My favorite bar in the country was the Monastery in East Phoenix, mostly because of the sand volleyball court, but I also loved the self-serve BBQ, the fire pit, ping pong table, free water jug, the bench swings, shuffleboard, dogs, feral cats, 80's semi-porn adorned bathroom walls, etc. (Nice bushes.) The ultimate unpretentious hang out place. Monastery Mesa doesn't have the same charm, and it's much further from the homes of my siblings, and I've only gone twice, but I guess it's technically my favorite bar.
(5)
Austin C.
I was brought here since I was 10 and it is still the place I come to on Sunday's for family volleyball. It is an awesome place to bring friends for relaxing, watching a sports game, listening to live music, and play recreational volleyball! They have good food at decent prices and certain days they have good specials on beer. You have to be 21 or be with a parent to get in as it is a bar. They have league volleyball on certain nights and I know Sunday's it's open court. They also have lots of games to keep your kids busy and they are pet friendly! Well known spot for bikers to come and relax and have drinks as well as lovers of outdoors and volleyball.
(5)
Nancy R.
Very fun place. We went on a Saturday night and played sand volleyball against some other people. It helped that neither of us were very good, so bad volleyball playing equals lots of laughs and overall a great night. The place was very busy when we got there, but calmed down soon after. The bartenders were slow, and the servers were non-existant. The restrooms were a mess. Overall the place is fun, but service sucks.
(3)
Pat C.
Would love to give a half star, this is an old business with no updates, tv's are from the 80's, bar service slow, servers slow and forgetful. They have been in business for 45 years, how I don't know. Please someone give them the number to bar rescue.
(1)
John U.
The single worst experience I've ever had at any establishment!!!! We brought 12 people for a work function on a Sunday night for food and drink. Asked for happy hour pricing to be extended to our party or simply free pool for the evening due to the fact we would be spending a fair amount of money not to mention it was a Sunday night. I get that a business to make a profit but come on a little effort sure goes a long way!!! Since we do these functions once a month I'm happy to say we will never be back!!!! I
(1)
Joe T.
Smells like old people. Slow service, wings are decent but mostly fried food. More about attraction than food. Don't bring kids after 8 pm. Over priced for bar/fry food
(3)
Stacie L.
The Monastery is definitely somewhere you go for the atmosphere, not really the food. They offer a "grill-your-own" ore pre-cooked menu with options ranging from hot dogs and hamburgers to pasta. The service is extremely slow and can be confusing if you have a large group. Sometimes it is quicker if you order at the bar, but can also be delayed depending on what the small kitchen offers. This las time, I ordered a grill-your-own bratwurst and onion rings. The onion rings came out about 15 minutes after I was giving my brat to cook. It actually worked out well, as I waited until my friend got hers and we were able to grill together. The O-rings came out right as we were finishing. The chips and salsa used to be better, but now it seems they use Pace. :( They offer a decent selection of craft and domestic beers.
(3)
Lettin Y.
Service sloooooow. Food is just so/so for the price. Won't go back. There are BETTER places to go!
(1)
Ramona A.
First time here for a meet up group and tried to order a beer in the inside bar. The bartender talked and talk and talked. The girls were doing their job but he just wanted to talk. After a half hour I walked out. People were complaining about the fact he gave a beer away but charged someone in our group for it. Seems the wait staff are really confused.
(2)
Blue W.
great place for adults and for families! they have great food, the cheesy fries are crispy and gooood! the burgers too are awesome, and they have one of my fave foods: deep fried cheese curds ...yummm! it gets quite crowded in the evenings and there have been many birthday and going away parties held here. we always sit in Ashley's sectionshe is very friendly and efficient be sure to try an 'angry balls' drink: it's hard apple cider and cinnamon whisky..delicious and refreshing
(5)
Summer R.
This is a great place to hang out especially if you have children and want to actually be around adults for a little bit. They have several yard games that you can play. The downside the food isn't that great and you do have to make it yourself which, on another hand, is kind of fun. Pretty much bar style with extra amenities.
(3)
Juli K.
I'd give it no stars if it was an option. I went there last night with some family. We walked in the door and stood there for a minute not sure if we were to seat ourselves or wait, no host/no sign so we sat ourselves. Our waiter was sweating and very rude, almost seemed bothered that we sat in his section. I ordered the tacos, which are hard shell and were stale along with the tortilla chips served with them. When I told our server he stated that they were just thicker and probably not use to them. So I shared with him to tell the cook and owner they were disgusting. The beef in the tacos was not seasoned either .. Just plain ole hamburger. My parents had the fish fry which I'm sure was frozen fish sticks. Everything was served in paper plates and cups. You needed something you had to get up and get it and find the waiter. There are a TON of unattended children running around shoeless and full of sand while their parents sit and drink. My Mother and I went to use the bathroom and decided to just wait. Floors were wet, and just filthy all over. My father said that there are nude photos all over the walls in the men's bathroom. Totally disgusted by the whole place and would never recommend to anyone!
(1)
Daren C.
Sunday afternoon visit. The entire place seemed "hungover." The tables were a mess, all random squished together. The servers (if there were 3) were slow and seemed to be running on empty. There was 1 bar tender inside and he was exceptionally slow. When we asked about the burgers(fresh or frozen etc) she said "Nothing here is fresh." Welll she was not kidding. The chicken wings went uneaten, the burger was gross, the carrot had frost on it still. The tortilla chips were stale. The fries {all 12} were blah. The drinks were all sub par for a bar. The only one that liked it was the beer drinker. There was zero music or anything fun going on. Bathroom was a mess too. I see this being a fun place on a nice Saturday night but other then that....MEH
(2)
Mara S.
It was a packed house for Halloween and they were on top of their game. The servers were out all night. The band was fun. They were all dressed up as Doctors or Nurses. Even the band was dressed up as Hospital Staff. Veronica was our outside server and she was really wonderful. We never had to wait and she was really fun and friendly! They have volleyball, horseshoes, a fire pit, an outside live band, fun friendly staff. We are come back every time we want a night out. So much fun, thank you for one of the best nights ever!
(5)
Megan E.
The Monastery could be an amazing hangout in Northeast Mesa...but it's just not that great. It's such a unique outdoor venue, but the service is so poor I always wonder why we return. Pros: -They allow kids. -It's a very cool outdoor space with volleyball, horseshoes, ping pong, and fire pits. -Live music on the weekends. -You can bring the dog. Cons- -They allow kids. Yes, I know I listed that as a "pro." -Food is pretty average and healthy options are nonexistent, but I'm happy to see a full service menu. -Service is ABYSMAL!!! Let me illustrate our most recent experience: Incident #1 As we were waiting at the bar for our drinks, a waitress walked by and spilled most of a beer on my sister. She did say "sorry" as she continued to walk by. A minute or two later she came back and apologized to ME, as my sister stood behind me emptying liquid from her shoe. Accidents happen, but we both thought this was at least worth a free drink. Incident #2 (different server) Sister: This seems like a fun place to see live music. What types of bands play here? Server: I don't know Sister: When do you usually have bands? Server: I don't know Future Husband: What beers do you have on draft? Server: I don't know. Incident #3 It's been quite a while since we last saw our server, but when he finally comes back I order "chicken strips with a side of ranch and barbeque sauce." 45 minutes later the food comes out drenched in barbeque sauce. Me: Hey, I think I have the wrong order. Server: No, you ordered chicken strips with barbeque sauce. Me: No, I ordered chicken strips with a side of barbeque sauce. Can I just get regular chicken strips? Server: This is what you ordered. You didn't say "side of barbeque sauce." He continues to argue and finally agrees to fix the order. Server: You need to understand that the chicken strips are going to come out exactly the same way. I just want to make sure we're on the same wavelength. Me: Obviously we're not on the same wavelength. Will they be covered in sauce? This whole thing was ridiculous. I'm pretty sure that Serving 101 is don't continue to argue with the customer. Incident #4 (at the table next to us) Server puts down glass of white wine. Woman: I ordered pinot noir. Server: This is pinot noir. Woman: No, I ordered red wine. Server: Are you sure? Obviously our night was a fairly extreme case of bad service, but this isn't too far from the norm. We've been coming here for years and it's always been this way.
(3)
J T.
Came for lunch. From what I saw, all of the seating is outdoors - so don't come here if you want to be inside or away from the heat. They do have misters. We were the only ones in the entire place, 1 waitress. Believe the other reviews when they say the food comes out SLOW and not at the same time. Half of our party was done before the other half got its food. Quality of the food was just OK, nothing to rave about, burgers come plain, just cheese, no other toppings. Only reason I gave the place 2 stars instead of 1 is it LOOKs like a cool spot, maybe it's better at night - but I won't be going back during the day.
(2)
Mike C.
Come for the outdoor atmosphere, and with a big group you enjoy being with. Otherwise don't bother. The food is barely above fast food, takes an ungodly amount of time - an hour a try for us- and most came out wrong and cold. The worst part though is the service. These people need to be kept away from the American public and maybe even wildlife. My wife has food allergies and ordered a sandwich without mayo. They brought it with mayo, which is an easy enough mistake, but instead of just fixing it they argued with us that it really didn't matter. The manager was worse. After sending back the sandwich (one of our whole party) they were really surely, wouldn't refill drinks, slamming things and making sarcastic comments. It was awful. We won't ever go back.
(1)
Jennifer J.
This place keeps getting worse and worse. Slowest service EVER! Came for some drinks and was told the person to access the taps won't be here until 3. That's just one example. Someone needs to buy this place and actually teach people how to run it.
(1)
Chris M.
its a great time. I love going here because its like hanging out in your yard with family. always have a good beer selection and food is bar food.
(4)
Stacey B.
This place is really, really fun! There is stuff going on all around you. The service was good even though we had almost 20 people in our group. We had a hot dog, slider and soft pretzel from the happy hour menu (goes until 7 which is nice) and it was all delicious and fresh. I heard the wings were especially good too. We will definitely be coming back.
(4)
Kelley W.
Pretty neat and unique venue, definitely want to go again. Although this is a burger joint, I had the Authentic Tacos.... They were unbelievably delicious, I was so surprised. I imagine their burgers are delicious too since that is their specialty. It's cool to see people playing volleyball and the live music was good. I understand people's complaints regarding the seating (yes, very random, yes very squished together). I also understand the complaints regarding service, it wasn't the quickest I've experienced. Our server was apologetic stating they weren't expecting to be so busy and she was all in all efficient. The Monastery kinda reminds me of a large version, hole in the wall venue. I would definitely go there again.
(4)
Paula L.
Just stopped by for dinner and drinks after playing tennis. Service was very slow just for drinks. Not many people there. They were nice just so slow to take an order or bring anything so we went some where else to pick up dinner.
(2)
Jenny H.
So, this is a fun place to go. I read all the reviews on here. I'm not sure about the food, when husband and I and friends go out, we go out to party, not dine :) Even if the bands are average, after a few beers and good company, they sound great! There's tons to do, it feels like a backyard party. I loved the fire pits and people watching. The only negative I have about it is not finding enough time to get there :)
(4)
Brian G.
Off the hook, GREAT BAR, but it's more than just a bar it's a playground for adults. Sand volleyball, cornhole, horse shoes, and things for youngsters to climb an play on too during the day.the manager was AWESOME one of are drinks got forgot and she got us a round of drinks... real attractive servers... great atmosphere and a great time my all time go to place for a good night out with fun loving people. The band was good too.... thanks for all the fun
(5)
Mark O.
Great place to play volleyball, they have grills so you buy the meat and grill it right there which is fun. I really enjoy this place. If I was going to say anything negative they don't pay for great bands to play there, but I would really be fine with piped in fun music so having a live band is fun. Been here several times and always leave with a smile. The staff seems well trained and nice.
(4)
Megan B.
