Zen Mongolian Bar & Grill

I come here sometimes as a pre-​party spot. I love their music. The DJ always plays the best songs and many songs are older that you won’t get to hear in a club, so it is always nice to come here for a different sound. The drinks are great here. I love their vodka cranberry the best all because the drink is clear with lots of cranberries floating at the top. Cool place!

I’ve got mixed reviews for Zen. I’ll start with the positives. Convenience. Living in Addison Circle, I love having a bar within walking distance. I’ve been here more times than I can count, mostly because of its location. Zen’s food is also surprisingly great. The tacos are awesome and the wings are as well. Another great thing about Zen is Sunday football during the NFL season. Love the food and drink specials. Keeps me coming back on Sundays despite the things I dislike about Zen.
Negatives. Smoke. I can’t stand bars/​restaurants that still allow smoking. Nothing worse than leaving somewhere and feeling you need to shower and wash your clothes that instant. Another negative would be service. On more than occasion, I’ve had waitresses with terrible attitudes, which sucks the fun right out of an experience.
Although I came into this review thinking I’d give Zen 1 or 2 stars, I realized my pros outweighed my cons, though the smoke is the biggest factor. Can’t go less than 3 because I know I’ll be back many times in the future.

This place is way too smoky where I come out smelling like an ashtray. The dj is really good, and I love the music though. If I’m desperate to hear some good music, I will go here, but other than that, it is not one of my regular to go to spots. It’s really small and usually gets crowded about 11:30.

Being a regular for trivia on either Mondays or Wednesdays, I am a bit biased. My friends and I have a regular waitress (Kat), and she caters to us like a pro. Justin Foster’s trivia is the best in the city. Typically in the middle of the week it’s not too crowded, but the weekends are a whole different story. Hit this place up for happy hour on a weeknight, there are good and cheap specials The food is always on point as well, and for «bar» food it’s just super tasty. I adore the spring rolls. I’m sure the smoking status of this bar may piss some people off, but it’s one of the few places I can go to smoke in public. YAY!

I have been going to this place for quite some time — before the current manager that is there came over from Duke’s. And once I moved into the circle I was happy to have some place I can walk to where I knew the people there.
That being said, I’m very unhappy with this place right now. As a customer, having been cursed out by the current manager because he saw me pointing in his direction, was the last straw. It is not the first time, and I am not the first person this has happened to. In all honestly, it felt as if i was being attacked and bullied. There seems to be a misunderstanding of the business/​consumer relationship, particularly with this manager. To treat customers in this manner is unnacceptable behavior.
I was warned against writing a complaint, or speaking to the owners about this issue, for fear that would be «banned,» and if that occurs then so be it. I simply do not believe that vindication should be the result of complaining of bad customer service and bullying a consumer.

I agree. Not Mongolian and there’s nothing «Zen» about it. Loud and obnoxious, Zen bar is any place you’d never want to be, particularly on the weekends when fights break out on the sidewalk, there are customers puking in the breezeways and cigarette butts everywhere. Never any parking. Note: because of all the activity and tendency for fights to break out, Addison Police keep a close and keen eye on people leaving the bar. If you have any warrants, unpaid tickets or a BA level above legal levels, I suggest drinking somewhere else.

First of all Zen is a very unusual name for this place. It is not a Mongolian, Chinese, or Japanese restaurant. It is a bar with decent bar food.
I gave this 4 stars because as a bar it is a good place to go after work. The service is good and the drinks were well made. I will probably go back again since it is conveniently located in Addison Circle.

OK I really really wanted to like this place.
I came here on a Saturday and that was my first mistake. I knew they would be busy but come on it was packed around 11! The music was great but way way way too loud for this small of a place. Plus yes smoking is still allowed inside yuck!!! I don’t want to smell like a used cigarette!!!
I really wanted a bloody mary for some reason. I think I was craving salt lol. Well I got there around ten and they were busy but still they had two bartenders. When I went to order my bloody mary the bartender looked at me and seriously said this, «Seriously you want a bloody mary made on a Saturday night?» Then she rolled her eyes and stormed off to make it. OMG I’m sorry!!! Wait no I’m not. That’s what I want to drink. Is filling custom orders too hard for you? You’re a BARTENDER you make mixed drinks too! She brought it back and it was really good but I will not stand for treating customers this way. I finished my one drink and my friends and I left.
I understand that some drinks are harder to make than other, but come on. And please please stop smoking indoors in public places. I will not be going here again!

