Finally came back... this place really sucks. I have lived in Greenwich for 20 years and there are so many fantastic restaurants. If you want mediocre food, drinks, and service come here. If you want great food and service, go literally anywhere else. So disappointed. read more

Food is very creative and good. Great vibe and drinks as well. Crispy seafood rice was fantastic.

Our experience at Happy Monkey was mediocre at best. We started with tuna tartare, which had a strange flavor to it. I couldn't quite place the seasoning, it almost tasted curry-like. It wasn't necessarily bad, but seemed out of place at a restaurant with more of a Latin-feel. Additionally, this was served with no chip, crostini, etc. It is pretty unusual to serve a dish like this with no sort of vessel to eat it with. Again, not bad but not great either. Fortunately we also ordered chips and salsa, so we used the chips with the tuna. I will note however after eating quite a bit we found a weird almost rock like object in our chip bowl. Pretty off putting. Next we had the squash blossom quesadilla. The cheese was really good but this was underwhelming as well. There was nothing special about this quesadilla and we found it to be a bit greasy. The sauce it came with also came with the salsa trio, and was very good. This dish was again not bad, but also not something we would ever order again. Lastly we got the arroz con pollo. This was the biggest letdown of the night. The rice had a very ricearoni/artificial flavor to it. The chicken was a very strange texture, almost mushy/slimy. The crispy skin on top was a smart concept, but the execution didn't deliver as it needed some sort of flavor or seasoning. We got two drinks, my husband got a grapefruit margarita and I got vodka strawberry basil lemonade. I was served a strawberry margarita instead. I am not a tequila lover, so I knew it was wrong from the first sip. I asked the server if it was the wrong drink, he said it wasn't but then I think he realized in seeing the salted rim that it was in fact wrong. He quickly brought me the correct drink which was very very good. The waiter also took the drink off our bill which was unnecessary but appreciated. It worked out, as my husband really did not like his margarita so he wound up drinking the strawberry one instead. I will also note that while we had to make this reservation months in advance, the restaurant was never at more than half capacity or so, even on a weekend. I understand they may still be short staffed and working out service for larger numbers, but we did also overhear someone saying they make it hard to get a reservation intentionally to build hype. This strategy certainly worked for us, however lead to higher expectations. We also have heard great things about Jean Jorge restaurants and having been our first, we aren't sure we would try others. I've truly had better meals at much lower-end Mexican restaurants like Bartaco. If you are looking for an elevated Latin American meal I would recommend La Casa in Bronxville. Nothing about our food or experience at Happy Monkey would prompt us to return. read more

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Food was genuinely just okay. A nice-ish place to take your parents or friends who are not foodies and just want to try some Mexican(ish) food. Service is quite lacking but understandable as they just opened. Drinks were bad. Decor is very nice but it's quite loud so I didn't enjoy the ambiance that much. Food: The four of us ordered almost 50% of the menu so I'd say we got a good sample. Everything was pretty average except the garlic shrimp appetizer and the main dish arroz con pollo, which were very flavorful. The tacos were very average which was a letdown, since they seem to be a highlight on the menu. Here's what we ordered: - Fritters (meh, skip) - fluke crudo (it's okay) - garlic shrimp (good!) - mushroom with goat cheese (meh) - focaccia (good) - olives (okay) - heirloom tomato salad (could be great but overly spicy) - crispy fish tacos (meh, too much sour cabbage) - crispy pork tacos (meh) - shaved beef tacos (meh) - arroz con pollo (good!) - 3 desserts whose names I forgot (decent!) Drinks: the cocktails are bad. We ordered 4 of them and they are very heavily alcoholic and the flavor profile was not there. For this reason alone I wouldn't return because what's a nice Mexican meal without a good margarita? Service: When we first sat down, no one brought us any water or menus for a long time... I knew right then that service would be bad for the evening. This was proven true later when it took them 40 minutes to bring out the second batch of appetizers. Ambiance: very cute and trendy decor, but wayyy too loud. read more

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Have heard so many great things about Happy Monkey in Greenwich, CT. My husband and I decided to stop on our way home from NYC. We sat at the bar and met the nicest bartender, David. I wasn't sure of what I wanted to drink and had a few questions. David was not only knowledgeable but really kind. We had such a great time, not to mention the lovely decor and ambiance! read more

