When you first walk in you definitely notice the cool set up and decor! It had a very nice vibe. We came fro dinner on a Saturday night, and to be honest, it wasnt all that busy? Maybe we were there too early? Anyhow, the food was really good! We started with the meatballs and crab fondue and both were delish. I would have liked a bit more fondue, though, lets be honest. For my main, I ordered the Seared Tuna salad and the veggie cassoulet. I really liked the salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly. They should think about making it bigger and adding it as an entree option! The cassoulet wasnt that good only because I dont like rosemary and it was ALL i could taste. Probably because I dont like rosemary! My boyfriend got the duck and he thought it was really good. Again, a bit of a smaller portion, but he really liked his. Our friends ordered the pork chop and the lobster bisque/mac n cheese. I tasted the Mac and it was good! For dessert, we had the chocolate cake. OMG. Order it. It is sooooo delicious! We also tried the Smores and it was so interesting - they somehow made them taste smoky! All in all, we had a great evening and our waitress was wonderful. I dont know that I would come rushing back here, but it seems like a cool place for a party. Very retro!
This restaurant was amazing from the beginning to the end! The evening began with a Singapore Swing, which was delicious, then I ordered the Fried Escargot, the Lobster Bisque, the Seared Duck Breast and finished with a S'more. The food was, well, I have no words...I can say the food was absolutely amazing and the service was absolutely first class!!! Our waiter Brandon was very attentive, helpful and friendly and the Beverage Manager Michael was also very attentive. I can't wait to come back and will definitely recommend Brass Monkey to everyone!
(5)
Tommie S.
Before going to this restaurant, I read all the reviews. The reviews seemed accurate based on my experience, but I must say the customer service and attentiveness of the manager was outstanding. He made all the difference in my experience. I ordered the bologna sliders, seafood pasta primavera, old fashioned, and tang per the reviews. Everything was as expected, even the great flavor of the pasta dish and the fact that the pasta stuck together. However, we requested a liqueur that the bar did not carry (Understandable. Who was drinking Midori in the 70's?). Nonetheless, the bartender visited our table and tried to create a drink to make up for it. His efforts were appreciated. He even personally delivered the drink. Also, they were out of hamburgers for a member in our party. The manager tried to do everything to accommodate the member of our party. He tried to troubleshoot, suggest other options, and make sure that the member of our party got plenty of fries, since fries became the entree for that person. The manager checked on the patrons as expected, and his attentativeness with the positive sense of humor made this an enjoyable experience. Hopefully business will pick up, but I appreciated the lack of a crowd. The attention from the staff and the ambiance made us have a nice outing. By the end of the night, it didn't even matter that they ran out of burgers. I will be back. My food, drinks, and overall experience were good.
(4)
John W.
Fantastic, really a cool place that I will definitely be back for round two. The service was spot on and our server Sarud was amazing, along with his suggestions which were perfect. Just a side note the portions are quite large for what most of Chicago farm to table serves, so definitely able to share. For libations we ordered the the old fashion and a Tom Collins which were as just what one would expect, strong but not ridiculous boozy. For starters we got the Swedish Meatballs which were so good served in what seemed like a pork/beef lingonberry berry reduction sauce which I could have had literally ate by the spoon alone! Salad course was baby spinach with beets that was spot on. Not over dressed and perfectly sized pieces of the beets with cheese that did not over power the whole salad. For the main course the Duck breast over creamy polenta was (cue Homer Simpson) Mmmmmmm mouth watering good. Perfectly seasoned cooked to a perfect medium rare. As I am righting this I am thinking about going to get another plate of this. Sides: The brussel sprouts were good, I am not to sure how to rate sprouts as most are roasted and its about as difficult to judge as long as they are not a complete disaster. The Fries were so good and the dipping sauce was again I feel like I am on a broken record here but super tasty. The Mac and Cheese well my friends if you love super creamy packed full of cheesy goodness than this is the place for you. I could see my self gaining at least 10 pounds next winter eating this alone. Now my favorite part of every meal is the Dessert: A Pineapple Cake! Yes Yes YES. Again so good, and with the ice cream portion added on its just so good. I can not really stress how large the portions are because we were two people and we still had a bag of leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day! So either we eat like birds or this place actually gives normal portions which we have not been accustomed to in chicago in a long time. Overall the atmosphere is quite 70's but with a twist on a bit of modernism. It is a huge space and they have even more space for events, and weddings. I thought the music was good spanning mostly 70's rock and disco to early 80's classics. In summary I am as they say excited to go back and would definitely recommend.
(5)
Michaela D.
Great decor, cozy booths, and friendly service! The food was amazing. My favorite was the TV Dinner - mashed potatoes, peas, creamed corn and meatloaf in a plate shaped like a real TV dinner. SO delicious and such a fun concept. Everything else we had - brussel sprouts, macaroni, desserts - were great too.
(5)
Jennie T.
This place was good but not great. I had the whitefish which was okay but pretty salty. The best thing on the plate was the polenta. The rest of my dinner party also commented that their dishes were too salty. Fish sticks seemed like a cool idea but just wasn't executed well. Some things we ordered were excellent - lobster artichoke dip and the bananas foster pudding. My cocktail was great too, made with actual tang. The decor and atmosphere was real cool; they played some great music too.
(3)
A. M.
Beautiful space with great lighting but food was underwhelming. We were excited to come to try 70s munchies, but left disappointed. The cheese ball was average but the meatballs very dry and cheese fondue with hot dog and tater tots very sad. It came with a white lukewarm hot dog and a handful of tots. Also, our burger was very dry and flavorless. Overall, a poor showing. Maybe recommend for drinks but won't be back any time soon.
(2)
Matthew E.
The food is excellent, but and its a huge BUT the service is beyond creepy. Our waiter, Curtis stopped by every 45 seconds to check on us and asking the women with me awkward questions. We asked him to let us eat and he replied that "I'm not allowed too". After that we ate our dinner quickly. We were subsequently yelled at for getting our menus dirty (you can laminate them). He stopped by still every 1.5 minutes after the talk and it was still beyond creepy. I will never go back, mainly because I don't want to harassed every 5 seconds when I'm trying to enjoy my night out.
(1)
Andrew P.
The food was delicious. If you like fish, the Waldorf appetizer is a must - ahi tuna cooked to perfection. Service was a bit slow - not sure if it's because the place is new and they're trying to figure out their groove, but we waited about 8 minutes before a server came to our table.
(4)
Fernando M.
Blast from the past. Your ears will be spoiled by 70s music while you feast on simple foods with a gourmet flair. The Steak Friettes is amazing. Take the chef suggestion on medium-well you won't be disappointed. The ambiance spacious, dimly lit, and industrial sheik. Cool place for drinks or for a classy dinner date. One the coolest places to be any night of the week in Chicago.
(5)
K N.
Great restaurant! We started with the lobster bisque (not very creamy) and the bologna sliders...AMAZING! Then for entrees we had the amish chicken and duck...both VERY tasty in amazing sauces. We split the s'mores dessert to end our meal. Overall, the service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were top notch. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Jaime E.
Great ambiance. Great music. Great food.
(5)
Shannon S.
Brought my parents here, and they thought the place was great and unique. Very interesting menu. Tang drink was good and liked that it wasn't as sweet as one would think. Got the spanish calamari and the baloney sandwiches as an app and they were both wonderful. The squid Ink pasta was great! def recommend it and i would come back to order that again! my mom loved her salmon, and my dad got the short ribs.
(4)
Sanjiv G.
I understand that this place just opened. But have a hard time getting past a couple of things. 1. When we checked in for our 9 pm reservation at 8:50, the hostess indicated that she had no idea when our table would be ready and chastised us for arriving early 2. After heading to the bar to wait for our table; we sat, on stools, at the bar for 15 minutes with no bartender even stopping off to ask for our drink order. Only after alerting the manager did a bartender come by to take our order 3. 40 minutes after our reservation and noting that there were 4 open tables on the floor, we were offered a table right in front of the door. When we rejected that table, magically a better table appeared. Needless to say, we left at that point, so can't comment on the food, which looked good. I'll be back in two months after they sort out the front of the house issues.
(2)
Sarah P.
My new favorite spot! Went there on a Thursday night-great atmosphere, service, and food. Can not wait to go back!
(5)
Christopher A.
Fantastic restaurant with an excellent vibe and incredibly good food. The seared Fois Gras was superb and our two main courses (short rib and duck breast) were incredible. Bill was reasonable ($200 for two including tax and tip did include a bottle of wine and cocktails). Definitely recommend.
(5)
Elizabeth T.
The brass monkey opened about a week ago...you would think there would be flaws in service or food the first week, NONE! We sat at the bar and had a great experience from the start. Pretty much everything on the menu looked delicious but we went with the steak tartar and lentil salad to start. Both dishes were simple but with a twist. Delicious. We had the truffle pizza which was unbelievable. And the Amish chicken. We were so full but wanted more. The manager Michael came over, introduced himself, and asked if we needed anything. It was the perfect end to a great evening. We will for sure be back and so glad this addition has come to the neighborhood.
(5)
Brandy C.
The design/atmosphere and the employees were pretty Top Notch. The food was pretty good overall. I'd touch up the mash and the creamed corn for a bit more fun on the "TV Dinner"- they were a bit too close to a real TV dinner. However, everything else we had was quite enjoyable. Would recommend the Octopus in a heartbeat and my husband definitely enjoyed his Duck. For the price point, unfortunately, I have a few other spots that meet the same quality at a lower price and in the area. I'd go back for a drink and an app possibly, but not for a full dinner.
(3)
Laura R.
I like this place a lot. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because I didn't get to try a ton of the menu (so not their fault) but it was soo loud. We went here to catch up with some friends and we had trouble talking over the loud music. Loved the ambiance. 70s but not over the top. Large enough to have room to wait at the bar for your table and not be cramped. My husband and I split the truffle mushroom pizza, which was wonderful. Our friends got the fish sticks and some salad (sorry I don't recall) but both really like it. Drinks wise, besides one Tang- which was tasty- we stuck to wine. No complaints. I look forward to going back and trying more things.
(4)
Fuudcritic C.
About time! This was awesome. Love the 70's decor! Service was outstanding and our server Maxwell (?) was outstanding. Food was good. The only thing I must say, out of all the food we ordered (which was about 7-8 items) the cheeseball was the least favorite. It was a little jelly/rubber like and borderline not spreadable. And I didn't get the 2 types of bread/cracker. Wish there was only and more ritz crackers. Something I did take away from my experience....two words... TV DINNER!!! OMG!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
(5)
D H.
Great atmosphere with really helpful and friendly staff! There had to be 2 support staff for every waiter / waitress. Amazing long comfortable bar, 70's style decor. We had the cheese ball with "fancy" Ritz crackers and the fish Styx to start. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fresh. We split the steak frites and got sides of creamed corn and Brussel sprouts - all the food was delicious! The wine list could use a little work and is on the high side... A bottle of Whispering Angel Rose' lists for $60 and retails around $15. Stick with the cocktails. I'd definitely go back!
(4)
Lisa A.
Went for drinks after dinner. Place was almost empty on a Friday night at 10:30! The space is amazing and in a funky area. But it's gearded towards a different crowd. The music is horrendous. This isn't Boca Raton FL for the retiree crowd. It's downtown Chicago. They seriously need to figure it out and find an identity.
(2)
Jordan L.
So i went in here about a week ago to look in to having an event at this new trendy place. I went in to talk with Nicole the Manager and had a sit down with what they offer for large parties for events etc. I expressed that i will be having 40-50 people attending my party and thought this could be a fun new experience for all. Nicole told me , "we do these types of parties all the time." She made my fiance and I feel very comfortable and we trusted her after sitting with her to discuss our event. I asked if we can have a section near the bar so that my 40-50 guests would not have any trouble getting drinks as that was my main concern. She said that they can not guarantee that the will have enough space near the bar for my party because its a Friday night and the bar area will be packed. So she persuaded me in to renting out their private room which holds up to 60 people but is no where near the bar. Mind you this place only has one bar. I voiced my concern about having my party in this private room and being so far from the bar area, so she said they will have 2 servers assigned to our room that will take orders and go back and forth making sure our room isnt waiting around for drinks or having to leave the room and go the bar.... So we trusted Nicole and agreed to do it. Friday night rolls around and my guests start wandering in. The private room is right when you walk in before the bar to the left so it is very hard to miss. After an hour or so roughly 20 guests arrive and I had to go up to Nicole and tell her after 1 hr that not even half my guests have arrived and i've already had several guests ask if they are supposed to get drinks from the bar themselves since the service is terrible. Nicole then said i'll get you another server. While all this is going on, the bar has maybe 10 people on a friday night. Remember Nicole insisted i rent out this room because its a Friday night and they need space for people at the bar. The place was dead. 10 people at the bar while i have 40-50 guests stuck in this private room with 2 now 3 servers who have to take a 1/2 mile walk to go to the bar to fetch our drinks. The servers were terrible too, I had 2 of my guests tell me that earlier in the night they went to the bar to purchase a Cocktail for $7, then they ordered the same drink from one of our personal servers and the servers said that'll be $11, my friend said excuse me? I just paid $7 at the bar, the server then said, okay i'll make you a deal give me $9. My friend laughed came up to me wished me congrats and said I'm leaving this place is a joke. This happened with two of my guests. Throughout the night friends kept coming up to me asking how to order drinks... i said unfortunately the service here is horrible, if you see a server, just order a drink. Odds are you'll have to find one , they wont come up to you. That's all i could say... The drinks weren't made correctly, POOR MANAGEMENT and POOR SERVICE to say the least. Then after the event was over, i got the bill and there were drinks on the bill that we never ordered. Place is a joke, Several other fun trendy places to go. I will never go back there and nor will my friends. We all witnessed first hand how terrible this experience was. STAY AWAY
(1)
Seth G.
This should really be a 3 1/2 but that is not an option. The drinks were delicious and the decor is very cool. We had the Sloppy Thirds as an appetizer which were fine just fine. I had the duck breast which was delicious - moist and flavorful. My girlfriend had the steak frites and the steak was nearly inedible. It was extremely tough and fairly bland. Our server wasn't great but you could tell he was new. The restaurant has not been open for very long so that is to be expected. I would go back if we were in the area, but based on where it is located it is not a place that we would just stumble upon.
(3)
mark j.
Loved the good and the service was pretty good, really cool 70's vibe. Would come back here again for sure
(5)
Sandy S.
Love the decor, music and the overall space. But, when you go to a place with a great cocktail list and are told by your server, "the bar is really backed up because of a party, so I suggest you just order wine or beer," that sets a bad tone. The place was about 50-60% full. Our dinner took more than an hour to arrive and when I got my grilled pork chop, which looked and smelled wonderful, it was cool in the center. Fail! The server took it back happily but said, "well, you asked for medium." Medium, as the chef recommended, isn't a cool center for PORK. So, I just got a burger and glass of Pinot for $35. On my first visit, the short rib was terrific. If I wanted a burger in the west loop there are way better options. Our drinks were long gone before any food arrived at the table and no offer of another round was ever made: finding someone to take that order was a challenge. I won't be returning.
(2)
David H.
The food is really fun if you remember the 70's. Lots of unique items that make it really fun. Good drinks, but the noise is very loud! it has a good vibe, but hard to talk over dinner.
(4)
Mike K.
It was pretty good. I kind of wish they would just switch the menu over to all "Hits of the 70s." As it is, I'm not really sure what the theme is -- the front of the menu has a sort of random assortment of trendy dishes, classics, French, Spanish, Italian, and American foods. But then we would miss out on what we thought was the best dish of the night, the squid with boar sausage and tomato sauce. The fried brussels sprouts were pretty standard (though seasoned well), the "baloney" sliders were good and rich, the cheese ball does indeed taste like your aunt's famous cheese ball (which isn't a bad thing -- we ate the whole thing), and the "TV Dinner" short rib meatloaf was tender and flavorful, although I'm not sure it was enough of an upgrade that I would order it again. The mushroom "French Bread Pizza" tasted like a truffle flatbread you could get anywhere these days, which is too bad, because a pizza on a nice, thick, chewy piece of house-made French bread sounds tasty and would be something different. The bananas foster pudding was excellent -- highly recommend. Cocktails tended to be potent, if a little one-note at times (the special of the night tasted just like Country Time Pink Lemonade), though the Chicago River Water was the highlight -- surprisingly complex and sophisticated. The (gigantic) space looks great and the servers were always warm, friendly, and helpful. It's still fairly new, so I'm sure the menu will evolve. I would give it another go again in the future -- based on the other reviews it looks like we should have tried a few of the other dishes.
(3)
Susan M.
We try to find new places to try every month. This will definitely be our new "go-to" favorite! fabulous service, food, and decor. Every single staff member was friendly and courteous. Ben the bartender knows his stuff and introduced my husband to a scotch he'd never had before. Nicole and Michael (managers?) came by to make sure all was well, as did a couple of other servers. We were lucky to find find free parking (we got there early on a Friday). It's only been open a few weeks, but was quite popular the night we were there. There appeared to be a work group there and I'm going to try and get my business to host an even here as well. We get off work early so it's great that they were open for bar service at 4 and the kitchen opens at 5. Cool bar - absolutely awesome bathrooms (I have a thing about public restrooms). We had the amish chicken - moist, flavorful and not overly spiced. Lobster bisque was not the pink heavy creamy type I was expecting and the flavor was out of this world. There were little brioche rolls floating on top of the dark bisque with nice chunks of lobster. We shared a side of the herb fries and incredible brussel sprouts. We finished with flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream. The plate was clean when we were done. My husband had the amish chicken and I didn't get to taste the kale(?) that was served with it because he was guarding his plate like a prisoner by this time. The wine pours were generous. Great value for the price when many other places are doing the ala carte thing (total rip-off). The total bill was half of what we paid elsewhere a couple of weeks ago for much less. We will return to try the 70's munchies and several other things that look delectable on the regular menu. No need to find a new place any time soon.
(5)
Teri Y.
So, this is how I feel. If a restaurant is out of the way with nothing else around it, which means that people need to make an extra effort to get there, the food had better be the best (or one the best) within the 4-5 block radius. This is how you set yourself up to be outstanding. If the location is out of the way, but there's amazing food, people will come and return again. Brass Monkey is still in the Fulton Market area but out of the way from the main area with nothing else around, however, the food was not greatly impressive. We tried the beef carpaccio, tuna waldorf, grilled calamari, meatballs, fettucine, and arctic char. The standouts among these items were the calamari and arctic char. Even so, they were great, but did not wow. So let down by the fettuccine - many of the noodle strands were stuck together. Boo hoo. And the taste was bland. My old fashioned was good so I'll give them points here.
(3)
J.D. Y.
Amazing food! Very nice and generous and down to earth staff! Very welcoming and willing to go out of their way to serve you. The manager Michael was great! The guy knows what he was doing. I'll definitely be coming back! 70's theme menu. Got the lobster bisque - not your typical orange cheesy bisque you usually have, this had its own taste, different yet very good!! Entree was Tv Dinner - plating was an actual TV dinner style tray, (not plastic, real plate, but this TV dinner was top notch sophisticated. You actually want to eat all the components in this TV dinner! - Salisbury steak with mushrooms - mashed potatoes - peas - some sort of cream corn? All amazing! Go if you're in town!
(5)
A I.
Went twice there. The food was fantastic. The service could use a little help though. My server was a little ditzy and somewhat careless. She did have beautiful tattoos though. I will surely be back.
(4)
svetlana k.
Decent food, ok service, but the restaurant was pretty dead on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5, 15 min before. For some reason, when the restaurant is kind of empty, its hard to get really excited about it. Maybe it's because of the obscure location or maybe it's because people don't want to eat food inspired by the 70s, but something needs to change here. Although, the decor is fantastic! The food itself was not mind blowing. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and they were very well portioned. We got brussel sprouts, Mac n cheese, grilled calamari, fondue, and a lyonnaise salad. No complains about the food. The drinks here need some work, tried two different ones and they tasted almost identical like sour skittles, super sugary. Even though this was my second time, I don't think I'll be coming back here. There are so many restaurants in Chicago and with new ones opening up constantly. There just isn't anything about this place that begs me to come back. Pass.
(3)
Kan C.
Upon walking in, you will notice that it's wide open with great decor and a nice, long bar. They definitely took their time to curate the interior. A group of 3 of us dined here and we all had drinks to start. We ordered a round of Old Fashioneds which were terrific - in fact, we each had 2 more bc they were that good. For apps, we ordered the Foie Gras Three Ways, Beef Tartare and the Lobster Bisque. A nice variety and all were excellent. The Foie was nice to try 3 different ways to see how one ingredient can be so versatile. For our entrees, we ordered the Pork Chop and Apple Sauce, TV Dinner (why not?), and Short Rib. By far, the best Pork Chops I have ever had. Very juicy and you can taste the brine. We ordered he TV Dinner as more of a novelty, but it was no doubt the best TV Dinner you will ever try - in fact, one of the best entrees you will enjoy. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the Creme Brulee, and a 70's classic: the Jello. Again, three distinctively different desserts and all executed brilliantly. A well-rounded meal with great vibes and an excellent staff. The service is very attentive and from host to server, everyone was very nice which made for a pleasant experience. Will definitely go back to try more dishes.
(5)
Carolyn L.
I came by here last night for some dinner after work because I had heard so many good things about the decor and the 70s/80s kitschy vibe. The space is beautiful. It's large and spacious, perfect for the growing neighborhood. It even has a separate event space for people who want to host weddings, birthdays, etc there. So now to the good stuff. I started with the SoCal 75 cocktail, which was served in a champagne glass. It had Brandy, Drambuie, and Cava and was totally balanced with bitters so it wasn't too sweet. The whole cocktail list looked great to be honest. And thanks to Katie who was practicing the new drinks. She did a great job for her first time making the SoCal 75! For food, I went straight to the main dish of squid ink linguini for $26. I wish I could have seen the 70s menu but I didn't see that until the end of my meal. No big deal though, the squid ink linguini brought me back to Barcelona, Spain. It had a delectable chili saffron cream sauce with scallops, shrimp, crab, and sundried tomatoes. It was a hearty serving and I ate all of it up in between chats with Jackie (another bartender) and Michael (the beverage director who shares a love of Bourbon with me). The bar selection is extensive. They have a lovely wine list from which I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with my pasta dish. Then I saw the 70s menu. Meatballs, TV dinner, fish sticks, pork chop & applesauce! I was told to order the pork chop next time and that's definitely what I'm going to do. I was able to try the pot de creme for dessert. It was a rich smooth custard with that bruleed caramelized top covering some raspberries. And the biscotti served with it was a perfect touch. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Mark A.
Having a pretty equal distribution of one to five star reviews, I feel I'm pretty qualified to say don't eat here. Even though I was only alive for a few months in the 70s, l believe their interior decorator did a fantastic job in creating an authentic environment. The chairs, the floor, and the tables are what I'd expect to have seen in the 70s. And I appreciate how the menu is slanted to the 70s. Here's the food we had: * Fish sticks: Who wouldn't order fish sticks in a yuppy place like this and expect amazingness? Lately we've given the hipster touch to fried chicken, cupcakes, tamales, and marshmallows...why would we leave out fish sticks? These were decent, but devoid of flavor (or heavily relied upon the sauce with which they are served). * Boar meatballs: I'd say these were the highlight of all food items. They were tasty. * Fondue: It was fondue, and a good thing we ordered it because it worked well to give the fish sticks some flavor. * Duck: We were told this would be medium rare; it was medium at best. Some decent flavor here, and probably the best main course of the meal. By no means, however, would I crave it. * Skirt Steak: Ordered medium rare, came out medium-well. The fries were good, though. Yay for fries and (Heinz) ketchup. Heinz ketchup...really? Come on, no restaurant worth its salt uses industrial ketchup nowadays. It probably was the kind with HFCS but it was in a ramekin so that counts for something, obviously. * Double cheeseburger: In fairness, the patties were thin so to get medium-rare is tough...but it lacked flavor. * Flourless chocolate cake: From what pre-packaged provider did they get this? There was nothing fresh about it, and even worse, the exterior was room temperature at best, but the middle was steaming/scalding hot. To me, that screams...microwave. Yes, microwave! I would never, ever recommend the food here to a friend (or enemy), and it's a shame because I've had some decent meals at Untitled -- the same folks behind Brass Monkey. But when food sucks, I turn to the other menu....cocktails. I really enjoyed my "Tang," and the wine list was thoughtfully assembled. If somebody said, "we're having drinks and meatballs at Brass Monkey, I'd go." If they said, "wanna have dinner at Brass Monkey," I'd turn around and run away as fast as I can.
(2)
Amrita G.
We did not get much food as we had another reservation. We got here around 5 pm on a Saturday. It was empty. We got the wild boar meatballs. This was amazing. Not many options to chose from. So next for dessert we got the pineapple upside down cake. This was d r delicious too. However they cold not provide us with a dessert menu and neither get one printed in the time that we were there. I should probably deduct a star for that but I am not as these two dishes were amazing. But like I said not many options to chose from!
(4)
Jay J.
Came here on at 7:30 on a Friday night with a couple of friends. Awesome layout but the place was dead and lacking atmosphere. Plus the waitress wasn't exactly eager to serve us, which I don't understand since we were ordering everything on the menu as well as a bunch of drinks. Drinks are great, food is good but nothing to write home about. Sadly I don't think this place will still be open in a year.
(3)
Alex K.
Stopped in with the wife on a Friday night. It's a little bit off of Randolph Street so parking wasn't a problem at all. Once inside, I appreiciated the design of the interior. I've never lived in the 70's but I feel like they did a nice job with the edison bulbs and various shades of brown. After seeing the menu I needed to get the TV Dinner. Unfortunately it was kind of a let down. I was thinking it was going to be an upscale grown up version of a tv dinner with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf wasn't bad but everything else just seemed kinda bland and I almost felt like I was eating a real tv dinner. It is served on a cool TV dinner tray with the separate compartments so I don't really regret ordering it. Other than that we also got the fondue, which was pretty neat. If you're really into that retro 70's vibe, I'd check this place out as it was the highlight of our trip. Or you could go just to say you ordered a tv dinner because that's pretty much half the reason I went in the first place. Overall I'd say the food was just ok though.
(3)
Aaron V.
Mediocre food and cocktails at best. Chicken was dry, fish sticks were overdone, meatballs were ok. Burgers were fine but overpriced. Service was indifferent, unprepared and undertrained. The atmosphere and room were cool. The menu was fun with cool pictures and stories of drugged out rock stars and the music they were playing was great. Not sure that's enough in a city full of really great restaurant/bars.
(2)
Danny W.
You can almost hear horns walking into The Brass Monkey. It's that cool. Beastie Boys cool. Between the munchies section of the menu, the pseudo record store lobby, and the overall interior design I felt like I was straight up in a scene from Boogie Nights. The food totally lives with groovy stuff from the 70's such as Bologna Sliders, Swedish Meatballs, and Fish Styx, but there's also a more modern selection of entrees including French Bread Pizzas, Roasted Chicken, or Steak Frites. I went with a cup of lobster bisque followed by the Squid Ink Linguini and was totally stoked on both the portion size and flavors of both. I love the overall vibe but my favorite feature is the restroom area which has a unisex lobby that indeed does look like Dirk Diggler's about to walk in to shoot a scene. Bright red velvet couches and dim lighting bouncing off the walls give it a esthetic of a 70's porno. It's awesome. I promise. Overall I'm totally sold on this place. It's unique, has great food, and the service was super attentive. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Deb D.
Honestly, some of the best drinks and ambience I've experienced in a long time. And they have the best washrooms in Chicago!
(5)
Kari O.
This place is awesome. NOTE: 1/2 of the menu is 70's inspired, and 1/2 is more modern... SO, if you ordered the TV dinner and wished it was more modern, then, you shouldn't have ordered the TV dinner! Drinks were pricey, but it's expected in this area. The food was awesome! Starters: Just the tip (delicious asparagus tips) Cheese fondue (with tots) Fish Styx (need I say more?) Entrees: Squid Ink Pasta TV Dinner Desserts: Uhhhh...Not too memorable. I guess. Definitely worth a trip. Awesome vibe, and great for a group.
(4)
Ellen B.
We just had a wonderful dinner @ The Brass Monkey. Hubby and I were joined be our son, daughter, and their significant others. We began our evening with cocktails at the bar. The bartenders are engaging, knowledgeable, and mix fantastic cocktails. My old fashioned was sublime! We were seated promptly, and had a hard time choosing from the many selections. The menu has two parts; 70's comfort food and gastro pub fare. We started with 2 appetizers, the cheese ball and crab and cheese fondue. Both were delicious; our server cheerfully brought more bread and crackers when asked. Our entrees were delectable. My son's fiancee and I had the braised short ribs with root vegetables, which were fork tender and just perfect! Daughter and hubby had the salmon, which they pronounced as the best! Son and daughter's boyfriend demolished their burger and squid ink pasta. We were so full we reluctantly had to forego dessert. Next time we'll have lighter meals so we can sample from the dessert menu. The service was simply amazing! Our waiter was cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. He made excellent wine pairing suggestions, and always magically appeared when needed. I can't remember ever having better service anywhere. We will definitely be back! p.s. Almost forgot to mention the music, a perfect blend of 70's bands with some Sinatra blended in, perfect!
(5)
Michelle S.
Atmosphere was good. Service was just OK. Food was good. We went on a weeknight and it was busy but not filled or packed by any means. It's very loud, even when the restaurant wasn't at capacity. We sat in a booth and couldn't hear a word our waitress said. She seemed soft spoken to begin with, which just isn't great with the acustics. We all liked the food. Nothing memorable, though. Our favorite item was the sides of fries. The TV dinner with Fried Chicken is good but sides are just about as good as they were in an actual TV dinner and chicken was a bit flavorless. The pork was good but fatty. S'mores app was sent back as none of the marshmallows were cooked and no powdered sugar on top (the way it's advertised on their instagram page). I'd go back to sit at the bar for drinks but that's probably it.
(3)
Samantha H.
The service here was amazing. The food was average. I have high hopes for this place but none of the food wowed us yet. I hope the flavors will improve with time. The decor is eclectic and funky in a good way. They are paying homage to the 70s and I have to say the 70s side of the menu had nothing that was appealing to us. We stuck with everything on the other side. The wine list was inexpensive and had some great values on there. Michael, the beverage director, was very helpful and knowledgeable. We tried the calamari, foie, and duck. The calamari was my favorite dish. The foie was average. The duck was good but nothing that blew me away. Overall the food was just not that memorable and flavors are what I really look for in my restaurants that I love. The service was enough to make me go back and check it out again though.
(3)
Scubi X.
I really liked this place. The music was fantastic, as was the atmosphere. I had the Singapore Swing - yum. I loved the brussel sprouts, frites, and the rest of my party loved the bologna sliders. Our server, Natalie, was lovely. I hated her a little bit at first because she is very attractive, young, clever and has a very sexy voice. It's only natural to have a little distain for those types of people. Fortunately, I got over it, because she was really great. I want to go back. Make sure you request Natalie!
(5)
Michael S.
This was a disappointing experience. The food was at best a two star. The service was a 4 star as they were friendly and attentive. They told us we could make a request of the DJ for songs from the 70s. I went up to make a request and was told in no uncertain terms that there were to many request and not to bother to ask. Another strike. The prices were reasonable but I will not be making a return trip
(3)
Karma K.
I really, really like this new place. Cool space and I adore the menu. I ordered a cheese ball with Ritz crackers. Yep, I had my Carol Brady going on! OMG, so good and unexpected. Their fish styx were also delish. The panko breading combined with super fresh fish was a nice treat for Lent. I was shocked to not see a wedge salad on the menu but the fried bolonga sliders more than made up for that oversight! We are fans and will be back. This is a great addition to the West Loop neighborhood.
(5)
Jeremy D.
Personable staff, tasty home style 70s inspired foods and a groovy interior that sets the mood for an enjoyable night! Order the meatloaf, which is made of premium meats! Delicious! The squid ink pasta is tasty!
(5)
Heather B.
To start: Called me the day before to confirm my reservation, plus sent text. Then called day of to make sure they could make sure they understood my special dining need. Excellent customer service and I hadn't gotten there yet. I began with: Tang martini. Sweet but not. Reminder me of a cider but not of apples. Plus it had tang on rim. tang! Then Frois appetizer-- just a bit of heaven in your mouth. I would take a bit. Pause a just close my eyes and enjoy. Ahhhh. Fried escargot-good. A bit strange for those used to more traditional preparations. Glad we tried but probably won't repeat. We split the lobster bisque which was hot and both filled with lobster and the right balance of sherry. Squid ink pasta-- scallops so tender they melted like butter in your mouth, shrimp you could cut with a fork. Wish they had free refills on this dish! My friend ordered the Duck breast. It was a perfect mid rare. My friend said it put her in heaven. For dessert my friend had S'mores and I had the flourless chocolate cake. Both made the end of the meal perfect. The pistaschio gelato with the chocolate cake made me speechless. Michael the beverage manager was so friendly and checked in on us. Amazing customer service. I want more people to experience the derive that he and Daniel the associate/assistant?(sorry Daniel) and their team have put together a well oiled machined. And I can't forget to mention our server Brendan. From the start he was friendly, knowledgeable of the bar menu and able to make great drink recommendations. He new the menu inside and out and was able to answer questions. He even suggested we split the bisque since we were having 2 appetizers. And then at the end he brings the bill and the desserts were comped because we told them we were celebrating our birthdays. Had no idea it was coming. It was a real classy surprise. This is definately a place to check out. For a new restaurant they are acting like old pros. If there are glitches talk tonic heal or Daniel so they can improve. This is a place that needs to stay around!
(5)
Sara N.
This place is pretty great. The retro theme is pretty hilarious but definitely stops short of being over the top. The music in particular is great- how often do you hear Barry White in a restaurant? A huge plus of this restaurant is its size- there aren't many places in the West Loop where you could take a huge group of friends, but this place could definitely accommodate a large party. The food is very good; I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. I've probably tried almost everything at this point and everything is definitely solid. My biggest complaint is the service is a bit weird- you definitely don't get the impression that you're being served by waitstaff. For instance, why is everyone in matching t-shirts at a place where the food is $20+ a plate? Additionally, I've had a couple of waiters who didn't seem to fully understand the menu.
(4)
Lisa M.
I have to say I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the decor was disappointing and the food was terrible and completely over priced! We ordered a bunch of small plates and one was a delicious dip, but it was served with ritz crackers and cost $14! Geez. The crab fondue was ok, but had no crab meat in it and also expensive. I think if they used better ingredients then it may be worth it, but I can't justify paying this much for ritz crackers..sorry.
(2)
PJ C.
I wish Yelp had half stars - I'd give this three and a half. 5 stars for a stunningly cool interior, with a 70s feel made contemporary. The menu is interesting and it's solid. I think it's still evolving. I got the TV dinner and it was cool, but a little bland. The execution is a little too literal, visually - the TV dinner plate is lovely, but I'd like to see more of a modern twist. We will be back to try again.
(3)
Ryan C.
This place is almost hidden from your typical West Loop locations. I thought the venue was a well decorated and the menu was interesting but nothing was executed to the point that I would strongly recommend to another person. We did eat early (530ish) so the crowds hadn't shown up yet. I think the place has promise but might need a change in the menu to achieve long term stability as a restaurant.
(3)
Kaya K.
Stopped in here on a Friday night and was shocked to see that the place was not packed! The ambiance is fantastic and looks/feels very warm and charming. Service was great sitting at the bar - thanks to Ben! The brussel sprouts were charred to perfection and had I not been devouring it as soon as it hit the bar, I would have snapped some photos. The spanish calamari was delicious and cannot wait to come back for the tartar! If you are looking for a great place in the West Loop away from all the crowds, get it before everyone catches on!
(5)
Taylor M.
Incredible food, incredible service. We had the Brussel sprouts, creamed corn, Mac and cheese, chicken and cheese ball - all of which were amazing and delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and friendly. I will definitely be coming back! So excited to see a new restaurant in the area and happy to be eating here before everyone finds out about this gem!
Terrific new place a little out of the way past the main randolph/fulton's market area. TL;DR version, very friendly and assertive staff, The food was spot on, fun ambience. The decor is low key so that you feel comfortable walking in from the Chicago cold in your bundles and layers. But this would definitely be a nice date night restaurant as well. We tried the sloppy joes (lamb), lyonnaise salad, lobster bisque, and creamed corn. I would recommend each of these dishes. Note that the sloppy joes ARE made of lamb and they do taste that way, although not gamey. The Lyonnaise salad with a fried egg was a nice way to do a warm salad. Lobster bisque comes with croissant like pastry puffs on top and balanced out the broth nicely. It was light, with just the right amount of lobster flavor. Creamed corn was excellent. Not too creamy, but with a hint of cheesiness that reminds me of grits, either way, DEFINITELY recommend that as a side. For dessert we tried the pineapple upside down cake, which was DELICIOUS. A moist cake full of coconut that really enhanced the texture. Pineapples tasted fresh and not too overly cooked. A really nice finisher that made you feel content with your meal. For drinks I would say... cherry flavored cocktails tend to taste like robitussin everywhere so i don't fault them on that... Also staff is super super friendly, likely because it IS a new establishment so they are likely on their toes to make sure they can get as much feedback as they can. But our food came out very quickly, and our staff was very attentive to refilling waters and checking in with us.
