Roger Monk’s
5400 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105
Roger Monk’s Menu
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Address :
5400 Plymouth Rd
Ann Arbor, MI, 48105 - Phone (734) 662-1647
- Website https://www.rogermonks.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Tue
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Annette J.
This place smells AMAZING when you walk in. Like a delightful woodsy campfire. All thanks to the wonderful fireplace roaring in there. It's maybe one of my favorite smells in the world so I would love this place regardless of my tasty meal. Now, I came here post a cheese tasting at Zingerman's so I have to admit I didn't exactly have the most hearty appetite but everything on the menu still sounded great. I ended up going with the Growers of Mushroom pasta which was a mushroom mornay with a ton of different fungai. When the mushroom was fresh it was DELICIOUS but I know a lot of of them were dried because they were a little tough. Not that it was bad, just not as amazing as I had been hoping for since it was a little chewy. Also it could have been a little saltier. But still, pretty tasty. What brings this place up to a four star experience for me though is the setting. It's tucked back into a bit of a forest and built into an old farm house. I feel like this place could be dropped into Greenfield Village and it would fit in perfectly. And since Greenfield Village is one of my favorite places, uhm, EVER, I was completely won over by Roger Monk's. All the wonderful wood detailing makes the experience so cozy and comfortable, and how amazing is the spiraled staircase? I've been a sucker for those since I was a kid and hooked on reruns of The Monkees. The wine list here is great and the cocktails sounded ahhhmazing. So I'll be more than happy to come back here, try a few more things off the menu and bask in the glow of the fireplace while sipping on a beverage. Yes, I think that sounds quite nice!
(4)Mandy J.
Great atmosphere, food and service! There mushroom pasta dish has me going back again and again. I especially like the fireplace in the main dining area, it gives the place a very warm cozy feeling.
(4)Gary A.
So I'm torn on this place, from what it was and what it could be. Its an upscale roadhouse. Trendy burgers, great beer selection - local craft beers and some odd ball imports - an eclectic wine list. They also have a pretty nice selection of cocktail drinks using local distilleries. Its definitely off the beaten path, much closer to Ann Arbor than Detroit or the Detroit suburbs. You really need to look for it, so take Plymouth road instead of M-14, M-14 goes zooming right past it. So the draw was the Kobe burgers of which they have 12-14 options. Interesting toppings and combinations. We went as a group, and half the group loved the place, I fell into the it was good but... Its bigger than you think, it sprawls around and I assume in the summer the deck would be nice looking over the little lake out back. The service was OK, young - i'll get to that - but not overly bothersome. I assume they have well water because they put a slice of orange in the water glasses. We start with a couple of appetizers, the caramelized pear and Portabello fries. The fries were good. We all order burgers, except one person order the wild mushroom pasta. I had the J. Giels Band burger - on the menu it's Love Stinks - the waitress didn't yet it - I'll assume it was her age and not my wit. It was a Kobe burger with apple-wood smoke bacon and Gruyere cheese (Mild Swiss). So here's why I rated this place a 3 and not a 4, which it could have been, It was a good enough burger, but the Kaiser roll was just a Kaiser roll - and it broke apart (I wonder how fresh it was). For these Kobe burgers, I thought they would have a better selection of rolls. Heck you are already paying $10, what's another $1 for a pretzel or a nice potato roll? It also bothered my that they skimp on the Gruyere cheese. I think I had a 1/4 of a slice on the burger. I went with the regular fries and every was good, but not great. We stayed for desert, and there was a duet playing music in the bar area, with amps, and they were so loud that the waitress couldn't hear my desert order from across the table. And they never turn the music down, Who needs speakers in a restaurant with 30 people in it anyway? We will probable go back, in the summer to check out the deck.
(3)Michelle T.
My favorite hidden gem. Everything is amazing here. I've been a regular since it opened and have always been happy here. The burgers are superb, the soup is amazing; the service spectacular. Every special is worth it. Every dish has a unique combination of ingredients. This is not your generic restaurant. Great beer & wine selection; amazing, unique mixed drinks. Also come here for the roaring fire and the warm ambience. Erik is a great owner. This will always rate as my top restaurant. Come here. It'll become your favorite place, too.
