HopMonk Tavern Novato

Eating inside the restaurant is a pleasure because any shortcomings can be fixed right away. But ordering TO GO is super risky at this restaurant and 4 of 5 times our orders have been incorrect. But this time — we spent $ 70 to just recieve part of the order. No TO GO ever again. There’s no accountability or double-​checking measures, which is quite apparent, prior to hand off to the customer. And I blame ourselves for not emptying every item and checking right then & there because it’s a waste of money any other way.

We came in and took a seat at the bar, there only two other patrons at the bar. Ten minutes later we still had not been addressed. A local girl with boobs hanging out come sin and gets saved immediately, so does the old guy who comes in next and sits down next to us. Guess you have to be a local or have big tits to be served at the bar. We finally left and will not be back ever again.

What an absolute disappointment. We had high hopes and actually planned this as part of a weekend getaway. We were considering getting a Lyft to Novato so we could really enjoy our HopMonk experience; good thing we didn’t! We walked in the door right after 10 pm to be told by the bartender that last call was in ten minutes!!! What??? On a Friday night? OK, well, I guess we at least got to have a decent beer in the ten minutes we were allotted, but the server’s attitude was pretty cruddy, too. He did not smile, welcome us, apologize for closing as soon as we walked in, ask if we had any questions or ANYTHING.
Additionally, HopMonk is located in the parking lot of a strip mall type place. No real ambiance or character whatsoever. The only people in the place were three women at the bar who apparently worked there and one couple ordering dinner in the dining room.
I won’t be back.

Great place for music, drinks and food! The servers and bartenders are very nice, and the atmosphere is great.

I, and my Boyfriend have been here 5 times now and every single time has been enjoyable. We now call it our favorite restaurant. The food is always good, The staff, always helpful and friendly. I surprised my B/​F for his Birthday… I brought Balloons to decorate the booth I had reserved for us… The wind tangled them on the way in from the Car…
The Girl at the desk, was nice enough to untangle them for me, and they were placed as I wanted in the Booth… In the order I asked for…
They also took His Ice Cream Cake and put it in the freezer to hold for our later reservation.
We have always been pleased with this Restaurant.

I am definitely coming back here. Best burger I’ve had in a while. I ordered the cheese burger with avocado and oh my goodness… yum! The fries were perfect too. If I wasn’t with my boss at the time I would have ordered a beer.
Next time for sure!

I came here once for food. I don’t remember what I ordered but I remember it wasn’t good. So, when I was invited to come here for a meet up with some friends, I only agreed because they wanted to come here. I ordered the sweet potato fries and they were good. The aoili dipping sauce was good too. That’s where they get the 2 stars. Other than that, the service was pretty lame. We were a group of 7 all having food and drinks for a few hours. They came by to offer drinks a few times and they did refill the water as well. After a couple of hours, the service pretty much became non existent. Our server went MIA. Must’ve gone home or lunch? who knows. But, once he left no one came by and it took a very long time to even get someone’s attention for our checks. I know, we’re a pain in the ass for sitting there that long and asking for separate checks. In spite of that, our money is still good. I asked some random server for our check because I hadn’t seen ours for a long time. He said «Let me find your server». Some other random server shows up with a check that wasn’t mine. She asks «Is this yours?» I mean, that’s a problem for me. They should know if it’s mine or not. Or that it at least came from my table. Which it didn’t. So, she left and came back like 15 min later with the right one. Luckily, I was paying with cash. I put the money down right away for it and waited another 15 min. Finally, I just left because I had to go and didn’t need the change. Unfortunately, for my friends they were paying with credit cards and had to wait another 20 min. That’s almost an hour trying to pay our checks. I probably won’t be back.

First the bad news… and it’s not awful, just a shortcoming. The 3 times we’ve been there our greeting and seating at the entrance has been less than stellar. It was not warm, efficient or helpful. Each time we confused about where to sit and one time asked to sit elsewhere. So while our first impression (3 times) was not good, the atmosphere, food, patio option and service was great. Actually, 1 of the times our service wasn’t great, but adequate.
But please don’t let this influence your decision to eat there. We REALLY love this place! The food and casual atmosphere was wonderful. They even have live music an open mic night. We’ll be back many times in the future and ideally the greeting/​seating process will improve.

