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    Monkey Bar

    4.3 (488 reviews)
    Closed 11:45 am - 10:30 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Order Monkey Bar Takeout or Delivery

    Monkey Bar Photos

    MONKEY BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Trendy
    Intimate
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Monkey Bar

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    Reviews With Photos

    Whitney D.

    Getting a reservation here is very hard. One just popped up in my Resy app for lunch though, so I went for it. It was my first time here although, it has been around for ages. The front part where you first walk in is the bar area with some tables. This restaurant is on the darker side and brings you back in time. Once you walk in further that is where the main dinning room is. This is also on the darker side as you can maybe tell by my photos. The wall paper and art around the restaurant is cool and there are some monkey statues around the restaurant. I was seated in a corner table in a booth area that seemed to be for at least 2-3 people. I thought for sure they would seat me at the bar area. I had a wonderful waitress whose name I think was Taylor but I could be wrong. I ordered the Monkey bread to start off with. It's a very buttery bread with truffle and parm cheese on top. I have alot of allergies and I was searching online if I could even have truffles as I have a nut allergy. So, I asked the waitress and she said she had never heard this. But, she came back to me and told me that White truffle grows near or like over where Almonds grow from but that, they don't use white truffle so I was all good. Well, this was super nice of her to check for me. I had no idea she was going to do this. She said the restaurant has strict protocols when it comes to food allergies. I then got for my main dish the double cheese burger with onions and pickles. To drink I had the cucumber martini. WOW everything was pretty darn good!! I passed on dessert. If you get a chance or a reservation pops up in your resy to go, even if it is for lunch..I highly say go for it.

    Grey Goose Martini ($26), Paloma ($24)
    Elena N.

    Date: Wednesday, March 4th, 2026 Time: 2pm Party of: 5 Meal: Boozy Lunch Reservation Made Thru: Resy about two weeks prior *Rothaus Pilsner ($14) *Affogato ($8) *Dirty Blue ($24) *Grey Goose Martini ($26) *Clase Azul Margarita ($36.95) *Espresso Martini ($24.95) *Cosmopolitan ($24.95) *Vesper ($23.95) *Paloma ($24) *Highland Park 12 year Double ($33) *Coke ($8) *Chutoro ($39.99) *Smoked Whitefish Caesar ($27.99) *Tuna & Avocado Nicoise Salad ($36.99) *Baked Crab Cake ($34.99) *Miso Glazed Black Cod ($44.99) *Ribeye Steak Fries ($55.99) *Truffle Monkey Bread ($34.99) *Broiled Asparagus ($16.99) *Sales Tax ($47.99) A friend had sent a list of hard to get reservations and Monkey Bar was on it. When I randomly checked Resy, I found a lunch opening so decided to grab it. They do charge a fee to book a table with them, so for five people, it was $11.45 +$1.02 tax = $12.47. This is not applied towards your bill and I assume just a fee for using Resy. The vibe is very, dare I say Mad Men? Dark dim lighting, big booths, white tablecloths. We read the monkey bread was a must order so of course we had to try it. I adored the decadent fluffy truffle, cheese, bread combo, but I wasn't a huge fan of the sweetness. It was nice to try tho. I was pescatarian at the time, so didn't try the steak. But everyone seemed to enjoy it. Cocktails are a must. Our party enjoyed a nice variety. They are definitely pricey, but we were on vacation so it was go big or go home. Lol! Our server was great. Friendly and attentive. A fun spot for a boozy lunch. I just wish they didn't charge a fee for rezzies. Seems kinda nickel and dimey. REVIEW #4011

    Smoked Whitefish Caesar
    Sarah H.