Horrible service and management. We reserved an area for 25 people for a night out with friends. We get there to find that they gave us space for about 12 people, crammed between two kid's birthday parties. They refused to move us and didn't refund us the money we had to pay to reserve one of the ramadas. Don't even get me started on why there were having an 8 yr olds party at a bar at 9 pm. I mean...WTF. Anyways, the waitress would disappear for 30 minutes at a time, forgot to place some of our food orders, so we were still waiting for them over an hour later. Our drinks would take at least 20 minutes to arrive, along with a list if who was at fault this time for the wait, and guess what... It was never her fault. When the food would finally come it was warm to cold, so it wasn't even edible. It was supposed to be a fun night with friends, but instead we had to deal with the shitty situation which ruined the evening. They lost a bunch of customers, but the way they treated us they probably don't even care.
(1)
Tyler M.
Great atmosphere!! We ordered nachos...don't make the same mistake! Stay away from nachos...there was nearly zero cheese on those bad boys. Stick with beer and games.
(4)
christin f.
I love coming here but you can only do so for half the year; being that most of the bar is outside, it's simply too hot enjoy. In nice weather, this place is a great place to hang with friends and family and play some games while you're at it. The sand volleyball courts are awesome but are usually occupied with very serious players. The food here is pretty underwhelming. A while back we opted for the "cook your own burger" option and that was actually pretty neat. Overall wait til the weather is sensational and grab some friends to go play. This place almost has it all, but really scores well with it's inviting atmosphere.
(3)
Tara L.
NOT A PLACE FOR CHILDREN! My husband was invited to the Monastery by his brother for a birthday celebration. Before going to The Monastery, we visited their website to confirm that children were welcome. We visited the Kid's Rules tab. We saw that children needed to be accompanied by an adult and that children needed to leave after 8. The child pictured on the Kid's Rules page looked to be maybe five years old at the most. So we felt comfortable bringing our children to The Monastery. While at The Monastery, my young daughter who is only 4 announced that she had to use the restroom. So my husband took her to use the men's restroom (I was not at the Monestary). Inside the men's restroom hung on the walls were pornographic images of women. Totally NOT appropriate for children of any age to see. I understand that this is a pub, but I feel that it is very important that you provide a safe environment for all who are welcome on your property. Adorning the walls in the men's restroom with inappropriate pictures is NOT appropriate when you advertise on your website that children are welcome. I would request that you place a disclaimer on the men's restroom door informing parents that there are inappropriate pictures displayed. The fact that my daughter saw these images is VERY upsetting. My family will NEVER go back to your establishment because of this experience. I hope that you do more to protect innocent eyes in the future by WARNING parents!
(1)
Rick J.
This place is fun on many levels. Games in the yard, Live music out side, The patio is one of the most laid back I have been to. Sat there for 4 hours chilin' and munchin' on some peanuts. The Santa fe style of the buildings gives you the feeling of being out in the country. Don't let me forget about dog friendly, and the grill your own meat station, our food was top notch bar fare. Our server "Lindsey" had her act together. When I started to think about wanting something she was there?! This is what all AZ bar / restaurants should be modeled after.
(5)
Eric W.
Its a laid back place for sure, with all the plusses and minuses that go with that. Crackerjack super-fast service? Dont count on it. Dusty in the corners. Seems to fly on auto pilot a lot. In any case, its the bar I go to the most... so go figure. Nothing quite like it.
(4)
C N.
Pros: Dog friendly patio, huge yard w/volleyball, live music, happy hour at 11am weekdays. Cons: HORRIBLE non-HD, damaged and even TUBE TVs!! This place is leaving SO much money on the table by completely ignoring sports fans! Food is mediocre. Need healthier options too. Staff is mostly decent. Bathrooms are gross.
(2)
Steve H.
Service sucks! Service sucks! I would like to order a bottle beer!. . . They don't have time for that. . This place is fantastic if they had a server or bartender that cared about something other than drama!. . . Did I mention that service sucks! . . Well it does!
(1)
L L.
HOT WINGS! They are FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just saying.............. First time I've tried them here and glad I did!. I don't typically like to order or eat chicken wings because if you don't eat the skin, there isn't anything left. The waitress suggested that I might prefer them "extra crispy" and YEAH! FANTASTIC! I just don't like that fatty stringy skin and then to find out there is no meat after removing the skin.. These however, were super crispy on the outside and very tender and meaty in the inside. (They actually have meat on the bones). Even during "Happy Hour"! Normally I take the skin off and there isn't any meat so I usually just skip wings but I won't here. They have so many varieties of wings (which I love). I tried the medium buffalo but I'm looking forward to trying other flavors...................
(5)
Joe A.
Have been here several times over the years and its just gotten better. Service was wonderful and after spending a bit of time with some friends had an excellent burger while my friends had some taco's and such. Everything tasted excellent and had a great time. While we were there a group got together and were playing volleyball and had fun watching them. They also have live music on the weekends! All in all had a great time and will return!
(5)
Kim C.
We love this place but the service is terrible for a holiday. It's St. Patrick's and you'd expect the bar to be staffed up. Took 45 min to get food and rude kitchen staff.
(1)
Melanie P.
Came with a group of people to introduce them to a neighborhood place we'd been to before. We were embarrassed that we suggested the place. The waitress provided horrible service....we had to constantly flag her down or go to the bar for our own drinks. We waited 55 min. for food to come out. It wasn't very busy and the food was basic bar food. When we brought our concerns to the manager ( who was also tending bar ), he had nothing to say and didn't seem to care. During the conversation he took our drink order, turned around and helped 4 others who came in after us instead of pouring our drinks. We opted not to spend another dime, cashed out and left. They lost 11 customers that night.
(1)
Serena L.
This is one of the only bars in Mesa, AZ. But it would hold its own if it were in Phoenix. It is an outdoor bar with two sand volleyball courts, firepits all over the place, and other areas to play games and hang out. There is also an outdoor stage where cover bands play music on the weekends. You order your own burger patty to grill it however you would like it, with whatever trimmings you want to add. It is so laid back, and the owners are so nice, it is one of the few spots I need to go to every time I come back to my hometown.
(5)
Phil Y.
This is the place to hang out. People go miles out of there way to be here. Alway making new friends here.
(5)
Ryelle R.
Rad bar in NE, Mesa. Cheap drinks, Awesome customer service, Volleyball, Fire pits, Pool table, Decent live music, Grill your own food & you can bring your dog! The greatest qualities any bar can have! I live about 1.5 miles from the Monastery, can't wait to visit again!
(5)
Richard M.
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(5)
Debbie A.
Horrible service at the outside bar. Place was dead. A lot of servers walking around. It took ten minutes to get the bartender to ask for our order. Then 10 more minutes to get a beer. The bartender was too busy talking to the only people at the end of the bar. She didn't seem to care we were there. We left to go to Cogburns. Always great service there!
(1)
Leigh C.
This place is too much fun! I met up with some friends of mine one Saturday night. The place was hoppin' but it wasn't so busy that we couldn't have fun and be social. There was a neat seating area by the front that was perfect for our group. Now, I'm not a huge beer drinker. In fact, I rarely drink beer but something told me to enjoy a Blue Moon on this particular night and wow...if my beer ALWAYS tasted that awesome, I'm pretty sure I would drink it a lot more. The Blue Moon from the tap was just delicious. I was very impressed. The bar is really unlike anything I've ever seen. Not only do they have cornhole-ing but they also have volleyball courts, ping pong tables and beer pong happening. They had a live band that was super fun and there are so many places to sit! Kids can come here on weekend nights with their families and enjoy the games out in the huge grass area. There are also nice gazebos that groups can claim for their evening out. I didn't get to try much of the food but I can say that their fries and buffalo mozzarella sticks are really great if you're just digging some quick bar food! This place is by Falcon Field pretty close to the 202 so if you're out there, check it out!
(5)
Jamie B.
At first I thought i was back in a ski lodge in Missoula MT. Very cool place. For all different kinds of people. There was an outdoor bar with live band, vollyball courts, and indoor bar. The wings were very good and prices were good too. The service was good. I would go again but go with an open mind.
(4)
Monique H.
We came here for my mom's birthday and by "we" I mean a ton of us. C'mon, we're Latinos, you know we mob deep and with a bunch of kids in tow. We arrived at 7:00 p.m. on a Sunday night. I guess kids aren't allowed past 8:00 but the place was DEAD and the couple of people that were there all had kids too. We had a great time! The sand volleyball courts were awesome. There was a guy on the mic singing everything from the Eagles to Michael Jackson, pretty funny. A bonfire was going and kids were roasting marshmallows. It was a perfect night. Unfortunately, I didn't order any food or drinks but my dad said his burger was the best he's ever had. The server was very sweet but kept forgetting things. The bathrooms were gross. Sure enough, right after the food arrived someone came up to us and told us we had to leave when we were done eating. I think it's asinine to treat your biggest money maker of the evening like that. No lie, I'm sure we doubled their revenue for the evening on booze alone. Ok, I get that they have rules and all, but really, there was only ONE other table by that time. We left no problem. Will I be back? Yeah... I can't think of anywhere else you can play sand volleyball and booze it up.
(3)
Sadie C.
I really don't have high expectations for much in Mesa let alone AZ. With that being said it's 2 miles down the street from me and I read a few yelp as about how "fun" and thy it's a place for people under the age 50 and it's like the show cheers. Wonderful, I like all of that. I am not sure of it was that we were not regulars or that everyone was on Xanax. But it was like the saddest place on earth. Music was playing super low. I am not sure if ppl were actually using vocal cords to converse with each other or if they were like extras in movie pretending to be patrons at a bar. Highlight was at one point a gentleman took of his shirt and not a single person even glanced or paid attention. So it was taco $1 Tuesday and we said what the heck lets be a local and do it. The waitress asked if we were okay with the pricing. I mean a $1 per taco is super expensive so I get it. I checked out drink menu and said hey why not Live it up and get Moscow mule. They advertised it so nicely. The waitress asked me what was such a drink and I pointed to the lovely advertisement. Anyways it was the worst drink I have ever had and the taco as well. Best part about this place was the waitress, she was super sweet and I am pretty sure it was her first night as a waitress. Last but not least bar tab came and we noticed 27.00 charge for drink. After much investigation she returned and apologized the "copper cup" requires $27 deposit which is refunded when returned. We explained it to her and she apologized. That's my story....
(2)
Raymon S.
This is a pretty cool place to go to while in Mesa. It has it's very own outdoor beach with tons of activities to partake in. The food is pretty dang good and the prices aren't too terrible. This is the place to be on a Saturday night in Mesa. With live music, local libations, and drunken beach volleyball, how could you not have a blast?
(4)
Kevin V.
This is a pretty cool place to hang out. They serve food so i ordered up a breakfast burrito.it was big and came with tater tots. I was hurtin from the night before so they surfed me some bloody beers and that was nice. Volleyball courts outside and plenty of seating on the patio. I give this a great rating!
(4)
Mike R.
My wife and co-workers met on a tuesday. It is a fun place to play outdoor games but they didn't allow some of our teenage boys stay after eight. Ok place
(3)
Nikki L.
This place is a lot of fun. They have tons of activities from free poker (Sunday Nights), ping pong, bands, volleyball - your options are endless. Our server - Melissa - was also great. Very attentive and friendly. The only bad thing I have to say about this place is about the front door guy. He was very rude and seemed to be on a bit of a power trip. We almost left before we even got in just because of him. Once you get past the door, the experience is very pleasant.
(4)
Marianne L.
Great place for younger people. Good band and good drinks.
(3)
Kevin F.
Cool place to go if you are looking for something a little different. They have food to order at the bar or you can buy meat and grill it yourself on the patio or by the full size sand volleyball court!
(4)
Lyndsey D.
If you enjoy bartenders that are in a bad mood, and people watching than this place is a great choice! The only redeeming quality is it has an outdoor bar and the beer is cold.
(2)
James A.
