The Monk's Retreat in Reading

I love this pub, vibes are great and staff are super chill. Thanks to Alex the bartender for always providing great service!

Foods great value ... Except the manager. He's not that good enough

Food wasn't great service was rubbish wouldn't go back and wouldn't recommend

Great place to visit both food and atmosphere 😀

Great place for a tasty reasonably priced lunch, a great variety of drinks, and a lovely atmosphere, a must when visiting Reading

I recently visited Monks Retreat with friends for some drinks and nibbles and it did not disappoint. The drinks were very reasonably priced, and the atmosphere was fantastic. It was a busy Saturday night, and there was a fun lively vibe and great music really made the experience. Philipp, who served us, was incredibly friendly and couldn't have been more helpful. He was attentive throughout the evening and really made our visit a 10 out of 10. Highly recommend for a fun night out!

Surely the very best Pub in Reading Staff are so kind friendly and engaging Philip, Alex, Daniel, William amongst several more Yes indeed love this place and so do many of my friends Perfect place to relax and chill Quality it really is Top drawer 11/10 and 200% RJK

Just been to the monks for food I had fish and chips my partner had 10oz steak the food was excellent never had a bad meal yet , the staff are very friendly , Phillipp always comes over and as a chat they all make you feel very welcome , will definitely be back for more food

Sorry Chaps - Despite the F1 advertising, only football football football 😢

Staff are amazing especially Tommy and Phillip drinks are really good priced especially the 2 for 1 cocktails Food was nice would def come back here

The place is starting to show its age, it's all looking tired inside now, staff were great though and they have a wide choice of beer and spirits

Great food and amazing service for a friendly pub. Good for the budget.

I had reached out to the pub to check if they were showing F1 live and made a reservation upon email. I was told to come early so they can switch on F1 in one booth for us. The people were nice except for the manager who was rude and just outrightly rejected to switch it on. We obviously weren’t there to watch the game for free and had ordered food and drinks as well. He said that they can’t switch it on and can only have football everywhere and despite showing the email confirmation that said so, he just dissed it saying that the person shouldn’t have said so and was neither apologetic about it. Would never show up to such an awful place again.

Great pub, great food. Every thing you want for a long day with friends. Just perfect

Really good food at affordable prices. Great staff and the manager is always friendly and helpful. Best strawberry daiquiris In town and even better they're 2 for 1. Good music and always showing what's current regarding sports. Some thing for everyone.|

Had a wonderful time, service was fantastic by Kris and one guy with long hair whose name I didn’t catch! Drinks were great and service was quick and chatty, great atmosphere!

Excellent cocktails by Philip and Daniel, non of that pre made nonsense! Friendly and fun! Great atmosphere will visit again!

Monk's Retreat has a nice atmosphere and is way better than the Slug and Lettuce opposite!

Made a booking online. Received an e mail confirmation with reservation number A week later received a phone call to say they couldn’t accommodate us. No compromise.

Great food at reasonable prices.

The bartender Alex, cured me of my hiccups by giving me a free glass of water. I'm coming again soon.

My friend and I had a pleasant day here last Saturday. I loved the chilled Guinness and watching football on tv and the music. All the staff were kind and polite and efficient. The only minor complaint was one customer was very loud but good natured.

Went in for the Euros and service and range of beers was superb great sports viewing

Good hearty breakfast and priced well. Early morning so no queues to contend with. Good music on a Saturday night too!

Fantastic atmosphere, bar staff make you feel so friendly , food is always excellent

Phillip was amazing the whole visit, single ladies forst night out in foreverrrrr advised us on drinks menu, 241 cocktails OMG amazing, table service omgggggg best brand evaaaaaa will deffo be back GIVE PHILLIP A PAYRISE

Drinks are reasonable priced and great music. Phillip and Megan are a good laugh and great fun.