    From the moment we sat down, the service set the tone for the entire experience. Our server was incredibly warm, upbeat, and full of energy--one of those people who genuinely elevates a meal. I only wish I could remember her name because she deserves the recognition. We started with drinks, and mine ended up being a surprise standout. I ordered the coconut margarita, slightly hesitant since I'm not usually a margarita fan--but it completely won me over. It struck a perfect balance and leaned just enough into the coconut to make it feel unique without being overpowering. My sister-in-law, who's pregnant, had a non-alcoholic Ritual margarita and loved it, noting how convincingly it mimicked the real thing. Since we were sharing, we got to try a good mix of the menu. The monkey bread came first--definitely a splurge at $34, but it's one of those fun, indulgent starters that's worth ordering at least once. While I wouldn't call it the best bread I've ever had, I also wouldn't change anything about it. The crab rangoon was another highlight. Having it made with real crab made a noticeable difference, and the dipping sauces complemented it really well. It felt like a more elevated take on something familiar. For mains, the French dip was a hit. The meat was incredibly tender, the bread had that ideal crusty exterior, and the au jus was packed with flavor--I was very glad I ordered extra. It pulled the whole dish together. We also tried the smoked whitefish Caesar, which was the only dish that didn't quite land for me. It was a well-made, fresh salad, but the smoked fish flavor was a bit overpowering and took over the balance of the dish. Even though we were too full for dessert, the restaurant surprised us with a scoop of strawberry ice cream with chocolate sauce to celebrate my sister-in-law's babymoon. It ended up being one of the most memorable bites of the meal--we're still talking about how good that ice cream was. We arrived right at 11:45, and by the time we left, the place was absolutely buzzing. It's clearly a popular spot, and for good reason. Between the lively atmosphere, strong service, and well-executed food, I'd highly recommend making a reservation if you can.

    Courtney E.

    The place is super cute. Def a date night place that is romantic in my opinion. I think I panic ordered - I was letting other past and future reservations play into what I wanted to order here so I got salmon. Which I love, dont get me wrong. But, that mac and cheese couldve done me over by itsself. As well as the crab rangoon. The chocolate pie was good to share as well. I would like to comeback and try something else another time. Looked like they had a good amount of variety here - between steak, italian etc. I only hated how when I was seated, I had to scoot in the small opening and then plop down on a couch. Shoulvde just moved the table myself - its always a gamble doing this. I popped some guys menu with my backside as I was scooting in.

    Chocolate Cream Pie
    Joseph G.

    Had Memorial Day lunch for my brother in laws birthday. Great place food was really good. The monkey bread is to die for. I had the short rib stroganoff it was so good! Recommend the meatballs too. I had the Oaxacan Old Fashioned very good choice. Food came out quickly and very good service. Place was not loud great atmosphere. This place is definitely worth the hype.

    menu
    Britney B.

    Monkey Bar absolutely lived up to the hype. The drinks were STRONG in the best way possible, the kind where you actually taste the liquor without losing the flavor. The truffle monkey bread was to die for..the truffle flavor was rich and noticeable without being overpowering. But the real star of the night was the ribeye steak frites. I genuinely don't think I've ever had a steak melt in my mouth the way this one did. The second it touched my tongue, it basically turned to water. Perfectly cooked, insanely tender, and worth every bite. Definitely one of my favorite meals in NYC.

    Double Cheeseburger and Truffle Mac & Cheese
    Tahirah R.

    Katie Laura Monkey Bar is an experience. A challenging, wannabe exclusive experience. The hostess, Laura, is insensitive and can use more training in regard to being a host. When I arrived, I asked to be placed on the wait list (knowing it would be 2 hours... even for one person). She was cold and didn't even look at me when talking. We I arrived back for my walk in reservation, I went to check in and instead of speaking with me she ignored me to help the person behind me. I've already left a review with the restaurant and the team reached out with apologies. I hope she will be trained better. My waitress Katie, however, was an absolute gem. Friendly, engaging, and helpful. Food wise I had the truffle monkey bread - overrated. It's just sweet bread without the truffle butter. Now that butter is the star! The regular cheeseburger is to die for and the truffle mac is explosive! Skip the bread. The cosmo was delicious. This place knows what it's doing with food. Walk ins are seated at the front bar area it seems. The actual restaurant is pretty.. if you get a chance to see it at all.

    Johnny N.

