Top of the Monk

This bar is a bit different from the rise of a bunch of new roof top bars. It has a more load-back vibe. Bartenders were very friendly and take pride in the quality they provided. Nice inside area with a smaller patio that gets quite warm in the day.

We love the Top of the Monk. The cocktails are always perfect. Nice little spot for a couple drinks. They have a great old fashioned. I had the whiskey flight. Love the spot.

Went on a Monday evening. Up the stairs into a quaint bar. "Mondays with Rob." Rob, the bartender, was fantastic, with great recommendations and spirits knowledge. I got a rickey with strawberry and basil and my friend got the sunset as our 1st round. They were both great, complex but with complimentary flavors. Sat outside for a bit then went back to order our 2nd round, the philly punch bowl and the southern charm. Also great Cocktails. Good flowing conversation from the bartender Rob and the other patrons inside, and it was a great experience. We will be back again!

The drinks and atmosphere are amazing. Rob was our bartender! He was so attentive, personable, engaging, and made amazing drinks. There were so many people there who were visiting from other states and Rob welcomed all of us and made us feel right in place. He was speedy with the drinks and you could absolutely see his passion for the service industry!! The quality and uniqueness of the drinks and the fresh ingredients used (shoutout for the raspberry lemon drop martini!!) are unmatched. Highly recommend to anyone!

We were confused at first at how to get in but the entrance is right by the one for Thirsty Monk. Interior is nice with an option to sit outside on the balcony. Bartender was quick to get our drinks which were delicious. Love the strawberry and basil cocktail. Really enjoyed the cocktails! Now for my standard comments. The location is clean and we were comfortable with the indoor seating options.

Delicious drinks. Rude bartender. Male bartender with the brown hair on 9/19/24 at 6:30pm was rude when I asked a question about how to order (we sat outside and no one greeted us or explained to us if we wait on them to or go to the bar). So when I asked he was cold and rude in response. Overall meh experience. Great cocktails. But the atmosphere was not it

Visiting Asheville and you want a well crafted cocktail worth the price and with good genuine staff this is your stop. The bartenders especially Neal knows his craft well and isn’t afraid to not only point you in the right direction but graciously indulge in your requests. Very knowledgeable to say the least and great atmosphere with a killer view. Normally I’d say group favorites in this case it was all just that good! Cheers!!!

The place is trendy and the price felt that way. The old fashion tasted good but it wasn't anything unique and it was $17 before tax or tip. The seating is very limited and even more limited if your group is more than 2.

Top of the Monk is a cute cocktail bar experience with a rooftop patio! Their cocktails are fresh and unique. I got the house margarita and it was delicious - not too sweet and not too tart. We sat down at the bar pretty early on a Saturday afternoon and it wasn't very crowded. Since it was our first time, we had a couple of questions and were curious about the space. We had a similar experience with the male bartender that previous reviews have mentioned. He was very dry and not friendly at all. Other than that, it was a cool spot to grab a cocktail!

The female bartender had loads of talent. She was very personable. The male was so rude. He made all of his drinks quickly. I asked to video him making a drink, and he was very disrespectful.

Really neat spot. Nice view, lots of drink options. Helpful bartenders................................................

Still love the spot years later. I got the fancier version of a Manhattan this past weekend and it was delicious. The bartender was a man and quite rude when I inquired about the drink. He talked to me as though I didn't know that's what it was, but I was simply trying to grasp the difference. Otherwise it was still very well-made drink and I enjoyed the rooftop. It's become a little bit too touristy with bachelor/bachelorette parties but still a favorite. Great views and ambiance

Such a fantastic craft cocktail bar! A real haven for those who are looking for something besides beer. Our bartender, Rob, was friendly and informative in describing the menu. The inside bar was cozy and the rooftop area cute. I loved the Japanese Cold Noodle cocktail! Just a tip, the bar is upstairs only - no ground floor storefront.

Loved the view! The drinks were unique and my coffee whiskey drink was incredible. Service was great!

