed on Saturday night.
Great to try a few great Belgian beers, I didn't even know there was Duvel green label, but how about that!
Talk about a perfect place for a date with your bestie! Initially there was a short wait for our table but that's normal and we didn't mind. After eating there, I can say it's worth it even if there is a long wait.
We had the chili as an appetizer. It's vegan, it was delicious. We chose to add the optional creme fraiche. The chili lasted about 5 minutes. Great chunks of veggies, had a little kick but nothing overly spicy. Mmmm.
Blubie had a lamb burger with a cucmber yogurt sauce and I had a steak sandwich. Both were super awesome. Often a steak sandwich entails overcooked, chewy meat so I tend to skip it. But this place was pushing such a good vibe I went for it. Good calldo.
They only have beer and wine, but they have lots of it. If you want cocks, maybe put your name on the list and then hop across the street to kilowatt while you wait. :)
I don't think I can add more to what others have already said. Truly the beer and ambiance is what makes this place so great. Aside from the packed wait for a table (for obvious reasons), it is a chill spot with waiters coming around ever so impressive with their knowledge of allmost all the beers on the menu in front of you. They're all friendly, and I might even say that they surely are better than the wine snobs at some of the specialized wine places. Who doesn't like a beer spot?
The food offered is in a pretty consistent menu which offers a lot of pairings to corresponding beer. The fries and pretzles with the specialized salami made a great night snack and where do you find tiny ass pickles??? where?
5 stars for the beer selection. I don't mind paying for good beer. 4 stars for the consistently good food. I don't mind paying for great comfort food. If i could give a negative number for the bald headed beer somm I would. What a stingy non-service oriented person. He should not be bartending or working with the public. Plain rude and put a total damper on our beer tasting-beer drinking experience. Isnt that what the Monk's Kettle experience is about?. I asked if he was the owner since he acts so proprietary. We dread getting him when we go into this place. He never smiles, he limits beer to one tasting if he even allows us to taste anything and his service plain sucks. I don't know why I keep going back since we always get this unhappy guy. Honestly, I am tired of spending my money here because of the one bad apple in the bunch. Hey balding beer somm, your attitude sucks!
A great Gastro-pub in the heart of the mission. If I werent such a dive bar aficionado I would frequent this establishment much more. Monk's has a beer list that would make your taste buds sing and also twist your tongue! There are ales, lagers, IPA's, ESB's from all over the world at your fingertips. I do love my Belgian ales and usually cannot go wrong with the Rochefort 8.
Only downside is that its alwyays cramped inside and to be honest, some of the beers are quite overpriced!
Great beer. Decent food. Rude hostesses. 2 hour time limit on tables, which means they will tell you to leave after an hour and a half, even if you're spending a lot of money (over $100) as I was.
And the thing was, there was no line at all. And we weren't being rowdy. On the contrary, we were drinking some pretty pricey stuff. And eating. It made no sense at all. But it was insulting.
A number of reviews say this place is expensive, so a great place if you have cash. I'd disagree, because while it is expensive, they don't know any better than to treat their customers like it's some cattle call.
Good beer, but other places have equally good beer and better food without the insulting attitude (Bar Crudo, heck, even Hubert Keller's Burger Bar). I won't be going back.
Still loving this place, but I wish they would update their menu, especially the veg options. The black bean cakes & veggie burger are too similar - don't order both! But I love this place and everything it stands for!
A place I can eat AND drink? It's like I'm not even in San Francisco!
This place was great! Yes, the…
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i really wanted to "not" like this place due to all the hipster hip hip hype. instead, i was charmed by my bartender, who was kind enough to give me a few beers to sample before i made my final selection.
THEN...i had the amazing pumpkin soup with roasted pumpkin seeds. yum, yum yum. it's seasonal and on the specials menu. highly, highly recommended. i suggest going during the week to avoid usual B&T crowd.
will be back to sample $58 champagne beer from france.
When we were walking up to Monk's Kettle I thought we were walking into Delirium. Passing by, the smell of despair wafted out into the crisp autumn air of the mission district. But we walked by and into Monk's Kettle.
My first impression was that the staff had a lot of irony in the facial hair arena.
Monk's has a fairly robust selection of beers. There are quite a few more belgium beers on draught in San Francisco than in San Diego. Which is fine, but it's not always my cup of tea.
The standard size is the 20oz Imperial Pint, which I'd like to see develop as a trend throughout the beer serving world. 20 ounces of Pliny the Elder is a fine way to set the evening up properly.