My mother and farther went in for a little drink today, a pint and a glass of lemonade no ice to be served a third of the lemonade missing because she didn't have ice, are you really telling me that lemonade is so expensive you can't fill the glass. Disgusting behaviour.

Was served by Fran at the bar what bubbly nice person always has a smile on her face and looks happy to be working there

Came here to watch the UCL quarter-finals and it was nice to see the game with a couple of pints. Barkeep was kind to switch channels to play Real Madrid against Man.City instead of Arsenal Bayern. Real Madrid managed to survive the whole game until penalties where they earned the victory and passed to the next stage of the European competition.

Never been here in my life but I’m sure it’s an incredible place, shame it’s in Reading

Great place for sports events, great atmosphere

5 stars for full monty breakfast. Served by professional young man.

Good price for beer, but too many TV's showing football or sport and people shouting.

Meg was great. Very courteous. Nice atmosphere

Don't rate this place. Food tasted rubbery

I was looking for a place to have breakfast And saw the monk's retreat. Thought I'd give it a go. I must say the service was incredible especially Philippe And the food was so so good. I definitely recommend if here in reading.

I like going here for a pint with my partner after work however today we visited for food as there was a 50% code sent by the company. I ordered fish and chips and only ate the chips as the fish was basically cremated. The 50% either didn't work or the terms and conditions were lying as there was nothing saying it doesn't work for certain food however it only took £3.49 off. I hate that I didn't say anything but we like the pub and the atmosphere for a drink however I can safely say I shall never order food here again. Utter disappointment. I don't like complaining in person as I get anxious and in this case almost cried when she asked if everything was okay with the food. Its not the wait staffs fault which makes it unfair to complain to them. Really disappointed in what I always thought was a decent british pub....

They charged me twice. Said my first card transaction got denied. I showed him my debit transactions where you could clearly see I got charged twice. I’m not coming back to this place they scam you and charge twice.

The staff here are lovely, the punters were too. Ollie and Ormie lovely chaps, great service. Always good here. Stopped going to some pubs in Reading due to rude chip on shoulder staff. These guys are lovely, really help your evening tick. Booze good value, food decent. Great place for young families.

Went in there with an old friend , for a couple of drinks ,& Toilletes on griund floor! background music too loud !

Update 14th feb 2024 visited this pub today this pub is a weatherspoons chain fairly big plenty of seating, the food was nice & hot like hot food should be unlike others like woking or farnborough where i hav eaten many times & the food has only arrived warm not enjoyable anyway the food was very good & the member of staff tall young chap very efficient with manners overall very happy.

Very nice pub , older vibe on this day , individual booth - happy to change tv channel to the darts than the football, small things , nice pint of Guinness and food was nice hot quick

1970's fitout and not so great food. Needs an overhaul.

Lovely atmosphere. Was served drinks by Callum and was wonderful. Bought everything to our table and made sure we were well taken care of. Wonderful service from him and would definitely take his recommendations on cocktails

Went in here for a meal with my daughter at 5.30pm... we was there about 5 minutes had to leave... playing so loudly was a heavy metal band on there speakers.... far to loud. Went across the road to slug and lettuce much better Atmosphere.

Callum gave us great service and made nice cocktails. Very helpful for choosing drink Recommend coming for drinks !!!!!!

I enjoy coming here with friends to relax and grab some food and drinks. Food is really lovely and comes out quick. Drinks are lovely and very affordable. The staff is very friendly and helpful especially Philip always makes sure our glasses are full.

It s a great place to go with your friends for a drink and a nice chat. It s very welcoming and Phillip has been very nice to us and really took care of our table.

Philip is sweet and always made sure our table is clean and drinks are full , the prices for both food and drink are definitely worth it , perfect for pre drinks or just to go out for a simple lunch

Philip is so sweet and the pub has such a homey vibe,good for food and cheap drinks before a night out

Meg was amazing, very quick service, definitely coming back here

Well cooked, lovely meals. Good value - mixed grill was just right. Busy but not over crowded like some restaurants in the area.

