Blue Monk
3341 SE Belmont St.Portland, OR 97214
503/ 595.0575
Located in: Southeast Portland - Visit Website
BarFly's Review of Blue Monk
It's very much a New Belmont sort of place, less Dixie Mattress Company than Zupan's, with a purportedly East Coast Italian menu featuring vegan lasagna and interiors dissembling late-90s Pasadena wine bar chic. None of which matters, really. A living, breathing neighborhood jazz club, even one that won't allow performers to smoke, even one approved by Rachel Ray, should be treasured. They've a serious beer list (ownership handles festivals), a host of memorabilia from Portland jazz past, and minimal covers for the local and touring acts holding court downstairs.
First Sundays: Church of Surf.
Tuesdays: Broken Word Poetry 7:30pm. Thursdays: Reggae DJ 10pm. Fridays: DJ Nealy Neal 10pm.
$5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs daily.
Happy Hours
- Monday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
- Tuesday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
- Wednesday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
- Thursday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
- Friday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
- Saturday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
- Sunday - $5 menu, $2.50 well, $3 select draft, $4.50 house wine, $4.5 specialty cocktails 5-7pm upstairs, 5-8pm downstairs
Reader Reviews of Blue Monk
Downstairs on Tuesday is standing room only for Poetry open mic nite at 7 pm - get there early to signup cuz there will be 50 poets on the list. You get 5 minutes on the mic.
Local watering hole
The service at the Blue Monk does suck sometimes, but no worse than anywhere else. It's the challenge all small to medium sized establishments face. One day the place is dead ass empty, the next it's thriving. Unfortunately, ownership cannot look into their crystal balls and predict when it's going to be one way and when it's going to be the other.
Nobody can afford to pay a bunch of employees to stand around on those nights it's dead ass slow, and another thing is no employee likes working at a place where you plan on coming in, working and making money, only to be told to go home after an hour because it's dead ass slow.
I can assure everyone they do everything in their power to make a good experience for all. Contrary to what some of the douchbags on this forum have said, the Blue Monk is here to stay, they are not on the verge of collapse.
The service at the Blue Monk does suck sometimes, but no worse than anywhere else. It's the challenge all small to medium sized establishments face. One day the place is dead ass empty, the next it's thriving. Unfortunately, ownership cannot look into their crystal balls and predict when it's going to be one way and when it's going to be the other.
Nobody can afford to pay a bunch of employees to stand around on those nights it's dead ass slow, and another thing is no employee likes working at a place where you plan on coming in, working and making money, only to be told to go home after an hour because it's dead ass slow.
I can assure everyone they do everything in their power to make a good experience for all. Contrary to what some of the douchbags on this forum have said, the Blue Monk is here to stay, they are not on the verge of collapse.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by not Dugger on January 27, 2008, 11:43 am
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no mo jazz
We wandered into the basement a couple of Saturdays ago hoping for a decent band and a sampling from the fabled beer list. Instead, the forlorn little stage sat neglected and unloved, like a manged-out kitty in need of some serious attention. The waitress said they've traded jazz bands for DJ's, darts and pool, even though their website still says "We feature some of the best live jazz in Portland." Maybe their DJ spins the hottest jazz in town, but we were too depressed to stick around.
We wandered into the basement a couple of Saturdays ago hoping for a decent band and a sampling from the fabled beer list. Instead, the forlorn little stage sat neglected and unloved, like a manged-out kitty in need of some serious attention. The waitress said they've traded jazz bands for DJ's, darts and pool, even though their website still says "We feature some of the best live jazz in Portland." Maybe their DJ spins the hottest jazz in town, but we were too depressed to stick around.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by robin on December 20, 2007, 7:14 pm
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Avoid the Blue Monk!
As so many other reviewers before me forewarned, beware the Blue Monk. The owners are terribly rude, the service is awful and the food is over-priced and truly lacking. Word will continue to get around and in time, this place will close. There are too many quality restaurants in PDX to waste your time going to this place. Trust us, avoid the Blue Monk.
As so many other reviewers before me forewarned, beware the Blue Monk. The owners are terribly rude, the service is awful and the food is over-priced and truly lacking. Word will continue to get around and in time, this place will close. There are too many quality restaurants in PDX to waste your time going to this place. Trust us, avoid the Blue Monk.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by Casey on October 9, 2007, 2:13 pm
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Decent jazz bar
I went here for some food and a couple drinks and wasn't disappointed. The service was a little slow on our food but the drinks were made well and the food DID taste very good when it arrived. Pricey too but it's pretty popular and in the heart of downtown plus it's filled by a lot of the young professional types who have some cash to blow. I can't blame them for overcharging a little bit because you're paying for the atmosphere and quality too. Good music too if you venture downstairs.
I went here for some food and a couple drinks and wasn't disappointed. The service was a little slow on our food but the drinks were made well and the food DID taste very good when it arrived. Pricey too but it's pretty popular and in the heart of downtown plus it's filled by a lot of the young professional types who have some cash to blow. I can't blame them for overcharging a little bit because you're paying for the atmosphere and quality too. Good music too if you venture downstairs.
