I don't live in Manayunk, but a good friend of mine does. I had heard good things about their beer selection and figured I would give this place a shot. It was very crowded and small, but I wouldn't hold it against this place since it was a relatively warm Saturday night during the Winter. The guy playing guitar was playing the kind of songs you would expect at a college town bar, but his voice was awful. Still, I came for the beer and not the music. There was a really good selection on draft and in bottle. I decided to try their special on tap (Magic Hat I.P.A). I like most Magic Hat beers and consider myself pretty knowledgeable of what goes into a beer and what a beer should taste like. The beer had a foul smell and taste. It wasn't just something I didn't like, it was just foul. Something was wrong with the keg or the tap. I waited awhile to get one of the bartenders attention (only two bartenders for a lot of people). I told him something was wrong with the beer. He laughed and said that everyone else was drinking it so it must be me. I asked him to smell the beer, but he refused and walked away. Maybe people were drinking it because they were wasted and couldn't tell the difference.I left my full beer at the bar and left.
I would maybe give this place a second chance on a weekday night to get a better feel for it, but that was a horrible first impression. Crappy guy on guitar and a crappy attitude from the bartender. If you are going to pride yourself on a good selection of beer, you should take pride in what you serve. That wouldn't happen at a place like Monks or any place that cares what their customers say.
Pros: Good Selection of Beer
Cons: Bartenders/Owners who don't care about customers or their beer
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