I'm confused about how I feel about Hopmonk. The food is... sometimes good, sometimes not and there seems to be no reason why it's one or the other.
Last time I was there I tried to eat their (3 story high) burger. The burger was decent, though too gargantuan to fit in my mouth, and the fries were great. Unfortunately my soda was gross. I requested a new one possibly from a different machine and received a refill of gross soda and then a second, also gross soda. If your soda machine is having issues don't keep bringing your customer the same crappy soda. Usually I'm not neurotic about soda.
I love the huge drink menu- but only tasted an incredibly sour margarita from a tablemate. Â
I do appreciate that the patio is dog friendly and they even provided my Beagle with a water bowl.
Our server was mediocre.
I need a visit that will change my opinion about this place.
I've had many great meals here! Me and my husband started with calamari. The plate was huge and included fried green onion and lemon that were a great touch. We also asked to split the beet salad and catfish BLT. Â They split both items onto 2 separate plates for us, very nice! We were so pleased with our lunch, we are already making plans to come back!
Review Source:Can't say that I've ever had a better server at a worse restaurant in my entire life.  I remember my servers name, Steve he was fantastic.  We could all tell that he had about 5 more tables than everyone else.  We know this because the 5 of u are 15+ year vets of the restaurant business, 1 still managing in Santa Rosa.  Steve handled everything fantastically, you could tell he was the most "seasoned" server they had.  That being said, the drinks were horrible, My wife ordered a Margarita rocks/salt, with Cazadores her fave, and I ordered a beer, the house pilsner (bland, boring).  When we got the drinks, which took way too long about 23-25 minutes, My wife's drink was obviously made with the wrong Tequila (she drinks this tequila a lot, we all do) So she wanted to get it remade with actually what she ordered.  Steve apologized, told us he would not only comp it, but get it done right. And to lighten the mood he said "to be fair folks I did write Casadorez  right here" he did it in a way, that made all 4 of us giggle, Problem solved, good service.  The food was another thing. Appetizer: calamari= waaaaay too chewie, none of us could eat it. Steve offered to buy us some samosas, since they had 2 strikes already, good service.  We declined.  Salad=old lettuce, old veggies. Not impressed.  My friends Wife ordered a grilled Cheese Sandwich  with no Ham, and sweet fries.  She got it with Ham, and Garlic fries (which did smell lovely)  Steve saw it hit the table and right when it did, swooped it up and said." And that's what the sandwich looks like with Ham on it, He's new and likes to show off the Garlic fries". Had us all in stitches.  Very quick witted Steve saved yet another Hop Monk disaster! We all had our food, and Steve kept our drinks full and checked on us the perfect amount. He offered to give us all a free dessert, since we didn't touch our Calamari (NEVER ORDER IT) We were stuffed, Fish and chips were amazing, really. So we got our bill, and we noticed that he had taken off the Calamari anyways.  Gotta tell you, I am actually coming back here, but only to deal with Steve.  We were commenting on how the other servers were all spazzing a little bit and here was our guy the most busy, and the biggest smile.  We looked all over for a manager to thank her and to give our server credit where it's due.  We know it goes a long way with certain bosses. The cute hostess, told us she'd brb with the manager.  The hostess came back and said she'd be right here.  We waited for 10 min, asked again, this time she said she couldn't find her.  All in all, we did have a fun night, I just think the place is ran horribly, but not without some bright spots on the staff. Â
To the owner::::: You have about 3 people on your whole staff we would have hired at one of our restaurants. Came here previously a little over a year ago, and sat at the bar. Best bartender and well, the most fun in Sonoma, couldn't tell you his name. Â Seems as though the staff changes have effected you negatively. I am not the only Sanomite that thinks this. Â Seems like it's going downhill fast, and lost it's friendly edge. Â Sorry, But won't be returning, or recommending you to anyone.
Made a reservation after a day of wine tasting for dinner at HopMonk. We didn't need one but hey, open table dining points!
I had a cucumber cooler cocktail which was very refreshing in the 100 degree weather and then fish and chips. Others ordered the cider braised salmon (which was good but you couldn't taste the cider), the sausage and mashed potatoes (he thought it was delicious but really spicy, I thought it was delicious and had just the right amount of kick) and the calamari.