We also ordered the soft pretzel. Served with a rich cheese sauce and some mustard based side. This isn't your county fare soft pretzel, but they didn't reinvent the wheel here either. It's still entirely comforting to dip salted bread into cheese, there's just a little extra panache that's worth checking out.
My only complaint is that the soft pretzel was north of $8. So, unless you're serving that pretzel wrapped in a New York Strip, it just seems inappropriate to charge that much for a pretzel.
The beer selection here is pretty killer, and the food usually okay...pretty expensive, but usually yummy. However, if it's an off day, you do feel kind of gypped...per usual anytime you dine at a gastropub as opposed to a good ole' pub.
Definitely check this place out if you're craving good beer and order a pretzel if you're on a budget....
Hopefully the LOUD-TALKER who sat not very physically close but very loudly close to us the last time we were there is from out of town and is not a frequent patron. To this person:
Dear Very Annoying LOUD-TALKER,
I am crossing my fingers as LOUDLY as possible and hoping VERY LOUDLY that you are from anywhere but here...
Sincerely,
A Very Annoyed Normal-Talker,
Who Only TALKS LOUDLY TO YOU
Let me start by saying that if money is no object, this is a 4- to 5-star place. The beer selection is great and the food is amazing. You can find great limited beers like The Bruery Papier and Russian River Supplication way after they're gone from all local stores.
Unfortunately for most of us who aren't Bill Gates, the Google founders, a big-time professional athlete, or an evil, greedy investment banking executive, money is a thing. Well, that is, until we go to Monk's Kettle. After that, the thing in our wallets that was originally a bunch of money will have completely disappeared.
This place is really, really, ridiculously expensive. Bottles of beer that you can get for $12 at City Beer, Healthy Spirits, or even Toronado are going to run you damn near $40 here. They mark up beer like most nice restaurants do with wine. Now let me just say as an aside that the reason I have a problem with this is not because beer is an inferior product. I think a great beer is at least the equal of a great wine. I just think that 2.5x or higher wine mark-ups are insane and people are crazy to pay them, and I enjoy the fact that great beer can still be had with a great meal for a reasonable price. Not at Monk's Kettle. You're going to be paying (and I read directly from their beer list) $35 for an AleSmith Speedway Stout (usually $12), $11.25 for a Duvel (usually $3.50), and $28 for a Lost Abbey Judgment Day (usually $10).
Reading these prices off their menu is really quite startling. Makes you jump out of your seat and yell, "Shit dogg!" For you British people out there, that's roughly the equivalent of "Blimey!" or "Crikey!" or "Crimony!" or "Blikony!" or whatever you crazy people say. They occasionally have a half-price happy hour where their prices actually fall into the same range as City Beer's or Toronado's. This is the only time I'd recommend going here if you just want good beer. Otherwise there are far better options nearby (see 2 sentences before this).
However, if you can take the wallet hit and want to impress someone with great food paired with world class beer, this is the place. I had some really excellent food there. There simply aren't many things better than great beer and great food. Last time I went, I had a charcuterie plate, a creamy bowl of tomato soup, and a pulled pork sandwich, along with a La Trappe Isid'Or, a Ballast Point Sculpin IPA, and an '05 North Coast Old Stock Ale (reasonably priced surprisingly!). All were incredible. Monk's Kettle can really wow you, but you're going to have to hand over the majority of your paycheck for the pleasure. Oh yeah, and it gets crowded and they don't typically take reservations. Go before 6:30 for a weekend dinner unless you want to wait hours for a table.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm heading to Monk's Kettle to shell out $85 for a beer dinner. D'oh!
*Final note: I should also add Jermaine Dupri and Jay-Z to the list of people who don't think money is a thing, since they had a song specifically called, "Money Ain't a Thing."
Amazing beer selection and super-helpful server. She steered me away from a poor beer choice, which I really appreciated.
If we had just been there for beer, my review would have easily been five stars.
However....
If you plan to eat, you better prepare your budget ahead of time.
I appreciate a good meal and am willing to spend on a nice night out, but I was not ready for the prices at Monk's Kettle. Maybe that's my bad.
My wife had an Iceberg wedge salad with bacon and blue cheese dressing for $11. Then she added steak on the side for an additional $8. I don't mean to sound cheap, but $19 for iceberg lettuce drowning in dressing with a few slices of steak on the side was a bit much.
I had the pulled pork sandwich, which was good, but not $12 good.
So, just a warning about the prices. Otherwise, a wonderful experience.