Noticed this new restaurant while strolling on Greenwich ave so decided to check it out. The place is very nicely decorated and there was a very fresh vibe to the whole place. There were two greeters who check you in and take down your phone number and name and since it wasn't too busy I was seated immediately. The waitress who was assigned to my table was very attentive and described a few of the menu items. I decided to go with the Shaved beef tacos which arrived promptly. There were two of them arranged in a Taco tray, and there was some kind of salsa that was mixed in, which accentuated the taste. I also ordered the Strawberry Pineapple Crisp for dessert, which was really the highlight as it was served very hot in a cast iron tray topped with Vanilla Ice cream. As I made my way through it, I could see steam coming from the dessert, but since I couldn't wait, mixed in a bit of the ice cream and went for it! It was heavenly. It was a pretty decent size and looking back it probably serves best for two people, but since it was a solo outing, I took care of my would be guest as I finished the whole dessert. The restaurant itself is only three weeks old and the decor is very appealing. There is a bar towards the right and seating towards the left and the back. The one thing I would call out is that the entire staff is extremely polite and courteous and just by how attentive they were you could tell this restaurant wants to differentiate itself not just by the food but also the service. Great addition to Greenwich ave, and I will be visiting them again soon read more

Happy Monkey - Shaved beef tacos - Latin American Near Me - Greenwich, Connecticut

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This very cool upscale eatery on Greenwich Ave (towards the bottom of the Avenue) has an interesting green style ambiance that is noticeable and striking. The velvet booths and wood tables work well with the Latin fusion themed wall art. I'm a fan. Serving Sunday brunch, my party of six ordered the Sweet Pea Guacamole and the Sweet Potatoes both hits and gobbled up immediately. We each had a cocktail and my Classic margarita was delicious. Everyone else enjoyed their various cocktails as well. Our mains varied, but the Crispy Bbq Pork, and Crispy Gulf Flounder tacos, and the chicken soup received rave reviews. The tacos only come in two so you might want to order an appetizer to share or a side salad. Dessert was delicious as we enjoyed chocolate mousse and apple cranberry tart. The service was friendly and attentive. It's a pricey place but the brunch is worth it for a large gathering or a comfy conversation for two. read more

Well, unfortunately we went into tonight's dinner with pretty low expectations as we had heard from a friend that she heard some not so great reviews on the food and the service. We were blown away. From the Host/Operations Manager Alex, to our fantastic yet non-intrusive waiter, to the quick delivery of our food and beverages and the delicious mixture of flavors, we just had an amazing time. We like to share a few items so we can experience a variety (and we weren't starving), but will definitely be back to try many more items! Drannnnnks! He had a classic marg which was clearly fresh and not made with crap tequila, I almost wished I had ordered it. Then I tried my passion fruit sangria (which tasted like It had no alcohol in It, in a dangerous way!) and I was so happy I ordered It! For apps we went with the shrimp ceviche, and Manchego/Ham fritters. Omg. Could have just continued eating those two things for hours. The shrimp ceviche had such amazing flavors of cilantro, the sauce was a little spicy but not in a way where you don't taste anything else, and then there's the bananas. Yep. Bananas. And now i will never have it any other way. The sweet, smarty, fresh, citrus, spice, it hit every type of flavor possible. The fritters were perfectly cooked, light and crispy on the outside, warm, Smokey and melty inside and again, a sauce to die for. No idea what It was or how to describe It. Just put It in your mouth and thank me later. Mains were a beautiful arugula salad with corn, cherry tomatoes, avocado, and radish. Also a light vinaigrette of some sort. Delish! And also the fish tacos. Those fish tacos were perfection. Blue corn tortilla, perfectly fried fish, pretty sure the sauce of my dreams from above was included, and a pickled pear type of kimchi-ish substance on top. (Maybe I should read the menu descriptions better so I know what I'm talking about. We were debating dessert. And when I say we, I mean HE. I knew I needed the churros and probably would have staged a sit in if they were out. Cue Alex the Great. He comes over and asks what we are thinking about for dessert, And MY GUY KNEW he better ask for the churros. Alex suggested coffee, cappuccino or espresso martini. Sold! Two EM's. And then he said "I'm also going to bring the infamous Jean-Georges popsicles. Holy smokes. One tasted like an almond joy, one was a Strawberry Horchata and one was hibiscus pineapple. All of which were nut and dairy free (not that I care, because I love both) and seriously probably the highlight of our day! The martinis were perfect also and not boozy. All around amazing experience, and what a beautiful restaurant. The one and only "complaint" I would have is that It was rather loud, but honestly that just means the place was hoppin and people were truly happy and enjoying themselves. Way to go JG! You hit this one out of the park as well! read more