Service was attentive and friendly. It was too hot to sit outside but the patio is welcoming and seems like a great place to kick back and grab a beer off their extensive list. Would definitely return.
We had my 50th birthday party here recently and received wonderful service from PJ and her staff.  They were extremely accommodating to our party, including a small child, and made everyone feel very comfortable and well taken care of.  We were not rushed into ordering right away and were able to enjoy our drinks and socialize for a while.  It was outside so the heaters were turned off and on as necessary under the tent  to keep everyone comfortable.  The food was wonderful and came perfectly timed for such a large group (about 20) and the bill was all handled very well. There were no complaints which is rare with a large group.  We were able to stay as long as we desired, which was a relief.  Did not want to feel like we had to move on.
We frequent Hopmonk often, whether is is for a meal, happy hour or just to watch a game and enjoy a beer. Â The servers and bartenders are always very professional but also are able to enjoy themselves and interact with the customers. Â It is definitely a happy place for us to visit!
A group of ten of us girls were in Sonoma for my best friend's bachelorette party weekend. Â We planned to go to the HopMonk Tavern to have dinner and lots of drinks before going to Town Square for our last night out. Â
Please keep in mind that I am a server, I've been waitressing through school for the last 4 years so while I may be a little bit more critical, I'm also pretty empathetic to my servers when I'm eating out because I obviously understand what they go through. Â That being said, this review has NOTHING to do with our server that night, Joe, because he was very nice, obviously very busy and doing the best he could given the disorganized way the restaurant was being run.
It all started pretty much right away. Â We were seated in the outside patio area, which was adorable with the strung lights and picnic bench style tables. Â We all were excited to spend a few hours there and order a lot of alcohol. Â All of us ordered a Moscow Mule, which the menu said was (and I quote) "In a copper mug, as it should be." Â A lot of us had never had one and were excited to see what it was like out of the mug, which, to my understanding, is what makes the drink special. Â About 15 minutes later, out comes our drinks in regular glasses. Â Wouldn't have been such a big deal if we were informed that they did not have copper mugs at all (change your menu!) We all sent back the drinks and ordered a few bottles of wine and other cocktails. Â FORTY MINUTES LATER, we finally get our drinks. Â So at this point we had been there for over an hour with nothing to eat or drink, which I think would have been reason enough for a manager to come and speak to us. By the time our food came out, and the bachelorette's order was wrong, we were fed up and asked to speak to a manager. Â Everything could have been resolved and we would have moved on with our night after clearing everything up. Â Instead PJ, the GENERAL MANAGER, comes over and basically laughs at us and tells us excuse after excuse about why everything is going the way it is. She blamed everything on Joe, our server, and told us she was "nervous" to have him take our table because he was new. Not once did she apologize, or even acknowledge why we were upset. Â She was very condescending and ended the conversation with "Well I'm taking all of your Moscow Mules off your bill, I didn't realize a copper mug was so important." Yes, thank you for taking the drinks we DID NOT DRINK off of our bill. Â
After speaking to her we all decided we needed to just pay the bill and leave and move on with our night. Â We asked Joe for the bill, he comes out and tells us that PJ was nice enough to take over $100 off. Â I took the receipt and looked over everything that she had comped for us, and noticed that one of the descriptions of why she gave us a discount was "UGH." ........REALLY?! We're sorry to annoy you, PJ. We obviously asked to speak to her again and her explanation was "Oh, (laughing) I only put that for my files just so I could remember what a crazy night this was!" Interesting, you have an "UGH" File?
This was the most unprofessional and inappropriate general manager I have ever come across. Â She does not belong in a customer service environment. Â We were all extremely disappointed with the way this restaurant was run. Â We were all ready to eat and drink a lot, but instead we all had probably the worst restaurant experience of our lives.
I wanted to be fair in mentioning that after reading my review, the management emailed me and apologized for the service, as well as offered me a gift card to try them again--so for that, I offer an additional star.  While I'm not inclined to go again, it was a nice gesture.  I would have rather heard  that they are making a point to train their employees to provide better service....
Review Source:I would describe this place as British Pub food, Sonoma style.
If you can sit outside on a nice day- do it! Patio is lovely. I had a nice spinach and strawberry salad, artfully presented on a long plate. My cousin got what was clearly 'bangers & mash', which is grilled sausages with mashed potatoes. The sausages were fancy, organic, free range, hand made or something. I forgot exactly what, but they were delicious! Spicy, smoky, and full of flavor. We also had the fried calamari, which were crispy and delicious.
