I finally checked this place out after a few years of living here. The most accepting vibe i have felt in a long time. Gender identity, expression, preference and age all melt away and you are left with the most inclusive space in Fredericton. Add in an amazing drag show and the cheapest drinks in town, you are left with an awesome night out.

There is a reason it got awards for pretty much anything a nightclub could get. I love going there, and it honestly has the nicest people as workers and patrons I have ever experienced interacting with in relation to pretty much anywhere! The drinks are awesome and affordable, and they even make mocktails for those who want to stay sober! I wish I didn't live so far away because I would be there every week if I could. ??

I live out of town and have been hoping to get to The Monarch for some time now. I finally did yesterday and it did not disappoint! For starters, the owner was just lovely and so welcoming. The atmosphere was great and the place just had a great look. I went and got a mocktail (I don't like the taste of alcohol) and the bar tender was just the nicest, taking the time to find the perfect one. She was so sweet and it was so good!! I wish I could have spent more time there and if I lived closer I swear I'd be there every week. But I hope to get back one day for their infamous karaoke nights!!

First off, if you're thinking you're safe at this place, you're not. They like to claim they are protecting privacy of patrons, yet will break facebook privacy to spy on your private posts and then threaten you over them. The place is full of snitches and rats and not one person in there can be trusted. The staff is incapable of running the place and allow events to transpire that have no place in a public place whether its the gay bar or not. 2nd, unreasonable outrageous gouging of customers on the cover charges. I mean theres NOTHING in that bar that makes cover charge worth being more than 5$. I've watched them charge 13$ cover for an event and after I paid, they dropped the price to 8$ cuz no one came. Same thing happened over this past weekend with a rave that literally 1 person attended cuz the price tag was so unreasonable. 12$ initial charge, if you came after 1 they charged you 15$. Your pricing guide is a joke. 3rd, I have a HUGE problem with children being allowed in the bar. You have it listed as a drop in center but its listed as a bar. Which is it? Its not the 90s, drop in centers arent a thing no more. It raises a tonne of concerns about the safety of children. Considering this bar claims they are against the current trend of the grooming of minors that has been taking place in the schools, yet is now guilty of this themselves. I wont ever step in that bar again, if you have any concern over your own safety and privacy, i would steer clear of the place period.

I want to love it here...I really do. But I just don't feel like it's a very comfortable environment for me. The seating is very hard plastic and kind of feels like it's randomly scattered around, and the place just does not have a lot of ambiance. It all feels a bit thrown together and the acoustics are (in my opinion) kind of overly loud so it's hard to have a conversation with anyone you go with. Mixed with the fact that the bar is cash only and the selection is limited, I have typically only stayed for one drink before leaving every time I visit. Which is a shame. I get that things like "comfort" and "aesthetics" are subjective...and maybe I'm a cranky old lady...but it just doesn't feel like the kind of place I want to hang out in with my friends and enjoy some beverages on a rare night out. I will give them props though: the staff are amazingly nice and are clearly trying hard. Everyone is so friendly and enthusiastic, so I feel like kind of a jerk saying anything negative, especially when the things I'm not into are so subjective. But I have to be honest and point out some things that would make the place more welcoming *for me*. I'm sure there are a lot of folks who find the sound levels and seating just fine, and that's cool too!