(5)
M G.
I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and had heard a lot of buzz. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails were great, food was good, the place is beautiful. But man is it expensive for what you get! I was not expecting that at all. It's definitely not a come here every weekend kind of place. I'd go broke! I think if I go there again, I would come for a cocktail and the mac and cheese (AMAZING), then go somewhere else for dinner.
(3)
Marie L.
Awesome decor, but that was about it. The sliders were ok, the lobster fondu was good, and everything else was subpar. It was dead on a Saturday which is a shame because the place has potential, but they need to work on their food and menu.
(2)
Caryn K.
The service was great!! Super cute idea with the 70s theme! It wasn't too cheesy or weird. Can't wait to try the TV dinner Tuesdays! The drinks are strong, but tasty. The food was surprisingly good too! I recommend the Brussel sprouts and the crab cheese fondue!
(5)
Mihir P.
LOVED IT! We came here for drinks last Saturday. The place is in the middle of nowhere on an unlit street in an old building which kind of makes it cool. The place is grand - spacious with high ceilings. Kind of like a large Hubbard Inn. Brass is woven into the decor, but no monkeys :( Good drinks that are moderately priced. The super nice and fun manager sent us some sliders on the house. Bar staff were super nice and friendly asking us about life. Diverse mix of music from classic rock to 80's. I'm afraid though...that now all the D-bags and Lohans will come running here.
(5)
Kait G.
I really like this place! Unique set up with a 70s theme. The menu is also very unique with one side focusing on "70s classics" and one side more upscale food. We tried items from both. The beef tar tar was delicious. We also had a Lyonnaise salad with duck and an egg on top, a brilliant combination. From the 70s menu, we had the cheese fondu that comes with tator tots and hot dogs for dipping. Our combination of food made me giggle but it was all delicious. Drinks a bit expensive but overall good selection! Service on point, will be back.
(4)
Jen G.
This restaurant is a bit out of the way, and I'm a New Yorker so if I can't get somewhere easily I'm automatically turned off. However! I stepped in and was in awe of the 70's inspired decor --- as an interior designer who loves food I certainly appreciate all the little details in this restaurant! My party and I shared a few appetizers: grilled calamari and cheese spread...and some sides -- brussel sprouts, mac and cheese. Our entrees were also quite good and filling: steak frites, amish chicken, and porkchop dish. The food was worth the trek!
(5)
Jacob B.
Serious flaws in execution ruin an interesting concept and enticing menu. My significant other and I tried out The Brass Monkey early on a Saturday evening, in hopes of expanding our restaurant list. Here's my thoughts on the features of this new West Loop restaurant. 1) The space: unique and inviting, although the music was a tad loud at times and it appeared the DJ was schizophrenic, since he or she kept changing songs (and volume levels) midstream. 2) The service: As noted in earlier reviews, our waiter (Curtis) was intense. While I appreciate the attention, sometimes less is more. 3) The food: This is where there's serious flaws. I ordered the TV Dinner, which was actually kind of cool and well executed (although for an expensive price). My significant other ordered the Braised Short Rib. Honestly, they should rename this dish Pot Roast, because it definitely does NOT remind me of a short rib. We also ordered The Sloppy Joe Sliders and Swedish Meatballs. The Sliders were pretty good, but I'd skip the Meatballs. Finally, dessert. We ordered the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a dish so bad I almost cried. The pineapple was bland and could benefit from some caramelization, and the shredded coconut contributed to a chewy texture. The store-bought ice cream on top of the cake was depressing. Curtis mentioned the chef had recently retooled the recipe, and I'd say more retooling is necessary. 4) The drinks: The only redeeming feature of our experience. I enjoyed the Tang and the Chicago River Water was a cool twist on The Aviator. It's obvious to say this restaurant did not make our list. Considering all the other options in the West Loop area, there need to be significant changes to bring this restaurant up to the bar of other nearby establishments.
(2)
Tracy L.
Run, don't walk away from this restaurant. The room is beautifully done with colors and shapes from the 60's and 70's. It's lovely to see this old abandoned building rehabbed and repurposed. But the food was horrible. Good lord. We were at first charmed by the idea of "70's Comfort Food" appetizers- we ordered the Seven Layer Dip and the Cheese Ball. The Seven Layer dip was a mess of cold pureed black beans and soggy tomatoes served in a Pyrex prep bowl. There was neither salt nor any kind of discernible seasoning. The top had a smudge of sour cream. The chips were decent- at least they were properly salted. The Cheese Ball was a mealy and indistinct orange mass half covered in soggy almond slices. It was served with six actual Ritz crackers, some flavorless bread that was grilled without butter or olive oil and a side of mildly spicy but way-too-sweet tomato sauce. Needless to say we did not stay for dinner. Inexplicable to spend so much money on decor and so little on a competent kitchen. With so much competition from actually good restaurants just blocks away, this place will be closed before the end of the year.
(1)
Stephanie L.
Solid 3.5...alas no halfsies on yelp. Easy opentable reservo. Love Decor is fantastic. Love Menus are so cool-retro 70's. Julia Childs!! Love. Service was actually really great. Personable but not fake. Love. But occasionally lost our server to a large table. The food was where I was lost. It just didn't do it for me. Server was basically orgasming over the rabbit special. It was like a late night bad decision for me...did nothing for me & regretted it for the next hour. ;) Mussels were just ok. Pretty average and definitely had better. Beef tartare was too chunky...I like smooth tartare. This was hunks of it...I wasn't a fan. Brussels were decent. Perfect char TV dinner. Filet was good, the sides were mediocre. Sliders were my favorite. The desserts were average. Overall, I really did like it. I just feel like they need to step it up with the food flavors and they'll be good.
(3)
D F.
Service was awful. Food is average and frankly for how much creativity they claim to want to embrace in the theme it's pretty average. Busser service swarms you before your table is ready to clear, and ignored the fact that the bar table we were sat at was wobbling and unstable. Sitting at a bar table with a reservation was also unacceptable. Hostess staff look confused and disinterested.
(2)
Adam E.
Did someone say TV Dinner? Done with gourmet food? Yup. I'm having a real dilemma as to whether i'll ever be able to try something else on the amazing menu.... My fiancee and I are crazy about this place. It has replaced the spot in our hearts and stomachs that was created as the tasting menu was removed from Untitled; which was previously our favorite. Great value, great food. Already going back a second time with more friends tonight. Also; they have almost as good a whiskey selection as untitled, and the staff is courteous, friendly and not trying to rip you off. A friend ordered a variation of a whiskey we like ( prices aren't on menu for whiskey); waitress double checked with us to make sure we were aware of the cost ($44 for a single) before she had them done. While someone will probably gripe; I think this is a smart move to avoid surprises at the bill later. Many places would simply charge first and ask questions later.....
(5)
Bill O.
The music and decor will loudly and constantly remind you this place is 70's themed, but the novelty will wear off quickly due to the poor service. Try the fondue to experience for yourself why people haven't cared for fondue for the past 40 years.
(2)
Taylor M.
Incredible food, incredible service. We had the Brussel sprouts, creamed corn, Mac and cheese, chicken and cheese ball - all of which were amazing and delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and friendly. I will definitely be coming back! So excited to see a new restaurant in the area and happy to be eating here before everyone finds out about this gem!
(5)
Caryn K.
The service was great!! Super cute idea with the 70s theme! It wasn't too cheesy or weird. Can't wait to try the TV dinner Tuesdays! The drinks are strong, but tasty. The food was surprisingly good too! I recommend the Brussel sprouts and the crab cheese fondue!
(5)
Carol K.
Ah, the 70's. The era that brought us disco, bell bottoms, platform shoes and some really crazy food that carried over from the 50's and the 60's also brought some really interesting designs many of which you can see at the Brass Monkey like mirrored ceilings, an interesting use of metals and a really campy bathroom waiting area (just wait til you go down there!) And I like that you can go downstairs and find an album (yes, a record ALBUM) and bring it up and the DJ will play it. Very cool. From the people that brought us Untitled, I expected a lot in coming here, given good food, interesting spaces and good service are the norm with this group. After all, Untitled is that place that people line up to get into the speakeasy vibe. And the Brass Monkey has the same potential. This location in the W Loop is just waiting to pop with Google soon to open, a hotel opening next door and the cool venue space that the Brass Monkey shares with Morgan Manufacturing, a huge venue space that it's attached to that takes up the whole block. And the best news? There's a HUGE rooftop with some amazing views of the city (private parties only right now). Pretty impressive. What wasn't impressive was the service or the food on the night we were there. The only guy that seemed to get it right was Tony, the valet who was actually anticipating what we needed and brought the car around unasked. Other than that, it was a disaster. Our server was new to the place but a seasoned server, or so he told us. Then he disappeared and didn't bring us our drinks for 45 minutes. When we went in to see if they just lost our order (we were seated on the small patio out front) the manager came out and said he would get the drinks. When the server came back to get our food order, we still didn't have any drinks. He blamed it on the manager. At this point, given we were sitting in the sun, we didn't care who's fault it was, jut bring us our drinks! As for that food, it was just okay. I had the steak frites, pretty basic but cooked properly, my friend had the mussels, we shared the "Cheese ball" (needed more crackers) and my friends tried to have the Brussels sprouts but they brought asparagus instead and the fish sticks never showed up. The cheeseburger was fine and the tuna salad was okay. Meanwhile, we had no drinks to go with the meal as the server disappeared again. The manager tried to make it right by saying he would comp the drinks, but it was just not to be on this night as we ordered dessert (clearly we are gluttons for punishment) and those never showed up either even after we were given a tour of the entire place and came back. Still no dessert. So we cancelled the dessert given we just had no more time to wait. By this time we had been here for almost 3 hours so we asked for the bill so we could just get on with our night. And the final injustice? The change was wrong but who wanted to wait to make it right? No one. It was worth the $6 just to get out of there. Great potential for this space. But for all this drama on a Saturday night, I doubt I'll be back until they get the bugs worked out. Just hoping it doesn't take so long to fix that it turns into an 80's restaurant!
(2)
Monica B.
I came here with very high expectations, anticipating the opening for several months. Walking in, the restaurant is gorgeous. Dim lighting and overall cool vibe. The four of us sat at a high-top and started out with cocktails. I had the old fashioned, followed with a glass of pinot -- both were spot on. The food however, was not. We shared: + the sloppy thirds: group's overall favorite and my first sloppy joe, ever. + crab fondue: tasty but very small portion, served with toasted bread and ritz crackers (really?) - beef tartare: one of my least favorite. it was drenched in mayo and layered with veggies - braised short-rib: extremely tough, chewy and bland. half of this was left uneaten - meatballs: another miss. extremely sweet and meat was very dry - mushroom flatbread pizza: very bland. + side of Mac & cheese: ooey gooey deliciousness. another favorite Overall, I like the vibe of the place and would return for a cocktail at the bar, but Randolph/Fulton Market have a plethora of better restaurants to dine at.
(2)
Peter S.
So for our first foray to Brass Monkey we opted for appetizers at the bar. Meat balls, Brussels sprouts and seared tuna. The meat balls were reminiscent of the Swedish meatballs served with toothpicks at all my parents dinner parties but way better. The grapes were a nice touch! Mellody and I love Brussel Sprouts and these did not disappoint! Not too much sauce and just the right amount of seasoning. Definitely recommend you order these regardless. We also shared the seared tuna salad which harkened toward a Waldorf with shaved celery and grapes (there's those grapes again!) and a light dressing. Oh, did I mention the tuna was prepared perfectly? Our dinner was rounded out by some awesome cocktails prepared by our knowledgeable and friendly bartender, Erik. He certainly guided us through our first visit and we hope to be back soon. Cheers
(5)
svetlana k.
Decent food, ok service, but the restaurant was pretty dead on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5, 15 min before. For some reason, when the restaurant is kind of empty, its hard to get really excited about it. Maybe it's because of the obscure location or maybe it's because people don't want to eat food inspired by the 70s, but something needs to change here. Although, the decor is fantastic! The food itself was not mind blowing. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and they were very well portioned. We got brussel sprouts, Mac n cheese, grilled calamari, fondue, and a lyonnaise salad. No complains about the food. The drinks here need some work, tried two different ones and they tasted almost identical like sour skittles, super sugary. Even though this was my second time, I don't think I'll be coming back here. There are so many restaurants in Chicago and with new ones opening up constantly. There just isn't anything about this place that begs me to come back. Pass.
(3)
Carolyn L.
I came by here last night for some dinner after work because I had heard so many good things about the decor and the 70s/80s kitschy vibe. The space is beautiful. It's large and spacious, perfect for the growing neighborhood. It even has a separate event space for people who want to host weddings, birthdays, etc there. So now to the good stuff. I started with the SoCal 75 cocktail, which was served in a champagne glass. It had Brandy, Drambuie, and Cava and was totally balanced with bitters so it wasn't too sweet. The whole cocktail list looked great to be honest. And thanks to Katie who was practicing the new drinks. She did a great job for her first time making the SoCal 75! For food, I went straight to the main dish of squid ink linguini for $26. I wish I could have seen the 70s menu but I didn't see that until the end of my meal. No big deal though, the squid ink linguini brought me back to Barcelona, Spain. It had a delectable chili saffron cream sauce with scallops, shrimp, crab, and sundried tomatoes. It was a hearty serving and I ate all of it up in between chats with Jackie (another bartender) and Michael (the beverage director who shares a love of Bourbon with me). The bar selection is extensive. They have a lovely wine list from which I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with my pasta dish. Then I saw the 70s menu. Meatballs, TV dinner, fish sticks, pork chop & applesauce! I was told to order the pork chop next time and that's definitely what I'm going to do. I was able to try the pot de creme for dessert. It was a rich smooth custard with that bruleed caramelized top covering some raspberries. And the biscotti served with it was a perfect touch. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Alex K.
Stopped in with the wife on a Friday night. It's a little bit off of Randolph Street so parking wasn't a problem at all. Once inside, I appreiciated the design of the interior. I've never lived in the 70's but I feel like they did a nice job with the edison bulbs and various shades of brown. After seeing the menu I needed to get the TV Dinner. Unfortunately it was kind of a let down. I was thinking it was going to be an upscale grown up version of a tv dinner with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf wasn't bad but everything else just seemed kinda bland and I almost felt like I was eating a real tv dinner. It is served on a cool TV dinner tray with the separate compartments so I don't really regret ordering it. Other than that we also got the fondue, which was pretty neat. If you're really into that retro 70's vibe, I'd check this place out as it was the highlight of our trip. Or you could go just to say you ordered a tv dinner because that's pretty much half the reason I went in the first place. Overall I'd say the food was just ok though.
(3)
PJ C.
I wish Yelp had half stars - I'd give this three and a half. 5 stars for a stunningly cool interior, with a 70s feel made contemporary. The menu is interesting and it's solid. I think it's still evolving. I got the TV dinner and it was cool, but a little bland. The execution is a little too literal, visually - the TV dinner plate is lovely, but I'd like to see more of a modern twist. We will be back to try again.
(3)
Mark A.
Having a pretty equal distribution of one to five star reviews, I feel I'm pretty qualified to say don't eat here. Even though I was only alive for a few months in the 70s, l believe their interior decorator did a fantastic job in creating an authentic environment. The chairs, the floor, and the tables are what I'd expect to have seen in the 70s. And I appreciate how the menu is slanted to the 70s. Here's the food we had: * Fish sticks: Who wouldn't order fish sticks in a yuppy place like this and expect amazingness? Lately we've given the hipster touch to fried chicken, cupcakes, tamales, and marshmallows...why would we leave out fish sticks? These were decent, but devoid of flavor (or heavily relied upon the sauce with which they are served). * Boar meatballs: I'd say these were the highlight of all food items. They were tasty. * Fondue: It was fondue, and a good thing we ordered it because it worked well to give the fish sticks some flavor. * Duck: We were told this would be medium rare; it was medium at best. Some decent flavor here, and probably the best main course of the meal. By no means, however, would I crave it. * Skirt Steak: Ordered medium rare, came out medium-well. The fries were good, though. Yay for fries and (Heinz) ketchup. Heinz ketchup...really? Come on, no restaurant worth its salt uses industrial ketchup nowadays. It probably was the kind with HFCS but it was in a ramekin so that counts for something, obviously. * Double cheeseburger: In fairness, the patties were thin so to get medium-rare is tough...but it lacked flavor. * Flourless chocolate cake: From what pre-packaged provider did they get this? There was nothing fresh about it, and even worse, the exterior was room temperature at best, but the middle was steaming/scalding hot. To me, that screams...microwave. Yes, microwave! I would never, ever recommend the food here to a friend (or enemy), and it's a shame because I've had some decent meals at Untitled -- the same folks behind Brass Monkey. But when food sucks, I turn to the other menu....cocktails. I really enjoyed my "Tang," and the wine list was thoughtfully assembled. If somebody said, "we're having drinks and meatballs at Brass Monkey, I'd go." If they said, "wanna have dinner at Brass Monkey," I'd turn around and run away as fast as I can.
(2)
Amrita G.
We did not get much food as we had another reservation. We got here around 5 pm on a Saturday. It was empty. We got the wild boar meatballs. This was amazing. Not many options to chose from. So next for dessert we got the pineapple upside down cake. This was d r delicious too. However they cold not provide us with a dessert menu and neither get one printed in the time that we were there. I should probably deduct a star for that but I am not as these two dishes were amazing. But like I said not many options to chose from!
(4)
Jay J.
Came here on at 7:30 on a Friday night with a couple of friends. Awesome layout but the place was dead and lacking atmosphere. Plus the waitress wasn't exactly eager to serve us, which I don't understand since we were ordering everything on the menu as well as a bunch of drinks. Drinks are great, food is good but nothing to write home about. Sadly I don't think this place will still be open in a year.
(3)
Danny W.
You can almost hear horns walking into The Brass Monkey. It's that cool. Beastie Boys cool. Between the munchies section of the menu, the pseudo record store lobby, and the overall interior design I felt like I was straight up in a scene from Boogie Nights. The food totally lives with groovy stuff from the 70's such as Bologna Sliders, Swedish Meatballs, and Fish Styx, but there's also a more modern selection of entrees including French Bread Pizzas, Roasted Chicken, or Steak Frites. I went with a cup of lobster bisque followed by the Squid Ink Linguini and was totally stoked on both the portion size and flavors of both. I love the overall vibe but my favorite feature is the restroom area which has a unisex lobby that indeed does look like Dirk Diggler's about to walk in to shoot a scene. Bright red velvet couches and dim lighting bouncing off the walls give it a esthetic of a 70's porno. It's awesome. I promise. Overall I'm totally sold on this place. It's unique, has great food, and the service was super attentive. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Aaron V.
Mediocre food and cocktails at best. Chicken was dry, fish sticks were overdone, meatballs were ok. Burgers were fine but overpriced. Service was indifferent, unprepared and undertrained. The atmosphere and room were cool. The menu was fun with cool pictures and stories of drugged out rock stars and the music they were playing was great. Not sure that's enough in a city full of really great restaurant/bars.
(2)
Kori E.
When you first walk in you definitely notice the cool set up and decor! It had a very nice vibe. We came fro dinner on a Saturday night, and to be honest, it wasnt all that busy? Maybe we were there too early? Anyhow, the food was really good! We started with the meatballs and crab fondue and both were delish. I would have liked a bit more fondue, though, lets be honest. For my main, I ordered the Seared Tuna salad and the veggie cassoulet. I really liked the salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly. They should think about making it bigger and adding it as an entree option! The cassoulet wasnt that good only because I dont like rosemary and it was ALL i could taste. Probably because I dont like rosemary! My boyfriend got the duck and he thought it was really good. Again, a bit of a smaller portion, but he really liked his. Our friends ordered the pork chop and the lobster bisque/mac n cheese. I tasted the Mac and it was good! For dessert, we had the chocolate cake. OMG. Order it. It is sooooo delicious! We also tried the Smores and it was so interesting - they somehow made them taste smoky! All in all, we had a great evening and our waitress was wonderful. I dont know that I would come rushing back here, but it seems like a cool place for a party. Very retro!
(4)
Kari O.
This place is awesome. NOTE: 1/2 of the menu is 70's inspired, and 1/2 is more modern... SO, if you ordered the TV dinner and wished it was more modern, then, you shouldn't have ordered the TV dinner! Drinks were pricey, but it's expected in this area. The food was awesome! Starters: Just the tip (delicious asparagus tips) Cheese fondue (with tots) Fish Styx (need I say more?) Entrees: Squid Ink Pasta TV Dinner Desserts: Uhhhh...Not too memorable. I guess. Definitely worth a trip. Awesome vibe, and great for a group.
Honestly, some of the best drinks and ambience I've experienced in a long time. And they have the best washrooms in Chicago!
(5)
Ellen B.
We just had a wonderful dinner @ The Brass Monkey. Hubby and I were joined be our son, daughter, and their significant others. We began our evening with cocktails at the bar. The bartenders are engaging, knowledgeable, and mix fantastic cocktails. My old fashioned was sublime! We were seated promptly, and had a hard time choosing from the many selections. The menu has two parts; 70's comfort food and gastro pub fare. We started with 2 appetizers, the cheese ball and crab and cheese fondue. Both were delicious; our server cheerfully brought more bread and crackers when asked. Our entrees were delectable. My son's fiancee and I had the braised short ribs with root vegetables, which were fork tender and just perfect! Daughter and hubby had the salmon, which they pronounced as the best! Son and daughter's boyfriend demolished their burger and squid ink pasta. We were so full we reluctantly had to forego dessert. Next time we'll have lighter meals so we can sample from the dessert menu. The service was simply amazing! Our waiter was cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. He made excellent wine pairing suggestions, and always magically appeared when needed. I can't remember ever having better service anywhere. We will definitely be back! p.s. Almost forgot to mention the music, a perfect blend of 70's bands with some Sinatra blended in, perfect!
(5)
Michelle S.
Atmosphere was good. Service was just OK. Food was good. We went on a weeknight and it was busy but not filled or packed by any means. It's very loud, even when the restaurant wasn't at capacity. We sat in a booth and couldn't hear a word our waitress said. She seemed soft spoken to begin with, which just isn't great with the acustics. We all liked the food. Nothing memorable, though. Our favorite item was the sides of fries. The TV dinner with Fried Chicken is good but sides are just about as good as they were in an actual TV dinner and chicken was a bit flavorless. The pork was good but fatty. S'mores app was sent back as none of the marshmallows were cooked and no powdered sugar on top (the way it's advertised on their instagram page). I'd go back to sit at the bar for drinks but that's probably it.
(3)
Samantha H.
The service here was amazing. The food was average. I have high hopes for this place but none of the food wowed us yet. I hope the flavors will improve with time. The decor is eclectic and funky in a good way. They are paying homage to the 70s and I have to say the 70s side of the menu had nothing that was appealing to us. We stuck with everything on the other side. The wine list was inexpensive and had some great values on there. Michael, the beverage director, was very helpful and knowledgeable. We tried the calamari, foie, and duck. The calamari was my favorite dish. The foie was average. The duck was good but nothing that blew me away. Overall the food was just not that memorable and flavors are what I really look for in my restaurants that I love. The service was enough to make me go back and check it out again though.
(3)
Scubi X.
I really liked this place. The music was fantastic, as was the atmosphere. I had the Singapore Swing - yum. I loved the brussel sprouts, frites, and the rest of my party loved the bologna sliders. Our server, Natalie, was lovely. I hated her a little bit at first because she is very attractive, young, clever and has a very sexy voice. It's only natural to have a little distain for those types of people. Fortunately, I got over it, because she was really great. I want to go back. Make sure you request Natalie!
(5)
J.D. Y.
Amazing food! Very nice and generous and down to earth staff! Very welcoming and willing to go out of their way to serve you. The manager Michael was great! The guy knows what he was doing. I'll definitely be coming back! 70's theme menu. Got the lobster bisque - not your typical orange cheesy bisque you usually have, this had its own taste, different yet very good!! Entree was Tv Dinner - plating was an actual TV dinner style tray, (not plastic, real plate, but this TV dinner was top notch sophisticated. You actually want to eat all the components in this TV dinner! - Salisbury steak with mushrooms - mashed potatoes - peas - some sort of cream corn? All amazing! Go if you're in town!
(5)
Heather B.
To start: Called me the day before to confirm my reservation, plus sent text. Then called day of to make sure they could make sure they understood my special dining need. Excellent customer service and I hadn't gotten there yet. I began with: Tang martini. Sweet but not. Reminder me of a cider but not of apples. Plus it had tang on rim. tang! Then Frois appetizer-- just a bit of heaven in your mouth. I would take a bit. Pause a just close my eyes and enjoy. Ahhhh. Fried escargot-good. A bit strange for those used to more traditional preparations. Glad we tried but probably won't repeat. We split the lobster bisque which was hot and both filled with lobster and the right balance of sherry. Squid ink pasta-- scallops so tender they melted like butter in your mouth, shrimp you could cut with a fork. Wish they had free refills on this dish! My friend ordered the Duck breast. It was a perfect mid rare. My friend said it put her in heaven. For dessert my friend had S'mores and I had the flourless chocolate cake. Both made the end of the meal perfect. The pistaschio gelato with the chocolate cake made me speechless. Michael the beverage manager was so friendly and checked in on us. Amazing customer service. I want more people to experience the derive that he and Daniel the associate/assistant?(sorry Daniel) and their team have put together a well oiled machined. And I can't forget to mention our server Brendan. From the start he was friendly, knowledgeable of the bar menu and able to make great drink recommendations. He new the menu inside and out and was able to answer questions. He even suggested we split the bisque since we were having 2 appetizers. And then at the end he brings the bill and the desserts were comped because we told them we were celebrating our birthdays. Had no idea it was coming. It was a real classy surprise. This is definately a place to check out. For a new restaurant they are acting like old pros. If there are glitches talk tonic heal or Daniel so they can improve. This is a place that needs to stay around!
(5)
Sara N.
This place is pretty great. The retro theme is pretty hilarious but definitely stops short of being over the top. The music in particular is great- how often do you hear Barry White in a restaurant? A huge plus of this restaurant is its size- there aren't many places in the West Loop where you could take a huge group of friends, but this place could definitely accommodate a large party. The food is very good; I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. I've probably tried almost everything at this point and everything is definitely solid. My biggest complaint is the service is a bit weird- you definitely don't get the impression that you're being served by waitstaff. For instance, why is everyone in matching t-shirts at a place where the food is $20+ a plate? Additionally, I've had a couple of waiters who didn't seem to fully understand the menu.
(4)
Lisa M.
I have to say I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the decor was disappointing and the food was terrible and completely over priced! We ordered a bunch of small plates and one was a delicious dip, but it was served with ritz crackers and cost $14! Geez. The crab fondue was ok, but had no crab meat in it and also expensive. I think if they used better ingredients then it may be worth it, but I can't justify paying this much for ritz crackers..sorry.
(2)
Oceans L.
Terrific new place a little out of the way past the main randolph/fulton's market area. TL;DR version, very friendly and assertive staff, The food was spot on, fun ambience. The decor is low key so that you feel comfortable walking in from the Chicago cold in your bundles and layers. But this would definitely be a nice date night restaurant as well. We tried the sloppy joes (lamb), lyonnaise salad, lobster bisque, and creamed corn. I would recommend each of these dishes. Note that the sloppy joes ARE made of lamb and they do taste that way, although not gamey. The Lyonnaise salad with a fried egg was a nice way to do a warm salad. Lobster bisque comes with croissant like pastry puffs on top and balanced out the broth nicely. It was light, with just the right amount of lobster flavor. Creamed corn was excellent. Not too creamy, but with a hint of cheesiness that reminds me of grits, either way, DEFINITELY recommend that as a side. For dessert we tried the pineapple upside down cake, which was DELICIOUS. A moist cake full of coconut that really enhanced the texture. Pineapples tasted fresh and not too overly cooked. A really nice finisher that made you feel content with your meal. For drinks I would say... cherry flavored cocktails tend to taste like robitussin everywhere so i don't fault them on that... Also staff is super super friendly, likely because it IS a new establishment so they are likely on their toes to make sure they can get as much feedback as they can. But our food came out very quickly, and our staff was very attentive to refilling waters and checking in with us.
(5)
Ryan C.
This place is almost hidden from your typical West Loop locations. I thought the venue was a well decorated and the menu was interesting but nothing was executed to the point that I would strongly recommend to another person. We did eat early (530ish) so the crowds hadn't shown up yet. I think the place has promise but might need a change in the menu to achieve long term stability as a restaurant.
(3)
M G.
I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and had heard a lot of buzz. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails were great, food was good, the place is beautiful. But man is it expensive for what you get! I was not expecting that at all. It's definitely not a come here every weekend kind of place. I'd go broke! I think if I go there again, I would come for a cocktail and the mac and cheese (AMAZING), then go somewhere else for dinner.
(3)
Mihir P.
LOVED IT! We came here for drinks last Saturday. The place is in the middle of nowhere on an unlit street in an old building which kind of makes it cool. The place is grand - spacious with high ceilings. Kind of like a large Hubbard Inn. Brass is woven into the decor, but no monkeys :( Good drinks that are moderately priced. The super nice and fun manager sent us some sliders on the house. Bar staff were super nice and friendly asking us about life. Diverse mix of music from classic rock to 80's. I'm afraid though...that now all the D-bags and Lohans will come running here.
(5)
Marie L.
Awesome decor, but that was about it. The sliders were ok, the lobster fondu was good, and everything else was subpar. It was dead on a Saturday which is a shame because the place has potential, but they need to work on their food and menu.
(2)
Kaya K.
Stopped in here on a Friday night and was shocked to see that the place was not packed! The ambiance is fantastic and looks/feels very warm and charming. Service was great sitting at the bar - thanks to Ben! The brussel sprouts were charred to perfection and had I not been devouring it as soon as it hit the bar, I would have snapped some photos. The spanish calamari was delicious and cannot wait to come back for the tartar! If you are looking for a great place in the West Loop away from all the crowds, get it before everyone catches on!
I really like this place! Unique set up with a 70s theme. The menu is also very unique with one side focusing on "70s classics" and one side more upscale food. We tried items from both. The beef tar tar was delicious. We also had a Lyonnaise salad with duck and an egg on top, a brilliant combination. From the 70s menu, we had the cheese fondu that comes with tator tots and hot dogs for dipping. Our combination of food made me giggle but it was all delicious. Drinks a bit expensive but overall good selection! Service on point, will be back.
(4)
Jen G.
This restaurant is a bit out of the way, and I'm a New Yorker so if I can't get somewhere easily I'm automatically turned off. However! I stepped in and was in awe of the 70's inspired decor --- as an interior designer who loves food I certainly appreciate all the little details in this restaurant! My party and I shared a few appetizers: grilled calamari and cheese spread...and some sides -- brussel sprouts, mac and cheese. Our entrees were also quite good and filling: steak frites, amish chicken, and porkchop dish. The food was worth the trek!
(5)
Shannon S.
Brought my parents here, and they thought the place was great and unique. Very interesting menu. Tang drink was good and liked that it wasn't as sweet as one would think. Got the spanish calamari and the baloney sandwiches as an app and they were both wonderful. The squid Ink pasta was great! def recommend it and i would come back to order that again! my mom loved her salmon, and my dad got the short ribs.
(4)
John W.
Fantastic, really a cool place that I will definitely be back for round two. The service was spot on and our server Sarud was amazing, along with his suggestions which were perfect. Just a side note the portions are quite large for what most of Chicago farm to table serves, so definitely able to share. For libations we ordered the the old fashion and a Tom Collins which were as just what one would expect, strong but not ridiculous boozy. For starters we got the Swedish Meatballs which were so good served in what seemed like a pork/beef lingonberry berry reduction sauce which I could have had literally ate by the spoon alone! Salad course was baby spinach with beets that was spot on. Not over dressed and perfectly sized pieces of the beets with cheese that did not over power the whole salad. For the main course the Duck breast over creamy polenta was (cue Homer Simpson) Mmmmmmm mouth watering good. Perfectly seasoned cooked to a perfect medium rare. As I am righting this I am thinking about going to get another plate of this. Sides: The brussel sprouts were good, I am not to sure how to rate sprouts as most are roasted and its about as difficult to judge as long as they are not a complete disaster. The Fries were so good and the dipping sauce was again I feel like I am on a broken record here but super tasty. The Mac and Cheese well my friends if you love super creamy packed full of cheesy goodness than this is the place for you. I could see my self gaining at least 10 pounds next winter eating this alone. Now my favorite part of every meal is the Dessert: A Pineapple Cake! Yes Yes YES. Again so good, and with the ice cream portion added on its just so good. I can not really stress how large the portions are because we were two people and we still had a bag of leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day! So either we eat like birds or this place actually gives normal portions which we have not been accustomed to in chicago in a long time. Overall the atmosphere is quite 70's but with a twist on a bit of modernism. It is a huge space and they have even more space for events, and weddings. I thought the music was good spanning mostly 70's rock and disco to early 80's classics. In summary I am as they say excited to go back and would definitely recommend.
(5)
Michaela D.
Great decor, cozy booths, and friendly service! The food was amazing. My favorite was the TV Dinner - mashed potatoes, peas, creamed corn and meatloaf in a plate shaped like a real TV dinner. SO delicious and such a fun concept. Everything else we had - brussel sprouts, macaroni, desserts - were great too.
(5)
Jennie T.
This place was good but not great. I had the whitefish which was okay but pretty salty. The best thing on the plate was the polenta. The rest of my dinner party also commented that their dishes were too salty. Fish sticks seemed like a cool idea but just wasn't executed well. Some things we ordered were excellent - lobster artichoke dip and the bananas foster pudding. My cocktail was great too, made with actual tang. The decor and atmosphere was real cool; they played some great music too.
(3)
A. M.
Beautiful space with great lighting but food was underwhelming. We were excited to come to try 70s munchies, but left disappointed. The cheese ball was average but the meatballs very dry and cheese fondue with hot dog and tater tots very sad. It came with a white lukewarm hot dog and a handful of tots. Also, our burger was very dry and flavorless. Overall, a poor showing. Maybe recommend for drinks but won't be back any time soon.
(2)
Tommie S.
Before going to this restaurant, I read all the reviews. The reviews seemed accurate based on my experience, but I must say the customer service and attentiveness of the manager was outstanding. He made all the difference in my experience. I ordered the bologna sliders, seafood pasta primavera, old fashioned, and tang per the reviews. Everything was as expected, even the great flavor of the pasta dish and the fact that the pasta stuck together. However, we requested a liqueur that the bar did not carry (Understandable. Who was drinking Midori in the 70's?). Nonetheless, the bartender visited our table and tried to create a drink to make up for it. His efforts were appreciated. He even personally delivered the drink. Also, they were out of hamburgers for a member in our party. The manager tried to do everything to accommodate the member of our party. He tried to troubleshoot, suggest other options, and make sure that the member of our party got plenty of fries, since fries became the entree for that person. The manager checked on the patrons as expected, and his attentativeness with the positive sense of humor made this an enjoyable experience. Hopefully business will pick up, but I appreciated the lack of a crowd. The attention from the staff and the ambiance made us have a nice outing. By the end of the night, it didn't even matter that they ran out of burgers. I will be back. My food, drinks, and overall experience were good.
(4)
Matthew E.
The food is excellent, but and its a huge BUT the service is beyond creepy. Our waiter, Curtis stopped by every 45 seconds to check on us and asking the women with me awkward questions. We asked him to let us eat and he replied that "I'm not allowed too". After that we ate our dinner quickly. We were subsequently yelled at for getting our menus dirty (you can laminate them). He stopped by still every 1.5 minutes after the talk and it was still beyond creepy. I will never go back, mainly because I don't want to harassed every 5 seconds when I'm trying to enjoy my night out.
(1)
Andrew P.
The food was delicious. If you like fish, the Waldorf appetizer is a must - ahi tuna cooked to perfection. Service was a bit slow - not sure if it's because the place is new and they're trying to figure out their groove, but we waited about 8 minutes before a server came to our table.
(4)
Fernando M.
Blast from the past. Your ears will be spoiled by 70s music while you feast on simple foods with a gourmet flair. The Steak Friettes is amazing. Take the chef suggestion on medium-well you won't be disappointed. The ambiance spacious, dimly lit, and industrial sheik. Cool place for drinks or for a classy dinner date. One the coolest places to be any night of the week in Chicago.
(5)
K N.
Great restaurant! We started with the lobster bisque (not very creamy) and the bologna sliders...AMAZING! Then for entrees we had the amish chicken and duck...both VERY tasty in amazing sauces. We split the s'mores dessert to end our meal. Overall, the service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were top notch. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Jaime E.
Great ambiance. Great music. Great food.
(5)
Sanjiv G.