Visiting AZ from Cali and my family and I went to check the place out. I must say that this place is DOPE! cornhole,sand volleyball pit, ping pong, horse shoes, great atmosphere. The Monastery has anything a small to large group of people could possibly want. You can even cook your own damn burger if you want to which gives a great laid back BBQ setting for any back yard grill master that is in every group of friends! the outdoor and indoor seating is great. the server that we had was very professional. you can reserve seating ahead of time in the outdoor sections. there is a gated sand area outside with play toys for your children. i ever noticed a little stage outside as well that could be used for live music i suppose. i would highly recommend checking this place out to anyone and everyone. such a great great time. the only reason I did not give The Monastery five stars is because it is listed as a Bar and there is not a full service bar there which was sort of disappointing. I think a full bar would not only give a better atmosphere but increase their business. They have a great selection of beer and wine so really it was not a big deal at all because we were all having such a great time. GO CHECK THIS SPOT OUT!
(4)
Stephen Y.
It was a fun place to spend an evening. The service was pretty good considering we were a large group. The food was okay, not bad, not great. I had a steak that they cooked for me, which came out more medium than medium rare. Not horrible, just not what I was hoping for. You really want to go here for the ambiance more than the food. If you wanted to cook your own meal, you could probably cook it better at home. But it would be a fun place to take a date! Pool tables, ping pong, horseshoes, volleyball, and live music!
(3)
Aaron S.
Love it... this adult playground allows you to cook your own food! That way you know your order will always be made to your perfection.
(4)
C H.
Overall a fun place to hang out with friends. The food is so-so ..but the drinks are cold and there's plenty of opportunity for fun.
(3)
Hit'em Long W.
This place gets 5 stars for their bacon cheeseburgers. My fellow office mates and I try to come here for lunch once a week. They grill your hamburger to your liking and also add a special seasoning that is totally delish.I choose the pepperjack cheese to add a little kick to it. When they serve my burger to me I can't get to the condiment station fast enough. I pile on the jalapenos, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. I usually can only eat half a burger....but I can't stop eating this one. It is sooo dang good!
(5)
robert m.
Was there at the Monastery sunday for the 2nd. annual chili cookoff. Had a great cook it yourself 1/2 lb. burger, great food. They have a huge outdoor play area with 2 sand VB courts and alot of other activities. Very nice place to hang out and have a beer and some food and games. Oh by the way I took 2nd., should have been 1st. out of 19 entries.in the chili cookoff. And thats t from "The Truth"
(5)
Mark W.
The Monastery is a great place for kids until 8 PM when they kick out all of the families that brought their kids. I sat down on the patio by one of the sand volleyball courts at about 6:20 PM. It took five minutes for the waitress to make an appearance (6:25 PM), and another ten minutes for the waters I order to arrive (6:35 PM). Apparently, you have to order menus as well. Most places just give you menus when you take your seat. I order our menus, and five minutes later placed our order for food (6:40 PM). At this point, I sent my daughter off to play. She tried her hand at volleyball. On one of the sand courts, a mixture of adults and kids were having a friendly game. Everyone was welcome. Then she ventured over to the other court where the kids were just playing in the sand. Around 7:20 PM, I couldn't see her from my table and initiated a fruitless search. She finally came running out ten minutes later looking for the bathroom. There was a hidden play area with sand and sand toys. After visiting the bathroom, we placed our raffle tickets at the table with the prizes we wanted to win. A charity for animals was going table to table, trying to raise money. At 7:30 PM, a waitress came out with food, but wasn't sure what table it belonged to. At 7:40 PM we were told that our order was just about to come out, and that we were lucky that we placed it early, otherwise it would have been an hour and a half. Somehow, by 7:45 PM, it seemed like it had just been about an hour and a half. Maybe we were just starving, but the food seemed good. The personal pizza wasn't enough for my daughter. I would have order a second one, but I didn't want to wait around till 9:15 PM for a second pizza. We were promptly told to leave at 8:00 PM. What I discovered, is that the best way to enjoy The Monastery, especially if you have kids, is to eat somewhere else beforehand. Under no circumstances should you ever order food at The Monastery, even if only half the tables are full. Enjoy the volleyball, the other games, and the sand toys on a full stomach. By the way, we won a prize from the raffle.
(3)
Steve L.
I've been going to the Monastery for years and always have a great time. There's always something to do, whether it's live music under the stars, beach volleyball, horseshoes or just hanging out at the bar. The wait staff is super nice and very attentive. It's kinda cool to be able to grill your own food, too! Highly recommended!
(5)
Shkrewbers D.
Okay, 4 stars is a little generous, but I've been stopping here once in a while for years now and they've made great improvements by adding a kitchen and a full bar. You can still cook your food yourself on the outdoor grills, but at least now you can order off of the menu like at a regular restaurant. The menu needs improvement and the food is inconsistent and overpriced considering the unpredictable quality of it. Overall, it's a fun place with great volleyball courts, a pool table, a ping pong table (or two), fire pits in the winter, occasional live music, and that beanbag game Cornhole or "Cornholio" as I like to call it (think Beavis and Butthead).
(4)
Art R.
Very casual place, great if you want to play some volleyball or horseshoes. I'm a fan of the cook it yourself grills. Not a big fan of the food they prepare for you though. The beer selection usually has 1 or 2 drinkable beers but their selection is mostly a bunch of the big watered down beer companies or pseudo fake micros like Blue Moon. You can also bring your dogs and kids which is a plus and a minus for some people. Great for group outings.
(4)
Jennifer O.
So I went here for the first time last night for the BF's birthday with some friends. It was a lot of fun! I loved all of the activities, we played horseshoes and other people were playing volleyball, pingpong, and some bean bag game. The alcohol was fine, nothing to get too excited about, but I don't think this is the kind of bar to go for specialty drinks or anything.... it's about hanging out with friends and playing games (for free :-)). I did have one of their frozen daiquiri's, and man, it had quite a bit of alcohol in it. There were some interesting characters here last night...They had some cover band of Jimmy Buffett or something, so there were a lot of older people (dressed in too skimpy clothes, but that's their prerogative). We grilled our own cheeseburgers and that was fun. They provide a bunch of different seasonings for the burgers and then also a bunch of toppings. They also offer to grill it for you if you don't feel like grilling it yourself. Overall, it was a really fun place and I would like to go back. Also, as far as having kids leave after 8, I was surprised there were kids there to begin with.... it is a bar after all. I think all bars have some time limit where kids can't be around anymore, and I think that's for the best.... who wants kids at a bar? And also, it could be an unsafe environment for a child anyway.
(4)
Charlotte B.
What the hell is up with the music?!? You can't dance to it, you can't get into it. We went on 7/31 and it just drug the whole night down. I think three people sat and watched the guys playing. Really? You pay for these guys to be here? Even with the bean bag toss and ping pong and all the good things about The Monastery, the music bit big time! Ugh, it makes me not wanna come back anytime soon.
(1)
Michael C.
Visited for the first time Sunday afternoon to attend their "Chili Cookoff". It was only $2 each to participate and try 20 different recipies. Great outdoor space with volleyball, bags, and other games, live music, grill your own food, plus the chili we voted for won the contest! I think this might end up being a regular hangout even though it is 30-min from Scottsdale.
(4)
Bridget H.
I met "the best thing that's ever happened to me" (inside joke) here. Luckily, our friends frequent this place often when it's a little warmer out. We go for the beer and volleyball, but the boy and I are a bit of competitors at the ping pong tables. It's always so much fun. Even when we compete against teams of people that we don't know..(and we win!) Our dog comes with us occasionally, and someone even brings a duck from time to time. There is live music for most of the summer, but once it get's too hot, they stop coming out :( You do not need to have your own volley ball, they will loan you once, as well as horshoes or bags, in exchange for your keys. They have good pitcher specials, I think 6 or 7 dollars. A few servers will make their way around the grounds and bring your beer out for you. You can rinse the sand off of you before heading home. Keep in mind this place closes at 11 and I personally think they have fun kicking people out. They serve food here as well. You can order off of the menu, or you can buy burgers to cook yourself. They have all the fixing set up inside. I have made my own burger once, and have had taco's once, but really, I don't go there for the food, so don't get too excited about that part.
(4)
Seann C.
I recently visited this location, though I had been to the one that used to be in Peoria before. We came out from South Phoenix to join some friends for a birthday celebration. I am definitely a fan. I am not sure what the whole free taxi thing is about but this is a chill place to come hang out with friends. They have volleyball, horseshoes, bean bag toss, etc that you can check out the equipment for using your keys as collateral. I know that you grill your own food for the most part, though we did not partake of that experience this time. The best part is that this place is pet friendly, though I wish they said so on the website. We came later at night and all of us in the group have dogs and wish we had known we could bring them. We will definitely be coming back and bringing our crew of dog lovers. It is out of the way but definitely a fun time.
(4)
Marianne H.
I don't get it. What's the point of going OUT TO EAT if you have to cook your own food? I thought $5 was pricey for a bun, slice of cheese and unseasoned beef patty you have to cook yourself. For just a few more dollars, I could get a delicious cooked burger from Four Peaks with beer-battered fries. The crowd is older here. The patrons could have been my parents' age, if not my grandparents. I went for a friend's birthday. I adore my friend, but not her restaurant choice.
(1)
Julie M.
It's a good concept if the owners / mismanagement had bothered to keep a trendy or classy atmosphere. As it is save your money get fast food - McDonald's has less grease. We had to ask for plates for the appetizer platter (it is meant to be shared) so the sever handed my daughter 4 paper plates. My salad wasn't a salad it was a paper plate of mixed greens - really no tomatoes, nothing on it or in it other than lettuce and she threw a packet of Newmans Dressing on the table just like the ones you get at Burger King or McDonald's. My steak - it was OK - I asked for medium and got medium well and that was the best part of it. The steak is served on a paper plate and when I asked about utensils I was directed to go get my own from around the corner - yup plastic ware for a steak on a paper plate. My daughter had a burger and it was so greasy the bun turned soggy brown part way through then fell completely apart. Service? Well let's just pretend this place is 100% do it yourself then it would be OK. The waitress walked away before my daughter finished her order. Never came back and asked how things were, nothing. Really if we were the kind to dine & dash it wouldn't have been a problem because she wouldn't have known we were gone. My daughter actually had to go find the server and ask for the bill!!!! What kills me is the employees exude an I don't care attitude which is also obvious in their actions (or lack of actions) and the message I got was the owner / mis-management has accepted this lazy unfriendly service because it's obvious by how poorly the place is run that it's OK with them. It could be great but they would need to make a lot of changes - job 1 fire everyone & start over. If I could have given them 1/2 a star I would have - we won't be going back.
(1)
Kiki G.
I wish this bar wasn't in the middle of nowhere. I like The Monastery. The crowd is chill although there isn't much socializing at the bars. I have not (nor do I plan to) played volley ball during the weekend tournaments but there are always tons of people on or around the courts. There is a live band on Saturday nights and they are pretty consistent. You know the usual: 40 something rhythm section with a Female lead rocking a tambourine. Of course not everyone loves all the music being performed. I listen to everything so I had no complaints about any of the songs being sung,. But I did hear some murmurs in the crowd and requests for more JIMI HENDRIX! Big downer. They only serve beer, wine and premixed margaritas. Big Ups: Cheapo pitchers . YAY Something Weird: They have a menu but you have to prepare your own food on the outdoor grill. 5 dollars for a cheeseburger and I have grill my own stuff. grrr. They could at least spring for higher quality beef. Plus Side of cooking at the outdoor grill is yucking it up with my fellow bar patrons. Nothing about the bar made me feel ill at ease. I have enjoyed my visits thus far. Oh and one more thing- If you drive to the bar and your Designated Driver drinks to much you can get a free cab ride home. Now you HAVE to have driven to the bar, not cabbed it. Some people complain about the false advertisement. You ask what the stipulations are before you decide to get ripped.
(4)
MalibuRum B.
Enjoy coming here with a group, cooking our own grub and playing in the sand. Evenings in April and May are great, as are September and October. Winters are a bit chilly after sunset, and the summer... well I don't need to explain that one. No great deals on food or drinks. Service is hit or miss but I come for the company and don't really mind. Order a few pitchers and your grub to cook, then pretend you're at home having a BBQ. No service required!
(3)
Tim H.