If you're down for some pub food in the area, look no further!
Have been a few times again, and the food and service were much better!
I recently went again, sat outside with friends,had happy hour drinks and food. The kids had quesadillas, pretty standard but the kids liked them, they also had the home made chips. Word of advise, if you have kids ask them to skip the spice they put on them. We shared the beet salad, samosas and the pulled pork sliders, all very good, especially the salad and the samosas. Service was a tad slow, but that's happy hour. Very friendly server. Great outdoor atmosphere.
What happens when the owner is not around. Â We called yesterday for a table and were told no more reservations since she had booked all the reservations she was going to for the day. We could do a walk in and wait. Â Humm. Â So we did a walk in and were told it would be 45 minutes even though there were three empty tables and other tables were being turned over. Â We were seated at our table within 10 minutes. Â At the same time we ran into some friends and asked if we could have a table for six and she said NO WAY it's going to be an hour wait. Â OK we won't sit together. Â Despite TWO empty tables for six. Â Humm.. after ten minutes the girl comes out an says she can sit us together (the person we were talking too the entire time was the blond girl with short hair). Â OK... humm.. Â It took a VERY, VERY long time to get what was OK food. Â The one star was for having some food. Â If you don't want to work would you please just hang a sign on the front that says "meh, we know it's a busy holiday weekend but don't want to be bothered". Â Please feel free to place the same message on the machine and don't answer that way we and other patrons will have a heads up. Â I'm not kidding your staff really just didn't want to be bothered :( Â At four different times staff tried to make us feel very unwelcome. Â The dark haired girl who waited on us did a very good job. Â It did seem like they were VERY under staffed. I wanted to go there since I'm from Chico and I heard the guy that owns it is too. Â Believe me we won't be back to bother your staff again. Â Good luck! Â Yes, it was that bad :(
Review Source:Outside Atmosphere gets the 4 stars, the rest is really a three. Plenty of beverage to choose from, hence the name. The Fish & Chips my kid ordered were delish, but nothing special, large portion my cheese & meat plate was so-so, there was a strong taste of mold on the cheeses they presented, not mold, but the flavor got to some of the cheeses, you know what I mean. The hard baquette chips they give you with some balsamic vinegar drizzled is a waste, just fresh pieces of baquette would suffice. Â I recommend eating outside, though there may be a wait. I noticed they have some cushioned benches outside were people were lounging with a drink & no tables.
Inside atmosphere is dark & gloomy, the table was not leveled so it kept wobbling as we ate, the service was not the best, when I went to the hostess station which was an arm reach & asked for utensils, she was in a panic & told me she had to keep an eye on the door, the waitress finally came by & dropped them off.
So my recommendations, if you want a cool outside eating restaurant & service & food is not a priority go, but if you want really good everything, head to the "Girl & the Fig" smaller outdoor area, but kick ass food & service.
This place was one of the highlights of our recent trip to the Bay Area & Wine Country, and rightfully so. Sometimes the right server with the right attitude with the right amount of knowledge can turn a dining experience from a good or great experience to as good as it gets, and our server did that. She was fantastic, and her guidance took what was already a fantastic experience and made this my personal highlight of five days of dining debauchery.
Before I get into that, this place gets major points for location, decor, and design. It was a gorgeous day anyway, but getting to sit on a large, relatively shady outdoor patio, complete with a bluegrass ensemble playing some good low-key selections, set the mood perfectly for what awaited us. Our server, and I believe her name was Rayanne but spelled unusually (like Rehern or something similar) greeted us promptly and answered any questions about beverages we had. I am picky about beers, and she let me try a couple, based on her recommendations of what I told her I liked. She couldn't have been more spot-on in her choices for me, and in the end, I went with the one she thought I would, Pliny the elder. It was a double IPA with a great citrus taste, which is exactly for what I was wanting. I was very happy.
For our meal, we started with the calamari, which was very good. I did the grilled ham and cheese (minus the ham, I'm pescatarian), which was served with an awesome tomato soup. The soup had what seemed like a hint of basil, and it paired well with the citrus of my Pliny. Hubby had the grilled ham and cheese (with the ham) and a glass of Riesling, and Mom-in-Law had the tavern samosas and her usual glass of chardonnay. She loved the samosas. As for the chardonnay, she never complains, and she had the good ole Sonoma Cutrer. I hate chardonnays, but I guess this is the one to have if you're having one.
