Had dinner at The Funky Monkey last night and we had a very good experience! They have all-night happy hour on Thursdays with specials on some appetizers and drinks. They also had live music, and the artists were great! For appetizers, I tried the wings, which were really good, and my husband ordered a beef empanada and pork gyoza, which he said were also good (I didn't try them). As entrees I ordered a Cobb salad with grilled chicken, which was very filling and yummy! My husband got their Birria ramen and said it was a little too bland for his taste and might've needed more salt, but was overall good (he ate it all lol). The server was attentive and the food does come out pretty fast. read more

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Yummmmmm, that's the best way to describe this experience. We went for happy hour and ordered almost the whole menu of appetizers and suggested drinks. The drinks were perfectly concocted, the customer service was friendly and the food was flavorful,'bold and satisfying. I was told they have live music on the weekends- I'll be back and will update this review. read more

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First time here at the Funky Monkey. We stumbled upon this trying to find another place. This is located up a flight of stairs. The menu is limited as you can see from the pics. I normally would go with the octopus but it's tapas so I need more than just tapas. The place is decorated cute and from what I can see there are only two waitresses working, even the bar area. Considering there are eight tables. That's a lot of running around. The people here are extremely friendly. Even walking around the town people are extremely friendly. I ordered the Cobb salad and was concerned it was not going to be enough for me. But it turned out to be prefect! read more

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On a weekend getaway, my wife and I (and Monte the service poodle) found the Frog & Monkey restaurant & bar on n downtown Mt Dora. Perfect for a warm Friday afternoon - this basement location was deliciously cool. It was mid afternoon, so other than a French-speaking table of five, we pretty much had the place to ourselves. We each had a different burger and Monte got covert treats from his person. The Goat burger was extremely good with seasoned fries and my Black & Blue burger was outstanding, served with a Caesar salad (up charge). Overall, it was a great little place we totally found by accident. read more

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Loved my first visit to The Funky Monkey, with huge thanks to my wonderful server, Stormy! This second floor eatery on Mount Dora's popular Donnelly Street is an attractive restaurant featuring a bar that screams "hang" on a weekend with your besties before, during, or after the game. The menu is tapas style and your orders come out when they're ready. My steak frites were delicious and the first time a restaurant got "medium" right, in my opinion. The asparagus was a little weak, but when everything else is so great, you can overlook a bit of veg. I definitely plan to return for the ramen when it gets cooler outside. And again, if you're lucky enough to have Stormy as your server, you are in VERY good hands. TYVM! read more

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Stopped in on a Friday night with a friend. The bar was full so we opted for a high top. We ordered the beef empanadas and birria egg rolls to share. Both were really good. The empanadas were stuffed with beef filling and served with a horseradish sauce. The egg rolls were my favorite. The filling was juicy and delicious. I had an old fashion with chocolate bitters that was also really enjoyable. Staff were super attentive. Our server checked on us every time she walked by. The atmosphere was very moody and dark. This would be a great place for a date night. There was a really good singer/guitarist playing that we really enjoyed too. I'd definitely go back next time I'm in town. read more

The Funky Monkey - Beef Empanada - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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1/8/2025 Starting the year at The Funky Monkey with my Yelp Orlando bestie Phylicia. We came here Wednesday night for some tapas and conversation. We did not order any drinks during this visit but it was Whiskey Wednesday. We ordered the beef empanadas with chimichurri, the Chicken Bao Buns and the Birria Egg Rolls. The egg rolls were our favorite of the three and my recommendation if you go. They offer much more, especially ramen. Will definitely come back. The service by Josiah was excellent. We felt welcomed. He made some great recommendations. The restaurant is very cozy, dark. The bar looked super cool but it was a bit packed. I usually like sitting in the bar. The decor was....you guessed it, monkey inspired. Can't wait to bring my husband and friends here. read more

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Very nice place! The food was very good!! We had dumplings, ginger soy sesame wings and short rib ramen. They did a great job on all dishes and the service was great! Our server, Aubrey, was very nice and very pleasant. Everything came out very fast! I would definitely recommend you give this unique place a try! You won't be disappointed! read more

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Cute little hidden gem! I was driving around the town after getting a tattoo nearby and decided to take a stroll "downtown." The restaurant is located upstairs in a little shopping mall which appears to have been a hotel. It had a very welcoming vibe! The moment I walked in I was greeted by the friendly bartender. When I got there I was offered the happy hour menu so I ordered the house mule and the Garlic Chimi Shrimp which was delicious. The sauce had a very flavorful mix of garlic, chimichurri and scallions. I definitely had to dip the several pita bread slices into the sauce because I couldn't get enough of it, it was to die for! I also tried the Miso Glazed Eggplant and it had a delicious balance of sweet and salty mix. I will definitely drive the 40 minutes just for that shrimp and to try other things on the menu. read more