Great Refreshment Stop In Novato!
SITREP
There are those times when commuting back from San Francisco towards Sacramento gets arduous, and at some point in time when jumping off on HWY 37 to travel past Vallejo, you just say to yourself, «Wait wait wait. I might as well stop for a couple hours rather than waste 2 on the freeway.»
Always a good call if that stop is at HopMonk Tavern!
THE SETUP
This Gordon Biersch establishment has the most amazing selection of amber colored liquids that will quench that thirst, as well as delicious happy hour munchies to satisfy that hunger.
If you are looking for something in particular, they just might have the beer you are hunkering for:
* Indian Pale Ale
* Hefeweizen
* Different IPAs
* And Wild (Dry) Cider (admittedly, my favorite)
HOPPY HOUR
Best time to hit this spot is between 3pm-​6pm, their «Hoppy Hour». So jet out over the Golden Gate by 4:30pm and you just might make it for the specials going on.
P-​A-​T-​I-​O
Great outside patio here which is becoming even more enjoyable with the summer breezes at twilight. This is a truly nice location for the Spring and Summer seasons.
THE LOWDOWN
Definitely pop in for some drinks, but get some munchies too, and wait a bit before hitting the road again.

The space is nice. But the food, service and especially seating is so so. There is an air of being rushed. And it takes a long time to get drinks. Looks to be under staff. It wasn’t my best experience.

Was seated immediately when checking in. There was no wait on a Saturday evening whatsoever. Outdoor seating was an option with live music.
Their Garlic Fries were a bit soggy and the Tavern Style Jambalaya was on a bland side but good nonetheless. HopMonk Kellerbier very enjoyable!
Staff are very friendly and attentive. I like the open kitchen as the food preparation is transparent. Great place to enjoy beer and eats.

Friendly staff, good food, a little on the expensive side.
It was a bit loud, which was to be expected for a bar. The ambiance was otherwise pretty nice, and after waiting awhile to get seated, everything else was pretty quick.
I ordered the turkey burger and the quinoa salad. Both were delicious, the aoli on the burger especially. The person I was with ordered the beer sausage and mustard potatoes. So good. The mustard potatoes were great, and not something either of us had ever tried before.
Ok beer selection. I’d definitely be interested in trying some of their brews in the future, but I couldn’t on this visit.

It’s fast service. Nice casual ambience, and it looks like they have an outside seating arrangement also they play live bands at night (Don’t know when?) They do have a happy hour and $ 8 meal for lunch; you can choose from ½ sandwich, taco, pulled pork, and etc, and 1 slide from soup, to salads, and French fries. I ordered jambalaya, it’s disappointing because it tasted like tomato soup. It wasn’t spicy at all so I put tobasco and sriracha to add the spicyness. Overall it’s a decent place to grab some lunch or dinner!

I got the recommendation to come to this spot not long ago, and man was it a great decision.
HopMonk Tavern is located in the corner of a huge plaza/​mall, but the ambiance inside absolutely wipes the memory of the mall away from you. It’s instantly very welcoming and has the feel of a typical tavern, yet it also has a huge patio area where live music is being performed and a big inside area where you can order dinner. It’s three things in one: an amazing place to get beer/​drinks, an amazing spot to grab good food and an amazing place to listen to music.
I decided on sitting in the dinner area, though closer to the bar section so I can watch the Giants game. Booths are very comfortable and the lighting is dimmed for a cozy feel. I was very impressed by their menu, as it offered a wide variety of food that looked delicious. I went for the HopMunk Burger (basically their own version of a basic burger) though the ones they cook look much more like large versions of sliders. I also ordered a Margarita Pizza and Caesar Salad for the table. Ahhh, everything was incredible, far better than I even expected. What makes the experience truly unique is that they always have new artists coming here to make a name for themselves so you will never be short of discovering new music.
Final verdict: This place does many things right. The biggest being that they’ve successfully blended many things in one, and made an overall fun place to be. If you want to watch a game, this place has an amazing bar. If you want to relax outside on a warm day and grab a drink, they have an open patio. If you want to just grab some food, they have a huge dining area. Enjoy!

This place is super laid back, relaxing, amazing outdoor seating and the beer selection is fab! They also have Nitro beer which I think is pretty cool. They have live music on the weekends as well.
If your in the neighborhood, you gotta give this place a try.

