Top of the Monk

Nice atmosphere but some of the WORST customer service I’ve ever experienced! This female bar tender was the rudest person I have ever met. Its sad to see a nice bar have terrible customer service. Wont be going back!

What a great, comfortable hidden gem! It’s TINY but with comfortable seating and a small rooftop patio. The bar tender was extremely helpful and patient and you can tell really loves what she does. I’m always on the hunt for craft cocktail places, as you can get a liquor and mixer anywhere, I want to go somewhere where there is thought involved and mixology is really an art. The time I was here they had a drink called the Jessica Rabbit that had sage syrup, sage Marjorie tincture oil, pickled cucumber… what?! I had the Pendergast and it was perfect.

I recently moved away from Asheville and, aside from my friends, this bar is what I miss most! I love you guys and miss you (and your drinks) dearly!!!

It is nice to witness the craft of craft cocktails being taken seriously. Imaginative cocktails — unique, well-​balanced, perfectly executed. Kala has invested in her career and it shows. I will visit often, as Top of the Monk has $ 12 cocktails that are worth their price.

This place started out really promising for my husband and I tonight. We came because of all the good reviews. We were greeted immediately at the door and the concept was explained. We were given menus and then waited for our order to be taken. When it wasn’t my husband went to the bar where the bartender ignored him while he chatted up a couple of customers. He blatantly ignored my husband and after a while of my husband standing right in front of him he said what can I get you. There was another couple of patrons who gave us their snack keys because we hadn’t gotten ours. When we asked for our keys they got annoyed and just didn’t give them to us at all. Meanwhile the other couple got a key for every drink they ordered. Other people came in and got keys without asking. Needless to say we left after one drink. Poor service and nasty attitudes. Who needs that!

Up the stairs over the Thirsty Monk leads you to this unique cocktail bar. Yes, you have to purchase a membership for a dollar thanks to NC alcohol laws. But this is one membership that immediately pays off with atmosphere, great drinks and the unique treat of, well, unique treats.
Seating is actually quite minimal, but varied. Bar, various chairs and small tables, also outdoor seating. Note that they must have a very small legal capacity, as we heard them announce to some folks who attempted to get in that they were at capacity, yet the place hardly appeared to be full. More NC laws, I’m sure.
Order at the bar! Yes, that’s the only way. No, that’s not a NC law, but it’s the only way you’ll get a drink here, and believe me, you want a drink here! The biggest problem is which one? Friendly Bartender helped me decide on The Royal Bermuda Club Cocktail that was tangy and not too sweet. She also made Husband a perfect Manhattan, throwing in an extra cherry for the birthday boy.
Each drink came with a key. No explanation. It would be fun to guess if I weren’t such a serious Unilocaler who already knew that they were keys to secret snacks. Okay, not too secret, as rows of the Post Office Boxes do say things like «kettle chips», «roasted peanuts», «olives» and such. I do believe I even remember «deli meats» (to each his own!) We went with peanuts and olives and they were small but delightful cups of each.
Reasonable prices also especially considering the quality and uniqueness of this fun place!

Membership is well worth it and only takes a second!
I was very impressed with the quality of the cocktails. I had two drinks and both were excellent. You could see the bartenders were working hard to perfectly craft the cocktails. A cocktail is usually pricey, and these weren’t cheap, but I felt like I was getting my money’s worth once I saw them making the drinks.
Each drink comes with a snack, which you get to get out from the old card catologue there. Clever and fun. It’s nothing large or mind blowing, but a nice addition. If you’re a cocktail lover, make this your next stop in Asheville.

Interesting place on top of the Thirsty Monk. It’s a «private club,» so you have to pay one dollar and sign up to be a member in order to get in. The drinks are small, but tasty and strong. It takes a while for the bartenders to make one, so be prepared if it’s busy inside for a good long wait.
There’s a nice couple of seating areas inside as well as an outdoor patio for nice weather. The most interesting thing about this place is the antique mailbox with food in it. Each drink gets you one key to open up one slot in the mailbox. On the day we were there, some of the options included olives, peanuts, coconut tea cakes, and cold cuts. I tried the coconut tea cake which was actually pretty tasty. My husband was adventurous and tried the salami. Overall a unique and fun experience.
Prices are a bit high for the small sized drinks, but considering I had a buzz off of ½ a drink, probably money well spent.