Went on news years eve and got the curry which was amazing. Staff was great especially Meg who was really approachable and friendly and was dressed for the occasion

Very average food and experience. If you are going for just food then avoid, a Weatherspons is better. If you're going for sport then it's an OK option.

Just been in the monks for food and drinks absolutely amazing Alex and Philipp should be so proud of all their staff all very friendly food is always good and hot , keep up the good work guys

Enjoyable evening in the monks retreat in Reading last night friendly bar staff especially Ollie , will be using the pub again when in Reading

We ended up spending most of the evening, atmosphere was very friendly, staff were great, didn't wait long to get served, good choice of drinks all at a reasonable price

A great beer, short visit but enjoyed. Was a very busy evening but I managed to find a seat. Well worth a visit.

Chose this pub for a catch up with friends. Arrived approx. 5:30pm and live football was on the TVs. The volume was blaring but it’s Saturday afternoon and footy is a tradition so we endured it thinking that the sound would be turned down after the match. Unfortunately, this was not the case and the volume was cranked up for the pubs music playlist. During the football match, there was a group of young lads engrossed in the match. They were great: a few “oohs and awwws” when a team came close to scoring a goal. It was nice to watch them. After the match they left and a group of older lads sat at that table and watched a later match on the TV. These men were in their late 20s but behaved as if they were on the terraces at the match, chanting, clapping, yobbish behaviour and using foul language. One guy clapped and sung “Man U are f*%king c*nts” to Seven Nation Army which was blaring out through the speakers. A little later, we asked the pub manager to ask the men to tone it down but he interrupted before we could justify why we wanted this and said “it’s 10 o’clock on a Saturday night, lads will be lads!” It was actually 9:37pm. By this time, the DJ had started playing. He played some great music and the volume seemed more reasonable. I and my friends are not prudes nor adverse to people having fun but Alex’s ageist discrimination towards us was insulting and unnecessary. He virtually implied that, by 10pm, we should be back in our care home via our Readibus and should be drinking our bedtime co-co. It’s as if he thinks the over 50s shouldn’t be in his pub after 8pm. Unfortunately, another complaint is that the toilets were disgusting. I did mention this to the barman (tall guy wearing glasses) who acknowledged me with “gotcha”. Whether anything was done, I don’t know as I never went again. The above events ruined an otherwise fine visit. The food was very, very good . The kitchen was banging out Deliveroo orders all night. The DJ played decent tunes. The rest of the bar staff were pleasant and friendly. Alex could learn a lot from them.

Had the worst curry I’ve ever eaten here. Would have rather been served a cold microwave meal from tescos, as this was just a much worse one of these. Also bought a Pint of Peroni and a Lager Shandy which somehow cost 11.50? Food used to be great here, but now is very bad. One of the quieter spots for atmosphere, so appreciate that

Lovely stop in to see long lost family. A couple of pints of Guinness and we had a great time.

I go 3 4 times a week for good but this time that guy serve me with long hair ..he was very Rude and few coustomer around told me he is Racist aswell and i feel same ..Bad experience with him

That guy who served me with long hair tall one was very Rude and being less cook and less food and behave very bad

Honestly the worst experience I had, from the start was a bad experience, person on the bar not completely listening to our order correctly starters were bland forgot the sauce and garnish on the chicken wings, But by far the worst from the mains, curry was bland and tasteless, only flavoured thing was the popadom, then the mixed grill was horrible, chicken was dryer then cold burnt toast, stake medium was very well done but when recooked came out rare, peas were over cooked gammon was drenched in oil, chips where freezing cold when brought to a table. After already complaing left unhappy and hungry, guess my dogs will have an alright meal tonight with the left over meat Won’t be returning

Basic pub, good prices, nice staff. What quite bright on there for evening drinks

Absolutely disgusting food bland tasteless no better than Wetherspoons AVOID!