(5)Kat M.
Happy hour
(3)Chris P.
Ambiance was very mom and pop. The burgers which were supposed to be a highlight of this establishment were mediocre at best. Many of the products featured are clearly Costco purchased. The roasted red pepper burger lacked roasted red peppers which were clearly sauteed. The burger was ordered mid rare and came out well. If you offer a temp on the burger make sure it is what you advertise what you can do. Probably a fine place for a few beers among friends bit totally passable for food.
(1)Michael P.
Good burger! I'd go back again.
(3)M. P.
First time visitor on a Friday night, and the place was pretty empty, and for good reason. Ambiance: Built in the 1880's, it's been a business for nearly that long and was a speakeasy. This idea was carried over into their drink options and menu script style, but that's where it ends. They should've never moved the bar from the basement to the main level- it would've been better to push more of an authentic speakeasy vibe by keeping it where it was meant to be. The picture windows in the front are so strange, as it puts a few diners in full head to toe view from the outside- very weird. Not enough creative thought was made to keep the original structure idea intact while incorporating modern hip ideas. Decor is stale. I don't mind the old wood smell as that's cool, but the pictures on the walls and icky carpet need to go in the dining room. They had a singer playing, which isn't my favorite either- she was fine but I don't like live entertainment while I'm eating as it over powers conversation. Food: They had interesting food options, most executed poorly. I had a savory vegetable bread pudding, but it was clearly made days earlier and reheated- yuck. Don't put items on the menu you can't make on demand!! My husband's burger he liked, and he got the version with an egg on it. My mother's trout dish was just ok- not sure if it was the fish or the strange spice that made it unusual. French fries are too skinny for my taste and they shouldn't be so cheap as to charge a buck for fries (all burgers come cole slaw only). We had carrot cake, and it was most likely bought from the outside. A bit skimpy on the ice cream that came with it. Nothing was outstanding. Over all I can tell the person who designed the menu, decor, and runs the kitchen is an idiot. The don't cook food fresh, they show their stupidity by writing on the menu they have a 20oz pint (maybe the owner should google what a pint is), and nobody is going to order the chocolate pate. What the heck, does it have liver in the dessert? I don't know, but I'm not going back. I hope the best for restaurant because it has a great history. I hope a new buyer will someday combine smartly the old with new and restore it more to it's original interesting design. I asked a hostess if it was haunted and she said others think it is. This angle shouldn't be ignored either as it puts more character into the place. The have the upstairs and downstairs blocked off, so that sucks too.
(2)R S.
While I find the setting charming, the food and service need serious help. Our poor waitress was obviously overbooked (though the restaurant wasn't full at all). We waited for everything. We waited to receive water. Waited again to place a drink order. The waitress took off before we could order even an appetizer, so we had to wait AGAIN. And it kept on like that. She never asked how our appetizer was, NEVER asked if we wanted additional drinks, and despite the fact that my burger was topped with fresh jalapenos, she again abandoned us during our main course without giving us any additional water. She was nice and competent enough when we saw her, but WHY couldn't the restaurant be properly staffed on a Friday night? As for the food...The appetizer menu is not extensive and not terribly summer-oriented (poached pear, brie, etc.). We went with the hummus. It was a mistake. I can honestly say it's the worst I've ever been served at a restaurant. It was dry and fairly tasteless, with no hint of olive oil, tahini, cumin, garlic, lemon, herbs--anything at all to make it more than a plain bean paste. The middle east would weep if they knew that this is what some Americans experience as being "hummus." The pita was sad, thin, and a bit burnt. Nevertheless, since we had come for dinner straight from my 7 mile jog, we ate the whole thing. I had been starving when we arrived, and after the initial bouts of waiting was too hungry to care about the lack of effort and quality. Then, eventually, our burgers came. My companion got a traditional burger with, among other things, a fried egg on top. He was generally satisfied ("could use more sauce"). My veggie burger was sent back. It arrived an absolute hockey puck. I took one bite, realized how awful it was, and pondered if I should bring more WAITING upon us by sending it back. I didn't want to wait. So I took another bite. Nope, still a hockey puck: back it went. And the replacement was much better--not crunchy the entire way through--but didn't arrive until my companion was already completely done eating. No worries, though. There was plenty of time for me to eat while we waited for the check, then waited some more (why didn't she just stop one second for us to hand her a card?) for our payment to be picked up. I like the potential of this place. I love the building. We liked our drinks. But you shouldn't leave a restaurant wishing you had just cooked at home instead...