We stopped up on the roof at Top of the Monk during a family reunion & grabbed a round of cocktails. Everyone enjoyed their drink & the upstairs/roof ambiance. They have bar seats, a few tables & a couple tables outside. The roof area is small & it was quite hot when we visited so the 6 of us sat inside. Worth a look see, if you want unidirectional craft cocktails. The beer is downstairs, so if you just want beer no need to go up.

Top of the Monk is an awesome bar on the third floor of this building. Once you get up the stairs, you're greeted by a warm and inviting atmosphere. They have a great variety of liquor. The best thing is all their mixers and bitters are made in house, even their tonic water. You can really taste the difference! My partner had the gingerbread old fashioned. Other than being served with a cookie, there wasn't a ton of gingerbread to be found. Other than that, it was a solid old fashioned. I had their classes marg, and it was a perfect one! Would love to be back!

This is a great upscale counterpart to The Thirsty Monk, which is right downstairs. If you are looking for incredible fresh drinks, nice ambiance, and talented bar tenders - this place is for you! We had such a nice time and the drinks really were top tier. There are many cocktails that range from $15-20 in Asheville, but rarely are they worth it. Just know that at Top of the Monk - the drinks are absolutely worth the price. They also have a fun Halloween menu right now, so go before it's gone!

Great rooftop bar with a wonderful cocktail selection. The outdoor area is a fun spot to people watch.

Nothing special but still good. Location is good and upstairs is cool. Lots of menu options. I wanted an espresso martini and their take (Smooth Operator) wasn't my cup of tea but I appreciate the creativity. Bartenders were more focused on than regulars then checking on us.

So glad we were able to have a drink in this upstairs speakeasy type vibe of a place. It is located above Thirsty Monk and not sure their exact hours, however I think you have to wait until 4pm most days. Our group of 4 all ordered different drinks and all were great, but nothing tops the specialty cocktail I ordered. I ordered the THE STONE FRUIT SOUR. It was one of the best cocktails I have ever had. The egg whites for my drink were cracked in front of us at the bar and that made the drink soooooo smooth. Ton of flavor!!! Very cool outdoor balcony and small bar. I would highly recommend stopping for at least a drink.

Excellent and managed to get a party of 14 to the rooftop without too much of a wait. Great beers and cocktails. Fantastic location and knowledgeable bar tenders.

A great spot to start the night or probably even to finish the night. We got into Asheville in the afternoon, Friday and did a few things to get settled. But soon after we went downtown and "Top of the Monk" was our first stop. It had a small stairwell next to another place place below and we walked up to the top. It was a great vibe. It had high ceilings, With a long sharp looking bar. We were early so not a lot of people, which was kinda nice. The bartender poured me a Josephine Baker which was quite tasty. We took our drinks outside where there was some fairy lights up. The night was nice, a nice chill. I was liking song after song that was playing, so yeah, definitely was digging the music. I followed up with a "get Lucky". That was more of a fun picturesque drink, and probably a little too cold for drinking outside in the cold air. But we enjoyed it all the same. We didn't stay long, as we wanted to bounce about town that night, but very glad we started at the Monk.

Top of the Monk is a delightful cocktail bar with lovely views, interesting drinks, and pretentious bartenders. Perhaps they would prefer mixologists... A three floor - basement, first, and second - bar where each floor acts as it's own establishment with one club membership (trivial fee) it offers a lot. We opted for the second floor and sat at the bar so we could watch the bartender make magic and chat as a gentle breeze wafted from outside. It was a bright, open atmosphere. The drink selection was incredible but I won't note what exactly I drank because the menu is constantly changing. While they have a couple pages of cocktails that they feature this is an establishment where the sky's the limit. This is where you go to try out new cocktails and revisit old favorites. Just expect a sneer from the bartender if you order something on the simplistic side. While my party fully indulged in their craft cocktails we would quietly giggle whenever someone ordered something like a rum and coke and watch the bartender curdle. He was extremely good at his job but also pretentious. Never cracked a smile, never engaged except to tell us he made the best drinks, told us a few other highly regarded cocktail bars were inferior, and whenever my party made jokes made snide remarks. It was fine because he really did make excellent drinks and we quickly started ignoring his under the breath comments. The drinks more than made up for it!