I understand that this place just opened. But have a hard time getting past a couple of things. 1. When we checked in for our 9 pm reservation at 8:50, the hostess indicated that she had no idea when our table would be ready and chastised us for arriving early 2. After heading to the bar to wait for our table; we sat, on stools, at the bar for 15 minutes with no bartender even stopping off to ask for our drink order. Only after alerting the manager did a bartender come by to take our order 3. 40 minutes after our reservation and noting that there were 4 open tables on the floor, we were offered a table right in front of the door. When we rejected that table, magically a better table appeared. Needless to say, we left at that point, so can't comment on the food, which looked good. I'll be back in two months after they sort out the front of the house issues.
(2)
Sarah P.
My new favorite spot! Went there on a Thursday night-great atmosphere, service, and food. Can not wait to go back!
(5)
Christopher A.
Fantastic restaurant with an excellent vibe and incredibly good food. The seared Fois Gras was superb and our two main courses (short rib and duck breast) were incredible. Bill was reasonable ($200 for two including tax and tip did include a bottle of wine and cocktails). Definitely recommend.
(5)
Elizabeth T.
The brass monkey opened about a week ago...you would think there would be flaws in service or food the first week, NONE! We sat at the bar and had a great experience from the start. Pretty much everything on the menu looked delicious but we went with the steak tartar and lentil salad to start. Both dishes were simple but with a twist. Delicious. We had the truffle pizza which was unbelievable. And the Amish chicken. We were so full but wanted more. The manager Michael came over, introduced himself, and asked if we needed anything. It was the perfect end to a great evening. We will for sure be back and so glad this addition has come to the neighborhood.
(5)
Brandy C.
The design/atmosphere and the employees were pretty Top Notch. The food was pretty good overall. I'd touch up the mash and the creamed corn for a bit more fun on the "TV Dinner"- they were a bit too close to a real TV dinner. However, everything else we had was quite enjoyable. Would recommend the Octopus in a heartbeat and my husband definitely enjoyed his Duck. For the price point, unfortunately, I have a few other spots that meet the same quality at a lower price and in the area. I'd go back for a drink and an app possibly, but not for a full dinner.
(3)
Laura R.
I like this place a lot. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because I didn't get to try a ton of the menu (so not their fault) but it was soo loud. We went here to catch up with some friends and we had trouble talking over the loud music. Loved the ambiance. 70s but not over the top. Large enough to have room to wait at the bar for your table and not be cramped. My husband and I split the truffle mushroom pizza, which was wonderful. Our friends got the fish sticks and some salad (sorry I don't recall) but both really like it. Drinks wise, besides one Tang- which was tasty- we stuck to wine. No complaints. I look forward to going back and trying more things.
(4)
Fuudcritic C.
About time! This was awesome. Love the 70's decor! Service was outstanding and our server Maxwell (?) was outstanding. Food was good. The only thing I must say, out of all the food we ordered (which was about 7-8 items) the cheeseball was the least favorite. It was a little jelly/rubber like and borderline not spreadable. And I didn't get the 2 types of bread/cracker. Wish there was only and more ritz crackers. Something I did take away from my experience....two words... TV DINNER!!! OMG!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
(5)
D H.
Great atmosphere with really helpful and friendly staff! There had to be 2 support staff for every waiter / waitress. Amazing long comfortable bar, 70's style decor. We had the cheese ball with "fancy" Ritz crackers and the fish Styx to start. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fresh. We split the steak frites and got sides of creamed corn and Brussel sprouts - all the food was delicious! The wine list could use a little work and is on the high side... A bottle of Whispering Angel Rose' lists for $60 and retails around $15. Stick with the cocktails. I'd definitely go back!
(4)
Lisa A.
Went for drinks after dinner. Place was almost empty on a Friday night at 10:30! The space is amazing and in a funky area. But it's gearded towards a different crowd. The music is horrendous. This isn't Boca Raton FL for the retiree crowd. It's downtown Chicago. They seriously need to figure it out and find an identity.
(2)
Seth G.
This should really be a 3 1/2 but that is not an option. The drinks were delicious and the decor is very cool. We had the Sloppy Thirds as an appetizer which were fine just fine. I had the duck breast which was delicious - moist and flavorful. My girlfriend had the steak frites and the steak was nearly inedible. It was extremely tough and fairly bland. Our server wasn't great but you could tell he was new. The restaurant has not been open for very long so that is to be expected. I would go back if we were in the area, but based on where it is located it is not a place that we would just stumble upon.
(3)
mark j.
Loved the good and the service was pretty good, really cool 70's vibe. Would come back here again for sure
(5)
Jordan L.
So i went in here about a week ago to look in to having an event at this new trendy place. I went in to talk with Nicole the Manager and had a sit down with what they offer for large parties for events etc. I expressed that i will be having 40-50 people attending my party and thought this could be a fun new experience for all. Nicole told me , "we do these types of parties all the time." She made my fiance and I feel very comfortable and we trusted her after sitting with her to discuss our event. I asked if we can have a section near the bar so that my 40-50 guests would not have any trouble getting drinks as that was my main concern. She said that they can not guarantee that the will have enough space near the bar for my party because its a Friday night and the bar area will be packed. So she persuaded me in to renting out their private room which holds up to 60 people but is no where near the bar. Mind you this place only has one bar. I voiced my concern about having my party in this private room and being so far from the bar area, so she said they will have 2 servers assigned to our room that will take orders and go back and forth making sure our room isnt waiting around for drinks or having to leave the room and go the bar.... So we trusted Nicole and agreed to do it. Friday night rolls around and my guests start wandering in. The private room is right when you walk in before the bar to the left so it is very hard to miss. After an hour or so roughly 20 guests arrive and I had to go up to Nicole and tell her after 1 hr that not even half my guests have arrived and i've already had several guests ask if they are supposed to get drinks from the bar themselves since the service is terrible. Nicole then said i'll get you another server. While all this is going on, the bar has maybe 10 people on a friday night. Remember Nicole insisted i rent out this room because its a Friday night and they need space for people at the bar. The place was dead. 10 people at the bar while i have 40-50 guests stuck in this private room with 2 now 3 servers who have to take a 1/2 mile walk to go to the bar to fetch our drinks. The servers were terrible too, I had 2 of my guests tell me that earlier in the night they went to the bar to purchase a Cocktail for $7, then they ordered the same drink from one of our personal servers and the servers said that'll be $11, my friend said excuse me? I just paid $7 at the bar, the server then said, okay i'll make you a deal give me $9. My friend laughed came up to me wished me congrats and said I'm leaving this place is a joke. This happened with two of my guests. Throughout the night friends kept coming up to me asking how to order drinks... i said unfortunately the service here is horrible, if you see a server, just order a drink. Odds are you'll have to find one , they wont come up to you. That's all i could say... The drinks weren't made correctly, POOR MANAGEMENT and POOR SERVICE to say the least. Then after the event was over, i got the bill and there were drinks on the bill that we never ordered. Place is a joke, Several other fun trendy places to go. I will never go back there and nor will my friends. We all witnessed first hand how terrible this experience was. STAY AWAY
(1)
Stephanie L.
Solid 3.5...alas no halfsies on yelp. Easy opentable reservo. Love Decor is fantastic. Love Menus are so cool-retro 70's. Julia Childs!! Love. Service was actually really great. Personable but not fake. Love. But occasionally lost our server to a large table. The food was where I was lost. It just didn't do it for me. Server was basically orgasming over the rabbit special. It was like a late night bad decision for me...did nothing for me & regretted it for the next hour. ;) Mussels were just ok. Pretty average and definitely had better. Beef tartare was too chunky...I like smooth tartare. This was hunks of it...I wasn't a fan. Brussels were decent. Perfect char TV dinner. Filet was good, the sides were mediocre. Sliders were my favorite. The desserts were average. Overall, I really did like it. I just feel like they need to step it up with the food flavors and they'll be good.
(3)
D F.
Service was awful. Food is average and frankly for how much creativity they claim to want to embrace in the theme it's pretty average. Busser service swarms you before your table is ready to clear, and ignored the fact that the bar table we were sat at was wobbling and unstable. Sitting at a bar table with a reservation was also unacceptable. Hostess staff look confused and disinterested.
(2)
Monica B.
I came here with very high expectations, anticipating the opening for several months. Walking in, the restaurant is gorgeous. Dim lighting and overall cool vibe. The four of us sat at a high-top and started out with cocktails. I had the old fashioned, followed with a glass of pinot -- both were spot on. The food however, was not. We shared: + the sloppy thirds: group's overall favorite and my first sloppy joe, ever. + crab fondue: tasty but very small portion, served with toasted bread and ritz crackers (really?) - beef tartare: one of my least favorite. it was drenched in mayo and layered with veggies - braised short-rib: extremely tough, chewy and bland. half of this was left uneaten - meatballs: another miss. extremely sweet and meat was very dry - mushroom flatbread pizza: very bland. + side of Mac & cheese: ooey gooey deliciousness. another favorite Overall, I like the vibe of the place and would return for a cocktail at the bar, but Randolph/Fulton Market have a plethora of better restaurants to dine at.
(2)
Peter S.
So for our first foray to Brass Monkey we opted for appetizers at the bar. Meat balls, Brussels sprouts and seared tuna. The meat balls were reminiscent of the Swedish meatballs served with toothpicks at all my parents dinner parties but way better. The grapes were a nice touch! Mellody and I love Brussel Sprouts and these did not disappoint! Not too much sauce and just the right amount of seasoning. Definitely recommend you order these regardless. We also shared the seared tuna salad which harkened toward a Waldorf with shaved celery and grapes (there's those grapes again!) and a light dressing. Oh, did I mention the tuna was prepared perfectly? Our dinner was rounded out by some awesome cocktails prepared by our knowledgeable and friendly bartender, Erik. He certainly guided us through our first visit and we hope to be back soon. Cheers
(5)
Carolyn L.
I came by here last night for some dinner after work because I had heard so many good things about the decor and the 70s/80s kitschy vibe. The space is beautiful. It's large and spacious, perfect for the growing neighborhood. It even has a separate event space for people who want to host weddings, birthdays, etc there. So now to the good stuff. I started with the SoCal 75 cocktail, which was served in a champagne glass. It had Brandy, Drambuie, and Cava and was totally balanced with bitters so it wasn't too sweet. The whole cocktail list looked great to be honest. And thanks to Katie who was practicing the new drinks. She did a great job for her first time making the SoCal 75! For food, I went straight to the main dish of squid ink linguini for $26. I wish I could have seen the 70s menu but I didn't see that until the end of my meal. No big deal though, the squid ink linguini brought me back to Barcelona, Spain. It had a delectable chili saffron cream sauce with scallops, shrimp, crab, and sundried tomatoes. It was a hearty serving and I ate all of it up in between chats with Jackie (another bartender) and Michael (the beverage director who shares a love of Bourbon with me). The bar selection is extensive. They have a lovely wine list from which I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with my pasta dish. Then I saw the 70s menu. Meatballs, TV dinner, fish sticks, pork chop & applesauce! I was told to order the pork chop next time and that's definitely what I'm going to do. I was able to try the pot de creme for dessert. It was a rich smooth custard with that bruleed caramelized top covering some raspberries. And the biscotti served with it was a perfect touch. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back!
(5)
Carol K.
Ah, the 70's. The era that brought us disco, bell bottoms, platform shoes and some really crazy food that carried over from the 50's and the 60's also brought some really interesting designs many of which you can see at the Brass Monkey like mirrored ceilings, an interesting use of metals and a really campy bathroom waiting area (just wait til you go down there!) And I like that you can go downstairs and find an album (yes, a record ALBUM) and bring it up and the DJ will play it. Very cool. From the people that brought us Untitled, I expected a lot in coming here, given good food, interesting spaces and good service are the norm with this group. After all, Untitled is that place that people line up to get into the speakeasy vibe. And the Brass Monkey has the same potential. This location in the W Loop is just waiting to pop with Google soon to open, a hotel opening next door and the cool venue space that the Brass Monkey shares with Morgan Manufacturing, a huge venue space that it's attached to that takes up the whole block. And the best news? There's a HUGE rooftop with some amazing views of the city (private parties only right now). Pretty impressive. What wasn't impressive was the service or the food on the night we were there. The only guy that seemed to get it right was Tony, the valet who was actually anticipating what we needed and brought the car around unasked. Other than that, it was a disaster. Our server was new to the place but a seasoned server, or so he told us. Then he disappeared and didn't bring us our drinks for 45 minutes. When we went in to see if they just lost our order (we were seated on the small patio out front) the manager came out and said he would get the drinks. When the server came back to get our food order, we still didn't have any drinks. He blamed it on the manager. At this point, given we were sitting in the sun, we didn't care who's fault it was, jut bring us our drinks! As for that food, it was just okay. I had the steak frites, pretty basic but cooked properly, my friend had the mussels, we shared the "Cheese ball" (needed more crackers) and my friends tried to have the Brussels sprouts but they brought asparagus instead and the fish sticks never showed up. The cheeseburger was fine and the tuna salad was okay. Meanwhile, we had no drinks to go with the meal as the server disappeared again. The manager tried to make it right by saying he would comp the drinks, but it was just not to be on this night as we ordered dessert (clearly we are gluttons for punishment) and those never showed up either even after we were given a tour of the entire place and came back. Still no dessert. So we cancelled the dessert given we just had no more time to wait. By this time we had been here for almost 3 hours so we asked for the bill so we could just get on with our night. And the final injustice? The change was wrong but who wanted to wait to make it right? No one. It was worth the $6 just to get out of there. Great potential for this space. But for all this drama on a Saturday night, I doubt I'll be back until they get the bugs worked out. Just hoping it doesn't take so long to fix that it turns into an 80's restaurant!
(2)
svetlana k.
Decent food, ok service, but the restaurant was pretty dead on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5, 15 min before. For some reason, when the restaurant is kind of empty, its hard to get really excited about it. Maybe it's because of the obscure location or maybe it's because people don't want to eat food inspired by the 70s, but something needs to change here. Although, the decor is fantastic! The food itself was not mind blowing. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and they were very well portioned. We got brussel sprouts, Mac n cheese, grilled calamari, fondue, and a lyonnaise salad. No complains about the food. The drinks here need some work, tried two different ones and they tasted almost identical like sour skittles, super sugary. Even though this was my second time, I don't think I'll be coming back here. There are so many restaurants in Chicago and with new ones opening up constantly. There just isn't anything about this place that begs me to come back. Pass.
(3)
Mihir P.
LOVED IT! We came here for drinks last Saturday. The place is in the middle of nowhere on an unlit street in an old building which kind of makes it cool. The place is grand - spacious with high ceilings. Kind of like a large Hubbard Inn. Brass is woven into the decor, but no monkeys :( Good drinks that are moderately priced. The super nice and fun manager sent us some sliders on the house. Bar staff were super nice and friendly asking us about life. Diverse mix of music from classic rock to 80's. I'm afraid though...that now all the D-bags and Lohans will come running here.
(5)
Marie L.
Awesome decor, but that was about it. The sliders were ok, the lobster fondu was good, and everything else was subpar. It was dead on a Saturday which is a shame because the place has potential, but they need to work on their food and menu.
(2)
Taylor M.
Incredible food, incredible service. We had the Brussel sprouts, creamed corn, Mac and cheese, chicken and cheese ball - all of which were amazing and delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and friendly. I will definitely be coming back! So excited to see a new restaurant in the area and happy to be eating here before everyone finds out about this gem!
(5)
Caryn K.
The service was great!! Super cute idea with the 70s theme! It wasn't too cheesy or weird. Can't wait to try the TV dinner Tuesdays! The drinks are strong, but tasty. The food was surprisingly good too! I recommend the Brussel sprouts and the crab cheese fondue!
(5)
Kaya K.
Stopped in here on a Friday night and was shocked to see that the place was not packed! The ambiance is fantastic and looks/feels very warm and charming. Service was great sitting at the bar - thanks to Ben! The brussel sprouts were charred to perfection and had I not been devouring it as soon as it hit the bar, I would have snapped some photos. The spanish calamari was delicious and cannot wait to come back for the tartar! If you are looking for a great place in the West Loop away from all the crowds, get it before everyone catches on!
(5)
Teri Y.
So, this is how I feel. If a restaurant is out of the way with nothing else around it, which means that people need to make an extra effort to get there, the food had better be the best (or one the best) within the 4-5 block radius. This is how you set yourself up to be outstanding. If the location is out of the way, but there's amazing food, people will come and return again. Brass Monkey is still in the Fulton Market area but out of the way from the main area with nothing else around, however, the food was not greatly impressive. We tried the beef carpaccio, tuna waldorf, grilled calamari, meatballs, fettucine, and arctic char. The standouts among these items were the calamari and arctic char. Even so, they were great, but did not wow. So let down by the fettuccine - many of the noodle strands were stuck together. Boo hoo. And the taste was bland. My old fashioned was good so I'll give them points here.
(3)
Kan C.
Upon walking in, you will notice that it's wide open with great decor and a nice, long bar. They definitely took their time to curate the interior. A group of 3 of us dined here and we all had drinks to start. We ordered a round of Old Fashioneds which were terrific - in fact, we each had 2 more bc they were that good. For apps, we ordered the Foie Gras Three Ways, Beef Tartare and the Lobster Bisque. A nice variety and all were excellent. The Foie was nice to try 3 different ways to see how one ingredient can be so versatile. For our entrees, we ordered the Pork Chop and Apple Sauce, TV Dinner (why not?), and Short Rib. By far, the best Pork Chops I have ever had. Very juicy and you can taste the brine. We ordered he TV Dinner as more of a novelty, but it was no doubt the best TV Dinner you will ever try - in fact, one of the best entrees you will enjoy. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the Creme Brulee, and a 70's classic: the Jello. Again, three distinctively different desserts and all executed brilliantly. A well-rounded meal with great vibes and an excellent staff. The service is very attentive and from host to server, everyone was very nice which made for a pleasant experience. Will definitely go back to try more dishes.
(5)
Michael S.
This was a disappointing experience. The food was at best a two star. The service was a 4 star as they were friendly and attentive. They told us we could make a request of the DJ for songs from the 70s. I went up to make a request and was told in no uncertain terms that there were to many request and not to bother to ask. Another strike. The prices were reasonable but I will not be making a return trip
(3)
Karma K.
I really, really like this new place. Cool space and I adore the menu. I ordered a cheese ball with Ritz crackers. Yep, I had my Carol Brady going on! OMG, so good and unexpected. Their fish styx were also delish. The panko breading combined with super fresh fish was a nice treat for Lent. I was shocked to not see a wedge salad on the menu but the fried bolonga sliders more than made up for that oversight! We are fans and will be back. This is a great addition to the West Loop neighborhood.
(5)
Jeremy D.
Personable staff, tasty home style 70s inspired foods and a groovy interior that sets the mood for an enjoyable night! Order the meatloaf, which is made of premium meats! Delicious! The squid ink pasta is tasty!
(5)
Jacob B.
Serious flaws in execution ruin an interesting concept and enticing menu. My significant other and I tried out The Brass Monkey early on a Saturday evening, in hopes of expanding our restaurant list. Here's my thoughts on the features of this new West Loop restaurant. 1) The space: unique and inviting, although the music was a tad loud at times and it appeared the DJ was schizophrenic, since he or she kept changing songs (and volume levels) midstream. 2) The service: As noted in earlier reviews, our waiter (Curtis) was intense. While I appreciate the attention, sometimes less is more. 3) The food: This is where there's serious flaws. I ordered the TV Dinner, which was actually kind of cool and well executed (although for an expensive price). My significant other ordered the Braised Short Rib. Honestly, they should rename this dish Pot Roast, because it definitely does NOT remind me of a short rib. We also ordered The Sloppy Joe Sliders and Swedish Meatballs. The Sliders were pretty good, but I'd skip the Meatballs. Finally, dessert. We ordered the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a dish so bad I almost cried. The pineapple was bland and could benefit from some caramelization, and the shredded coconut contributed to a chewy texture. The store-bought ice cream on top of the cake was depressing. Curtis mentioned the chef had recently retooled the recipe, and I'd say more retooling is necessary. 4) The drinks: The only redeeming feature of our experience. I enjoyed the Tang and the Chicago River Water was a cool twist on The Aviator. It's obvious to say this restaurant did not make our list. Considering all the other options in the West Loop area, there need to be significant changes to bring this restaurant up to the bar of other nearby establishments.
(2)
Tracy L.
Run, don't walk away from this restaurant. The room is beautifully done with colors and shapes from the 60's and 70's. It's lovely to see this old abandoned building rehabbed and repurposed. But the food was horrible. Good lord. We were at first charmed by the idea of "70's Comfort Food" appetizers- we ordered the Seven Layer Dip and the Cheese Ball. The Seven Layer dip was a mess of cold pureed black beans and soggy tomatoes served in a Pyrex prep bowl. There was neither salt nor any kind of discernible seasoning. The top had a smudge of sour cream. The chips were decent- at least they were properly salted. The Cheese Ball was a mealy and indistinct orange mass half covered in soggy almond slices. It was served with six actual Ritz crackers, some flavorless bread that was grilled without butter or olive oil and a side of mildly spicy but way-too-sweet tomato sauce. Needless to say we did not stay for dinner. Inexplicable to spend so much money on decor and so little on a competent kitchen. With so much competition from actually good restaurants just blocks away, this place will be closed before the end of the year.
(1)
Tracy P.
This restaurant was amazing from the beginning to the end! The evening began with a Singapore Swing, which was delicious, then I ordered the Fried Escargot, the Lobster Bisque, the Seared Duck Breast and finished with a S'more. The food was, well, I have no words...I can say the food was absolutely amazing and the service was absolutely first class!!! Our waiter Brandon was very attentive, helpful and friendly and the Beverage Manager Michael was also very attentive. I can't wait to come back and will definitely recommend Brass Monkey to everyone!
(5)
Michael S.
This was a disappointing experience. The food was at best a two star. The service was a 4 star as they were friendly and attentive. They told us we could make a request of the DJ for songs from the 70s. I went up to make a request and was told in no uncertain terms that there were to many request and not to bother to ask. Another strike. The prices were reasonable but I will not be making a return trip
(3)
Karma K.
I really, really like this new place. Cool space and I adore the menu. I ordered a cheese ball with Ritz crackers. Yep, I had my Carol Brady going on! OMG, so good and unexpected. Their fish styx were also delish. The panko breading combined with super fresh fish was a nice treat for Lent. I was shocked to not see a wedge salad on the menu but the fried bolonga sliders more than made up for that oversight! We are fans and will be back. This is a great addition to the West Loop neighborhood.
(5)
Shannon S.
Brought my parents here, and they thought the place was great and unique. Very interesting menu. Tang drink was good and liked that it wasn't as sweet as one would think. Got the spanish calamari and the baloney sandwiches as an app and they were both wonderful. The squid Ink pasta was great! def recommend it and i would come back to order that again! my mom loved her salmon, and my dad got the short ribs.
(4)
Sanjiv G.
I understand that this place just opened. But have a hard time getting past a couple of things. 1. When we checked in for our 9 pm reservation at 8:50, the hostess indicated that she had no idea when our table would be ready and chastised us for arriving early 2. After heading to the bar to wait for our table; we sat, on stools, at the bar for 15 minutes with no bartender even stopping off to ask for our drink order. Only after alerting the manager did a bartender come by to take our order 3. 40 minutes after our reservation and noting that there were 4 open tables on the floor, we were offered a table right in front of the door. When we rejected that table, magically a better table appeared. Needless to say, we left at that point, so can't comment on the food, which looked good. I'll be back in two months after they sort out the front of the house issues.
I really like this place! Unique set up with a 70s theme. The menu is also very unique with one side focusing on "70s classics" and one side more upscale food. We tried items from both. The beef tar tar was delicious. We also had a Lyonnaise salad with duck and an egg on top, a brilliant combination. From the 70s menu, we had the cheese fondu that comes with tator tots and hot dogs for dipping. Our combination of food made me giggle but it was all delicious. Drinks a bit expensive but overall good selection! Service on point, will be back.
(4)
Jen G.
This restaurant is a bit out of the way, and I'm a New Yorker so if I can't get somewhere easily I'm automatically turned off. However! I stepped in and was in awe of the 70's inspired decor --- as an interior designer who loves food I certainly appreciate all the little details in this restaurant! My party and I shared a few appetizers: grilled calamari and cheese spread...and some sides -- brussel sprouts, mac and cheese. Our entrees were also quite good and filling: steak frites, amish chicken, and porkchop dish. The food was worth the trek!
(5)
Jacob B.
Serious flaws in execution ruin an interesting concept and enticing menu. My significant other and I tried out The Brass Monkey early on a Saturday evening, in hopes of expanding our restaurant list. Here's my thoughts on the features of this new West Loop restaurant. 1) The space: unique and inviting, although the music was a tad loud at times and it appeared the DJ was schizophrenic, since he or she kept changing songs (and volume levels) midstream. 2) The service: As noted in earlier reviews, our waiter (Curtis) was intense. While I appreciate the attention, sometimes less is more. 3) The food: This is where there's serious flaws. I ordered the TV Dinner, which was actually kind of cool and well executed (although for an expensive price). My significant other ordered the Braised Short Rib. Honestly, they should rename this dish Pot Roast, because it definitely does NOT remind me of a short rib. We also ordered The Sloppy Joe Sliders and Swedish Meatballs. The Sliders were pretty good, but I'd skip the Meatballs. Finally, dessert. We ordered the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a dish so bad I almost cried. The pineapple was bland and could benefit from some caramelization, and the shredded coconut contributed to a chewy texture. The store-bought ice cream on top of the cake was depressing. Curtis mentioned the chef had recently retooled the recipe, and I'd say more retooling is necessary. 4) The drinks: The only redeeming feature of our experience. I enjoyed the Tang and the Chicago River Water was a cool twist on The Aviator. It's obvious to say this restaurant did not make our list. Considering all the other options in the West Loop area, there need to be significant changes to bring this restaurant up to the bar of other nearby establishments.
(2)
Tracy L.
Run, don't walk away from this restaurant. The room is beautifully done with colors and shapes from the 60's and 70's. It's lovely to see this old abandoned building rehabbed and repurposed. But the food was horrible. Good lord. We were at first charmed by the idea of "70's Comfort Food" appetizers- we ordered the Seven Layer Dip and the Cheese Ball. The Seven Layer dip was a mess of cold pureed black beans and soggy tomatoes served in a Pyrex prep bowl. There was neither salt nor any kind of discernible seasoning. The top had a smudge of sour cream. The chips were decent- at least they were properly salted. The Cheese Ball was a mealy and indistinct orange mass half covered in soggy almond slices. It was served with six actual Ritz crackers, some flavorless bread that was grilled without butter or olive oil and a side of mildly spicy but way-too-sweet tomato sauce. Needless to say we did not stay for dinner. Inexplicable to spend so much money on decor and so little on a competent kitchen. With so much competition from actually good restaurants just blocks away, this place will be closed before the end of the year.
(1)
Tracy P.
This restaurant was amazing from the beginning to the end! The evening began with a Singapore Swing, which was delicious, then I ordered the Fried Escargot, the Lobster Bisque, the Seared Duck Breast and finished with a S'more. The food was, well, I have no words...I can say the food was absolutely amazing and the service was absolutely first class!!! Our waiter Brandon was very attentive, helpful and friendly and the Beverage Manager Michael was also very attentive. I can't wait to come back and will definitely recommend Brass Monkey to everyone!
(5)
John W.
Fantastic, really a cool place that I will definitely be back for round two. The service was spot on and our server Sarud was amazing, along with his suggestions which were perfect. Just a side note the portions are quite large for what most of Chicago farm to table serves, so definitely able to share. For libations we ordered the the old fashion and a Tom Collins which were as just what one would expect, strong but not ridiculous boozy. For starters we got the Swedish Meatballs which were so good served in what seemed like a pork/beef lingonberry berry reduction sauce which I could have had literally ate by the spoon alone! Salad course was baby spinach with beets that was spot on. Not over dressed and perfectly sized pieces of the beets with cheese that did not over power the whole salad. For the main course the Duck breast over creamy polenta was (cue Homer Simpson) Mmmmmmm mouth watering good. Perfectly seasoned cooked to a perfect medium rare. As I am righting this I am thinking about going to get another plate of this. Sides: The brussel sprouts were good, I am not to sure how to rate sprouts as most are roasted and its about as difficult to judge as long as they are not a complete disaster. The Fries were so good and the dipping sauce was again I feel like I am on a broken record here but super tasty. The Mac and Cheese well my friends if you love super creamy packed full of cheesy goodness than this is the place for you. I could see my self gaining at least 10 pounds next winter eating this alone. Now my favorite part of every meal is the Dessert: A Pineapple Cake! Yes Yes YES. Again so good, and with the ice cream portion added on its just so good. I can not really stress how large the portions are because we were two people and we still had a bag of leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day! So either we eat like birds or this place actually gives normal portions which we have not been accustomed to in chicago in a long time. Overall the atmosphere is quite 70's but with a twist on a bit of modernism. It is a huge space and they have even more space for events, and weddings. I thought the music was good spanning mostly 70's rock and disco to early 80's classics. In summary I am as they say excited to go back and would definitely recommend.
(5)
Michaela D.
Great decor, cozy booths, and friendly service! The food was amazing. My favorite was the TV Dinner - mashed potatoes, peas, creamed corn and meatloaf in a plate shaped like a real TV dinner. SO delicious and such a fun concept. Everything else we had - brussel sprouts, macaroni, desserts - were great too.
(5)
Jennie T.
This place was good but not great. I had the whitefish which was okay but pretty salty. The best thing on the plate was the polenta. The rest of my dinner party also commented that their dishes were too salty. Fish sticks seemed like a cool idea but just wasn't executed well. Some things we ordered were excellent - lobster artichoke dip and the bananas foster pudding. My cocktail was great too, made with actual tang. The decor and atmosphere was real cool; they played some great music too.
(3)
A. M.
Beautiful space with great lighting but food was underwhelming. We were excited to come to try 70s munchies, but left disappointed. The cheese ball was average but the meatballs very dry and cheese fondue with hot dog and tater tots very sad. It came with a white lukewarm hot dog and a handful of tots. Also, our burger was very dry and flavorless. Overall, a poor showing. Maybe recommend for drinks but won't be back any time soon.
(2)
Tommie S.
Before going to this restaurant, I read all the reviews. The reviews seemed accurate based on my experience, but I must say the customer service and attentiveness of the manager was outstanding. He made all the difference in my experience. I ordered the bologna sliders, seafood pasta primavera, old fashioned, and tang per the reviews. Everything was as expected, even the great flavor of the pasta dish and the fact that the pasta stuck together. However, we requested a liqueur that the bar did not carry (Understandable. Who was drinking Midori in the 70's?). Nonetheless, the bartender visited our table and tried to create a drink to make up for it. His efforts were appreciated. He even personally delivered the drink. Also, they were out of hamburgers for a member in our party. The manager tried to do everything to accommodate the member of our party. He tried to troubleshoot, suggest other options, and make sure that the member of our party got plenty of fries, since fries became the entree for that person. The manager checked on the patrons as expected, and his attentativeness with the positive sense of humor made this an enjoyable experience. Hopefully business will pick up, but I appreciated the lack of a crowd. The attention from the staff and the ambiance made us have a nice outing. By the end of the night, it didn't even matter that they ran out of burgers. I will be back. My food, drinks, and overall experience were good.
(4)
Matthew E.
The food is excellent, but and its a huge BUT the service is beyond creepy. Our waiter, Curtis stopped by every 45 seconds to check on us and asking the women with me awkward questions. We asked him to let us eat and he replied that "I'm not allowed too". After that we ate our dinner quickly. We were subsequently yelled at for getting our menus dirty (you can laminate them). He stopped by still every 1.5 minutes after the talk and it was still beyond creepy. I will never go back, mainly because I don't want to harassed every 5 seconds when I'm trying to enjoy my night out.
(1)
Andrew P.
The food was delicious. If you like fish, the Waldorf appetizer is a must - ahi tuna cooked to perfection. Service was a bit slow - not sure if it's because the place is new and they're trying to figure out their groove, but we waited about 8 minutes before a server came to our table.
(4)
Fernando M.
Blast from the past. Your ears will be spoiled by 70s music while you feast on simple foods with a gourmet flair. The Steak Friettes is amazing. Take the chef suggestion on medium-well you won't be disappointed. The ambiance spacious, dimly lit, and industrial sheik. Cool place for drinks or for a classy dinner date. One the coolest places to be any night of the week in Chicago.
(5)
K N.
Great restaurant! We started with the lobster bisque (not very creamy) and the bologna sliders...AMAZING! Then for entrees we had the amish chicken and duck...both VERY tasty in amazing sauces. We split the s'mores dessert to end our meal. Overall, the service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were top notch. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Jaime E.
Great ambiance. Great music. Great food.
(5)
Christopher A.
Fantastic restaurant with an excellent vibe and incredibly good food. The seared Fois Gras was superb and our two main courses (short rib and duck breast) were incredible. Bill was reasonable ($200 for two including tax and tip did include a bottle of wine and cocktails). Definitely recommend.
(5)
Elizabeth T.
The brass monkey opened about a week ago...you would think there would be flaws in service or food the first week, NONE! We sat at the bar and had a great experience from the start. Pretty much everything on the menu looked delicious but we went with the steak tartar and lentil salad to start. Both dishes were simple but with a twist. Delicious. We had the truffle pizza which was unbelievable. And the Amish chicken. We were so full but wanted more. The manager Michael came over, introduced himself, and asked if we needed anything. It was the perfect end to a great evening. We will for sure be back and so glad this addition has come to the neighborhood.
(5)
Brandy C.
The design/atmosphere and the employees were pretty Top Notch. The food was pretty good overall. I'd touch up the mash and the creamed corn for a bit more fun on the "TV Dinner"- they were a bit too close to a real TV dinner. However, everything else we had was quite enjoyable. Would recommend the Octopus in a heartbeat and my husband definitely enjoyed his Duck. For the price point, unfortunately, I have a few other spots that meet the same quality at a lower price and in the area. I'd go back for a drink and an app possibly, but not for a full dinner.
(3)
Laura R.
I like this place a lot. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because I didn't get to try a ton of the menu (so not their fault) but it was soo loud. We went here to catch up with some friends and we had trouble talking over the loud music. Loved the ambiance. 70s but not over the top. Large enough to have room to wait at the bar for your table and not be cramped. My husband and I split the truffle mushroom pizza, which was wonderful. Our friends got the fish sticks and some salad (sorry I don't recall) but both really like it. Drinks wise, besides one Tang- which was tasty- we stuck to wine. No complaints. I look forward to going back and trying more things.
(4)
Fuudcritic C.
About time! This was awesome. Love the 70's decor! Service was outstanding and our server Maxwell (?) was outstanding. Food was good. The only thing I must say, out of all the food we ordered (which was about 7-8 items) the cheeseball was the least favorite. It was a little jelly/rubber like and borderline not spreadable. And I didn't get the 2 types of bread/cracker. Wish there was only and more ritz crackers. Something I did take away from my experience....two words... TV DINNER!!! OMG!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
(5)
Adam E.
Did someone say TV Dinner? Done with gourmet food? Yup. I'm having a real dilemma as to whether i'll ever be able to try something else on the amazing menu.... My fiancee and I are crazy about this place. It has replaced the spot in our hearts and stomachs that was created as the tasting menu was removed from Untitled; which was previously our favorite. Great value, great food. Already going back a second time with more friends tonight. Also; they have almost as good a whiskey selection as untitled, and the staff is courteous, friendly and not trying to rip you off. A friend ordered a variation of a whiskey we like ( prices aren't on menu for whiskey); waitress double checked with us to make sure we were aware of the cost ($44 for a single) before she had them done. While someone will probably gripe; I think this is a smart move to avoid surprises at the bill later. Many places would simply charge first and ask questions later.....
(5)
Bill O.
The music and decor will loudly and constantly remind you this place is 70's themed, but the novelty will wear off quickly due to the poor service. Try the fondue to experience for yourself why people haven't cared for fondue for the past 40 years.
(2)
Jeremy D.
Personable staff, tasty home style 70s inspired foods and a groovy interior that sets the mood for an enjoyable night! Order the meatloaf, which is made of premium meats! Delicious! The squid ink pasta is tasty!
(5)
Mark A.