The Funky Monkey - Garlic Chimi Shrimp - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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My family stopped for lunch here on a Sunday. We ordered several of the tapas. The empanadas were more like egg rolls, blown up into a hollow shell that was crunchy. We also ordered the pulpo, but the octopus was overcooked causing it to be quite rubbery, the risotto it was plated with was mush as well as being way over salted. So the pulpo was a big let down. We ordered a bottle of rose to share but the wine didn't arrive until plates of food were hitting the table, despite there being only 3 tables with patrons. On top of this, the kitchen staff were walking back and forth to the bar, and one of them was audibly frustrated and grunting as they returned to the kitchen. It was a bad vibe overall, with the menu presenting as "well put together" but was poorly executed. The server we had was very kind and pleasant, we just felt like the restaurant really needs some help in the kitchen. read more

The ramen was incredibly bland. We got the tonkotsu and the tantanmen. Weirdly they had VERY little broth and what was there tasted watered down. The noodles had no flavor whatsoever. The bao was great, but light on filling. Would have benefited greatly from a second slice of pork or a piece thicker than 3/16 of an inch. The edamame was perfect. Interesting flavor, beautifully cooked. This place defaulted to a 22% tip on the bill which was pretty annoying. Pay your workers!!! read more

This place is very unique if you want a different dining experience, the staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. The food was really really outstanding and very flavorful. Highly recommend this place if you want a unique dining experience. read more

Ramen was delicious. Great drinks and friendly service. Cool downtown vibe. Would recommend.

Enjoyed our food items. Great music. Great table service. Enjoyed our dinner visit.

Mask wearing bartender isn't the best. Prob wouldn't ever sit at the bar when she was there. Veggie ramen is excellent. Miso eggplant not so much- it should be removed from the menu. Empanadas are large and gyoza excellent. It's a cheery little space upstairs from its other restaurant the Frog and Monkey. read more

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So delicious!! The ramen is top notch! The service is always laid back and not rushed/stuffy and knowledgeable about the menu. The vibe laid back and lounge and hello the light fixtures?! , however it is a bit dark inside so note that if you are visually impaired or have someone with mobility issues to be aware before going in. That being said the tables aren't super crowded inside so there's plenty of space to navigate safely! Enjoy!! read more

A true hidden gem in Mount Dora, and I'm grateful it's a little bit hidden as we didn't have to wait more than five minutes even though the sidewalks of the town were packed with people shopping and looking at lights. We found it because of good reviews, otherwise we would've probably walked right past as the signage isn't great - it's up a staircase and around a corner so not quite on the beaten path but above it. We sat near the bar area so had multiple waitresses who doubled as the bartenders. They were super friendly, and quick whenever we needed something. I ordered the steak frites and my friend ordered one of the specials, the birria ramen. They were both amazing! The steak was cooked beautifully and the chimichurri sauce was delightful and flavorful. The ramen had just the right amount of spice and was a HUGE portion size (enough for me to have a few nibbles). The rest of the menu items looked equally delicious as they passed us on their way out of the kitchen. The place was decorated enough for Christmas to be appropriately festive but not over the top. Would 10/10 recommend stopping here if you're in the area. read more

The Funky Monkey - Birria Ramen - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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This has to be one of the worst experiences I've had. My friend and I, who don't get to hang out often decided to have a girls night in downtown Mount Dora. My friend is a Mount Dora local so she recognized a lot of people at Funky Monkey. We arrived at approximately 10:15pm and were immediately approached by Josiah. We had a bottle of pellegrino which was purchased at Handle Bar just prior. He told us last call had passed but we were welcome to "sit and chill". I asked why is last call so early and he said due to the Art show tomorrow, they'll be there till 3am getting ready so they decided to stop serving. We said ok and sat at a table. A few minutes later, he approached my friend and I and said he could get us two drinks on the house. I said how, you said it was already last call and he said he could take care of it. After delivering our drinks, a couple sat next to us and I overheard them ordering drinks from another server. I brought this up to Josiah and he said they decided to open the bar back up. A little while later we left, with all of our stuff and were taking photos in the big mirror upstairs. Josiah came out and joked around with us about taking photos and went back in. We then walked downstairs and left the building. We were crossing an intersection when we heard yelling, turned around and it was Josiah. He said "you're just going to leave and not pay". I looked at him confused and said to him "you told us they were on the house because the bar was closed". He gas lighted us, by saying he never said that, and then accused us of walking out on our tab at Handlebar. In shock, I brought up my bank account and showed him the charge from Handlebar, but he continued to accuse us of walking out on Handlebar still, in the middle of the street with people all around us. He also upcharged both drinks, ringing them in with Tito's, which was never discussed nor asked for. I run a social media page, which Funky Monkey follows or now maybe followed me on. I posted a story on instagram explaining what happened and instead of an apology the owner asked me to take my story down and we could discuss the situation in the morning. I did not. I don't know if this something he regularly does to females, but I caution anyone who visits here stay vigilant. read more

We happened upon this place in Mount Dora. It has a great vibe, great bar service by Stormy, and great food. We had the Hoisin Ribs and Pork Gyoza. Both were delicious. We ate them so fast that I didn't get an opportunity to take a photo. We will definitely be back. read more

The Funky Monkey - Table seating in Bar. - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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Great service at the bar, great drinks, wonderful Baos and Wings.... Would definitely revisit and already have plans to!!