(1)B N.
Just left an almost-empty Roger Monks. Looked really cool when we first got there, were seated promptly. HOWEVER after 20 minutes no one acknowledged us as multiple waitresses walked by. Another couple walked in, is seated, and brought waters promptly. We sit for a few more minutes and decide to leave but tell them about our experience. We get to the bar and tell them we've been unacknowledged for 20 minutes and one girl says, "do you want service now? we didn't see you?" What happened to customer service?? Does anyone know how to apologize?? Infuriating. Never going back.
(1)Adam C.
Went to the new Roger Monk's with my family in Ann Arbor a couple weeks ago. A great experience! This used to be The Lord Fox for many years and they have changed things significantly while the owners have remained the same. The major changes are that the servers are no longer in Tuxedos, the decor is a bit more chill ad they have added a huge bar with TVs. Great place to watch a Michigan Football game. The vibe is much more relaxed and seems to fit the neighborhood better now. Now, on to the food. My dad got a burger with grilled onions that he thought was very good and said he would definitely be back for another burger (we did go back for another burger 3 days later). My mom had a salad (pictured) and also thought is was very tasty. I got the Jucy Lucy....damn good burger. I had recently seen the Jucy Lucy featured on a Food Network show ad tried to recreate it at home to no avail. Roger Monks however killed it with this burger!! The Jucy Lucy is a 1/3 pound burger with molten cheese cooked right in the middle!! Awesome. So good I ordered the exact same thing the next time I went back and will probably do so the next time I am home in Ann Arbor from Los Angeles. The only thing they need to improve on is the soft drink situation, they are all flat and seem to have too much syrup. Besides that correctable offense, I highly recommend you check out the new spot.
(5)Jon B.
Never again. They have an impressive burger menu, which makes you think they can do that right. but the burgers are actually pretty lousy store bought patties and cost over 10 dollars, just save yourself the trouble and go to Five guys. The place smells like a nursing home as well. And to add insult to the dining experience, we had a coupon for a buy one entree get one free, well they gave us the kids meal free instead of my wife's meal which is total crap. You've been warned. Save your money and buy a six pack and Five Guys and go home, it will be far cheaper and tastier.
(1)Adam S.
I had higher hopes for Roger Monk's. That may be part of the reason for 3 stars and not four -- the menu looked so good, and foodie-friendly, that I was expecting much more. I had an African peanut soup as an appetizer. Not bad -- kinda like vegetable soup made with satay dipping sauce as the base. I also ordered a burger and fries, because burgers seemed to be the centerpiece of their menu. The burger was juicy but overcooked, with little flavor to the meat. The roasted red peppers and goat cheese (again, sounded promising!) fell flat, with a very mild cheese and entirely tasteless peppers. Seriously -- the lettuce was tastier. I might give them a second go with family, so we can try a few more dishes. Nice selection of beers and wines, but on the whole nothing to write home about. Better than going to some chain restaurant, I suppose.
(3)Cindy J.
We had fabulous Escargo there the other night. Everything was very good. A very unique and interesting menu.
(4)Michelle D.
