Chloe Burean
Google
We had a group of 12 at Monarch Bar and overall, the ambiance was nice — upscale and stylish with a good vibe. The bartenders were clearly knowledgeable and passionate about their craft, which we appreciated. That said, the way they kept steering us toward different drinks made it feel like we didn’t know what we wanted. It wasn’t about upselling — just felt a bit pushy.
One issue we ran into was that someone in our group was told their ID was expired, even though it clearly listed 2027 as the expiration date. It created an awkward situation that could’ve been handled with more tact.
They also accidentally charged us for an extra drink, which I missed at the time — so that’s on me — but still something to keep an eye on. In addition, we noticed there was a built-in gratuity added to the bill, which wasn’t disclosed beforehand. While we understand it’s common for large groups, it would’ve been helpful to be told upfront.
The biggest issue was the seating. For a group of 12, the layout was inconvenient — we had to constantly stand up and move around to talk, often getting in the way of the bar.
Overall, Monarch has a beautiful space and skilled staff, but it’s not the most accommodating spot for larger groups — and a bit more transparency would’ve made the experience smoother.
Edit: The Monarch Bar team issued a refund for that extra drink and were extremely helpful throughout that process! Thank you!