    Walking into Monkey Bar had me feeling like I was pulling up to the Great Gatsby's crib. I felt like Owen Wilson traveling through time in Midnight in Paris, as I stood at the top of the staircase over-looking the Art Deco themed dining room. It just felt like somewhere I was not supposed to be. I had to lock in though, as I was really just here to review the burger. I can't let the pretty murals and quintessential 1920s ambiance throw me off. The double cheeseburger ran $38.99 if you add the recommended bacon, and weighed in at 12.5 oz which puts it in the 60th percentile of burger weight. I hate to be the guy complaining about price all the time, but $13.99 for 8.6 oz of fries is just so crazy to me. The Ribeye Steak Frites was only $3 more than a burger and fries. While my hopes were high, the burger was a miss for me. Maybe it was just an off day, but the patties tasted plain and they lacked that punchy, beef forward flavor that is standard for the greats. 6.5/10 for me. Michael Beasely comes to mind. All the tools to be great, but just could never really put it together. However, the rest of the food, the ambiance, and the service were PHENOMENAL. I've never shook off a miss better. Anytime my water thought about being below halfway empty, they filled it. Crumbs were brushed between courses, and our server, Nelson, had me feeling like a lifelong friend by the end of the meal. He even recommended a burger spot in Virginia Beach that he said could top Red Hook. Carrot cake went CRAZY too. I couldn't wrap this review up without shouting out that carrot cake. At this point, if I was visiting New York for a weekend and could only do one nice dinner, it would be Monkey Bar. I'd just get the steak frites. IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo

    Truffle monkey bread
    Taylor S.

    After wanting to try Monkey Bar for YEARS, we were disappointed. Everything we ate was good, but not mind-blowing. That would be fine if it wasn't for the price. Further, the service was seriously lacking. Our water cups were often left empty for long periods, and when packing our leftovers, the staff did not include the truffle butter with our monkey bread starter, which was $35, nor did they include the horseradish cream or the au jus with our French dips, which are crucial components of that meal. After paying $350 for 2 people, this felt incredibly lazy and stingy and left a bad taste in our mouth. We expected to love Monkey Bar, but we were left disappointed by the experience.

    Stormy M.

    What a fun environment. It's super dark as you walk inside, there are lamps on the tables with orange/red shades. The lighting is very dim and there are sconces on the walls that highlight a few murals of, wait for it... monkeys! It was so crowded on a Friday around 3pm, that we grabbed a couple of seats at the bar. I ordered a burger, super juicy and well flavored, but the meat was cooked rare. Darn! I didn't think to make a meat temp request. The fries were very good and they had plenty of bartenders working to minimize the wait time. I think I'll come back and try their Monkey bread as I heard it was the thing to order.

    Truffle Monkey Bread
    Carmen W.

    Great service from waitstaff all around! We arrived 15 minutes late to our reservation and they were kind enough to extend our 2 hour seating to reflect the arrival time. We were frequently checked up on with smiling faces and food came out with perfect timing to accommodate conversation and flow for our allotted time. The monkey bread is an absolute must get. It is sweet, savory and indulgent with its freshly grated truffle. Even though my husband and I were stuffed from their family style portions, we did not leave a single bread crumb behind. We also ordered the 16 oz dry aged new York strip and found it to be a perfect medium rare. The steak was juicy and bearnais sauce oddly reminded us of pho which we loved since it was our first time having it. We had to order the wagyu cheeseburger since we knew they were under the same hospitality group as 4 Charles & au cheval and it didn't disappoint. I haven't tried 4 Charles yet but so far the rankings are monkey bar is +1 over au cheval. The butter lettuce salad fell short for its steep price tag and would not order again. Our chu toro starter was nice and refreshing to a rather heavy meal. If you're able to come with a big group, would definitely recommend doing so though rezzies are so hard to come by!

    Creamed Spinach
    Karen X.

    Monkey Bar is now one of my absolute favorite restaurants in the city. The vibes? Immaculate. The service? Great. The food? Must go back. I went for an anniversary and wow it was such a great experience.

    Truffle Monkey Bread
    Dom G.

    Wow. How is it I've not been here before? Other than getting lucky with snagging a lunch time reservation, it is otherwise quite challenging getting a reservation. The place is sort of hidden on 54th St, especially with the scaffolding. Once you are in - you are in for a treat. The place is huge with great settings We were nicely seated in a booth and got ordering straight away as I had a time crunch. Started with the monkey bread which was 5* - 100% worth ordering. We then individually ordered our own mains - I went with the regular cheeseburger whist others ordered the French dip. Really good food with great service. Everyone had an amazing time. My only complaint is it's so hard to get a reservation!

    Chocolate Cream Pie

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    Monkey Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Monkey Bar

    Do they allow walk ins for 1?

    Yes

    How's the music in here?

    Jazz is played as background music.

    Are kids 7-12 years old welcome?

    We ordered for delivery, but I can’t see why not.

    Reservation needed for bar area?

    No, first come first serve.

    Is there a dress code?

    I would say after work crowd so on the dressier side. No sneakers or shorts for men. Dress to impress.

    View All 7 Questions

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