Top mark, notch, etc! Sorry I’m not sorry for being a dork. This was the only «membership» we used more than once. Please don’t waste the bartenders’ time grumbling about the quick sign-​up. It’s absolutely worth it.
We came here every night of our short trip to Asheville, and even considered going twice in one day. That’s how great they are in every way: genuinely friendly bartenders, perfectly crafted drinks, sweet and savory snacks (accessed with a key given for each drink you order), clean bathrooms, excellent music choices, and an appreciated balcony area — even if it’s just a view of construction right now.

Okay this place is way fun. It’s a little prohibition themed and super classy. I love the outside patio combined with the cozy seats inside. The drinks are pricey but they a delicious and strong. The bartenders are knowledgeable and helpful. They also have great speciality drinks, too. Hate the wait when it’s at capacity (often), but it’s never crowded and super fun so it’s worth it. Ok and the keys you get to the lock boxes of snacks– genius.

Dropped by this place after dinner for a drink. This place is very cool! The keys to the lockers is a fun and cool idea. The staff is very personable and drinks are averagely priced. If you’re looking for a nice quiet place to grab a drink and chill, this is it!

The membership loophole only takes a minute, so don’t let that stop you!
The drinks are so delicious! We got a couple drinks before dinner, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the rosemary cocktail for the rest of the evening; nothing else at the other bars could compare! It can take a little time since everything is fresh, so don’t go if you’re in a hurry. Great atmosphere; they don’t let it get too crowded.

Top of the Monk is a gem in the crown of Asheville’s craft cocktail scene.
If you venture here, please be aware that as large as the space may seem, with only one entrance and exit, this spot has a very limited capacity. I’m betting it’s somewhere around 39 or maybe even less. Getting in on a busy weekend can be challenging.
Further, this is one of Asheville’s many private clubs. The good news is they’re one of the few private clubs that allows you to pay for your membership at the bar, and with a credit card to boot.
Once you ascend the stairs you’ll be greeted by high ceilings, hard wood, and subdued lighting. A tall wooden bar presents the premium spirits that Top of the Monk collects with pride.
The beverage menu is complex, but approachable. My biggest complaint with many craft cocktail bars is that they use the same formula for so many different drinks: Spirit + Herbal Liqueur + House Infused Syrup + Bitters = Amazing Cocktail. Not to knock some of those great combinations, but I feel like some bars are just tired. Top of the Monk is more than a formula, there offerings are concocted with thought and passion, and the results are delicious.
To recommend a drink would be silly, the menu changes like the weather. But you can rest assured that there’s something that will suit your pallet perfectly.
Once you order you’ll be treated with a key to help yourself to the fabled post office box of snacks. Little flavor amusements to give you even greater pleasure during your visit here.
Top of the Monk also offers one of Asheville’s finest roof top patios, although it is often overlooked. It’s spacious, and well lit.
Come here, be dazzled. Fall in love. Tell others about this space.

Top of the Monk was everything that I’d been told it would be. Really phenomenal cocktails, great atmosphere and a bonus of a little snack with my drink.
I ordered a sassafras fizz, which is exactly as described, what we all dream a root beer float should taste like. The fizz on top was tall and perfect. The capacity for the space is low because there is only one exit, so it’s a really great place to have a conversation with friends.
Pretty much every bar I go to I’m reminded of how much I love olives, so I was really pleased to get a teeny plate of olives as my «bite» with my drink.

Went here because a friend recommended it. You have to get a «membership» because of the state laws on bars. No big deal, it was quick and easy and only cost a $ 1.
Once you get up stairs you find a very cool speakeasy type place. Like a secret playroom really. Not sure how many times I have walked past there and never notices this place exists.
Only problem was once we got up there nobody acknowledged we were there! There were 3 people working and I don’t think they even looked at us when we came in. We were totally ignored! So we walked around checking out the outside patio, the inside and then sat down at a window table. Still not a peep from the staff. A good 10 minutes went by and I finally went to the bar. Still nothing, nada, total ignore mode.
We were hell bent on getting a drink and finally got some service. When the bartender did finally utter some words it was obvious she was really nice and could hold some conversation. Not sure why the cold shoulder though. Everyone entering got the same treatment.
Anyways the drinks were good, the little post office box of snacks were fun. Wish they didn’t label them though so it would be a total surprise. Just wish the staff was not so damn rude!
The 2 star rating would have been a five but rude staff equals bad reviews. Specially when you only serve drinks!