I. LOVE. THIS. PLACE.
It is my bo-bo Cheers. Everybody there knows my name, BECAUSE I CAN'T NOT COME THERE ONCE A WEEK.
5 pages of beer? BEER GEEKS, REJOICE!
Organic everything? PRIUS DRIVERS, REJOICE!
Delicious gastropub food with excellent beer pairing suggestions? FOODIES, REJOICE!
Yes, I am a fan. Things to not miss:
* The lamb burger. Oooooh, yes. I've experimented at home and I think the secret is seasoning the lamb with ample coriander and parsley, and then double-whammying that with a bitchin' cucumber-dill tzatziki.
* The fries. I'm the kind of person that individually ketchups their fries, and then uses "ketchup" as a verb. Except when I'm at Monk's Kettle. The fries are THAT GOOD that I do not even consider ketchup (though they do come with excellent aoli's and a chipotle ketchup).
* The cheese plate: an awesome deal and uber-foodie artisanal sampling.
* The salads: generally, are great, large, and micro-greenish.
The downside? Oh, yah. The line. But sit at the bar, drink more beers than you intended to, and all will be fine.
In a world where pub food often includes nachos and chicken tenders, it's nice to stumble upon a gastropub that fancifies standard favorites. The small dishes seem to pack more flavor than the larger ones, but that's a good thing since it encourage longer nibbling periods of more tasty beer drinking. Speaking off, very impressive beer menu and I suppose some people come here just for it without ever trying the food.
Giant Pretzel: You can tell a good pretzel when the outer skin is crunchy and the innards are moist and chewy. Extremely hot to the touch when it arrived, this high end bar food tasted great in the cheddar dip (way better than cheez whiz). The stone ground mustard was nice too, but my attention drifted towards the cheese mostly.
Mac & Cheese: I think I've been having way too much mac & cheese around town and have thus become very picky nowadays, but I blame on the fact that every fancy comfort place places it on the menu. This mac & cheese was definitely up there, served in a hot skillet with a good crisp layer of browned bread crumbs. Under the hood was some creamy goodness and the bacon add-on definitely upgraded the awesomeness. My only wish would be for more melted cheese on top.
Pork Chop: The most expensive item on the menu, really? It was a good chop no doubt: thick and juicy with nice grill sear marks. Could have stood to have some more glaze as the flavor was a little a bland. The cheddar scallion potato pancake was super dry and felt like potato particles rather than the shreddings of a typical potato pancake. The brussels sprouts weren't caramelized enough since only a few of them had specks of crunchy outer leaves.
Chicken Pot Pie: Not really a pot pie since there was no pastry on the bottom, so more of a chicken ramekin with a pastry crown on top. A tad on the small side, but packed with flavor. The broth was super creamy encasing very fresh tasting peas and carrots. Some pieces of chicken were tender and flavorful, but a few tasted skanky... I'd suggest not putting in the back meat cuts. The pastry crown itself had some nice herbs to it.
I can't believe I haven't written a review for this place yet. We went to dinner here and it took a while to get a table, but the bar was more than happy to ply us with beer and wine while we waited.
Once seated the service was great, the food was good, and the beer selection was to die for.....
If you are a beer lover you should give this place a shot!
Great gastropub! The beer list is exotic and requires guidance from the staff -- and they're great at what they do. I sat at the bar and watched them for quite awhile and the experience of ordering was a lot more like a wine/sommelier interaction than a beer/bartender interaction. They'll ask you what you like to drink, return with a couple of tasters, and you get to refine your decision until you're happy.
The food choices ranged from burgers to mac n' cheese to bruchetta to skirt steak. The danger with a lot of pubs that have a serious focus on beer is that the food is often a greasy afterthought. Not so at The Monk's Kettle... We ordered a bunch of food and it was all tasty and well executed.
The service was friendly and knowledgeable. The space, though small, was a pretty good mix if bar seats, booths, and small tables. Highly recommended and I'm definitely looking forward to going back.
The one downside (more of an indication of the area than the establishment) was that parking was truly a bitch.
If you're coming here for the giant pretzel from that stupid 7x7 list, you'll probably be disappointed because you just spent 30 minutes to get to the Mission (no one in the Mission reads 7x7) for a pretzel. I mean, it's a good pretzel, but a good pretzel is pretty much like a bad pretzel. It's just a pretzel.
But this place rocks for their beer selection and pairings. The first time I came here I had the lamb burger, which was pretty decent, and the aforementioned pretzel. Having dinner here gives a good opportunity to try different types of beer. Pretty much the only purpose of dinner here is to drink beer.