Caveat: I don't drink or smoke. I've been to the Monastery about 3 times now. It's a fun place but really only makes sense to go about this time of year (Feb-May). Most of it being outside, other times might be completely unbearable. We only go with a large group of friends-enough to field two volleyball teams. There are 2 full size volleyball courts there as well as horse shoes and some other field games. Physically the place is open and nice for an extremely casual hang out (wear your t-shirt and flip flops). They have live music occaisionally which is great (but can be loud if you're trying to have a conversation...even at the furthest volleyball court). Food -- meh, nothing to write home about. You cook your own, so be prepared for that. It's part of the experience. It's your basic burger, a small piece of steak, or some chicken. Again, nothing special here. If you are coming for the food, you're at the wrong place. We always have a good time there with friends. The crowd starts to get a little smokey/rowdy as the night progresses. If you aren't bothered by that, then no sweat. Bring your ID. They are kind of jerks about this even though you don't drink (and they allow kids as well...odd policies conflicting). It's quite lame, but I suppose I understand. They just aren't considerate about it...perhaps the 19 year old manager-of-the-evening could be more polite.
(3)
Emmy M.
Ugh, the moment I walked into this place, I felt really awkward. We came here for our friend's surprise birthday dinner. It was about 6 o'clock on a Friday evening and as we're walking towards the door we see 2 women stumbling out completely wasted. Come on ladies, it's 6 o'clock.. what are you doing with your lives? We walk in and the lay out is really awkward. If you've never been there and you're there for more than alcohol, it's not exactly clear what to do or how to get a waitress' attention. So we sit down and search the menu for anything without meat since it's a Friday and it is Lent. Sadly, the menu only had cheese pizza and a veggie burger. We ended up getting jalapeno poppers and a veggie burger and both were disgusting. In addition to the disgusting meal, the patrons and the workers were grimey. Let me just break it down: (1) There are no designated smoking areas. Patrons and employees were walking around smoking around everybody. It was disgusting. (2) The crowd is a bit older... there was a lot of mid-life crisis resonating in the air. Let me just use this as an example. One of the guy's in our group paid to have a fire set up outside by our table. This old guy and his old lady dressed in dirt-biking outfits take a couple chairs and sit down right in front of me, blocking the warmth of the fire from me and my 5 month old. Thanks guy! So the waitress goes up to the old guy and asks him what he would like to drink, and he says " i'm on a motorcycle, so i'll have a diet coke". Great to know guy... I think she asked what you wanted to drink, not what your mode of transportation was. So 8 o'clock comes and the employees are letting us know of this ridiculous rule to have all children out by this time. So as were getting the kids ready, the guy in our group who paid for the fire, tons of drinks, and food says to us how he thinks it's a bad idea for business to kick people out by 8 o'clock and how he thinks they're losing money. Out of nowhere, the old guy on the cool motorcycle starts arguing with us about how he knows they're not losing money and he knows because he's been going there for 20 years. WTH? WAS ANYONE TALKING TO YOU? First of all old man, business is being lost because the man who paid for the fire you are sitting by is a millionaire and now he's never going back to this place and he's going to let all his rich friends know. Second, 8 o'clock is super early, and people don't start going out to the bars until at least 10 o'clock. Maybe people went out earlier 20 years ago, but times have changed grandpa. (3) This was a main complaint from other people in our party, but this place does not have a full bar. You'll have to settle for a beer, margarita, or sneaking in your own flask to get a good buzz. -Sorry for my rant, but this place sucked. I'm usually not picky about my food, I usually enjoy the outdoors, and I'm usually a nice person. BUT if you like second hand smoke, crappy food, rude old men, inappropriately dressed sabertooths, and a lack of good alcohol then BY ALL MEANS, check this place out.
(2)
Sharon S.
It's a great place to hang out and have a beer outside in this large patio area. The best part is that I can bring my dogs. As long as you have them leashed the place is the most dog friendly place I have ever been to in the East Valley. It really feels like you are hanging out in somebody's back yard. It's really laid back. Part of the charm is you cook your own food. Yeah it could be a pain for some people but not that big of a deal. This is the perfect spring and summer hang out. Try the margaritas and the jello shots. I have had great times with friends here and hanging out near a fire pit just makes it better. Reminds me of times I used to hang out on the beach in Cali with friends near the lit bon fires.
(4)
Chris T.
This place is by far the most ambitious bar idea I have seen in... well, forever. Somehow they can pull it off! I first went to the location out in the west valley and I was blown away. Then when I moved to Gilbert, I was saddened because I couldn't see myself driving all the way to Glendale to frequent my favorite hangout! But then (dramatic sounds)... I was invited to play volleyball at the Monastery (YES! they have an east valley location!) Anyway, enough of the over dramatics. This place is cool. Mostly outdoors with firepits, grills, pool, sand volleyball courts, ping pong tables, and horseshoe pits. Would I lie? Check it out! There is NOTHING like grilling burgers on a humongous community grill when you are two sheets. Everyone is joking and hurling the garlic powder across the fire at each other while listening to a pretty decent cover band. I honestly can't tell you how good the prices were on beer, but the food isn't bad. I think it was like $8.00 for a slab of hamburger meat. Good Freakin' Times!
(4)
Vee S.
The Monastery is fun, creative and most of all laid back. All bars should take notes. Volleyball and tons of space to spread out, listen to music, cook your own BBQ (food provided raw), games etc. Cool place for a wedding reception or party! Has kind of a tropical feel even for Mesa!!! Lots of little area's to get lost in and do your own thing. NO drama at this place which is a huge plus. Bartenders could be a tad bit more friendly as they seem to not really care as much as they could. Overall a wonderful place to visit especially if you are tired of sportin' your man blouse and $500 shoes in the Scottsdale bars.....
(4)
Melissa F.
The bartender's rock!! Thanks Will!! Their website SUCKS!!! Can you say, "FALSE ADVERTISING"? I thought you could. Their website states, "Ask your server for a free taxi." What they REALLY mean to say is..."if you drive your own vehicle to the bar, they will give you a ride back to your car in the morning for "FREE"....which is standard policy with Discount Cab at ALL bars.....you still have to pay for the taxi cab ride home. If you're going to abide by their policy, you should just use The Drunk Driver's. Their service is much more cost effect than The Monastery's "free taxi" service. DO NOT GO TO THE MONASTERY WITH THE INTENT OF BEING RESPONSIBLE AND USING THEIR "FREE" TAXI SERVICE. What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!
(2)
Steven B.
Well... I guess this place has been around since dirt... in different locations...Or so I'm told. I have to agree with a lot of the previous reviews like Melissa F, Kituria G.(and I have heard about the 'Free Taxi' story from other bars too) and Michael C. overall this place has style and uniqueness seldomly seen in other bars. It defiantly not a stuffy, upscale Scottsdale bar- but sometimes that is just what we need! It's just a beer and Wine joint, with 2 frozen drink machines- didn't check on the flavors. The Beer selection was healthy! Good imports and seasonal are available. Wines were OK.. I didn't see a huge selection..BUT i wasn't really looking... service is below average... both bar and wait service was slow on a slow Friday night; or so it seemed. Not a place to go if you wanted a "sit-down and be waited on dinner", meat is given to you with buns at cook yourself! A novelty idea, and it is fun to do once.. or maybe for lunch after golf or a hike- Personally it was a great end to an afternoon of Frisbee Golf! NUTSHELL- a great place to meet some folks for some afternoon beers, always weekend music. I'd given it 5 stars but it's no 'Minder Binders'!!! (GOD how I miss Minder Binders!!)
(4)
Julia C.
Being as my friends and I frequent this spot on a weekly basis, I'd say it's one of my favorite places to be in Arizona. With the outdoor sand volleyball courts, ping pong tables, horseshoes, bags, live music, and grill where you can cook your own food, it's a great place for friends to gather and have a great time. Plus the beer is cheep and they have a good selection. ;)
(4)
Natalie W.
It's hard to describe The Monastery without it sounding really weird. Well, it is, but in a good way. The Monastery is in a sprawling southwest-style house, way out east at Falcon Field. There are big open spaces, as well as plenty of private spaces with tables tucked into corners. There's a two-story stucco fireplace in the middle of the front room and a wrap-around bar in the "kitchen". The atmosphere is very eclectic, sort of a beach bar meets the desert. Outside they have a horseshoe pit, sand volleyball, darts and a pool table (among other goodies). For when the weather gets fickle, they have portable fire pits (winter) and misters (all the other times). Oh, and the bartenders and "bouncers" dress like friars. Really. Maybe the most interesting thing about an already interesting place is the grub: you cook your own! Order hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, or steak, and cook it yourself on one of the many barbecue grills. Prices are very reasonable. They have lots of cool events, so check the calendar on their website.
(5)
H G.
One of my favorite places to go with the kids for lunch. Bring a small amount of $ - grab yourself a table under the trees and enjoy the afternoon away while your kids play within eyesight. The entire "patio" is really a large, fenced grassy, tree filled area with 2 volleyball courts, multiple gathering areas, ping pong, horse shoes, jumbo checkers and even another fenced in area full of sand and toys for the kids.
(5)
Emily M.
The Monastery is unlike anywhere you've probably been before. Natalie's description gives a great idea... Almost the whole thing is outside, with large sand volleyball courts, outdoor grills where you cook your own food (purchase it seasoned and ready to go there), swings, fire pits, etc. I like it in the winter when its nice enough during the day to play volleyball then cool enough at night to bundle up in a hoodie and pretend youre at a bonfire. I also like it when the near-professional near-naked volleyball boys come to play on Friday nights. I just appreciate good sports. The only thing I dont like about the Monastery is how many people bring their kids. Thats really just because I'm not a fan of them at all right now, so dont take it personally. The place is actually pretty well set-up for kids and I guess if they werent so annoying in general, it would be a decent scene for them. There is a sectioned off sand area for them with toys and stuff yet of course they run amock...grrrrr.... Whatever. Dont expect a Scottsdale crowd at all, this Mesa bar is just that--a place to kick back and relax with friends. Change is good my friends.
(4)
Blake T.
If your a volleball player it's a fun time. Never ate here or cooked my own food but I enjoy pitchers of blue moon while playing. Not the greatest place to watch a sporting event, I think an outdoor large screen or just tvs outside would enhance this place quite a bit.
(4)
Andrew W.
Been in there twice but never eaten. Beer is good. Strange setup. I'm editing my review, because I have now eaten there and really enjoy the atmosphere...
(4)
Amber D.
Decent burgers! Grill your own. Volleyball courts. Awesome place to host parties! One negative would be it gets a little hot here and practically everything neat is outside.
(4)
mark g.
i dont get this place ....now mind you ihave not been there for a few years so take this review as you want but why would i go to a bar with a weak beer selection and have to cook my own burger????????????? as i rermember the staff was not overly friendly and the building had a wierd lay out sort of choppy lots of seperated rooms .......
(1)
Cris A.
The service here is terrible. I hate how people can smoke here (doesn't make sense to have physical activities and smokers in the same spot). My mother had her 50th birthday party here. I had a lot of fun playing the bean bag toss, horse shoes, ping pong, and sand volleyball. On a November night, it is freezing! The band was terrible and could only play 1 genre- undanceable rock music. Plus there were like these floozy 40 year olds trying to dance sexy and it just made the place look trashy. So a waitress takes orders on our food and she brought it out 30 minutes later and still uncooked. She only brought out the chicken tacos cooked. I would have cooked my food sooner had I known that she was just bringing it out and going to take half an hour. Never came to check out on us and didn't really let us know what we could order. The bartender was great, but the service is not. The food is ok. NOT vegetarian friendly in terms of cooking your food on a meat cooked grill. They have a veggie burger and foil, but no veggie thongs to turn over the veggie burger and no clear definitions of what sauces have meat products in them. I'd never come back here unless my mom paid for me again.
(2)
Seana S.
if you don't have a wonderful time here, there's something wrong with you... or you're a drama queen (scottsdale brat), etc. this place attracts the laid back bbq party type of people and the place is set up that way. tons of stuff to do, you won't be bored.