Having a pretty equal distribution of one to five star reviews, I feel I'm pretty qualified to say don't eat here. Even though I was only alive for a few months in the 70s, l believe their interior decorator did a fantastic job in creating an authentic environment. The chairs, the floor, and the tables are what I'd expect to have seen in the 70s. And I appreciate how the menu is slanted to the 70s. Here's the food we had: * Fish sticks: Who wouldn't order fish sticks in a yuppy place like this and expect amazingness? Lately we've given the hipster touch to fried chicken, cupcakes, tamales, and marshmallows...why would we leave out fish sticks? These were decent, but devoid of flavor (or heavily relied upon the sauce with which they are served). * Boar meatballs: I'd say these were the highlight of all food items. They were tasty. * Fondue: It was fondue, and a good thing we ordered it because it worked well to give the fish sticks some flavor. * Duck: We were told this would be medium rare; it was medium at best. Some decent flavor here, and probably the best main course of the meal. By no means, however, would I crave it. * Skirt Steak: Ordered medium rare, came out medium-well. The fries were good, though. Yay for fries and (Heinz) ketchup. Heinz ketchup...really? Come on, no restaurant worth its salt uses industrial ketchup nowadays. It probably was the kind with HFCS but it was in a ramekin so that counts for something, obviously. * Double cheeseburger: In fairness, the patties were thin so to get medium-rare is tough...but it lacked flavor. * Flourless chocolate cake: From what pre-packaged provider did they get this? There was nothing fresh about it, and even worse, the exterior was room temperature at best, but the middle was steaming/scalding hot. To me, that screams...microwave. Yes, microwave! I would never, ever recommend the food here to a friend (or enemy), and it's a shame because I've had some decent meals at Untitled -- the same folks behind Brass Monkey. But when food sucks, I turn to the other menu....cocktails. I really enjoyed my "Tang," and the wine list was thoughtfully assembled. If somebody said, "we're having drinks and meatballs at Brass Monkey, I'd go." If they said, "wanna have dinner at Brass Monkey," I'd turn around and run away as fast as I can.
(2)
Amrita G.
We did not get much food as we had another reservation. We got here around 5 pm on a Saturday. It was empty. We got the wild boar meatballs. This was amazing. Not many options to chose from. So next for dessert we got the pineapple upside down cake. This was d r delicious too. However they cold not provide us with a dessert menu and neither get one printed in the time that we were there. I should probably deduct a star for that but I am not as these two dishes were amazing. But like I said not many options to chose from!
(4)
Sandy S.
Love the decor, music and the overall space. But, when you go to a place with a great cocktail list and are told by your server, "the bar is really backed up because of a party, so I suggest you just order wine or beer," that sets a bad tone. The place was about 50-60% full. Our dinner took more than an hour to arrive and when I got my grilled pork chop, which looked and smelled wonderful, it was cool in the center. Fail! The server took it back happily but said, "well, you asked for medium." Medium, as the chef recommended, isn't a cool center for PORK. So, I just got a burger and glass of Pinot for $35. On my first visit, the short rib was terrific. If I wanted a burger in the west loop there are way better options. Our drinks were long gone before any food arrived at the table and no offer of another round was ever made: finding someone to take that order was a challenge. I won't be returning.
(2)
Mike K.
It was pretty good. I kind of wish they would just switch the menu over to all "Hits of the 70s." As it is, I'm not really sure what the theme is -- the front of the menu has a sort of random assortment of trendy dishes, classics, French, Spanish, Italian, and American foods. But then we would miss out on what we thought was the best dish of the night, the squid with boar sausage and tomato sauce. The fried brussels sprouts were pretty standard (though seasoned well), the "baloney" sliders were good and rich, the cheese ball does indeed taste like your aunt's famous cheese ball (which isn't a bad thing -- we ate the whole thing), and the "TV Dinner" short rib meatloaf was tender and flavorful, although I'm not sure it was enough of an upgrade that I would order it again. The mushroom "French Bread Pizza" tasted like a truffle flatbread you could get anywhere these days, which is too bad, because a pizza on a nice, thick, chewy piece of house-made French bread sounds tasty and would be something different. The bananas foster pudding was excellent -- highly recommend. Cocktails tended to be potent, if a little one-note at times (the special of the night tasted just like Country Time Pink Lemonade), though the Chicago River Water was the highlight -- surprisingly complex and sophisticated. The (gigantic) space looks great and the servers were always warm, friendly, and helpful. It's still fairly new, so I'm sure the menu will evolve. I would give it another go again in the future -- based on the other reviews it looks like we should have tried a few of the other dishes.
(3)
David H.
The food is really fun if you remember the 70's. Lots of unique items that make it really fun. Good drinks, but the noise is very loud! it has a good vibe, but hard to talk over dinner.
(4)
Teri Y.
So, this is how I feel. If a restaurant is out of the way with nothing else around it, which means that people need to make an extra effort to get there, the food had better be the best (or one the best) within the 4-5 block radius. This is how you set yourself up to be outstanding. If the location is out of the way, but there's amazing food, people will come and return again. Brass Monkey is still in the Fulton Market area but out of the way from the main area with nothing else around, however, the food was not greatly impressive. We tried the beef carpaccio, tuna waldorf, grilled calamari, meatballs, fettucine, and arctic char. The standouts among these items were the calamari and arctic char. Even so, they were great, but did not wow. So let down by the fettuccine - many of the noodle strands were stuck together. Boo hoo. And the taste was bland. My old fashioned was good so I'll give them points here.
(3)
Kan C.
Upon walking in, you will notice that it's wide open with great decor and a nice, long bar. They definitely took their time to curate the interior. A group of 3 of us dined here and we all had drinks to start. We ordered a round of Old Fashioneds which were terrific - in fact, we each had 2 more bc they were that good. For apps, we ordered the Foie Gras Three Ways, Beef Tartare and the Lobster Bisque. A nice variety and all were excellent. The Foie was nice to try 3 different ways to see how one ingredient can be so versatile. For our entrees, we ordered the Pork Chop and Apple Sauce, TV Dinner (why not?), and Short Rib. By far, the best Pork Chops I have ever had. Very juicy and you can taste the brine. We ordered he TV Dinner as more of a novelty, but it was no doubt the best TV Dinner you will ever try - in fact, one of the best entrees you will enjoy. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the Creme Brulee, and a 70's classic: the Jello. Again, three distinctively different desserts and all executed brilliantly. A well-rounded meal with great vibes and an excellent staff. The service is very attentive and from host to server, everyone was very nice which made for a pleasant experience. Will definitely go back to try more dishes.
(5)
Alex K.
Stopped in with the wife on a Friday night. It's a little bit off of Randolph Street so parking wasn't a problem at all. Once inside, I appreiciated the design of the interior. I've never lived in the 70's but I feel like they did a nice job with the edison bulbs and various shades of brown. After seeing the menu I needed to get the TV Dinner. Unfortunately it was kind of a let down. I was thinking it was going to be an upscale grown up version of a tv dinner with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf wasn't bad but everything else just seemed kinda bland and I almost felt like I was eating a real tv dinner. It is served on a cool TV dinner tray with the separate compartments so I don't really regret ordering it. Other than that we also got the fondue, which was pretty neat. If you're really into that retro 70's vibe, I'd check this place out as it was the highlight of our trip. Or you could go just to say you ordered a tv dinner because that's pretty much half the reason I went in the first place. Overall I'd say the food was just ok though.
(3)
Kari O.
This place is awesome. NOTE: 1/2 of the menu is 70's inspired, and 1/2 is more modern... SO, if you ordered the TV dinner and wished it was more modern, then, you shouldn't have ordered the TV dinner! Drinks were pricey, but it's expected in this area. The food was awesome! Starters: Just the tip (delicious asparagus tips) Cheese fondue (with tots) Fish Styx (need I say more?) Entrees: Squid Ink Pasta TV Dinner Desserts: Uhhhh...Not too memorable. I guess. Definitely worth a trip. Awesome vibe, and great for a group.
(4)
Sara N.
This place is pretty great. The retro theme is pretty hilarious but definitely stops short of being over the top. The music in particular is great- how often do you hear Barry White in a restaurant? A huge plus of this restaurant is its size- there aren't many places in the West Loop where you could take a huge group of friends, but this place could definitely accommodate a large party. The food is very good; I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. I've probably tried almost everything at this point and everything is definitely solid. My biggest complaint is the service is a bit weird- you definitely don't get the impression that you're being served by waitstaff. For instance, why is everyone in matching t-shirts at a place where the food is $20+ a plate? Additionally, I've had a couple of waiters who didn't seem to fully understand the menu.
(4)
Lisa M.
I have to say I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the decor was disappointing and the food was terrible and completely over priced! We ordered a bunch of small plates and one was a delicious dip, but it was served with ritz crackers and cost $14! Geez. The crab fondue was ok, but had no crab meat in it and also expensive. I think if they used better ingredients then it may be worth it, but I can't justify paying this much for ritz crackers..sorry.
(2)
Oceans L.
Terrific new place a little out of the way past the main randolph/fulton's market area. TL;DR version, very friendly and assertive staff, The food was spot on, fun ambience. The decor is low key so that you feel comfortable walking in from the Chicago cold in your bundles and layers. But this would definitely be a nice date night restaurant as well. We tried the sloppy joes (lamb), lyonnaise salad, lobster bisque, and creamed corn. I would recommend each of these dishes. Note that the sloppy joes ARE made of lamb and they do taste that way, although not gamey. The Lyonnaise salad with a fried egg was a nice way to do a warm salad. Lobster bisque comes with croissant like pastry puffs on top and balanced out the broth nicely. It was light, with just the right amount of lobster flavor. Creamed corn was excellent. Not too creamy, but with a hint of cheesiness that reminds me of grits, either way, DEFINITELY recommend that as a side. For dessert we tried the pineapple upside down cake, which was DELICIOUS. A moist cake full of coconut that really enhanced the texture. Pineapples tasted fresh and not too overly cooked. A really nice finisher that made you feel content with your meal. For drinks I would say... cherry flavored cocktails tend to taste like robitussin everywhere so i don't fault them on that... Also staff is super super friendly, likely because it IS a new establishment so they are likely on their toes to make sure they can get as much feedback as they can. But our food came out very quickly, and our staff was very attentive to refilling waters and checking in with us.
(5)
Ryan C.
This place is almost hidden from your typical West Loop locations. I thought the venue was a well decorated and the menu was interesting but nothing was executed to the point that I would strongly recommend to another person. We did eat early (530ish) so the crowds hadn't shown up yet. I think the place has promise but might need a change in the menu to achieve long term stability as a restaurant.
(3)
PJ C.
I wish Yelp had half stars - I'd give this three and a half. 5 stars for a stunningly cool interior, with a 70s feel made contemporary. The menu is interesting and it's solid. I think it's still evolving. I got the TV dinner and it was cool, but a little bland. The execution is a little too literal, visually - the TV dinner plate is lovely, but I'd like to see more of a modern twist. We will be back to try again.
Honestly, some of the best drinks and ambience I've experienced in a long time. And they have the best washrooms in Chicago!
(5)
Michelle S.
Atmosphere was good. Service was just OK. Food was good. We went on a weeknight and it was busy but not filled or packed by any means. It's very loud, even when the restaurant wasn't at capacity. We sat in a booth and couldn't hear a word our waitress said. She seemed soft spoken to begin with, which just isn't great with the acustics. We all liked the food. Nothing memorable, though. Our favorite item was the sides of fries. The TV dinner with Fried Chicken is good but sides are just about as good as they were in an actual TV dinner and chicken was a bit flavorless. The pork was good but fatty. S'mores app was sent back as none of the marshmallows were cooked and no powdered sugar on top (the way it's advertised on their instagram page). I'd go back to sit at the bar for drinks but that's probably it.
(3)
Samantha H.
The service here was amazing. The food was average. I have high hopes for this place but none of the food wowed us yet. I hope the flavors will improve with time. The decor is eclectic and funky in a good way. They are paying homage to the 70s and I have to say the 70s side of the menu had nothing that was appealing to us. We stuck with everything on the other side. The wine list was inexpensive and had some great values on there. Michael, the beverage director, was very helpful and knowledgeable. We tried the calamari, foie, and duck. The calamari was my favorite dish. The foie was average. The duck was good but nothing that blew me away. Overall the food was just not that memorable and flavors are what I really look for in my restaurants that I love. The service was enough to make me go back and check it out again though.
(3)
Scubi X.
I really liked this place. The music was fantastic, as was the atmosphere. I had the Singapore Swing - yum. I loved the brussel sprouts, frites, and the rest of my party loved the bologna sliders. Our server, Natalie, was lovely. I hated her a little bit at first because she is very attractive, young, clever and has a very sexy voice. It's only natural to have a little distain for those types of people. Fortunately, I got over it, because she was really great. I want to go back. Make sure you request Natalie!
(5)
J.D. Y.
Amazing food! Very nice and generous and down to earth staff! Very welcoming and willing to go out of their way to serve you. The manager Michael was great! The guy knows what he was doing. I'll definitely be coming back! 70's theme menu. Got the lobster bisque - not your typical orange cheesy bisque you usually have, this had its own taste, different yet very good!! Entree was Tv Dinner - plating was an actual TV dinner style tray, (not plastic, real plate, but this TV dinner was top notch sophisticated. You actually want to eat all the components in this TV dinner! - Salisbury steak with mushrooms - mashed potatoes - peas - some sort of cream corn? All amazing! Go if you're in town!
(5)
Ellen B.
We just had a wonderful dinner @ The Brass Monkey. Hubby and I were joined be our son, daughter, and their significant others. We began our evening with cocktails at the bar. The bartenders are engaging, knowledgeable, and mix fantastic cocktails. My old fashioned was sublime! We were seated promptly, and had a hard time choosing from the many selections. The menu has two parts; 70's comfort food and gastro pub fare. We started with 2 appetizers, the cheese ball and crab and cheese fondue. Both were delicious; our server cheerfully brought more bread and crackers when asked. Our entrees were delectable. My son's fiancee and I had the braised short ribs with root vegetables, which were fork tender and just perfect! Daughter and hubby had the salmon, which they pronounced as the best! Son and daughter's boyfriend demolished their burger and squid ink pasta. We were so full we reluctantly had to forego dessert. Next time we'll have lighter meals so we can sample from the dessert menu. The service was simply amazing! Our waiter was cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. He made excellent wine pairing suggestions, and always magically appeared when needed. I can't remember ever having better service anywhere. We will definitely be back! p.s. Almost forgot to mention the music, a perfect blend of 70's bands with some Sinatra blended in, perfect!
(5)
Heather B.
To start: Called me the day before to confirm my reservation, plus sent text. Then called day of to make sure they could make sure they understood my special dining need. Excellent customer service and I hadn't gotten there yet. I began with: Tang martini. Sweet but not. Reminder me of a cider but not of apples. Plus it had tang on rim. tang! Then Frois appetizer-- just a bit of heaven in your mouth. I would take a bit. Pause a just close my eyes and enjoy. Ahhhh. Fried escargot-good. A bit strange for those used to more traditional preparations. Glad we tried but probably won't repeat. We split the lobster bisque which was hot and both filled with lobster and the right balance of sherry. Squid ink pasta-- scallops so tender they melted like butter in your mouth, shrimp you could cut with a fork. Wish they had free refills on this dish! My friend ordered the Duck breast. It was a perfect mid rare. My friend said it put her in heaven. For dessert my friend had S'mores and I had the flourless chocolate cake. Both made the end of the meal perfect. The pistaschio gelato with the chocolate cake made me speechless. Michael the beverage manager was so friendly and checked in on us. Amazing customer service. I want more people to experience the derive that he and Daniel the associate/assistant?(sorry Daniel) and their team have put together a well oiled machined. And I can't forget to mention our server Brendan. From the start he was friendly, knowledgeable of the bar menu and able to make great drink recommendations. He new the menu inside and out and was able to answer questions. He even suggested we split the bisque since we were having 2 appetizers. And then at the end he brings the bill and the desserts were comped because we told them we were celebrating our birthdays. Had no idea it was coming. It was a real classy surprise. This is definately a place to check out. For a new restaurant they are acting like old pros. If there are glitches talk tonic heal or Daniel so they can improve. This is a place that needs to stay around!
(5)
Jay J.
Came here on at 7:30 on a Friday night with a couple of friends. Awesome layout but the place was dead and lacking atmosphere. Plus the waitress wasn't exactly eager to serve us, which I don't understand since we were ordering everything on the menu as well as a bunch of drinks. Drinks are great, food is good but nothing to write home about. Sadly I don't think this place will still be open in a year.
(3)
Danny W.
You can almost hear horns walking into The Brass Monkey. It's that cool. Beastie Boys cool. Between the munchies section of the menu, the pseudo record store lobby, and the overall interior design I felt like I was straight up in a scene from Boogie Nights. The food totally lives with groovy stuff from the 70's such as Bologna Sliders, Swedish Meatballs, and Fish Styx, but there's also a more modern selection of entrees including French Bread Pizzas, Roasted Chicken, or Steak Frites. I went with a cup of lobster bisque followed by the Squid Ink Linguini and was totally stoked on both the portion size and flavors of both. I love the overall vibe but my favorite feature is the restroom area which has a unisex lobby that indeed does look like Dirk Diggler's about to walk in to shoot a scene. Bright red velvet couches and dim lighting bouncing off the walls give it a esthetic of a 70's porno. It's awesome. I promise. Overall I'm totally sold on this place. It's unique, has great food, and the service was super attentive. I'll definitely be back.
(5)
Aaron V.
Mediocre food and cocktails at best. Chicken was dry, fish sticks were overdone, meatballs were ok. Burgers were fine but overpriced. Service was indifferent, unprepared and undertrained. The atmosphere and room were cool. The menu was fun with cool pictures and stories of drugged out rock stars and the music they were playing was great. Not sure that's enough in a city full of really great restaurant/bars.
(2)
Kori E.
When you first walk in you definitely notice the cool set up and decor! It had a very nice vibe. We came fro dinner on a Saturday night, and to be honest, it wasnt all that busy? Maybe we were there too early? Anyhow, the food was really good! We started with the meatballs and crab fondue and both were delish. I would have liked a bit more fondue, though, lets be honest. For my main, I ordered the Seared Tuna salad and the veggie cassoulet. I really liked the salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly. They should think about making it bigger and adding it as an entree option! The cassoulet wasnt that good only because I dont like rosemary and it was ALL i could taste. Probably because I dont like rosemary! My boyfriend got the duck and he thought it was really good. Again, a bit of a smaller portion, but he really liked his. Our friends ordered the pork chop and the lobster bisque/mac n cheese. I tasted the Mac and it was good! For dessert, we had the chocolate cake. OMG. Order it. It is sooooo delicious! We also tried the Smores and it was so interesting - they somehow made them taste smoky! All in all, we had a great evening and our waitress was wonderful. I dont know that I would come rushing back here, but it seems like a cool place for a party. Very retro!
(4)
M G.
I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and had heard a lot of buzz. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails were great, food was good, the place is beautiful. But man is it expensive for what you get! I was not expecting that at all. It's definitely not a come here every weekend kind of place. I'd go broke! I think if I go there again, I would come for a cocktail and the mac and cheese (AMAZING), then go somewhere else for dinner.
(3)
Sarah P.
My new favorite spot! Went there on a Thursday night-great atmosphere, service, and food. Can not wait to go back!
(5)
D H.
Great atmosphere with really helpful and friendly staff! There had to be 2 support staff for every waiter / waitress. Amazing long comfortable bar, 70's style decor. We had the cheese ball with "fancy" Ritz crackers and the fish Styx to start. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fresh. We split the steak frites and got sides of creamed corn and Brussel sprouts - all the food was delicious! The wine list could use a little work and is on the high side... A bottle of Whispering Angel Rose' lists for $60 and retails around $15. Stick with the cocktails. I'd definitely go back!
(4)
Lisa A.
Went for drinks after dinner. Place was almost empty on a Friday night at 10:30! The space is amazing and in a funky area. But it's gearded towards a different crowd. The music is horrendous. This isn't Boca Raton FL for the retiree crowd. It's downtown Chicago. They seriously need to figure it out and find an identity.
(2)
Seth G.
This should really be a 3 1/2 but that is not an option. The drinks were delicious and the decor is very cool. We had the Sloppy Thirds as an appetizer which were fine just fine. I had the duck breast which was delicious - moist and flavorful. My girlfriend had the steak frites and the steak was nearly inedible. It was extremely tough and fairly bland. Our server wasn't great but you could tell he was new. The restaurant has not been open for very long so that is to be expected. I would go back if we were in the area, but based on where it is located it is not a place that we would just stumble upon.
(3)
mark j.
Loved the good and the service was pretty good, really cool 70's vibe. Would come back here again for sure
(5)
Jordan L.
So i went in here about a week ago to look in to having an event at this new trendy place. I went in to talk with Nicole the Manager and had a sit down with what they offer for large parties for events etc. I expressed that i will be having 40-50 people attending my party and thought this could be a fun new experience for all. Nicole told me , "we do these types of parties all the time." She made my fiance and I feel very comfortable and we trusted her after sitting with her to discuss our event. I asked if we can have a section near the bar so that my 40-50 guests would not have any trouble getting drinks as that was my main concern. She said that they can not guarantee that the will have enough space near the bar for my party because its a Friday night and the bar area will be packed. So she persuaded me in to renting out their private room which holds up to 60 people but is no where near the bar. Mind you this place only has one bar. I voiced my concern about having my party in this private room and being so far from the bar area, so she said they will have 2 servers assigned to our room that will take orders and go back and forth making sure our room isnt waiting around for drinks or having to leave the room and go the bar.... So we trusted Nicole and agreed to do it. Friday night rolls around and my guests start wandering in. The private room is right when you walk in before the bar to the left so it is very hard to miss. After an hour or so roughly 20 guests arrive and I had to go up to Nicole and tell her after 1 hr that not even half my guests have arrived and i've already had several guests ask if they are supposed to get drinks from the bar themselves since the service is terrible. Nicole then said i'll get you another server. While all this is going on, the bar has maybe 10 people on a friday night. Remember Nicole insisted i rent out this room because its a Friday night and they need space for people at the bar. The place was dead. 10 people at the bar while i have 40-50 guests stuck in this private room with 2 now 3 servers who have to take a 1/2 mile walk to go to the bar to fetch our drinks. The servers were terrible too, I had 2 of my guests tell me that earlier in the night they went to the bar to purchase a Cocktail for $7, then they ordered the same drink from one of our personal servers and the servers said that'll be $11, my friend said excuse me? I just paid $7 at the bar, the server then said, okay i'll make you a deal give me $9. My friend laughed came up to me wished me congrats and said I'm leaving this place is a joke. This happened with two of my guests. Throughout the night friends kept coming up to me asking how to order drinks... i said unfortunately the service here is horrible, if you see a server, just order a drink. Odds are you'll have to find one , they wont come up to you. That's all i could say... The drinks weren't made correctly, POOR MANAGEMENT and POOR SERVICE to say the least. Then after the event was over, i got the bill and there were drinks on the bill that we never ordered. Place is a joke, Several other fun trendy places to go. I will never go back there and nor will my friends. We all witnessed first hand how terrible this experience was. STAY AWAY
(1)
Susan M.
We try to find new places to try every month. This will definitely be our new "go-to" favorite! fabulous service, food, and decor. Every single staff member was friendly and courteous. Ben the bartender knows his stuff and introduced my husband to a scotch he'd never had before. Nicole and Michael (managers?) came by to make sure all was well, as did a couple of other servers. We were lucky to find find free parking (we got there early on a Friday). It's only been open a few weeks, but was quite popular the night we were there. There appeared to be a work group there and I'm going to try and get my business to host an even here as well. We get off work early so it's great that they were open for bar service at 4 and the kitchen opens at 5. Cool bar - absolutely awesome bathrooms (I have a thing about public restrooms). We had the amish chicken - moist, flavorful and not overly spiced. Lobster bisque was not the pink heavy creamy type I was expecting and the flavor was out of this world. There were little brioche rolls floating on top of the dark bisque with nice chunks of lobster. We shared a side of the herb fries and incredible brussel sprouts. We finished with flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream. The plate was clean when we were done. My husband had the amish chicken and I didn't get to taste the kale(?) that was served with it because he was guarding his plate like a prisoner by this time. The wine pours were generous. Great value for the price when many other places are doing the ala carte thing (total rip-off). The total bill was half of what we paid elsewhere a couple of weeks ago for much less. We will return to try the 70's munchies and several other things that look delectable on the regular menu. No need to find a new place any time soon.
(5)
Susan M.
We try to find new places to try every month. This will definitely be our new "go-to" favorite! fabulous service, food, and decor. Every single staff member was friendly and courteous. Ben the bartender knows his stuff and introduced my husband to a scotch he'd never had before. Nicole and Michael (managers?) came by to make sure all was well, as did a couple of other servers. We were lucky to find find free parking (we got there early on a Friday). It's only been open a few weeks, but was quite popular the night we were there. There appeared to be a work group there and I'm going to try and get my business to host an even here as well. We get off work early so it's great that they were open for bar service at 4 and the kitchen opens at 5. Cool bar - absolutely awesome bathrooms (I have a thing about public restrooms). We had the amish chicken - moist, flavorful and not overly spiced. Lobster bisque was not the pink heavy creamy type I was expecting and the flavor was out of this world. There were little brioche rolls floating on top of the dark bisque with nice chunks of lobster. We shared a side of the herb fries and incredible brussel sprouts. We finished with flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream. The plate was clean when we were done. My husband had the amish chicken and I didn't get to taste the kale(?) that was served with it because he was guarding his plate like a prisoner by this time. The wine pours were generous. Great value for the price when many other places are doing the ala carte thing (total rip-off). The total bill was half of what we paid elsewhere a couple of weeks ago for much less. We will return to try the 70's munchies and several other things that look delectable on the regular menu. No need to find a new place any time soon.
(5)
Sandy S.
Love the decor, music and the overall space. But, when you go to a place with a great cocktail list and are told by your server, "the bar is really backed up because of a party, so I suggest you just order wine or beer," that sets a bad tone. The place was about 50-60% full. Our dinner took more than an hour to arrive and when I got my grilled pork chop, which looked and smelled wonderful, it was cool in the center. Fail! The server took it back happily but said, "well, you asked for medium." Medium, as the chef recommended, isn't a cool center for PORK. So, I just got a burger and glass of Pinot for $35. On my first visit, the short rib was terrific. If I wanted a burger in the west loop there are way better options. Our drinks were long gone before any food arrived at the table and no offer of another round was ever made: finding someone to take that order was a challenge. I won't be returning.
(2)
Mike K.
It was pretty good. I kind of wish they would just switch the menu over to all "Hits of the 70s." As it is, I'm not really sure what the theme is -- the front of the menu has a sort of random assortment of trendy dishes, classics, French, Spanish, Italian, and American foods. But then we would miss out on what we thought was the best dish of the night, the squid with boar sausage and tomato sauce. The fried brussels sprouts were pretty standard (though seasoned well), the "baloney" sliders were good and rich, the cheese ball does indeed taste like your aunt's famous cheese ball (which isn't a bad thing -- we ate the whole thing), and the "TV Dinner" short rib meatloaf was tender and flavorful, although I'm not sure it was enough of an upgrade that I would order it again. The mushroom "French Bread Pizza" tasted like a truffle flatbread you could get anywhere these days, which is too bad, because a pizza on a nice, thick, chewy piece of house-made French bread sounds tasty and would be something different. The bananas foster pudding was excellent -- highly recommend. Cocktails tended to be potent, if a little one-note at times (the special of the night tasted just like Country Time Pink Lemonade), though the Chicago River Water was the highlight -- surprisingly complex and sophisticated. The (gigantic) space looks great and the servers were always warm, friendly, and helpful. It's still fairly new, so I'm sure the menu will evolve. I would give it another go again in the future -- based on the other reviews it looks like we should have tried a few of the other dishes.
(3)
David H.
The food is really fun if you remember the 70's. Lots of unique items that make it really fun. Good drinks, but the noise is very loud! it has a good vibe, but hard to talk over dinner.
(4)
Carol K.
Ah, the 70's. The era that brought us disco, bell bottoms, platform shoes and some really crazy food that carried over from the 50's and the 60's also brought some really interesting designs many of which you can see at the Brass Monkey like mirrored ceilings, an interesting use of metals and a really campy bathroom waiting area (just wait til you go down there!) And I like that you can go downstairs and find an album (yes, a record ALBUM) and bring it up and the DJ will play it. Very cool. From the people that brought us Untitled, I expected a lot in coming here, given good food, interesting spaces and good service are the norm with this group. After all, Untitled is that place that people line up to get into the speakeasy vibe. And the Brass Monkey has the same potential. This location in the W Loop is just waiting to pop with Google soon to open, a hotel opening next door and the cool venue space that the Brass Monkey shares with Morgan Manufacturing, a huge venue space that it's attached to that takes up the whole block. And the best news? There's a HUGE rooftop with some amazing views of the city (private parties only right now). Pretty impressive. What wasn't impressive was the service or the food on the night we were there. The only guy that seemed to get it right was Tony, the valet who was actually anticipating what we needed and brought the car around unasked. Other than that, it was a disaster. Our server was new to the place but a seasoned server, or so he told us. Then he disappeared and didn't bring us our drinks for 45 minutes. When we went in to see if they just lost our order (we were seated on the small patio out front) the manager came out and said he would get the drinks. When the server came back to get our food order, we still didn't have any drinks. He blamed it on the manager. At this point, given we were sitting in the sun, we didn't care who's fault it was, jut bring us our drinks! As for that food, it was just okay. I had the steak frites, pretty basic but cooked properly, my friend had the mussels, we shared the "Cheese ball" (needed more crackers) and my friends tried to have the Brussels sprouts but they brought asparagus instead and the fish sticks never showed up. The cheeseburger was fine and the tuna salad was okay. Meanwhile, we had no drinks to go with the meal as the server disappeared again. The manager tried to make it right by saying he would comp the drinks, but it was just not to be on this night as we ordered dessert (clearly we are gluttons for punishment) and those never showed up either even after we were given a tour of the entire place and came back. Still no dessert. So we cancelled the dessert given we just had no more time to wait. By this time we had been here for almost 3 hours so we asked for the bill so we could just get on with our night. And the final injustice? The change was wrong but who wanted to wait to make it right? No one. It was worth the $6 just to get out of there. Great potential for this space. But for all this drama on a Saturday night, I doubt I'll be back until they get the bugs worked out. Just hoping it doesn't take so long to fix that it turns into an 80's restaurant!
(2)
Adam E.
Did someone say TV Dinner? Done with gourmet food? Yup. I'm having a real dilemma as to whether i'll ever be able to try something else on the amazing menu.... My fiancee and I are crazy about this place. It has replaced the spot in our hearts and stomachs that was created as the tasting menu was removed from Untitled; which was previously our favorite. Great value, great food. Already going back a second time with more friends tonight. Also; they have almost as good a whiskey selection as untitled, and the staff is courteous, friendly and not trying to rip you off. A friend ordered a variation of a whiskey we like ( prices aren't on menu for whiskey); waitress double checked with us to make sure we were aware of the cost ($44 for a single) before she had them done. While someone will probably gripe; I think this is a smart move to avoid surprises at the bill later. Many places would simply charge first and ask questions later.....
(5)
Bill O.
The music and decor will loudly and constantly remind you this place is 70's themed, but the novelty will wear off quickly due to the poor service. Try the fondue to experience for yourself why people haven't cared for fondue for the past 40 years.
(2)
Stephanie L.
Solid 3.5...alas no halfsies on yelp. Easy opentable reservo. Love Decor is fantastic. Love Menus are so cool-retro 70's. Julia Childs!! Love. Service was actually really great. Personable but not fake. Love. But occasionally lost our server to a large table. The food was where I was lost. It just didn't do it for me. Server was basically orgasming over the rabbit special. It was like a late night bad decision for me...did nothing for me & regretted it for the next hour. ;) Mussels were just ok. Pretty average and definitely had better. Beef tartare was too chunky...I like smooth tartare. This was hunks of it...I wasn't a fan. Brussels were decent. Perfect char TV dinner. Filet was good, the sides were mediocre. Sliders were my favorite. The desserts were average. Overall, I really did like it. I just feel like they need to step it up with the food flavors and they'll be good.
(3)
D F.
Service was awful. Food is average and frankly for how much creativity they claim to want to embrace in the theme it's pretty average. Busser service swarms you before your table is ready to clear, and ignored the fact that the bar table we were sat at was wobbling and unstable. Sitting at a bar table with a reservation was also unacceptable. Hostess staff look confused and disinterested.
(2)
Monica B.
I came here with very high expectations, anticipating the opening for several months. Walking in, the restaurant is gorgeous. Dim lighting and overall cool vibe. The four of us sat at a high-top and started out with cocktails. I had the old fashioned, followed with a glass of pinot -- both were spot on. The food however, was not. We shared: + the sloppy thirds: group's overall favorite and my first sloppy joe, ever. + crab fondue: tasty but very small portion, served with toasted bread and ritz crackers (really?) - beef tartare: one of my least favorite. it was drenched in mayo and layered with veggies - braised short-rib: extremely tough, chewy and bland. half of this was left uneaten - meatballs: another miss. extremely sweet and meat was very dry - mushroom flatbread pizza: very bland. + side of Mac & cheese: ooey gooey deliciousness. another favorite Overall, I like the vibe of the place and would return for a cocktail at the bar, but Randolph/Fulton Market have a plethora of better restaurants to dine at.
(2)
Peter S.
So for our first foray to Brass Monkey we opted for appetizers at the bar. Meat balls, Brussels sprouts and seared tuna. The meat balls were reminiscent of the Swedish meatballs served with toothpicks at all my parents dinner parties but way better. The grapes were a nice touch! Mellody and I love Brussel Sprouts and these did not disappoint! Not too much sauce and just the right amount of seasoning. Definitely recommend you order these regardless. We also shared the seared tuna salad which harkened toward a Waldorf with shaved celery and grapes (there's those grapes again!) and a light dressing. Oh, did I mention the tuna was prepared perfectly? Our dinner was rounded out by some awesome cocktails prepared by our knowledgeable and friendly bartender, Erik. He certainly guided us through our first visit and we hope to be back soon. Cheers
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Bike Parking : No Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes
Kori E.
When you first walk in you definitely notice the cool set up and decor! It had a very nice vibe. We came fro dinner on a Saturday night, and to be honest, it wasnt all that busy? Maybe we were there too early? Anyhow, the food was really good! We started with the meatballs and crab fondue and both were delish. I would have liked a bit more fondue, though, lets be honest. For my main, I ordered the Seared Tuna salad and the veggie cassoulet. I really liked the salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly. They should think about making it bigger and adding it as an entree option! The cassoulet wasnt that good only because I dont like rosemary and it was ALL i could taste. Probably because I dont like rosemary! My boyfriend got the duck and he thought it was really good. Again, a bit of a smaller portion, but he really liked his. Our friends ordered the pork chop and the lobster bisque/mac n cheese. I tasted the Mac and it was good! For dessert, we had the chocolate cake. OMG. Order it. It is sooooo delicious! We also tried the Smores and it was so interesting - they somehow made them taste smoky! All in all, we had a great evening and our waitress was wonderful. I dont know that I would come rushing back here, but it seems like a cool place for a party. Very retro!
(4)Kristine C.
It was a girl's night at a new place and we were not disappointed. All eleven of us could not get over the 1970s modern décor and music. They make cinder block and red plush coaches look good. I loved every song they played, although loud, it was so much fun. I want to go back with my long flower dress and sandals and groove the night away. Overall just three stars because of the noise factor, I want to convers with my dinner friends. As noted, the vibe his hip, sceney with 70's retro fun. The space is amazing but line up transportation to and from prior to your visit. It can be hard to find a way outta there. The dining area blends into the bar area. It is intimate and dark but the music is so loud, do not try to have a heart to heart. I left with no voice. The bathroom area downstairs is the best feature. It is a huge communal bathroom setting with individual doors with a red plush oval couch in the middle. Once wall is adorned with 1970s Playboy covers. Their drink menu is a mix of a few interesting beers, wine and some vintage and contemporary mixed drinks. You can take your pick from the 1970's menu or flip it over for a more contemporary menu. Choose between the Cheese Ball or Fish Stix or the Sears Foie Gras. I love the names on the 70's menu (Just the Tip - describing an asparagus dish). Through the eleven of us, we ordered a good amount of the items. The popular choices turned out to be the Roasted Salmon. It looked like a good sized piece of Salmon with a lot of accompaniment. I chose the Mushroom French Bread Pizza. It is great for one person with four large pieces. I changed up the cheese and went with Mozzarella (I cannot do blue or goat). I enjoyed the flavors and essence of truffle oil. I also paired this with a side of the Fried Brussels Sprouts. Beware through, the sides are large portions. I could not finish an entrée and side by myself. We also had a side of Herb Fries and sadly a lot went uneaten. We def. over ordered.
(3)Tracy P.
This restaurant was amazing from the beginning to the end! The evening began with a Singapore Swing, which was delicious, then I ordered the Fried Escargot, the Lobster Bisque, the Seared Duck Breast and finished with a S'more. The food was, well, I have no words...I can say the food was absolutely amazing and the service was absolutely first class!!! Our waiter Brandon was very attentive, helpful and friendly and the Beverage Manager Michael was also very attentive. I can't wait to come back and will definitely recommend Brass Monkey to everyone!
(5)Tommie S.