In retrospect, one thing I noticed that set apart experiences on this trip to the area for us was service. Perhaps I am someone who expects good service and thinks that such a thing is now prehistoric, as most servers seem entitled to 20 percent gratuity nowadays while having the attitude that you, the paying customer, aren't entitled to anything that bothers them from texting in the wait station or flirting with customers whose number they're trying to get. Rehern (sp?) set the bar very high for her colleagues for me on this trip. If we go back to Sonoma during our annual Christmas visit, I hope we return to HopMonk, and I hope she's working. If you go there, ask for her (cute, petite, dark hair). She does her job very well, and she doesn't treat you like an inconvenience. She is as good as it gets, and she changed my initial review from four to five stars, deservedly so.
Met a couple friends (they're basically locals) here for lunch on a Sunday afternoon. And let me just say, I love this place. From the open, welcoming outdoor patio area and the upscale pub feel to the great menu options and delicious food, I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone visiting the Sonoma area. It's also walking distance to the adorable, touristy Sonoma square. Because it's not actually in the square, parking is very handy right on the street outside.
Why didn't it get five stars, you ask. As often has been the case with places that fell short for me, the service was lacking. Although all but two tables out on the patio were vacant, we were denied patio seating. The hostess said they were all accounted for, yet when we left nearly two hours later, there were still many open tables out there. And then once we were seated inside, our waitress left something to be desired. After getting our drinks, we didn't see her for a long time to actually order our meals. And then once we got our food, we didn't see her again for a really long time to get our check. Together, these contribute to the near two-hour lunch.
Service aside, I would still recommend it. Like I said, the food was really good. My chicken sandwich came topped with bacon, cheese, sautéed onions and a yummy jalapeño relish. I was apprehensive about the relish, but it was actually delicious. I upgraded to the garlic fries and my friend upgraded to sweet potato fries (only $1 extra for either) and both were really good. The garlic fries in particular were especially tasty, so I kept the other half of my sandwich for later so I could eat all my fries.
Though I doubt I'll be back to the area anytime soon, I would definitely visit Hopmunk Tavern again. Hopefully the patio isn't "booked" then, too.
A nice little gem with a great selection of crafted beer. Â We ate lunch and I had the catfish BLT, and wife had a cheese steak on naan. Â We both drank the Death and Taxes dark beer - wonderful, rich, flavorful, and well balanced.
Service was good. Â Seating fine.
Overall very good - but you must really knock my socks off to get a 5-star rating. Â They did everything right, but my socks are still on.
We love the dog friendly patio especially sitting around the fire on cool nights. The food is hit or miss. My beet salad had no flavor and my mans burger was overcooked - again. They have a decent wine list and an awesome beer list. It's a fun place to see live music, we would go more often if the food was better.
Review Source:This review is long overdue but not forgotten. What an awesome restaurant!!!
Service:
After reading all the past reviews I must say I'm slightly flabbergasted at some of the comments about the service. I ventured in between 1-5pm on a Thursday, there were maybe 20-30 guests at the time. The service I received during my visit was nothing less than spectacular. Â You could tell the manager on duty (Reham) does an excellent job ensure everything is perfect. The bartenders...especially the "Ryan Seacrest" double (aka Nick) certainly know not only how to pour a good beer but mix a great drink as well. Their staff was very knowledgeable in Beer, Wine, Liquors and Food pairing.
Food:
I had the Tavern Style Jambalaya, the mixture of sausage, chicken and red beans over rice had just the right amount of "Kick". It took me back to my days of NOLA and Mardi Gras season. Their menu offers something for everyone.
Beer:
The selection of Craft Beers is what draws me to places like this. Plenty of great local beers to try, I recommend the Russian River - Pliny the Elder. If you're lucky enough to be there when Pliny the Younger is available don't hold back.
Atmosphere:
The rustic-modern approach makes this place feel very cozy and homelike. A job well done in the design, interior & exterior.
Overall:
This was my first time in Sonoma County but anytime I am in NorCal I will take the trip to the HopMonk Tavern. Well deserved 5-Star!!!
