EagleMonk Pub and Brewery

EagleMonk Pub and BreweryEagleMonk Pub and Brewery
EagleMonk Pub and BreweryEagleMonk Pub and Brewery
Brewery, Bar, Eatery, Beer-to-go

4906 W Mount Hope Hwy
Lansing, Michigan, 48917-9588
United States

(517) 708-7350 | map
eaglemonkbrewing.com
BEER STATS
Average:
3.67
Beers:
17
Ratings:
95
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.48
Reviews:
16
Ratings:
31
pDev:
20.98%
View: Beers | Place Reviews
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by lurpy1:
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Reviewed by lurpy1 from Minnesota

4.08/5  rDev +17.2%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
This place will not knock your socks off, but it fills a huge void, and along with Crunchy's massively upgraded focus on good beer, Eagle Monk's opening is the best thing to happen to the beer scene in Lansing, which has largely been bypassed in Michigan's beer mania.

Eagle Monk is a converted party store, with all the telltale Sparty Green and White paint on the outside. The inside is, pardon the pun, also spartan, with somewhat raw floors and acoustics that are reminiscent of an old VFW hall. But it's a solid, middlebrow place. On the night I was there, it was crowded but still spacious, and overrun with guys from a some sort of beard growing society. Jacket and tie not necessary. Cool.

There are 6 self-brewed taps: Red; Scotch; Pale Ale; IPA; Stout; Rye. Not too daring, but a good starter list.They are available by pint, or, you can get a flight of all 6 for $9. The first 4 tasted OK, but were nothing remarkable. The Scotch Ale was certainly drinkable but seemed to miss the mark as a Scotch Ale with its lack of body. However, the Stout and the Rye were terrific examples of the style. The stout hit all the marks and had a subtle coffee note to it. The Rye is a real standout, not hoppy, but plenty of spicy, stubbly rye. I would rate it as the 2nd best Rye I've ever had behind Hop Rod Rye. A beer they can build around, and with time, hopefully the 4 lesser beers will improve.

Service was friendly, and the owner/brewer provided an upbeat presence. Did not get to try the food, looked OK and simple.

Welcome addition. Not enough killer beers to become a barfly here, but a good start, and I'll be back.
Sep 13, 2012
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 3.6 by DavidRandall from Michigan

Jul 01, 2019
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Reviewed by dd53grif from Michigan

3.65/5  rDev +4.9%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
Brewpub just down the road from home. Older building refurbished for beer, pizza and bar snacks; not much to look at. Owner and staff friendly and ready to educate customers. Two cask pours in addition to the taps. Pretzel bites and beer cheese dip is good. Pizza looks good but haven't tried it yet. Order food and drinks at the bar.
Dec 18, 2018
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Reviewed by ChicagoJ from Illinois

3.98/5  rDev +14.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25
11/3/18 (Lansing, MI): Stopped in for a quick pint, nice family owned and operation brew pub in Lansing. A dozen brewed tap offerings, including a few cask conditioned which is a nice option. I had one cask conditioned beer which was good. My brother tried a flight, with beers ranging from poor to good. Tons of mugs on the ceiling for holders of their mug club. They offer food, and the pizza other customers had smelled good and looked decent. Service friendly, prompt, they like talking about beer and their offerings, very nice. Overall nice local place if you are in the Lansing area.
Nov 10, 2018
 
Rated: 4.21 by tallshmo from Michigan

Jun 29, 2018
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Reviewed by Quackershnoc from Michigan

4.16/5  rDev +19.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25 | food: 3.75
This place is a gem. An old convenience store turned into a neighborhood brewery by true beer nerds. The owners, Dan and Sonia are great, down-to-earth people who enjoy making good beer. I've been a mug club member for a few years now, and I have not had a bad beer yet. They have a cask system (which I really like), and always have a couple of their standard beers on cask. The pizza is pretty good too. It's kind of a hole in the wall, but I think that's kind of the point.
Mar 11, 2018
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Reviewed by Brianz81 from Michigan

