click on the links below to read the full review:
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 1999
Best Pub: The Old Monk
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2000
Best Pub Grub: The Old Monk
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2001
Best Fried Calamari: The Old Monk
Golf Digest - July 2001
Justin Leonard's hometown picks: Best bar: The Old Monk
Dallas Morning News (The Guide) - March 2002
The Old Monk. Trust the Old Monk for good food, drink (by Nancy Schaadt)
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2003
Best Bar: The Old Monk
D Magazine - June 2003
The Best Patios in Dallas: Best Patio to Meet and Greet (by Laurie Dent)
Texas Monthly - August 2003
The Old Monk
D Magazine - September 2004
The Old Monk
D Magazine - June 2005
The Old Monk
D Magazine - July 2005
The Old Monk
Digital City - 2006
City's Best: The Old Monk
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2006
Best Bar Food: The Old Monk
Envy | Dallas Life - November 2006
Pubs: The Old Monk
Envy | Dallas Life - November 2006
Drink of the Month - Chimay (at The Old Monk) by Melody Lowe
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2007
Best Bar Food: The Old Monk
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2007
Best Beer Joint: The Old Monk
Envy | Dallas Life - December 2007
[YUM] Old Monk
Dallas Observer Listing
The Old Monk
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Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 1999
Best Pub
When the guys at the Dubliner decided to open a second pub in a building on Henderson, a building rife with a history of failed businesses, they couldn’t have predicted the across-the-board success the Old Monk would immediately become. As popular with the soccer-and-Guinness crowd as with intrepid yups and Dallas rockwannabes, the Monk pours its pints with plenty of charm and gusto, with a music selection to please most any critical pop fan and a menu more aligned with New American casual than U.K. grilled cheese. This is a neighborhood pub in the truest sense; any trip on any night of the week reveals a room of folks from the Lower Greenville-Lakewood area, and if you live in those parts, chances are you’ll run into someone you know. Granted, the Monk is overrun with SMU types on weekend nights, keeping many of the Boddington’s-swilling weeknight regulars at bay, but the woody, easy atmosphere stands up to even the hilliest silicone and blondest bleach.
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2000
Best Pub Grub
Most beer gulpers don’t have a palate that ventures much beyond leftovers found between the couch cushions. But Trappist monks have always enjoyed good food to go along with their beer brewing – or so we’ve been told. That’s why the Old Monk, a pub rife with Trappist monk imagery, has a range of good nibbles such as delicious mussels steamed in beer spiked with garlic and herbs, cheese boards, and fried calamari sleeved in a light, airy batter. What we want to know is, do monks pray before the same altar the rest of us do when the brew gets out of hand?
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2001
Best Fried Calamari
Few gastronomical adventures really excite us anymore. We love good food, but it seems as though we’re too jaded – or just too fat – to believe that there is really any end-all, be-all dish. “Oh, the sea bass, yes, it was tremendous, but surely someone in town does it better, no?” Not so with this dish. No one in town does fried calamari better. No one on this earth does calamari better. It simply cannot be prepared in any more perfect a fashion than it is at Old Monk. The delicate ovals of splendiferous squid are feather-dusted in an impossibly light, perfect batter and then deep-fried. The quick-flash result is the most orgasmic experience of which any cephalopod has ever taken part. We figure, anyway.
Golf Digest - July 2001
Justin Leonard's hometown picks: Best bar: The Old Monk
Dallas Morning News (The Guide) - March 2002
Trust the Old Monk for good food, drink (by Nancy Schaadt)
“ The thinking behind the menu was food that tasted good with imported beer,” he explains.
Taste good it does – visit after visit after visit.
Chef Kirk Mexia, who has been at Old Monk since shortly after it opened, runs the kitchen with a firm hand and an eye to consistency.
The Old Monk is comfortable, with homey exposed brick very much in the style of English or Irish pubs. It’s decorated with a fascinating selection of new and old beer signs and a back bar from an English chemist’s shop. A few items came from a Pennsylvania monastery, which, in part, was the reasoning behind the name. Mr. McKinney says that he, his wife and a third partner kept returning to a monastic theme.
Trappist monks are famous for their beer, and the Old Monk should be famous for food.
The menu has only 16 items, which range from traditional pub grub such as German sausages ($7.50) and fish and chips ($7.50) to the national dish of Belgium, moules frites (mussels and french fries, $8.95). The mussels and fries are as good, or better, than versions I have eaten in France.