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Specialities
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Late Night Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Music : Live Good For Dancing : Yes Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : Yes Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Glen N.
My favorite bar in the country was the Monastery in East Phoenix, mostly because of the sand volleyball court, but I also loved the self-serve BBQ, the fire pit, ping pong table, free water jug, the bench swings, shuffleboard, dogs, feral cats, 80's semi-porn adorned bathroom walls, etc. (Nice bushes.) The ultimate unpretentious hang out place. Monastery Mesa doesn't have the same charm, and it's much further from the homes of my siblings, and I've only gone twice, but I guess it's technically my favorite bar.
(5)Austin C.
I was brought here since I was 10 and it is still the place I come to on Sunday's for family volleyball. It is an awesome place to bring friends for relaxing, watching a sports game, listening to live music, and play recreational volleyball! They have good food at decent prices and certain days they have good specials on beer. You have to be 21 or be with a parent to get in as it is a bar. They have league volleyball on certain nights and I know Sunday's it's open court. They also have lots of games to keep your kids busy and they are pet friendly! Well known spot for bikers to come and relax and have drinks as well as lovers of outdoors and volleyball.
(5)Nancy R.
Very fun place. We went on a Saturday night and played sand volleyball against some other people. It helped that neither of us were very good, so bad volleyball playing equals lots of laughs and overall a great night. The place was very busy when we got there, but calmed down soon after. The bartenders were slow, and the servers were non-existant. The restrooms were a mess. Overall the place is fun, but service sucks.
(3)Pat C.
Would love to give a half star, this is an old business with no updates, tv's are from the 80's, bar service slow, servers slow and forgetful. They have been in business for 45 years, how I don't know. Please someone give them the number to bar rescue.
(1)John U.
The single worst experience I've ever had at any establishment!!!! We brought 12 people for a work function on a Sunday night for food and drink. Asked for happy hour pricing to be extended to our party or simply free pool for the evening due to the fact we would be spending a fair amount of money not to mention it was a Sunday night. I get that a business to make a profit but come on a little effort sure goes a long way!!! Since we do these functions once a month I'm happy to say we will never be back!!!! I
(1)Joe T.
Smells like old people. Slow service, wings are decent but mostly fried food. More about attraction than food. Don't bring kids after 8 pm. Over priced for bar/fry food
(3)Stacie L.
The Monastery is definitely somewhere you go for the atmosphere, not really the food. They offer a "grill-your-own" ore pre-cooked menu with options ranging from hot dogs and hamburgers to pasta. The service is extremely slow and can be confusing if you have a large group. Sometimes it is quicker if you order at the bar, but can also be delayed depending on what the small kitchen offers. This las time, I ordered a grill-your-own bratwurst and onion rings. The onion rings came out about 15 minutes after I was giving my brat to cook. It actually worked out well, as I waited until my friend got hers and we were able to grill together. The O-rings came out right as we were finishing. The chips and salsa used to be better, but now it seems they use Pace. :( They offer a decent selection of craft and domestic beers.
(3)Lettin Y.
Service sloooooow. Food is just so/so for the price. Won't go back. There are BETTER places to go!
(1)Ramona A.
First time here for a meet up group and tried to order a beer in the inside bar. The bartender talked and talk and talked. The girls were doing their job but he just wanted to talk. After a half hour I walked out. People were complaining about the fact he gave a beer away but charged someone in our group for it. Seems the wait staff are really confused.
(2)Blue W.
great place for adults and for families! they have great food, the cheesy fries are crispy and gooood! the burgers too are awesome, and they have one of my fave foods: deep fried cheese curds ...yummm! it gets quite crowded in the evenings and there have been many birthday and going away parties held here. we always sit in Ashley's sectionshe is very friendly and efficient be sure to try an 'angry balls' drink: it's hard apple cider and cinnamon whisky..delicious and refreshing
(5)Summer R.
This is a great place to hang out especially if you have children and want to actually be around adults for a little bit. They have several yard games that you can play. The downside the food isn't that great and you do have to make it yourself which, on another hand, is kind of fun. Pretty much bar style with extra amenities.
(3)Juli K.
I'd give it no stars if it was an option. I went there last night with some family. We walked in the door and stood there for a minute not sure if we were to seat ourselves or wait, no host/no sign so we sat ourselves. Our waiter was sweating and very rude, almost seemed bothered that we sat in his section. I ordered the tacos, which are hard shell and were stale along with the tortilla chips served with them. When I told our server he stated that they were just thicker and probably not use to them. So I shared with him to tell the cook and owner they were disgusting. The beef in the tacos was not seasoned either .. Just plain ole hamburger. My parents had the fish fry which I'm sure was frozen fish sticks. Everything was served in paper plates and cups. You needed something you had to get up and get it and find the waiter. There are a TON of unattended children running around shoeless and full of sand while their parents sit and drink. My Mother and I went to use the bathroom and decided to just wait. Floors were wet, and just filthy all over. My father said that there are nude photos all over the walls in the men's bathroom. Totally disgusted by the whole place and would never recommend to anyone!
(1)Daren C.
Sunday afternoon visit. The entire place seemed "hungover." The tables were a mess, all random squished together. The servers (if there were 3) were slow and seemed to be running on empty. There was 1 bar tender inside and he was exceptionally slow. When we asked about the burgers(fresh or frozen etc) she said "Nothing here is fresh." Welll she was not kidding. The chicken wings went uneaten, the burger was gross, the carrot had frost on it still. The tortilla chips were stale. The fries {all 12} were blah. The drinks were all sub par for a bar. The only one that liked it was the beer drinker. There was zero music or anything fun going on. Bathroom was a mess too. I see this being a fun place on a nice Saturday night but other then that....MEH
(2)Mara S.
It was a packed house for Halloween and they were on top of their game. The servers were out all night. The band was fun. They were all dressed up as Doctors or Nurses. Even the band was dressed up as Hospital Staff. Veronica was our outside server and she was really wonderful. We never had to wait and she was really fun and friendly! They have volleyball, horseshoes, a fire pit, an outside live band, fun friendly staff. We are come back every time we want a night out. So much fun, thank you for one of the best nights ever!
(5)Megan E.
The Monastery could be an amazing hangout in Northeast Mesa...but it's just not that great. It's such a unique outdoor venue, but the service is so poor I always wonder why we return. Pros: -They allow kids. -It's a very cool outdoor space with volleyball, horseshoes, ping pong, and fire pits. -Live music on the weekends. -You can bring the dog. Cons- -They allow kids. Yes, I know I listed that as a "pro." -Food is pretty average and healthy options are nonexistent, but I'm happy to see a full service menu. -Service is ABYSMAL!!! Let me illustrate our most recent experience: Incident #1 As we were waiting at the bar for our drinks, a waitress walked by and spilled most of a beer on my sister. She did say "sorry" as she continued to walk by. A minute or two later she came back and apologized to ME, as my sister stood behind me emptying liquid from her shoe. Accidents happen, but we both thought this was at least worth a free drink. Incident #2 (different server) Sister: This seems like a fun place to see live music. What types of bands play here? Server: I don't know Sister: When do you usually have bands? Server: I don't know Future Husband: What beers do you have on draft? Server: I don't know. Incident #3 It's been quite a while since we last saw our server, but when he finally comes back I order "chicken strips with a side of ranch and barbeque sauce." 45 minutes later the food comes out drenched in barbeque sauce. Me: Hey, I think I have the wrong order. Server: No, you ordered chicken strips with barbeque sauce. Me: No, I ordered chicken strips with a side of barbeque sauce. Can I just get regular chicken strips? Server: This is what you ordered. You didn't say "side of barbeque sauce." He continues to argue and finally agrees to fix the order. Server: You need to understand that the chicken strips are going to come out exactly the same way. I just want to make sure we're on the same wavelength. Me: Obviously we're not on the same wavelength. Will they be covered in sauce? This whole thing was ridiculous. I'm pretty sure that Serving 101 is don't continue to argue with the customer. Incident #4 (at the table next to us) Server puts down glass of white wine. Woman: I ordered pinot noir. Server: This is pinot noir. Woman: No, I ordered red wine. Server: Are you sure? Obviously our night was a fairly extreme case of bad service, but this isn't too far from the norm. We've been coming here for years and it's always been this way.
(3)J T.
Came for lunch. From what I saw, all of the seating is outdoors - so don't come here if you want to be inside or away from the heat. They do have misters. We were the only ones in the entire place, 1 waitress. Believe the other reviews when they say the food comes out SLOW and not at the same time. Half of our party was done before the other half got its food. Quality of the food was just OK, nothing to rave about, burgers come plain, just cheese, no other toppings. Only reason I gave the place 2 stars instead of 1 is it LOOKs like a cool spot, maybe it's better at night - but I won't be going back during the day.
(2)Mike C.
Come for the outdoor atmosphere, and with a big group you enjoy being with. Otherwise don't bother. The food is barely above fast food, takes an ungodly amount of time - an hour a try for us- and most came out wrong and cold. The worst part though is the service. These people need to be kept away from the American public and maybe even wildlife. My wife has food allergies and ordered a sandwich without mayo. They brought it with mayo, which is an easy enough mistake, but instead of just fixing it they argued with us that it really didn't matter. The manager was worse. After sending back the sandwich (one of our whole party) they were really surely, wouldn't refill drinks, slamming things and making sarcastic comments. It was awful. We won't ever go back.
(1)Jennifer J.
This place keeps getting worse and worse. Slowest service EVER! Came for some drinks and was told the person to access the taps won't be here until 3. That's just one example. Someone needs to buy this place and actually teach people how to run it.
(1)Chris M.
its a great time. I love going here because its like hanging out in your yard with family. always have a good beer selection and food is bar food.
(4)Stacey B.
This place is really, really fun! There is stuff going on all around you. The service was good even though we had almost 20 people in our group. We had a hot dog, slider and soft pretzel from the happy hour menu (goes until 7 which is nice) and it was all delicious and fresh. I heard the wings were especially good too. We will definitely be coming back.
(4)Kelley W.
Pretty neat and unique venue, definitely want to go again. Although this is a burger joint, I had the Authentic Tacos.... They were unbelievably delicious, I was so surprised. I imagine their burgers are delicious too since that is their specialty. It's cool to see people playing volleyball and the live music was good. I understand people's complaints regarding the seating (yes, very random, yes very squished together). I also understand the complaints regarding service, it wasn't the quickest I've experienced. Our server was apologetic stating they weren't expecting to be so busy and she was all in all efficient. The Monastery kinda reminds me of a large version, hole in the wall venue. I would definitely go there again.
(4)Paula L.
Just stopped by for dinner and drinks after playing tennis. Service was very slow just for drinks. Not many people there. They were nice just so slow to take an order or bring anything so we went some where else to pick up dinner.
(2)Jenny H.
So, this is a fun place to go. I read all the reviews on here. I'm not sure about the food, when husband and I and friends go out, we go out to party, not dine :) Even if the bands are average, after a few beers and good company, they sound great! There's tons to do, it feels like a backyard party. I loved the fire pits and people watching. The only negative I have about it is not finding enough time to get there :)
(4)Brian G.
Off the hook, GREAT BAR, but it's more than just a bar it's a playground for adults. Sand volleyball, cornhole, horse shoes, and things for youngsters to climb an play on too during the day.the manager was AWESOME one of are drinks got forgot and she got us a round of drinks... real attractive servers... great atmosphere and a great time my all time go to place for a good night out with fun loving people. The band was good too.... thanks for all the fun
(5)Mark O.
Great place to play volleyball, they have grills so you buy the meat and grill it right there which is fun. I really enjoy this place. If I was going to say anything negative they don't pay for great bands to play there, but I would really be fine with piped in fun music so having a live band is fun. Been here several times and always leave with a smile. The staff seems well trained and nice.
(4)Megan B.