Just been in the monks for drinks and food I had chip shop platter my partner had mixed grill both were fantastic , and yet again bar staff very friendly Alex & Philipp you are doing a great job keep it up the only pub I will go to in Reading due to the the atmosphere is absolutely fantastic

Decent place to have a pint or some cocktails They have martini on tap Food is amazing and delicious Tooooo many options for Gin

Dropped in for a pint and an evening meal. Quiet on a Wednesday evening although it probably depends what sport is on. As a solo female business traveller, felt very comfortable here. Friendly staff and good value no-nonsense pub food which arrived quickly. Portions could be bigger - but then I’m a northerner. Would definitely come here again if in Reading.

Great valve for food and drink, and for the sports people plenty of TVs for every one.

Decent enough pub in the town center. Drink selection on tap is good but not amazing. Shows live sports which is nice. Lots of booth seating which is also really nice

Food was excellent and a great price. The newish Northern lad is great, but I am his Dad…………..

Looking for a place to eat on a Friday night that was still serving regular food after 9pm. You order through an app at your table and they bring you everything. Great experience! The food was good. The music was good. The service and atmosphere were good. I would recommend to anyone passing through Reading.

I'm sorry they run ales tonight and toilets rolls hope they can things sorted out I'm not complaining I will still the pub when I'm in reading I don't blame the staff they do there best to get sorted out please take care and be safe thanks

i went with my sister and the food was great, nicola gave us some good recommendations and was very lovely :)

Me and my sister visited this place and had a great time, great food lovely atmosphere and staff was friendly and welcoming; the bartender who served us, Nicola really stood out. so friendly very funny and super fast and accurate service. will be coming back!

Callum was very friendly and made us great drinks, great music and cheep drinks very satisfied

As a regular customer in the Monks Retreat I would very much like to Commend the atmosphere in the pub particularly over the lunchtime period (11am-1500). This is particularly down to the efficiency and as importantly the good humour of Nikki behind the bar. She deserves all the plaudits she gets. Well done.

Visited the Monks retreat and was not sure of what to expect, but endid up having a fine meal and drink, the Bar Maid Nikki was a fantastic breath of fresh air and assisted with the menu and drinks choise, she then went the extra mile to take my drinks to my table as i am disabled. So will definatly come again. Nikki was so helpful what an asset to the pub. Steve .

The food was unfit for human consumption- I've thrown out better! I'm not an advocate of food waste but there was no way I could finish this poor excuse for a meal. The waiter was very defensive and rude and the manager lacked any skills in dealing with a valid complaint. Worst meal ever eaten in public. I would not have eaten it if someone paid ME The steak was a tough as leather but uncooked in the middle The peas half frozen This eating establish should come with a ⚠️ Following my complaint staff did not even collect the plates and acted as though they were the injured party

Went in for lunch on tuesday afternoon was a lovely atmosphere, pleasant staff especially nikki, nice to see a smiling face behind the bar, food was cheap and cheerful, overall a lovely afternoon

We have been eating here for months and usually enjoy the meals, however on 27th September the meals we had were undercooked. I'd asked for smothered steak but was served something else. My partners peas were served cold and hard. When I mentioned this, the floppy haired waiter stood gormlessly. I was then told I needed to pay an extra £1. 49 for staff mistake in the order. When my meal finally arrived the steak was not well done as id asked, it was raw and the sauce was watery. We spoke to the shift manager who just looked bewildered and lamely said sorry. We often visit this place with a group of friends but will be taking our custom elsewhere in future.

Brilliant service 👏 friendly staff, Nikki is lovely 😀 will definitely be returning 👌

Came in the monks for some food , if was absolutely amazing food was nice and hot , the staff were all friendly , especially Philipp definitely recommend this pub and certainly the food we will definitely be back , thanks to all the staff for making our visit so welcoming

I love this place! The cocktails are really good and with two for one you can’t go wrong. The food is always so nice and the service is amazing! Philipp in particular is always super helpful and attentive. Thank you 😊

Exactly what was needed for a Thursday afternoon. Swift, friendly ordering and delivery of food from Nikki.