Delicious varied menu, great beers, and a nice relaxed garden which allows dogs (a rare dog friendly spot that's not super overcrowded in this town.) Everything was well cooked and presented with fast service. I was surprised to find a beer garden with such an upscale menu with affordable prices. Really recommend - for when your taste buds are tired of wine.
Review Source:In a nutshell, way too much salt on the food, a d-bag bartender named Nick, and customer service striving for third class. Like the Titanic, a good place to avoid! Â If you like swarmy, cheesy, Ryan Seacreast bartenders, this is the place for you. If you like, double or triple the salt on your food, this is also the place for you. If you like slow, unresponsive service, you found your place. For the rest of us, an easy pass.
Review Source:Once a funeral home....the atmosphere resembles one now. Â The service is deathly, the beer selection on tap is on life support. My companions claim the cocktails are watered down. Â Put a nail in this coffin. Â I am a local who has given this tavern many chances. Â There are better options in the area. Â Not a dining destination either. Â The owners' need to pay more attention. Â I have worked in the hospitality industry for years, so I understand bad days. Â But every day?
Review Source:Cool place. Â Nice bar. Â Great courtyard for nice days. Â Very close to the Sonoma Square as well.
Service was a little hum-drum. Â Staff seemed to be going through the motions.
Plenty of great local beers. Â Tried the calamari, sausage bites and the philly cheese on naan.
Calamari and Sausage were battered the same. Â Calamari was good, nice and crispy with thinly sliced onions in the mix as well. Â Huge portion. Â Sausage bites were basically the same preparation, onions and all. Â Nothing crazy but good bar food.
Philly cheese on naan was just okay. Â Would not order again. Â Tried it to see if it might be something unique and different, but it just didn't come together. Â No zip and no big flavors. Â Fries were good. Â Crispy outside, creamy inside. Â No problem there.
Will check it out again soon.
I'm only giving this four stars because the service is kinda slow. The first time I went, we were there for an hour and 20 minutes for two drinks, and our drinks didn't come out at the same time. Granted, they were pretty busy, and they may have been short staffed. I had good company with me, so it didn't bother me too much.
Last night, my friends and I went for a couple of hours, which it might have been a half-hour too long, but again, good company and good beer.
The atmosphere: Trending, modern, and homey all at once.
The beer: They have a large selection. If you think the Duchess looks good, SAMPLE IT FIRST! It's an expensive beer and tastes like Kambucha. I've tried beers here that I can't seem to find elsewhere.
The food: Eat it. It's delicious.
Loved this place! It was bustling on a Friday night and although the table wait was about an hour, we were able to grab seats at the bar after a bit.
Our bartender was friendly, super helpful with the menu and we never waited for anything. I ordered the skirt steak which came with fries and onion rings (decadent!) and my boyfriend ordered the hamburger. And for dessert we had the hot out of the oven apple crumble with ice cream - decadent!
They also had live music - a one man band singing oldies - which wasn't my favorite but I've been there before when they had better bands.
Can't go wrong here if you are looking for a fun night out along with a good dinner with friends!
I met Pliny the Elder here in Sonoma and we discussed his landmark work from the Roman Empire which set the stage for the encyclopedia form; Naturalis Historia. Â It was then I discovered that Pliny was not all about scholarly endeavors but had in fact worked with Russian River Brewing to develop his namesake brew.
Pliny and the RR folks have developed what is surely the best double IPA beer to be found. Â How good is it? Â I start a restaurant review and spend the first 2 paragraphs thinking about the beer, that's how good.
So @hopmonkson has a cool and relaxed vibe, great selection on tap and the service was practically delightful. #win
I'll be back for more research on the food...
Looking for a reprieve from wine and cheese in Sonoma? Â Look no further than HopMonk. Â The future in-laws planned all of our dinners in Sonoma, but I convinced them it was a good idea to try this place and get on with our hops and barley. Â So we made reservations (via OpenTable) and were subsequently blown away. Â We started with the sausage bites and calamari for appetizers and without question, the sausage bites were the run-away favorite. Â I mean, come on. Â Fried sausage.
For entrees, we had the pumpkin soup (A+), HopMonk burger w/ bacon (A), pulled pork (B+), and grilled pineapple and chicken sandwich (A+++). Â Everything was outstanding and were accompanied by some of the best sweet potato fries I've ever had. Â The beer list is superb and service was top notch as well. Â It was, unexpectedly, our favorite meal in Sonoma.