I came again last night and had the Aphrodite, a stout with cocoa and vanilla bean. It was AMAZING! The funny thing is, my friend tried it and wanted to get the same, but I got the last bottle. He got another choice, but it couldn't compare to the sweet sweet Aphrodite. If you come to Monk's Kettle, get it instead of the pretzel.
This place delivers time and time again for me and I find myself becoming a huge fan. First, the staff is great here. They have a vast knowledge of their product, take care of every customer with extended courtesy and friendliness, and always seem to be there at the right time. Using their knowledge is key to finding a beer you've never had before and will not regret it. For a place that specializes in great beers, Kettle has a decent wine list for those of us who prefer another option.
I do wish that the burgers were a little larger (the size of the patty) but otherwise great stuff! The number of tables and places to sit and eat can sometime be an issue with this happenin' place. If you're willing to wait you will enjoy!
Monk's Kettle is my go to place for any night of the week. If only it wasn't always packed. Beer selection is ridiculous, albeit a bit overwhelming on certain nights.
They have a lot of Russian River brews, which makes me happy. Pretzel makes me happy too (although sometimes I wish they'd put less salt on it).
So I am not a beer drinker per say... but a girlfriend of mine brought me out here and I tried the most amazing porter. I thought beer was this stale bitter kind of taste. I was so wrong. this beer had chocolate, carmel and was just so sweet and delicious. It was a cold night and I was told a dark beer is the way to go. So I took it on faith and faith smiled back...
The regulars here are also so funny. Thankfully I had a peanut gallery to help me choose my beverage, apart from the incredible knowledge of the bartender.. who was really cute!
I really liked the menu selection and the beer selection was fantastic. It is a small, intimate space - but perfect for a casual night out in the mission.
The best beer selection in the city probably. Cool vibe, ultra cool super cute tasting mug, pretty good food.
Nice "beer sommelier" servers and the service is solid. We always love their fries with curry and basil aioli, and their barley wine selection.
Okay 5 stars for the beer, but 2 stars for the food. I thought the beer selection was great, and the fact that you can eat late at night is nice too, only problem is its a little bit over priced in my opinion. But again I cannot stress how great the beer selection is!
I'm not a big beer person but if I were, this place would probably have gotten 5 stars. But, I still loved it because:
a) The bartender was the coolest! I told her that I wanted to try something new, preferably wheaty, smooth, and not too hoppy - and she totally hooked me up w/ a crazy good german beer that I can't remember now. But she poured the bottle in this funky way, explaining the process and why it was done that way to help bring out the flavors. Very cool.
b) The giant pretzel was SO GOOD. Definitely worthy of the Big Eat list. Fresh out of the oven - crispy on the outside, soft and doughy on the inside. And the mustard and cheese sauces - soooo yummy!
I've got my eye on their Mac and Cheese w/ Bacon - I will definitely be returning for that in the near future!
This is a beer universe. Beer all the time. That is its nature. There may be other universes based on all sorts of other principles, but ours seems to be based on beer and salty foods.
Monk's Kettle is a celebration of beer, a universe unto its own, as the 6-7 page beer menu denotes.
But there is food here as well. As lavish as the food is described on paper, and despite the attention paid to its preparation, it clearly plays second fiddle to the brews. Just compare the 2 page food menu to the beer menu, which is continuously updated and affixed to a clipboard. No chef can change the fact that a pretzel is a pretzel or a french fry is a french fry. It's really all about the beer, any foods are really pretense to embellish the experience of drinking fine imported beer.
Is it always worth it? The crowds, the price? Almost unequivocally. Yet both are just prohibitive enough to provoke serious second thoughts unless the night's agenda calls for beer, and extravagant beer at that. Then there is no question. After all, we live in a beer universe.
We came here on a Saturday evening and squished 6 people into a 4 person table. A bit too squishy for my taste, but their long list of beers made it all worth while. We also ordered the pretzel & popcorn. I'll have to try this place on a weekday after work. Hopefully it won't be as crowded.
Pretty cool pub. Slightly hipster scene, excellent beer selection, friendly staff both at the door and at the bar. You put your name in for a table, at least on weekends which at least make things fair. Can get crowded, but once you get in it's a pretty chill place.
Didn't try the food, so can't comment there.
Bottom line: Will return to try food and check out the beer selection, would recommend to a friend...