Thirty small mussels were steamed in Hoegaarden, a Belgian white ale, with garlic, shallots and herbs. Moules are traditionally prepared with white wine, but steaming them in a crisp white ale perfectly elevates the shellfish nectar without adding the acidic bite of cheap white wine. Old Monk’s version adds skinny frites and a spicy mayo to dress the fries.
Although moules frites are the best reason to visit the Old Monk, other dishes are done almost as well. Guinness beef stew ($3.25 cup, $5.95 bowl) had more beef than vegetables in a sauce that tasted more like a good bourguignon than a reduction of Guinness Stout. It had depth and complexity without overwhelming weight. And it was thin – like rich soup – not thick or gluey. Fish and chips and deep-fried calamari ($5.50) both use the same light, fine, tempura-like beer batter. Both the fish and the chips were enhanced by traditional malt vinegar. The calamari were slightly greasy, but the fish and chips were well-fried. The calamari came with a kicky marinara sauce infused with oregano.
The most expensive dish on the menu is the cheese board ($10.50 for three items plus garnishes), a favorite in European pubs but rare around here. Choose from seven cheeses and one salami. The cheeses generally reflect the national origins of Old Monk’s core beers. They include English cheddar cheeses and Stilton as well as farmer’s cheese, brie, Derby and Bruder Basil. The board comes with apple, tomato, tiny cornichons and garlic bread. All this and the generous cheese wedges made a large appetizer, suitable for two or more.
Sandwiches are made with Boars Head brand meats, and a few are more interesting than most bar fare. Smoked salmon ($7.95) on toasted marble rye with capers, cucumber and red onion looked worth a try, as did the burgers ($5.50) and a vegetarian Reuben made with portobello mushroom ($5.95).
Mr. McKinney wants people to remember that Old Monk is a bar, not a restaurant.
The bar is stocked with fine draft beers from Ireland, England, Belgium and Germany. Beers such as Maredsous ($5), a strong Belgian ale, and Paulaner Hefe, an unfiltered German brew, are popular.
If you are allergic to smoke or offended by it, be forewarned: Old Monk has no non-smoking area, and remember, people like to smoke in bars.
To be on the safe side, Mr. McKinney recommends that smoke phobics visit on a weekend afternoon, before the younger smoking and drinking crowd arrives.
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2003
Best Bar
D Magazine - June 2003
The Best Patios in Dallas: Best Patio to Meet and Greet (by Laurie Dent)
What to wear: White monogrammed tank top, Abercrombie short denim skirt, armband tattoo, and a copy of Catcher in the Rye.
Tip: Old Monk has a large selection of Belgium beers and excellent bar food. Happy hours are weekdays from 4-7 p.m.
Texas Monthly - August 2003
Restaurant Guide: The Old Monk
D Magazine - September 2004
The Old Monk
Sure, this dimly lit bar has all the trappings of a European pub, including draft beer from Ireland, England, Belgium, and Germany. But the food is the standout here, with arguably the best fish and chips in town. People watching is prime.
D Magazine - June 2005
The Old Monk
Full disclosure: the Old Monk is on our way home from work and gets a considerable amount of our business. So much business that we consider the waitstaff our friends and the pub our second home. In our defense, the service is friendly, and the Henderson Avenue spot is clean but not pretentious, cozy but not confining. The frites are the best we’ve ever had, and the European draft beer is so plentiful that we’re almost willing to stray from “the usual.”
D Magazine - July 2005
The Old Monk
Those outside the ‘hood may know Feargal McKinney’s place as a watering hole, but those within walking distance pop in regularly for crispy fish and chips, divine steamed mussels, and frites to go with their imported beers.
Digital City - 2006
City's Best: The Old Monk
The Old Monk is a snug little bar with seating tucked in around the walls and a dark, old-fashioned atmosphere with lots of brick and wood. It will remind you of a quaint Irish pub -- even if you've never been to a quaint Irish pub. The walls are adorned with old and unusual beer signs and the decor includes knickknacks from a monastery in Pennsylvania -- hence the name. Old Monk has somewhat of a split personality. Although it is a bar, the owners pay close attention to the food. The selection and quality are way beyond what you would expect from a pub. In addition to the sausage and fish and chips, you'll find mussels, salmon and a variety of soups. The beer selection, as you might expect, is extensive and includes plenty of draft beers from Ireland, England, Germany and Belgium.