Sat outside on a nice November day. Had two little doggies with us who were loved  and given almost as much attention as we were, both from staff and other patrons.
Fresh, flavorful food that is nicely presented. Good beer selection. Never made it inside, but the patio sure is nice. Parking behind the building can be tough, but hey, it's Sonoma!
Love the (REALLY) extensive beer menu, love the specialty cocktails. Â I could eat the butternut squash and brie salad for days. Â We also got the pumpkin soup, but it was a little thick, and a little cold. Â It came with some bread and butter, which was a nice touch, but I'd probably get a different soup or something next time.
One thing was that our server forgot to put ALL of our alcohol on the tab. Â When we told her about the issue, she thanked us and went to fix it. Â The thing, though, is that for parties of six or more, 18% gratuity is added automatically, which seemed unfair for something that we were going out of our way to make sure we paid for. Â We asked if we could choose our gratuity for the alcohol, which came on a separate check, and the waitress said she'd see, but couldn't guarantee anything.
In the end, we did get to choose our gratuity for the drinks, no problem. Â Can't hold a grudge there. Â Just something worth noting!
We stopped at Hopmonk during a lunch break between games in my daughter's soccer tournament. I didn't pick it, since I didn't really want a beer in the middle of the day. (shocking, I know). Â I was thinking about something more diner-like and kid-friendly. But one of the team soccer coaches was craving a cold brewski, so he requested we go here instead.
Extensive outdoor seating - which was good, because we had a large group. Â The weird thing was: It was waaaay over-winterized. Â On a 75 degree Fall day, we were wanting more fresh air and opened up the plastic curtains where we could find a gap. Â C'mon Hopmonk! Â It's Sonoma, CA, not Vermont!
Great beer list - Which is why coach picked it.  I tried to be strong, but they had a delicious-looking black ale session beer on tap, so I gave in and ordered it. Super tasty, super cold. (Though I paid for it  with a slight headache later that afternoon.)
Decent Menu - Slightly upscale pub food, including burgers, sandwiches, salads, some plated meals. Â We were happy they had a kids' menu for the team. Â I chose a Caesar salad with shrimp, which was just fine. Â Everyone else was happy with the food, but there were no rave reviews. Prices were on the high side for what we got.
Beautiful interior - The Bar, and most booth tables, are made from reclaimed wood. I was happy to learn that part of it was from the old Sequoia High School bleachers in Redwood City. Â The seat numbering was still plainly visible on the bar surface. Very cool indeed.
As a middle-of-the-day experience, I wasn't in love with Hopmonk, but I could easily see myself going here for a longer evening session to drink in the nice interior vibe...as well as more of those tasty brews.
I was less than impressed. We made reservations in advance so we would have a prime seat to watch both the niner's game and the giants playoffs. When asked if we would like a bar area table, I said yes and specifically requested a table at the bar. When we arrived, we were told there was no seating available near the bar and we were given a table at the other side of the restaurant in a corner. Only the Giants game was on the large projector, which was blocked by another party. Remind me the point of the reservation?
The beer is OK, but I would expect a better house brewed selection from a brewpub. Happy hour specials were OK, but nothing to rave about. Service was spotty, but OK.
I loved their patio! I can't imagine why anyone would want to sit inside, maybe only when the weather doesn't permit outside dining. Â Anyhow, I love the nice big patio option so we can bring our dogs.
The service was just as fantastic as the setting and the food most certainly delivered as well. We all ordered the burger with sweet potato fries. We tried a pumpkin beer to be seasonal but it wasn't all that pumpkiny, still very very good!
Ehhhh I'm tired of Hop Monk.
Pretentious, over priced, devoid of atmosphere beer garden, and nasty entitled staff don't make this place somewhere I stop very often.
Hop Monk is pretty much everything about the "new Sonoma" vibes I cant stand. Yuppies standing around arm to arm with hipsters and over priced not that great food. Nothing really interesting nothing very creative. It kinda just is what it is. Pap.
They have beer and wine, if your into a snotty "I'm better than you" kinda vibe with your drinks check this place out. Otherwise there are plenty of other local places that can service your needs in a much better way.