Horrible service and management. We reserved an area for 25 people for a night out with friends. We get there to find that they gave us space for about 12 people, crammed between two kid's birthday parties. They refused to move us and didn't refund us the money we had to pay to reserve one of the ramadas. Don't even get me started on why there were having an 8 yr olds party at a bar at 9 pm. I mean...WTF. Anyways, the waitress would disappear for 30 minutes at a time, forgot to place some of our food orders, so we were still waiting for them over an hour later. Our drinks would take at least 20 minutes to arrive, along with a list if who was at fault this time for the wait, and guess what... It was never her fault. When the food would finally come it was warm to cold, so it wasn't even edible. It was supposed to be a fun night with friends, but instead we had to deal with the shitty situation which ruined the evening. They lost a bunch of customers, but the way they treated us they probably don't even care.
(1)Tyler M.
Great atmosphere!! We ordered nachos...don't make the same mistake! Stay away from nachos...there was nearly zero cheese on those bad boys. Stick with beer and games.
(4)christin f.
I love coming here but you can only do so for half the year; being that most of the bar is outside, it's simply too hot enjoy. In nice weather, this place is a great place to hang with friends and family and play some games while you're at it. The sand volleyball courts are awesome but are usually occupied with very serious players. The food here is pretty underwhelming. A while back we opted for the "cook your own burger" option and that was actually pretty neat. Overall wait til the weather is sensational and grab some friends to go play. This place almost has it all, but really scores well with it's inviting atmosphere.
(3)Tara L.
NOT A PLACE FOR CHILDREN! My husband was invited to the Monastery by his brother for a birthday celebration. Before going to The Monastery, we visited their website to confirm that children were welcome. We visited the Kid's Rules tab. We saw that children needed to be accompanied by an adult and that children needed to leave after 8. The child pictured on the Kid's Rules page looked to be maybe five years old at the most. So we felt comfortable bringing our children to The Monastery. While at The Monastery, my young daughter who is only 4 announced that she had to use the restroom. So my husband took her to use the men's restroom (I was not at the Monestary). Inside the men's restroom hung on the walls were pornographic images of women. Totally NOT appropriate for children of any age to see. I understand that this is a pub, but I feel that it is very important that you provide a safe environment for all who are welcome on your property. Adorning the walls in the men's restroom with inappropriate pictures is NOT appropriate when you advertise on your website that children are welcome. I would request that you place a disclaimer on the men's restroom door informing parents that there are inappropriate pictures displayed. The fact that my daughter saw these images is VERY upsetting. My family will NEVER go back to your establishment because of this experience. I hope that you do more to protect innocent eyes in the future by WARNING parents!
(1)Rick J.
This place is fun on many levels. Games in the yard, Live music out side, The patio is one of the most laid back I have been to. Sat there for 4 hours chilin' and munchin' on some peanuts. The Santa fe style of the buildings gives you the feeling of being out in the country. Don't let me forget about dog friendly, and the grill your own meat station, our food was top notch bar fare. Our server "Lindsey" had her act together. When I started to think about wanting something she was there?! This is what all AZ bar / restaurants should be modeled after.
(5)Eric W.
Its a laid back place for sure, with all the plusses and minuses that go with that. Crackerjack super-fast service? Dont count on it. Dusty in the corners. Seems to fly on auto pilot a lot. In any case, its the bar I go to the most... so go figure. Nothing quite like it.
(4)C N.
Pros: Dog friendly patio, huge yard w/volleyball, live music, happy hour at 11am weekdays. Cons: HORRIBLE non-HD, damaged and even TUBE TVs!! This place is leaving SO much money on the table by completely ignoring sports fans! Food is mediocre. Need healthier options too. Staff is mostly decent. Bathrooms are gross.
(2)Steve H.
Service sucks! Service sucks! I would like to order a bottle beer!. . . They don't have time for that. . This place is fantastic if they had a server or bartender that cared about something other than drama!. . . Did I mention that service sucks! . . Well it does!
(1)L L.
HOT WINGS! They are FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just saying.............. First time I've tried them here and glad I did!. I don't typically like to order or eat chicken wings because if you don't eat the skin, there isn't anything left. The waitress suggested that I might prefer them "extra crispy" and YEAH! FANTASTIC! I just don't like that fatty stringy skin and then to find out there is no meat after removing the skin.. These however, were super crispy on the outside and very tender and meaty in the inside. (They actually have meat on the bones). Even during "Happy Hour"! Normally I take the skin off and there isn't any meat so I usually just skip wings but I won't here. They have so many varieties of wings (which I love). I tried the medium buffalo but I'm looking forward to trying other flavors...................
(5)Joe A.
Have been here several times over the years and its just gotten better. Service was wonderful and after spending a bit of time with some friends had an excellent burger while my friends had some taco's and such. Everything tasted excellent and had a great time. While we were there a group got together and were playing volleyball and had fun watching them. They also have live music on the weekends! All in all had a great time and will return!
(5)Kim C.
We love this place but the service is terrible for a holiday. It's St. Patrick's and you'd expect the bar to be staffed up. Took 45 min to get food and rude kitchen staff.
(1)Melanie P.
Came with a group of people to introduce them to a neighborhood place we'd been to before. We were embarrassed that we suggested the place. The waitress provided horrible service....we had to constantly flag her down or go to the bar for our own drinks. We waited 55 min. for food to come out. It wasn't very busy and the food was basic bar food. When we brought our concerns to the manager ( who was also tending bar ), he had nothing to say and didn't seem to care. During the conversation he took our drink order, turned around and helped 4 others who came in after us instead of pouring our drinks. We opted not to spend another dime, cashed out and left. They lost 11 customers that night.
(1)Serena L.
This is one of the only bars in Mesa, AZ. But it would hold its own if it were in Phoenix. It is an outdoor bar with two sand volleyball courts, firepits all over the place, and other areas to play games and hang out. There is also an outdoor stage where cover bands play music on the weekends. You order your own burger patty to grill it however you would like it, with whatever trimmings you want to add. It is so laid back, and the owners are so nice, it is one of the few spots I need to go to every time I come back to my hometown.
(5)Phil Y.
This is the place to hang out. People go miles out of there way to be here. Alway making new friends here.
(5)Ryelle R.
Rad bar in NE, Mesa. Cheap drinks, Awesome customer service, Volleyball, Fire pits, Pool table, Decent live music, Grill your own food & you can bring your dog! The greatest qualities any bar can have! I live about 1.5 miles from the Monastery, can't wait to visit again!
(5)Richard M.
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(5)Debbie A.
Horrible service at the outside bar. Place was dead. A lot of servers walking around. It took ten minutes to get the bartender to ask for our order. Then 10 more minutes to get a beer. The bartender was too busy talking to the only people at the end of the bar. She didn't seem to care we were there. We left to go to Cogburns. Always great service there!
(1)Leigh C.
This place is too much fun! I met up with some friends of mine one Saturday night. The place was hoppin' but it wasn't so busy that we couldn't have fun and be social. There was a neat seating area by the front that was perfect for our group. Now, I'm not a huge beer drinker. In fact, I rarely drink beer but something told me to enjoy a Blue Moon on this particular night and wow...if my beer ALWAYS tasted that awesome, I'm pretty sure I would drink it a lot more. The Blue Moon from the tap was just delicious. I was very impressed. The bar is really unlike anything I've ever seen. Not only do they have cornhole-ing but they also have volleyball courts, ping pong tables and beer pong happening. They had a live band that was super fun and there are so many places to sit! Kids can come here on weekend nights with their families and enjoy the games out in the huge grass area. There are also nice gazebos that groups can claim for their evening out. I didn't get to try much of the food but I can say that their fries and buffalo mozzarella sticks are really great if you're just digging some quick bar food! This place is by Falcon Field pretty close to the 202 so if you're out there, check it out!
(5)Jamie B.
At first I thought i was back in a ski lodge in Missoula MT. Very cool place. For all different kinds of people. There was an outdoor bar with live band, vollyball courts, and indoor bar. The wings were very good and prices were good too. The service was good. I would go again but go with an open mind.
(4)Monique H.
We came here for my mom's birthday and by "we" I mean a ton of us. C'mon, we're Latinos, you know we mob deep and with a bunch of kids in tow. We arrived at 7:00 p.m. on a Sunday night. I guess kids aren't allowed past 8:00 but the place was DEAD and the couple of people that were there all had kids too. We had a great time! The sand volleyball courts were awesome. There was a guy on the mic singing everything from the Eagles to Michael Jackson, pretty funny. A bonfire was going and kids were roasting marshmallows. It was a perfect night. Unfortunately, I didn't order any food or drinks but my dad said his burger was the best he's ever had. The server was very sweet but kept forgetting things. The bathrooms were gross. Sure enough, right after the food arrived someone came up to us and told us we had to leave when we were done eating. I think it's asinine to treat your biggest money maker of the evening like that. No lie, I'm sure we doubled their revenue for the evening on booze alone. Ok, I get that they have rules and all, but really, there was only ONE other table by that time. We left no problem. Will I be back? Yeah... I can't think of anywhere else you can play sand volleyball and booze it up.
(3)Sadie C.
I really don't have high expectations for much in Mesa let alone AZ. With that being said it's 2 miles down the street from me and I read a few yelp as about how "fun" and thy it's a place for people under the age 50 and it's like the show cheers. Wonderful, I like all of that. I am not sure of it was that we were not regulars or that everyone was on Xanax. But it was like the saddest place on earth. Music was playing super low. I am not sure if ppl were actually using vocal cords to converse with each other or if they were like extras in movie pretending to be patrons at a bar. Highlight was at one point a gentleman took of his shirt and not a single person even glanced or paid attention. So it was taco $1 Tuesday and we said what the heck lets be a local and do it. The waitress asked if we were okay with the pricing. I mean a $1 per taco is super expensive so I get it. I checked out drink menu and said hey why not Live it up and get Moscow mule. They advertised it so nicely. The waitress asked me what was such a drink and I pointed to the lovely advertisement. Anyways it was the worst drink I have ever had and the taco as well. Best part about this place was the waitress, she was super sweet and I am pretty sure it was her first night as a waitress. Last but not least bar tab came and we noticed 27.00 charge for drink. After much investigation she returned and apologized the "copper cup" requires $27 deposit which is refunded when returned. We explained it to her and she apologized. That's my story....
(2)Raymon S.
This is a pretty cool place to go to while in Mesa. It has it's very own outdoor beach with tons of activities to partake in. The food is pretty dang good and the prices aren't too terrible. This is the place to be on a Saturday night in Mesa. With live music, local libations, and drunken beach volleyball, how could you not have a blast?
(4)Kevin V.
This is a pretty cool place to hang out. They serve food so i ordered up a breakfast burrito.it was big and came with tater tots. I was hurtin from the night before so they surfed me some bloody beers and that was nice. Volleyball courts outside and plenty of seating on the patio. I give this a great rating!
(4)Mike R.
My wife and co-workers met on a tuesday. It is a fun place to play outdoor games but they didn't allow some of our teenage boys stay after eight. Ok place
(3)Nikki L.
This place is a lot of fun. They have tons of activities from free poker (Sunday Nights), ping pong, bands, volleyball - your options are endless. Our server - Melissa - was also great. Very attentive and friendly. The only bad thing I have to say about this place is about the front door guy. He was very rude and seemed to be on a bit of a power trip. We almost left before we even got in just because of him. Once you get past the door, the experience is very pleasant.
(4)Marianne L.
Great place for younger people. Good band and good drinks.
(3)Kevin F.
Cool place to go if you are looking for something a little different. They have food to order at the bar or you can buy meat and grill it yourself on the patio or by the full size sand volleyball court!
(4)Lyndsey D.
If you enjoy bartenders that are in a bad mood, and people watching than this place is a great choice! The only redeeming quality is it has an outdoor bar and the beer is cold.
(2)James A.