The service and atmosphere was great. The food was reasonably good. My friend and I wanted to go out and found this place. Server was attentive but didn't disturb us too much which is how I like my dining experience. read more

The Funky Monkey - Ramen with extra corn - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

My lady and I stopped in for a drink at the Funky Monkey in Mount Dora. Our bartender, Doug, showed us the Rare Bourbon list and on it was Blanton's Gold with a special Horse topper with the N: It is so rare I wanted it. He called the owner and they were so kind. My lady purchase it for me and I am on top of the world. Thank you Doug and owner of the Funky Monkey read more

Service was spectacular and fun! I didn't catch his name but the bartender waited on us and made us his own concoction for drinks. My husband had ramen and I had some apps (pictured.) this is our 2nd time and we have enjoyed it both times. read more

The Funky Monkey - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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The service was fast great ambience the food came out so fast and looks delicious would highly recommend anyone coming they got a little bit of everything read more

The Funky Monkey - This is there birria ramen would highly recommend - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

The server was inattentive. We were trying to be mindful because it's New Year's Eve but the food just was not good. We got the chicken Katsu sandwich which was okay, it just tasted like a regular chicken sandwich. We also got the tonkatsu ramen and it was the worst ramen I've had. The broth was very bland and just tasted like warm water with sesame oil in it. I tried using chili oil and even soy sauce to try and save it but I couldn't finish it. We would have asked for the noodle dish to be replaced but struggling to get the server's attention + waiting another ~20 minutes was just not worth it. read more

The Funky Monkey - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

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Was in Mount Dora for the Blueberry Festival. I expected there to be more actual food stands but they were thin on the ground. Super hungrily we went searching for lunch. Funky Monkey is on the second floor of a building with cute shops on the first floor. We arrived a little after 3:00 pm which happened to be their happy hour. We got a Michelob Ultra for $4, G&T for 5.50 and a few small plates. Our server Cameron was on point and attentive without hovering. We had the gyoza (5 of them) bao buns (2 of them) and sticky ribs (4 of them). Everything was delicious and with 20% tip $43. The bao buns were spicy and crispy and soft and good. The sticky ribs fell off the bones and were literally finger licking good. The gyoza was really good and crispy. They had lots of choices like ramen and wings and flatbread. They have a kids menu and vegan options. Definitely a great place to stop after a hard day buying jams and hot honey. read more

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Food and drinks were awesome as always. Josiah recommendations were excellent and so was his service. read more

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My boyfriend and I visited Funky Monkey on January 19, 2025, for an afternoon date, excited to try something new, but unfortunately, the experience left us pretty disappointed. We ordered the Bao Buns (appetizer), Spicy Miso and Curry Chicken Ramen (entrees), and, based on the waiter's recommendation, the apple turnovers ($11 on the menu). While the ramen dishes and Bao Buns were good enough, the apple turnovers were a huge letdown. They were very tiny--about 1 1/2 inches--and had a really hard crust with canned apple chunks for filling. It was unpleasant to bite into such a hard exterior and the flavor just wasn't there. We were very surprised as this didn't match what was advertised on Yelp either. We barely got through half of one before leaving the rest untouched. When it was time to pay, I handed my card to the waiter and mentioned my disappointment with the turnovers and informed him we weren't going to eat them/could they take them back, but upon asking for the receipt realized I was still charged for them. When I asked why, the waiter said, "We can't keep comping things that people don't like; we didn't do anything wrong, you just didn't like it." It was a really dismissive response, and I felt like my concerns were brushed aside. On top of that, I noticed after paying that they had already added a tip to the bill without informing me. Not realizing this, I tipped another 22% on top of it. It felt really sneaky, and I wish this had been communicated upfront. When I asked to speak to a manager, a woman came over from the bar, hands on her hips, and started the conversation with, "What's the problem?" That threw me off completely. I calmly explained my concerns, and she mentioned they had just had a meeting about situations like this. I asked if this was happening a lot, and she said it wasn't--it was just for new hires. Despite this, her tone was dismissive, and she went on to say, "If you didn't like the empanadas, you shouldn't have ordered them. We're a small business, so you can't expect us to comp people just because they don't like something." "We didn't make a mistake." I was stunned. This attitude was not only unprofessional but made me feel like my feedback wasn't valued at all. Even though we enjoyed the cocktails, appetizers, and entrees, the rudeness from both the waiter and manager, combined with the tip issue, ruined what should've been a nice afternoon date. We spent over $100 on lunch, but after this experience, I can't see us coming back. It's frustrating because we love supporting local businesses but in this case made to feel completely dismissed and unwelcome. If you're considering Funky Monkey, I'd think twice about whether it's worth spending your money at a place that doesn't seem to care about their customers. read more