4.14/5  rDev +19%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 5 | selection: 3
Man, this is a great place! The staff is amazing! They really are beer "dorks". I enjoyed trying all of their brews. They are on to some fantastic mixtures. Don't let the small size fool you, it's got a lot going for it. The hanging mugs are a cool thing to see. It really makes one feel like they are part of a club. I will certainly visit again.
Jun 06, 2017
 
Rated: 4.05 by tommy5 from Michigan

Jul 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.23 by Scotty_Karate from Michigan

Jun 30, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by NateDyk47 from Michigan

Apr 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.69 by Bung from Michigan

Aug 08, 2015
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Reviewed by danwanderer from Michigan

1.95/5  rDev -44%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 1 | selection: 2 | food: 4
I've been to EagleMonk 4 or 5 times. (Hey, it's one of two (yes 2) breweries in Lansing). It never fails to disappoint. The beer ranges from yuck to yawn. It either tastes bad or has no taste at all.
Vibe: boring, industrial, dive bar ish.
Quality: see above
Service: It's pub service, so there is none.
Selection: The tap list _looks_ ok.
Food: pizza is pretty good. Much better than the beer.
Jun 23, 2015
 
Rated: 3.25 by McAfee85 from Kansas

Apr 13, 2015
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Reviewed by justinp444 from Michigan

3.56/5  rDev +2.3%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4 | food: 3
A brewpub in the middle of nowhere with a very dedicated group of locals supporting it, I've been there several times and everything about it is hit or miss. They advertise a family friendly environment which it lives up to expectations with games and activities but don't expect servers or anything, go order up front take a seat and wait for your food while sipping on a assortment of beer and homebrew soda, just don't expect anything amazing. The beer is either bad, odd, or the tap is off, they do have a couple of good beers but good luck wading through the bad to get to the good. Don't bother trying any sodas, they where more likely an afterthought, though it's free refills and the cola isn't too bad. The food is fine, nothing amazing, but I've only had the pizza and salad so can't vouch for anything beyond that. The pub itself is a mess with cheap tables and jurry-rigged assortment of decor. The bar itself is tiny, cramped, and normally taken up so expect to meet your neighbor if you do sit down. It's a brewpub that meets the needs of its environment and if you have a chance stop by and at least sample some of the beers to try to find those fantastic brews hidden amongst the bland.
Apr 10, 2015
 
Rated: 3.72 by Shaskins80 from Michigan

Apr 09, 2015
 
Rated: 3.84 by Irishace9 from Illinois

Jan 25, 2015
 
Rated: 3.5 by BobbyOlson from Michigan

Oct 27, 2014
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Reviewed by TommyB83 from Michigan

1/5  rDev -71.3%
By far the worst brewery in Michigan. We had a group of beer lovers from all over the state meet here and no one finished their beer. (and we are not a group that waste alcohol) The IPA looked like it had only been fermenting for a few days. Extremely cloudy and you could still see the yeast actively working. The White was very bland. The Belgian Wit seemed much more like an mediocre amber, but either way, I was done after half the pint. There was at least 3 other beers at our table that were all considered bad from multiple people at the table. We were excited to check this place out because of the many positive reviews. I question if they aren't reviewing themselves because all of the beer was bad.

The location is awkward. The nicest room in the whole building is the bathroom. It looks like they made that first and ran out of money as they got closer to the bar. The game room looks nice, but is in a bad spot and is not being used. I'm not one to judge beer by location though. I've had great beer in complete dumps and horrible beer in very expensive breweries. The only reason I would ever go here is if your trying to hit every brewery in Michigan. Make it one of your last stops.
Aug 31, 2014
 
Rated: 4.5 by brasky11 from Michigan

Feb 18, 2014
 
Rated: 3 by Cotton_27 from Michigan

Jan 03, 2014
 
Rated: 3.75 by jemarent from Michigan

Nov 07, 2013
 
Rated: 3 by AlMarzo from Michigan

Oct 29, 2013
 
Rated: 3.75 by outsider from Ohio

Oct 28, 2013
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Reviewed by BrewtalHonesty from Oregon