I go to Zen for lunch sometimes, as it is walking distance to my office. I had a chicken fried chicken when it was the special, which was nothing more than OK. The mashed potatoes were good, but not great, but it also came with corn from a can. They could have just left the corn off, and the dish would have been better.
I hope my fellow Unilocalers don’t throw me under the nerd-​bus for this, but I am really pleased to see that they brought back the Buzztime Playmakers. Those are the little computers where people in some bars will play poker or trivia games. I know it’s weird, but I like to play computer poker with people I can’t see to win fake money that noone ever gets. I’ll do that at lunch or at happy hour even if I’m there with other people, and they can get their own machine.

ZENTASTIC! ;) On Saturday night we went to Zen for dinner and drinks with a group of friends and had an awesome time. The bar was packed and the service was still great. We sat on their back patio, which is really kewl. I loved all the trees and we could actually still hear eachother talk even though it was packed.
Try their hummus, it is outstanding. Their prices are good and you will find that Zen does not serve your standard «bar food». It is unique and good quality for the price. I had their fish tacos and my husband had an avacodo bacon burger. They both came with string fries. They were crunchy and super tasty! I would recommend Zen!

Okay. Don’t go here on a weekend night. I don’t know what else I can say that will dissuade you from patronizing Zen on a busy night… just don’t.
First off I somehow forgot to mention in my last review that because Addison is probably the only city on Earth that still allows smoking inside business establishments, I walked out smelling like a cigarette. Disgusting. And I was only inside for a solid 10 minutes before we walked out.
Second, the music is ridiculously loud. We were a few tables away from the DJ and it’s a small place — c’mon man, you’re not big time for DJing at Zen. It reminded me of those guys who rev their Harley when it’s unnecessary.
Third, maybe I just getting old. But if someone drags me back here on a Friday or Saturday all they’re going to hear is a big fat «N-​O»

Zen has been becoming one of my regular spots to hang out 2 – 3 days a week, but mostly Tuesdays where I usually meet up with my group. It is a far cry from being a Mongolian place because there’s really nothing Mongolian about it. It’s just like any other spots like Blackfinn or Duke’s, except that it’s much quieter because of where it is located.
The patio is almost never noisy, the only noises you’d be hearing are the voices around you.
Tuesday nights, drinks are $ 2.50 all night, but the bar food is more upscale than any other typical bar food. For starters, you must try the hummus, it is to DIE for. I’ve tried the queso fries, but I wish that the fries are thicker and bigger because they serve them in skinny sizes.
As for the crowd, well I’ll never predict on which night people would come. You see some who come here all dressed up as if Zen can pass as a night club or lounge, and some who looked like they just rolled out of bed wearing whatever’s comfortable to them.

Ladies, if you’re into guys with too much gel in their hair, who wear too-​tight Affliction t-​shirts and more costume jewelry than your great-​grandmother, AND you like to get crazy drunk in Addison, Zen is your kind of place.
That is all.

It was dead soo we had the best service ever our bartender was awesome her name was Anna. It was a sausage fest, 2 guys started fighting outside, one got pushed against the door which cracked it pretty funny. Our drinks was pretty cheap, 4 of us our tab was 40 $ soo it was awesome I think we got hooked up cause we were taking shots too. Music was great, the DJ was very good took some of our request played it right away. Great night

Zen is the best bar in Addison on most nights. It has great bartenders. If you’ve been there more than once, they’ll probably remember what you drink. Unlike Black Finn, the Zen bartenders actually want to serve you a drink. I like Zen best when it’s 75% full. That may be too crowded for some people, but I want a bar to be lively and busy. On most Friday and Saturdays, it’s filled with attractive women. Which is the main reason I go there. Plus the drinks are priced well. Unless I eat dinner there, I never pay more $ 20 for a whole night of drinking. Speaking of food, it’s surprisingly good. It’s not your typical bar food.