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Food: first time i've ever finished my food so fast i got hiccups--delicious. Service: wonderful service they were attentive to everything Ambiance: i loved the plants hanging from the ceiling and this place was an easy 5 stars. read more

Happy Monkey - also the corn and the pineapple tacos are (really good) - Latin American Near Me - Greenwich, Connecticut

I had such a lovely dinner here for a birthday. As someone who has enjoyed many a Jean-Georges establishment in NYC, it was a treasure to find a warm, casual concept when traveling. I particularly enjoyed the squash blossom quesadilla and lobster. read more

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The food here was great - however, the service experience was laughably terrible. There was a point where we'd been sitting for 15 minutes unacknowledged after getting our water and watched about 8 servers walking all around us and talking at the edges of the restaurant, none of them giving any acknowledgement to our table. Eventually, we had to take matters into our own hands and continuously ask a waiter who was not assigned to our table for help getting our orders in. The service was so slow we were at the restaurant for over 2.5 hours. Additionally, we had left a note that we were celebrating an engagement. Our waiter (the actual one assigned to our table) asked if there was an occasion and brought out a single small scoop of vanilla ice cream with a candle, which was nice. Then we got the bill and saw that we'd been charged $12.00 for that scoop of ice cream. All in all, I'd recommend the food here for sure, but would advise that anyone going should go with a tremendous amount of patience and very low service expectations. Also maybe block out 3 hours for the meal. read more

Happy Monkey was fine, but I won't be returning. Their staff is all very nice, but the restaurant was absolutely dead for a Sunday at noon (a bit concerning). The food was okay. My table got the pistachio guac (it was literally just guac w pistachios on top, for $18!!), a few potato items, broccoli rabe quesadilla, three taco plates & French toast. The guac was fine, the chips were delicious. The potato items were potatoes. The quesadilla was fine. The broccoli rabe wasn't seasoned and combined with a (stretchy but) bland cheese, I was left wanting more. The tacos were okay. Each order comes with two (for $20) but you can add on an extra. Are they worth the $10 price tag, no. The steak tacos were delicious, the pork okay (there was some spice that was out of place), and the beautifully fried fish one was overpowered by a badly quick pickled slaw. The French toast was good, but a bit soggy, and came with the wrong fruit (apples vs mangos). I think for the price point there are better places. Happy Monkey seemed confused with its identity, and overall I was left a bit disappointed. Oh also, The restaurant is gonna tell you that things are sharable, and imo they're not. Like you can share, but they're no different than just sharing a normal meal. They're not smaller sized, cut into sharable portions etc, it's just a way to get you to buy more. read more

Happy Monkey is aggressively /fine/. The hype is 100% about the name. Food was good, drinks were fine, service was fine if a little over-attentive. I went with my mom and after going through a few plates (squash blossom quesadilla, sizzling shrimp, and corn fritters) we were still hungry (small servings, which was expected) but before we knew it our table was being cleared. Very much felt like we were being rushed out after only 30 minutes. We ended up getting more food elsewhere. I'm glad I sated my curiosity but there are way, way better places and I do not feel any need to return. read more

Pricey but worth it! The drinks and ambiance are great and the food has not disappointed me.