We stop by every visit to Asheville for a few drinks each time. The menu always changes and the bartenders creations never disappoint. Always love the seasonal cocktails but they do a great job with the classics as well. Highly recommend a visit here. Sad they don't do the snack lockers bc of Covid anymore.

Overpriced bro zone. The only area worth enjoying a $17 cocktail is the outside patio, which only seats ~5 pairs of folks. They don't have the snack lockers anymore, which was a big draw since it's what set them apart from every other bar. If you're looking for a cool bar, try The Times or Sovereign Remedies over this atmospheric buzz kill. The bartenders here are nice though, so yay for that!

We are bar snobs from Nashville and our experience at Top of the Monk was hands down the best cocktails we experienced in Asheville. Our servers, Iris and Blake were friendly and so knowledgeable. The Brown Derby is the one you need to order if you are a bourbon fan looking for a refreshing twist on your favorite spirit. The sexy old fashioned was also top notch. 5 star experience.

Fantastic atmosphere and great drinks! Fabulous service as they were very attentive and had great recommendations.

Super cool spot. We mostly enjoyed watching the bartenders make the cocktails, it was mesmerizing. Also, great playlist really completed the vibes

When I say the best spot for craft cocktails!! Blake was behind the bar serving cocktails and going beyond the menu listening to flavor profiles. Bottom line "He Knew his drinks".. it got pretty busy and without a bar back he managed it all -- even on a Wednesday. The music was spot on and meeting locals solidified the fact that this is usual treatment. Highly recommend in Asheville.

One star is too high. Was turned away with a group of 5 girls because we were a bachelorette party. Due to the rain the bouncer said we could not come in after he saw our group and let us stay in line in thw rain for several minutes. we were respectful and had one drink. terrible business practices

Stone fruit sour great, winter pinms cup not as good as regular pimms cup. Cool second floor hipster bar with small rooftop. Friendly and quick bartenders.

I was so excited to come back here and get a cocktail after we had a great experience before Covid.. but we were only presented with a very judgey and rude bartender who made us feel very uncomfortable and unwelcome.. I will never come back here again.

Great little spot upstairs from Thirsty Monk. Definitely a different vibe from the main bar. Dimly lit, intimate cocktail lounge with an extensive whiskey and bourbon selection and great signature cocktails. I highly recommend The Southern Charm. So delicious I fear I could have had five!

We stumbled on this spot and we will 100% be back! The cocktails were some of the best in town! Service was fantastic and the roof top bar is a cute spot to hang out.

For cocktail nerds, this is the place to be. Mixologist Blake and Reagan know what they're doing and I cannot recommend this cocktail bar enough. Chill vibe, great views and cocktails to die for. Even off the menu, Blake knows his cocktails like the expert he is.

When I first arrived in Asheville my friend wanted to show me around and take me to a nice view of Asheville at Top of the Monk. We walked up the stairs and realized that we were the only patrons, which we were not necessarily upset by. As we were looking at the menu the bartender came over and took our orders. We tried to ask him a question about one of the décor choices on the wall to see if it dealt with the history of the building and he basically told us he did not know. He was not pleasant and not very nice to say the least. He took our orders and proceeded to make himself a drink and go outside to smoke and have his beverage on the outside patio area. He did not come back and check up on us until we got his attention to close out. The drinks were okay, but the customer service is really what is going to make it to where we do not return. There are plenty of spots in Asheville with great drinks and employees with better customer service.

Bartender is a jerk and did not seem to like to speak to customers. Drinks and view were excellent however.

The venue is quaint. The outdoor patio was nice. I understand when bartenders have a love of their creations. But when I asked for a suggestion, they were way off the mark. The cocktail I had was very nose heavy on sesame oil. A little goes a long way. The presentations are spot on with the look and garnishing. The glasses were perfect and the ice - just right. Maybe out pride to the side a little and hear what your clients prefer - it really is a nice place. Just not as likely to recommend.