I went into the Monks today for lunch and was particularly impressed with the service, mainly by Nikki (the one with the tattoos)

Lovely staff especially nikki she’s a lovely bird always happy always helps when needed couldn’t fault her. Thanks for having lovely staff 😁

Nice place to watch a game of football. There are TV's at almost every booth. The food is decent too

Food and service was decent (very polite and helpful waitress, unfortunately I do not know her name). There was a mixup with the table and when going to politely talk to the shift manager, I was spoken to in a condescending and treated like a pile of dirt, I have never met a ruder woman in my life. They refused to resurrect the mixup, we did not receive 2 drinks due to a slightly odd table number which we all (group of 4) read as 26, when really it was meant to be '25', so they were sent to the wrong table, admittedly this was partially our fault but also theirs for having a misleading looking number on the table, however all of our other food and drinks arrived as normal which was strange. Apparently they couldn't ressurect the mistake due to it being a business, which is rubbish, as it was reading festival weekend and they had a heap of business and the drinks would cost them next to nothing to remake. I believe this is bad business practice, as all of us misread the table number, therefore it cannot be entirely our fault. We had collectively spent around £60 between us so far on drinks and food, so 2 drinks being made really wouldn't have made a difference. Such a shame because would have stayed for another drink each so would have got more money out of us if they just honoured the mistake. The main concern however was not for 2 drinks missing as this admittedly was partially our mistake, but for the rude way in which the shift manager treated us, when we were just politely asking about our drinks being missing. She should not be working. Ruined a decent meal.

Overpriced no wonder it's empty

Very nice staff good service and cheap drinks

The Monk's Retreat used to be part of the much-loved J. D. Wetherspoon chain but was sold off - because it was competing with the "Hope Tap" at the other end of Friar Street - and promptly acquired by the Stonegate Pub Company, Britain's largest player in the hospitality market. The pub itself is located next door to Reading Town Hall, where a perfect mid-Victorian copy of the Bayeux Tapestry is on free public display, and is a short 5-10 minute walk from the mainline railway station. It's a typical town centre Stonegate pub which might best be described as "cheap and cheerful" but it offers a good range of draught beers and classic meals such as Lasagne (£7.49) Cumberland Sausages & Mash (£6.99) or Steak & Ale Pie (£9.49) and - if you're still hungry - Toffee Fudge Cake for £2.99. When I called in for a quick bite to eat, whilst changing trains on a journey from Portsmouth to Plymouth, I opted for the All-Day Breakfast. I confess that I didn't like the (cheap and cheerless) sausages and felt that the bacon rashers were slightly undercooked. However service was quick and efficient. The toilets, as you'd expect from a former Wetherspoon pub, are upstairs and were clean and well-maintained. The pub's free wireless internet access is provided by Eclipse and gave me download and upload speeds of 18 and 10 Mbps respectively, with a latency of 97ms. There were plenty of 3-Pin 240 Volt 50Hz AC power sockets to keep my laptop computer going whilst I checked by e-mails. Ultimately you get what you pay for but, on the whole, I think that I preferred the "Monk's Retreat" when it was part of Tim Martin's Wetherspoon Group.

Popped in for a couple of drinks Saturday 11th August. Friendly staff and reasonably priced drinks. Will return and try their food.

Pretty standard Wetherspoons. Has the full menu and all the usual things you'd expect.

They really need to do something about the old men who each take up a 6 person table on their own, sipping their beer over 4 hours, so there’s no space for anyone else. Especially on Saturdays. Avoid.

Called in today Friday. Working locally in Queen Victoria Street. Excellent Fish n chips with peas plus a drink. Good value. Top service. Highly recommend

Turned up late, not a problem for food, decent selection of beers, nice welcoming greeting, food was great, thanks for everything

Great atmosphere, super service had a lovely time with mates.