I totally love this place but I've tried to go with my girlfriend three separate times now, both early, mid-eve, and late, and it has always been completely packed, so much so that we couldn't even stand inside to wait, or wait at the bar, or way in the back, much less get a table.
The pack-age is really a problem. It's totally packed.
In case I didn't make it clear, this place is so packed you basically shouldn't expect to be able to get in.
It is cool and has great food and an incredible beer selection. If you can get in you will like it.
Good luck getting in.
Dear Monk's Kettle,
I have such a love-hate relationship with you.
I love your cool staff.
I hate the crowds.
I love your loooong ... beer list. My friends are especially enamored by your Belgian ales and I like that you have lots of California brews.
I hate the crowds.
I love your upscale local and organic pub grub. Especially my tried and true favorites: the Giant Pretzel with Mustard and Cheddar Ale Sauce, the rich and hearty Chicken Pot Pie (preferably topped with Puff Pastry), and your Fresh Salads.
I hate the crowds.
I love that your serve food till 1am!
I hate the crowds.
I love that your food items on the menu come with suggested beer pairings. Genius!
I hate the crowds.
I love your simple and warm decor especially the blackboards and chalk in the back for doodling. I love the craptastic 2Fast2Furious movie that was playing on the TV and the classic Prince song that was playing over the stereo system the last time I was there.
I hate the crowds.
*sigh*
Well... like any longstanding pub-girl relationship, we gots ta compromise darlin' so MK I will continue to see you on random late weeknights when I get you (almost) to myself.
(I know it's selfish but sometimes I don't like to share.)
xoxo
Amy C.
Went back to monk's kettle a few days ago, a few more things to add to my previous review:
Started the night with a Trappiste 10 -- slightly too strong for me, should've maybe done a Trappiste 8 instead.
Also had an Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Ur-Bock with an order of pork chop. This beer has a beautiful aroma of bacon (but doesn't taste like bacon), strongly recommended! The chop was very nicely prepared as well.
Monk's Kettle is one of those typical "hip" places with a lot of hype, but luckily, it lives up to… Read more »
You should come here for the beer selection, if you want the fancy drinking environment. I prefer pubs with a bit more character.
Don't come for the food. The lamb burger & pork chop are substandard for SF/bay area. The buns on the burgers really should be toasted. Arugula salad & charcuterie place - nothing special. No one in our group would come back, esp given the usual wait required.
Monk's Kettle has probably one of the most diverse and comprehensive beer lists I've ever seen - I hadn't even heard of half the beers on the menu. The food is more or less upscale pub grub, but the burger that I had hit the spot and - of course - matched my beer nicely. They also do a pretty wicked giant-cookie-in-a-skillet with ice cream for dessert.
My only complaint? This place gets PACKED. I went on a Saturday night with 5 others and ended up feeling like a human tetris block. If you go for dinner during the rush, be prepared to have a couple of cocktails at Delirium next door while you wait. I'll try to come back, but maybe during off hours during the week ...
Dear Brothers of the Order of the Kettle,
Praise be to you, my beer saviors. Deliver me from the evils of my job, and thank all that is holy for the respite of your gastropub cloister. I'm eternally grateful.
I don't think I'm alone in these sentiments - your packed house every night is a testament to how well you're being received. Over 600 reviews on Yelp is also telling. You've got our attention. What's more, San Francisco seems to be enamored with your extensive selection of beers, your persona, and your pub grub (some of which is de-lish).
That nearly a third of the past 100 reviews are either mixed or disgruntled is a bit more prognosticating. Be wary of shifts like this in customer satisfaction. Your service, refined and helpful that it is, shows signs of wear - you've copped a bit of 'tude, and it's not quite what one hopes to find at a place that bills itself as once or twice removed from a monastery. You can be high brow about recommending hard to find brews, but you shouldn't stray into snob territory. And, that your "host/hostess" is misconstrued as a bouncer (or worse, vice versa) is going to further act as a deterrent. You're not a club, you're a pub. Pub's don't need bouncers, just ornery bar wenches that will soundly put you in your place when, for example, you reach behind the bar to refill your own glass. (I would know nothing about this.)
Next, your prices are riding a very thin line between what's acceptable given the quality/selection and what's slightly insulting. Do you really need to overcharge when you're raking it in hand over fist? Your food is great, prices notwithstanding. I agree that the pot pie, the mac and cheese, and the pulled pork sammy are the perfect medicine when imbibing vast quantities of perfectly fermented brews. But really, $8 for a pretzel? Here's a thought: serve them for $5 from a street cart outside the front door to the people waiting in line to get in. You're guaranteed to placate people for the long wait, and then your pretzels will sell like hotcakes. Otherwise, as a stand-alone side dish, it's really not all it's built up to be.