Great jazz and chicken parmagian, nice people
The chicken breast parmagian was good, delicious everyday Italian, and large, on a bed of pasta with red sauce, and roasted vegetables. Great jazz in the basement. The service was excellent and friendly.
The chicken breast parmagian was good, delicious everyday Italian, and large, on a bed of pasta with red sauce, and roasted vegetables. Great jazz in the basement. The service was excellent and friendly.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by Dave on January 20, 2007, 5:37 pm
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social climber
I don't think this place deserves to be called "slick" - we sat downstairs some random jazz night, the band was passable but unremarkable, and the table was plastic lawn furniture hidden with a tablecloth. Keeping the lights low didn't manage to cover that one up. Probably only suburbanites going for a night in the city could manage to maintain the suspension of disbelief required to swallow their drink prices.
I don't think this place deserves to be called "slick" - we sat downstairs some random jazz night, the band was passable but unremarkable, and the table was plastic lawn furniture hidden with a tablecloth. Keeping the lights low didn't manage to cover that one up. Probably only suburbanites going for a night in the city could manage to maintain the suspension of disbelief required to swallow their drink prices.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by danny on June 29, 2006, 9:34 pm
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beware the blue monk
this place has the most horrific service we have ever encountered! actually the service was non-existant. you would think it was a cafeteria and you were to serve yourself, except there isn't a salad and food bar to do so. to the "so called serving staff"- don't expect a tip or returning customers if you have such terrible service. by looking at the other reviews here on this site, this place better get it together because word is getting around.
this place has the most horrific service we have ever encountered! actually the service was non-existant. you would think it was a cafeteria and you were to serve yourself, except there isn't a salad and food bar to do so. to the "so called serving staff"- don't expect a tip or returning customers if you have such terrible service. by looking at the other reviews here on this site, this place better get it together because word is getting around.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by tessa on January 12, 2006, 10:17 am
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dumbest waitress
when a friend opted for soup instead of an entree, the waitress asked when to bring it out. "with her meal," she said, gesturing to her dining partner. "so you want me to bring her meal out early?" ditzhead waitress asked. and we were unlucky enough to get her again. slow as a shit after a hard night of beer drinking, she had to get the bar manual to make THE HOUSE SPECIALTY DRINK!!! her navel hung out of her shirt and nearly took our appetite away and she NEVER checked on us at all. bitch. i will NOT be back, which is too bad because the food and drinks are great. my tip? DON'T HIRE CHICKS JUST BECAUSE YOU FUCKED THEM!! that would be the only expalantion other than a blood relation to the owner.
when a friend opted for soup instead of an entree, the waitress asked when to bring it out. "with her meal," she said, gesturing to her dining partner. "so you want me to bring her meal out early?" ditzhead waitress asked. and we were unlucky enough to get her again. slow as a shit after a hard night of beer drinking, she had to get the bar manual to make THE HOUSE SPECIALTY DRINK!!! her navel hung out of her shirt and nearly took our appetite away and she NEVER checked on us at all. bitch. i will NOT be back, which is too bad because the food and drinks are great. my tip? DON'T HIRE CHICKS JUST BECAUSE YOU FUCKED THEM!! that would be the only expalantion other than a blood relation to the owner.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by Prue on December 22, 2005, 2:11 pm
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But the nusic is great
The food is decent, not expensive (if a little small in portions -but I'm 6'2" 240#, scale for yourself)and the service can be spotty, especially downstairs.
BUT... it's one of the good venues for excellent music in the city, and I'll forgive a lot for that. And, they carry Jamesons.
The food is decent, not expensive (if a little small in portions -but I'm 6'2" 240#, scale for yourself)and the service can be spotty, especially downstairs.
BUT... it's one of the good venues for excellent music in the city, and I'll forgive a lot for that. And, they carry Jamesons.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by 10Mfan on October 6, 2005, 5:09 pm
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don't bother- service is terrible!
The beer is over priced and the service is extremely wanting. In fact, the service was probably the worst we've ever experienced. Just rude, inattentive and over all snobby. If we ever go there again, it will be for the music and music only. The food is over priced and not that great. If you want Italian food, go to a real Italian restaurant but don't waste your time or $ on dinner here.
The beer is over priced and the service is extremely wanting. In fact, the service was probably the worst we've ever experienced. Just rude, inattentive and over all snobby. If we ever go there again, it will be for the music and music only. The food is over priced and not that great. If you want Italian food, go to a real Italian restaurant but don't waste your time or $ on dinner here.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by Marcie on October 2, 2005, 4:03 pm
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If you like great Micros, this is the place
The Blue Monk has got one of the Top 10 Tap List selection for the Oregon Beer Snob. Open Air feel in the summer. Lots of great jazz style music downstairs. I enjoyed the Dog Fish Head 90 IPA and the Belgium beer on draft with the nickname "The Mad Bitch" The food is really good to. Service has always been top notch.
The Blue Monk has got one of the Top 10 Tap List selection for the Oregon Beer Snob. Open Air feel in the summer. Lots of great jazz style music downstairs. I enjoyed the Dog Fish Head 90 IPA and the Belgium beer on draft with the nickname "The Mad Bitch" The food is really good to. Service has always been top notch.
Reviewed Safely & Anonymously (pussy) by Philip Navarre on July 10, 2005, 11:03 am
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