Visiting AZ from Cali and my family and I went to check the place out. I must say that this place is DOPE! cornhole,sand volleyball pit, ping pong, horse shoes, great atmosphere. The Monastery has anything a small to large group of people could possibly want. You can even cook your own damn burger if you want to which gives a great laid back BBQ setting for any back yard grill master that is in every group of friends! the outdoor and indoor seating is great. the server that we had was very professional. you can reserve seating ahead of time in the outdoor sections. there is a gated sand area outside with play toys for your children. i ever noticed a little stage outside as well that could be used for live music i suppose. i would highly recommend checking this place out to anyone and everyone. such a great great time. the only reason I did not give The Monastery five stars is because it is listed as a Bar and there is not a full service bar there which was sort of disappointing. I think a full bar would not only give a better atmosphere but increase their business. They have a great selection of beer and wine so really it was not a big deal at all because we were all having such a great time. GO CHECK THIS SPOT OUT!
(4)Stephen Y.
It was a fun place to spend an evening. The service was pretty good considering we were a large group. The food was okay, not bad, not great. I had a steak that they cooked for me, which came out more medium than medium rare. Not horrible, just not what I was hoping for. You really want to go here for the ambiance more than the food. If you wanted to cook your own meal, you could probably cook it better at home. But it would be a fun place to take a date! Pool tables, ping pong, horseshoes, volleyball, and live music!
(3)Aaron S.
Love it... this adult playground allows you to cook your own food! That way you know your order will always be made to your perfection.
(4)C H.
Overall a fun place to hang out with friends. The food is so-so ..but the drinks are cold and there's plenty of opportunity for fun.
(3)Hit'em Long W.
This place gets 5 stars for their bacon cheeseburgers. My fellow office mates and I try to come here for lunch once a week. They grill your hamburger to your liking and also add a special seasoning that is totally delish.I choose the pepperjack cheese to add a little kick to it. When they serve my burger to me I can't get to the condiment station fast enough. I pile on the jalapenos, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. I usually can only eat half a burger....but I can't stop eating this one. It is sooo dang good!
(5)robert m.
Was there at the Monastery sunday for the 2nd. annual chili cookoff. Had a great cook it yourself 1/2 lb. burger, great food. They have a huge outdoor play area with 2 sand VB courts and alot of other activities. Very nice place to hang out and have a beer and some food and games. Oh by the way I took 2nd., should have been 1st. out of 19 entries.in the chili cookoff. And thats t from "The Truth"
(5)Mark W.
The Monastery is a great place for kids until 8 PM when they kick out all of the families that brought their kids. I sat down on the patio by one of the sand volleyball courts at about 6:20 PM. It took five minutes for the waitress to make an appearance (6:25 PM), and another ten minutes for the waters I order to arrive (6:35 PM). Apparently, you have to order menus as well. Most places just give you menus when you take your seat. I order our menus, and five minutes later placed our order for food (6:40 PM). At this point, I sent my daughter off to play. She tried her hand at volleyball. On one of the sand courts, a mixture of adults and kids were having a friendly game. Everyone was welcome. Then she ventured over to the other court where the kids were just playing in the sand. Around 7:20 PM, I couldn't see her from my table and initiated a fruitless search. She finally came running out ten minutes later looking for the bathroom. There was a hidden play area with sand and sand toys. After visiting the bathroom, we placed our raffle tickets at the table with the prizes we wanted to win. A charity for animals was going table to table, trying to raise money. At 7:30 PM, a waitress came out with food, but wasn't sure what table it belonged to. At 7:40 PM we were told that our order was just about to come out, and that we were lucky that we placed it early, otherwise it would have been an hour and a half. Somehow, by 7:45 PM, it seemed like it had just been about an hour and a half. Maybe we were just starving, but the food seemed good. The personal pizza wasn't enough for my daughter. I would have order a second one, but I didn't want to wait around till 9:15 PM for a second pizza. We were promptly told to leave at 8:00 PM. What I discovered, is that the best way to enjoy The Monastery, especially if you have kids, is to eat somewhere else beforehand. Under no circumstances should you ever order food at The Monastery, even if only half the tables are full. Enjoy the volleyball, the other games, and the sand toys on a full stomach. By the way, we won a prize from the raffle.
(3)Steve L.
I've been going to the Monastery for years and always have a great time. There's always something to do, whether it's live music under the stars, beach volleyball, horseshoes or just hanging out at the bar. The wait staff is super nice and very attentive. It's kinda cool to be able to grill your own food, too! Highly recommended!
(5)Shkrewbers D.
Okay, 4 stars is a little generous, but I've been stopping here once in a while for years now and they've made great improvements by adding a kitchen and a full bar. You can still cook your food yourself on the outdoor grills, but at least now you can order off of the menu like at a regular restaurant. The menu needs improvement and the food is inconsistent and overpriced considering the unpredictable quality of it. Overall, it's a fun place with great volleyball courts, a pool table, a ping pong table (or two), fire pits in the winter, occasional live music, and that beanbag game Cornhole or "Cornholio" as I like to call it (think Beavis and Butthead).
(4)Art R.
Very casual place, great if you want to play some volleyball or horseshoes. I'm a fan of the cook it yourself grills. Not a big fan of the food they prepare for you though. The beer selection usually has 1 or 2 drinkable beers but their selection is mostly a bunch of the big watered down beer companies or pseudo fake micros like Blue Moon. You can also bring your dogs and kids which is a plus and a minus for some people. Great for group outings.
(4)Jennifer O.
So I went here for the first time last night for the BF's birthday with some friends. It was a lot of fun! I loved all of the activities, we played horseshoes and other people were playing volleyball, pingpong, and some bean bag game. The alcohol was fine, nothing to get too excited about, but I don't think this is the kind of bar to go for specialty drinks or anything.... it's about hanging out with friends and playing games (for free :-)). I did have one of their frozen daiquiri's, and man, it had quite a bit of alcohol in it. There were some interesting characters here last night...They had some cover band of Jimmy Buffett or something, so there were a lot of older people (dressed in too skimpy clothes, but that's their prerogative). We grilled our own cheeseburgers and that was fun. They provide a bunch of different seasonings for the burgers and then also a bunch of toppings. They also offer to grill it for you if you don't feel like grilling it yourself. Overall, it was a really fun place and I would like to go back. Also, as far as having kids leave after 8, I was surprised there were kids there to begin with.... it is a bar after all. I think all bars have some time limit where kids can't be around anymore, and I think that's for the best.... who wants kids at a bar? And also, it could be an unsafe environment for a child anyway.
(4)Charlotte B.
What the hell is up with the music?!? You can't dance to it, you can't get into it. We went on 7/31 and it just drug the whole night down. I think three people sat and watched the guys playing. Really? You pay for these guys to be here? Even with the bean bag toss and ping pong and all the good things about The Monastery, the music bit big time! Ugh, it makes me not wanna come back anytime soon.
(1)Michael C.
Visited for the first time Sunday afternoon to attend their "Chili Cookoff". It was only $2 each to participate and try 20 different recipies. Great outdoor space with volleyball, bags, and other games, live music, grill your own food, plus the chili we voted for won the contest! I think this might end up being a regular hangout even though it is 30-min from Scottsdale.
(4)Bridget H.
I met "the best thing that's ever happened to me" (inside joke) here. Luckily, our friends frequent this place often when it's a little warmer out. We go for the beer and volleyball, but the boy and I are a bit of competitors at the ping pong tables. It's always so much fun. Even when we compete against teams of people that we don't know..(and we win!) Our dog comes with us occasionally, and someone even brings a duck from time to time. There is live music for most of the summer, but once it get's too hot, they stop coming out :( You do not need to have your own volley ball, they will loan you once, as well as horshoes or bags, in exchange for your keys. They have good pitcher specials, I think 6 or 7 dollars. A few servers will make their way around the grounds and bring your beer out for you. You can rinse the sand off of you before heading home. Keep in mind this place closes at 11 and I personally think they have fun kicking people out. They serve food here as well. You can order off of the menu, or you can buy burgers to cook yourself. They have all the fixing set up inside. I have made my own burger once, and have had taco's once, but really, I don't go there for the food, so don't get too excited about that part.
(4)Seann C.
I recently visited this location, though I had been to the one that used to be in Peoria before. We came out from South Phoenix to join some friends for a birthday celebration. I am definitely a fan. I am not sure what the whole free taxi thing is about but this is a chill place to come hang out with friends. They have volleyball, horseshoes, bean bag toss, etc that you can check out the equipment for using your keys as collateral. I know that you grill your own food for the most part, though we did not partake of that experience this time. The best part is that this place is pet friendly, though I wish they said so on the website. We came later at night and all of us in the group have dogs and wish we had known we could bring them. We will definitely be coming back and bringing our crew of dog lovers. It is out of the way but definitely a fun time.
(4)Marianne H.
I don't get it. What's the point of going OUT TO EAT if you have to cook your own food? I thought $5 was pricey for a bun, slice of cheese and unseasoned beef patty you have to cook yourself. For just a few more dollars, I could get a delicious cooked burger from Four Peaks with beer-battered fries. The crowd is older here. The patrons could have been my parents' age, if not my grandparents. I went for a friend's birthday. I adore my friend, but not her restaurant choice.
(1)Julie M.
It's a good concept if the owners / mismanagement had bothered to keep a trendy or classy atmosphere. As it is save your money get fast food - McDonald's has less grease. We had to ask for plates for the appetizer platter (it is meant to be shared) so the sever handed my daughter 4 paper plates. My salad wasn't a salad it was a paper plate of mixed greens - really no tomatoes, nothing on it or in it other than lettuce and she threw a packet of Newmans Dressing on the table just like the ones you get at Burger King or McDonald's. My steak - it was OK - I asked for medium and got medium well and that was the best part of it. The steak is served on a paper plate and when I asked about utensils I was directed to go get my own from around the corner - yup plastic ware for a steak on a paper plate. My daughter had a burger and it was so greasy the bun turned soggy brown part way through then fell completely apart. Service? Well let's just pretend this place is 100% do it yourself then it would be OK. The waitress walked away before my daughter finished her order. Never came back and asked how things were, nothing. Really if we were the kind to dine & dash it wouldn't have been a problem because she wouldn't have known we were gone. My daughter actually had to go find the server and ask for the bill!!!! What kills me is the employees exude an I don't care attitude which is also obvious in their actions (or lack of actions) and the message I got was the owner / mis-management has accepted this lazy unfriendly service because it's obvious by how poorly the place is run that it's OK with them. It could be great but they would need to make a lot of changes - job 1 fire everyone & start over. If I could have given them 1/2 a star I would have - we won't be going back.
(1)Kiki G.
I wish this bar wasn't in the middle of nowhere. I like The Monastery. The crowd is chill although there isn't much socializing at the bars. I have not (nor do I plan to) played volley ball during the weekend tournaments but there are always tons of people on or around the courts. There is a live band on Saturday nights and they are pretty consistent. You know the usual: 40 something rhythm section with a Female lead rocking a tambourine. Of course not everyone loves all the music being performed. I listen to everything so I had no complaints about any of the songs being sung,. But I did hear some murmurs in the crowd and requests for more JIMI HENDRIX! Big downer. They only serve beer, wine and premixed margaritas. Big Ups: Cheapo pitchers . YAY Something Weird: They have a menu but you have to prepare your own food on the outdoor grill. 5 dollars for a cheeseburger and I have grill my own stuff. grrr. They could at least spring for higher quality beef. Plus Side of cooking at the outdoor grill is yucking it up with my fellow bar patrons. Nothing about the bar made me feel ill at ease. I have enjoyed my visits thus far. Oh and one more thing- If you drive to the bar and your Designated Driver drinks to much you can get a free cab ride home. Now you HAVE to have driven to the bar, not cabbed it. Some people complain about the false advertisement. You ask what the stipulations are before you decide to get ripped.
(4)MalibuRum B.
Enjoy coming here with a group, cooking our own grub and playing in the sand. Evenings in April and May are great, as are September and October. Winters are a bit chilly after sunset, and the summer... well I don't need to explain that one. No great deals on food or drinks. Service is hit or miss but I come for the company and don't really mind. Order a few pitchers and your grub to cook, then pretend you're at home having a BBQ. No service required!
(3)Tim H.
