Bellwether Meeting House & Eatery

Monarch and Lion offers a welcoming ambiance, accentuated by lofty ceilings and exquisite architectural designs. The culinary experience is delightful, featuring sumptuous dishes that tantalize the palate. The service is notably prompt and attentive, with staff members demonstrating remarkable consideration and care towards their guests.

One of the more disappointing aspects of Chicago’s food scene is there are not a lot of truly British pubs and restaurants. Yes, you can get a shepherds pie or fish n’ chips here and there, but there are so few restaurants that devote themselves to British food. That’s why I am so excited about Monarch and Lion. I went there the other night, and I had a great time. First, the food is delicious. I ordered the chili cheese naan, chicken pot pit, truffle mac n cheese and bangers and mash. I’m a big fan of savoy pies and chicken pot pie, and one I ordered did not disappoint. It came in a hot skilled, which I thought was super cool. The pastry puff was light and airy and the chicken and filling was delicious. The filling was a bit runny, so if like the gravy thick, be warned. My other favorite dish was the chili cheese naan. I don’t know if this would considered “traditional” Indian food, but I still loved it. The naan was super soft and the filling of chili and cheese was delightful spicy. They also a bunch of Indian dishes, but I think those are for next time. Second, I loved the ambiance. I sat in a big cushy arm chair next to a fire (albeit faux, but still a chill vibe). I felt like a truly walked into a British pub. The overall vibe was warm and cozy. They also played sports on TV at the bar, if that’s something you want. Third, the service was excellent. My waiter was friendly and even asked how I wanted my food brought out, staggered or all at once. In sum, this a must visit spot for delicious comfort food.

Monarch & lion was one of my new gems of 2023! The vibe was immaculate service was great and the food tasted absolutely delicious. I really like the fact that their servers were very knowledgeable on the menu and were able to recommend good stuff. The spot was super cozy yet upscale which I really liked!

I was on my way to a sushi restaurant down the street when I saw this place and decided to stop by. I did not regret my decision. Let's start with the food: 4 stars and not because it wasn't delicious. Everything that I had (pics included) was great, but I do look at price for this category since there isn't a good section for it otherwise. Great food but 4 to 8 dollars more (per item) than I'd like to see. Service: I sat at the bar. Tim and the other server that was helping him out were both great. 5 stars all around. Atmosphere: it looks like a English pub with more windows. It was relatively quiet given the number of people here. I'm giving the restaurant credit for this because several of the cloth textures you see throughout the restaurant are actually sound dampening material that help to cut down on the noise. They do a good job of breaking us up with some half walls as well.

Here’s what you need to know: ambiance is terrific. Beautiful restaurant. Food and cocktails are perfectly serviceable but unmemorable. Service was good and attentive, but the restaurant wasn’t crowded. Pricing is a bit high for what you get in my opinion (e.g. 1 scotch egg for $16). I’d be happy to pay the prices if the food wowed me more. We ordered cheese naan, daal, chicken tikka masala and scotch eggs along with 3 cocktails between the 2 of us. Daal and curry were enjoyable - naan left a little to be desired as it lacked any char flavor, crunch, and was overwhelmingly buttery. Overall the meal was a solid 4 star experience and our bill was $165 + $14 for parking for a late afternoon lunch for 2.

Excellent food with friendly service, including tea service in a nice fancy China set. Milk in first before hot tea always works. Only photo missed was Toffee Pudding with Vanilla ice cream which was quickly devoured. We will be back. Next time to watch sports at the bar with a full English breakfast and Bangers n mash

On a lark and on a damp, rainy, amd gloomy day decided to check out the Monarch and Lion. An evening well spent. Good food and cocktails. The artichoke bhaji was alright. Loved the sauce. But oh so loved the lamb shepherd's pie and Bangers and Mash. The strawberry trifle pudding brought on a lot of fond childhood memories. And oh my, the honey mustard old fashioned was on point. Will be heading back for that chicken tikka I keep hearing about..

Went and tried the new kid on the block, as what I had heard and read about was very intriguing. One of my favorite places in Chicago (Owen & Engine) recently closed and Monarch & Lion looked like a place that could fill the void of partially Indian-inspired British pub food, with several very similar dishes on the menu that were my favs at O&E. The ambiance and decor are amazing - really well done. I went on a fairly quiet Monday, and I did not run into some of the staffing issues and issues with the service mentioned in other reviews. I’m hoping those are incidental start-up challenges they’ll be able to overcome. The staff at the hostess stand/front desk were a bit of an odd experience. I walked and and three people were standing at the desk staring at me saying nothing, which felt a bit awkward. I sat at the bar, and the bar staff was super friendly and attentive. The turmeric gin & tonic was excellent - very flavorful. I tried the Scotch egg, which was nice though a tad dry. The small herb salad that came with it on the side was super well dressed and very flavorful. Per the bartenders suggestion, I went with the lamb pie (and not the bangers & mash which I’d definitely like to try) and it was excellent! Not heavy at all, and very flavorful. I’m hoping that’s an indication of the rest of the food, which would be great. I’m definitely coming back to try an few more dishes.

With minimal expectations, I found myself to be pleasantly surprised by the dining experience. Overall, it was great and I'd recommend to go and will be going back myself. First and foremost, don't expect a very large menu, since this is Indian/British pub food. You'll find staples from both sides, as well as fusion items. To start off, the Chili Cheese Naan didn't leave a big enough impression for me to want to order it again next time. It's one of those things that you're curious about to try and afterwards, it's whatever. Not to say it was bad or anything, it just didn't give me a "wow" factor. The Venison Scotch Egg was very good. The egg was perfectly cooked. The exterior was a bit overcooked and a bit dry. I think the fat/lean ratio was a bit off and could've went a bit fattier, but that's my personal opinion. The Lamb Keema Pie seemed a bit under seasoned, but again, personal opinion. Otherwise, it was nice to try it. It's a hefty portion, so be careful and don't expect a personal size. Additionally, it's crust less, so I'm not sure if anyone could technically call this a "pie". The Lamb Shank Rogan Josh was perfect. My only issue with it was the amount of naan served alongside it, it wasn't enough. Rogan Josh is one of those dishes where it's very saucy and you want something to soak it all up. The lamb was perfectly cooked, tender and falling off the bone. The Fish & Chips was great too; however, the execution of the batter that the fish was fried in wasn't great. It didn't hold together very well and fell a part. It might need to be double-battered and/or double-fried, so it holds its' shape better. This is one of those dishes that you have to order in order to measure the base line of the restaurant, in this case, British food. Moving onto dessert, the Lavender Trifle was not what I was expecting and unfortunately, was a bit of a let down. It's hard to explain but this is, once again, one of those dishes you have to try for yourself to understand. The Date Sticky Toffee was absolutely delicious and I highly recommend getting it. It comes with a side of ice cream and just simply amazing. Overall, although fairly new, this is a place I can see myself going to every now and then, to get a quick fix when I'm in the area.