Before going to this restaurant, I read all the reviews. The reviews seemed accurate based on my experience, but I must say the customer service and attentiveness of the manager was outstanding. He made all the difference in my experience. I ordered the bologna sliders, seafood pasta primavera, old fashioned, and tang per the reviews. Everything was as expected, even the great flavor of the pasta dish and the fact that the pasta stuck together. However, we requested a liqueur that the bar did not carry (Understandable. Who was drinking Midori in the 70's?). Nonetheless, the bartender visited our table and tried to create a drink to make up for it. His efforts were appreciated. He even personally delivered the drink. Also, they were out of hamburgers for a member in our party. The manager tried to do everything to accommodate the member of our party. He tried to troubleshoot, suggest other options, and make sure that the member of our party got plenty of fries, since fries became the entree for that person. The manager checked on the patrons as expected, and his attentativeness with the positive sense of humor made this an enjoyable experience. Hopefully business will pick up, but I appreciated the lack of a crowd. The attention from the staff and the ambiance made us have a nice outing. By the end of the night, it didn't even matter that they ran out of burgers. I will be back. My food, drinks, and overall experience were good.
(4)John W.
Fantastic, really a cool place that I will definitely be back for round two. The service was spot on and our server Sarud was amazing, along with his suggestions which were perfect. Just a side note the portions are quite large for what most of Chicago farm to table serves, so definitely able to share. For libations we ordered the the old fashion and a Tom Collins which were as just what one would expect, strong but not ridiculous boozy. For starters we got the Swedish Meatballs which were so good served in what seemed like a pork/beef lingonberry berry reduction sauce which I could have had literally ate by the spoon alone! Salad course was baby spinach with beets that was spot on. Not over dressed and perfectly sized pieces of the beets with cheese that did not over power the whole salad. For the main course the Duck breast over creamy polenta was (cue Homer Simpson) Mmmmmmm mouth watering good. Perfectly seasoned cooked to a perfect medium rare. As I am righting this I am thinking about going to get another plate of this. Sides: The brussel sprouts were good, I am not to sure how to rate sprouts as most are roasted and its about as difficult to judge as long as they are not a complete disaster. The Fries were so good and the dipping sauce was again I feel like I am on a broken record here but super tasty. The Mac and Cheese well my friends if you love super creamy packed full of cheesy goodness than this is the place for you. I could see my self gaining at least 10 pounds next winter eating this alone. Now my favorite part of every meal is the Dessert: A Pineapple Cake! Yes Yes YES. Again so good, and with the ice cream portion added on its just so good. I can not really stress how large the portions are because we were two people and we still had a bag of leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day! So either we eat like birds or this place actually gives normal portions which we have not been accustomed to in chicago in a long time. Overall the atmosphere is quite 70's but with a twist on a bit of modernism. It is a huge space and they have even more space for events, and weddings. I thought the music was good spanning mostly 70's rock and disco to early 80's classics. In summary I am as they say excited to go back and would definitely recommend.
(5)Michaela D.
Great decor, cozy booths, and friendly service! The food was amazing. My favorite was the TV Dinner - mashed potatoes, peas, creamed corn and meatloaf in a plate shaped like a real TV dinner. SO delicious and such a fun concept. Everything else we had - brussel sprouts, macaroni, desserts - were great too.
(5)Jennie T.
This place was good but not great. I had the whitefish which was okay but pretty salty. The best thing on the plate was the polenta. The rest of my dinner party also commented that their dishes were too salty. Fish sticks seemed like a cool idea but just wasn't executed well. Some things we ordered were excellent - lobster artichoke dip and the bananas foster pudding. My cocktail was great too, made with actual tang. The decor and atmosphere was real cool; they played some great music too.
(3)A. M.
Beautiful space with great lighting but food was underwhelming. We were excited to come to try 70s munchies, but left disappointed. The cheese ball was average but the meatballs very dry and cheese fondue with hot dog and tater tots very sad. It came with a white lukewarm hot dog and a handful of tots. Also, our burger was very dry and flavorless. Overall, a poor showing. Maybe recommend for drinks but won't be back any time soon.
(2)Matthew E.
The food is excellent, but and its a huge BUT the service is beyond creepy. Our waiter, Curtis stopped by every 45 seconds to check on us and asking the women with me awkward questions. We asked him to let us eat and he replied that "I'm not allowed too". After that we ate our dinner quickly. We were subsequently yelled at for getting our menus dirty (you can laminate them). He stopped by still every 1.5 minutes after the talk and it was still beyond creepy. I will never go back, mainly because I don't want to harassed every 5 seconds when I'm trying to enjoy my night out.
(1)Andrew P.
The food was delicious. If you like fish, the Waldorf appetizer is a must - ahi tuna cooked to perfection. Service was a bit slow - not sure if it's because the place is new and they're trying to figure out their groove, but we waited about 8 minutes before a server came to our table.
(4)Fernando M.
Blast from the past. Your ears will be spoiled by 70s music while you feast on simple foods with a gourmet flair. The Steak Friettes is amazing. Take the chef suggestion on medium-well you won't be disappointed. The ambiance spacious, dimly lit, and industrial sheik. Cool place for drinks or for a classy dinner date. One the coolest places to be any night of the week in Chicago.
(5)K N.
Great restaurant! We started with the lobster bisque (not very creamy) and the bologna sliders...AMAZING! Then for entrees we had the amish chicken and duck...both VERY tasty in amazing sauces. We split the s'mores dessert to end our meal. Overall, the service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were top notch. We will definitely be back.
(5)Jaime E.
Great ambiance. Great music. Great food.
(5)Shannon S.
Brought my parents here, and they thought the place was great and unique. Very interesting menu. Tang drink was good and liked that it wasn't as sweet as one would think. Got the spanish calamari and the baloney sandwiches as an app and they were both wonderful. The squid Ink pasta was great! def recommend it and i would come back to order that again! my mom loved her salmon, and my dad got the short ribs.
(4)Sanjiv G.
I understand that this place just opened. But have a hard time getting past a couple of things. 1. When we checked in for our 9 pm reservation at 8:50, the hostess indicated that she had no idea when our table would be ready and chastised us for arriving early 2. After heading to the bar to wait for our table; we sat, on stools, at the bar for 15 minutes with no bartender even stopping off to ask for our drink order. Only after alerting the manager did a bartender come by to take our order 3. 40 minutes after our reservation and noting that there were 4 open tables on the floor, we were offered a table right in front of the door. When we rejected that table, magically a better table appeared. Needless to say, we left at that point, so can't comment on the food, which looked good. I'll be back in two months after they sort out the front of the house issues.
(2)Sarah P.
My new favorite spot! Went there on a Thursday night-great atmosphere, service, and food. Can not wait to go back!
(5)Christopher A.
Fantastic restaurant with an excellent vibe and incredibly good food. The seared Fois Gras was superb and our two main courses (short rib and duck breast) were incredible. Bill was reasonable ($200 for two including tax and tip did include a bottle of wine and cocktails). Definitely recommend.
(5)Elizabeth T.
The brass monkey opened about a week ago...you would think there would be flaws in service or food the first week, NONE! We sat at the bar and had a great experience from the start. Pretty much everything on the menu looked delicious but we went with the steak tartar and lentil salad to start. Both dishes were simple but with a twist. Delicious. We had the truffle pizza which was unbelievable. And the Amish chicken. We were so full but wanted more. The manager Michael came over, introduced himself, and asked if we needed anything. It was the perfect end to a great evening. We will for sure be back and so glad this addition has come to the neighborhood.
(5)Brandy C.
The design/atmosphere and the employees were pretty Top Notch. The food was pretty good overall. I'd touch up the mash and the creamed corn for a bit more fun on the "TV Dinner"- they were a bit too close to a real TV dinner. However, everything else we had was quite enjoyable. Would recommend the Octopus in a heartbeat and my husband definitely enjoyed his Duck. For the price point, unfortunately, I have a few other spots that meet the same quality at a lower price and in the area. I'd go back for a drink and an app possibly, but not for a full dinner.
(3)Laura R.
I like this place a lot. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because I didn't get to try a ton of the menu (so not their fault) but it was soo loud. We went here to catch up with some friends and we had trouble talking over the loud music. Loved the ambiance. 70s but not over the top. Large enough to have room to wait at the bar for your table and not be cramped. My husband and I split the truffle mushroom pizza, which was wonderful. Our friends got the fish sticks and some salad (sorry I don't recall) but both really like it. Drinks wise, besides one Tang- which was tasty- we stuck to wine. No complaints. I look forward to going back and trying more things.
(4)Fuudcritic C.
About time! This was awesome. Love the 70's decor! Service was outstanding and our server Maxwell (?) was outstanding. Food was good. The only thing I must say, out of all the food we ordered (which was about 7-8 items) the cheeseball was the least favorite. It was a little jelly/rubber like and borderline not spreadable. And I didn't get the 2 types of bread/cracker. Wish there was only and more ritz crackers. Something I did take away from my experience....two words... TV DINNER!!! OMG!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
(5)D H.
Great atmosphere with really helpful and friendly staff! There had to be 2 support staff for every waiter / waitress. Amazing long comfortable bar, 70's style decor. We had the cheese ball with "fancy" Ritz crackers and the fish Styx to start. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fresh. We split the steak frites and got sides of creamed corn and Brussel sprouts - all the food was delicious! The wine list could use a little work and is on the high side... A bottle of Whispering Angel Rose' lists for $60 and retails around $15. Stick with the cocktails. I'd definitely go back!
(4)Lisa A.
Went for drinks after dinner. Place was almost empty on a Friday night at 10:30! The space is amazing and in a funky area. But it's gearded towards a different crowd. The music is horrendous. This isn't Boca Raton FL for the retiree crowd. It's downtown Chicago. They seriously need to figure it out and find an identity.
(2)Jordan L.
So i went in here about a week ago to look in to having an event at this new trendy place. I went in to talk with Nicole the Manager and had a sit down with what they offer for large parties for events etc. I expressed that i will be having 40-50 people attending my party and thought this could be a fun new experience for all. Nicole told me , "we do these types of parties all the time." She made my fiance and I feel very comfortable and we trusted her after sitting with her to discuss our event. I asked if we can have a section near the bar so that my 40-50 guests would not have any trouble getting drinks as that was my main concern. She said that they can not guarantee that the will have enough space near the bar for my party because its a Friday night and the bar area will be packed. So she persuaded me in to renting out their private room which holds up to 60 people but is no where near the bar. Mind you this place only has one bar. I voiced my concern about having my party in this private room and being so far from the bar area, so she said they will have 2 servers assigned to our room that will take orders and go back and forth making sure our room isnt waiting around for drinks or having to leave the room and go the bar.... So we trusted Nicole and agreed to do it. Friday night rolls around and my guests start wandering in. The private room is right when you walk in before the bar to the left so it is very hard to miss. After an hour or so roughly 20 guests arrive and I had to go up to Nicole and tell her after 1 hr that not even half my guests have arrived and i've already had several guests ask if they are supposed to get drinks from the bar themselves since the service is terrible. Nicole then said i'll get you another server. While all this is going on, the bar has maybe 10 people on a friday night. Remember Nicole insisted i rent out this room because its a Friday night and they need space for people at the bar. The place was dead. 10 people at the bar while i have 40-50 guests stuck in this private room with 2 now 3 servers who have to take a 1/2 mile walk to go to the bar to fetch our drinks. The servers were terrible too, I had 2 of my guests tell me that earlier in the night they went to the bar to purchase a Cocktail for $7, then they ordered the same drink from one of our personal servers and the servers said that'll be $11, my friend said excuse me? I just paid $7 at the bar, the server then said, okay i'll make you a deal give me $9. My friend laughed came up to me wished me congrats and said I'm leaving this place is a joke. This happened with two of my guests. Throughout the night friends kept coming up to me asking how to order drinks... i said unfortunately the service here is horrible, if you see a server, just order a drink. Odds are you'll have to find one , they wont come up to you. That's all i could say... The drinks weren't made correctly, POOR MANAGEMENT and POOR SERVICE to say the least. Then after the event was over, i got the bill and there were drinks on the bill that we never ordered. Place is a joke, Several other fun trendy places to go. I will never go back there and nor will my friends. We all witnessed first hand how terrible this experience was. STAY AWAY
(1)Seth G.
This should really be a 3 1/2 but that is not an option. The drinks were delicious and the decor is very cool. We had the Sloppy Thirds as an appetizer which were fine just fine. I had the duck breast which was delicious - moist and flavorful. My girlfriend had the steak frites and the steak was nearly inedible. It was extremely tough and fairly bland. Our server wasn't great but you could tell he was new. The restaurant has not been open for very long so that is to be expected. I would go back if we were in the area, but based on where it is located it is not a place that we would just stumble upon.
(3)mark j.
Loved the good and the service was pretty good, really cool 70's vibe. Would come back here again for sure
(5)Sandy S.
Love the decor, music and the overall space. But, when you go to a place with a great cocktail list and are told by your server, "the bar is really backed up because of a party, so I suggest you just order wine or beer," that sets a bad tone. The place was about 50-60% full. Our dinner took more than an hour to arrive and when I got my grilled pork chop, which looked and smelled wonderful, it was cool in the center. Fail! The server took it back happily but said, "well, you asked for medium." Medium, as the chef recommended, isn't a cool center for PORK. So, I just got a burger and glass of Pinot for $35. On my first visit, the short rib was terrific. If I wanted a burger in the west loop there are way better options. Our drinks were long gone before any food arrived at the table and no offer of another round was ever made: finding someone to take that order was a challenge. I won't be returning.
(2)David H.
The food is really fun if you remember the 70's. Lots of unique items that make it really fun. Good drinks, but the noise is very loud! it has a good vibe, but hard to talk over dinner.
(4)Mike K.
It was pretty good. I kind of wish they would just switch the menu over to all "Hits of the 70s." As it is, I'm not really sure what the theme is -- the front of the menu has a sort of random assortment of trendy dishes, classics, French, Spanish, Italian, and American foods. But then we would miss out on what we thought was the best dish of the night, the squid with boar sausage and tomato sauce. The fried brussels sprouts were pretty standard (though seasoned well), the "baloney" sliders were good and rich, the cheese ball does indeed taste like your aunt's famous cheese ball (which isn't a bad thing -- we ate the whole thing), and the "TV Dinner" short rib meatloaf was tender and flavorful, although I'm not sure it was enough of an upgrade that I would order it again. The mushroom "French Bread Pizza" tasted like a truffle flatbread you could get anywhere these days, which is too bad, because a pizza on a nice, thick, chewy piece of house-made French bread sounds tasty and would be something different. The bananas foster pudding was excellent -- highly recommend. Cocktails tended to be potent, if a little one-note at times (the special of the night tasted just like Country Time Pink Lemonade), though the Chicago River Water was the highlight -- surprisingly complex and sophisticated. The (gigantic) space looks great and the servers were always warm, friendly, and helpful. It's still fairly new, so I'm sure the menu will evolve. I would give it another go again in the future -- based on the other reviews it looks like we should have tried a few of the other dishes.
(3)Susan M.
We try to find new places to try every month. This will definitely be our new "go-to" favorite! fabulous service, food, and decor. Every single staff member was friendly and courteous. Ben the bartender knows his stuff and introduced my husband to a scotch he'd never had before. Nicole and Michael (managers?) came by to make sure all was well, as did a couple of other servers. We were lucky to find find free parking (we got there early on a Friday). It's only been open a few weeks, but was quite popular the night we were there. There appeared to be a work group there and I'm going to try and get my business to host an even here as well. We get off work early so it's great that they were open for bar service at 4 and the kitchen opens at 5. Cool bar - absolutely awesome bathrooms (I have a thing about public restrooms). We had the amish chicken - moist, flavorful and not overly spiced. Lobster bisque was not the pink heavy creamy type I was expecting and the flavor was out of this world. There were little brioche rolls floating on top of the dark bisque with nice chunks of lobster. We shared a side of the herb fries and incredible brussel sprouts. We finished with flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream. The plate was clean when we were done. My husband had the amish chicken and I didn't get to taste the kale(?) that was served with it because he was guarding his plate like a prisoner by this time. The wine pours were generous. Great value for the price when many other places are doing the ala carte thing (total rip-off). The total bill was half of what we paid elsewhere a couple of weeks ago for much less. We will return to try the 70's munchies and several other things that look delectable on the regular menu. No need to find a new place any time soon.
(5)Teri Y.
So, this is how I feel. If a restaurant is out of the way with nothing else around it, which means that people need to make an extra effort to get there, the food had better be the best (or one the best) within the 4-5 block radius. This is how you set yourself up to be outstanding. If the location is out of the way, but there's amazing food, people will come and return again. Brass Monkey is still in the Fulton Market area but out of the way from the main area with nothing else around, however, the food was not greatly impressive. We tried the beef carpaccio, tuna waldorf, grilled calamari, meatballs, fettucine, and arctic char. The standouts among these items were the calamari and arctic char. Even so, they were great, but did not wow. So let down by the fettuccine - many of the noodle strands were stuck together. Boo hoo. And the taste was bland. My old fashioned was good so I'll give them points here.
(3)J.D. Y.
Amazing food! Very nice and generous and down to earth staff! Very welcoming and willing to go out of their way to serve you. The manager Michael was great! The guy knows what he was doing. I'll definitely be coming back! 70's theme menu. Got the lobster bisque - not your typical orange cheesy bisque you usually have, this had its own taste, different yet very good!! Entree was Tv Dinner - plating was an actual TV dinner style tray, (not plastic, real plate, but this TV dinner was top notch sophisticated. You actually want to eat all the components in this TV dinner! - Salisbury steak with mushrooms - mashed potatoes - peas - some sort of cream corn? All amazing! Go if you're in town!
(5)A I.
Went twice there. The food was fantastic. The service could use a little help though. My server was a little ditzy and somewhat careless. She did have beautiful tattoos though. I will surely be back.
(4)svetlana k.
Decent food, ok service, but the restaurant was pretty dead on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5, 15 min before. For some reason, when the restaurant is kind of empty, its hard to get really excited about it. Maybe it's because of the obscure location or maybe it's because people don't want to eat food inspired by the 70s, but something needs to change here. Although, the decor is fantastic! The food itself was not mind blowing. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and they were very well portioned. We got brussel sprouts, Mac n cheese, grilled calamari, fondue, and a lyonnaise salad. No complains about the food. The drinks here need some work, tried two different ones and they tasted almost identical like sour skittles, super sugary. Even though this was my second time, I don't think I'll be coming back here. There are so many restaurants in Chicago and with new ones opening up constantly. There just isn't anything about this place that begs me to come back. Pass.
(3)Kan C.
Upon walking in, you will notice that it's wide open with great decor and a nice, long bar. They definitely took their time to curate the interior. A group of 3 of us dined here and we all had drinks to start. We ordered a round of Old Fashioneds which were terrific - in fact, we each had 2 more bc they were that good. For apps, we ordered the Foie Gras Three Ways, Beef Tartare and the Lobster Bisque. A nice variety and all were excellent. The Foie was nice to try 3 different ways to see how one ingredient can be so versatile. For our entrees, we ordered the Pork Chop and Apple Sauce, TV Dinner (why not?), and Short Rib. By far, the best Pork Chops I have ever had. Very juicy and you can taste the brine. We ordered he TV Dinner as more of a novelty, but it was no doubt the best TV Dinner you will ever try - in fact, one of the best entrees you will enjoy. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the Creme Brulee, and a 70's classic: the Jello. Again, three distinctively different desserts and all executed brilliantly. A well-rounded meal with great vibes and an excellent staff. The service is very attentive and from host to server, everyone was very nice which made for a pleasant experience. Will definitely go back to try more dishes.
(5)Carolyn L.
I came by here last night for some dinner after work because I had heard so many good things about the decor and the 70s/80s kitschy vibe. The space is beautiful. It's large and spacious, perfect for the growing neighborhood. It even has a separate event space for people who want to host weddings, birthdays, etc there. So now to the good stuff. I started with the SoCal 75 cocktail, which was served in a champagne glass. It had Brandy, Drambuie, and Cava and was totally balanced with bitters so it wasn't too sweet. The whole cocktail list looked great to be honest. And thanks to Katie who was practicing the new drinks. She did a great job for her first time making the SoCal 75! For food, I went straight to the main dish of squid ink linguini for $26. I wish I could have seen the 70s menu but I didn't see that until the end of my meal. No big deal though, the squid ink linguini brought me back to Barcelona, Spain. It had a delectable chili saffron cream sauce with scallops, shrimp, crab, and sundried tomatoes. It was a hearty serving and I ate all of it up in between chats with Jackie (another bartender) and Michael (the beverage director who shares a love of Bourbon with me). The bar selection is extensive. They have a lovely wine list from which I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with my pasta dish. Then I saw the 70s menu. Meatballs, TV dinner, fish sticks, pork chop & applesauce! I was told to order the pork chop next time and that's definitely what I'm going to do. I was able to try the pot de creme for dessert. It was a rich smooth custard with that bruleed caramelized top covering some raspberries. And the biscotti served with it was a perfect touch. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Mark A.
Having a pretty equal distribution of one to five star reviews, I feel I'm pretty qualified to say don't eat here. Even though I was only alive for a few months in the 70s, l believe their interior decorator did a fantastic job in creating an authentic environment. The chairs, the floor, and the tables are what I'd expect to have seen in the 70s. And I appreciate how the menu is slanted to the 70s. Here's the food we had: * Fish sticks: Who wouldn't order fish sticks in a yuppy place like this and expect amazingness? Lately we've given the hipster touch to fried chicken, cupcakes, tamales, and marshmallows...why would we leave out fish sticks? These were decent, but devoid of flavor (or heavily relied upon the sauce with which they are served). * Boar meatballs: I'd say these were the highlight of all food items. They were tasty. * Fondue: It was fondue, and a good thing we ordered it because it worked well to give the fish sticks some flavor. * Duck: We were told this would be medium rare; it was medium at best. Some decent flavor here, and probably the best main course of the meal. By no means, however, would I crave it. * Skirt Steak: Ordered medium rare, came out medium-well. The fries were good, though. Yay for fries and (Heinz) ketchup. Heinz ketchup...really? Come on, no restaurant worth its salt uses industrial ketchup nowadays. It probably was the kind with HFCS but it was in a ramekin so that counts for something, obviously. * Double cheeseburger: In fairness, the patties were thin so to get medium-rare is tough...but it lacked flavor. * Flourless chocolate cake: From what pre-packaged provider did they get this? There was nothing fresh about it, and even worse, the exterior was room temperature at best, but the middle was steaming/scalding hot. To me, that screams...microwave. Yes, microwave! I would never, ever recommend the food here to a friend (or enemy), and it's a shame because I've had some decent meals at Untitled -- the same folks behind Brass Monkey. But when food sucks, I turn to the other menu....cocktails. I really enjoyed my "Tang," and the wine list was thoughtfully assembled. If somebody said, "we're having drinks and meatballs at Brass Monkey, I'd go." If they said, "wanna have dinner at Brass Monkey," I'd turn around and run away as fast as I can.
(2)Amrita G.
We did not get much food as we had another reservation. We got here around 5 pm on a Saturday. It was empty. We got the wild boar meatballs. This was amazing. Not many options to chose from. So next for dessert we got the pineapple upside down cake. This was d r delicious too. However they cold not provide us with a dessert menu and neither get one printed in the time that we were there. I should probably deduct a star for that but I am not as these two dishes were amazing. But like I said not many options to chose from!
(4)Jay J.
Came here on at 7:30 on a Friday night with a couple of friends. Awesome layout but the place was dead and lacking atmosphere. Plus the waitress wasn't exactly eager to serve us, which I don't understand since we were ordering everything on the menu as well as a bunch of drinks. Drinks are great, food is good but nothing to write home about. Sadly I don't think this place will still be open in a year.
(3)Alex K.
Stopped in with the wife on a Friday night. It's a little bit off of Randolph Street so parking wasn't a problem at all. Once inside, I appreiciated the design of the interior. I've never lived in the 70's but I feel like they did a nice job with the edison bulbs and various shades of brown. After seeing the menu I needed to get the TV Dinner. Unfortunately it was kind of a let down. I was thinking it was going to be an upscale grown up version of a tv dinner with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf wasn't bad but everything else just seemed kinda bland and I almost felt like I was eating a real tv dinner. It is served on a cool TV dinner tray with the separate compartments so I don't really regret ordering it. Other than that we also got the fondue, which was pretty neat. If you're really into that retro 70's vibe, I'd check this place out as it was the highlight of our trip. Or you could go just to say you ordered a tv dinner because that's pretty much half the reason I went in the first place. Overall I'd say the food was just ok though.
(3)Aaron V.
Mediocre food and cocktails at best. Chicken was dry, fish sticks were overdone, meatballs were ok. Burgers were fine but overpriced. Service was indifferent, unprepared and undertrained. The atmosphere and room were cool. The menu was fun with cool pictures and stories of drugged out rock stars and the music they were playing was great. Not sure that's enough in a city full of really great restaurant/bars.
(2)Danny W.
You can almost hear horns walking into The Brass Monkey. It's that cool. Beastie Boys cool. Between the munchies section of the menu, the pseudo record store lobby, and the overall interior design I felt like I was straight up in a scene from Boogie Nights. The food totally lives with groovy stuff from the 70's such as Bologna Sliders, Swedish Meatballs, and Fish Styx, but there's also a more modern selection of entrees including French Bread Pizzas, Roasted Chicken, or Steak Frites. I went with a cup of lobster bisque followed by the Squid Ink Linguini and was totally stoked on both the portion size and flavors of both. I love the overall vibe but my favorite feature is the restroom area which has a unisex lobby that indeed does look like Dirk Diggler's about to walk in to shoot a scene. Bright red velvet couches and dim lighting bouncing off the walls give it a esthetic of a 70's porno. It's awesome. I promise. Overall I'm totally sold on this place. It's unique, has great food, and the service was super attentive. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Deb D.
Honestly, some of the best drinks and ambience I've experienced in a long time. And they have the best washrooms in Chicago!
(5)Kari O.
This place is awesome. NOTE: 1/2 of the menu is 70's inspired, and 1/2 is more modern... SO, if you ordered the TV dinner and wished it was more modern, then, you shouldn't have ordered the TV dinner! Drinks were pricey, but it's expected in this area. The food was awesome! Starters: Just the tip (delicious asparagus tips) Cheese fondue (with tots) Fish Styx (need I say more?) Entrees: Squid Ink Pasta TV Dinner Desserts: Uhhhh...Not too memorable. I guess. Definitely worth a trip. Awesome vibe, and great for a group.
(4)Ellen B.
We just had a wonderful dinner @ The Brass Monkey. Hubby and I were joined be our son, daughter, and their significant others. We began our evening with cocktails at the bar. The bartenders are engaging, knowledgeable, and mix fantastic cocktails. My old fashioned was sublime! We were seated promptly, and had a hard time choosing from the many selections. The menu has two parts; 70's comfort food and gastro pub fare. We started with 2 appetizers, the cheese ball and crab and cheese fondue. Both were delicious; our server cheerfully brought more bread and crackers when asked. Our entrees were delectable. My son's fiancee and I had the braised short ribs with root vegetables, which were fork tender and just perfect! Daughter and hubby had the salmon, which they pronounced as the best! Son and daughter's boyfriend demolished their burger and squid ink pasta. We were so full we reluctantly had to forego dessert. Next time we'll have lighter meals so we can sample from the dessert menu. The service was simply amazing! Our waiter was cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. He made excellent wine pairing suggestions, and always magically appeared when needed. I can't remember ever having better service anywhere. We will definitely be back! p.s. Almost forgot to mention the music, a perfect blend of 70's bands with some Sinatra blended in, perfect!
(5)Michelle S.
Atmosphere was good. Service was just OK. Food was good. We went on a weeknight and it was busy but not filled or packed by any means. It's very loud, even when the restaurant wasn't at capacity. We sat in a booth and couldn't hear a word our waitress said. She seemed soft spoken to begin with, which just isn't great with the acustics. We all liked the food. Nothing memorable, though. Our favorite item was the sides of fries. The TV dinner with Fried Chicken is good but sides are just about as good as they were in an actual TV dinner and chicken was a bit flavorless. The pork was good but fatty. S'mores app was sent back as none of the marshmallows were cooked and no powdered sugar on top (the way it's advertised on their instagram page). I'd go back to sit at the bar for drinks but that's probably it.
(3)Samantha H.
The service here was amazing. The food was average. I have high hopes for this place but none of the food wowed us yet. I hope the flavors will improve with time. The decor is eclectic and funky in a good way. They are paying homage to the 70s and I have to say the 70s side of the menu had nothing that was appealing to us. We stuck with everything on the other side. The wine list was inexpensive and had some great values on there. Michael, the beverage director, was very helpful and knowledgeable. We tried the calamari, foie, and duck. The calamari was my favorite dish. The foie was average. The duck was good but nothing that blew me away. Overall the food was just not that memorable and flavors are what I really look for in my restaurants that I love. The service was enough to make me go back and check it out again though.
(3)Scubi X.
I really liked this place. The music was fantastic, as was the atmosphere. I had the Singapore Swing - yum. I loved the brussel sprouts, frites, and the rest of my party loved the bologna sliders. Our server, Natalie, was lovely. I hated her a little bit at first because she is very attractive, young, clever and has a very sexy voice. It's only natural to have a little distain for those types of people. Fortunately, I got over it, because she was really great. I want to go back. Make sure you request Natalie!
(5)Michael S.
This was a disappointing experience. The food was at best a two star. The service was a 4 star as they were friendly and attentive. They told us we could make a request of the DJ for songs from the 70s. I went up to make a request and was told in no uncertain terms that there were to many request and not to bother to ask. Another strike. The prices were reasonable but I will not be making a return trip
(3)Karma K.
I really, really like this new place. Cool space and I adore the menu. I ordered a cheese ball with Ritz crackers. Yep, I had my Carol Brady going on! OMG, so good and unexpected. Their fish styx were also delish. The panko breading combined with super fresh fish was a nice treat for Lent. I was shocked to not see a wedge salad on the menu but the fried bolonga sliders more than made up for that oversight! We are fans and will be back. This is a great addition to the West Loop neighborhood.
(5)Jeremy D.
Personable staff, tasty home style 70s inspired foods and a groovy interior that sets the mood for an enjoyable night! Order the meatloaf, which is made of premium meats! Delicious! The squid ink pasta is tasty!
(5)Heather B.
To start: Called me the day before to confirm my reservation, plus sent text. Then called day of to make sure they could make sure they understood my special dining need. Excellent customer service and I hadn't gotten there yet. I began with: Tang martini. Sweet but not. Reminder me of a cider but not of apples. Plus it had tang on rim. tang! Then Frois appetizer-- just a bit of heaven in your mouth. I would take a bit. Pause a just close my eyes and enjoy. Ahhhh. Fried escargot-good. A bit strange for those used to more traditional preparations. Glad we tried but probably won't repeat. We split the lobster bisque which was hot and both filled with lobster and the right balance of sherry. Squid ink pasta-- scallops so tender they melted like butter in your mouth, shrimp you could cut with a fork. Wish they had free refills on this dish! My friend ordered the Duck breast. It was a perfect mid rare. My friend said it put her in heaven. For dessert my friend had S'mores and I had the flourless chocolate cake. Both made the end of the meal perfect. The pistaschio gelato with the chocolate cake made me speechless. Michael the beverage manager was so friendly and checked in on us. Amazing customer service. I want more people to experience the derive that he and Daniel the associate/assistant?(sorry Daniel) and their team have put together a well oiled machined. And I can't forget to mention our server Brendan. From the start he was friendly, knowledgeable of the bar menu and able to make great drink recommendations. He new the menu inside and out and was able to answer questions. He even suggested we split the bisque since we were having 2 appetizers. And then at the end he brings the bill and the desserts were comped because we told them we were celebrating our birthdays. Had no idea it was coming. It was a real classy surprise. This is definately a place to check out. For a new restaurant they are acting like old pros. If there are glitches talk tonic heal or Daniel so they can improve. This is a place that needs to stay around!
(5)Sara N.
This place is pretty great. The retro theme is pretty hilarious but definitely stops short of being over the top. The music in particular is great- how often do you hear Barry White in a restaurant? A huge plus of this restaurant is its size- there aren't many places in the West Loop where you could take a huge group of friends, but this place could definitely accommodate a large party. The food is very good; I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. I've probably tried almost everything at this point and everything is definitely solid. My biggest complaint is the service is a bit weird- you definitely don't get the impression that you're being served by waitstaff. For instance, why is everyone in matching t-shirts at a place where the food is $20+ a plate? Additionally, I've had a couple of waiters who didn't seem to fully understand the menu.
(4)Lisa M.
I have to say I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the decor was disappointing and the food was terrible and completely over priced! We ordered a bunch of small plates and one was a delicious dip, but it was served with ritz crackers and cost $14! Geez. The crab fondue was ok, but had no crab meat in it and also expensive. I think if they used better ingredients then it may be worth it, but I can't justify paying this much for ritz crackers..sorry.
(2)PJ C.
I wish Yelp had half stars - I'd give this three and a half. 5 stars for a stunningly cool interior, with a 70s feel made contemporary. The menu is interesting and it's solid. I think it's still evolving. I got the TV dinner and it was cool, but a little bland. The execution is a little too literal, visually - the TV dinner plate is lovely, but I'd like to see more of a modern twist. We will be back to try again.
(3)Ryan C.
This place is almost hidden from your typical West Loop locations. I thought the venue was a well decorated and the menu was interesting but nothing was executed to the point that I would strongly recommend to another person. We did eat early (530ish) so the crowds hadn't shown up yet. I think the place has promise but might need a change in the menu to achieve long term stability as a restaurant.
(3)Kaya K.
Stopped in here on a Friday night and was shocked to see that the place was not packed! The ambiance is fantastic and looks/feels very warm and charming. Service was great sitting at the bar - thanks to Ben! The brussel sprouts were charred to perfection and had I not been devouring it as soon as it hit the bar, I would have snapped some photos. The spanish calamari was delicious and cannot wait to come back for the tartar! If you are looking for a great place in the West Loop away from all the crowds, get it before everyone catches on!
(5)Taylor M.
Incredible food, incredible service. We had the Brussel sprouts, creamed corn, Mac and cheese, chicken and cheese ball - all of which were amazing and delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and friendly. I will definitely be coming back! So excited to see a new restaurant in the area and happy to be eating here before everyone finds out about this gem!
(5)Gabrielle O.
The Brass Monkey gets me EXCITED. Such good vibes. A great space with cool décor. The menu is SO fun. The 70s theme does not disappoint. Great cocktails! The Chicago River Walk looks like dirty water but tastes much better. The duck was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked at medium rare paired with the perfect sauce and sides. My friend got the salmon which she thoroughly enjoyed. We ended the night with the chocolate cake. I would absolutely recommend it especially for the pistachio ice cream! The service was also exceptional. Everyone was attentive and extremely helpful. It's easy to miss this spot on Morgan, so keep your eyes peeled because it is worth a try or two!
(5)Oceans L.
Terrific new place a little out of the way past the main randolph/fulton's market area. TL;DR version, very friendly and assertive staff, The food was spot on, fun ambience. The decor is low key so that you feel comfortable walking in from the Chicago cold in your bundles and layers. But this would definitely be a nice date night restaurant as well. We tried the sloppy joes (lamb), lyonnaise salad, lobster bisque, and creamed corn. I would recommend each of these dishes. Note that the sloppy joes ARE made of lamb and they do taste that way, although not gamey. The Lyonnaise salad with a fried egg was a nice way to do a warm salad. Lobster bisque comes with croissant like pastry puffs on top and balanced out the broth nicely. It was light, with just the right amount of lobster flavor. Creamed corn was excellent. Not too creamy, but with a hint of cheesiness that reminds me of grits, either way, DEFINITELY recommend that as a side. For dessert we tried the pineapple upside down cake, which was DELICIOUS. A moist cake full of coconut that really enhanced the texture. Pineapples tasted fresh and not too overly cooked. A really nice finisher that made you feel content with your meal. For drinks I would say... cherry flavored cocktails tend to taste like robitussin everywhere so i don't fault them on that... Also staff is super super friendly, likely because it IS a new establishment so they are likely on their toes to make sure they can get as much feedback as they can. But our food came out very quickly, and our staff was very attentive to refilling waters and checking in with us.
(5)M G.
I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and had heard a lot of buzz. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails were great, food was good, the place is beautiful. But man is it expensive for what you get! I was not expecting that at all. It's definitely not a come here every weekend kind of place. I'd go broke! I think if I go there again, I would come for a cocktail and the mac and cheese (AMAZING), then go somewhere else for dinner.
(3)Marie L.
Awesome decor, but that was about it. The sliders were ok, the lobster fondu was good, and everything else was subpar. It was dead on a Saturday which is a shame because the place has potential, but they need to work on their food and menu.
(2)Caryn K.
The service was great!! Super cute idea with the 70s theme! It wasn't too cheesy or weird. Can't wait to try the TV dinner Tuesdays! The drinks are strong, but tasty. The food was surprisingly good too! I recommend the Brussel sprouts and the crab cheese fondue!
(5)Mihir P.