When we pulled up to Roger Monk's I was very excited at the prospect. It looked warm and cozy, and having checked out the menu beforehand, I was excited to try to food. Unfortunately, though the drink selection and warm dinner rolls were good, the rest of the food and the extremely slow service left much to be desired. We started out with the lobster sliders. When the waiter brought them out I almost sent them back. They smelled incredibly fishy, and tasted even worse. What's almost worse is that even though between 4 of us we only at 1.5 of the 3, the waiter didn't ask if there was something wrong. Next I had the Green Manalishi. Described a savory bread pudding with spinach and brie, this was more burnt bread with a few bits of brie than bread pudding. It wasn't terrible, but it certainly wasn't good. Last, we waited for 15 minutes to see a dessert plate before deciding to go back downtown for some dessert. All-in-all I think this is probably a good place for happy hour drinks by the fire and if in the area I would likely return for just that, but I'd definitely not drive all the way out there from downtown Ann Arbor for the food.
(2)Molly H.
Yes, this place is just what I needed. My friend and I have been on the hunt for a relaxed, inviting, high-quality establishment in which to hold our weekly happy hour get-together. Roger Monk's fits the bill perfectly and then some. A cute and stately house off the well-beaten path, dark wood beams and a roaring fireplace create an atmosphere of warmth and rusticity immediately recognizable as "Classic Michigan Restaurant". The classic cocktails are truly out-of-this-world good. Last night I had the best Old Fahioned I've had maybe ever and the "45th Street" was a dream in a glass as well. They aren't cheap, but you get what you pay for. As far as the food goes, the poached pear appetizer is fantastic and the portobello fries are yummy indeed. Word to the wise: their happy hour specials are killer any day of the week.
(5)Paul N.
We went to Roger Monks (our Tuesday Evening Cocktail Sipping and Epicurean Discourse Club) last Tuesday. It was my birthday. The owner/bartender did, in fact, show flair and historicism in his treatment of the mixed ingredients. Well done on that point. The food was pretty good. My burger gave no offense. The place itself is a gas. Its the kind of place that mistakenly gets mixed up with one of those Jimmy Hoffa might be buried here roadhouses (though the false rumor actually attaches to another place). That owner guy is, as noted elsewhere, a bit stiff, but in an accommodatable way I think. A deck party in the summer is called for.
(4)Megan M.
Having a good drink at a cozy, fire-lit bar is one of the activities that makes a Michigan winter worthwhile, and Roger Monk's antique-heavy wood interior elevates this activity to nearly an art form. I met a friend for the commendable happy hour, which offered $3 pints and half-off appetizers. They had 3 good beers on tap, including the Anchor Porter. I ordered the gorgonzola cheesecake appetizer, which was fine, but merely tangy rather than the cheesy funk I expect from gorgonzola. Visiting Roger Monk's is such a pleasantly low-key alternative to the downtown bar scene. I can't wait to go back for the Thursday happy hour, which has the same deals plus $2 off their prodigious cocktail menu. The bartender (who gave fantastic service) seemed knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the classic cocktails.
(4)Kim P.
We had been driving by this place many times wanting to try it out . We had eaten there when it was The Lord Fox. So we decide to stop tonight,what a mistake. We asked what the special was. The waitress said it was the white fish with a hazel nut crust. My husband also ordered fish. He also ordered soup, which he was never offered bread and the soup was cold. When we got our dinners I took a few bites and asked the waitress for tarter sauce, stating the fish was very dry. She answered we do not have tarter sauce and walked away. Now a good waitress would have asked if I wanted something else or asked if there was something she could do to help. But no she wa rude and just walked away. We left paying our bill reluctantly and the waitress was not given a tip. That kind of service deserve nothing. We will will never go back again. I will also let our friends know if they want to throw your money away this is the place to go.
(1)Jonathan J.
If you don't believe there's a good reason to go outside of Ann Arbor for food or cocktails then I'm about to give you one. Roger Monks. Take your time with their beer, wine, and cocktail lists. Pour over the menu. Look at the quality Bourbons and locally made spirits. Look at what they have on tap. If you have a reference for this combination you will know very few if any hit on all cylinders. Physically the place needs a little work, but if that matters to you then I know a couple places in supermarket or strip mall parking lots you are gonna love. The manager is cool as hell. He's modest about the quality of the place... maybe even feels a bit guilty about how embarrassed other establishments in town should be for calling themselves "restaurants". Want to take the entire place over for a night? They can handle it. Their crew served 95 of our closed friends for our wedding reception and our most critical foodie guests could not stop raving about the place.