Lastly, I still love you. I can bear with the lines, the waits, and the crowds just for the pleasure of your selection of beers and your grub. But do us a favor and lighten up. Life's too short, and we'd like you to stick around for it.
Amen, brothers.
I'm not sure if my lunch at the Monk's Kettle reflected the typical experience there. I chanced upon this gastropub on a lazy Sunday afternoon, devoid of the crowds, the long waits, and the bouncers that many other reviewers have complained about. I thought I had stumbled upon some hidden gem in the Mission, which, judging by the reviews and crowds, is clearly not the case.
First and foremost, the beer list is extensive and excellent. There are a number of great choices on tap, as well as many bottled Belgian ales, lambics, tripels, sour ales, even gluten-free beers, etc. well-organized on their menu. Servers were knowledgeable and helpful. I would warn, however, that some of the prices are erring on becoming exorbitant.
The food was overall tasty, upscale pub food. I had a California Cassoulet special that was creative with organic tomatoes, if a bit on the dry side. My friend's pulled pork sandwich was delicious and just what you'd expect with a good beer.
I would definitely return here, though would probably stick to "off" hours to avoid the crowds.
I posted a review of this place earlier ( which I could not find hmmm.) I even emailed the owner of my extreme displeasure. He quickly responded to my complaint and even mailed me a gift certificate. I went back and ordered the same thing I always order ( a lamb burger and an Aventinus) Only this time waiter/bartender was wonderful. The place has WONDERFUL food and the beer selection is second to none. I am glad that my previous experience was just a one time bad deal ( maybe the bartender was just having a bad day) So if you have friends in town get there early and enjoy!
I was in today Jul 22 to order my favorite beer (Aventinus). I was approached by the bartender who… Read more »
The hype is true for this one. Tasty, creative food, a great beer list and a friendly atmosphere make it a great spot. Too bad it's so small! We were there on a Tuesday and while it was pretty empty when we came in it was packed by the time we had finished our meal.
I had never seen beer suggestions on a menu before -- it's a nice, helpful touch.
Even a non-beer lover like myself can find a beer to enjoy at Monk's Kettle. And I sure did. A Dunkel was drunk.
My friend and I had a very pleasant experience at Monk's Kettle; our server, who's name begins with an S and I forget, was extremely helpful and knowledgeable about all beers on the menu. And there are A LOT of beers. We each told him what types of beers we enjoy, and he promptly recommended a few to try. Easy.
We ordered way too much. The pretzel was good. I don't understand why it's on the 7 x 7 list though- I preferred the cheddar sauce over the mustard. We also ordered bruscetta with fresh heirloom tomatoes- however, I was unimpressed as the bruscetta was 2 large pieces of toast rather than small, easier to eat pieces. Weird.
By the time I got my pulled pork sandwich, I was almost too full to eat it. It was yummy though, the pulled pork was tender, sweet, and very spicy- just how I like it. It had a complex flavor to it, which I enjoyed. The bun could have been a bit less dry and more toasted.
Overall, I highly recommend the Monk's Kettle to beer lovers; I thought the menu had a great selection of dishes and had trouble choosing, which is always a good sign in my book. It would also be a good place for a sexy yet casual date, I imagine. Hitting on a bit of the trendy side.....I did enjoy the dark wood, dimly lit atmosphere.
Despite my tight jeans, love of flannel and my black converse shoes, I still believe that I am not a hipster. And thus I hadn't been to Monk's Kettle because I figured it was some pretentious hipster hangout.
But managed to walk in last night around 8:30 and get a seat immediately at the bar.
The bartender was super helpful in offering recommendations and I didn't find the beer to be overpriced considering the quality. The bartender allowed us to sample a couple beers before settling on the next round.
So yes, I'd definitely come back here for more beer. And for dirty hipster love. You should come here too. For both.
very cool place with an awesome beer selection but all is not perfect in the world of Monk's Kettle. Space is a problem so if you get can seated straight away you're left to either hang out of the street (not advised - we were told to go fuck ourselves when he didnt give money away to homeless dude) or to huddle together in any microcrevice not occupied by a table. THe bar staff were cool but the waitress staff seem hassled and pissed off
tasty food and tasty drinks - just be careful - many of the beers are 9% and above !
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
Category: Bars
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Creperies
Neighborhood: Mission
Category: Pubs
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