LOVED IT! We came here for drinks last Saturday. The place is in the middle of nowhere on an unlit street in an old building which kind of makes it cool. The place is grand - spacious with high ceilings. Kind of like a large Hubbard Inn. Brass is woven into the decor, but no monkeys :( Good drinks that are moderately priced. The super nice and fun manager sent us some sliders on the house. Bar staff were super nice and friendly asking us about life. Diverse mix of music from classic rock to 80's. I'm afraid though...that now all the D-bags and Lohans will come running here.
(5)Kait G.
I really like this place! Unique set up with a 70s theme. The menu is also very unique with one side focusing on "70s classics" and one side more upscale food. We tried items from both. The beef tar tar was delicious. We also had a Lyonnaise salad with duck and an egg on top, a brilliant combination. From the 70s menu, we had the cheese fondu that comes with tator tots and hot dogs for dipping. Our combination of food made me giggle but it was all delicious. Drinks a bit expensive but overall good selection! Service on point, will be back.
(4)Jen G.
This restaurant is a bit out of the way, and I'm a New Yorker so if I can't get somewhere easily I'm automatically turned off. However! I stepped in and was in awe of the 70's inspired decor --- as an interior designer who loves food I certainly appreciate all the little details in this restaurant! My party and I shared a few appetizers: grilled calamari and cheese spread...and some sides -- brussel sprouts, mac and cheese. Our entrees were also quite good and filling: steak frites, amish chicken, and porkchop dish. The food was worth the trek!
(5)Jacob B.
Serious flaws in execution ruin an interesting concept and enticing menu. My significant other and I tried out The Brass Monkey early on a Saturday evening, in hopes of expanding our restaurant list. Here's my thoughts on the features of this new West Loop restaurant. 1) The space: unique and inviting, although the music was a tad loud at times and it appeared the DJ was schizophrenic, since he or she kept changing songs (and volume levels) midstream. 2) The service: As noted in earlier reviews, our waiter (Curtis) was intense. While I appreciate the attention, sometimes less is more. 3) The food: This is where there's serious flaws. I ordered the TV Dinner, which was actually kind of cool and well executed (although for an expensive price). My significant other ordered the Braised Short Rib. Honestly, they should rename this dish Pot Roast, because it definitely does NOT remind me of a short rib. We also ordered The Sloppy Joe Sliders and Swedish Meatballs. The Sliders were pretty good, but I'd skip the Meatballs. Finally, dessert. We ordered the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a dish so bad I almost cried. The pineapple was bland and could benefit from some caramelization, and the shredded coconut contributed to a chewy texture. The store-bought ice cream on top of the cake was depressing. Curtis mentioned the chef had recently retooled the recipe, and I'd say more retooling is necessary. 4) The drinks: The only redeeming feature of our experience. I enjoyed the Tang and the Chicago River Water was a cool twist on The Aviator. It's obvious to say this restaurant did not make our list. Considering all the other options in the West Loop area, there need to be significant changes to bring this restaurant up to the bar of other nearby establishments.
(2)Tracy L.
Run, don't walk away from this restaurant. The room is beautifully done with colors and shapes from the 60's and 70's. It's lovely to see this old abandoned building rehabbed and repurposed. But the food was horrible. Good lord. We were at first charmed by the idea of "70's Comfort Food" appetizers- we ordered the Seven Layer Dip and the Cheese Ball. The Seven Layer dip was a mess of cold pureed black beans and soggy tomatoes served in a Pyrex prep bowl. There was neither salt nor any kind of discernible seasoning. The top had a smudge of sour cream. The chips were decent- at least they were properly salted. The Cheese Ball was a mealy and indistinct orange mass half covered in soggy almond slices. It was served with six actual Ritz crackers, some flavorless bread that was grilled without butter or olive oil and a side of mildly spicy but way-too-sweet tomato sauce. Needless to say we did not stay for dinner. Inexplicable to spend so much money on decor and so little on a competent kitchen. With so much competition from actually good restaurants just blocks away, this place will be closed before the end of the year.
(1)Stephanie L.
Solid 3.5...alas no halfsies on yelp. Easy opentable reservo. Love Decor is fantastic. Love Menus are so cool-retro 70's. Julia Childs!! Love. Service was actually really great. Personable but not fake. Love. But occasionally lost our server to a large table. The food was where I was lost. It just didn't do it for me. Server was basically orgasming over the rabbit special. It was like a late night bad decision for me...did nothing for me & regretted it for the next hour. ;) Mussels were just ok. Pretty average and definitely had better. Beef tartare was too chunky...I like smooth tartare. This was hunks of it...I wasn't a fan. Brussels were decent. Perfect char TV dinner. Filet was good, the sides were mediocre. Sliders were my favorite. The desserts were average. Overall, I really did like it. I just feel like they need to step it up with the food flavors and they'll be good.
(3)D F.
Service was awful. Food is average and frankly for how much creativity they claim to want to embrace in the theme it's pretty average. Busser service swarms you before your table is ready to clear, and ignored the fact that the bar table we were sat at was wobbling and unstable. Sitting at a bar table with a reservation was also unacceptable. Hostess staff look confused and disinterested.
(2)Adam E.
Did someone say TV Dinner? Done with gourmet food? Yup. I'm having a real dilemma as to whether i'll ever be able to try something else on the amazing menu.... My fiancee and I are crazy about this place. It has replaced the spot in our hearts and stomachs that was created as the tasting menu was removed from Untitled; which was previously our favorite. Great value, great food. Already going back a second time with more friends tonight. Also; they have almost as good a whiskey selection as untitled, and the staff is courteous, friendly and not trying to rip you off. A friend ordered a variation of a whiskey we like ( prices aren't on menu for whiskey); waitress double checked with us to make sure we were aware of the cost ($44 for a single) before she had them done. While someone will probably gripe; I think this is a smart move to avoid surprises at the bill later. Many places would simply charge first and ask questions later.....
(5)Bill O.
The music and decor will loudly and constantly remind you this place is 70's themed, but the novelty will wear off quickly due to the poor service. Try the fondue to experience for yourself why people haven't cared for fondue for the past 40 years.
(2)Taylor M.
Incredible food, incredible service. We had the Brussel sprouts, creamed corn, Mac and cheese, chicken and cheese ball - all of which were amazing and delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and friendly. I will definitely be coming back! So excited to see a new restaurant in the area and happy to be eating here before everyone finds out about this gem!
(5)Caryn K.
The service was great!! Super cute idea with the 70s theme! It wasn't too cheesy or weird. Can't wait to try the TV dinner Tuesdays! The drinks are strong, but tasty. The food was surprisingly good too! I recommend the Brussel sprouts and the crab cheese fondue!
(5)Carol K.
Ah, the 70's. The era that brought us disco, bell bottoms, platform shoes and some really crazy food that carried over from the 50's and the 60's also brought some really interesting designs many of which you can see at the Brass Monkey like mirrored ceilings, an interesting use of metals and a really campy bathroom waiting area (just wait til you go down there!) And I like that you can go downstairs and find an album (yes, a record ALBUM) and bring it up and the DJ will play it. Very cool. From the people that brought us Untitled, I expected a lot in coming here, given good food, interesting spaces and good service are the norm with this group. After all, Untitled is that place that people line up to get into the speakeasy vibe. And the Brass Monkey has the same potential. This location in the W Loop is just waiting to pop with Google soon to open, a hotel opening next door and the cool venue space that the Brass Monkey shares with Morgan Manufacturing, a huge venue space that it's attached to that takes up the whole block. And the best news? There's a HUGE rooftop with some amazing views of the city (private parties only right now). Pretty impressive. What wasn't impressive was the service or the food on the night we were there. The only guy that seemed to get it right was Tony, the valet who was actually anticipating what we needed and brought the car around unasked. Other than that, it was a disaster. Our server was new to the place but a seasoned server, or so he told us. Then he disappeared and didn't bring us our drinks for 45 minutes. When we went in to see if they just lost our order (we were seated on the small patio out front) the manager came out and said he would get the drinks. When the server came back to get our food order, we still didn't have any drinks. He blamed it on the manager. At this point, given we were sitting in the sun, we didn't care who's fault it was, jut bring us our drinks! As for that food, it was just okay. I had the steak frites, pretty basic but cooked properly, my friend had the mussels, we shared the "Cheese ball" (needed more crackers) and my friends tried to have the Brussels sprouts but they brought asparagus instead and the fish sticks never showed up. The cheeseburger was fine and the tuna salad was okay. Meanwhile, we had no drinks to go with the meal as the server disappeared again. The manager tried to make it right by saying he would comp the drinks, but it was just not to be on this night as we ordered dessert (clearly we are gluttons for punishment) and those never showed up either even after we were given a tour of the entire place and came back. Still no dessert. So we cancelled the dessert given we just had no more time to wait. By this time we had been here for almost 3 hours so we asked for the bill so we could just get on with our night. And the final injustice? The change was wrong but who wanted to wait to make it right? No one. It was worth the $6 just to get out of there. Great potential for this space. But for all this drama on a Saturday night, I doubt I'll be back until they get the bugs worked out. Just hoping it doesn't take so long to fix that it turns into an 80's restaurant!
(2)Monica B.
I came here with very high expectations, anticipating the opening for several months. Walking in, the restaurant is gorgeous. Dim lighting and overall cool vibe. The four of us sat at a high-top and started out with cocktails. I had the old fashioned, followed with a glass of pinot -- both were spot on. The food however, was not. We shared: + the sloppy thirds: group's overall favorite and my first sloppy joe, ever. + crab fondue: tasty but very small portion, served with toasted bread and ritz crackers (really?) - beef tartare: one of my least favorite. it was drenched in mayo and layered with veggies - braised short-rib: extremely tough, chewy and bland. half of this was left uneaten - meatballs: another miss. extremely sweet and meat was very dry - mushroom flatbread pizza: very bland. + side of Mac & cheese: ooey gooey deliciousness. another favorite Overall, I like the vibe of the place and would return for a cocktail at the bar, but Randolph/Fulton Market have a plethora of better restaurants to dine at.
(2)Peter S.
So for our first foray to Brass Monkey we opted for appetizers at the bar. Meat balls, Brussels sprouts and seared tuna. The meat balls were reminiscent of the Swedish meatballs served with toothpicks at all my parents dinner parties but way better. The grapes were a nice touch! Mellody and I love Brussel Sprouts and these did not disappoint! Not too much sauce and just the right amount of seasoning. Definitely recommend you order these regardless. We also shared the seared tuna salad which harkened toward a Waldorf with shaved celery and grapes (there's those grapes again!) and a light dressing. Oh, did I mention the tuna was prepared perfectly? Our dinner was rounded out by some awesome cocktails prepared by our knowledgeable and friendly bartender, Erik. He certainly guided us through our first visit and we hope to be back soon. Cheers
(5)svetlana k.
Decent food, ok service, but the restaurant was pretty dead on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5, 15 min before. For some reason, when the restaurant is kind of empty, its hard to get really excited about it. Maybe it's because of the obscure location or maybe it's because people don't want to eat food inspired by the 70s, but something needs to change here. Although, the decor is fantastic! The food itself was not mind blowing. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and they were very well portioned. We got brussel sprouts, Mac n cheese, grilled calamari, fondue, and a lyonnaise salad. No complains about the food. The drinks here need some work, tried two different ones and they tasted almost identical like sour skittles, super sugary. Even though this was my second time, I don't think I'll be coming back here. There are so many restaurants in Chicago and with new ones opening up constantly. There just isn't anything about this place that begs me to come back. Pass.
(3)Carolyn L.
I came by here last night for some dinner after work because I had heard so many good things about the decor and the 70s/80s kitschy vibe. The space is beautiful. It's large and spacious, perfect for the growing neighborhood. It even has a separate event space for people who want to host weddings, birthdays, etc there. So now to the good stuff. I started with the SoCal 75 cocktail, which was served in a champagne glass. It had Brandy, Drambuie, and Cava and was totally balanced with bitters so it wasn't too sweet. The whole cocktail list looked great to be honest. And thanks to Katie who was practicing the new drinks. She did a great job for her first time making the SoCal 75! For food, I went straight to the main dish of squid ink linguini for $26. I wish I could have seen the 70s menu but I didn't see that until the end of my meal. No big deal though, the squid ink linguini brought me back to Barcelona, Spain. It had a delectable chili saffron cream sauce with scallops, shrimp, crab, and sundried tomatoes. It was a hearty serving and I ate all of it up in between chats with Jackie (another bartender) and Michael (the beverage director who shares a love of Bourbon with me). The bar selection is extensive. They have a lovely wine list from which I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with my pasta dish. Then I saw the 70s menu. Meatballs, TV dinner, fish sticks, pork chop & applesauce! I was told to order the pork chop next time and that's definitely what I'm going to do. I was able to try the pot de creme for dessert. It was a rich smooth custard with that bruleed caramelized top covering some raspberries. And the biscotti served with it was a perfect touch. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Alex K.
Stopped in with the wife on a Friday night. It's a little bit off of Randolph Street so parking wasn't a problem at all. Once inside, I appreiciated the design of the interior. I've never lived in the 70's but I feel like they did a nice job with the edison bulbs and various shades of brown. After seeing the menu I needed to get the TV Dinner. Unfortunately it was kind of a let down. I was thinking it was going to be an upscale grown up version of a tv dinner with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf wasn't bad but everything else just seemed kinda bland and I almost felt like I was eating a real tv dinner. It is served on a cool TV dinner tray with the separate compartments so I don't really regret ordering it. Other than that we also got the fondue, which was pretty neat. If you're really into that retro 70's vibe, I'd check this place out as it was the highlight of our trip. Or you could go just to say you ordered a tv dinner because that's pretty much half the reason I went in the first place. Overall I'd say the food was just ok though.
(3)PJ C.
I wish Yelp had half stars - I'd give this three and a half. 5 stars for a stunningly cool interior, with a 70s feel made contemporary. The menu is interesting and it's solid. I think it's still evolving. I got the TV dinner and it was cool, but a little bland. The execution is a little too literal, visually - the TV dinner plate is lovely, but I'd like to see more of a modern twist. We will be back to try again.
(3)Mark A.
Having a pretty equal distribution of one to five star reviews, I feel I'm pretty qualified to say don't eat here. Even though I was only alive for a few months in the 70s, l believe their interior decorator did a fantastic job in creating an authentic environment. The chairs, the floor, and the tables are what I'd expect to have seen in the 70s. And I appreciate how the menu is slanted to the 70s. Here's the food we had: * Fish sticks: Who wouldn't order fish sticks in a yuppy place like this and expect amazingness? Lately we've given the hipster touch to fried chicken, cupcakes, tamales, and marshmallows...why would we leave out fish sticks? These were decent, but devoid of flavor (or heavily relied upon the sauce with which they are served). * Boar meatballs: I'd say these were the highlight of all food items. They were tasty. * Fondue: It was fondue, and a good thing we ordered it because it worked well to give the fish sticks some flavor. * Duck: We were told this would be medium rare; it was medium at best. Some decent flavor here, and probably the best main course of the meal. By no means, however, would I crave it. * Skirt Steak: Ordered medium rare, came out medium-well. The fries were good, though. Yay for fries and (Heinz) ketchup. Heinz ketchup...really? Come on, no restaurant worth its salt uses industrial ketchup nowadays. It probably was the kind with HFCS but it was in a ramekin so that counts for something, obviously. * Double cheeseburger: In fairness, the patties were thin so to get medium-rare is tough...but it lacked flavor. * Flourless chocolate cake: From what pre-packaged provider did they get this? There was nothing fresh about it, and even worse, the exterior was room temperature at best, but the middle was steaming/scalding hot. To me, that screams...microwave. Yes, microwave! I would never, ever recommend the food here to a friend (or enemy), and it's a shame because I've had some decent meals at Untitled -- the same folks behind Brass Monkey. But when food sucks, I turn to the other menu....cocktails. I really enjoyed my "Tang," and the wine list was thoughtfully assembled. If somebody said, "we're having drinks and meatballs at Brass Monkey, I'd go." If they said, "wanna have dinner at Brass Monkey," I'd turn around and run away as fast as I can.
(2)Amrita G.
We did not get much food as we had another reservation. We got here around 5 pm on a Saturday. It was empty. We got the wild boar meatballs. This was amazing. Not many options to chose from. So next for dessert we got the pineapple upside down cake. This was d r delicious too. However they cold not provide us with a dessert menu and neither get one printed in the time that we were there. I should probably deduct a star for that but I am not as these two dishes were amazing. But like I said not many options to chose from!
(4)Jay J.
Came here on at 7:30 on a Friday night with a couple of friends. Awesome layout but the place was dead and lacking atmosphere. Plus the waitress wasn't exactly eager to serve us, which I don't understand since we were ordering everything on the menu as well as a bunch of drinks. Drinks are great, food is good but nothing to write home about. Sadly I don't think this place will still be open in a year.
(3)Danny W.
You can almost hear horns walking into The Brass Monkey. It's that cool. Beastie Boys cool. Between the munchies section of the menu, the pseudo record store lobby, and the overall interior design I felt like I was straight up in a scene from Boogie Nights. The food totally lives with groovy stuff from the 70's such as Bologna Sliders, Swedish Meatballs, and Fish Styx, but there's also a more modern selection of entrees including French Bread Pizzas, Roasted Chicken, or Steak Frites. I went with a cup of lobster bisque followed by the Squid Ink Linguini and was totally stoked on both the portion size and flavors of both. I love the overall vibe but my favorite feature is the restroom area which has a unisex lobby that indeed does look like Dirk Diggler's about to walk in to shoot a scene. Bright red velvet couches and dim lighting bouncing off the walls give it a esthetic of a 70's porno. It's awesome. I promise. Overall I'm totally sold on this place. It's unique, has great food, and the service was super attentive. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Aaron V.
Mediocre food and cocktails at best. Chicken was dry, fish sticks were overdone, meatballs were ok. Burgers were fine but overpriced. Service was indifferent, unprepared and undertrained. The atmosphere and room were cool. The menu was fun with cool pictures and stories of drugged out rock stars and the music they were playing was great. Not sure that's enough in a city full of really great restaurant/bars.
(2)Kori E.
When you first walk in you definitely notice the cool set up and decor! It had a very nice vibe. We came fro dinner on a Saturday night, and to be honest, it wasnt all that busy? Maybe we were there too early? Anyhow, the food was really good! We started with the meatballs and crab fondue and both were delish. I would have liked a bit more fondue, though, lets be honest. For my main, I ordered the Seared Tuna salad and the veggie cassoulet. I really liked the salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly. They should think about making it bigger and adding it as an entree option! The cassoulet wasnt that good only because I dont like rosemary and it was ALL i could taste. Probably because I dont like rosemary! My boyfriend got the duck and he thought it was really good. Again, a bit of a smaller portion, but he really liked his. Our friends ordered the pork chop and the lobster bisque/mac n cheese. I tasted the Mac and it was good! For dessert, we had the chocolate cake. OMG. Order it. It is sooooo delicious! We also tried the Smores and it was so interesting - they somehow made them taste smoky! All in all, we had a great evening and our waitress was wonderful. I dont know that I would come rushing back here, but it seems like a cool place for a party. Very retro!
(4)Kari O.
This place is awesome. NOTE: 1/2 of the menu is 70's inspired, and 1/2 is more modern... SO, if you ordered the TV dinner and wished it was more modern, then, you shouldn't have ordered the TV dinner! Drinks were pricey, but it's expected in this area. The food was awesome! Starters: Just the tip (delicious asparagus tips) Cheese fondue (with tots) Fish Styx (need I say more?) Entrees: Squid Ink Pasta TV Dinner Desserts: Uhhhh...Not too memorable. I guess. Definitely worth a trip. Awesome vibe, and great for a group.
(4)Kristine C.
It was a girl's night at a new place and we were not disappointed. All eleven of us could not get over the 1970s modern décor and music. They make cinder block and red plush coaches look good. I loved every song they played, although loud, it was so much fun. I want to go back with my long flower dress and sandals and groove the night away. Overall just three stars because of the noise factor, I want to convers with my dinner friends. As noted, the vibe his hip, sceney with 70's retro fun. The space is amazing but line up transportation to and from prior to your visit. It can be hard to find a way outta there. The dining area blends into the bar area. It is intimate and dark but the music is so loud, do not try to have a heart to heart. I left with no voice. The bathroom area downstairs is the best feature. It is a huge communal bathroom setting with individual doors with a red plush oval couch in the middle. Once wall is adorned with 1970s Playboy covers. Their drink menu is a mix of a few interesting beers, wine and some vintage and contemporary mixed drinks. You can take your pick from the 1970's menu or flip it over for a more contemporary menu. Choose between the Cheese Ball or Fish Stix or the Sears Foie Gras. I love the names on the 70's menu (Just the Tip - describing an asparagus dish). Through the eleven of us, we ordered a good amount of the items. The popular choices turned out to be the Roasted Salmon. It looked like a good sized piece of Salmon with a lot of accompaniment. I chose the Mushroom French Bread Pizza. It is great for one person with four large pieces. I changed up the cheese and went with Mozzarella (I cannot do blue or goat). I enjoyed the flavors and essence of truffle oil. I also paired this with a side of the Fried Brussels Sprouts. Beware through, the sides are large portions. I could not finish an entrée and side by myself. We also had a side of Herb Fries and sadly a lot went uneaten. We def. over ordered.
(3)Deb D.
Honestly, some of the best drinks and ambience I've experienced in a long time. And they have the best washrooms in Chicago!
(5)Ellen B.
We just had a wonderful dinner @ The Brass Monkey. Hubby and I were joined be our son, daughter, and their significant others. We began our evening with cocktails at the bar. The bartenders are engaging, knowledgeable, and mix fantastic cocktails. My old fashioned was sublime! We were seated promptly, and had a hard time choosing from the many selections. The menu has two parts; 70's comfort food and gastro pub fare. We started with 2 appetizers, the cheese ball and crab and cheese fondue. Both were delicious; our server cheerfully brought more bread and crackers when asked. Our entrees were delectable. My son's fiancee and I had the braised short ribs with root vegetables, which were fork tender and just perfect! Daughter and hubby had the salmon, which they pronounced as the best! Son and daughter's boyfriend demolished their burger and squid ink pasta. We were so full we reluctantly had to forego dessert. Next time we'll have lighter meals so we can sample from the dessert menu. The service was simply amazing! Our waiter was cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. He made excellent wine pairing suggestions, and always magically appeared when needed. I can't remember ever having better service anywhere. We will definitely be back! p.s. Almost forgot to mention the music, a perfect blend of 70's bands with some Sinatra blended in, perfect!
(5)Michelle S.
Atmosphere was good. Service was just OK. Food was good. We went on a weeknight and it was busy but not filled or packed by any means. It's very loud, even when the restaurant wasn't at capacity. We sat in a booth and couldn't hear a word our waitress said. She seemed soft spoken to begin with, which just isn't great with the acustics. We all liked the food. Nothing memorable, though. Our favorite item was the sides of fries. The TV dinner with Fried Chicken is good but sides are just about as good as they were in an actual TV dinner and chicken was a bit flavorless. The pork was good but fatty. S'mores app was sent back as none of the marshmallows were cooked and no powdered sugar on top (the way it's advertised on their instagram page). I'd go back to sit at the bar for drinks but that's probably it.
(3)Samantha H.
The service here was amazing. The food was average. I have high hopes for this place but none of the food wowed us yet. I hope the flavors will improve with time. The decor is eclectic and funky in a good way. They are paying homage to the 70s and I have to say the 70s side of the menu had nothing that was appealing to us. We stuck with everything on the other side. The wine list was inexpensive and had some great values on there. Michael, the beverage director, was very helpful and knowledgeable. We tried the calamari, foie, and duck. The calamari was my favorite dish. The foie was average. The duck was good but nothing that blew me away. Overall the food was just not that memorable and flavors are what I really look for in my restaurants that I love. The service was enough to make me go back and check it out again though.
(3)Scubi X.
I really liked this place. The music was fantastic, as was the atmosphere. I had the Singapore Swing - yum. I loved the brussel sprouts, frites, and the rest of my party loved the bologna sliders. Our server, Natalie, was lovely. I hated her a little bit at first because she is very attractive, young, clever and has a very sexy voice. It's only natural to have a little distain for those types of people. Fortunately, I got over it, because she was really great. I want to go back. Make sure you request Natalie!
(5)J.D. Y.
Amazing food! Very nice and generous and down to earth staff! Very welcoming and willing to go out of their way to serve you. The manager Michael was great! The guy knows what he was doing. I'll definitely be coming back! 70's theme menu. Got the lobster bisque - not your typical orange cheesy bisque you usually have, this had its own taste, different yet very good!! Entree was Tv Dinner - plating was an actual TV dinner style tray, (not plastic, real plate, but this TV dinner was top notch sophisticated. You actually want to eat all the components in this TV dinner! - Salisbury steak with mushrooms - mashed potatoes - peas - some sort of cream corn? All amazing! Go if you're in town!
(5)Heather B.
To start: Called me the day before to confirm my reservation, plus sent text. Then called day of to make sure they could make sure they understood my special dining need. Excellent customer service and I hadn't gotten there yet. I began with: Tang martini. Sweet but not. Reminder me of a cider but not of apples. Plus it had tang on rim. tang! Then Frois appetizer-- just a bit of heaven in your mouth. I would take a bit. Pause a just close my eyes and enjoy. Ahhhh. Fried escargot-good. A bit strange for those used to more traditional preparations. Glad we tried but probably won't repeat. We split the lobster bisque which was hot and both filled with lobster and the right balance of sherry. Squid ink pasta-- scallops so tender they melted like butter in your mouth, shrimp you could cut with a fork. Wish they had free refills on this dish! My friend ordered the Duck breast. It was a perfect mid rare. My friend said it put her in heaven. For dessert my friend had S'mores and I had the flourless chocolate cake. Both made the end of the meal perfect. The pistaschio gelato with the chocolate cake made me speechless. Michael the beverage manager was so friendly and checked in on us. Amazing customer service. I want more people to experience the derive that he and Daniel the associate/assistant?(sorry Daniel) and their team have put together a well oiled machined. And I can't forget to mention our server Brendan. From the start he was friendly, knowledgeable of the bar menu and able to make great drink recommendations. He new the menu inside and out and was able to answer questions. He even suggested we split the bisque since we were having 2 appetizers. And then at the end he brings the bill and the desserts were comped because we told them we were celebrating our birthdays. Had no idea it was coming. It was a real classy surprise. This is definately a place to check out. For a new restaurant they are acting like old pros. If there are glitches talk tonic heal or Daniel so they can improve. This is a place that needs to stay around!
(5)Sara N.
This place is pretty great. The retro theme is pretty hilarious but definitely stops short of being over the top. The music in particular is great- how often do you hear Barry White in a restaurant? A huge plus of this restaurant is its size- there aren't many places in the West Loop where you could take a huge group of friends, but this place could definitely accommodate a large party. The food is very good; I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. I've probably tried almost everything at this point and everything is definitely solid. My biggest complaint is the service is a bit weird- you definitely don't get the impression that you're being served by waitstaff. For instance, why is everyone in matching t-shirts at a place where the food is $20+ a plate? Additionally, I've had a couple of waiters who didn't seem to fully understand the menu.
(4)Lisa M.
I have to say I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the decor was disappointing and the food was terrible and completely over priced! We ordered a bunch of small plates and one was a delicious dip, but it was served with ritz crackers and cost $14! Geez. The crab fondue was ok, but had no crab meat in it and also expensive. I think if they used better ingredients then it may be worth it, but I can't justify paying this much for ritz crackers..sorry.
(2)Oceans L.
Terrific new place a little out of the way past the main randolph/fulton's market area. TL;DR version, very friendly and assertive staff, The food was spot on, fun ambience. The decor is low key so that you feel comfortable walking in from the Chicago cold in your bundles and layers. But this would definitely be a nice date night restaurant as well. We tried the sloppy joes (lamb), lyonnaise salad, lobster bisque, and creamed corn. I would recommend each of these dishes. Note that the sloppy joes ARE made of lamb and they do taste that way, although not gamey. The Lyonnaise salad with a fried egg was a nice way to do a warm salad. Lobster bisque comes with croissant like pastry puffs on top and balanced out the broth nicely. It was light, with just the right amount of lobster flavor. Creamed corn was excellent. Not too creamy, but with a hint of cheesiness that reminds me of grits, either way, DEFINITELY recommend that as a side. For dessert we tried the pineapple upside down cake, which was DELICIOUS. A moist cake full of coconut that really enhanced the texture. Pineapples tasted fresh and not too overly cooked. A really nice finisher that made you feel content with your meal. For drinks I would say... cherry flavored cocktails tend to taste like robitussin everywhere so i don't fault them on that... Also staff is super super friendly, likely because it IS a new establishment so they are likely on their toes to make sure they can get as much feedback as they can. But our food came out very quickly, and our staff was very attentive to refilling waters and checking in with us.
(5)Ryan C.
This place is almost hidden from your typical West Loop locations. I thought the venue was a well decorated and the menu was interesting but nothing was executed to the point that I would strongly recommend to another person. We did eat early (530ish) so the crowds hadn't shown up yet. I think the place has promise but might need a change in the menu to achieve long term stability as a restaurant.
(3)M G.
I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and had heard a lot of buzz. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails were great, food was good, the place is beautiful. But man is it expensive for what you get! I was not expecting that at all. It's definitely not a come here every weekend kind of place. I'd go broke! I think if I go there again, I would come for a cocktail and the mac and cheese (AMAZING), then go somewhere else for dinner.
(3)Mihir P.
LOVED IT! We came here for drinks last Saturday. The place is in the middle of nowhere on an unlit street in an old building which kind of makes it cool. The place is grand - spacious with high ceilings. Kind of like a large Hubbard Inn. Brass is woven into the decor, but no monkeys :( Good drinks that are moderately priced. The super nice and fun manager sent us some sliders on the house. Bar staff were super nice and friendly asking us about life. Diverse mix of music from classic rock to 80's. I'm afraid though...that now all the D-bags and Lohans will come running here.
(5)Marie L.
Awesome decor, but that was about it. The sliders were ok, the lobster fondu was good, and everything else was subpar. It was dead on a Saturday which is a shame because the place has potential, but they need to work on their food and menu.
(2)Kaya K.
Stopped in here on a Friday night and was shocked to see that the place was not packed! The ambiance is fantastic and looks/feels very warm and charming. Service was great sitting at the bar - thanks to Ben! The brussel sprouts were charred to perfection and had I not been devouring it as soon as it hit the bar, I would have snapped some photos. The spanish calamari was delicious and cannot wait to come back for the tartar! If you are looking for a great place in the West Loop away from all the crowds, get it before everyone catches on!
(5)Gabrielle O.
The Brass Monkey gets me EXCITED. Such good vibes. A great space with cool décor. The menu is SO fun. The 70s theme does not disappoint. Great cocktails! The Chicago River Walk looks like dirty water but tastes much better. The duck was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked at medium rare paired with the perfect sauce and sides. My friend got the salmon which she thoroughly enjoyed. We ended the night with the chocolate cake. I would absolutely recommend it especially for the pistachio ice cream! The service was also exceptional. Everyone was attentive and extremely helpful. It's easy to miss this spot on Morgan, so keep your eyes peeled because it is worth a try or two!
(5)Kait G.
I really like this place! Unique set up with a 70s theme. The menu is also very unique with one side focusing on "70s classics" and one side more upscale food. We tried items from both. The beef tar tar was delicious. We also had a Lyonnaise salad with duck and an egg on top, a brilliant combination. From the 70s menu, we had the cheese fondu that comes with tator tots and hot dogs for dipping. Our combination of food made me giggle but it was all delicious. Drinks a bit expensive but overall good selection! Service on point, will be back.
(4)Jen G.
This restaurant is a bit out of the way, and I'm a New Yorker so if I can't get somewhere easily I'm automatically turned off. However! I stepped in and was in awe of the 70's inspired decor --- as an interior designer who loves food I certainly appreciate all the little details in this restaurant! My party and I shared a few appetizers: grilled calamari and cheese spread...and some sides -- brussel sprouts, mac and cheese. Our entrees were also quite good and filling: steak frites, amish chicken, and porkchop dish. The food was worth the trek!
(5)Shannon S.
Brought my parents here, and they thought the place was great and unique. Very interesting menu. Tang drink was good and liked that it wasn't as sweet as one would think. Got the spanish calamari and the baloney sandwiches as an app and they were both wonderful. The squid Ink pasta was great! def recommend it and i would come back to order that again! my mom loved her salmon, and my dad got the short ribs.
(4)John W.
Fantastic, really a cool place that I will definitely be back for round two. The service was spot on and our server Sarud was amazing, along with his suggestions which were perfect. Just a side note the portions are quite large for what most of Chicago farm to table serves, so definitely able to share. For libations we ordered the the old fashion and a Tom Collins which were as just what one would expect, strong but not ridiculous boozy. For starters we got the Swedish Meatballs which were so good served in what seemed like a pork/beef lingonberry berry reduction sauce which I could have had literally ate by the spoon alone! Salad course was baby spinach with beets that was spot on. Not over dressed and perfectly sized pieces of the beets with cheese that did not over power the whole salad. For the main course the Duck breast over creamy polenta was (cue Homer Simpson) Mmmmmmm mouth watering good. Perfectly seasoned cooked to a perfect medium rare. As I am righting this I am thinking about going to get another plate of this. Sides: The brussel sprouts were good, I am not to sure how to rate sprouts as most are roasted and its about as difficult to judge as long as they are not a complete disaster. The Fries were so good and the dipping sauce was again I feel like I am on a broken record here but super tasty. The Mac and Cheese well my friends if you love super creamy packed full of cheesy goodness than this is the place for you. I could see my self gaining at least 10 pounds next winter eating this alone. Now my favorite part of every meal is the Dessert: A Pineapple Cake! Yes Yes YES. Again so good, and with the ice cream portion added on its just so good. I can not really stress how large the portions are because we were two people and we still had a bag of leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day! So either we eat like birds or this place actually gives normal portions which we have not been accustomed to in chicago in a long time. Overall the atmosphere is quite 70's but with a twist on a bit of modernism. It is a huge space and they have even more space for events, and weddings. I thought the music was good spanning mostly 70's rock and disco to early 80's classics. In summary I am as they say excited to go back and would definitely recommend.
(5)Michaela D.
Great decor, cozy booths, and friendly service! The food was amazing. My favorite was the TV Dinner - mashed potatoes, peas, creamed corn and meatloaf in a plate shaped like a real TV dinner. SO delicious and such a fun concept. Everything else we had - brussel sprouts, macaroni, desserts - were great too.
(5)Jennie T.
This place was good but not great. I had the whitefish which was okay but pretty salty. The best thing on the plate was the polenta. The rest of my dinner party also commented that their dishes were too salty. Fish sticks seemed like a cool idea but just wasn't executed well. Some things we ordered were excellent - lobster artichoke dip and the bananas foster pudding. My cocktail was great too, made with actual tang. The decor and atmosphere was real cool; they played some great music too.
(3)A. M.
Beautiful space with great lighting but food was underwhelming. We were excited to come to try 70s munchies, but left disappointed. The cheese ball was average but the meatballs very dry and cheese fondue with hot dog and tater tots very sad. It came with a white lukewarm hot dog and a handful of tots. Also, our burger was very dry and flavorless. Overall, a poor showing. Maybe recommend for drinks but won't be back any time soon.
(2)Tommie S.
Before going to this restaurant, I read all the reviews. The reviews seemed accurate based on my experience, but I must say the customer service and attentiveness of the manager was outstanding. He made all the difference in my experience. I ordered the bologna sliders, seafood pasta primavera, old fashioned, and tang per the reviews. Everything was as expected, even the great flavor of the pasta dish and the fact that the pasta stuck together. However, we requested a liqueur that the bar did not carry (Understandable. Who was drinking Midori in the 70's?). Nonetheless, the bartender visited our table and tried to create a drink to make up for it. His efforts were appreciated. He even personally delivered the drink. Also, they were out of hamburgers for a member in our party. The manager tried to do everything to accommodate the member of our party. He tried to troubleshoot, suggest other options, and make sure that the member of our party got plenty of fries, since fries became the entree for that person. The manager checked on the patrons as expected, and his attentativeness with the positive sense of humor made this an enjoyable experience. Hopefully business will pick up, but I appreciated the lack of a crowd. The attention from the staff and the ambiance made us have a nice outing. By the end of the night, it didn't even matter that they ran out of burgers. I will be back. My food, drinks, and overall experience were good.
(4)Matthew E.
The food is excellent, but and its a huge BUT the service is beyond creepy. Our waiter, Curtis stopped by every 45 seconds to check on us and asking the women with me awkward questions. We asked him to let us eat and he replied that "I'm not allowed too". After that we ate our dinner quickly. We were subsequently yelled at for getting our menus dirty (you can laminate them). He stopped by still every 1.5 minutes after the talk and it was still beyond creepy. I will never go back, mainly because I don't want to harassed every 5 seconds when I'm trying to enjoy my night out.
(1)Andrew P.
The food was delicious. If you like fish, the Waldorf appetizer is a must - ahi tuna cooked to perfection. Service was a bit slow - not sure if it's because the place is new and they're trying to figure out their groove, but we waited about 8 minutes before a server came to our table.