July 2024, came here with some friends and sat at the bar that is very comfortable. As soon as you walk into the restaurant you get a nice vibe. The restaurant reminds me of the restaurants that I eat at in South Fla. I love the openness, and cool warm paint colors on the walls, plus the overhead lamp shades, plants and wooden ceiling gives the restaurant a Fla vibe in my opinion. I especially love the mural on the back wall of Frida Kahlo a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. You can tell the owner has paid a lot of attention to detail. Also, I like the dark green paint and brass door hands of entrance way into the restaurant, and the window are kept very clean. One note, about the entrance to the restaurant. The concrete holes need to be filled in from the restaurant before where the Happy Monkey letters are because it looks messy. Now for my review about the food and service. A big Shout out to our Bartender, JP who was wonderful, he really took great care of the three of us at the bar. We started out with a few snacks. The Crispy Tortillas and 3 Salsas. The chips were delicious and warm when they came out, however my friends complained about them being too salty. Warm Treats, we had the Smoked Ham and Manchego Cheese Fritters (5 on a plate) that was delicious, should have been nice to give 6 on a plate. Then for Warm Treats section ordered Sizzling Shrimp with Garlic, the shrimp was fresh and the flavoring had a little hot kick to it. Then ordered the BBQ Beef Tacos that were fresh and delicious, it would have been nice to have 3 Tacos instead of 2. All and all, this restaurant is a must try if your ever in the area. read more

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Fun Ambience, exceptional service and good food! The restaurant trifecta.... Highly recommend!!!

Really doesn't live up to the hype of a Jean Georges restaurant at all. The ambience is beautiful & the service is great in terms of receiving what you ask for in a timely manner. The food however is less than mediocre; the arroz con pollo tastes more like chicken & broccoli chicken but softer & less flavorful. The cheese croquettes are extremely rich & over powering even for a cheese lover. The drinks are good but at $18-20 for a tiny margarita you have many other better local options to choose from read more

I had a good dining experience at Happy Monkey, but my expectations were high and it just was not on par with other Jean Georges restaurants. Even just looking at the menu, the options aren't super adventurous, exciting, or out of the ordinary compared to other modern takes on Latin food. The vibrant interior is decorated really cute, and the space is dim but cozy. The service was good, but I think that timing is everything for for family style meals and this definitely felt rushed. Also, they did not bring out our main entree that the table was sharing which was very disappointing. This could have been avoided if the server had checked in with us after we ate our second course, but instead the table was cleared so quickly we didn't even have the chance to say anything. The Smoked Ham & Manchengo Cheese Fritters were my favorite starter--they were crispy on the outside and super cheesy on the inside. The Yellowfin Tuna Tartare was bright, citrusy, and the toasted pepinos added a nice crunch. However, I would avoid the kale and roasted pumpkin salad. It had too many flavors going on and just tasted like a soggy slaw. The Crispy Chicken Tacos were extremely good, the pickled cabbage completely overpowered the flavor of the fish tacos, and the mushroom tacos were a good vegetarian option but nothing to write home about. I would have liked to try the Arroz Con Pollo, but they never ended up bringing it out. I ended my meal with the Passionfruit Tres Leches Cake that was very underwhelming and tasted like it had been pre made and sitting in the freezer for a long time. I will probably give this restaurant another chance, but Happy Monkey needs to work on living up to the Jean Georges name. read more

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Our reservation indicated we have a child, when we got there, a high chair was already ready. Arroz con pollo is very delicious, our 17 month even enjoyed it. Also cute decor! Staff were all nice, great service! read more

Happy Monkey - Latin American Near Me - Greenwich, Connecticut

Food was expensive but not great pretty restaurant though it had a cold atmosphere for Mexican we won't return we spent $100 on very little food read more

I'm from westchester, my family doesn't go out much, but David & Mehmet curated such a good vibe that there is no other restaurant we see ourself going to read more

Sorry but one of my least favorites in town. Opened with a splash and the name seems to bring them back but not on my dance card. Twice was enough. Limited and uninteresting menu. Should I try again, maybe as I could have hit a rough patch, but there are so many reliably great alternatives within a stones throw. read more

Food was pretty good and ambience was very nice. The service was noticeably slow and inconsistent, but other than that it was a pretty try solid restaurant overall. read more

Ginger Margarita was excellent. Fried calamari was very well made. The tacos were a disappointment. I found the taste too salty. Overall I would return because the service, drinks and ambiance were great. read more