One of our favorite spots to go to in Novato. Laid back, good beers, yummy food, live music, and a chill atmosphere. Great place to watch a game, or even to check out a live cover band! We love the artichoke, sliders, burgers, grilled chicken sando, mussels, and the bread pudding — but don’t forget to order it with ice cream because for whatever reason, they don’t serve it with ice cream!
Our favorite house beers — Dunkelweizen and IPA.
Ask for Brian as your server — he’s awesome!

Time and time again I try this place, and time and time again im overwhelmed with disappointment. ¾ times i have to send back the food. The beer selection is depressing. And the hospitality is 50 – 50. This place needs help and gives the rest f the Hopmunk brand a bad name. Novato lacks in such environments as taverns or breweries so i always let my fiancée talk me into going there, but i think after experiencing fowl fish tacos and hard inedible calimari that we will forsure be taking our business elsewhere. Maybe Moylans down the road. Good beer and atleast they are really local. Again this was not our first bad experience… probably our fifth. Good luck to everyone else that chooses to indulge, but after being a Chef for 10 years i wont be. Cheers

After avoiding this place for a really long time, we tried to call in a takeout order…
Wouldn’t you know? The very FIRST thing we tried to order (off of their own menu) and… I know this is shocking… they didn’t have it.
These people should just shut down. Why do they even bother opening the doors when you absolutely cannot EVER get to order what you want.
PATHETIC.

Awesome place! This was my first time at this bar and I absolutely loved it. The food was great (I had the fish and chips) and the service was outstanding. Our server Von was very friendly and always made sure to check in on us. I would definitely give this place a go. They have a good menu and a great variety of drinks to choose from.

Have become an instant fan of the line dancing. Wish it was more often! The food here is just OK but I enjoy coming for dinner before dancing. Can’t wait to learn some more line dances. I went in knowing none and was able to pick them up pretty quickly. A few missteps once the music was faster but no one seems to mind. Everyone was just there to have a good time. Open mic night was pretty good. A few less the great acts but also some terrific ones. Probably about what you would expect. A couple bands with amazing singers. Really shocked me at some of the talent.

Have been to hop monk a few times before, however
This time the lunch was excellent! The menu has changed and food improved. Service was great. Will return.

Good burgers and fish and chips. The outdoor seating area has improved and is quite nice much like a German bier garden. I don’t really like the trendy beers, but the kellerbier is very good.
The downside is a familiar theme. The music is TOO LOUD!!!
We went there in the afternoon and a performer with a string guitar was playing outside. He might have been enjoyable to listen to, but he had a microphone and a cranked up amplifier. Ughhhh! We stayed inside, and if it had been any louder we would have just left.
Live music doesn’t need to be amplified, and piped in music needs to be real subtle — or just turn the damn stuff off. I don’t like being bombarded with someone else’s idea of music everywhere I go.

This place knows how to throw a party and the guest musicians are usually pretty good. The food is really expensive and the drinks are ok, but the ambiance is kicking.

If you’re looking for a swingin’ good time in Marin (and I’m not talking 80s/​Hot Tub/​Keys In a Bowl swingin’), I would recommend checking out HopMonk Tavern’s Swing Night which is the third Sunday of every month. The evening kicks off with a Beginner’s East Coast Dance lesson courtesy of Helen Andrade of Steppin’ Out Dance Studios. Once you’re feeling light on your feet, the Full Moon Swing band hits the stage for a night of sparkling sounds of the swing era — everything from hot jazz to sultry boleros. You’ll be rock-​stepping and toe tapping in no time!
The dance floor attracts a nice mix of young & old and experienced & novice dancers. Everyone will feel comfortable. And if you need a little extra liquid courage, the bar is just in the next room.
This is certainly a terrific date night option. So if you’re looking to get «in the mood,» look no further than HopMonk Tavern’s swing night. I can’t wait to go back!

