Monk's

220 Broadway, Wisconsin Dells, WI - (608) 254-2955

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Posted By Neal Pritchett on 8/28/2006 11:27:00 PM

If you come from anywhere in the Midwest, you know about the Wisconsin Dells, located in the Driftless Zone of Wisconsin, an area that was missed by the glaciers. This region contains some of the oldest rocks on the continent. It was formed around the same time as the Tapeats sandstone at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, a bit less than 600 million years ago. The Wisconsin River, largely formed by glacial meltwater, cut its way through these soft sandstones to create a geologic wonder; but this is no longer what most people come to see.

For most people, the Wisconsin Dells is the water park, go-cart, and miniature golf capitol of the world. It is also filled with museums, “wonders”, souvenir shops, and a variety of fudge and novelty shops. It's as if every roadside stand and tourist trap from all of the highways in the country were brought together in one spot, with a couple of the Midwest’s largest roller coasters added to round things out. It is a wonderful bit of Americana, and a mecca for the road trip enthusiast. Despite all of the growth in the area, the downtown has hardly changed a bit since the sixties.

While strolling through the busy main drag of The Wisconsin Dells, at a certain point you will feel yourself stop. Your nose will poke up into the air, and you will wonder, “What’s that smell?” That smell is the best possible advertisement for Monk’s Bar and Grill. It is the smell of burgers frying, of onions, of butter on the grill, and it is particularly compelling on a cool summer night. Monk’s has been around since 1947, making it one of the older establishments at The Dells. Unlike many of the attractions here, Monk’s is neither a tourist trap, nor a chain. It is a local bar that made good.

You could easily miss Monk’s, as it does not take up much frontage on the sidewalk between the assorted fudge shops, and souvenir stands. In the tradition of the old-time pizza parlor, the cooking is done right in the window. A menu is posted outside, next to the door. The door opens into a narrow, but very long room, with a bar off to the right, some tables ahead. There are the obligatory TV's (with the game on, of course), sports paraphernalia, and T-shirts, as well as a video jukebox. Though I heard no bar dice, they would not have been out of place.

Your burger is laid on the bar, cut in half, on a piece of butcher paper. The 1/3-pound fresh-ground chuck burgers lack the smooth rounded edges of frozen portion-control meats. These are great burgers. They come hot off the grill, with butter and hot fried onions, on a slightly-toasted bun. Toppings include Swiss or American cheese, mushrooms, bacon, and even marinara sauce. For the health conscious, there is a veggie burger to eat with your NA beer.

In addition to the burgers, Monk’s has chicken sandwiches, appetizers, hot dogs, and brats. Even so, the burgers are the main attraction, and they are the one item that has been bringing the customers in since 1947.

The only problem with Monk’s is that you might end up spending more time here than you planned. This is, in many ways, a grown-up version of the cozy little corner bar. It is quite easy to get really comfortable here. After experiencing the ever-present hype and tourist hustle of the Dells, hanging around in Monk’s almost makes you feel like you are back home.

Scorecard

Overall: Good - Worth a Return

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Reviewers Photos [Upload Your Photos]

"The fully loaded mushroom Swiss burger is a thing of beauty!"
Cliff Strutz

"If you aren't a beer drinker, the frothy homemade root beer is the beverage of choice."
Cliff Strutz

"Even the regular cheeseburger is substantial enough to satisfy most appetites."
Cliff Strutz

"This is what the smell is all about. The burgers are great. This is a simple plain cheesburger, with onions of course; but there are a variety of cheeses, toppings, and sizes available. "
Neal Pritchett

"In a week driving around Wisconsin, these were the squeakiest and best cheese curds we ate."
Cliff Strutz

"Monk's is one of the places where the locals go, after a hard day of running water parks and boat rides. "
Neal Pritchett

"Hardly anything to see from the outside; but, oh that smell."
Neal Pritchett