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2006
Best Bar Food
A night out at the bar. You've been knockin' back a Stella or 10 with your gang, maybe playing a little game of "Who Would You Rather?" (Ugh, Barbara Walters.) You're starting to get a little hungry. But you're smart, and you didn't drive to the bar, which means no trip to Jack in the Box for some grease pocket tacos. Better hope you're at the Old Monk, 'cause the Knox-Henderson staple kills every other burger-and-fries-servin' drinking establishment in town when it comes to bar food. Two words: cheese plate. Floppy, frozen french fries don't stand a chance against the Five Counties cheddar, tasty deli meats and tiny little gherkins on the Old Monk plate. If you want heftier fare, the Guinness beef stew will tide you over till you wake up from that hangover tomorrow around noon. And the sandwiches? Oh yes, the sandwiches are big enough for two jonesin' drinkers to feel plenty satisfied. After you've felt the love of the Old Monk, you'll never look at 2 a.m. hamburger quite the same way. Or ever again.
Envy | Dallas Life - November 2006
Pubs: The Old Monk
Lindemans Framboise and Chimay on tap... mais non, est ce possible? This neighborhood pub makes it possible by pouring hard to find imports from Belgium, Germany, England and Ireland. If you swill something made by someone who has devoted his life to the almighty and making beer, chances are it tastes damn good. Dress Code: Casual
Envy | Dallas Life - November 2006
Drink of the Month - Chimay (at The Old Monk) by Melody Lowe
The mecca of beers, The Old Monk, offers over 100 different ales, stouts, draughts, bottles and ciders. This pub is a chill, dim lit favorite filled with good people and good music (think Arctic Monkeys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and the Mad Scientists).
Mick and Bryan were my tutors for the night, informing me on all of the different selections. Sheesh, what's a girl to choose? After a couple of different tastings, I chose the Blue Chimay Grand Reserve. Bryan, who seems to have a Ph.D. in beer, told me that monks brew Chimays and drink them while they are fasting just to keep their bodies going. The monks also donate the proceeds to orphanages. What?! Another reason to rationalize my drinking habits?! Well, I am all about helping kids, so I decided to order a couple...or five.
The Blue Chimay contains 9% alcohol, so it is pretty strong but with a nice, smooth finish. My fellow drinker, a.k.a. the poor fellow ENVY employee I dragged out of the office to accompany me, would agree. After a couple glasses, Amy was stretching, kicking her legs extremely fast-just to see if she could do it-and asking some guy if she could have his old school Nike jacket. He was so impressed he zipped the jacket off and handed it to her without hesitation. That or he was just plain scared.
So it turns out that Chimay isn't just fun to say, tasty to drink and strong-it's also capable of inspiring people to do a few leg kicks and take off articles of clothing. Yesss, count me in.
If you don't know, now ya know...
Head over to The Old Monk, or their sibling bar, The Idle Rich Pub, and ask for a cold Chimay Grand Reserve. Do it. Do it.
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2007
Best Bar Food
There are plenty of bars where you can grab a decent bite in Dallas -- Lee Harvey's, the Meridian Room and the Lakewood Landing all come to mind -- but The Old Monk is the only one we frequent even when we're not drinking. From the sizable burgers to the awesome fish and chips, everything on the menu is tasty, and it's all better with a side of the best skinny fries in town. And don't forget your vegetarian friends, who'll surely love the renowned (in our world at least) vegetarian Reuben. You'll find us on the large patio, a must in our book since most of Dallas' bar scene still hasn't come around to the idea that food tastes a lot better when it's not accompanied by the smell of cigarettes.
Dallas Observer - Best of Dallas 2007
Best Beer Joint
At The Old Monk you can select from 14 beers on draft and nearly 50 bottled beers, including Belgian varieties so strong they could intoxicate Nate Newton. Of course, it's not just the selection of fine brew that makes The Old Monk a Dallas institution; it's the cozy feel of the place, highlighted by dark wood floors, elegant antiques and round, polished tables that look like they came from your grandparents' house, which in our case render us a little nostalgic. While the place is always full, the bartenders have a knack for handling your drink requests quickly and perfectly, giving patrons the best of both worlds: a fun, lively atmosphere and top-shelf service.
Envy | Dallas Life - December 2007
[YUM] Old Monk
This neighborhood pub makes it possible to enjoy hard-to-find imports from Belgium, Germany, England and Ireland. If you swill something made by someone who has devoted his life to the almighty and making beer, chances are it tastes goods. Dress Code: Casual
Dallas Observer Listing
The Old Monk
Just on the basis of suds alone, this English-style pub chugs up high marks with brews from 10 countries including three varieties of Chimay, the heady Belgian beer brewed by Trappist Monks. But Old Monk has other charms, too, from its dark wood paneling fashioned from confessional booths to its bar tables rendered from old barrels. Plus, it has decent bar fodder, including Belgian-style steamed mussels, cheese boards, frites and a German sausage plate. Go for the head, but stay for the belly.