The food was AMAZING and so was the service provided by Josiah!! I will definitely recommend... read more

The Funky Monkey - Bar area - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

We were in Mt Dora for the BBQ Sip & Poir event and we stop at The Funky Monkey before heading home since I've always wanted to try this place. The place is located in the second floor of the Renaissance bldg. It was early, and we weren't hungry but want to have drinks and check out their menu. We sat at the bar and had cocktails. The bar is small and cute. I had the tequila cocktail with the egg white (don't remember the name) it was quite good actually. The bartender was friendly and attentive. I wanted to try their ramen, so I asked the bartender recommendations. She said the spicy miso ramen, so I ordered to go. Oh my! It was the best miso ramen I've ever tasted. It had two thick slices of pork belly and hardboiled egg. The flavor was perfect to me. I would definitely go back there again to try the other dishes. read more

The Funky Monkey - Tequila cocktails - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

BRANDON & AUBREY are the best bartenders ever. My husband and I love the Funky Monkey!Cocktails are always amazing. If you're going for food, get the bao buns or ramen. A nice spot to chill earlier in the day, or hang with a crowd on Friday/Saturday nights. read more

I hate to do this - as I was so looking forward to eating here ..... I saw some bad reviews, but also saw some good ones so I was definitely torn about trying it. The place it's self is super cute - I would return just for the music and the drinks- skip the food. Should have listen to my husband when he said wanna go somewhere else..... the service they were very nice a bit slow - but nothing bad. They were out 1/2 the menu - no wings no flat bread. My husband ended getting the bao buns - they were burned and not really good only brought 2 small buns. I ordered the $27 Short rib ramen ..... really wanted to try the wings - the ramen took forever to come out they apologized 3 times - finally came out and it was the saltiest ramen I've ever had it was horrible- the ramen was so salty it made me a bit sick and nauseous and it was unedible- I couldn't do it - I didn't want to wait for more food and wanted to call it a night on this place - ate what I could and left the broth - I ended up being sick after. Places here in mount dora are a hit or a miss - not a lot of places here a hit. So I gave it 2 stars cause if I decided to come back it's just for the atmosphere and the drinks. Worst food ever! read more

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This cute little restaurant is in the upstairs of The Renaissance building downtown. Our server was very helpful and kind. She explained to us that in the Fall and Winter months the have a collaboration with the chocolate maker down stairs where they do chocolate and Mezcal pairing. The food was very good. We shared the empanadas to start. They are huge and one is plenty to split between two people. I had the short rib ramen. It was very good. The short rib had a sweet Asian glaze and fell off the bone. The real stand out was my husband's wagyu sliders. They were fantastic. We then split the bread pudding for desert which was also very good. I will definitely be heading back read more

Josiah went above and beyond to give our large party a great experience. he even hand stuffed some olives for my friends martini read more

The Funky Monkey - Tapas Bars Near Me - Mount Dora, Florida

It started out great. The charcuterie board was spectacular,but that was extent of their excellence. The water tasted like black garlic, when the server was told she stated probably because it was washed with something containing black garlic. When the ramen finally arrived it was bland and lacking flavor, and was missing the egg. I asked for salt to add to the ramen. It never came, I got an excuse the kitchen was struggling so everyone was assisting them but for my inconvenience we would receive our sodas free. I did not eat my noodles. And was still charged. Never again. read more

Went back and tried some new things: Gummy Bear martini (don't judge me). It was not as good as I had hoped, but it grew on me. Had Spanish calamari and avocado hummus appetizers. The calamari was excellent. Hummus was ok. I got the burger sliders again and they are just so good!! Brandon Lee is the best server ever. Bartender guy is also very friendly and nice. read more

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This place is amazing we went to the handlebar yesterday and this place is so much better The bartender Brandon is amazing he asked us to comeback for after dinner drinks He makes this place rock and we are in our seventees read more

Amazing Service, must have tomahawk pork chop! Beth is amazing, she will be missed for sure. Such an amazing atmosphere and with set ice above standards!!! read more

I really enjoyed the Funky Monkey. Great atmosphere. Creative drink options and my biggest concern was in regards to Tapas places where they seem light on the volume of food. That wasn't the case here. We ordered a number of dishes and it was a great value. I'll be back! read more

Very great atmosphere, lovely drinks , lovely service, close to lots of other places and the food is amazing