So many thumbs up to this new-​ish addition to Asheville’s cocktail scene. Definitely, this establishment is old-​hat to beer fans. It somehow makes total sense, albeit unexpected by me, that the place doing Asheville beer bars best, should eventually do Asheville’s best cocktails. It’s a beer town with plenty of bright hops and big brews from corner to corner, but cocktails fall short in A-​ville. A good food menu and a pretty table, a bartender with a beard, etc, will still usually still mean a mundane cocktail. Top of the Monk is a game changer. You aren’t getting a Makers Mark Old Fashioned at this joint. Get a Scorpion. Soak in the atmosphere. Get a secret snack. Tip your sweet bartender. Order another round and Cheers your pals for finding the best spot in town to sip a REAL «craft cocktail».

Why 4 stars? Because it was like being in a secret tree house… with mixologists.
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On the street of Asheville, tourists ran rampant. There are buses full of Asheville tours, and bachelorette parties all throughout. But then we went up to Top of the Monk, which acted as an escape from all of that madness. First, we had to sign in and be a part of their club, because North Carolina alcohol rules are the silliest. Then we headed up the stairs to this quiet, charming little cocktail bar with some seriously skilled tenders of bar.
I’m not a huge cocktail drinker, but I went with the recommendation to order «The Greatest of Ease» because it tastes like black licorice. I hate black licorice on its own, but I do enjoy Jagermeister, so I figured this would be up my alley. It indeed was.
My favorite part of this experience was the old school lockers filled with snacks! You know they have lockers at amusement parks, where they hand you a key, and you just pick a locker? Think like that, but with mini lockers containing delicious treats. Each row is labeled, so it’s not a mystery, but it is a fun experience. Everything tastes better with you have to unlock it.
We took our fancy drinks and snacks, and hung outside on the roof top, watching the tourists mob the city below, while discussing where to vacation in Europe. It’s not super relevant to Top of the Monk, but I’ll always remember where I decided that Rome and Berlin were going to be my destinations of choice :)

The craft cocktail scene has exploded as of late, everyone seems to have been quick to jump on the band wagon with varying degrees or success. However now that the explosion of cocktail lounges has subsided and the wheat has been separated from the chaff a few bars have risen from the ashes like a tulip pushing through the last winter snow (I like to mix my metaphors).
Top of the Monk is in all honesty my favorite place in town to have a drink. The bartenders are friendly, knowledgeable, and are happy to help you sort through the complex flavors of their drinks to help you find the cocktail that is right for you. Considering mixology is a profession that has rapidly become as nerdy and pretentious as being a barista, the staff here genuinely wants to educate, entertain, and excite the clientele no matter their level of knowledge regarding the craft (the customer’s knowledge, not the bartender, they’re all supper knowledgeable).
While I often enjoy coming to Top of the Monk for a pleasant evening with friends the atmosphere and environment makes it a great place for a date, with that in mind if you are reading this wondering if you should bring someone here keep reading if someone has told you you’ll be going here tonight and you’re reading this trying to figure out what it’s all about stop reading NOW.
Seriously stop reading.
Last chance to be surprised and delighted.
YOU WERE WARNED!!!
One of my favorite things about bringing someone here for the first time is the little key that comes with every cocktail. This key which is placed next to your glass, often times with no explanation, will open a bank of PO boxes along the back wall containing small bites to eat with your cocktail. The sheer delight on someone’s face when they figure this out never ceases to make me smile and will certainly make a lasting impression on a potential paramour.
Seriously treat someone to a cocktail here you won’t regret it, and if you spoiled the surprise for yourself, well, I always tried to find where my parents hid the christmas presents too.

My fiancé and I came here on a Unilocal suggestion. We were just strolling around DT Asheville and I wanted a place to grab a nice drink but has a little something interesting to it. I loved the side staircase entrance and the whole interior of the bar. They have done an excellent job with the theme. The bar is members only, but dont worry! This just means you pay $ 1 to become a member for a year.
The libations were fantastic and the bartenders very friendly. There is an amazing view on the back patio. The best part though is your extra little treat that you get with every drink.

This is, without hesitation, my favorite place to get a drink in all of… anywhere. We’ve been going since the place opened, and I have never been more impressed with someone’s ability behind a bar than I have been with Kala. I tell people that this is what a true master of their craft looks like.
Your cocktail will come with an education. When I first go to a new bar, I like to ask for an Old Fashioned. It’s my standard by which to measure the skill of a bartender, whether they make it the classic way or the drunken college student way. Kala’s response was «What kind? There’s a pre-​prohibition Old Fashioned, a post-​prohibition Old Fashioned that’s made of different bitters, etc.» I’ve been hooked ever since.
I like the small capacity of the place. It allows you to really get a chance to relax, talk to the bartenders, and be comfortable while you have a classy, refined drink, instead of a bar that serves up shot specials.