(5)Pebbles And Bam Bam A.
We decided to try this restaurant, primarily to determine which of the other reviews on here were correct. Our experience was nice. Our server was prompt, with her turnaround time on our drinks, meals, and check being quite quick. She answered all our questions well and was very friendly. I was pleasantly surprised at how accommodating she and the chef were in customizing a salad for me based on my favorite ingredients! Although it's never easy for vegetarians like me to find food at casual, burger-inspired restaurants, Roger Monk's was accommodating and friendly. The omnivore I went with enjoyed the short ribs. We were also very happy with their wine, cocktail, and beer lists. And the ambiance was very nice, particularly given that it's now a casual restaurant. The only negative aspect of our experience was an obnoxious elderly couple sitting near us, who were horribly uncivil to the nice waitress, host, and subsequently, the manager. We had never witnessed such immature, toxic customer behavior (that included name calling and personal insults), which put a damper on our evening. Kudos to Roger Monk's though; the staff handled the situation really well and professionally. Shame on all the rude, immature customers out there though. You can express disappointment with a meal or service without degrading other people and spreading evil!
(4)Amy D.
This is the best bar you've never heard of in Ann Arbor. The extensive cocktail menu is incredible - classic cocktails (including the best Manhattan I've ever had) with quality ingredients, like bitters and lillet, not red bull or coke. GREAT selection of local and MI beers - including a great IPA from Marshall I'd never heard of! Wine and whiskey list looked equally impressive. Excellent menu, to boot - try the portobello fries, amazing! Off the beaten path, charming and eclectic - a must see, for sure.
(4)Heather S.
Came in to meet two friends for a bit but ended up staying even longer thanks to the atmosphere and great service. It has the feeling of a cool Grandparent's house mixed with a youthful vibe. The 2 martinis I had were very well done. Fireplace was working it's magic by being warm and inviting. Grab people you like to hang with and try it. If you don't want to bust the bank or feel like you have to dress to impress then come by Roger Monks. I certainly wasn't disappointed.
(3)Lucy B.
On an aimless Michigan weekend getaway, we Yelped for dinner and found we were not far from Roger Monk's. It sounded like the perfect place: a restaurant serving good old-fashioned food in an historic farmhouse. The house itself is beautiful but would definitely benefit from some landscaping out the front -- there's nothing but a bit of dusty ground between the parking lot and the entrance. But inside, the ambience is cozy: there is a bar as you walk in, and ample seating in the quiet, darkly lit dining room. We sat comfortably at a table by the front window, which looked over the non-landscaping to the parking lot and main road. That was OK, because we were excited by the menu. I figured this would be the place to indulge in a good steak, so I ordered the "char-grilled 8 oz. Snake River Kobe Sirloin sizzler steak," not cheap at $23. I can honestly say it was probably the worst steak I've ever had, and we both agreed it was inedible. I had asked for it medium-rare, and it came a little rarer than I wanted, so I told the waitress and she cheerfully took it back to cook more. But when it returned and I had another bite, I realized the problem wasn't the cooking time so much as that it was just a horrible, tasteless blob of a piece of meat. It had absolutely no flavor at all -- just a charred taste on the outside, and bland red meat on the inside. At least the broccoli and roast potatoes that came on the side were good -- I gobbled them up. T had the Amish duckling with pear-honey sauce and bread pudding, which was huge and tasty enough, though a bit too sweet. When the waitress came to clear our table, she did not acknowledge the fact that 85% of the steak remained on my plate. Any decent waitress would've asked whether the steak was cooked to my liking. But no. I should've complained and requested a discount on my meal, but I didn't, and when the check was slapped on our table, we paid in full. I had to wonder whether the waitress knew the steak was bad and had cleared plates of uneaten meat many times before. I also wondered whether there may be items on the menu that are done well -- the baked brie with raspberry compote or the sweet potato fries served with saffron aioli sounded appetizing. We really wanted to like Roger Monk's, but we came away feeling bad about spending a lot of money on a partially inedible meal and cheated by a waitress who seemed friendly but obviously just didn't care.
