New Hungry Monk

Opinel

Anyone been to the new Hungry Monk, Monks Rest? I've heard the food is good but that the prices are more akin to upstairs than the wine bar but they have an early bird menu. Anyone have personal experience??

hamstervision

I'd be interested to hear also. I like the food downstairs in the Hungry Monk, pity about the snotty head waiter who completely puts us off going back. I'd consider trying the new part though if the price/menu is right.

Alun

Agree about the waiter. Went to the downstairs part once with an elderly relative, and despite having booked and asked for a table that was accessible and not too cramped, got put at that big barrel thing they have, where you sit up on high stools. We complained and quite literally just got a shrug of the shoulders, no apology, nothing. Never been back since.

Opinel

My other half and I used to go there quite a lot and used to pass his behavior off as Gallic arrogance but in the last year or so he seems to have got worse so I've rarely been back. I was there quite recently (friends booked it, not me!) and his upselling got to me e.g. recommending the special wine which was €10 more than the house wine, trying to shift the fillet steaks that were on special never mentioning the price etc.!! Maybe he's under pressure to squeeze as much out of punters as possible but still no excuse for the rude behavior. So, wonder what the new place is like. Anybody?

matt-dublin

the head waiter or the owners son?

Jimjay

I went the other day. I prviously had problems with that waiters attitude but the guy there was younger this time and very friendly and personable. I presumed he was the owner fromt the way he talked but i guess not.

Afaik the menu is the same and the new part is just an extension so they can fit more people in. I was in old part but people calling in to book were asked which side they wanted to sit and was told its just the same but more space.

darter

matt-dublin wrote: »

the head waiter or the owners son?

Jacques (I think that's his name?), who runs the downstairs wine bar, is more than a head waiter, and yes, he is French and does have a very French (Gallic) approach, which I find refreshing.

Pat's son is a great laugh, as is Pat - or rather was, as he's hardly there at all now.

Greystones is lucky to have such a choice of fine eating establishments, but for a special night it is hard to beat the Hungry Monk.

matt-dublin

ah the french fello, its not a gallic approach its an arrogant, more i know better than you do approach.

a lot of french are like that

mikedragon32

darter wrote: »

Jacques (I think that's his name?), who runs the downstairs wine bar, is more than a head waiter, and yes, he is French and does have a very French (Gallic) approach, which I find refreshing.

Pat's son is a great laugh, as is Pat - or rather was, as he's hardly there at all now.

Greystones is lucky to have such a choice of fine eating establishments, but for a special night it is hard to beat the Hungry Monk.

His name is Nick! I can't say I've ever had issue with him, as Darter says: very Gallic.

Pat's son's name is Julian. Yep, he's a chatty bugger alright!

darter

mikedragon32 wrote: »

His name is Nick! I can't say I've ever had issue with him, as Darter says: very Gallic.

Pat's son's name is Julian. Yep, he's a chatty bugger alright!

Yes to both. Don't know why I didn't remember Nick is called Nick.

Oldlegs

matt-dublin wrote: »

ah the french fello, its not a gallic approach its an arrogant, more i know better than you do approach.

a lot of french are like that

Disagree completely.

IMO he is actually very nice guy to deal with. In much the same way as other nationalities can find an Irish, dry wit difficult to deal with.

Bottom line IMO, is excellent food, in a great BISTRO (not pitched as a restaurant) environment.

Probably not to everyone's tastes but the volume of customers (based on any time I have walked passed) would suggest that enough people are happy with the service/ambiance/quality/value to keep coming back.

The Bishop Basher

Absolutley love the Hungry Monk and we've never had a problem with Nick. On the contrary, he's always loooked after us well and is chatty and accommodating.

Looking forwarding to heading down soon. They did say there would be a new menu when they opened the new section but i'd be happy regardless as the food is always on the button
I

snowman224

Nick is direct but I think he adds character to the place.
You simply can't beat the Monk, upstairs or downstairs.

Am sure the new wing will be equally as good.
All being well I'll get to try it first hand this weekend.

hamstervision

snowman224 wrote: »

Nick is direct but I think he adds character to the place.

Fair enough, maybe we caught him on off days but we found him downright rude and a bit dismissive when we were there; he seemed fine and chatty with the regulars but very short and even unfriendly with us. It really put us off the place which is a shame because, in my opinion, downstairs does one of the best burgers around! We've been upstairs a couple of times too and the meal was quite pricey but very good.

matt-dublin

hamstervision wrote: »

Fair enough, maybe we caught him on off days but we found him downright rude and a bit dismissive when we were there; he seemed fine and chatty with the regulars but very short and even unfriendly with us. It really put us off the place which is a shame because, in my opinion, downstairs does one of the best burgers around! We've been upstairs a couple of times too and the meal was quite pricey but very good.

I was talking to the folks about him last night, they were in agreement and a few of their friends actually complained about him several times to Julian.

Their neighbours had such a bad experience with him the walked out before their meal was served.

Jimjay

In the past we have taken two sets of visitors to the hungry monk upstairs. Both times our visitors said they would not go again because of this person. I think it was more because our faces were not well know as other people appeared to get much better service. I dont think it has anything to do with the style of wit, dry wit is funny rudeness or just lack of service is not. Even when incall to book it is as if he does not want our booking. It is a shame as the place is great, the food is very good.

heavyballs

mikedragon32 wrote: »

His name is Nick! I can't say I've ever had issue with him, as Darter says: very Gallic.