(4)Fernando M.
Blast from the past. Your ears will be spoiled by 70s music while you feast on simple foods with a gourmet flair. The Steak Friettes is amazing. Take the chef suggestion on medium-well you won't be disappointed. The ambiance spacious, dimly lit, and industrial sheik. Cool place for drinks or for a classy dinner date. One the coolest places to be any night of the week in Chicago.
(5)K N.
Great restaurant! We started with the lobster bisque (not very creamy) and the bologna sliders...AMAZING! Then for entrees we had the amish chicken and duck...both VERY tasty in amazing sauces. We split the s'mores dessert to end our meal. Overall, the service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were top notch. We will definitely be back.
(5)Jaime E.
Great ambiance. Great music. Great food.
(5)Sanjiv G.
I understand that this place just opened. But have a hard time getting past a couple of things. 1. When we checked in for our 9 pm reservation at 8:50, the hostess indicated that she had no idea when our table would be ready and chastised us for arriving early 2. After heading to the bar to wait for our table; we sat, on stools, at the bar for 15 minutes with no bartender even stopping off to ask for our drink order. Only after alerting the manager did a bartender come by to take our order 3. 40 minutes after our reservation and noting that there were 4 open tables on the floor, we were offered a table right in front of the door. When we rejected that table, magically a better table appeared. Needless to say, we left at that point, so can't comment on the food, which looked good. I'll be back in two months after they sort out the front of the house issues.
(2)Sarah P.
My new favorite spot! Went there on a Thursday night-great atmosphere, service, and food. Can not wait to go back!
(5)Christopher A.
Fantastic restaurant with an excellent vibe and incredibly good food. The seared Fois Gras was superb and our two main courses (short rib and duck breast) were incredible. Bill was reasonable ($200 for two including tax and tip did include a bottle of wine and cocktails). Definitely recommend.
(5)Elizabeth T.
The brass monkey opened about a week ago...you would think there would be flaws in service or food the first week, NONE! We sat at the bar and had a great experience from the start. Pretty much everything on the menu looked delicious but we went with the steak tartar and lentil salad to start. Both dishes were simple but with a twist. Delicious. We had the truffle pizza which was unbelievable. And the Amish chicken. We were so full but wanted more. The manager Michael came over, introduced himself, and asked if we needed anything. It was the perfect end to a great evening. We will for sure be back and so glad this addition has come to the neighborhood.
(5)Brandy C.
The design/atmosphere and the employees were pretty Top Notch. The food was pretty good overall. I'd touch up the mash and the creamed corn for a bit more fun on the "TV Dinner"- they were a bit too close to a real TV dinner. However, everything else we had was quite enjoyable. Would recommend the Octopus in a heartbeat and my husband definitely enjoyed his Duck. For the price point, unfortunately, I have a few other spots that meet the same quality at a lower price and in the area. I'd go back for a drink and an app possibly, but not for a full dinner.
(3)Laura R.
I like this place a lot. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because I didn't get to try a ton of the menu (so not their fault) but it was soo loud. We went here to catch up with some friends and we had trouble talking over the loud music. Loved the ambiance. 70s but not over the top. Large enough to have room to wait at the bar for your table and not be cramped. My husband and I split the truffle mushroom pizza, which was wonderful. Our friends got the fish sticks and some salad (sorry I don't recall) but both really like it. Drinks wise, besides one Tang- which was tasty- we stuck to wine. No complaints. I look forward to going back and trying more things.
(4)Fuudcritic C.
About time! This was awesome. Love the 70's decor! Service was outstanding and our server Maxwell (?) was outstanding. Food was good. The only thing I must say, out of all the food we ordered (which was about 7-8 items) the cheeseball was the least favorite. It was a little jelly/rubber like and borderline not spreadable. And I didn't get the 2 types of bread/cracker. Wish there was only and more ritz crackers. Something I did take away from my experience....two words... TV DINNER!!! OMG!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
(5)D H.
Great atmosphere with really helpful and friendly staff! There had to be 2 support staff for every waiter / waitress. Amazing long comfortable bar, 70's style decor. We had the cheese ball with "fancy" Ritz crackers and the fish Styx to start. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fresh. We split the steak frites and got sides of creamed corn and Brussel sprouts - all the food was delicious! The wine list could use a little work and is on the high side... A bottle of Whispering Angel Rose' lists for $60 and retails around $15. Stick with the cocktails. I'd definitely go back!
(4)Lisa A.
Went for drinks after dinner. Place was almost empty on a Friday night at 10:30! The space is amazing and in a funky area. But it's gearded towards a different crowd. The music is horrendous. This isn't Boca Raton FL for the retiree crowd. It's downtown Chicago. They seriously need to figure it out and find an identity.
(2)Seth G.
This should really be a 3 1/2 but that is not an option. The drinks were delicious and the decor is very cool. We had the Sloppy Thirds as an appetizer which were fine just fine. I had the duck breast which was delicious - moist and flavorful. My girlfriend had the steak frites and the steak was nearly inedible. It was extremely tough and fairly bland. Our server wasn't great but you could tell he was new. The restaurant has not been open for very long so that is to be expected. I would go back if we were in the area, but based on where it is located it is not a place that we would just stumble upon.
(3)mark j.
Loved the good and the service was pretty good, really cool 70's vibe. Would come back here again for sure
(5)Jordan L.
So i went in here about a week ago to look in to having an event at this new trendy place. I went in to talk with Nicole the Manager and had a sit down with what they offer for large parties for events etc. I expressed that i will be having 40-50 people attending my party and thought this could be a fun new experience for all. Nicole told me , "we do these types of parties all the time." She made my fiance and I feel very comfortable and we trusted her after sitting with her to discuss our event. I asked if we can have a section near the bar so that my 40-50 guests would not have any trouble getting drinks as that was my main concern. She said that they can not guarantee that the will have enough space near the bar for my party because its a Friday night and the bar area will be packed. So she persuaded me in to renting out their private room which holds up to 60 people but is no where near the bar. Mind you this place only has one bar. I voiced my concern about having my party in this private room and being so far from the bar area, so she said they will have 2 servers assigned to our room that will take orders and go back and forth making sure our room isnt waiting around for drinks or having to leave the room and go the bar.... So we trusted Nicole and agreed to do it. Friday night rolls around and my guests start wandering in. The private room is right when you walk in before the bar to the left so it is very hard to miss. After an hour or so roughly 20 guests arrive and I had to go up to Nicole and tell her after 1 hr that not even half my guests have arrived and i've already had several guests ask if they are supposed to get drinks from the bar themselves since the service is terrible. Nicole then said i'll get you another server. While all this is going on, the bar has maybe 10 people on a friday night. Remember Nicole insisted i rent out this room because its a Friday night and they need space for people at the bar. The place was dead. 10 people at the bar while i have 40-50 guests stuck in this private room with 2 now 3 servers who have to take a 1/2 mile walk to go to the bar to fetch our drinks. The servers were terrible too, I had 2 of my guests tell me that earlier in the night they went to the bar to purchase a Cocktail for $7, then they ordered the same drink from one of our personal servers and the servers said that'll be $11, my friend said excuse me? I just paid $7 at the bar, the server then said, okay i'll make you a deal give me $9. My friend laughed came up to me wished me congrats and said I'm leaving this place is a joke. This happened with two of my guests. Throughout the night friends kept coming up to me asking how to order drinks... i said unfortunately the service here is horrible, if you see a server, just order a drink. Odds are you'll have to find one , they wont come up to you. That's all i could say... The drinks weren't made correctly, POOR MANAGEMENT and POOR SERVICE to say the least. Then after the event was over, i got the bill and there were drinks on the bill that we never ordered. Place is a joke, Several other fun trendy places to go. I will never go back there and nor will my friends. We all witnessed first hand how terrible this experience was. STAY AWAY
(1)Stephanie L.
Solid 3.5...alas no halfsies on yelp. Easy opentable reservo. Love Decor is fantastic. Love Menus are so cool-retro 70's. Julia Childs!! Love. Service was actually really great. Personable but not fake. Love. But occasionally lost our server to a large table. The food was where I was lost. It just didn't do it for me. Server was basically orgasming over the rabbit special. It was like a late night bad decision for me...did nothing for me & regretted it for the next hour. ;) Mussels were just ok. Pretty average and definitely had better. Beef tartare was too chunky...I like smooth tartare. This was hunks of it...I wasn't a fan. Brussels were decent. Perfect char TV dinner. Filet was good, the sides were mediocre. Sliders were my favorite. The desserts were average. Overall, I really did like it. I just feel like they need to step it up with the food flavors and they'll be good.
(3)D F.
Service was awful. Food is average and frankly for how much creativity they claim to want to embrace in the theme it's pretty average. Busser service swarms you before your table is ready to clear, and ignored the fact that the bar table we were sat at was wobbling and unstable. Sitting at a bar table with a reservation was also unacceptable. Hostess staff look confused and disinterested.
(2)Monica B.
I came here with very high expectations, anticipating the opening for several months. Walking in, the restaurant is gorgeous. Dim lighting and overall cool vibe. The four of us sat at a high-top and started out with cocktails. I had the old fashioned, followed with a glass of pinot -- both were spot on. The food however, was not. We shared: + the sloppy thirds: group's overall favorite and my first sloppy joe, ever. + crab fondue: tasty but very small portion, served with toasted bread and ritz crackers (really?) - beef tartare: one of my least favorite. it was drenched in mayo and layered with veggies - braised short-rib: extremely tough, chewy and bland. half of this was left uneaten - meatballs: another miss. extremely sweet and meat was very dry - mushroom flatbread pizza: very bland. + side of Mac & cheese: ooey gooey deliciousness. another favorite Overall, I like the vibe of the place and would return for a cocktail at the bar, but Randolph/Fulton Market have a plethora of better restaurants to dine at.
(2)Peter S.
So for our first foray to Brass Monkey we opted for appetizers at the bar. Meat balls, Brussels sprouts and seared tuna. The meat balls were reminiscent of the Swedish meatballs served with toothpicks at all my parents dinner parties but way better. The grapes were a nice touch! Mellody and I love Brussel Sprouts and these did not disappoint! Not too much sauce and just the right amount of seasoning. Definitely recommend you order these regardless. We also shared the seared tuna salad which harkened toward a Waldorf with shaved celery and grapes (there's those grapes again!) and a light dressing. Oh, did I mention the tuna was prepared perfectly? Our dinner was rounded out by some awesome cocktails prepared by our knowledgeable and friendly bartender, Erik. He certainly guided us through our first visit and we hope to be back soon. Cheers
(5)Carolyn L.
I came by here last night for some dinner after work because I had heard so many good things about the decor and the 70s/80s kitschy vibe. The space is beautiful. It's large and spacious, perfect for the growing neighborhood. It even has a separate event space for people who want to host weddings, birthdays, etc there. So now to the good stuff. I started with the SoCal 75 cocktail, which was served in a champagne glass. It had Brandy, Drambuie, and Cava and was totally balanced with bitters so it wasn't too sweet. The whole cocktail list looked great to be honest. And thanks to Katie who was practicing the new drinks. She did a great job for her first time making the SoCal 75! For food, I went straight to the main dish of squid ink linguini for $26. I wish I could have seen the 70s menu but I didn't see that until the end of my meal. No big deal though, the squid ink linguini brought me back to Barcelona, Spain. It had a delectable chili saffron cream sauce with scallops, shrimp, crab, and sundried tomatoes. It was a hearty serving and I ate all of it up in between chats with Jackie (another bartender) and Michael (the beverage director who shares a love of Bourbon with me). The bar selection is extensive. They have a lovely wine list from which I ordered a Cabernet Sauvignon to pair with my pasta dish. Then I saw the 70s menu. Meatballs, TV dinner, fish sticks, pork chop & applesauce! I was told to order the pork chop next time and that's definitely what I'm going to do. I was able to try the pot de creme for dessert. It was a rich smooth custard with that bruleed caramelized top covering some raspberries. And the biscotti served with it was a perfect touch. Everything was delicious. I can't wait to go back!
(5)Carol K.
Ah, the 70's. The era that brought us disco, bell bottoms, platform shoes and some really crazy food that carried over from the 50's and the 60's also brought some really interesting designs many of which you can see at the Brass Monkey like mirrored ceilings, an interesting use of metals and a really campy bathroom waiting area (just wait til you go down there!) And I like that you can go downstairs and find an album (yes, a record ALBUM) and bring it up and the DJ will play it. Very cool. From the people that brought us Untitled, I expected a lot in coming here, given good food, interesting spaces and good service are the norm with this group. After all, Untitled is that place that people line up to get into the speakeasy vibe. And the Brass Monkey has the same potential. This location in the W Loop is just waiting to pop with Google soon to open, a hotel opening next door and the cool venue space that the Brass Monkey shares with Morgan Manufacturing, a huge venue space that it's attached to that takes up the whole block. And the best news? There's a HUGE rooftop with some amazing views of the city (private parties only right now). Pretty impressive. What wasn't impressive was the service or the food on the night we were there. The only guy that seemed to get it right was Tony, the valet who was actually anticipating what we needed and brought the car around unasked. Other than that, it was a disaster. Our server was new to the place but a seasoned server, or so he told us. Then he disappeared and didn't bring us our drinks for 45 minutes. When we went in to see if they just lost our order (we were seated on the small patio out front) the manager came out and said he would get the drinks. When the server came back to get our food order, we still didn't have any drinks. He blamed it on the manager. At this point, given we were sitting in the sun, we didn't care who's fault it was, jut bring us our drinks! As for that food, it was just okay. I had the steak frites, pretty basic but cooked properly, my friend had the mussels, we shared the "Cheese ball" (needed more crackers) and my friends tried to have the Brussels sprouts but they brought asparagus instead and the fish sticks never showed up. The cheeseburger was fine and the tuna salad was okay. Meanwhile, we had no drinks to go with the meal as the server disappeared again. The manager tried to make it right by saying he would comp the drinks, but it was just not to be on this night as we ordered dessert (clearly we are gluttons for punishment) and those never showed up either even after we were given a tour of the entire place and came back. Still no dessert. So we cancelled the dessert given we just had no more time to wait. By this time we had been here for almost 3 hours so we asked for the bill so we could just get on with our night. And the final injustice? The change was wrong but who wanted to wait to make it right? No one. It was worth the $6 just to get out of there. Great potential for this space. But for all this drama on a Saturday night, I doubt I'll be back until they get the bugs worked out. Just hoping it doesn't take so long to fix that it turns into an 80's restaurant!
(2)svetlana k.
Decent food, ok service, but the restaurant was pretty dead on a Friday night. I made a reservation for 5, 15 min before. For some reason, when the restaurant is kind of empty, its hard to get really excited about it. Maybe it's because of the obscure location or maybe it's because people don't want to eat food inspired by the 70s, but something needs to change here. Although, the decor is fantastic! The food itself was not mind blowing. We ordered a bunch of appetizers and they were very well portioned. We got brussel sprouts, Mac n cheese, grilled calamari, fondue, and a lyonnaise salad. No complains about the food. The drinks here need some work, tried two different ones and they tasted almost identical like sour skittles, super sugary. Even though this was my second time, I don't think I'll be coming back here. There are so many restaurants in Chicago and with new ones opening up constantly. There just isn't anything about this place that begs me to come back. Pass.
(3)Mihir P.
LOVED IT! We came here for drinks last Saturday. The place is in the middle of nowhere on an unlit street in an old building which kind of makes it cool. The place is grand - spacious with high ceilings. Kind of like a large Hubbard Inn. Brass is woven into the decor, but no monkeys :( Good drinks that are moderately priced. The super nice and fun manager sent us some sliders on the house. Bar staff were super nice and friendly asking us about life. Diverse mix of music from classic rock to 80's. I'm afraid though...that now all the D-bags and Lohans will come running here.
(5)Marie L.
Awesome decor, but that was about it. The sliders were ok, the lobster fondu was good, and everything else was subpar. It was dead on a Saturday which is a shame because the place has potential, but they need to work on their food and menu.
(2)Taylor M.
Incredible food, incredible service. We had the Brussel sprouts, creamed corn, Mac and cheese, chicken and cheese ball - all of which were amazing and delicious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and friendly. I will definitely be coming back! So excited to see a new restaurant in the area and happy to be eating here before everyone finds out about this gem!
(5)Caryn K.
The service was great!! Super cute idea with the 70s theme! It wasn't too cheesy or weird. Can't wait to try the TV dinner Tuesdays! The drinks are strong, but tasty. The food was surprisingly good too! I recommend the Brussel sprouts and the crab cheese fondue!
(5)Kaya K.
Stopped in here on a Friday night and was shocked to see that the place was not packed! The ambiance is fantastic and looks/feels very warm and charming. Service was great sitting at the bar - thanks to Ben! The brussel sprouts were charred to perfection and had I not been devouring it as soon as it hit the bar, I would have snapped some photos. The spanish calamari was delicious and cannot wait to come back for the tartar! If you are looking for a great place in the West Loop away from all the crowds, get it before everyone catches on!
(5)Teri Y.
So, this is how I feel. If a restaurant is out of the way with nothing else around it, which means that people need to make an extra effort to get there, the food had better be the best (or one the best) within the 4-5 block radius. This is how you set yourself up to be outstanding. If the location is out of the way, but there's amazing food, people will come and return again. Brass Monkey is still in the Fulton Market area but out of the way from the main area with nothing else around, however, the food was not greatly impressive. We tried the beef carpaccio, tuna waldorf, grilled calamari, meatballs, fettucine, and arctic char. The standouts among these items were the calamari and arctic char. Even so, they were great, but did not wow. So let down by the fettuccine - many of the noodle strands were stuck together. Boo hoo. And the taste was bland. My old fashioned was good so I'll give them points here.
(3)Kan C.
Upon walking in, you will notice that it's wide open with great decor and a nice, long bar. They definitely took their time to curate the interior. A group of 3 of us dined here and we all had drinks to start. We ordered a round of Old Fashioneds which were terrific - in fact, we each had 2 more bc they were that good. For apps, we ordered the Foie Gras Three Ways, Beef Tartare and the Lobster Bisque. A nice variety and all were excellent. The Foie was nice to try 3 different ways to see how one ingredient can be so versatile. For our entrees, we ordered the Pork Chop and Apple Sauce, TV Dinner (why not?), and Short Rib. By far, the best Pork Chops I have ever had. Very juicy and you can taste the brine. We ordered he TV Dinner as more of a novelty, but it was no doubt the best TV Dinner you will ever try - in fact, one of the best entrees you will enjoy. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the Creme Brulee, and a 70's classic: the Jello. Again, three distinctively different desserts and all executed brilliantly. A well-rounded meal with great vibes and an excellent staff. The service is very attentive and from host to server, everyone was very nice which made for a pleasant experience. Will definitely go back to try more dishes.
(5)Michael S.
This was a disappointing experience. The food was at best a two star. The service was a 4 star as they were friendly and attentive. They told us we could make a request of the DJ for songs from the 70s. I went up to make a request and was told in no uncertain terms that there were to many request and not to bother to ask. Another strike. The prices were reasonable but I will not be making a return trip
(3)Karma K.
I really, really like this new place. Cool space and I adore the menu. I ordered a cheese ball with Ritz crackers. Yep, I had my Carol Brady going on! OMG, so good and unexpected. Their fish styx were also delish. The panko breading combined with super fresh fish was a nice treat for Lent. I was shocked to not see a wedge salad on the menu but the fried bolonga sliders more than made up for that oversight! We are fans and will be back. This is a great addition to the West Loop neighborhood.
(5)Jeremy D.
Personable staff, tasty home style 70s inspired foods and a groovy interior that sets the mood for an enjoyable night! Order the meatloaf, which is made of premium meats! Delicious! The squid ink pasta is tasty!
(5)Jacob B.
Serious flaws in execution ruin an interesting concept and enticing menu. My significant other and I tried out The Brass Monkey early on a Saturday evening, in hopes of expanding our restaurant list. Here's my thoughts on the features of this new West Loop restaurant. 1) The space: unique and inviting, although the music was a tad loud at times and it appeared the DJ was schizophrenic, since he or she kept changing songs (and volume levels) midstream. 2) The service: As noted in earlier reviews, our waiter (Curtis) was intense. While I appreciate the attention, sometimes less is more. 3) The food: This is where there's serious flaws. I ordered the TV Dinner, which was actually kind of cool and well executed (although for an expensive price). My significant other ordered the Braised Short Rib. Honestly, they should rename this dish Pot Roast, because it definitely does NOT remind me of a short rib. We also ordered The Sloppy Joe Sliders and Swedish Meatballs. The Sliders were pretty good, but I'd skip the Meatballs. Finally, dessert. We ordered the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a dish so bad I almost cried. The pineapple was bland and could benefit from some caramelization, and the shredded coconut contributed to a chewy texture. The store-bought ice cream on top of the cake was depressing. Curtis mentioned the chef had recently retooled the recipe, and I'd say more retooling is necessary. 4) The drinks: The only redeeming feature of our experience. I enjoyed the Tang and the Chicago River Water was a cool twist on The Aviator. It's obvious to say this restaurant did not make our list. Considering all the other options in the West Loop area, there need to be significant changes to bring this restaurant up to the bar of other nearby establishments.
(2)Tracy L.
Run, don't walk away from this restaurant. The room is beautifully done with colors and shapes from the 60's and 70's. It's lovely to see this old abandoned building rehabbed and repurposed. But the food was horrible. Good lord. We were at first charmed by the idea of "70's Comfort Food" appetizers- we ordered the Seven Layer Dip and the Cheese Ball. The Seven Layer dip was a mess of cold pureed black beans and soggy tomatoes served in a Pyrex prep bowl. There was neither salt nor any kind of discernible seasoning. The top had a smudge of sour cream. The chips were decent- at least they were properly salted. The Cheese Ball was a mealy and indistinct orange mass half covered in soggy almond slices. It was served with six actual Ritz crackers, some flavorless bread that was grilled without butter or olive oil and a side of mildly spicy but way-too-sweet tomato sauce. Needless to say we did not stay for dinner. Inexplicable to spend so much money on decor and so little on a competent kitchen. With so much competition from actually good restaurants just blocks away, this place will be closed before the end of the year.
(1)Tracy P.
This restaurant was amazing from the beginning to the end! The evening began with a Singapore Swing, which was delicious, then I ordered the Fried Escargot, the Lobster Bisque, the Seared Duck Breast and finished with a S'more. The food was, well, I have no words...I can say the food was absolutely amazing and the service was absolutely first class!!! Our waiter Brandon was very attentive, helpful and friendly and the Beverage Manager Michael was also very attentive. I can't wait to come back and will definitely recommend Brass Monkey to everyone!
(5)Michael S.
This was a disappointing experience. The food was at best a two star. The service was a 4 star as they were friendly and attentive. They told us we could make a request of the DJ for songs from the 70s. I went up to make a request and was told in no uncertain terms that there were to many request and not to bother to ask. Another strike. The prices were reasonable but I will not be making a return trip
(3)Karma K.
I really, really like this new place. Cool space and I adore the menu. I ordered a cheese ball with Ritz crackers. Yep, I had my Carol Brady going on! OMG, so good and unexpected. Their fish styx were also delish. The panko breading combined with super fresh fish was a nice treat for Lent. I was shocked to not see a wedge salad on the menu but the fried bolonga sliders more than made up for that oversight! We are fans and will be back. This is a great addition to the West Loop neighborhood.
(5)Shannon S.
Brought my parents here, and they thought the place was great and unique. Very interesting menu. Tang drink was good and liked that it wasn't as sweet as one would think. Got the spanish calamari and the baloney sandwiches as an app and they were both wonderful. The squid Ink pasta was great! def recommend it and i would come back to order that again! my mom loved her salmon, and my dad got the short ribs.
(4)Sanjiv G.
I understand that this place just opened. But have a hard time getting past a couple of things. 1. When we checked in for our 9 pm reservation at 8:50, the hostess indicated that she had no idea when our table would be ready and chastised us for arriving early 2. After heading to the bar to wait for our table; we sat, on stools, at the bar for 15 minutes with no bartender even stopping off to ask for our drink order. Only after alerting the manager did a bartender come by to take our order 3. 40 minutes after our reservation and noting that there were 4 open tables on the floor, we were offered a table right in front of the door. When we rejected that table, magically a better table appeared. Needless to say, we left at that point, so can't comment on the food, which looked good. I'll be back in two months after they sort out the front of the house issues.
(2)Gabrielle O.
The Brass Monkey gets me EXCITED. Such good vibes. A great space with cool décor. The menu is SO fun. The 70s theme does not disappoint. Great cocktails! The Chicago River Walk looks like dirty water but tastes much better. The duck was absolutely delicious, perfectly cooked at medium rare paired with the perfect sauce and sides. My friend got the salmon which she thoroughly enjoyed. We ended the night with the chocolate cake. I would absolutely recommend it especially for the pistachio ice cream! The service was also exceptional. Everyone was attentive and extremely helpful. It's easy to miss this spot on Morgan, so keep your eyes peeled because it is worth a try or two!
(5)Kait G.
I really like this place! Unique set up with a 70s theme. The menu is also very unique with one side focusing on "70s classics" and one side more upscale food. We tried items from both. The beef tar tar was delicious. We also had a Lyonnaise salad with duck and an egg on top, a brilliant combination. From the 70s menu, we had the cheese fondu that comes with tator tots and hot dogs for dipping. Our combination of food made me giggle but it was all delicious. Drinks a bit expensive but overall good selection! Service on point, will be back.
(4)Jen G.
This restaurant is a bit out of the way, and I'm a New Yorker so if I can't get somewhere easily I'm automatically turned off. However! I stepped in and was in awe of the 70's inspired decor --- as an interior designer who loves food I certainly appreciate all the little details in this restaurant! My party and I shared a few appetizers: grilled calamari and cheese spread...and some sides -- brussel sprouts, mac and cheese. Our entrees were also quite good and filling: steak frites, amish chicken, and porkchop dish. The food was worth the trek!
(5)Jacob B.
Serious flaws in execution ruin an interesting concept and enticing menu. My significant other and I tried out The Brass Monkey early on a Saturday evening, in hopes of expanding our restaurant list. Here's my thoughts on the features of this new West Loop restaurant. 1) The space: unique and inviting, although the music was a tad loud at times and it appeared the DJ was schizophrenic, since he or she kept changing songs (and volume levels) midstream. 2) The service: As noted in earlier reviews, our waiter (Curtis) was intense. While I appreciate the attention, sometimes less is more. 3) The food: This is where there's serious flaws. I ordered the TV Dinner, which was actually kind of cool and well executed (although for an expensive price). My significant other ordered the Braised Short Rib. Honestly, they should rename this dish Pot Roast, because it definitely does NOT remind me of a short rib. We also ordered The Sloppy Joe Sliders and Swedish Meatballs. The Sliders were pretty good, but I'd skip the Meatballs. Finally, dessert. We ordered the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, a dish so bad I almost cried. The pineapple was bland and could benefit from some caramelization, and the shredded coconut contributed to a chewy texture. The store-bought ice cream on top of the cake was depressing. Curtis mentioned the chef had recently retooled the recipe, and I'd say more retooling is necessary. 4) The drinks: The only redeeming feature of our experience. I enjoyed the Tang and the Chicago River Water was a cool twist on The Aviator. It's obvious to say this restaurant did not make our list. Considering all the other options in the West Loop area, there need to be significant changes to bring this restaurant up to the bar of other nearby establishments.
(2)Tracy L.
Run, don't walk away from this restaurant. The room is beautifully done with colors and shapes from the 60's and 70's. It's lovely to see this old abandoned building rehabbed and repurposed. But the food was horrible. Good lord. We were at first charmed by the idea of "70's Comfort Food" appetizers- we ordered the Seven Layer Dip and the Cheese Ball. The Seven Layer dip was a mess of cold pureed black beans and soggy tomatoes served in a Pyrex prep bowl. There was neither salt nor any kind of discernible seasoning. The top had a smudge of sour cream. The chips were decent- at least they were properly salted. The Cheese Ball was a mealy and indistinct orange mass half covered in soggy almond slices. It was served with six actual Ritz crackers, some flavorless bread that was grilled without butter or olive oil and a side of mildly spicy but way-too-sweet tomato sauce. Needless to say we did not stay for dinner. Inexplicable to spend so much money on decor and so little on a competent kitchen. With so much competition from actually good restaurants just blocks away, this place will be closed before the end of the year.
(1)Tracy P.
This restaurant was amazing from the beginning to the end! The evening began with a Singapore Swing, which was delicious, then I ordered the Fried Escargot, the Lobster Bisque, the Seared Duck Breast and finished with a S'more. The food was, well, I have no words...I can say the food was absolutely amazing and the service was absolutely first class!!! Our waiter Brandon was very attentive, helpful and friendly and the Beverage Manager Michael was also very attentive. I can't wait to come back and will definitely recommend Brass Monkey to everyone!
(5)John W.
Fantastic, really a cool place that I will definitely be back for round two. The service was spot on and our server Sarud was amazing, along with his suggestions which were perfect. Just a side note the portions are quite large for what most of Chicago farm to table serves, so definitely able to share. For libations we ordered the the old fashion and a Tom Collins which were as just what one would expect, strong but not ridiculous boozy. For starters we got the Swedish Meatballs which were so good served in what seemed like a pork/beef lingonberry berry reduction sauce which I could have had literally ate by the spoon alone! Salad course was baby spinach with beets that was spot on. Not over dressed and perfectly sized pieces of the beets with cheese that did not over power the whole salad. For the main course the Duck breast over creamy polenta was (cue Homer Simpson) Mmmmmmm mouth watering good. Perfectly seasoned cooked to a perfect medium rare. As I am righting this I am thinking about going to get another plate of this. Sides: The brussel sprouts were good, I am not to sure how to rate sprouts as most are roasted and its about as difficult to judge as long as they are not a complete disaster. The Fries were so good and the dipping sauce was again I feel like I am on a broken record here but super tasty. The Mac and Cheese well my friends if you love super creamy packed full of cheesy goodness than this is the place for you. I could see my self gaining at least 10 pounds next winter eating this alone. Now my favorite part of every meal is the Dessert: A Pineapple Cake! Yes Yes YES. Again so good, and with the ice cream portion added on its just so good. I can not really stress how large the portions are because we were two people and we still had a bag of leftovers to take home and have for lunch the next day! So either we eat like birds or this place actually gives normal portions which we have not been accustomed to in chicago in a long time. Overall the atmosphere is quite 70's but with a twist on a bit of modernism. It is a huge space and they have even more space for events, and weddings. I thought the music was good spanning mostly 70's rock and disco to early 80's classics. In summary I am as they say excited to go back and would definitely recommend.
(5)Michaela D.
Great decor, cozy booths, and friendly service! The food was amazing. My favorite was the TV Dinner - mashed potatoes, peas, creamed corn and meatloaf in a plate shaped like a real TV dinner. SO delicious and such a fun concept. Everything else we had - brussel sprouts, macaroni, desserts - were great too.
(5)Jennie T.
This place was good but not great. I had the whitefish which was okay but pretty salty. The best thing on the plate was the polenta. The rest of my dinner party also commented that their dishes were too salty. Fish sticks seemed like a cool idea but just wasn't executed well. Some things we ordered were excellent - lobster artichoke dip and the bananas foster pudding. My cocktail was great too, made with actual tang. The decor and atmosphere was real cool; they played some great music too.
(3)A. M.
Beautiful space with great lighting but food was underwhelming. We were excited to come to try 70s munchies, but left disappointed. The cheese ball was average but the meatballs very dry and cheese fondue with hot dog and tater tots very sad. It came with a white lukewarm hot dog and a handful of tots. Also, our burger was very dry and flavorless. Overall, a poor showing. Maybe recommend for drinks but won't be back any time soon.
(2)Tommie S.
Before going to this restaurant, I read all the reviews. The reviews seemed accurate based on my experience, but I must say the customer service and attentiveness of the manager was outstanding. He made all the difference in my experience. I ordered the bologna sliders, seafood pasta primavera, old fashioned, and tang per the reviews. Everything was as expected, even the great flavor of the pasta dish and the fact that the pasta stuck together. However, we requested a liqueur that the bar did not carry (Understandable. Who was drinking Midori in the 70's?). Nonetheless, the bartender visited our table and tried to create a drink to make up for it. His efforts were appreciated. He even personally delivered the drink. Also, they were out of hamburgers for a member in our party. The manager tried to do everything to accommodate the member of our party. He tried to troubleshoot, suggest other options, and make sure that the member of our party got plenty of fries, since fries became the entree for that person. The manager checked on the patrons as expected, and his attentativeness with the positive sense of humor made this an enjoyable experience. Hopefully business will pick up, but I appreciated the lack of a crowd. The attention from the staff and the ambiance made us have a nice outing. By the end of the night, it didn't even matter that they ran out of burgers. I will be back. My food, drinks, and overall experience were good.
(4)Matthew E.
The food is excellent, but and its a huge BUT the service is beyond creepy. Our waiter, Curtis stopped by every 45 seconds to check on us and asking the women with me awkward questions. We asked him to let us eat and he replied that "I'm not allowed too". After that we ate our dinner quickly. We were subsequently yelled at for getting our menus dirty (you can laminate them). He stopped by still every 1.5 minutes after the talk and it was still beyond creepy. I will never go back, mainly because I don't want to harassed every 5 seconds when I'm trying to enjoy my night out.
(1)Andrew P.
The food was delicious. If you like fish, the Waldorf appetizer is a must - ahi tuna cooked to perfection. Service was a bit slow - not sure if it's because the place is new and they're trying to figure out their groove, but we waited about 8 minutes before a server came to our table.
(4)Fernando M.
Blast from the past. Your ears will be spoiled by 70s music while you feast on simple foods with a gourmet flair. The Steak Friettes is amazing. Take the chef suggestion on medium-well you won't be disappointed. The ambiance spacious, dimly lit, and industrial sheik. Cool place for drinks or for a classy dinner date. One the coolest places to be any night of the week in Chicago.
(5)K N.
Great restaurant! We started with the lobster bisque (not very creamy) and the bologna sliders...AMAZING! Then for entrees we had the amish chicken and duck...both VERY tasty in amazing sauces. We split the s'mores dessert to end our meal. Overall, the service, food, drinks, and atmosphere were top notch. We will definitely be back.
(5)Jaime E.
Great ambiance. Great music. Great food.
(5)Christopher A.
Fantastic restaurant with an excellent vibe and incredibly good food. The seared Fois Gras was superb and our two main courses (short rib and duck breast) were incredible. Bill was reasonable ($200 for two including tax and tip did include a bottle of wine and cocktails). Definitely recommend.
(5)Elizabeth T.
The brass monkey opened about a week ago...you would think there would be flaws in service or food the first week, NONE! We sat at the bar and had a great experience from the start. Pretty much everything on the menu looked delicious but we went with the steak tartar and lentil salad to start. Both dishes were simple but with a twist. Delicious. We had the truffle pizza which was unbelievable. And the Amish chicken. We were so full but wanted more. The manager Michael came over, introduced himself, and asked if we needed anything. It was the perfect end to a great evening. We will for sure be back and so glad this addition has come to the neighborhood.
(5)Brandy C.
The design/atmosphere and the employees were pretty Top Notch. The food was pretty good overall. I'd touch up the mash and the creamed corn for a bit more fun on the "TV Dinner"- they were a bit too close to a real TV dinner. However, everything else we had was quite enjoyable. Would recommend the Octopus in a heartbeat and my husband definitely enjoyed his Duck. For the price point, unfortunately, I have a few other spots that meet the same quality at a lower price and in the area. I'd go back for a drink and an app possibly, but not for a full dinner.
(3)Laura R.
I like this place a lot. The only reason it didn't get 5 stars was because I didn't get to try a ton of the menu (so not their fault) but it was soo loud. We went here to catch up with some friends and we had trouble talking over the loud music. Loved the ambiance. 70s but not over the top. Large enough to have room to wait at the bar for your table and not be cramped. My husband and I split the truffle mushroom pizza, which was wonderful. Our friends got the fish sticks and some salad (sorry I don't recall) but both really like it. Drinks wise, besides one Tang- which was tasty- we stuck to wine. No complaints. I look forward to going back and trying more things.
(4)Fuudcritic C.
About time! This was awesome. Love the 70's decor! Service was outstanding and our server Maxwell (?) was outstanding. Food was good. The only thing I must say, out of all the food we ordered (which was about 7-8 items) the cheeseball was the least favorite. It was a little jelly/rubber like and borderline not spreadable. And I didn't get the 2 types of bread/cracker. Wish there was only and more ritz crackers. Something I did take away from my experience....two words... TV DINNER!!! OMG!!!! AMAZING!!!!!
(5)Adam E.