Stopped by this Hopmonk after a bit of shopping, on our way back to Sonoma. I had mixed feelings about going — I’m not too impressed with the service and food at the Sonoma-​based Hopmonk, but, our experience here was great.
When we walked in, the hostess was on the phone and didn’t even greet us or wave. We just walked past her and pointed at the bar, she didn’t seem to care. That made me grumble — reminded me of the Sonoma Hopmonk.
But, the chip on my shoulder changed quickly. We had excellent service at the bar and the staff that supported the bartender (bringing food, bussing tables) were friendly and efficient. We felt really welcomed. The bartender was very friendly, warm, and thoughtful — bartenders hear everything folks, and she is no exception — we had a really nice time at the bar.
The food was good! They have a bigger menu than the Sonoma location and we shared a cup of pumpkin soup (seasonal) which was really delicious. I had a BLAT which was perfectly sized for my small eating style and I took half home. My friend had a reuben which was pretty good and also a perfect size (aka not too giant, not too small, just right for us!). We had a side of kale and it was pretty tasty.
While the glass of wine (rose) was just OK, my beer was find and at a great price ($ 5 or so).
Overall, a really warm and pleasant. Hands down the best Hopmonk experience I have ever had. No pretentiousness, speedy service (the Sonoma service is soooo sloowwww) and a nice menu variety.
Let’s hope our local Hopmonk can take some queues from this Hopmonk!
Cheers!

I. Am. So. Tired. Of. Your. Bad. Service. You. Should. Be. Ashamed.
The bartenders are the worst!!!
Seriously Dean. Enough!!!

Update:
The roasted Chicken Breast needs a revamp. The chicken itself is good. Today the vegetables were mostly zucchini, very over steamed. A cup or so of broth turned the mashed potatoes into an milky oatmeal consistency.
The Quinoa Salad is a large bowl. Can serve 2 easily.
Tomato soup still a recommend.

Alright, This is been a a favorite lunch and happy hour spot for me and friends and colleagues for over a year now.
The bar area is great with Sports being played and during lunch they have a lunch 8 is great menu which pairs half a sammie, taco, or slider with fries, salad, soup etc. My go to so i dont feel weighed down post lunch. There drinks area great. Awesome beer selections and they havea full bar. I always get the moscow mule with the tin cup. I think its dumb they want your ID, they should just eyeball you so you dont jack it. but whatever. worth it.
Yesterday a group of 16 of us went for a going away party at lunch time. We sat at 12, ordered at 1220. and half the orders came out. half never did. it wasnt til about 1250 did they realize the issue. Now i kinda blame the waitress for not realizing half of us didnt have food, but overall the place was busy. The manager came out apologized. they rushed out the other half of orders and comp the ones which took 40 minutes.
Every other time i have came we have always had great service, food, and a good time. At some point a problem will occur and thanks to good management and staff the problem was fixed and treated appropriately. Great job guys, this took you to as good as it gets!

Good beer, good food, good music, too much munchkin noise!
OK, now that I have been there a few more times, I must add that while we have enjoyed the beer, the food, and the setting (especially the open space) every time, this last time we were somewhat distracted by about a dozen kids who were running around and making plenty of noise while the band was playing. Nothing wrong with children running around and enjoying themselves, but not in a pub when there is live music on stage :-)
I must say the owners of about half dozen dogs that were there at the same time, were paying a lot more attention to their four legged companions than a few parents were to their children! :-)
So if you walk in there, you may want to scope the environment before you order your beer and food :-)

I’ve been to HopMonk multiple times, mostly for happy hour, and for dinner a few times. I generally don’t have much to dislike about HopMonk aside from the menu/​beer prices. I also like the jambalaya. So that’s why I am not giving a 1-​star rating.
That being said, the last time I went to HopMonk, I went during happy hour, specifically to grab a few pints while watching the USA v. Mexico soccer match (CONCACAF Cup Final). I told my server that I was planning on ordering a few pints, if they could put the match on one of their big screens for me. He told me he’d ask the bartender, which he did, and the bartender told me she’d get to it in a few minutes. About 10 minutes went by and no one changed the channel for me, but I kept waiting patiently, anyway. Then, another person walked up to the bar, asked the bartender to put on a preseason NHL game on the television, and they put it on the television, almost without hesitation. My server came by, looked at me, and then asked the bartender what happened, and she just shrugged her shoulders. The server basically did the same as well. No resolution. The bar wasn’t even busy, so it’s not like this whole situation could be chalked up to that. I left the restaurant immediately after.
Disappointing.