Great restaurant around the area if you want innovative Mexican food in Greenwich. Very nice ambiance with booth and table seats, with a chill, cool atmosphere. The food is excellent for the price, and I would definitely recommend the fish tacos, or the arroz con pollo. Service is great with nice friendly staff and the staff is very efficient. Just be aware some days it can be hard to get reservations due to popularity read more

Was able to walk in without a reservation which was a plus. Tried the day before to do an online reservation and it didn't look like you could book any day, for a dinner reservation. I'd recommend you call if you're looking to do a reservation. They ask you for your name and phone number which is meh, it's not like they had to text us - we were seated right away. At first the ambiance was nice, as the restaurant started to fill in, it was deafening loud. When we sat, we eventually were offered water, still, sparkling, or ice. That was a little weird, so we went with still - which is actually a bottle of still water. Apparently the tap water is the "iced" option. The waitress was good about explaining that it's a "shared" food experience, and that food comes out when it's ready. That's great - except when the tacos are two to a plate, and there's more than two people, so keep that in mind if you tend to avoid being rude and eating your food when others aren't eating. Oh and the tacos, $22 for two, steep, and I'd say that's Greenwich ave for you, but there's a place at the top of the Ave, that's not that expensive - completely different environments though. Remember that ice water? Yeah let's talk about that. One of the wait staff (her sole job was to float on the floor, and clear plates and refill water), came to clear a plate - I had asked about switching to ice water. She came back with glasses full of ice, but no water. Asked our waitress, for water - she acknowledged. Several minutes later, I reminded her - and you could tell she had forgotten, whatever, not the end of the world. Because the food is shared, the runners were clearly trained to place the food at the edge of the table, or the center - never in front of a guest. Well, we cleared in front of ourselves and even motioned/asked for the plates. Nevertheless, they still put it to the edge of the table. Dessert was good, no complaints. They both came out at the same time, not when they we're 'ready' (ha-ha). One other thing, one of the plates are a clear green glass. It looked super dirty/smudged. If anyone from management is reading this, I'd look into either new plates, or a process that'll keep them smudge/water spot free. It looked like it'd been handled several times by greasy fingers. Three stars - because it's average. It wasn't terrible, but it also wasn't great. It was average. read more

Happy Monkey - Restaurant interior - Latin American Near Me - Greenwich, Connecticut

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Absolutely amazing. Start to finish. Tuesday live music 6:00 - 9:00 was a perfect addition. Foods we ordered off the charts amazing. Can't wait to go back read more

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Tapas style restaurant. Great food and a fun atmosphere. The service was impeccable. Everyone who served us was extremely nice and had great recommendations. BBQ pork tacos were my favorite . Would highly recommend!!!! read more

imagine being seated at 7 and told that they need your table by 8. Feels like being back in the Army, except now I paid 200$ for the rudeness of an over hyped establishment. The worse part is that after telling the manager, he didnt even offer an apology. The subpar staff and service is NOT overcompensated by the food. read more

I had high hopes due to JG but he really needs to pay some attention to this place. Food and wine mediocre but staff is good as well as the vibe. Don't bother going there until they get their act together read more

We went at 5pm on Saturday evening after doing some shopping locally and due to the fact we were unable to get reservations for a later time. We dined at the bar which we enjoyed. The drinks were excellent as I had the Mezcal Lavender Negroni. Enjoyed the Roasted Mushroom Tacos and the Shaved Beef Tacos as well as the Patatas Bravas and the Corn Focaccia. Overall the service, food and drinks were all very good. read more

Happy Monkey - Strawberry Margarita & Mezcal Lavender Negroni - Latin American Near Me - Greenwich, Connecticut

The guacamole and shaved beef tacos are to die for. Also its a good place to have a conversation since it does not get too loud.