(2)Maggie W.
Love the pleasant dreams burger and that they partnered with the humane society in the summer. Also love the old building although it gets a bit chilly.
(4)Jess B.
This is one of my favorite places to visit on a Friday night, or an early Monday or Tuesday evening for happy hour (which BTW ends at 7). The food here has always been superb, as in, ultra-gourmet- but the newly-redesigned space is even more accessible now with the fancy attitude toned down a bit, adding burgers to the menu and more entrees under $20. This doesn't by ANY MEANS equate with lower quality, the burgers are about as gourmet as burgers can be, with unique configurations including shallot marmalade & blue cheese, and peanut butter. (You've got to try the peanut butter burger, it sounds crazy, but its delicious.) With the new bar, menu, space, Roger Monk's is actually kid friendly. When is was the old Lord Fox, we never wanted to bring the kids along simply because it was too fancy. I love the new setup, I've been going there much more frequently since Lord Fox became Roger Monk's. Lastly, I really like supporting local, hard-working businesses. Every time I've ever been to Roger Monk's, ownership was there, working and educating patrons about the selective-ness of their cocktail ingredients and in-season menu specials. They really know their stuff, and that combined with superior customer service makes this restaurant my Friday evening top choice.
(5)Nadi T.
Roger Monks! Pretty sweet name if you ask me I've driven by this establishment a good 20 times, and every time I insist on trying out, but sadly never make the time. Finally, I stepped up my game and made sure I would be eating dinner there. My girlfriend and I pulled into the parking lot, and it was EMPTY! 5:30 and not a single car to be seen. We walk up the steps and enter through an appealing Red door that almost makes you think of a child-like fairy tale. We are greeted politely and shown to our seats. I personally like the "old" and "rustic" feel to this restaurant. It adds flare but not in the hip sense. We are given a menu and water with an orange slice in it. The orange adds great contrast but sadly not much zest to the water. As I read through the menu I am actually very pleased with what they offer. Remove the appetizers and everything is well priced and very appealing. There aren't a lot of restaurants in the area that actually make you think and picture what the meal will look and taste like. Goat cheese and dried peppers on a burger! WOW! Pear honey sauce over chicken! DAMN! What im trying to get at, is that the Menu is in a league of its own. Smart titles for what sound like scrumptious and delightful meals that will test your love of food! We both ordered soup. I got Apricot lentil which was terrific because it was sweet and unique to my palette. My girlfriend ordered a mushroom soup that was also pretty darn good. We were also served hot warm bread rolls that were crispy on the outside and soft as a pillow in the middle. It was a great start. The main course eventually arrived. I had the Juicy Lucy and my gf had the Gilded Cage. My burger was perfectly cooked, the bun was ideal, and the overall meal worked but I just wished there was more cheese in the juicy lucy. When you get the perfect bite of the burger nothing compares, but that happens 4 times in a meal. Every other bit tasted like a perfectly good burger so im not complaining. I tried the chicken sandwich and that too was very well presented and tasted great. A bit over cooked but definitely edible. Overall I enjoyed the meal and the feel over the restaurant. By the time we left the place was packed and smelling like good food. A final plank of wood cracked as we opened the door and left the fairy tale to enter the "real world" We will be back again. Thats a guarantee. I already know what I will be ordering :)
(4)Michelle S.
I have to say this place is a cool restaurant. The owner is laid back and fun to chat with at the bar. They make super great cocktails, have great beers on tap (just a few but really that's all you need..no bud light thanks you very much!). Food is good and pretty much top rate, but would like to see it changed up a bit every now and again. If you are a burger person, they have a great seleciton of buger meals...my boyfriend loves them all. But I am not, so I struggle...I tend to be more of a salad girl and they really don't have that many salads on the menu. Desserts and super good...especially the bread pudding! OMG is it super yummy!! This place definitely has a lot of charm, soficification and a nice relaxed atmosphere. We go there at least once every other week but try to find time to go more often.
(5)