Did someone say TV Dinner? Done with gourmet food? Yup. I'm having a real dilemma as to whether i'll ever be able to try something else on the amazing menu.... My fiancee and I are crazy about this place. It has replaced the spot in our hearts and stomachs that was created as the tasting menu was removed from Untitled; which was previously our favorite. Great value, great food. Already going back a second time with more friends tonight. Also; they have almost as good a whiskey selection as untitled, and the staff is courteous, friendly and not trying to rip you off. A friend ordered a variation of a whiskey we like ( prices aren't on menu for whiskey); waitress double checked with us to make sure we were aware of the cost ($44 for a single) before she had them done. While someone will probably gripe; I think this is a smart move to avoid surprises at the bill later. Many places would simply charge first and ask questions later.....
(5)Bill O.
The music and decor will loudly and constantly remind you this place is 70's themed, but the novelty will wear off quickly due to the poor service. Try the fondue to experience for yourself why people haven't cared for fondue for the past 40 years.
(2)Jeremy D.
Personable staff, tasty home style 70s inspired foods and a groovy interior that sets the mood for an enjoyable night! Order the meatloaf, which is made of premium meats! Delicious! The squid ink pasta is tasty!
(5)Mark A.
Having a pretty equal distribution of one to five star reviews, I feel I'm pretty qualified to say don't eat here. Even though I was only alive for a few months in the 70s, l believe their interior decorator did a fantastic job in creating an authentic environment. The chairs, the floor, and the tables are what I'd expect to have seen in the 70s. And I appreciate how the menu is slanted to the 70s. Here's the food we had: * Fish sticks: Who wouldn't order fish sticks in a yuppy place like this and expect amazingness? Lately we've given the hipster touch to fried chicken, cupcakes, tamales, and marshmallows...why would we leave out fish sticks? These were decent, but devoid of flavor (or heavily relied upon the sauce with which they are served). * Boar meatballs: I'd say these were the highlight of all food items. They were tasty. * Fondue: It was fondue, and a good thing we ordered it because it worked well to give the fish sticks some flavor. * Duck: We were told this would be medium rare; it was medium at best. Some decent flavor here, and probably the best main course of the meal. By no means, however, would I crave it. * Skirt Steak: Ordered medium rare, came out medium-well. The fries were good, though. Yay for fries and (Heinz) ketchup. Heinz ketchup...really? Come on, no restaurant worth its salt uses industrial ketchup nowadays. It probably was the kind with HFCS but it was in a ramekin so that counts for something, obviously. * Double cheeseburger: In fairness, the patties were thin so to get medium-rare is tough...but it lacked flavor. * Flourless chocolate cake: From what pre-packaged provider did they get this? There was nothing fresh about it, and even worse, the exterior was room temperature at best, but the middle was steaming/scalding hot. To me, that screams...microwave. Yes, microwave! I would never, ever recommend the food here to a friend (or enemy), and it's a shame because I've had some decent meals at Untitled -- the same folks behind Brass Monkey. But when food sucks, I turn to the other menu....cocktails. I really enjoyed my "Tang," and the wine list was thoughtfully assembled. If somebody said, "we're having drinks and meatballs at Brass Monkey, I'd go." If they said, "wanna have dinner at Brass Monkey," I'd turn around and run away as fast as I can.
(2)Amrita G.
We did not get much food as we had another reservation. We got here around 5 pm on a Saturday. It was empty. We got the wild boar meatballs. This was amazing. Not many options to chose from. So next for dessert we got the pineapple upside down cake. This was d r delicious too. However they cold not provide us with a dessert menu and neither get one printed in the time that we were there. I should probably deduct a star for that but I am not as these two dishes were amazing. But like I said not many options to chose from!
(4)Sandy S.
Love the decor, music and the overall space. But, when you go to a place with a great cocktail list and are told by your server, "the bar is really backed up because of a party, so I suggest you just order wine or beer," that sets a bad tone. The place was about 50-60% full. Our dinner took more than an hour to arrive and when I got my grilled pork chop, which looked and smelled wonderful, it was cool in the center. Fail! The server took it back happily but said, "well, you asked for medium." Medium, as the chef recommended, isn't a cool center for PORK. So, I just got a burger and glass of Pinot for $35. On my first visit, the short rib was terrific. If I wanted a burger in the west loop there are way better options. Our drinks were long gone before any food arrived at the table and no offer of another round was ever made: finding someone to take that order was a challenge. I won't be returning.
(2)Mike K.
It was pretty good. I kind of wish they would just switch the menu over to all "Hits of the 70s." As it is, I'm not really sure what the theme is -- the front of the menu has a sort of random assortment of trendy dishes, classics, French, Spanish, Italian, and American foods. But then we would miss out on what we thought was the best dish of the night, the squid with boar sausage and tomato sauce. The fried brussels sprouts were pretty standard (though seasoned well), the "baloney" sliders were good and rich, the cheese ball does indeed taste like your aunt's famous cheese ball (which isn't a bad thing -- we ate the whole thing), and the "TV Dinner" short rib meatloaf was tender and flavorful, although I'm not sure it was enough of an upgrade that I would order it again. The mushroom "French Bread Pizza" tasted like a truffle flatbread you could get anywhere these days, which is too bad, because a pizza on a nice, thick, chewy piece of house-made French bread sounds tasty and would be something different. The bananas foster pudding was excellent -- highly recommend. Cocktails tended to be potent, if a little one-note at times (the special of the night tasted just like Country Time Pink Lemonade), though the Chicago River Water was the highlight -- surprisingly complex and sophisticated. The (gigantic) space looks great and the servers were always warm, friendly, and helpful. It's still fairly new, so I'm sure the menu will evolve. I would give it another go again in the future -- based on the other reviews it looks like we should have tried a few of the other dishes.
(3)David H.
The food is really fun if you remember the 70's. Lots of unique items that make it really fun. Good drinks, but the noise is very loud! it has a good vibe, but hard to talk over dinner.
(4)Teri Y.
So, this is how I feel. If a restaurant is out of the way with nothing else around it, which means that people need to make an extra effort to get there, the food had better be the best (or one the best) within the 4-5 block radius. This is how you set yourself up to be outstanding. If the location is out of the way, but there's amazing food, people will come and return again. Brass Monkey is still in the Fulton Market area but out of the way from the main area with nothing else around, however, the food was not greatly impressive. We tried the beef carpaccio, tuna waldorf, grilled calamari, meatballs, fettucine, and arctic char. The standouts among these items were the calamari and arctic char. Even so, they were great, but did not wow. So let down by the fettuccine - many of the noodle strands were stuck together. Boo hoo. And the taste was bland. My old fashioned was good so I'll give them points here.
(3)Kan C.
Upon walking in, you will notice that it's wide open with great decor and a nice, long bar. They definitely took their time to curate the interior. A group of 3 of us dined here and we all had drinks to start. We ordered a round of Old Fashioneds which were terrific - in fact, we each had 2 more bc they were that good. For apps, we ordered the Foie Gras Three Ways, Beef Tartare and the Lobster Bisque. A nice variety and all were excellent. The Foie was nice to try 3 different ways to see how one ingredient can be so versatile. For our entrees, we ordered the Pork Chop and Apple Sauce, TV Dinner (why not?), and Short Rib. By far, the best Pork Chops I have ever had. Very juicy and you can taste the brine. We ordered he TV Dinner as more of a novelty, but it was no doubt the best TV Dinner you will ever try - in fact, one of the best entrees you will enjoy. For dessert, we ordered the Flourless Chocolate Cake, the Creme Brulee, and a 70's classic: the Jello. Again, three distinctively different desserts and all executed brilliantly. A well-rounded meal with great vibes and an excellent staff. The service is very attentive and from host to server, everyone was very nice which made for a pleasant experience. Will definitely go back to try more dishes.
(5)Alex K.
Stopped in with the wife on a Friday night. It's a little bit off of Randolph Street so parking wasn't a problem at all. Once inside, I appreiciated the design of the interior. I've never lived in the 70's but I feel like they did a nice job with the edison bulbs and various shades of brown. After seeing the menu I needed to get the TV Dinner. Unfortunately it was kind of a let down. I was thinking it was going to be an upscale grown up version of a tv dinner with meatloaf and mashed potatoes. The meatloaf wasn't bad but everything else just seemed kinda bland and I almost felt like I was eating a real tv dinner. It is served on a cool TV dinner tray with the separate compartments so I don't really regret ordering it. Other than that we also got the fondue, which was pretty neat. If you're really into that retro 70's vibe, I'd check this place out as it was the highlight of our trip. Or you could go just to say you ordered a tv dinner because that's pretty much half the reason I went in the first place. Overall I'd say the food was just ok though.
(3)Kari O.
This place is awesome. NOTE: 1/2 of the menu is 70's inspired, and 1/2 is more modern... SO, if you ordered the TV dinner and wished it was more modern, then, you shouldn't have ordered the TV dinner! Drinks were pricey, but it's expected in this area. The food was awesome! Starters: Just the tip (delicious asparagus tips) Cheese fondue (with tots) Fish Styx (need I say more?) Entrees: Squid Ink Pasta TV Dinner Desserts: Uhhhh...Not too memorable. I guess. Definitely worth a trip. Awesome vibe, and great for a group.
(4)Sara N.
This place is pretty great. The retro theme is pretty hilarious but definitely stops short of being over the top. The music in particular is great- how often do you hear Barry White in a restaurant? A huge plus of this restaurant is its size- there aren't many places in the West Loop where you could take a huge group of friends, but this place could definitely accommodate a large party. The food is very good; I've been here several times and I've never been disappointed. I've probably tried almost everything at this point and everything is definitely solid. My biggest complaint is the service is a bit weird- you definitely don't get the impression that you're being served by waitstaff. For instance, why is everyone in matching t-shirts at a place where the food is $20+ a plate? Additionally, I've had a couple of waiters who didn't seem to fully understand the menu.
(4)Lisa M.
I have to say I REALLY wanted to like this place, but the decor was disappointing and the food was terrible and completely over priced! We ordered a bunch of small plates and one was a delicious dip, but it was served with ritz crackers and cost $14! Geez. The crab fondue was ok, but had no crab meat in it and also expensive. I think if they used better ingredients then it may be worth it, but I can't justify paying this much for ritz crackers..sorry.
(2)Oceans L.
Terrific new place a little out of the way past the main randolph/fulton's market area. TL;DR version, very friendly and assertive staff, The food was spot on, fun ambience. The decor is low key so that you feel comfortable walking in from the Chicago cold in your bundles and layers. But this would definitely be a nice date night restaurant as well. We tried the sloppy joes (lamb), lyonnaise salad, lobster bisque, and creamed corn. I would recommend each of these dishes. Note that the sloppy joes ARE made of lamb and they do taste that way, although not gamey. The Lyonnaise salad with a fried egg was a nice way to do a warm salad. Lobster bisque comes with croissant like pastry puffs on top and balanced out the broth nicely. It was light, with just the right amount of lobster flavor. Creamed corn was excellent. Not too creamy, but with a hint of cheesiness that reminds me of grits, either way, DEFINITELY recommend that as a side. For dessert we tried the pineapple upside down cake, which was DELICIOUS. A moist cake full of coconut that really enhanced the texture. Pineapples tasted fresh and not too overly cooked. A really nice finisher that made you feel content with your meal. For drinks I would say... cherry flavored cocktails tend to taste like robitussin everywhere so i don't fault them on that... Also staff is super super friendly, likely because it IS a new establishment so they are likely on their toes to make sure they can get as much feedback as they can. But our food came out very quickly, and our staff was very attentive to refilling waters and checking in with us.
(5)Ryan C.
This place is almost hidden from your typical West Loop locations. I thought the venue was a well decorated and the menu was interesting but nothing was executed to the point that I would strongly recommend to another person. We did eat early (530ish) so the crowds hadn't shown up yet. I think the place has promise but might need a change in the menu to achieve long term stability as a restaurant.
(3)PJ C.
I wish Yelp had half stars - I'd give this three and a half. 5 stars for a stunningly cool interior, with a 70s feel made contemporary. The menu is interesting and it's solid. I think it's still evolving. I got the TV dinner and it was cool, but a little bland. The execution is a little too literal, visually - the TV dinner plate is lovely, but I'd like to see more of a modern twist. We will be back to try again.
(3)Kristine C.
It was a girl's night at a new place and we were not disappointed. All eleven of us could not get over the 1970s modern décor and music. They make cinder block and red plush coaches look good. I loved every song they played, although loud, it was so much fun. I want to go back with my long flower dress and sandals and groove the night away. Overall just three stars because of the noise factor, I want to convers with my dinner friends. As noted, the vibe his hip, sceney with 70's retro fun. The space is amazing but line up transportation to and from prior to your visit. It can be hard to find a way outta there. The dining area blends into the bar area. It is intimate and dark but the music is so loud, do not try to have a heart to heart. I left with no voice. The bathroom area downstairs is the best feature. It is a huge communal bathroom setting with individual doors with a red plush oval couch in the middle. Once wall is adorned with 1970s Playboy covers. Their drink menu is a mix of a few interesting beers, wine and some vintage and contemporary mixed drinks. You can take your pick from the 1970's menu or flip it over for a more contemporary menu. Choose between the Cheese Ball or Fish Stix or the Sears Foie Gras. I love the names on the 70's menu (Just the Tip - describing an asparagus dish). Through the eleven of us, we ordered a good amount of the items. The popular choices turned out to be the Roasted Salmon. It looked like a good sized piece of Salmon with a lot of accompaniment. I chose the Mushroom French Bread Pizza. It is great for one person with four large pieces. I changed up the cheese and went with Mozzarella (I cannot do blue or goat). I enjoyed the flavors and essence of truffle oil. I also paired this with a side of the Fried Brussels Sprouts. Beware through, the sides are large portions. I could not finish an entrée and side by myself. We also had a side of Herb Fries and sadly a lot went uneaten. We def. over ordered.
(3)Deb D.
Honestly, some of the best drinks and ambience I've experienced in a long time. And they have the best washrooms in Chicago!
(5)Michelle S.
Atmosphere was good. Service was just OK. Food was good. We went on a weeknight and it was busy but not filled or packed by any means. It's very loud, even when the restaurant wasn't at capacity. We sat in a booth and couldn't hear a word our waitress said. She seemed soft spoken to begin with, which just isn't great with the acustics. We all liked the food. Nothing memorable, though. Our favorite item was the sides of fries. The TV dinner with Fried Chicken is good but sides are just about as good as they were in an actual TV dinner and chicken was a bit flavorless. The pork was good but fatty. S'mores app was sent back as none of the marshmallows were cooked and no powdered sugar on top (the way it's advertised on their instagram page). I'd go back to sit at the bar for drinks but that's probably it.
(3)Samantha H.
The service here was amazing. The food was average. I have high hopes for this place but none of the food wowed us yet. I hope the flavors will improve with time. The decor is eclectic and funky in a good way. They are paying homage to the 70s and I have to say the 70s side of the menu had nothing that was appealing to us. We stuck with everything on the other side. The wine list was inexpensive and had some great values on there. Michael, the beverage director, was very helpful and knowledgeable. We tried the calamari, foie, and duck. The calamari was my favorite dish. The foie was average. The duck was good but nothing that blew me away. Overall the food was just not that memorable and flavors are what I really look for in my restaurants that I love. The service was enough to make me go back and check it out again though.
(3)Scubi X.
I really liked this place. The music was fantastic, as was the atmosphere. I had the Singapore Swing - yum. I loved the brussel sprouts, frites, and the rest of my party loved the bologna sliders. Our server, Natalie, was lovely. I hated her a little bit at first because she is very attractive, young, clever and has a very sexy voice. It's only natural to have a little distain for those types of people. Fortunately, I got over it, because she was really great. I want to go back. Make sure you request Natalie!
(5)J.D. Y.
Amazing food! Very nice and generous and down to earth staff! Very welcoming and willing to go out of their way to serve you. The manager Michael was great! The guy knows what he was doing. I'll definitely be coming back! 70's theme menu. Got the lobster bisque - not your typical orange cheesy bisque you usually have, this had its own taste, different yet very good!! Entree was Tv Dinner - plating was an actual TV dinner style tray, (not plastic, real plate, but this TV dinner was top notch sophisticated. You actually want to eat all the components in this TV dinner! - Salisbury steak with mushrooms - mashed potatoes - peas - some sort of cream corn? All amazing! Go if you're in town!
(5)Ellen B.
We just had a wonderful dinner @ The Brass Monkey. Hubby and I were joined be our son, daughter, and their significant others. We began our evening with cocktails at the bar. The bartenders are engaging, knowledgeable, and mix fantastic cocktails. My old fashioned was sublime! We were seated promptly, and had a hard time choosing from the many selections. The menu has two parts; 70's comfort food and gastro pub fare. We started with 2 appetizers, the cheese ball and crab and cheese fondue. Both were delicious; our server cheerfully brought more bread and crackers when asked. Our entrees were delectable. My son's fiancee and I had the braised short ribs with root vegetables, which were fork tender and just perfect! Daughter and hubby had the salmon, which they pronounced as the best! Son and daughter's boyfriend demolished their burger and squid ink pasta. We were so full we reluctantly had to forego dessert. Next time we'll have lighter meals so we can sample from the dessert menu. The service was simply amazing! Our waiter was cheerful and knowledgeable about the menu. He made excellent wine pairing suggestions, and always magically appeared when needed. I can't remember ever having better service anywhere. We will definitely be back! p.s. Almost forgot to mention the music, a perfect blend of 70's bands with some Sinatra blended in, perfect!
(5)Heather B.
To start: Called me the day before to confirm my reservation, plus sent text. Then called day of to make sure they could make sure they understood my special dining need. Excellent customer service and I hadn't gotten there yet. I began with: Tang martini. Sweet but not. Reminder me of a cider but not of apples. Plus it had tang on rim. tang! Then Frois appetizer-- just a bit of heaven in your mouth. I would take a bit. Pause a just close my eyes and enjoy. Ahhhh. Fried escargot-good. A bit strange for those used to more traditional preparations. Glad we tried but probably won't repeat. We split the lobster bisque which was hot and both filled with lobster and the right balance of sherry. Squid ink pasta-- scallops so tender they melted like butter in your mouth, shrimp you could cut with a fork. Wish they had free refills on this dish! My friend ordered the Duck breast. It was a perfect mid rare. My friend said it put her in heaven. For dessert my friend had S'mores and I had the flourless chocolate cake. Both made the end of the meal perfect. The pistaschio gelato with the chocolate cake made me speechless. Michael the beverage manager was so friendly and checked in on us. Amazing customer service. I want more people to experience the derive that he and Daniel the associate/assistant?(sorry Daniel) and their team have put together a well oiled machined. And I can't forget to mention our server Brendan. From the start he was friendly, knowledgeable of the bar menu and able to make great drink recommendations. He new the menu inside and out and was able to answer questions. He even suggested we split the bisque since we were having 2 appetizers. And then at the end he brings the bill and the desserts were comped because we told them we were celebrating our birthdays. Had no idea it was coming. It was a real classy surprise. This is definately a place to check out. For a new restaurant they are acting like old pros. If there are glitches talk tonic heal or Daniel so they can improve. This is a place that needs to stay around!
(5)Jay J.
Came here on at 7:30 on a Friday night with a couple of friends. Awesome layout but the place was dead and lacking atmosphere. Plus the waitress wasn't exactly eager to serve us, which I don't understand since we were ordering everything on the menu as well as a bunch of drinks. Drinks are great, food is good but nothing to write home about. Sadly I don't think this place will still be open in a year.
(3)Danny W.
You can almost hear horns walking into The Brass Monkey. It's that cool. Beastie Boys cool. Between the munchies section of the menu, the pseudo record store lobby, and the overall interior design I felt like I was straight up in a scene from Boogie Nights. The food totally lives with groovy stuff from the 70's such as Bologna Sliders, Swedish Meatballs, and Fish Styx, but there's also a more modern selection of entrees including French Bread Pizzas, Roasted Chicken, or Steak Frites. I went with a cup of lobster bisque followed by the Squid Ink Linguini and was totally stoked on both the portion size and flavors of both. I love the overall vibe but my favorite feature is the restroom area which has a unisex lobby that indeed does look like Dirk Diggler's about to walk in to shoot a scene. Bright red velvet couches and dim lighting bouncing off the walls give it a esthetic of a 70's porno. It's awesome. I promise. Overall I'm totally sold on this place. It's unique, has great food, and the service was super attentive. I'll definitely be back.
(5)Aaron V.
Mediocre food and cocktails at best. Chicken was dry, fish sticks were overdone, meatballs were ok. Burgers were fine but overpriced. Service was indifferent, unprepared and undertrained. The atmosphere and room were cool. The menu was fun with cool pictures and stories of drugged out rock stars and the music they were playing was great. Not sure that's enough in a city full of really great restaurant/bars.
(2)Kori E.
When you first walk in you definitely notice the cool set up and decor! It had a very nice vibe. We came fro dinner on a Saturday night, and to be honest, it wasnt all that busy? Maybe we were there too early? Anyhow, the food was really good! We started with the meatballs and crab fondue and both were delish. I would have liked a bit more fondue, though, lets be honest. For my main, I ordered the Seared Tuna salad and the veggie cassoulet. I really liked the salad. The tuna was cooked perfectly. They should think about making it bigger and adding it as an entree option! The cassoulet wasnt that good only because I dont like rosemary and it was ALL i could taste. Probably because I dont like rosemary! My boyfriend got the duck and he thought it was really good. Again, a bit of a smaller portion, but he really liked his. Our friends ordered the pork chop and the lobster bisque/mac n cheese. I tasted the Mac and it was good! For dessert, we had the chocolate cake. OMG. Order it. It is sooooo delicious! We also tried the Smores and it was so interesting - they somehow made them taste smoky! All in all, we had a great evening and our waitress was wonderful. I dont know that I would come rushing back here, but it seems like a cool place for a party. Very retro!
(4)M G.
I really wanted to love this place. I live in the neighborhood and had heard a lot of buzz. Don't get me wrong, the cocktails were great, food was good, the place is beautiful. But man is it expensive for what you get! I was not expecting that at all. It's definitely not a come here every weekend kind of place. I'd go broke! I think if I go there again, I would come for a cocktail and the mac and cheese (AMAZING), then go somewhere else for dinner.
(3)Sarah P.
My new favorite spot! Went there on a Thursday night-great atmosphere, service, and food. Can not wait to go back!
(5)D H.
Great atmosphere with really helpful and friendly staff! There had to be 2 support staff for every waiter / waitress. Amazing long comfortable bar, 70's style decor. We had the cheese ball with "fancy" Ritz crackers and the fish Styx to start. The fish was perfectly seasoned and fresh. We split the steak frites and got sides of creamed corn and Brussel sprouts - all the food was delicious! The wine list could use a little work and is on the high side... A bottle of Whispering Angel Rose' lists for $60 and retails around $15. Stick with the cocktails. I'd definitely go back!
(4)Lisa A.
Went for drinks after dinner. Place was almost empty on a Friday night at 10:30! The space is amazing and in a funky area. But it's gearded towards a different crowd. The music is horrendous. This isn't Boca Raton FL for the retiree crowd. It's downtown Chicago. They seriously need to figure it out and find an identity.
(2)Seth G.
This should really be a 3 1/2 but that is not an option. The drinks were delicious and the decor is very cool. We had the Sloppy Thirds as an appetizer which were fine just fine. I had the duck breast which was delicious - moist and flavorful. My girlfriend had the steak frites and the steak was nearly inedible. It was extremely tough and fairly bland. Our server wasn't great but you could tell he was new. The restaurant has not been open for very long so that is to be expected. I would go back if we were in the area, but based on where it is located it is not a place that we would just stumble upon.
(3)mark j.
Loved the good and the service was pretty good, really cool 70's vibe. Would come back here again for sure
(5)Jordan L.
So i went in here about a week ago to look in to having an event at this new trendy place. I went in to talk with Nicole the Manager and had a sit down with what they offer for large parties for events etc. I expressed that i will be having 40-50 people attending my party and thought this could be a fun new experience for all. Nicole told me , "we do these types of parties all the time." She made my fiance and I feel very comfortable and we trusted her after sitting with her to discuss our event. I asked if we can have a section near the bar so that my 40-50 guests would not have any trouble getting drinks as that was my main concern. She said that they can not guarantee that the will have enough space near the bar for my party because its a Friday night and the bar area will be packed. So she persuaded me in to renting out their private room which holds up to 60 people but is no where near the bar. Mind you this place only has one bar. I voiced my concern about having my party in this private room and being so far from the bar area, so she said they will have 2 servers assigned to our room that will take orders and go back and forth making sure our room isnt waiting around for drinks or having to leave the room and go the bar.... So we trusted Nicole and agreed to do it. Friday night rolls around and my guests start wandering in. The private room is right when you walk in before the bar to the left so it is very hard to miss. After an hour or so roughly 20 guests arrive and I had to go up to Nicole and tell her after 1 hr that not even half my guests have arrived and i've already had several guests ask if they are supposed to get drinks from the bar themselves since the service is terrible. Nicole then said i'll get you another server. While all this is going on, the bar has maybe 10 people on a friday night. Remember Nicole insisted i rent out this room because its a Friday night and they need space for people at the bar. The place was dead. 10 people at the bar while i have 40-50 guests stuck in this private room with 2 now 3 servers who have to take a 1/2 mile walk to go to the bar to fetch our drinks. The servers were terrible too, I had 2 of my guests tell me that earlier in the night they went to the bar to purchase a Cocktail for $7, then they ordered the same drink from one of our personal servers and the servers said that'll be $11, my friend said excuse me? I just paid $7 at the bar, the server then said, okay i'll make you a deal give me $9. My friend laughed came up to me wished me congrats and said I'm leaving this place is a joke. This happened with two of my guests. Throughout the night friends kept coming up to me asking how to order drinks... i said unfortunately the service here is horrible, if you see a server, just order a drink. Odds are you'll have to find one , they wont come up to you. That's all i could say... The drinks weren't made correctly, POOR MANAGEMENT and POOR SERVICE to say the least. Then after the event was over, i got the bill and there were drinks on the bill that we never ordered. Place is a joke, Several other fun trendy places to go. I will never go back there and nor will my friends. We all witnessed first hand how terrible this experience was. STAY AWAY
(1)Susan M.
We try to find new places to try every month. This will definitely be our new "go-to" favorite! fabulous service, food, and decor. Every single staff member was friendly and courteous. Ben the bartender knows his stuff and introduced my husband to a scotch he'd never had before. Nicole and Michael (managers?) came by to make sure all was well, as did a couple of other servers. We were lucky to find find free parking (we got there early on a Friday). It's only been open a few weeks, but was quite popular the night we were there. There appeared to be a work group there and I'm going to try and get my business to host an even here as well. We get off work early so it's great that they were open for bar service at 4 and the kitchen opens at 5. Cool bar - absolutely awesome bathrooms (I have a thing about public restrooms). We had the amish chicken - moist, flavorful and not overly spiced. Lobster bisque was not the pink heavy creamy type I was expecting and the flavor was out of this world. There were little brioche rolls floating on top of the dark bisque with nice chunks of lobster. We shared a side of the herb fries and incredible brussel sprouts. We finished with flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream. The plate was clean when we were done. My husband had the amish chicken and I didn't get to taste the kale(?) that was served with it because he was guarding his plate like a prisoner by this time. The wine pours were generous. Great value for the price when many other places are doing the ala carte thing (total rip-off). The total bill was half of what we paid elsewhere a couple of weeks ago for much less. We will return to try the 70's munchies and several other things that look delectable on the regular menu. No need to find a new place any time soon.
(5)Susan M.
We try to find new places to try every month. This will definitely be our new "go-to" favorite! fabulous service, food, and decor. Every single staff member was friendly and courteous. Ben the bartender knows his stuff and introduced my husband to a scotch he'd never had before. Nicole and Michael (managers?) came by to make sure all was well, as did a couple of other servers. We were lucky to find find free parking (we got there early on a Friday). It's only been open a few weeks, but was quite popular the night we were there. There appeared to be a work group there and I'm going to try and get my business to host an even here as well. We get off work early so it's great that they were open for bar service at 4 and the kitchen opens at 5. Cool bar - absolutely awesome bathrooms (I have a thing about public restrooms). We had the amish chicken - moist, flavorful and not overly spiced. Lobster bisque was not the pink heavy creamy type I was expecting and the flavor was out of this world. There were little brioche rolls floating on top of the dark bisque with nice chunks of lobster. We shared a side of the herb fries and incredible brussel sprouts. We finished with flourless chocolate cake with pistachio ice-cream. The plate was clean when we were done. My husband had the amish chicken and I didn't get to taste the kale(?) that was served with it because he was guarding his plate like a prisoner by this time. The wine pours were generous. Great value for the price when many other places are doing the ala carte thing (total rip-off). The total bill was half of what we paid elsewhere a couple of weeks ago for much less. We will return to try the 70's munchies and several other things that look delectable on the regular menu. No need to find a new place any time soon.
(5)Sandy S.
Love the decor, music and the overall space. But, when you go to a place with a great cocktail list and are told by your server, "the bar is really backed up because of a party, so I suggest you just order wine or beer," that sets a bad tone. The place was about 50-60% full. Our dinner took more than an hour to arrive and when I got my grilled pork chop, which looked and smelled wonderful, it was cool in the center. Fail! The server took it back happily but said, "well, you asked for medium." Medium, as the chef recommended, isn't a cool center for PORK. So, I just got a burger and glass of Pinot for $35. On my first visit, the short rib was terrific. If I wanted a burger in the west loop there are way better options. Our drinks were long gone before any food arrived at the table and no offer of another round was ever made: finding someone to take that order was a challenge. I won't be returning.
(2)Mike K.
It was pretty good. I kind of wish they would just switch the menu over to all "Hits of the 70s." As it is, I'm not really sure what the theme is -- the front of the menu has a sort of random assortment of trendy dishes, classics, French, Spanish, Italian, and American foods. But then we would miss out on what we thought was the best dish of the night, the squid with boar sausage and tomato sauce. The fried brussels sprouts were pretty standard (though seasoned well), the "baloney" sliders were good and rich, the cheese ball does indeed taste like your aunt's famous cheese ball (which isn't a bad thing -- we ate the whole thing), and the "TV Dinner" short rib meatloaf was tender and flavorful, although I'm not sure it was enough of an upgrade that I would order it again. The mushroom "French Bread Pizza" tasted like a truffle flatbread you could get anywhere these days, which is too bad, because a pizza on a nice, thick, chewy piece of house-made French bread sounds tasty and would be something different. The bananas foster pudding was excellent -- highly recommend. Cocktails tended to be potent, if a little one-note at times (the special of the night tasted just like Country Time Pink Lemonade), though the Chicago River Water was the highlight -- surprisingly complex and sophisticated. The (gigantic) space looks great and the servers were always warm, friendly, and helpful. It's still fairly new, so I'm sure the menu will evolve. I would give it another go again in the future -- based on the other reviews it looks like we should have tried a few of the other dishes.
(3)David H.
The food is really fun if you remember the 70's. Lots of unique items that make it really fun. Good drinks, but the noise is very loud! it has a good vibe, but hard to talk over dinner.
(4)Carol K.
Ah, the 70's. The era that brought us disco, bell bottoms, platform shoes and some really crazy food that carried over from the 50's and the 60's also brought some really interesting designs many of which you can see at the Brass Monkey like mirrored ceilings, an interesting use of metals and a really campy bathroom waiting area (just wait til you go down there!) And I like that you can go downstairs and find an album (yes, a record ALBUM) and bring it up and the DJ will play it. Very cool. From the people that brought us Untitled, I expected a lot in coming here, given good food, interesting spaces and good service are the norm with this group. After all, Untitled is that place that people line up to get into the speakeasy vibe. And the Brass Monkey has the same potential. This location in the W Loop is just waiting to pop with Google soon to open, a hotel opening next door and the cool venue space that the Brass Monkey shares with Morgan Manufacturing, a huge venue space that it's attached to that takes up the whole block. And the best news? There's a HUGE rooftop with some amazing views of the city (private parties only right now). Pretty impressive. What wasn't impressive was the service or the food on the night we were there. The only guy that seemed to get it right was Tony, the valet who was actually anticipating what we needed and brought the car around unasked. Other than that, it was a disaster. Our server was new to the place but a seasoned server, or so he told us. Then he disappeared and didn't bring us our drinks for 45 minutes. When we went in to see if they just lost our order (we were seated on the small patio out front) the manager came out and said he would get the drinks. When the server came back to get our food order, we still didn't have any drinks. He blamed it on the manager. At this point, given we were sitting in the sun, we didn't care who's fault it was, jut bring us our drinks! As for that food, it was just okay. I had the steak frites, pretty basic but cooked properly, my friend had the mussels, we shared the "Cheese ball" (needed more crackers) and my friends tried to have the Brussels sprouts but they brought asparagus instead and the fish sticks never showed up. The cheeseburger was fine and the tuna salad was okay. Meanwhile, we had no drinks to go with the meal as the server disappeared again. The manager tried to make it right by saying he would comp the drinks, but it was just not to be on this night as we ordered dessert (clearly we are gluttons for punishment) and those never showed up either even after we were given a tour of the entire place and came back. Still no dessert. So we cancelled the dessert given we just had no more time to wait. By this time we had been here for almost 3 hours so we asked for the bill so we could just get on with our night. And the final injustice? The change was wrong but who wanted to wait to make it right? No one. It was worth the $6 just to get out of there. Great potential for this space. But for all this drama on a Saturday night, I doubt I'll be back until they get the bugs worked out. Just hoping it doesn't take so long to fix that it turns into an 80's restaurant!
(2)Adam E.
Did someone say TV Dinner? Done with gourmet food? Yup. I'm having a real dilemma as to whether i'll ever be able to try something else on the amazing menu.... My fiancee and I are crazy about this place. It has replaced the spot in our hearts and stomachs that was created as the tasting menu was removed from Untitled; which was previously our favorite. Great value, great food. Already going back a second time with more friends tonight. Also; they have almost as good a whiskey selection as untitled, and the staff is courteous, friendly and not trying to rip you off. A friend ordered a variation of a whiskey we like ( prices aren't on menu for whiskey); waitress double checked with us to make sure we were aware of the cost ($44 for a single) before she had them done. While someone will probably gripe; I think this is a smart move to avoid surprises at the bill later. Many places would simply charge first and ask questions later.....
(5)Bill O.
The music and decor will loudly and constantly remind you this place is 70's themed, but the novelty will wear off quickly due to the poor service. Try the fondue to experience for yourself why people haven't cared for fondue for the past 40 years.
(2)Stephanie L.
Solid 3.5...alas no halfsies on yelp. Easy opentable reservo. Love Decor is fantastic. Love Menus are so cool-retro 70's. Julia Childs!! Love. Service was actually really great. Personable but not fake. Love. But occasionally lost our server to a large table. The food was where I was lost. It just didn't do it for me. Server was basically orgasming over the rabbit special. It was like a late night bad decision for me...did nothing for me & regretted it for the next hour. ;) Mussels were just ok. Pretty average and definitely had better. Beef tartare was too chunky...I like smooth tartare. This was hunks of it...I wasn't a fan. Brussels were decent. Perfect char TV dinner. Filet was good, the sides were mediocre. Sliders were my favorite. The desserts were average. Overall, I really did like it. I just feel like they need to step it up with the food flavors and they'll be good.
(3)D F.
Service was awful. Food is average and frankly for how much creativity they claim to want to embrace in the theme it's pretty average. Busser service swarms you before your table is ready to clear, and ignored the fact that the bar table we were sat at was wobbling and unstable. Sitting at a bar table with a reservation was also unacceptable. Hostess staff look confused and disinterested.
(2)Monica B.
I came here with very high expectations, anticipating the opening for several months. Walking in, the restaurant is gorgeous. Dim lighting and overall cool vibe. The four of us sat at a high-top and started out with cocktails. I had the old fashioned, followed with a glass of pinot -- both were spot on. The food however, was not. We shared: + the sloppy thirds: group's overall favorite and my first sloppy joe, ever. + crab fondue: tasty but very small portion, served with toasted bread and ritz crackers (really?) - beef tartare: one of my least favorite. it was drenched in mayo and layered with veggies - braised short-rib: extremely tough, chewy and bland. half of this was left uneaten - meatballs: another miss. extremely sweet and meat was very dry - mushroom flatbread pizza: very bland. + side of Mac & cheese: ooey gooey deliciousness. another favorite Overall, I like the vibe of the place and would return for a cocktail at the bar, but Randolph/Fulton Market have a plethora of better restaurants to dine at.
(2)Peter S.
So for our first foray to Brass Monkey we opted for appetizers at the bar. Meat balls, Brussels sprouts and seared tuna. The meat balls were reminiscent of the Swedish meatballs served with toothpicks at all my parents dinner parties but way better. The grapes were a nice touch! Mellody and I love Brussel Sprouts and these did not disappoint! Not too much sauce and just the right amount of seasoning. Definitely recommend you order these regardless. We also shared the seared tuna salad which harkened toward a Waldorf with shaved celery and grapes (there's those grapes again!) and a light dressing. Oh, did I mention the tuna was prepared perfectly? Our dinner was rounded out by some awesome cocktails prepared by our knowledgeable and friendly bartender, Erik. He certainly guided us through our first visit and we hope to be back soon. Cheers
(5)