3.56/5  rDev +2.3%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
The first worthwhile brewery in Lansing / East Lansing area. A reasonable selection of beers (6-7) on tap, one cask conditioned beer on tap, craft sodas (2-3) on tap, and a selection of pizzas and sandwiches. Beer & soda made on premises. The food and beer are good, especially the pizza. Simple place, home-like atmosphere with free bar games available (darts, shuffleboard, foozeball). Highly kid-friendly during the day. Very reasonable lifetime mugclub membership available. A selection of growlers (even howlers) available. Highly approachable owners, often available for conversation. Definitely a worthwhile stop.
Oct 02, 2013
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Reviewed by jojox from Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +3.4%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
Small place with several beers, pizzas, panninis, salads, and deserts. It's an "order at the bar, we'll bring your food to you" kind of place. It's not especially nice, or fancy, but clearly low budget and just starting out - 1 year and 3 weeks ago from when I was there.

The beer is pretty good, solid. It's not phenominal or unusual but they are good examples of the styles (the 3 I had) and very drinkable. One was made from local Michigan malt, which is really cool and seems to be a trending theme around the US. I probably liked that one the best.

The head brewer was a really nice, chill guy. Over 600 members in his mug club in the first year, which is great for him.

7 barrel brew system, he brews once a week or so. He seems to be doing pretty well at it, I'm curious to see where he goes after his basic survival is assured and he can start experimenting.
Sep 05, 2013
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Reviewed by gulogulo from Michigan

2.68/5  rDev -23%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 2.5 | food: 2
A small, simple place off the beaten path as far as any commercial development goes. I enjoyed the atmosphere most of all aspects at this establishment. The game room is a nice feature but is quite separate from the rest of the public floor space, so I would imagine it is underutilized (note: we stopped by in early afternoon on a weekday and were the only patrons, so this is a guess). There were some quality photographs available for purchase, as well.

The beer was unexceptional at best, but nothing was unpalatable. Tried all beers available and nothing stood out to note. However, considering its competition, this place takes the crown in the Lansing area.

The service was pleasant, professional and engaging. We enjoyed a nice conversation with the barkeep, who was able to shed some light on the history of the place and its naming (simply put: pieces of Americana and beer heritage put together, respectively).

We got the parmesan cheese bread and did not enjoy it. Thin, bland, and firm.
Jul 27, 2013
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Reviewed by HarmonMW from Missouri

2.71/5  rDev -22.1%
vibe: 1.75 | quality: 2.75 | service: 3 | selection: 2.75 | food: 2.75
I was excited about visiting EagleMonk. Lansing is a dirge in the MI craft beer scene, and desperately needed something, although the brewpub is pretty far off the radar.

The brewpub looks like an old party store and inside, resembles a gas station that has been cleaned of the aisles. Not the most aesthetically pleasing place. Beers were just average. Had a sampler of the All Night IPA, Delta Porter, ESB, Irish Red, Marcy St Stout, and Red Eye Rye. I liked the rye, but the rest weren't anything very memorable. Service is fine - you have to go up to the bar to be helped, but that's fine. Only had about 6 beers on, but they're new. I had a pizza which didn't have any tomato sauce. I probably should have read the menu closer so it's probably my fault, but I was pretty letdown with the food. I forgot what my fiancee had, but she liked it.

Overall, it's a new brewery and that's pretty clear from the quality of food/beer. My fiancee has wanted to go back, but given our other options in Michigan, I haven't - and I live in Lansing.
May 29, 2013
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Reviewed by JKlauza from Michigan

2.6/5  rDev -25.3%
vibe: 2 | quality: 2 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
I have been to Eagle Monk twice.
I went the week they opened.
The building is not that inviting as you walk up to it.
Once inside it's still nothing special.
I had a pizza and a sampler.
The pizza was by far the best thing I had.
I found the beers to be lacking complexity.
They tasted like first time homebrew more then a beer from a brewpub.