Going to Zen reminds me of a gigantic cattle call for Real World castmate hopefuls. You get all the generic stereotypes in there (the dumb jock, the fake girl, the punk rocker, the prep, the overly feminine gay guy, the overly masculine lesbian, etc.) and then you keep packing them ad nauseam until you can barely move around.
After a long sabbatical, I decided to head back to Zen this past Saturday to meet a couple friends for a drink before calling it a night. I was shocked to find that while it was busy (all the tables were occupied and there was a couple small groups herded at the bar), there was plenty of breathing room and the waitresses were able to come around on a regular basis to take our orders.
There were a couple of the standard douches you’d expect at any bar (guy wearing the graphic tee with a scarf AND chain AND bandana in the back pocket i’m looking at you) but it was much better than I’ve ever seen it.
We had a blast hanging out and the music wasn’t so loud we couldn’t hear each other and it ended up being pretty chill. Maybe this is because the two whiskey and sodas I ordered were incredibly weak so I couldn’t escalate my party mood. I would venture the guess that my drink had maybe ½ a shot of Jack in it and for $ 5.50 I’m not that impressed.
It’s hit or miss at this location in my book. The drinks can be super strong or super weak. The crowd can be super chill or super douche. The service can be super great or super suck. In the end, though, it’s a bar and it is what you make of it.

As for me, i worked at Zen for about 2 years. I understand the negative feedback because i saw everything but its really not a bad place to drink at. When i wasnt working and just hanging out there it was always a lot of fun. Ecspecially the one in Addison. The one in Addison and the one in The Colony are two totally different atmospheres.
Addison– Hometown bar, ALOT of regulars hang out there, more broken in. its pretty cool
The Colony– More upscale, a ton of young blood, Bigger, not as cool.
They actually do serve food and it is an AWESOME menu. They update it every so often so that their guests can keep trying new things. The Chefs definatly put a lot of work into the food they prepare. I personally didnt like working there because if you are hanging out there sober its definatly not the kind of bar you want to be. But when i would drink there it was totally fun.
Happy hours are Monday — Friday from 3 – 7. awesome specials. $ 2 wells and $ 2 drafts. Monday night is $ 1 draft night. and they have all kinds of specials throughout the week days untill close.
Also they DO close the patio at 10:00 at the Addison location and it is not their fault. They catch a ton of crap about it from the people living around Zen (ecspecially the lady who lives directly above the patio) The cops have litterally taken one of the bartenders to jail over it before for the patio being too loud. Luckily Zen is going to take over her lease when it is up so they wont have much of a problem anymore. If you want a more relaxed crowd, go during the week sometime, monday nights are better, but if not, then go on the weekend… make sure you get there as early at 10:30 — 11:00 or its really hard to find a table.

Oh, Zen. You little waste of space, you. I like this place on off nights when the popped-​collar, super tan crowd isn’t there. Last night (a Thursday) was semi-​crowded, and most of the femme pop tarts «like, talked like this…» (imitates high-​pitched valley girl).
Drinks are normal-​priced, not sure if they have happy hour. The crowd is the trendy early 20’s fodder right out of an episode of… oh geez, what ARE those kids watching these days? I had no idea they actually served food, as it is very much a bar. And who the heck closes their patio at 10pm, and for what reason? When we were forced to trade our quiet, breezy concrete haven for boisterous music and freezing cold AC of the indoors, we split.
I’ve been back in the day on the super-​crowded weekend nights, and if you enjoy feeling like a sardine in an unopened can of fish juice, you’re in for a treat. You’ll emerge from the wall to wall crowd panting for breath with the scent of 20 other people’s cologne and sweat on you.
Ew.

I’ve been here three times. Once, on a weeknight, I sat at the bar with my husband and sister for a couple beers. Low-​key, kinda quiet, didn’t try the food. It was okay and I felt pretty indifferent about it.
I went back again last night, on a Friday night, with my sister. There was a live DJ who played lots of hip hop until he abruptly switched to 80s at 12:30. The hip hop was awesome, with the videos playing simultaneously on big screens up at the bar. Lots of seating but also room to dance, which is a nice mix. The 80s stuff later isn’t my taste, but a bunch of drunk girls went crazy for it. A fight broke out and the bouncers handled it quickly and professionally, which is good. This was a much better time, and while I still haven’t tried the food, this bar is one I’ll want to return to on my next trip.
I went again tonight– this time they rounded out their Saturday night with a better hip hop playlist, and thankfully limited the weird 80s stuff. We saw a lot of the same regulars as last night, and saw yet another fight almost break out, this time between a «I just turned 21 last week» looking kid and a bouncer — how weird is that?!