Pat's son's name is Julian. Yep, he's a chatty bugger alright!

i find the irish guy dead sound ,however,a quick story re: the other guy.

myself the wife and 2 friends ate there recently.Bill came to €180,i put €200 in folder,(service charge was included)anyway yer man doesn't come back with changeso i tell the others to head on to the pub before last drinks(bit embarrasing) i get his attention eventually and i have to explain he owes me cash back,the look he gave me was pure classic,i love THM but since then i've been to 3Q's twice ,great service as always and last week instead of THM we went to Campo di Fiori for the best steak i've had in years,also i bought a voucher in 3Q's for my parents that i would normally have got for THM for,the lesson here, vote with your feet.
I won't be back.

Cheeky Chops

I go to the Bistro downstairs maybe once a year and every time Nicholas is charming and funny. I have dietary limitations and every time he goes out of his way to accommodate me. I'm not a big spender, not a regular yet he over the last 15 years has always been a bonus to the whole dining experience. Strange how we are haven't such different experiences.

As for upstairs - I think the pricing is ridiculous and cannot stand the fawning from the Guv. Even worse when a celeb is in.

Bistro gets my vote.

darter

Cheeky Chops wrote: »

...and cannot stand the fawning from the Guv. Even worse when a celeb is in.

I guess that's why I like the place...

I go many times a year to both downstairs and upstairs, and have never been disappointed.

pixbyjohn

darter wrote: »

I guess that's why I like the place...

I go many times a year to both downstairs and upstairs, and have never been disappointed.

Are you connected to the place

Opinel

heavyballs wrote: »

i find the irish guy dead sound ,however,a quick story re: the other guy.

myself the wife and 2 friends ate there recently.Bill came to €180,i put €200 in folder,(service charge was included)anyway yer man doesn't come back with changeso i tell the others to head on to the pub before last drinks(bit embarrasing) i get his attention eventually and i have to explain he owes me cash back,the look he gave me was pure classic,i love THM but since then i've been to 3Q's twice ,great service as always and last week instead of THM we went to Campo di Fiori for the best steak i've had in years,also i bought a voucher in 3Q's for my parents that i would normally have got for THM for,the lesson here, vote with your feet.
I won't be back.

Almost precisely the same thing happened to us! About 2 years ago they changed the booking system (went electronic) and bills are since spat out electronically including service charge. Nick used to write up the bills by hand and took tips in cash. In fairness, tips handed over are usually more than the standard service charge. I'm convinced his behaviour changed when the system did because he really does push the specials and the pricy wines! I have some sympathy for the guy because I'm guessing he's under pressure, but we've rarely been back since which is a shame because, as is the general feeling about the place, we really like it.

Mitch Connor

hamstervision wrote: »

Fair enough, maybe we caught him on off days but we found him downright rude and a bit dismissive when we were there; he seemed fine and chatty with the regulars but very short and even unfriendly with us. It really put us off the place which is a shame because, in my opinion, downstairs does one of the best burgers around! We've been upstairs a couple of times too and the meal was quite pricey but very good.

the one time I went in, I went to go downstairs around 6. place was empty, no one in that at all. Nick asked if I had a reservation - which I said i didn't; at which point I was asked to leave. Haven't been back since.

Merrilady

matt-dublin wrote: »

I was talking to the folks about him last night, they were in agreement and a few of their friends actually complained about him several times to Julian.

Their neighbours had such a bad experience with him the walked out before their meal was served.

Awful awful, awful guy .. We eat out in the village once a week (mid week and always the early bird ) but will never go back to THM because of him.
Anytime I have stuck my head in looking for a table it's always a No, but looking around most tables are empty, there is never a conversation to try to accommodate.
When we have been lucky :rolleyes: to get a table the up selling is ridiculous
Such a shame as the food is delish

The Bishop Basher

The place may be empty but that doesn't mean it's wont be full half an hour later with earlier reservations. I've never been down and seen it empty yet and that's mid week.

Oldlegs

Mitch Connor wrote: »

the one time I went in, I went to go downstairs around 6. place was empty, no one in that at all. Nick asked if I had a reservation - which I said i didn't; at which point I was asked to leave. Haven't been back since.

Not sure I understand you point ? If all of the tables were booked, then he had no space for you ? Do you think he turned you away despite having some tables available ?

I have been there every few months or so, and am not a regular face or anything.

Others, obviously have had different experiences, but I have never had any problem with Nic, service, food, price, quality etc.

Upstairs is pricey - BUT you get a fantastic selection of great wines and food (but at a price). Combination of Upstairs restaurant and downstairs bistro addresses a lot of tastes and pockets. Anway, just trying to provide an different view to the negative experiences posted.

Rasmus

I haven't been to the new Hungry Monk, (which the title suggests this thread is about) however I have enjoyed the odd meal at Hungry Monk in the past.

I couldn't help but notice that this thread has changed from a discussion about the new part of the restaurant, to a bit of a b**ch about an individual? Not only that, but said individual has been named? That doesn't seem right! My two cents.

Annasopra

Rasmus wrote: »

I haven't been to the new Hungry Monk, (which the title suggests this thread is about) however I have enjoyed the odd meal at Hungry Monk in the past.

I couldn't help but notice that this thread has changed from a discussion about the new part of the restaurant, to a bit of a b**ch about an individual? Not only that, but said individual has been named? That doesn't seem right! My two cents.

Agreed I think this thread is going way too much off topic and it's not appropriate to have a go at a named individual.