So I left and tried again a month later.
Nothing had changed, a few new beers but still all average.
I won't be going back again.
May 28, 2013
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Reviewed by WoodBrew from Ohio

4.38/5  rDev +25.9%
vibe: 3 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5 | food: 4.5
My bro-n-law drove by this place...luckily...looked it up on line and then targeted it during my visit the weekend before Christmas. The atmosphere is interesting...its in an old gas station building which gives it a lot of character. Inside however, the main area is like a diner with simple tables and chairs and bland decor. The bar area is ok, thebathrooms are awesome and has a very neat gameroom area. My opinion there needs to be some investment in the main area which I expect will come because the beer there is great and it will attract business, which hopefully will be re-invested. The quality of the beer and food were out-standing. The service is fine...you order at the bar and then carry your own beer to your table. There were 8 of their own beers on tap....unfortunately they ran out of one. (Easy Blonde...so next time. The menu had several staple appetizers and main menu had pizzas, etc. I believe all the soft drinks and wine served there was made there, which was pretty cool as well. We tried the chips and salsa and it was very good...the salsa was definitely home made (outstanding). Overall I thought the value was reasonable....for $25 got a 7 taste sampler, a pint of cider, two home made rootbeers and chips and salsa.
Dec 25, 2012
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Reviewed by PapaGoose03 from Michigan

2.85/5  rDev -18.1%
vibe: 3 | quality: 2.5 | service: 3 | selection: 3 | food: 3
This brewery just opened in 2012, which is a plus for the beer scene in Lansing. Like many new breweries I don't think they quite have their beers dialed in for what the taste should be for the defined style.

I stopped in with my wife and daughter and we shared a sampler to start, and ordered a couple of pizzas and a grilled cheese. There are only 6 beers available here - a Stout, a Pale Ale, a Hefeweizen, an IPA, a Scottish Ale, and an Irish Red. Only the Stout was close to the taste that I felt was where it should be, but it was pretty much an average stout. I'll grade it as a C+ but the rest are C or C- for their ratings.

The food menu had some nice choices but we felt that the pizzas that we ordered were just average at best, and the grilled cheese was blah. The pizzas weren't bad, but they just weren't up to what we thought they should be. Perhaps they were a little scant on the cheese and toppings, and that's why we were disappointed.

This place is kind of geographically removed from high-traffic areas in Lansing, so it has to be a destination business to go there. I hope the brewer gets some tweaking done of the recipes soon. I want to give any new brewery time to succeed so I'll go back again to find out if any tweaking is done.
Nov 19, 2012
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Reviewed by bigkingken from North Carolina

4.03/5  rDev +15.8%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
EagleMonk is the newest brewery to the greater Lansing area in central Michigan. The brainchild and retirement plan for a local home-brewer of more than 30 years, I had a soft spot for the place even before it opened, having met the owner who is a great guy. I was really hoping not to be let down going in.

The place used to be a party store with an attached apartment. Oh the stories those residents must have in their back pocket! But they’ve put in quite a bit of work to turn it into a brewpub. The main room isn’t anything fancy – a large open space with several tables, mugs hanging overhead and the bar/service counter at the far end. Local photos hang on the walls for purchase, if the mood strikes you. A second, smaller room hosts no tables that I saw, but a foosball table, fireplace and darts are available. In all, it’s your local neighborhood, no-frills joint where the community gathers to drink.

They do have a limited menu. There are a few paninis, salads and pizzas to choose from. The pizzas looked like thin crust, baked in a stone-lined professional-grade pizza oven. But I opted for a Panini. Large chunks of chicken, sweet baby rays, and what seemed like bacon bits were all smashed together. The bread seemed like some sort of 9-grain bread from Great Harvest. High quality, but maybe not the best for a Panini. It was tasty, but they could smear some butter or bacon fat on the outside of the bread to brown it and crisp it up, plus put some more pressure on the Panini lid and let it bake longer.

Not that I’m a Panini connoisseur own my own press or anything…

The beer was pretty decent, especially for having just opened. They had six varieties on tap: rye, stout, IPA, pale, scotch and Irish. The latter two were good – not overly sweet like so many American styles. The pale and stout were decent too, though lacking a bit in depth on both sides. But the IPA and rye were fantastic. The IPA is easy to drink with a slightly sweet finish that I highly enjoyed. And the rye might be the best rye I’ve ever had. It’s not necessarily an IPA – the hops seem more subdued than, say, Founders Reds Rye IPA – which let the rye shine through a bit more. It was extremely well-balanced and tasty.
Aug 24, 2012
EagleMonk Pub and Brewery in Lansing, MI
Brewery rating: 3.67 out of 5 with 95 ratings