This review is for country linedancing held every 2^nd Thursday of the month in the Session Room. It was a fun night out boot scootin’ with lots of fun and talented folks. This is no amateur linedancing group, but don’t be discouraged, all levels are welcome. Since hubby introduced me to country linedancing at Kodiak Jack’s (KJ) in Petaluma when we dated, those good ‘olé days are gone after kids. Sadly, KJ also closed its doors — RIP. Now that our kids are older, we want to get back into country linedancing and burn some calories; although, we’re a bit rusty.
I was ecstatic to find an ongoing linedance session via HopMonk’s events calendar, and the DJ used to deejay at KJ. However, I don’t understand the $ 10 cover charge. Ladies should be free, and why $ 10 pp? Each time we go, it’s $ 20 for my husband and I. We want to have a good time, not at $ 10 pp… forget about it.
I’d like to suggest no cover charge at all, as the drinks are additional. I also learned I had to order Moscow Mules served with Tito’s vodka at their main bar. They’re not served inside the Session Room bar in copper mugs with Tito’s vodka… wassup with that? The nice bartender lady advised I must go to the main bar and order a Moscow Mule, plus leave my ID with the bartenders due to thefts of copper mugs… come again? She advised people steal such copper mugs. Who are these thieves stealing petty mugs? Stop it fools, you make it hard for us paying customers to get our Moscow Mules. Go buy your own at Cost Plus World Market, Pier One Imports, or eBay.
Furthermore, the space in the Session Room is a bit tight for country linedancing. Many dances involve twirling, kicking, grapevines, electric slide, and fancy footwork. There needs to be better ventilation, as it gets super hot. Dancing makes you sweat, especially in compact spaces. There’s no food service either. I hope management takes this into consideration, and if you must charge a fee, at least $ 10 per couple seems reasonable, and ladies free all night… food for thought =)

Really enjoyed munching out in the outdoor patio for dinner last week. The setting is beautiful (had no idea how lovely it is!) and the food was fantastic. The attention to detail in the way the food was presented really made an impact, and my hub & I very much enjoyed out meal.
Awesome music, casual setting, delicious food… Hopmonk Tavern was a lovely place to spend an evening. We’ll be back.

It’s a bar that features Gordon Biersch beers made by the owners. The bar food is typical, that is lots of crunchy fried stuff, lots’a starches and lots’a calories.
This place is NOT a groovy gastropub with fresh, epicurean farm to table cuisine.
TV’s on the walls display sport games.
Frequent music on the outdoor back patio. Check the website for performance dates and artists.

I came here with some friends one night and had a great experience. I said to the server that I wanted a red type of ale and he said he would send one over and have me guess which one it was. That was fun. especially when the runner who brought it told me which one it was so I got to sound a lot smarter to the server than I really was!
I had a sweet appetizer of Sausage Bites and the grilled cheese with tomato soup for my meal. Both were amazing.
Overall, a really fun night at a great place.

Can’t wait to go back to try more items on the menu…
We stopped in for lunch this weekend… Sat outside and were completely satisfied.
The atmosphere is great… Service was fine… Prices ok…
Ordered a beer sampler and some small bites… Food came out hot and was tasty…
This place is kid friendly… Good…
We will come back if we are in the area…

I have eaten at Hopmonk Tavern in Sonoma and Sebastopol. This was my first time at the new Novato location. It was lovely to be seated outside in the shade. This place has an outdoor stage. A group was doing their sound check during our meal, which was no biggie.
We started with drinks and our server was right on it. I ordered a Ketel One Moscow Mule. I had to give up my drivers license in order to have the drink in a copper cup! People steal the cups, so your ID is a deposit. Anyway my drink was perfect. My friend ordered the 1^st Press Cabernet. It was drinkable but a little sweet for me.
You could make an entire meal out of shared appetizers but we were in a bit of a hurry so went straight to the entrées. I had the kale salad with added grilled chicken. The flavors were right on. If I were making this at home, I’d add dried cranberries and serve it in a bowl rather than on a plate. I felt like it needed a pinch of dried cranberries to balance the peanuts. I considered adding bacon too and will next time. Kale is crinkly and bouncy and here it’s served on a plate so as you try to eat it, kale flies out onto the table. If it were served in a bowl, there would be less mess and waste.
My lunch date had the Hopmonk burger with added bacon. They were generous with the crispy bacon. It was a big burger and came with fried onion rings on it too. The bakery quality bun was good and was toasted a little. The burger comes with fries and was a hit.
Lunch including drinks and tip was around $ 60.00. That’s not too bad for Marin.