Loved the atmosphere and rooftop area. The bartenders were very nice and knowledgeable about the different specialty cocktails. I got the sexy old fashioned and it was the perfect way to end the evening.

Blake was the best! made sure we were all taken care of and had great recs. would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for a good drink, view and vibes

Some of the best cocktails we have had so far in Asheville. The Smooth Operator is fantastic. Great Old. Fashion and other exotic cocktails

The breweries are all the craze in Asheville but Top of the Monk was probably my favorite place in the whole town. I love whiskey so much that I just happened to stumble upon this amazing craft cocktail rooftop bar. You get a skyline view of downtown Asheville and delicious cocktails?! Heck yes. The ambiance is amazing and each cocktail is so unique and made with so much thought. The prices ranged from $8-$14. You won't be able to get your regular whiskey and coke here but they have their own home made syrups you can add in instead. Their menu seems to change frequently so there's always something new to try! With each cocktail, you get a key. There's a locker with small little drawers that you can unlock with your key and each one holds a snack. There's meat/cheese and crackers, brownies, peanuts and olives. Such a cute concept!!

10/10 Blake did a wonderful job. We had two cocktails, both were phenomenal. He definitely knows his cocktails. As a fellow bartender, I appreciate his knowledge! Also the atmosphere is nice. Not overly packed with too many people but definitely a happening stop. I also love the rooftop here. Wonderful for a beautiful day! Check them out!

The place was great. Cool atmosphere and pretty good drinks, however the service was absolutely awful. We walked in and received rude comments from one of the bartenders with the longish brown hair and ponytail. Called us "nonsense" among other things. We were in a group for my birthday so we asked the other staff if we were too loud or disruptive and they said "not yet". My friend also asked about substitutions for drinks that had grapefruit and he said he could if he "wanted it to suck" and walked away. Very unwarranted and disappointing. Management definitely needs to intervene because it ruined an otherwise great place.

After several visits to Top of the Monk, a review is definitely in order. Top of the Monk is a unique Asheville gem that should be on everyone's visit list, especially if you like unique craft cocktails. The atmosphere is inviting, with a bar, several tables and an outside patio. The menu is extensive with unique cocktails, wine and beer. However, I suggest sticking with the cocktails. The service is top notch and the bartenders sure know their craft. With each cocktail comes a key..a key? Yes. Each key opens a locker, with a treat. Treats include popcorn, peanuts, and a few other gems. For some reason, I think this is the cutest idea. Who knows why. Top of the Monk stands out for me as one of my must go spots and I suggest checking it out next time you're in Asheville!

This spot is a Private club. For only a few of a Dollar to join. With each order you receive Skeleton key which unlocks to a tasty treat. I opted for the brownie (it's like a two bite brownie). Amazing customer service. Delicious old fashion for the price of $16

This was a fun little place. You literally go up some stairs and then you're in the bar. It feels like some sort of VIP roof bar. It's nice because it's up high. The inside area is cozy, and the outside patio is really neat because you can look around the downtown area. Be warned, the drinks are pretty damn expensive. Guess you're paying more so for the experience. Cocktails are pretty cool though. For every drink you buy, you get a key that unlocks a snack drawer from the lockers. You get a little snack to go along with your drink.

Opened this week (end of May 2021) Stopped in on May 27 Fantastic drinks Skilled bartenders! (Neil took care of us) Had a great Rye I've never seen (Little Book 2) If you like great cocktails and whiskey, this is the place to go. So glad they opened just before we made it to Asheville!

Excellent cocktails, definitely some of the best in town. Awesome view too if the weather is nice!

Felt like a bro bar.. the outdoors was cute, but the bartender was pompas and not very welcoming. He seemed irritated that I asked for a cocktail that wasn't on his very "special" menu.. Maybe just a bad night. But when I asked for something different his reply was "I guess I'd be willing to make you something different" Get off your high horse dude. I might try again sometime.. but a bit too mainstream for my flavor.

Great place for an awesome cocktails and views! I visited Asheville for the weekend and came across this gem. Definitely a must visit spot!