Happy Monkey tries REALLY hard to be a modern fine dining establishment along the likes of what you'd find in New York/LA/Chicago. Unfortunately they fail to come anywhere close to that level of service & food quality. But, if you've never left the suburbs and family restaurants are all you've ever been to, you'll probably be bowled over by what you see because...you haven't seen much. read more

So painfully mediocre for a restaurant with the prestigious Jean Georges name all over the place. Came here to "celebrate" my wife's birthday. Surprisingly packed for a Monday night, which was a pleasant surprise--I guess the droves of 3-star reviews haven't kept people away. Myself included. The service was slow and impersonal, the food was average and they did nothing to acknowledge the special occasion (despite a message and a call to the restaurant prior). The place is clean and trendy and definitely has a fun vibe with some solid dishes but it's abundantly clear why it continually disappoints its customers a full year after opening. read more

Incredibly horrible service, our waiter was very spacey/awkward and messed up our orders numerous times. The food was okay and atmosphere was cool. read more

The only thing that bothered me was that our waiter suggested a tequila but probably should have mentioned that it would cost $40/drink. It seems that this is something that should be disclosed, even if it is listed on the menu. Food delicious but this felt a little underhanded. UPDATE: My husband got food poisoning we think from the fish tacos. Mentioned to a friend and she told me she also knows someone who got food poisoning at Happy Monkey. Thinking I'm not returning. read more

Six Tacos, Guac, Crudité, One Drink = $136 I am not here to complain about the price of the meal. I eat in Greenwich often and am not expecting to pay less than $100 for two. That being said, when you pay $22 for a set of tacos you expect them to be better than good. When you order two sets of tacos you expect them to come out at the same time, not 10 minutes apart. The price matters because at a high price you expect quality service and food that is not ordinary. If not, what are you paying for? We would not come back to a restaurant simply because it is a Jean-Georges (whatever that means in 2023). We would not come back to the restaurant simply because it is well appointed (if you like fake plants). We sat down at 5:30 pm on a Friday night. There were only eight other tables being serviced by the time we finished. By all accounts, there should have been no issues with the service. The staff was friendly, no problems there. However, it took far too long for the kitchen to send out a plate of vegetables to go with the guac. Much to our dismay the two sets of tacos that we ordered came out 10 minutes apart. We ate the first and then sat waiting wondering where the other set was. We did not tell our waiter that we intended to share the tacos. Had we not been, one of us would have had to wait until our tacos were room temperature and soggy. The guac was flavorless. The tacos were fine. The chicken taco tasted like it was a piece of fried chicken--not what you would expect from a chicken taco in Greenwich and not what we wanted. The beef and pork tacos were edible. After a terribly disappointing dining experience at the Inn at Pound Ridge in November of 2022 we said we would not return. We will not be returning to Happy Monkey. I doubt we will ever go to a Jean Georges restaurant again. read more

Started off on the wrong foot. We got there a half hour before our reservation thinking we might eat at the bar if there were seats. The host was arrogant and unfriendly, said you'll just have to wait until closer to your reserved time. Glance around and there are four open two tops. Whatever, maybe they are short on staff to seat them. We go to the lounge and order drinks, sure enough the grumpy unsmiling host appears and states I have a table, like an order. The margaritas were good. The guacamole was okay, the sizzling shrimp was room temp, not the least bit sizzling. The calamari was also not hot. The grilled lobster was the smallest lobster I've ever seen at a nice restaurant. Would be surprised if it was over a pound, and $54. The thicker parts of the lobster meat was uncooked. You can tell because it's translucent and mushy compared to the white firm cooked part. Not once did anyone ask if our food was okay. We asked for some bread when the shrimp came to dip in the garlicky oil. It was 35 minutes before it came and no less than 10 staff tried to clear the plate without asking if we were done. It's hard to imagine Jean-Georges has ever stepped foot in this place. The drinks were good, lol. read more

A lively addition to the restaurants that line Greenwich Avenue, with almost tropical décor, in hot-pink and bright-green. The atmosphere is unique for the area, and so is the food (although the menu is not quite as creative). Everything was delicious, but be aware that everything is tapas-size so you'll need to order many little plates - be ready to share and probably order more than you anticipate. I believe the menu is constantly evolving with seasonality, so I'd be interested to go back and see if the next iteration is more stand-out than its neighbors to match the interiors. read more

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Fantastic food, atmosphere and service. A wonderful dining experience. Tacos were bomb! Highly recommend read more

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