Caveat: I don't drink or smoke. I've been to the Monastery about 3 times now. It's a fun place but really only makes sense to go about this time of year (Feb-May). Most of it being outside, other times might be completely unbearable. We only go with a large group of friends-enough to field two volleyball teams. There are 2 full size volleyball courts there as well as horse shoes and some other field games. Physically the place is open and nice for an extremely casual hang out (wear your t-shirt and flip flops). They have live music occaisionally which is great (but can be loud if you're trying to have a conversation...even at the furthest volleyball court). Food -- meh, nothing to write home about. You cook your own, so be prepared for that. It's part of the experience. It's your basic burger, a small piece of steak, or some chicken. Again, nothing special here. If you are coming for the food, you're at the wrong place. We always have a good time there with friends. The crowd starts to get a little smokey/rowdy as the night progresses. If you aren't bothered by that, then no sweat. Bring your ID. They are kind of jerks about this even though you don't drink (and they allow kids as well...odd policies conflicting). It's quite lame, but I suppose I understand. They just aren't considerate about it...perhaps the 19 year old manager-of-the-evening could be more polite.
(3)Emmy M.
Ugh, the moment I walked into this place, I felt really awkward. We came here for our friend's surprise birthday dinner. It was about 6 o'clock on a Friday evening and as we're walking towards the door we see 2 women stumbling out completely wasted. Come on ladies, it's 6 o'clock.. what are you doing with your lives? We walk in and the lay out is really awkward. If you've never been there and you're there for more than alcohol, it's not exactly clear what to do or how to get a waitress' attention. So we sit down and search the menu for anything without meat since it's a Friday and it is Lent. Sadly, the menu only had cheese pizza and a veggie burger. We ended up getting jalapeno poppers and a veggie burger and both were disgusting. In addition to the disgusting meal, the patrons and the workers were grimey. Let me just break it down: (1) There are no designated smoking areas. Patrons and employees were walking around smoking around everybody. It was disgusting. (2) The crowd is a bit older... there was a lot of mid-life crisis resonating in the air. Let me just use this as an example. One of the guy's in our group paid to have a fire set up outside by our table. This old guy and his old lady dressed in dirt-biking outfits take a couple chairs and sit down right in front of me, blocking the warmth of the fire from me and my 5 month old. Thanks guy! So the waitress goes up to the old guy and asks him what he would like to drink, and he says " i'm on a motorcycle, so i'll have a diet coke". Great to know guy... I think she asked what you wanted to drink, not what your mode of transportation was. So 8 o'clock comes and the employees are letting us know of this ridiculous rule to have all children out by this time. So as were getting the kids ready, the guy in our group who paid for the fire, tons of drinks, and food says to us how he thinks it's a bad idea for business to kick people out by 8 o'clock and how he thinks they're losing money. Out of nowhere, the old guy on the cool motorcycle starts arguing with us about how he knows they're not losing money and he knows because he's been going there for 20 years. WTH? WAS ANYONE TALKING TO YOU? First of all old man, business is being lost because the man who paid for the fire you are sitting by is a millionaire and now he's never going back to this place and he's going to let all his rich friends know. Second, 8 o'clock is super early, and people don't start going out to the bars until at least 10 o'clock. Maybe people went out earlier 20 years ago, but times have changed grandpa. (3) This was a main complaint from other people in our party, but this place does not have a full bar. You'll have to settle for a beer, margarita, or sneaking in your own flask to get a good buzz. -Sorry for my rant, but this place sucked. I'm usually not picky about my food, I usually enjoy the outdoors, and I'm usually a nice person. BUT if you like second hand smoke, crappy food, rude old men, inappropriately dressed sabertooths, and a lack of good alcohol then BY ALL MEANS, check this place out.
(2)Sharon S.
It's a great place to hang out and have a beer outside in this large patio area. The best part is that I can bring my dogs. As long as you have them leashed the place is the most dog friendly place I have ever been to in the East Valley. It really feels like you are hanging out in somebody's back yard. It's really laid back. Part of the charm is you cook your own food. Yeah it could be a pain for some people but not that big of a deal. This is the perfect spring and summer hang out. Try the margaritas and the jello shots. I have had great times with friends here and hanging out near a fire pit just makes it better. Reminds me of times I used to hang out on the beach in Cali with friends near the lit bon fires.
(4)Chris T.
This place is by far the most ambitious bar idea I have seen in... well, forever. Somehow they can pull it off! I first went to the location out in the west valley and I was blown away. Then when I moved to Gilbert, I was saddened because I couldn't see myself driving all the way to Glendale to frequent my favorite hangout! But then (dramatic sounds)... I was invited to play volleyball at the Monastery (YES! they have an east valley location!) Anyway, enough of the over dramatics. This place is cool. Mostly outdoors with firepits, grills, pool, sand volleyball courts, ping pong tables, and horseshoe pits. Would I lie? Check it out! There is NOTHING like grilling burgers on a humongous community grill when you are two sheets. Everyone is joking and hurling the garlic powder across the fire at each other while listening to a pretty decent cover band. I honestly can't tell you how good the prices were on beer, but the food isn't bad. I think it was like $8.00 for a slab of hamburger meat. Good Freakin' Times!
(4)Vee S.
The Monastery is fun, creative and most of all laid back. All bars should take notes. Volleyball and tons of space to spread out, listen to music, cook your own BBQ (food provided raw), games etc. Cool place for a wedding reception or party! Has kind of a tropical feel even for Mesa!!! Lots of little area's to get lost in and do your own thing. NO drama at this place which is a huge plus. Bartenders could be a tad bit more friendly as they seem to not really care as much as they could. Overall a wonderful place to visit especially if you are tired of sportin' your man blouse and $500 shoes in the Scottsdale bars.....
(4)Melissa F.
The bartender's rock!! Thanks Will!! Their website SUCKS!!! Can you say, "FALSE ADVERTISING"? I thought you could. Their website states, "Ask your server for a free taxi." What they REALLY mean to say is..."if you drive your own vehicle to the bar, they will give you a ride back to your car in the morning for "FREE"....which is standard policy with Discount Cab at ALL bars.....you still have to pay for the taxi cab ride home. If you're going to abide by their policy, you should just use The Drunk Driver's. Their service is much more cost effect than The Monastery's "free taxi" service. DO NOT GO TO THE MONASTERY WITH THE INTENT OF BEING RESPONSIBLE AND USING THEIR "FREE" TAXI SERVICE. What a joke!!!!!!!!!!!!
(2)Steven B.
Well... I guess this place has been around since dirt... in different locations...Or so I'm told. I have to agree with a lot of the previous reviews like Melissa F, Kituria G.(and I have heard about the 'Free Taxi' story from other bars too) and Michael C. overall this place has style and uniqueness seldomly seen in other bars. It defiantly not a stuffy, upscale Scottsdale bar- but sometimes that is just what we need! It's just a beer and Wine joint, with 2 frozen drink machines- didn't check on the flavors. The Beer selection was healthy! Good imports and seasonal are available. Wines were OK.. I didn't see a huge selection..BUT i wasn't really looking... service is below average... both bar and wait service was slow on a slow Friday night; or so it seemed. Not a place to go if you wanted a "sit-down and be waited on dinner", meat is given to you with buns at cook yourself! A novelty idea, and it is fun to do once.. or maybe for lunch after golf or a hike- Personally it was a great end to an afternoon of Frisbee Golf! NUTSHELL- a great place to meet some folks for some afternoon beers, always weekend music. I'd given it 5 stars but it's no 'Minder Binders'!!! (GOD how I miss Minder Binders!!)
(4)Julia C.
Being as my friends and I frequent this spot on a weekly basis, I'd say it's one of my favorite places to be in Arizona. With the outdoor sand volleyball courts, ping pong tables, horseshoes, bags, live music, and grill where you can cook your own food, it's a great place for friends to gather and have a great time. Plus the beer is cheep and they have a good selection. ;)
(4)Natalie W.
It's hard to describe The Monastery without it sounding really weird. Well, it is, but in a good way. The Monastery is in a sprawling southwest-style house, way out east at Falcon Field. There are big open spaces, as well as plenty of private spaces with tables tucked into corners. There's a two-story stucco fireplace in the middle of the front room and a wrap-around bar in the "kitchen". The atmosphere is very eclectic, sort of a beach bar meets the desert. Outside they have a horseshoe pit, sand volleyball, darts and a pool table (among other goodies). For when the weather gets fickle, they have portable fire pits (winter) and misters (all the other times). Oh, and the bartenders and "bouncers" dress like friars. Really. Maybe the most interesting thing about an already interesting place is the grub: you cook your own! Order hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken, or steak, and cook it yourself on one of the many barbecue grills. Prices are very reasonable. They have lots of cool events, so check the calendar on their website.
(5)H G.
One of my favorite places to go with the kids for lunch. Bring a small amount of $ - grab yourself a table under the trees and enjoy the afternoon away while your kids play within eyesight. The entire "patio" is really a large, fenced grassy, tree filled area with 2 volleyball courts, multiple gathering areas, ping pong, horse shoes, jumbo checkers and even another fenced in area full of sand and toys for the kids.
(5)Emily M.
The Monastery is unlike anywhere you've probably been before. Natalie's description gives a great idea... Almost the whole thing is outside, with large sand volleyball courts, outdoor grills where you cook your own food (purchase it seasoned and ready to go there), swings, fire pits, etc. I like it in the winter when its nice enough during the day to play volleyball then cool enough at night to bundle up in a hoodie and pretend youre at a bonfire. I also like it when the near-professional near-naked volleyball boys come to play on Friday nights. I just appreciate good sports. The only thing I dont like about the Monastery is how many people bring their kids. Thats really just because I'm not a fan of them at all right now, so dont take it personally. The place is actually pretty well set-up for kids and I guess if they werent so annoying in general, it would be a decent scene for them. There is a sectioned off sand area for them with toys and stuff yet of course they run amock...grrrrr.... Whatever. Dont expect a Scottsdale crowd at all, this Mesa bar is just that--a place to kick back and relax with friends. Change is good my friends.
(4)Blake T.
If your a volleball player it's a fun time. Never ate here or cooked my own food but I enjoy pitchers of blue moon while playing. Not the greatest place to watch a sporting event, I think an outdoor large screen or just tvs outside would enhance this place quite a bit.
(4)Andrew W.
Been in there twice but never eaten. Beer is good. Strange setup. I'm editing my review, because I have now eaten there and really enjoy the atmosphere...
(4)Amber D.
Decent burgers! Grill your own. Volleyball courts. Awesome place to host parties! One negative would be it gets a little hot here and practically everything neat is outside.
(4)mark g.
i dont get this place ....now mind you ihave not been there for a few years so take this review as you want but why would i go to a bar with a weak beer selection and have to cook my own burger????????????? as i rermember the staff was not overly friendly and the building had a wierd lay out sort of choppy lots of seperated rooms .......
(1)Cris A.
The service here is terrible. I hate how people can smoke here (doesn't make sense to have physical activities and smokers in the same spot). My mother had her 50th birthday party here. I had a lot of fun playing the bean bag toss, horse shoes, ping pong, and sand volleyball. On a November night, it is freezing! The band was terrible and could only play 1 genre- undanceable rock music. Plus there were like these floozy 40 year olds trying to dance sexy and it just made the place look trashy. So a waitress takes orders on our food and she brought it out 30 minutes later and still uncooked. She only brought out the chicken tacos cooked. I would have cooked my food sooner had I known that she was just bringing it out and going to take half an hour. Never came to check out on us and didn't really let us know what we could order. The bartender was great, but the service is not. The food is ok. NOT vegetarian friendly in terms of cooking your food on a meat cooked grill. They have a veggie burger and foil, but no veggie thongs to turn over the veggie burger and no clear definitions of what sauces have meat products in them. I'd never come back here unless my mom paid for me again.
(2)Seana S.
if you don't have a wonderful time here, there's something wrong with you... or you're a drama queen (scottsdale brat), etc. this place attracts the laid back bbq party type of people and the place is set up that way. tons of stuff to do, you won't be bored.
(5)