Let me start off by saying I love the snack lockers! With every drink you get a key that unlocks the snack locker. Such a great idea! This is not a place to come if you are hungry because the snack locker is all they have. Very cool inside. The entrance is at the top of the stairs next to Thirsty Monk. Yes, you have to join for $1. Once upstairs it was very comfortable. I was afraid since it's a small place that it would be packed, but they do a nice job controlling the flow of people. We sat at the bar without waiting, and there's also a small rooftop patio with seating. This is not a big place. The bartender is supposedly a goddess at the bar (she might be the owner), and it was fun to watch her sling drinks all night. We were told these were the best cocktails in Ashville - and they probably are. They are the best we had there. But the cocktails did not knock our socks off. To be fair, we LOVE cocktails. If you've read my other reviews, you know they are quite the hobby of mine. While these cocktails were great by Ashville standards, I'm not from Ashville, and I have had much better. They just were uninspired, really. I had several different drinks from the menu and none were wow worthy. Nothing was memorable. Nothing I want again. But, to be fair, nothing was bad. I might be back when in Ashville because it is probably the best spot for drinks, but in the world of craft cocktails, these disappoint.

Banging ass music. Great drinks. The bartender was very friendly and knowledgeable. ..

An awesome atmosphere with killer cocktails and a great view. Bartenders (particularly Blake) are kind, attentive, and able to manage a chaotic crowd. Great music and great exclusive Asheville venue with sweet craft cocktails on the menu

Great speakeasy bar attached to a Belgian-style brew pub (Thirsty monk) in downtown AVL. The cocktails are hand-crafted and use unique ingredients. I thought this bar was on par to others in Atlanta. Each cocktail comes with a key to unlock an amuse bouche of your choice - something I've never seen at other bars before. There is nice seating inside or on the roof. We enjoyed this bar enough to come twice during our trip. The bartenders were really nice and knowledgeable. If you're not from North Carolina you might be confused about the whole club thing... Apparently you have to give them your license and a buck to get entry into the bar (for a year) if the bar makes less than 30% of its revenue from food. It threw me off at another bar in AVL but each state has weird alcohol laws so don't worry too much :)

I've never had a worse time at a bar in Asheville. I was with a group of seven girls. They have a limit of six person groups at a time. That's fine. So we asked the bouncer if we could trickle up in smaller groups. He was like yeah, but when it came time for our last two girls to come up, he wouldn't allow them because he knew they were part of a group of seven. Meanwhile their bar was literally EMPTY. The guy was a huge dick. The place was empty. Cocktails were subpar and the bartender was a dick when I asked for an espresso martini and he was like NO BUT we have this thing that is exactly like an espresso martini with cold brew. Def my least favorite spot in town. AVOID THIS PLACE ID YOURE A GROUP.

My friend took me here for the first time this week, and we enjoyed our drinks but I likely won't be back. When we first walked in, I was so impressed with the ambience and the cocktail menu that I told my friend we should make this our new "spot". We spend time downtown together on a weekly basis and tend to frequent the same places. Unfortunately things went awry; upon leaving at the end of the night she felt the need to apologize for such a disappointing experience. We ordered our first drink and paid after receiving them, but I hadn't yet paid for my second when they began to shut down for the night. I could see they were busy cleaning to close up and put a $20 bill on the counter to pay for my last drink + tip, and one bartender grabbed it and said "thank you, you're good". Yet, the other bartender standing next to her kept telling my friend that someone needed to pay for my drink, and I was made to pay another $15 on my card for the same drink I'd already paid for. I ended up $55 out for ordering two drinks. My friend told me as we left that they have a "no cash" policy, and that the bartender who took my money obviously should have told me that when I gave her cash to pay. My friend also told me that the bartender tried to charge her again at the end of the night for the first drinks we ordered, and she felt like they were trying to take advantage of her being intoxicated. I don't think that was the case, but customers should obviously feel safe in your establishment. There was clearly a lot of miscommunication going on and it felt very messy and disorganized.